This American Idol

Hearty congratulations to my fav local radio voice, Chuck Merz and his colleagues at WNUR’s This Is Hell for being named one of the 10 semi-finalists in the Public Radio Talent Quest.

A special nod to semi-finalist Glynn Washington for his selection of a certain MIA podcaster as his favorite public radio host:

Benjamen Walker is the Muhammad Ali of storytelling. He bobs and weaves and when you think he is going to hit you with the right Benjamen goes for the jab, leaving you spinning and sputtering like Joe Frazier.

And another shout out to the other Chicago semi-finalists, Anne Glickman and Carrie Kaufman. Notes a friend: “Chicago, Radio Nerd Capital of the Universe.”