Special Features
Critic on Critic Plus a Musical Turkey Hunt
This week on the Joshua David Stein Variety Hour... Half Hour, host Joshua David Stein is talking critic on critic on critic. Kicking off the show with the beloved Food Poem in an English Accent segment, Joshua welcomes longtime restaurant critic, Moira Hodgson, with a beautiful reading of a poem entitled, "Onion." Joshua later brings New York Magazine critic, Adam Platt, on the show via phone to talk about their common craft of critiquing. They discuss the true role of the food critic, whether they are expected to discover new places or continue to comment on old places and gets Adam's take on the conundrum. Depending on each publication's spin on food reviews plus the trendiness of chefs and restaurants, Joshua and Adam agree that many magazines that have an online presence prefer what's new and hip (the "hamster wheel of newness"). In the second half of the show, Joshua schools us with a little ethnomusicology and takes listeners on a musical turkey hunt. Tune in for a great show! This program was brought to you by Roberta's Pizza.
*Songs featured in this episode include:
Shoo Turkey, Morning Star Hall Singers [Buy here]
Froggie Went A-Courtin' (300 Turkeys) by Jim Nollman [Buy here]
Tren Gelir Hos Gelir by Radio Ankara Ensemble [Buy here]
Freight Train Blues by Brownie McGhee [Buy here]
Your Blood Is Like A Railroad Train by Isabel Abrams and Roxana Alsberg [Buy here]
"I'm the king of the 2 star review." [13:37]
"A little review about a fried chicken joint is not going to gain a lot of attention, although, frankly, if you want to review something that gets some attention, review a fried chicken joint." [14:47]
--Adam Platt on the Joshua David Stein Variety Hour... Half Hour