<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=2 PTSIZE=10 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">I just heard a radio program called "Theory of Everything" - a docutainment magazine format, interviews and discussion of a certain topic. But the production style had the looped music, not quite as dark as Joe's, but definitely that same production technique pioneered by Joe of the looped music with a certain "feel" forming an audio counterpoint to the spoken part. This is something Ira Glass picked up when he interned with Joe Frank and then built into the very popular PRI /Public Radio offering "This American Life" and now this same technique is being used in "Theory of Everything"- a loop that sets the mood and which swells up for emphasis when there is a pause in the story.<BR>
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And while this audio production archetype is now so pervasive that it might seem like it occurred "naturally" or is an "obvious method"- the truth is this is something Joe developed, ha ha, hope he can collect roylaties from these Johnny-come-latelies. Or maybe the Third Coast people were acknowledging this when they gave Joe that Lifetime Achievement award. (I hope that there was a check that came along with that award, but I bet there wasn't. Most people in Public Radio are starving. The average production drudge in an NPR affiliate making documentaries gets paid minimum wage -or less, if the station can get away with paying by the piece rather than hiring staff by the hour.)<BR>
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Actually, I WOULD like to hear Ira Glass acknowledge his debt to Joe. Glass tried a lot of different formulas on the radio - including a self indulgent program called The Wild Room which seemingly had no actual content- before he scored with This American Life, a program which is COMPLETELY beholden to Joe for it's "look and feel". Ira has even been known to use some of the exact same music to loop as Joe....<BR>
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Don't get me wrong, I like This American Life, I've heard some interesting stuff. I also liked what I heard so far of Benjamin Walker's "Theory of Everything" (except the announcer's stop-and-start vocal pacing which also has kind of breathy whine in it- very annoying) but these guys owe A LOT to Joe and they should acknowledge it. <BR>
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Yeah, right- as if some artists is EVER going to acknowledge that their work isn't only about them and their own incredible genius.....</FONT></HTML>