1-800-Weirdos

50. On the Train With Help from Manchester

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 06:10:48 PST

To celebrate the fiftieth episode of the 1-800-Weirdos broadcasts, we begin with the return of the folks from Manchester, Gemma Forrest. kurt radcliffe, james walsh and james sellars who we haven't heard from for two years.

We also have some other voicemail samples, and some text by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

But the most remarkable part of this broadcast was that it was recorded and produced on the train from West Palm Beach to New York City.

49. Maya, Tom, and Tolstoy - Look Away!

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:55:22 PDT

Evil is Nothingness! I just had to mention my newest friend (and an amazingly talented singer) Maya Sky, my old friend (18 years now!) Tom Ritchford and read to you from Anna Karenina.

48. I'm far away - in really bad shape

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 16:04:41 PST

Dark days are here to stay. Yet this broadcast manages to be upbeat. I read some text from Adolph Schmitler and random text from junk email.

Some of the latest voicemail messages from Weirdos have been loaded in a sampler and are played back. And we begin preparations for the milestone 50th broadcast!

47. Meaningless - It's been a long time.

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:20:58 PDT

Everything in my bedroom is detailed, and I sing a song for all of the Weirdos. In honor of the Mark Twain show I'm directing, I read a bit from "Letters from the Earth". And, as the title implies, I do a bit about the meaninglessness of meaninglessness.

46. Lanuage and Sermons - Mark is listening live

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 12:59:07 PDT

The first live broadcast in a long time. Mark was chatting to me in our new chat room while the broadcast was taking place.

I spend some time reading from George Orwell's essay on "Politics and English Language" and then I do a sermon that almost makes sense.

I end off with the traditional "Done for the Day" number.

45. The Animals - What if I Fell in the Forest?

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 29 Aug 2006 20:45:55 PDT

Thanks to Mark, I invited a bunch of animals into the studio and they ran amok. I also muse about the meaning of life and wonder about falling in the forest which I can't see for the tree.

44. Taking the Limp in Stride - Out and About

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 20:35:12 PDT

Things continue to change for me, Weirdos.

The vocal for the second part of this broadcast was recorded while wandering around the East Village, NYC. You can hear me walking to Tompkins Square Park and spending some time there. I'm less depressed, so if you've grown weary of my sadness (as I have), you should like this episode a bit better. The first part was recorded a couple of weeks earlier, and I was pretty sad then.

I refer to Julian Jaynes book, which I've been reading lately. You can see the "MirrorMan" video I refer to on my Reel website, or link to it directly.

43. Slowly - Am I Sad?

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 09 May 2006 05:06:41 PDT

This broadcast includes some messages from callers, and a full band orchestration.

I feel better this week and I hope you can hear it in my voice.

42. Lost My Identity - I'm So Confused Or Not

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Mon, 10 Apr 2006 11:23:06 PDT

It was very inspiring to receive a response to the last podcast. I really want to connect with all the Weirdos and that seems possible now.

Issues covered in this episode are the death of Doug Walker and my thoughts about Alan Watts and Albert Ellis.

41. Return From Madness - where have I been?

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 08:04:23 PST

A bizarre adventure caused a long absence.

I do my best to explain where I've been for three months, without mentioning any names. I lost myself and am only just now coming back from a deep emptiness.

A little quote from Salvador Dali, an ad for "instant problem fixing cream", and my "Theme to Forever", a piece I wrote 25 years ago or more.

Thanks to the Random Good Stuff file and Rubber Room Radio, both of whom have expressed interest in this podcast which makes me happy.

40. What's funny? - A flexible keyboard

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Wed, 14 Dec 2005 12:50:17 PST

Do you think you're more eccentric than I am?

"Monstrous Lives" and "Psychedelic Ramblings" are included. Also, "What Does it Mean to be Funny," "Harsh Owls," and a sermon on "Waking People Up."

One of the instrumental tracks is played on my new "roll up" keyboard (the "cheesy synthesizer").

39. I'm Not Impossible - volunteer today!

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Sun, 04 Dec 2005 04:59:31 PST

Volunteer today for the 1-800-Weirdos TV Show! I need you all to join me on video. Email me at radio@weirdos.com for more information on how you can be on TV.

No samples from Weirdos voicemail this week, but lots of impromptu songs.

38. Back to Basic Lunacy - What the Hell?

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 20:19:47 PST

What the Hell indeed? Another message from those wackos in Manchester, England. I threaten to go visit them, so watch out!

This episode was very quick and dirty, so good luck listening to it. I hope you can still think afterwards. Included is a trip to the Weirdos Factory.

Call 1-800-Weirdos today!

37. Something thinking - Another fine mess

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:47:58 PST

It's time. We must all be weirder, and help those around us to stop being normal. You can make a difference. Be weirder today, and tomorrow will be stranger for it. What happened to you? You became me...

No readings this week, but lots of great samples from the Weirdos voicemail. More input from the Manchester weirdos, crikey! The truth is that I haven't been in Wolverhampton since 1986, but it was a good way to make sure you guys were really Brits - no one in America has heard of Wolverhampton.

36. The Struggle of the Weirdos - The Week I Wasn't There

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 08 Nov 2005 02:13:55 PST

Overwhelming, isn't it?

