A funny response from cartalk.com

by Skimmer 8 Replies latest social humour

• 

  Skimmer

  On National Public Radio, there's a weekly hour-long program called "Car Talk with Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers". It's been around for twenty years and is one of the most popular programs on NPR. It's website is http://cartalk.com (there's a podcast, too) and one of the features of the site (and program) is a Puzzler where the audience is challenged with a (usually) automotive related conundrum.
  
  Well, for the first time I decided to answer the Puzzler question by email. I got a standard confirmation email in return, and I'll copy it here for others to read. (Note the fourth paragraph.)
  
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  Thanks for sending in your puzzler answer. Imagine how excited you'll be if we choose your response as the correct, winning answer! In case you were wondering, here's the process we go through to select each week's winner:
  
  First, we have to be certain you have the correct answer. We start by
  sending your answer to Paul Murky, at Murky Research. Murky, working with our Statistician Marge Innovera, will place your puzzler answer in one of two heaps: "not even close" and "pretty much right."
  
  Assuming it passes by Paul and Marge, your answer will then be zipped along to Central Processing, where it will be date and time stamped, and searched for attached currency. Next, it will be shipped electronically to our Correct Answer Verification Center, where our legions of lackeys once again search your answer for currency-- just in case someone at Central Processing missed it. Then, they make certain that your response fits the criterion we have established for correct answers.
  
  Please note that since we're often unsure of what the right answer is
  ourselves, we have very wide latitude in determining what constitutes a correct answer. Incorrect answers, however, will be sent to the Jehovah's Witnesses, for immediate inclusion in their mailing list.
  
  Lastly, correct answers will be sent to Ms. Shirley Wright, who operates under the auspices of the Committee for Reviewing Answers to Puzzlers. There, operating under complete secrecy, Ms. Wright will pick a winner.
  
  If your response is selected as this week's winning entry, we'll announce your name on the air. Youýll also get a gift certificate to our Shameless Commerce Division, which if youýre smart, youýll trade to an unsuspecting coworker for a cup of coffee and twenty-five cents.
  
  Cordially,
  
  Tom and Ray Magliozzi
  Click and Clack the Tappet Brothers
• 

  Kudra

  That is HILARIOUS!!!
  
  ***
  Incorrect answers, however, will be sent to the Jehovah's Witnesses, for immediate inclusion in their mailing list.
  ***
  
  Ha! How un-pc. :P
  
  Thanks for sharing! I hope you get drawn for the prize!
• 

  Skimmer

  I should mention the Car Talk podcast feed: http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast.php?id=510208
  
  Some of the gag names are great: "Statistician Marge Innovera", "Ms. Shirley Wright", "Committee for Reviewing Answers to Puzzlers", and of course the Car Talk law firm "Dewey, Cheatam, and Howe".
  
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  There's an occasional feature on the radio show called "Stump the Chumps" where a caller from a few weeks earlier is called back to see if the earlier diagnosis and predictions of Tom and Ray are correct. Most of the time, they are. But when the prediction is incorrect, the guys (both MIT grads, by the way) accept the correction humbly and with humor.
  
  The WTBTS could learn a bit from this, but I'm not holding my breath for that to happen.
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  Darth Yhwh

  I love car talk. It's pretty much the only thing I'll listen to on NPR any more. Those two brothers are hilarious.
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  JeffT

  I love cartalk. Once in a while when they're trying to think of the answer to a problem and one of them says (very seriously) "now what color is your car?"
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  Skimmer

  Well, I managed to get the correct Puzzler answer (re: LED traffic signals), but I'm stumped by the new Puzzler (hazardous tall ship cargo).
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  AlmostAtheist

  That's beautiful, and so typical of those guys. They have the most entertaining radio show I've ever listened to, and the only one I would actually turn on a radio to hear. (Versus just having the radio one while driving.)

  Dave
• 

  primitivegenius

  one time a girl called in because her husband parks behind her in the driveway and his car was a stick shift......... she cant drive a stick shift and he wont park in front of her so what is she to do..............

  first thing out of their mouth.......... do you live on a hill? lol

  car talk rules
• 

  poppers

  I love that show.