3 Questions for Paula Poundstone

By Michael Fraizer

Q: You do a lot of work to advance Public Broadcasting and NPR, why is it so important to you?

A: I’m a huge advocate of PBS because we’ve become accustomed to people lying to us in the news and it’s important to feel like we can get information that isn’t biased yet still has high standards and high quality. When I was a kid I loved “Romper Room,” and today I find it barely tolerable. PBS reaches out to our youth in a way that is meaningful to them.

Q: Describe to us what it’s like recording “Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me?”

A: Imagine a small theatre in the basement of a bank with handwritten name cards taped to the front of foldout table, the sort of thing you’d come across at a church bakesale and that’s pretty much it. Actually that’s not entirely true, we just had a set designed…which is weird for a radio show as it’s effect is lost on the audience, but we’re less easily confused with the bakesale so I suppose it’s doing it’s job.

Q: Tell me more about EA.

A:I don’t think people are talking as much about this issue as they should. Electronics Addiction is what I’ve termed this odd and damaging issue that we seem to fight more and more these days. I feel like I’m the torch bearer, trying to raise awareness of this problem. More and more we use technology as a stand-in for actual communication. This addiction nearly tore my family apart and I don’t think it gets enough attention. You can follow me and my rants about this on twitter @paulapounstone