This episode contains some more phone messages, including several from Bob. Also, some more rwading from Poe, this time his "Hans Pfaal" story, an early work. Also, "Cut and Paste and Sh*t". A nonsense ritual, and a rant about the secret 1-800-Weirdos TV show.

35a. Manchester Weirdos Visit - Stamp Out Normality!

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 23:53:37 PDT

The video podcast is still not listed in iTunes, so subscribe through Feedburner.

Thanks to james walsh, gemma forrest, kurt radcliffe and james sellars for calling in and inspiring this live broadcast! Hooray for Manchester, where the Weirdos of England are hiding and ready to stamp out normality.

Readings are from a piece by Nathaniel Willis on the death of Edgar Allan Poe, and the inscription from Oscar Wilde's gravestone.

35. Green Screen Madness - watch the video

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Mon, 24 Oct 2005 17:08:57 PDT

The video podcast still hasn't shown up in iTunes, so go through Feedburner to subscribe.

Now, this podcast is really just the soundtrack to the video, so sorry if it doesn't make any sense without seeing the visuals. I'm afraid that's going to happen a lot - it's way too much work to do a separate show for the video.

However, I am only wearing underwear in the video, so that alone may be worth it for you.

Included segments are "Take These Back" and "Look at This".

34a. You couldn't understand - Don't even waste your time.

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 06:43:13 PDT

The video podcast, the 1-800-Weirdos video podcast. Tune in now or be infantalized.

Another live interlude. It's great to jump on live these days; it avoids an awful ot of mess.

But I'm way too busy to add any comments. I refuse to type anything in this field.

34. Rowing on Lake Sacandaga - looking at where you came from

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 06:42:56 PDT

In a row boat on a lake - that's where this was actually created. Granted, I did a lot of post production on it, but I really enjoyed doing this one.

It's also the first to have a video shot during the creation, so it's the first episode in the new 1-800-Weirdos video podcast that I'll be premiering in the next few days.

I couldn't do any readings of random text since I was busy rowing, but there seemed no end of things to talk about. Pieces include "why wouldn't they rent me a power boat?"

33a. LIVE and ranting - back from vacation

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 06:42:44 PDT

Sorry, Weirdos for missing the Monday night podcast. I was exhausted after climbing Mount Lafayette.

This is a live broadcast I did when I had just returned home. I still have a lot of video and audio from the trip to edit, so i'll be posting that ASAP.

Also, I'm going to start a separate video blog for the videos. More on that soon.

33. The Lake - the big room in my mind

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 06:42:22 PDT

It was raining and I was rowing with my shirt off, so I couldn't actually create this broadcast out on Lake Sacandaga. But, I hope next week to actually broadcast from a mountain top in a tent. We'll see.

Be grateful I'm posting anything at all - I am on vacation.

Anyway, pieces this week include "thinking about thinking" and "the big room inside my mind". Video has been posted, but I moved the link to the Weirdos website because in iTunes folks couldn't access the audio file, just the video. It's here. Perhaps this is the beginnning of a vlog? Only time and madness will tell.

The video is now posted as part of the 1-800-Weirdos video podcast.

32-long. Does That Make Me Crazy? - with bonus DV jam

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 06:42:06 PDT

Why is it so long (that's a rather personal question)? Well, I went back to the old method of creaqting this stuff using the Yamaha QY-70. I may hjave to keep doing it this way - I'd forgotten how flexible it is for this sort of thing.

So it came out as long as the original live Weirdos Broadcasts (episodes 1-15) but is at twice the bit rate, so the file size is a bit larger than I usually would limit it to.

The "bonus DV jam" is tacked on at the end. It represents the method I'll be using to record the podcasts during my vacation over the next two weeks. I may record directly to a DV camcorder, hence the name.

31. I Certainly Do - What's Your Excuse?

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 06:41:41 PDT

You never really know with these broadcasts, but the important thing is that I never really know. This one is particularly unknown to me, and I kept myself guessing throughout.

Included pieces are "Future Services" and "I Need More Weirdos" (which I do).

We need more of you to take over the World and stamp out normality forever. Why haven't you called 1-800-Weirdos yet? Are you normal? All the more reason to call and freak out now. Splunge.

I'm a little worried about the strength of this episode. YOU definitely SHOULD not under any circumstances TAKE LOTS OF DRUGS before listening to this recording...

30. Hi, Bob - contributions from an old friend

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 06:41:25 PDT

Verge is not dead, although they do smell funny. Having heard from the original drummer, Bob Jakuc, I have dedicated this broadcast to him and included the messages he left on my home machine while I was concocting this particular episode.

Text includes Shakespeare's Ninth Sonnet and an excerpt from The Egyptian Book of the Dead.

29. The Very Idea of It - Wacky voices galore.

radio@weirdos.com (radio@weirdos.com Jeremy X. Halpern) — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 06:41:11 PDT

Never and always (at least before knowledge) try not to know anything before always eating the end of your mouth inside of the mind of the thinker which indeed knows the end of the always ever expanding things.

So many voices - what are they all talking about? They don't even know.

Included is the story of the "Superlative Horse" that I told my dying grandfather.