Michele Martin has been working on a new NPR show and has been demoing parts of it on her blog. My man Jimi came up with a brilliant idea. Instead of having a roundtable discussion of experts as experts about the days events, why not have a roundtable discussion of black men (not necessarily “regular” black men) just shooting the sh*t basically. So he puts me, Gary Dauphin, Eugene Robinson, and Alvin Patrick of ESPN’s Cold Pizza fame, on the mic. The results?
There were two takes–one with Jimi at the head, one with Michel Martin. Check out Ms. Martin’s ideas on the piece, and judge for yourself.
Me? I haven’t listened to both takes, but I talked to Michele briefly afterwards. The first one with Jimi was cool because it was almost like the microphone wasn’t there. The second one with Michele was cool becasue Michel has a very beautiful voice, and a stronger radio presence. But in her case I definitely knew that the mic was there. I’d be interested i your opinions.
Great work ,I like first version better more give and take like the real thing
First, I love the program (version 1). I’d download to my iPod and listen to it in the ride or on the elliptical. I don’t get as many opportunities to have these conversations face to face with my boys as much as I’d like. If I could catch up with my boys more, I would probably blog, much, much less. The folks on blogs often substitute for the face to faces with my always-on-the-hustle boys.
Second, the first version was like being with my boys. The second was not. I’d not listen to the second version on my iPod.
Third, I wouldn’t like Martin leading a barbershop discussion for me and my boys. I do like Martin. She is one of the best in the business in my opinion. And I would like to see her do more things. However, my respect and admiration for her would prohibit me from setting aside any of my good manners while she were in my presence. And, it is the setting aside of a few good manners that often makes our manly and laid back barbershop conversations so precious to us.
Fourth, I’d like to see future shows grab a broader mix of topics. A mix less focused on banal entertainment and easy politics. A mix drawing more from trickier national and international politics (especially Blacks in Africa, South America, and the Caribbean), psychology (especially social psychology and Black male sexual personae), Black fatherhood, Black health, Black literature (old and new) and fine art, and men’s fashion.
From the Archives: The Barbershop http://t.co/9C32vLmV