I Was a Washington Post Reporter. And a Crack Addict.

Politico ^ | Monday, June 30, 2014 | Ruben Castenada

[MUDDOG]

that show that’s sort of like Twilight Zone

X Minus One? They used to play that a lot on XM.

I too was surprised at how good the Jack Benny program is. It holds up very well, much better than Bob Hope or Red Skelton's radio shows, or Duffy's Tavern. Bob's 1940 movies are still great though.

Dragnet's still good, and I also liked those earlier Jack Webb private eye shows.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

A reporter? Big deal. Nancy Pelosi is a Senator and a crack addict.

[kristinn]

Thanks. Good to see you, too.

[RichInOC]

I Was a Washington Post Reporter. And a Crack Addict.

To be fair, there’s not that bright a line between the two. Except that there are some things that crackheads simply will not do.

[RichInOC]

In anticipation of a drug test, I abstained from crack for a long, miserable week. I flew to D.C. on a Monday, went through a gauntlet of interviews on Tuesday, flew back to L.A. on Wednesday and was offered the job on Thursday. It turned out the paper didn’t screen for drug use.

Oh, crap. I was just kidding about there not being a bright line. That explains a few things.

[kcvl]

Ruben Castaneda covers the federal courthouse in Greenbelt and the Prince George’s County court system for the local staff. From the latter part of 1989 through the mid-1990s, Ruben covered the D.C. police and crime beat. He was born and grew up in Los Angeles and worked for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner before joining the Post.

[Celtic Conservative]

I think the Johnny Dollar scripts are as good or better than what TV is doing now. Some of the best writers and producers in film and television in the 70’s , 80’s and 90’s came out of postwar radio. People like Gene Roddenberry, Rod Serling and Jack Webb. Gene Roddenberry wrote scripts by night while working as a motorcycle cop for the LAPD, BTW.

CC

[Sicon]

Wait, does this mean that not ALL WaPo reporters are on crack?!

[jocon307]

Yes, some of that Bob Hope stuff, you just can’t get it. I don’t know why, it doesn’t even sound that topical, like making a joke about some long gone politician. It’s just banter of the day and you know if you’d lived then you’d be chuckling too, but as it is it just goes right past me.

X minus one, I think I’ve heard that one too, but I’m not sure it’s the one I’m thinking of.

Johnny Dollar is good too, I’d never heard that until recently. As a bookkeeper I’m amused by the expense account angle.

Say, do you know what they mean when they say “transcribed”? Like “this transcribed radio drama is brought to you by XYZ Co.”

Hubby and I used to listen a lot, but I never remember hearing that, now when I listen I hear it all the time.

I can’t figure out what they mean by that.

[Political Junkie Too]

While researcing a possible post on this thread, I looked up Jessica Savitch, NBC News, who was a cocaine addict. Wikipedia has scrubbed any mention of her drug addiction.

-PJ

[MUDDOG]

I think "transcribed" means the original broadcast was a prerecording, as opposed to a live original broadcast as in early radio.

The best expense account item on "Johnny Dollar" was his bill for a night in the hospital after being beaten up. Eighteen dollars.

The Bob Hope jokes have a snarky meanness to them, which is thankfully absent from Jack Benny's shows.

[jocon307]

AH! Thank you, that makes sense.

I heard one Johnny Dollar show and he paid some big bucks to basically throw a little get together for the press. Really a lot for those days, like $50-75!

[Chode]

do I really have to say it???

[Moonmad27]

(Veering wildly off topic) Johnny Dollar with Bob Bailey is the best of radio shows — not just my opinion, but as voted by SiriusXM listeners. I don’t know why. Perhaps it’s because he seems so human, so modern.

[MUDDOG]

It’s my favorite anyway. Great plots, great pacing and production values, great leading actor.

[notdownwidems]

I also like that show that’s sort of like Twilight Zone, just one-off stories, and often odd and Sci-Fi-ish. I CANNOT remember the name, this is going to annoy me!

Do you mean The Outer Limits?

[kevkrom]

I Was a Washington Post Reporter. And a Crack Addict

In other news, Dog Bites Man.

[1Old Pro]

Confirming the fact that members of the media think everything is about THEM and nothing about journalism should get in the way of either :
1) Changing society to be more liberal
2) Calling attention to themselves - hey how about another award show.

[jocon307]

I remember that from tv. Was it on radio too?

[notdownwidems]

I remember that from tv. Was it on radio too?

I don't remember it on radio, but then I'm not that old lol!