Hi Roy. Love you on WWDTM! October 16, 2011 9:36 PM Subscribe
Roy Blount Jr lurks among us.
That's page 4 of his 2008 book Alphabet Juice in which he references this thread on International Animal Sounds.
That's page 4 of his 2008 book Alphabet Juice in which he references this thread on International Animal Sounds.
I'm going to start signing mine "hroo, hroo."
posted by Gator at 9:45 PM on October 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Gator at 9:45 PM on October 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
Metafilter: the input of an online chatperson who sounds like he knows what he is talking about.
posted by michaelh at 9:51 PM on October 16, 2011
posted by michaelh at 9:51 PM on October 16, 2011
Works for me.
Although to me it reads less as "lurks amongst us" and more "stumbled over us via Google." He's only a lurker if he stayed after finding what he was looking for...
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:38 PM on October 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
Although to me it reads less as "lurks amongst us" and more "stumbled over us via Google." He's only a lurker if he stayed after finding what he was looking for...
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 10:38 PM on October 16, 2011 [2 favorites]
Not to be confused with major league asshole Roy Blunt.
posted by Evilspork at 11:11 PM on October 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Evilspork at 11:11 PM on October 16, 2011 [1 favorite]
I, for one, would love a Metafilter-themed edition of Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. If we win, the site gets a personalized greeting from Carl Kasell on the homepage.
posted by zachlipton at 11:53 PM on October 16, 2011 [11 favorites]
posted by zachlipton at 11:53 PM on October 16, 2011 [11 favorites]
Roy Blount Jr lurks among us.
Though that would be nice, it seems at least as likely to me that he or one of his research assistants just googled up the thread.
If you are actually lurking (skulking?) out there, Roy, thanks for some good laughs over the years. I almost pulled Not Exactly What I Had in Mind off the shelf again just a couple of nights ago, but I was interrupted by a boy who is just now learning his bow wows and hau haus.
posted by pracowity at 12:51 AM on October 17, 2011
Though that would be nice, it seems at least as likely to me that he or one of his research assistants just googled up the thread.
If you are actually lurking (skulking?) out there, Roy, thanks for some good laughs over the years. I almost pulled Not Exactly What I Had in Mind off the shelf again just a couple of nights ago, but I was interrupted by a boy who is just now learning his bow wows and hau haus.
posted by pracowity at 12:51 AM on October 17, 2011
Don't a large percentage of hits to the site come from Google searches like that?
posted by octothorpe at 4:59 AM on October 17, 2011
posted by octothorpe at 4:59 AM on October 17, 2011
Though that would be nice, it seems at least as likely to me that he or one of his research assistants just googled up the thread.
Having chatted with him for a few minutes after a taping of Wait Wait once, I can say he really doesn't seem like the kind of guy who has research assistants. Nice, self-effacing, shy and hesitant with the public radio fans milling about to tell him how much they like him. However, I would go along with those who think he found the thread via the goog and not by being a regular reader of the green.
posted by aught at 6:13 AM on October 17, 2011
Having chatted with him for a few minutes after a taping of Wait Wait once, I can say he really doesn't seem like the kind of guy who has research assistants. Nice, self-effacing, shy and hesitant with the public radio fans milling about to tell him how much they like him. However, I would go along with those who think he found the thread via the goog and not by being a regular reader of the green.
posted by aught at 6:13 AM on October 17, 2011
I once saw John Hurt in Old Compton Street. Or it might have been Maggie Smith. I was terribly drunk at the time.
posted by Decani at 7:03 AM on October 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by Decani at 7:03 AM on October 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
Not to be confused with major league asshole Roy Blunt.
Hey now. He may have played some highschool baseball but I'm positive he was never in the MLB.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:52 AM on October 17, 2011
Hey now. He may have played some highschool baseball but I'm positive he was never in the MLB.
posted by cortex (staff) at 7:52 AM on October 17, 2011
A website I made was referenced as a question on WWDTM. That took up about 4 minutes of my 15 minutes of fame.
posted by crunchland at 8:29 AM on October 17, 2011
posted by crunchland at 8:29 AM on October 17, 2011
Oh, neat!
