One can find a lot of things on the left rail of npr.org. There are links to shows, story topics and a list of services, all with cute little icons. Personally, I’m a big fan of the “diversions” tab – it’s were insane stories live in happy isolation from NPR’s more serious content.
“Diversions” is made of stories like this one, about a lady who’s a hedge fund manager by day, topless P.Diddy mermaid by night. The best part of the brief is the way Steve Inskeep spits out the word “topless” as though he’s horribly offended that such a concept exists.
Muncie (where we went to school) became the subject of a diversion story once, when someone tried to rob local favorite Mexican joint Puerta Vallarta. The restaurant employees just pretended not to speak any English long enough for someone to call the cops.
You can also be diverted to recipes, rock operas and Driveway Moments, which seems to be the low rent love child of “Story Corps” and “This I Believe”.
I wonder if Steve Inskeep and Renee Montagne enjoy their 30 seconds of weird news every morning. Do they rock-paper-scissors to see who gets to do it? Does Renee prefer some kinds of stories while Steve prefers others? Does anyone ask the important questions other than us?
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