EDIT: I just noticed that this page has been getting an inordinate amount of hits, which means either you guys are all suddenly into Wiretap or everyone’s going to be Fred Flintstone for Halloween. At any rate, I’ve moved this website to Yourelisteningtowiretap.net.
Well looks like Wiretap is running reruns for the summer – not only that, this week’s episode is a repeat containing a repeat: the Barney Rubble and Fred Flintstone piece appeared on This American Life episode 345, “Ties that Bind.” What’s more interesting, a live version in of this bit showed up on “Love Thy Neighbor,” on April 4, 2007, which was drastically different, though I think it used the same phone clips. I think I prefer the new version more – it is truer to the Wiretap format and tells as much of a story without any narration. But then again, the Jonathan Goldstein monologue style gives you more of the trademark JG storytelling. I guess its interesting to see the same story approached form two distinct Wiretap-styles and have both be successful.
Anyway, that was in Act II. Give both versions a listen and enjoy.
What else happens in this episode? Well there’s the story of the Penguin meeting Mary Poppins. And then there’s a bit where Jonathan Goldstein calls up Josh Karpati who begins ribbing him for his unusually high telephone bill by pretending to be a Bell employee deflecting a customer complaint. I’ll make a summary page later.
Oh, and Wendy Dorr (This American Life producer and regular help on Wiretap) is the voice of Betty on the Rubble’s answering machine.
Image grifted from 80s Tees, meaning, yeah I guess you can buy that.
Tags: David Rakoff, Joshua Karpati, Season 3, This American Life, Wendy Dorr
