Long Story Short: I'm digging Welcome to Night Vale
I have been smitten by Welcome to Night Vale. It's on the itunes podcasts and at the website.
I'm only to Episode 6. but I'm hooked. Basically it' s a community news radio spot for a very strange little town in the desert called Night Vale. If the works of H.P. Lovecraft and David Lynch collided at high speed and a town was built out of the resulting debris, it might have a local radio show like this.
Some chosen excerpts:
"The city council, in cooperation with government agents from a vague, yet menacing, agency, is asking all citizens to stop by the Night Vale Elementary School gymnasium tonight at seven for a brief questionnaire about mysterious sights that definitely no one saw, and strange thoughts that in no way occurred to anyone, because all of us are normal, and to be otherwise would make us outcasts from our own community. Remember: if you see something, say nothing, and drink to forget."
* * *
"Keep some flashlights with spare batteries and a childhood photo album by you tonight, just in case."
* * *
"Lights, seen in the sky above the Arby’s. Not the glowing sign of Arby’s; something higher and beyond that. We know the difference. We’ve caught onto their game. We understand the lights-above-Arby’s game. Invaders from another world. Ladies and gentlemen, the future is here, and it’s about a hundred feet above the Arby’s."
* * *
"Those were not contact lenses you put in this morning. Best not think about this again."
* * *
"The city council has asked me to remind everyone about the new drive to clean up litter. Night Vale is our home. And who wants to leave trash all over their home? Put it in the garbage can, listeners. And if you see any trash around, pick it up, and throw it away! Do your part. Unless the trash is marked with a small red flag. The council has asked me to remind you that any litter marked with a red flag is not to be picked up or approached. Remember the slogan: No flag? Goes in the bag. Red flag? Run."
* * *
"City council has asked me to read the following message. If you notice strange auras around any of the following objects in your house: blender, showerhead, dog, husband, wife, table, chair, doorknob, baseboard, vacation souvenirs or photos, collectibles of any kind, especially those depicting or involving horses, DVDs, especially Cliffhanger, There’s Something About Mary, and The Wire 4th season, and any bagged lettuce from California or Mexico, please, report to the council for indefinite detention."
* * *
"Remember, this is America. Vote correctly, or never see your loved ones again. This message brought to you by the city council."
* * *
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have just received word from Secret Police that the rip in space-time that opened at last night’s PTA meeting has been sealed at last. The final missing pterodactyl has been returned to its own timeline in either prehistoric or alternate universe Night Vale."
* * *
"And now for a brief public service announcement. Alligators. Can they kill your children? Yes."
* * *
"Now that I think about it, I have also never bothered to actually check whether this mike is attached to any sort of recording or broadcasting device. And, it is possible that I am alone in an empty universe, speaking to no one, unaware that the world is held aloft merely by my delusions and my smooth, sonorous voice. More on this story as it develops, I say, possibly only to myself."
Weird and intriguing. All delivered by the soothingly steady and blandly pleasant voice of Cecil Baldwin. Check it out.
I'm only to Episode 6. but I'm hooked. Basically it' s a community news radio spot for a very strange little town in the desert called Night Vale. If the works of H.P. Lovecraft and David Lynch collided at high speed and a town was built out of the resulting debris, it might have a local radio show like this.
Some chosen excerpts:
"The city council, in cooperation with government agents from a vague, yet menacing, agency, is asking all citizens to stop by the Night Vale Elementary School gymnasium tonight at seven for a brief questionnaire about mysterious sights that definitely no one saw, and strange thoughts that in no way occurred to anyone, because all of us are normal, and to be otherwise would make us outcasts from our own community. Remember: if you see something, say nothing, and drink to forget."
* * *
"Keep some flashlights with spare batteries and a childhood photo album by you tonight, just in case."
* * *
"Lights, seen in the sky above the Arby’s. Not the glowing sign of Arby’s; something higher and beyond that. We know the difference. We’ve caught onto their game. We understand the lights-above-Arby’s game. Invaders from another world. Ladies and gentlemen, the future is here, and it’s about a hundred feet above the Arby’s."
* * *
"Those were not contact lenses you put in this morning. Best not think about this again."
* * *
"The city council has asked me to remind everyone about the new drive to clean up litter. Night Vale is our home. And who wants to leave trash all over their home? Put it in the garbage can, listeners. And if you see any trash around, pick it up, and throw it away! Do your part. Unless the trash is marked with a small red flag. The council has asked me to remind you that any litter marked with a red flag is not to be picked up or approached. Remember the slogan: No flag? Goes in the bag. Red flag? Run."
* * *
"City council has asked me to read the following message. If you notice strange auras around any of the following objects in your house: blender, showerhead, dog, husband, wife, table, chair, doorknob, baseboard, vacation souvenirs or photos, collectibles of any kind, especially those depicting or involving horses, DVDs, especially Cliffhanger, There’s Something About Mary, and The Wire 4th season, and any bagged lettuce from California or Mexico, please, report to the council for indefinite detention."
* * *
"Remember, this is America. Vote correctly, or never see your loved ones again. This message brought to you by the city council."
* * *
"Ladies and Gentlemen, we have just received word from Secret Police that the rip in space-time that opened at last night’s PTA meeting has been sealed at last. The final missing pterodactyl has been returned to its own timeline in either prehistoric or alternate universe Night Vale."
* * *
"And now for a brief public service announcement. Alligators. Can they kill your children? Yes."
* * *
"Now that I think about it, I have also never bothered to actually check whether this mike is attached to any sort of recording or broadcasting device. And, it is possible that I am alone in an empty universe, speaking to no one, unaware that the world is held aloft merely by my delusions and my smooth, sonorous voice. More on this story as it develops, I say, possibly only to myself."
Weird and intriguing. All delivered by the soothingly steady and blandly pleasant voice of Cecil Baldwin. Check it out.