The Third Most Annoying Speaking Voice On Radio Interviews New LATBR Editor David Ulin -- And Then Michael Silverblatt Does, Too

You gotta hand it to KCRW [for those not in Southern California, that's the predominant NPR station in the region] -- they've never shied away from putting people with annoying voices on the air. Of course, of course, of course, there is my main man Silverblatt from Bookworm (more on him in a moment) and then there's the woman who, by virtue of her voice alone, actually drives me not to pledge money to KCRW, Ruth Seymour, and then, finally, there is Which Way LA host Warren Olney. He's a fine journalist, asks good questions, and usually has interesting content on his show, but his voice makes me crazy. There's something in it that makes me feel like he's reading a novel right before he asks his questions, as if he's slightly disinterested in actually asking questions, but interested in the reply, and in between steals away for a little reading time and then is ripped away again to retort and all that. And he's a little nasally, too. Anyway, last night he had new LA Times Book Review editor David Ulin on for a five minute interview that illuminates some of Ulin's hopes for the review. You can listen here.

It's an interesting interview, but I couldn't help but wonder what it would sound like if Silverblatt conducted it:

Silverblatt: David, in your new -- and in a way un-new -- role as editor of the LA Times Book Review, I am reminded of a world where the written word was like a river -- and in a way, an un-new river, in that rivers, like poems, are organic expressions of time and voice and water, which, while un-new, sustains life -- and writers were artisans and reviewers were like the hookers I encountered as young man in Iowa, where life moved, inexorably, backwards, toward a great unknowable resurgence, what Rilke referred to as life, or, in a way, as a man in kibbutz once said, a mitzvah, an un-new realization that words are direct and passionless. Would you agree?

Ulin: No, I will not wear the white suit.

Comments

[mernitman]

Oh it's good to know I'm not alone in my absolute loathing for the sound of Ruth Seymour! In a torture situation, that's all my captors would need; two seconds of Ruth and "I'll talk! I'll talk!!!"

[PeterHandel]

i love it when you do Silverblatt.

[LessAlone]

I searched online to see if anyone else finds Ruth Seymour's voice as awful as I do...just thinking of her name gives me chills.

Also, I hate the way she harangues people during pledge drives...it makes me want to listen only to Clear Channel radio stations just so I can feel like I'm recklessly defying her commands. She is so negative. And the voice...the voice...nightmare-inducing.

Thank you for making me feel less alone.