A Comedy Collection for the Chronically Serious

June 24, 2013
This audiobook collects the lighter moments from National Public Radio, bringing together moments from hit programs like Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me, Fresh Air, and All Things Considered. Emceed by Peter Sagal, this collection of comedic radio segments includes Terry Gross speaking with Joan Rivers, Drew Carey’s appearance on Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me, and Supreme Court Justices cracking jokes. In all, this funny collection is seriously great fun. The vast majority of the performers are either radio host or a show biz, so the audio work is top-notch. NPR fans wanting to relive some of the funnier moments on their favorite shows should snap up this audiobook.

Starred review from July 1, 2013
Listeners familiar with NPR's serious radio news programs are in for a treat. This title mines various NPR programs for interviews with Stephen Colbert and Joan Rivers, among others. Colbert provides the most laughs as a media blowhard upset with all things modern on "All Things Considered". Interspersed are April Fools' Day pieces on topics such as a Starbucks' transcontinental pipeline. These shorter tracks offer more chuckles than lengthier career retrospectives with Mel Brooks and the late Phyllis Diller. As with Drew Carey's appearance from "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!", one needn't be familiar with the originating shows. The language is as clean as the subject matter, which resides in a more refined neighborhood than that of "The Onion". VERDICT Recommended. This release cherry-picks from NPR programs featured in previous audiobooks; however, the laughs here are fresh and well earned. No David Sedaris, alas.--Kelly Sinclair, Temple P.L., TX Copyright 013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.