It IS rather remarkable, though, just how informed Google thinks Ask.... is. I think we had a thread about thsi while back, but, bottom line, in a clean browser with no cookies from an undisclosed location etc -- try asking Google something, and more often than not Ask.Mefi will come up in the top 5. Internet scholar chatpersons!
(At times I've considered trying to be a contestant on WWDTM, but I've realized the resulting potential shock and earth shattering "SQUEE" when I'm told Carl Kassell will provide a message for my voicemail would likely deafen and kill everyone on the show, along with those who live within a one mile radius of me. )
posted by cavalier at 8:50 AM on October 17, 2011
It IS rather remarkable, though, just how informed Google thinks Ask.... is. I think we had a thread about thsi while back, but, bottom line, in a clean browser with no cookies from an undisclosed location etc -- try asking Google something, and more often than not Ask.Mefi will come up in the top 5. Internet scholar chatpersons!
(At times I've considered trying to be a contestant on WWDTM, but I've realized the resulting potential shock and earth shattering "SQUEE" when I'm told Carl Kassell will provide a message for my voicemail would likely deafen and kill everyone on the show, along with those who live within a one mile radius of me. )
posted by cavalier at 8:50 AM on October 17, 2011
I can only assume that I'm missing something, and I can also only assume that it's all part of a conspiracy, possibly started by that unpleasant child-abusing hack Paula Poundstone.
My understand is that she was cleared of those charges.
Also, I love her.
posted by angrycat at 9:21 AM on October 17, 2011 [8 favorites]
My understand is that she was cleared of those charges.
Also, I love her.
posted by angrycat at 9:21 AM on October 17, 2011 [8 favorites]
Awesome! And it's nice to know he's still getting work after Ghostbusters.
posted by Jofus at 10:01 AM on October 17, 2011
posted by Jofus at 10:01 AM on October 17, 2011
So.. I just happen to know this MrAnonymous in real life. I sent this to him and he told me he just bought that book but hadn't started reading it yet. I guess I ruined the pleasant surprise he would have had.
posted by kingbenny at 10:10 AM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by kingbenny at 10:10 AM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
Pigs in Russia say "hroo, hroo"? What does Law and Order sound like there?
posted by jquinby at 11:32 AM on October 17, 2011 [5 favorites]
posted by jquinby at 11:32 AM on October 17, 2011 [5 favorites]
In United States, pig attempt to pronounce you
posted by not_on_display at 12:01 PM on October 17, 2011 [4 favorites]
posted by not_on_display at 12:01 PM on October 17, 2011 [4 favorites]
Now I can't stop saying "hroo, hroo".
posted by Specklet at 12:40 PM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by Specklet at 12:40 PM on October 17, 2011 [1 favorite]
What does Law and Order sound like there?
If I lose my job due to laughing my ass off while reading MeFi, do I become eligible for a staff position? I'm just throwing it out there.*
*I know it would never happen. Also, I don't want that job. A lot of us can be real assholes sometimes.
posted by doyouknowwhoIam? at 1:09 PM on October 17, 2011
If I lose my job due to laughing my ass off while reading MeFi, do I become eligible for a staff position? I'm just throwing it out there.*
*I know it would never happen. Also, I don't want that job. A lot of us can be real assholes sometimes.
posted by doyouknowwhoIam? at 1:09 PM on October 17, 2011
I just find the dumbed-down character that she's constantly playing to be incredibly unfunny.
Acutally (I hear a lot of Wait Wait while I putter around on Saturday mornings) it's more a contrarian mode she uses than dumbed-down. And, speaking as someone who does not at all like dumbed-down humor, I honestly find that she says some of the funniest things on that show. (Her approach is actually not so different from Roy Blount's if you think about it.)
She was convicted of a felony and a misdemeanor and sentenced to five years of probation and six months in an alcohol treatment program.
Correct, for DWI with kids in the car, as I recall, and was granted full custody of her three adopted children again after finishing rehab. (Those children must be teenaged or even young adults by now.) I wonder if what angrycat was thinking of was the weird "lewd acts with a minor" charge that was thrown out.
