February 2nd, 2002

We've got internal organs and an ÜberOrgan, political satire, and visits with three men who have hung on, despite their disappearing professions. Plus a new David Ives play. It's all on this week's The Next Big Thing.

State of the Union Address, Take 2
According to follow-up polls, President Bush's State of the Union Address was well-received. But what would the American public think if Bush said what was REALLY on his mind? Here's what the address might have sounded like. Steve Bodow and John Collins of the performance group Elevator Repair Service take the words right out of his mouth.

Frank the Lighthouse Keeper
With the wonders of automation, lighthouses no longer require full-time, on-site operators as they used to. But Frank Schubert has kind of settled into the job, and so he stays put - the last civilian lighthouse keeper in the United States. This profile is part of "New York Works," a series produced by Radio Diaries and The Next Big Thing.

Kohlrabi in Queens
The Klein farm is the last family farm in New York City, and soon it may be cleared to make way for a housing development. John Klein reflects on life as a city farmer, with this bonus track from the "New York Works" series.

Second Wind at Three Lives
A year ago, several beloved independent bookstores folded. At the same time, Toby Cox left a marketing job to take over Three Lives, a small bookstore in the West Village that was on the brink of closing. It was a risky undertaking, but he and his venture are still going strong.

Degas, C'est Moi
Why strive for fame and success when you can merely adopt the identity of an already established art star? Sure, Degas is long dead, but... David Ives takes the idea to its illogical conclusion with this play, adapted for radio. Directed by John Rando and featuring Robert Stanton. (Not available on the Web because of contractual obligations.)


Getting to the Bottom of "Roots"
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the "Roots," a television mini-series that changed the way many Americans thought about the nation's history. Yet few seem willing to grapple with the thorny questions of inauthenticity that plague the "true" slavery account, written by Alex Haley, upon which the series was based. Journalist Philip Nobile is one of the few to take Haley to task.

Glands
For some, the world revolves around money. For others, it's food, or love, or "The Sopranos." Recently, Jennifer Callahan has begun to suspect it all comes down to something much more anatomical.

ÜberOrgan
There are strange noises coming out of Ace Gallery in SoHo these days - kind of like a foghorn, or perhaps something less charming. Step inside, and you'll discover that the sounds are coming from a machine, made of huge plastic bubbles suspended from the ceiling and attached to tubes that travel from one room to another. The work, called ÜberOrgan, by artist Tim Hawkinson, is best experienced in person, but hearing it on the radio comes in at a close second.

Ashcroft's Constitution
In the past year, with John Ashcroft as Attorney General, we've discovered the constitution is more maleable than its creators perhaps intended. If Ashcroft continues to have his way, what will the constitution look like at the end of his term? We look ahead, with a sketch by Jonathan Schwarz and Michael Gerber.


The Next Big Thing with Dean Olsher airs on WNYC New York Sundays from 11am-12 noon on 93.9FM and at 6pm on AM820. The Next Big Thing is funded in part by the Kaplen Foundation.


WNYC archives id: 11850