Jack Gantos on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me... (and Barnes & Noble on 30 Rock)


Jack GantosYou may know that I am an NPR junkie and my life is nearly complete having been interviewed by Michele Norris on All Things Considered where I was honored to talk about kid's books. I am also a huge fan of comedy and never miss the radio show Wait Wait Don't Tell Me... So, I was especially excited when worlds collided and the 2012 Newbery Award Winner Jack Gantos appeared on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me... to play their game Not My Job (click to read transcript or listen) where he answered multiple choice questions about romance novels. Before that, though, Peter Sagal asked him to talk about spending eighteen months in prison for drug smuggling when he was a teenager looking for cash for college. Gantos wrote about this in his autobiography Hole in My Life. Gantos is a VERY funny story teller and also happens to be great at the "Not My Job" game and won Carl Kassel's voice on the answering machine of Eli Barnes of Madison, WI. Gantos, who has previously won a Newbery Honor and National Book Award Honor, has long been on my list of authors to read. After hearing him on Wait Wait, I am bumping him up to the top of the pile! Don't wait for me, though. Check out Besty Bird's review of Dead End in Norvelt from April of 2011 at fuse #8.



In other news of worlds colliding, my favorite fictional television character, Liz Lemon, recently headed off to the 18th Street Barnes & Noble (bathroom) to look for a best friend who will share all her interests. Wait, it gets better! After meeting doppelgänger Amy coming out of the bathroom, the two leave the bookstore to get dinner, complaining about books that get new covers when the movie version comes out. Liz can be heard saying, "Let me imagine what Peeta Mellark looks like and how his arms smell of bread!" Not only is my workplace featured on  30 Rock (promotional consideration provided) but my favorite YA post-apocalyptic trilogy gets a shout out on my favorite show! I'm pretty sure that Tina Fey has not read The Hunger Games and someone else wrote that line, but it was still a squeal-worthy moment for me. For those of you who missed it, click The Ballad of Kenneth Parcell for a link to the show.





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