Previously On

For those of you who are new to the program:

In 1994, Andy "Don't Get Killed" Breckman wrote an article about his experience opening for singer-songwriter/folk legend Don "American Pie" McLean on the folk circuit. Ten years later, McLean responded with a torrent of folk-ish invective. Andy and Ken "Thunderdome" Freedman discussed this on the show. When the Don McLean message board wiped a thread pertaining to the feud, Ken proclaimed that the grudge had been won in Andy's favor, but an offer of $200 to whoever could motivate McLean to say Andy Breckman's name remained unresolved. Three years later, the discussion resurfaced in the context of the upcoming WFMU book, which will reprint both articles.

Meanwhile, Andy's long-time infatuation with/addiction to giggling girls finally paid off in the form of a soundboard constructed by Ken. The soundboard contained the laughs of listener Amy (who is a nurse) and Andy's wife of three years, Beth. Both were recorded laughing at jokes Andy was testing in preparation for the eventual realization of his stand-up comedy/ventriloquism act dreams.

Jeff, the call screener, is currently engaged (or not.) Andy promoted his son Josh's new band. Andy called out Ken's on-air reticence: "I'm opening a vein. You're not even blowing your nose." A fight over a Metropolitan Diary-themed show left the competing concepts in ruins until "blog girl" Andrea submitted an entry reconstructed by listener Robin. More recently, Andy and Ken did a show titled "Prison Strategies, Nuclear Free Zones and Giggly Girls", then I wrote this and you commented on it.

I might be wrong about that last one.

Sun up! Mismiss hurts!

January 17, 2007: Focus Groups and Giggly Girls

In this episode, Ken and Andy form listener focus groups. These are used to test out a few caller ideas and a few of Andy's jokes. You'll also hear what happens when Andy gets his hands on his own Giggly Girl button.

Also, thanks to the glory of the internet, you can play along in your own home with these buttons.
1) Amy's Laugh
2) Beth's Laugh
3) Calculating College Girl's Laugh
4) Andy's Laugh

Just so you all know, I submitted the Metropolitan Diary story that Listener Robin created for us. If any of you have your own Metropolitan Diary ideas kicking around from last week's show, here are the guidelines for submission:

Observations for this column may be sent to Metropolitan Diary at diary@nytimes.com or to The New York Times, 229 West 43rd Street, New York, N.Y. 10036. Please include your name, mailing address and daytime telephone number; upon request, names may be withheld in print. Submissions become the property of The Times and cannot be returned. They may be edited, and may be republished in all media.

Overheard on WFMU

January 10, 2007: The Great Metropolitan Diary Trainwreck

Tonight, we heard tunes from Andy's son's band Bridget and the Squares. You can visit their MySpace page and listen to a few of their 'lil ditties here. I think they're really great.

Playing their songs on the air helped Andy earn some father points, which he will probably be needing after losing all of his DJ points. Not only was he late, sick, and mean to Call Screener Jeff, but he didn't listen to any of Ken's ideas either before or during the show.

The focus of this episode was on the Metropolitan Diary section of the New York Times. The Metropolitan Diary is this kooky column of cutesy, offensive nonsense. The guys tackled this topic by reading these diary entries aloud and then calling the answering machines of the authors.

I say that the blog should fill in where Andy failed us. Let's piece together our own diary entry. Who wants to write the first draft? Don't forget "His voice full of consternation" and "Mommy! Why is Daddy going to sell my shorts?".

A New Day

January 3, 2007: Two Minutes and Six Degrees

I have a question. What's with the puppets all of a sudden? Is this Seven Second Delay: The Puppet Years? First Andy, out of nowhere, maybe it's part of Midlife Crisis II, wants to get a ventriloquism act going. Then the famous David Herman calls in, and, it turns out, has the exact same aspirations. Then, this show, this guy Noah is well-versed in the (formerly) elusive puppet scene. As is his date.

Let's get everything out in the open right now. Who's had experience in puppeteering or with puppeteers? Who hasn't? Even if it was a drunken encounter with some no-name ventriloquist you met in a bar, I'm going to say that counts.

2007: Year of the Bad Ideas

Is your dome brimming with ideas for 7SD shows? Are some of them not quite good enough to be good?

The year is new. Let's end the shame. March those ugly ducklings into the light, with this, the long-awaited Bad Show Ideas post.

I'll go first.

1. An entire show in a foreign language, one in which neither Ken nor Andy is conversational.

Hit up the comments section.