I applaud the effort to get more storytelling on the radio. That said, in this case ... I just saw "Urinetown" night-before-last and there's a passage from the show that seems apropos to this story:
Little Sally: Oh, I guess you don't want to overload them with too much exposition, huh. ……
Officer Lockstock: Everything in its time, Little Sally. You're too young to understand it now, but nothing can kill a show like too much exposition. …..
There's a sense of self-satisfaction in the presentation of this story -- I get a feeling that the writer is a person of significance within this organization and so no one dares tell him that his work might be better if he'd tone it down a little. There seems to be a lot of the Jean Shepherd-wannabe in this piece that comes off sounding like something you'd hear from a Damon Runyon character -- he says things like "Thusly" and "Viscous Expulsions" that -- to my ear anyway -- scream out "Ain't I cute!?"
And watch out -- in a bid for verisimilitude, I believe someone yells "the F word."
Great piece. As a reformed (never convicted) water-balloon assassin and fire extinguisher sharp shooter, I got a kick out of the adventures of boys spitting off a bridge.
Palladino does a great job and expertly delivers a nuanced and comic radio essay.
One of those rare pieces where all elements of radio writing, narration, editing, and sound designing merge to tell a humorous story. Bill Palladino's writing is half of this piece's success. The other half is...Bill Palladino's narrating and editing skills. Of course this is a good example of "If it ain't on the page..." The story on paper was audio friendly even before it went in front of a microphone.
A funny look back at boyhood in the city, the pros & cons of friendship, and finding your own adventures. An amusing story with a little "grimace factor".
Comments for Bridge Spitting
Produced by Bill Palladino
Other pieces by Bill Palladino
Rating Summary
4 comments
Richard Paul
Posted on August 26, 2005 at 05:13 AM | Permalink
Review of Bridge Spitting
I applaud the effort to get more storytelling on the radio. That said, in this case ... I just saw "Urinetown" night-before-last and there's a passage from the show that seems apropos to this story:
Little Sally: Oh, I guess you don't want to overload them with too much exposition, huh. ……
Officer Lockstock: Everything in its time, Little Sally. You're too young to understand it now, but nothing can kill a show like too much exposition. …..
There's a sense of self-satisfaction in the presentation of this story -- I get a feeling that the writer is a person of significance within this organization and so no one dares tell him that his work might be better if he'd tone it down a little. There seems to be a lot of the Jean Shepherd-wannabe in this piece that comes off sounding like something you'd hear from a Damon Runyon character -- he says things like "Thusly" and "Viscous Expulsions" that -- to my ear anyway -- scream out "Ain't I cute!?"
And watch out -- in a bid for verisimilitude, I believe someone yells "the F word."
Cheryl-Anne Millsap
Posted on August 20, 2005 at 12:58 PM | Permalink
Review of Bridge Spitting
Great piece. As a reformed (never convicted) water-balloon assassin and fire extinguisher sharp shooter, I got a kick out of the adventures of boys spitting off a bridge.
Palladino does a great job and expertly delivers a nuanced and comic radio essay.
Emon Hassan
Posted on May 02, 2005 at 12:19 PM | Permalink
Review of Bridge Spitting
One of those rare pieces where all elements of radio writing, narration, editing, and sound designing merge to tell a humorous story. Bill Palladino's writing is half of this piece's success. The other half is...Bill Palladino's narrating and editing skills. Of course this is a good example of "If it ain't on the page..." The story on paper was audio friendly even before it went in front of a microphone.
Steve Zerefos
Posted on April 26, 2005 at 04:27 AM | Permalink
Review of Bridge Spitting
A funny look back at boyhood in the city, the pros & cons of friendship, and finding your own adventures. An amusing story with a little "grimace factor".