Episode Information

CMS: Lary Bloom Talks Tom Ridge
Aired:
09/01/2009
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In this episode:

Colin speaks with Lary Bloom, co-author of The Test of Our Times, the forthcoming memoir of Tom Ridge.

 

Host:
Colin McEnroe
Guest(s):
Episode Audio

49:25 minutes (23.73 MB)
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Lary Bloom was the editor of Northeast magazine. He’s been a columnist for the New York Times Connecticut section and for Connecticut magazine. Fewer people know that he co-wrote Tom Ride’s new wave-making book The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege ... And How We Can Be Safe Again.  Colin talks to Bloom about the art of memoir collaboration, and the two may reveal how Tom Ridge flubbed his audition for the musical McEnroe and Bloom co-wrote several years ago.
Also, Colin and Chion Wolf unveil their new feature “Let Us Correct You.” Learn how to pronounce an important word in your life.


 
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Listener Email from Andy

Submitted by lconn on September 3, 2009 - 4:07pm.

I love the show! My wife and I read your column every Sunday (honestly it is the only reason we continue to buy the Courant).

 

On to the pronunciation of Connecticut (I wanted to call but I kept missing the number). I wasn’t going to write but after hearing you end the show with Bing Crosby, I couldn’t resist. What I wanted to say was that, in the original 1942 version of Holiday Inn there is a scene where Fred Astaire get’s drunk and the Stage manager’s assistant is being drilled by his Manager about where Astaire has gotten off to. It goes something like this: “…he ordered scotch and soda, a bottle of each…then he asked me which way is Connect-ti-cot”. Why do you suppose they chose to use such an antiquated (at least by your historians opinion) pronunciation? Just a fun little factoid.

We have only lived in CT for four years so neither of us have developed any “Connecti-centric” pronunciation issues. I did grow up in RI but if you know much about that lot, a trip to CT was akin to a visit to the Grand Canyon so if I ever did visit CT as a child it was not often enough to develop any bad verbal habits (at least none that would compare to just having grown up in Rediisland, but don’t get me started on that.  LOL).

 

I will miss my lunch time with Terry Gross, so, the pressure is on. I look forward to getting to know you better but, you better come through because me and Terry can always eat at noon over on the I-tunes podcast. Just kidding!

 

All the best with the show, you deserve it.

 

Good Luck,

Andy

Listener Email from Joanne

Submitted by lconn on September 2, 2009 - 12:15pm.
I loved the Lary Bloom interview.  Very powerful.
 
I liked the segment on correcting pronunciations and grammar.  Here is something we need to correct which I hear all the time on the news in interviews and broadcasts.
 
"The reason is because...."  should be stated as "The reason is THAT...."  I believe it is the subjunctive case, but need to brush up on my grammar textbook.  I was an expert at diagramming sentences and I don't know whether schools still teach how to diagram a sentence.
 
Congrats and Look Forward to All Things Great and Kind.
 

Pronouncing Connecticut

Submitted by Kirsten (not verified) on September 2, 2009 - 11:17am.

I like to think that the glottal T that is aparent is the Connecticut accent is a through back to the colonial peirod.  It's a throw back to Bri(t)sh rule.

Pronouncing Connecticut

Submitted by lconn on September 2, 2009 - 9:47am.
As in COVentry, cf. Cuvntree (Coventry) the town next to Brum (Birmingham, England) or in the US BerrmingHAMMM!!!.  sorry off topic.
 
The first town I lived in CT was "Narrich" and speaking of Eastern Connecticut, I think people really ought to get a kick out of..."The Borough of Jewitt City in the Town of Griswold."  That is a mouthfull, something you ain't gonna find in Idaho. 

-David Fisher

Tom Ridge

Submitted by John Young (not verified) on September 1, 2009 - 1:35pm.

It is ludicrous for Mr. Bloom, or Tom Ridge, to assert that Mr. Ridge did the right thing by "only once" inserting politics into threat level determinations. The point is, he admits that he did so at the one moment when such a thing would matter the most, just prior to the 2004 elections. To say that Mr. Ridge generall acted apolitically is idiotic, if he only compromised his principles at the single moment they were most tested. To me, this shows weakness of character, not integrity.