Also, I think a lot of people over the years misunderstood the DWI charges as meaning she physically abused her children, which as far as I know she did not. I always figured that the misunderstanding - or misrepresentation - got traction because people assume she's a lesbian - she claims to be totally asexual - and media right-wingers wanted ammunition against gay adoption rights.
posted by aught at 2:07 PM on October 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
Acutally (I hear a lot of Wait Wait while I putter around on Saturday mornings) it's more a contrarian mode she uses than dumbed-down. And, speaking as someone who does not at all like dumbed-down humor, I honestly find that she says some of the funniest things on that show. (Her approach is actually not so different from Roy Blount's if you think about it.)
She was convicted of a felony and a misdemeanor and sentenced to five years of probation and six months in an alcohol treatment program.
Correct, for DWI with kids in the car, as I recall, and was granted full custody of her three adopted children again after finishing rehab. (Those children must be teenaged or even young adults by now.) I wonder if what angrycat was thinking of was the weird "lewd acts with a minor" charge that was thrown out.
Also, I think a lot of people over the years misunderstood the DWI charges as meaning she physically abused her children, which as far as I know she did not. I always figured that the misunderstanding - or misrepresentation - got traction because people assume she's a lesbian - she claims to be totally asexual - and media right-wingers wanted ammunition against gay adoption rights.
posted by aught at 2:07 PM on October 17, 2011 [2 favorites]
Pigs in Russia say "hroo, hroo"? What does Law and Order sound like there?
Apparently, a lot like this. Basically, like Law and Order here, except everyone is speaking Russian.
(kindly insert your own "in Soviet Russia" joke in this space.)
posted by zachlipton at 2:18 PM on October 17, 2011
Apparently, a lot like this. Basically, like Law and Order here, except everyone is speaking Russian.
(kindly insert your own "in Soviet Russia" joke in this space.)
posted by zachlipton at 2:18 PM on October 17, 2011
Apparently, a lot like this.
No, no, NO! This was a matter of heated debate.
posted by jquinby at 6:54 PM on October 17, 2011
No, no, NO! This was a matter of heated debate.
posted by jquinby at 6:54 PM on October 17, 2011
Hey, now this is really exciting. I love Roy Blount. And I have a little crush on his voice.
Though that would be nice, it seems at least as likely to me that he or one of his research assistants just googled up the thread.
Even though he's a very well-known and widely published writer and heard on NPR stations, that really doesn't add up to "has more than one research assistant." Neither of these professions are known for their insanely high salaries, and I doubt he's commanding a small army of creative writing MFAs to do his humor finding for him.
posted by Miko at 9:17 PM on October 17, 2011
Though that would be nice, it seems at least as likely to me that he or one of his research assistants just googled up the thread.
Even though he's a very well-known and widely published writer and heard on NPR stations, that really doesn't add up to "has more than one research assistant." Neither of these professions are known for their insanely high salaries, and I doubt he's commanding a small army of creative writing MFAs to do his humor finding for him.
posted by Miko at 9:17 PM on October 17, 2011
I did a little independent research, and what do you know, MrAnonymous IS an online chat person who knows what he is talking about!
Hroo, hroo indeed.
posted by misha at 10:01 PM on October 17, 2011
Hroo, hroo indeed.
posted by misha at 10:01 PM on October 17, 2011
You know who else I've seen link stuff on Twitter "via metafiter"? Michael Mckean!
posted by chiababe at 10:03 AM on October 18, 2011
posted by chiababe at 10:03 AM on October 18, 2011
Not to be confused with major league asshole Roy Blunt.
I thought he was his son.....
posted by miyabo at 11:53 AM on October 18, 2011
I thought he was his son.....
posted by miyabo at 11:53 AM on October 18, 2011
Jogoslav/Serbo Croat pigs just say 'Hrrrrrr'.
posted by not_on_display at 6:58 PM on October 18, 2011
posted by not_on_display at 6:58 PM on October 18, 2011
I love Roy Blount Jr. His Wait Wait episodes have made me giggle uncontrollably on the T more than once.
posted by sarcasticah at 12:16 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by sarcasticah at 12:16 AM on October 21, 2011 [1 favorite]
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yr. online chatperson,
Jessamyn
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:41 PM on October 16, 2011 [7 favorites]