Episodes

Episode 85: Carrie Brownstein, Murdered Moose, and God’s Sporks

Carrie Brownstein/Courtesy of IFC

This week: “Portlandia” star/creator Carrie Brownstein satirizes her own… Broadway’s major fail… and Rico sticks a fork in history. Plus a joke (in English) from The Love Language… and TUnEYarDs gives us the bizness.

Icebreaker: The Love Language
Stuart McLamb, lead singer of indiepop/soul combo The Love Language, marshals a joke. (They’re on tour now)

Small Talk: Blockbuster Comeuppance, Non-Jobs, and Robot Racing
The staff from Marketplace dig up some lesser-known headlines… like the Japanese sporting event that could determine the leader of our robot overlords.

Radio listeners heard Joey Sweeney — editor and publisher of the Philadelphia city blog “Philebrity” — tells us why we prefer our french fries served with a side of beach.

A History Lesson with Booze: Moose Murders and “The Murdered Moose”

This week back in 1983 a legendary play opened on Broadway…and not legendary in a good way. Hear why theaterfolk still talk about “Moose Murders,” then throw tomatoes after sampling the distasteful cocktail it inspired.

“The Murdered Moose” – as created by Jason Woodruff, bar manager at Joe Allen restaurant in NYC’s theater district — home of The Flop Wall:

In a shaker over ice, add:

  • 2 oz. black Sambuca
  • 1 oz. Rose’s Lime juice
  • 1 oz. olive juice

Shake everything over ice to chill. Pour into martini glass with salted rim. Garnish with cocktail onion and a cherry. Sip, then regret having done so.

“The Chocolate Moose” – a far more palatable “Moose Murders”-inspired drink that’s better than the subject matter merits:

  • 1.5 oz. Stoli Vanilla
  • 1 oz. Godiva Chocolate liqueur
  • 1/2 oz. Van Gogh double espresso vodka
  • touch cream
  • touch Chambord

Shake over ice. Drink until “Murdered Moose” taste has been entirely erased from your mouth.

Guest of Honor: Carrie Brownstein
Carrie Brownstein is known to the liberal/artsy crowd everywhere as one of the founding members of revered rock band Sleater Kinney. Now she lovingly satirizes that very crowd — and her hometown of Portland — in the sketch comedy TV show “Portlandia.” Carrie tells Brendan why Portlanders don’t watch the show, why music sounds like music, and about her rendezvous deja-vu.

Main Course: Stick a Fork in History
Why do we even bother eating with utensils? Rico finds out from Russell Hartman, Senior Collections Manager at The California Academy Of Sciences — where they have a huge collection of centuries-old dining devices. Russell also explains why you probably didn’t want to dine in the royal courts of 17th-century England.

One For The Road: TUnEYarDs – “The Bizness”
TUnEYarDs — yes, those capitalized letters are intentional — is the project of musician Merrill Garbus. She’s just unleashed a tune from her forthcoming album “Whokills,” and it’s a hooky mixture of equal parts electronica, soul, and noise. Best listened to when it’s almost quitting time and you’re way too eager to hit the clubs.

Music On This Week’s Show:

Sea & Cake – “The Argument”

The Wedding Present – “Signal”

Link Wray – “Jack The Ripper”

Tipsy – “Liquordelic”

Kings of Convenience – “Failure”

John King – “A Taste Of Honey (Remix)”

Carrie Brownstein – “Portlandia Theme Song”

The Upper Crust – “Let them Eat Rock”

TUnEYarDs – “The Bizness”