BuzzFlash Reviews

December 2004

National Corporate Radio's "Let Feardom Ring" and "The 'Go F**k Yourself' Special" Comedy CDs by The People Who Do That

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It’s the Holiday season, so why not laugh to keep yourself from crying at the dismal state of our democracy? Hence BuzzFlash is offering two sketch comedy CDs that parody NPR with hilarious precision. National Corporate Radio’s "Let Feardom Ring" and "The 'Go F*** Yourself' Special!" ingeniously captures and spoofs NPR’s sound, rhythm, and style with an uncanny ability and blends in their own wry political commentary and irreverent take on the news.

On "Let Feardom Ring," you’ll be treated to an exclusive mock interview with President Bush, with one of the most brilliant audio editing segments of Dubya. When President Bush is asked if he believes the Easter Bunny knows where his eggs are, Dubya retorts, "I think he hid them. I think he dispersed them. I think he is so adept at deceiving." And when President Bush is asked if he is prepared to hurt the Easter Bunny if he finds him, Bush replies," We are prepared to uh….um battle him, and we will."

The comedy keeps rolling along in perfect sync with NPR’s own cadence from the headlines to "All Things Condescended" to feature interviews. One track highlights how Saddam Hussein’s "legacy is living on through his statues that are coming to life and choking people to death." Another hilarious feature is on Sgt. Cole Humpy, a former gunner who suffered from shell shock, but now dresses up as a clown to bring good cheer to Iraqis that have been injured. When he visits a local hospital to entertain wounded Iraqi children, he doesn’t get the reception he thought he would get, even with his oversized shoes, his big curly wig, and his red nose. The album also includes sketches about Laura Bush reading George W. Bush’s poetry, and his poem about Condoleezza Rice called "brown sugar" –- but the first lady is unaware the poem is nothing more than the Rolling Stones lyrics from their hit song about having sex with black women.

National Corporate Radio is comprised of performers from the Los Angeles based sketch comedy troupe, "The People Who Do That". They have been performing together for 10 years. The Los Angeles Times gave National Corporate Radio a rave review, saying the group "Dishes out madcap hilarity along with razor-edged irreverence."

The group leaves no stone unturned, especially in the "Go F*** Yourself" Special! CD. Although maintaining the proper and aloof tone of NPR, this comedy album surpasses even David Mamet’s creative use of the word f*** and shows the many ways that Dick Cheney, George W. Bush, the troops, angry Iraqis, and the corporate media can tell everyone else to go f*** themselves. National Corporate Radio dedicated this limited edition special half program to Vice President Dick Cheney, "who has now made it clear exactly what he had in mind when he talked about ‘changing the tone’ in Washington."

If you want to hear edgy political comedy told through an in-depth parody of NPR, then these two comedy albums are for you, or as a fun gift for the holidays.

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