William S Burroughs, Cutup Lecture On Cutups

For his birthday, Feb 5th, a bit originally posted 4 years ago, back by popular demand (mainly, mine!)

WSB 100th Birthday

cummings/Cohen: in just spring

I've often wondered what Linda Cohen's piece would sound like with the poem it's named after.  Sounds like this.

Wilhelm, the Immortal

If a coward dies a thousand times, it must be this guy.

In explanation: "the Wilhelm Scream" is a sound effects clip of a man shrieking.  It was first used in western movies in the early 1950's.  At some point, foley artists-- who put together film sound effects-- made it a running gag and started using it all the time, in dozens, maybe hundreds of films.  This piece was created from one of many compilations available on YouTube.

About the bit: it sounds like the scream is on a loop and all the other sounds are tossed over it.  Not quite.  It's actually a bunch of clips played in sequence, and the screams are all synced to a click track-- which I left in for the rhythm.

Wilhelm, the Immortal

We Scold These Truths

Created from We Hold These Truths, a radio play by Norman Corwin.

New audio.

News Channel Ate Amanda Knox

From 5 years ago.  I think it was up here for a while. 

News Channel Ate Amanda Knox

Love Field, Nov 22, 1963

The man shrugging in perplexed confusion is a Secret Service agent at Dallas' Love Field on this day in 1963.  He's just been ordered off the President's car as it drives into downtown Dallas, leaving no protection.  "Hey!  Can someone give me a lift?"

Talk about hiding things in plain sight.  All those photos, we never noticed there wasn't an agent within 20 feet of the President when he was shot.  Not a one.

I wonder how Oswald worked that out.

Mel Blanc, hiccuping floorwalker

The talented Mr Blanc, relentlessly hiccuping his way through an amazing routine on Fibber McGee & Molly.  This is an exponential level of difficulty up from "rubber baby buggy bumpers." 

Hiccuping floorwalker