Drabblecast 181 - Funeral Song for a Ventriloquist

[normsherman]

Drabblecast 181- Funeral Song for a Ventriloquist by Douglas F. Warrick
Drabble- The Wholly Babble Drabble by Dee Brown
Friday, September 24, 2010

A puppet’s words infect. They taint. They do this without ever sounding like a thing, without the listener realizing they have been spoken. A true ventriloquist, as those who are educated and informed may or may not choose to tell you, is an adept in the art of keeping those mouths shut...

No, not the Triceratops!!
Douglas F. Warrick
Mike Boris

Art by Caroline Parkinson

[dreamrock]

Douglas F. Warrick has just earned a place in my top five of all Drabblecast authors. This story is way more accessible than his previous contribution, but no less dark and creepy. Freaking phenomenal.

Also loved Boris's reading. Good stuff.

[tbaker2500]

Boris! A fellow Hoosier! Great job on the reading.

This episode was excellent. The writing was fun, with turns of phrase such as "He bought many TV dinners, even though he had no TV."

I was just surprised to hear about Norm's parents. I suppose it explains a lot.

[Phenopath]

I loved this story, in particular the assured, gothic stylings of Mr Warrick ('ventriloquists are adept at keeping their mouths shut'). I was not paying attention when Norm read the author's bio (I was probably swerving to avoid a family of ducklings cross the road, or something), so I spent much of my time listening to the story thing "Gee, this sounds very similar to Behind Eye". I am a big fan of Behind Eye, but this story is better, it has the space to roam and it is a little more restrained (despite nihilistic flesh puppets - everything is relative).

Norm, regarding Triceratops, don't listening to those silly scientists, instead listen to these awesome scientists who have discovered two new relatives of Triceratops in Utah, including this spectacular beastie...



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-11390944" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[alhilton]

The intro to this made me laugh so hard that I had to go find my inhaler. Norm, please never grow up.

[jannypie]

I had to listen to this story a few times before getting it all. I usually listen while multitasking something else without too much trouble following it. This one kept losing me, it wasn't easy to follow without giving it my full attention. Sometimes, that's a sign of a story that I find boring or pretentious. But not in this case - I really enjoyed how intelligently it was written, the originality of the concept and personification of the story itself. Nihilism both fascinates and terrifies me, and the ending sentence struck that nerve and gave me chills.

"To dissolve, forgotten. If ever known at all."

Which I think is the secret that the puppets were keeping.

Fascinating.

Love it! Thanks for a fantastic story and episode, as usual. And regarding the intro about Norm's parents... I'm sure Luke and Kendall were delighted to know that he has two DILFs!

[Mikes]

The intro to this made me laugh so hard that I had to go find my inhaler. Norm, please never grow up.

Seconded. I have to stop listening to DC while I'm jogging. At the "No, it's huge" bit I had to stop and wait for the fits to stop.

The story was awesome, it really was. So well done I really cna't point to one particular part as standout it all melded so well. Ventriloquist dummies are creepy, and this upped the ante wonderfully, and as per usual great delivery.

This one is a contender for best of the year so far in my mind.

[feste451]

Hey! I thought Lovecraft month was over. I had always believed ventriloquists had multiple personalities and the puppets/dummies were their way of channeling their problems, but this is an awesome twist on that way of thinking. Amazingly creepy and more than once sent a shiver down my spine. The moral of the story was suitably dark ending the story in the only way it could end.

Thumbs up!

[Mikes]

"I CAN HAZ EXISTENS?"

[Richmazzer]

Another great non-Norm reading. Also, funny drabble. The musical production, great reading and amazing story really came together in a way that I see this one making top 5 at the end of the year. Love the last line.

[Polecat]

´Twas a splendid story, if a trifle optimistic - whatever happened to eternal damnation?
I too, liked the idea of the ventriloquist´s job being to stop the puppet talking - it reminded me of why most puppets, without a ventriloquist, are such complete failures - apparently Einstein was once asked if there was a formula for success in life, akin to his theory of relativity. He immediately answered that it was x times y to the power of z. Asked what x, y and z represent, he answered that x was hard work, and y was talent. Pressed to reveal the nature of z, he eventually answered "keeping your mouth shut".
Congratulations, by the way, on the Parsec award, The Drabblecast is not only the best speculative fiction podcast, it gets my vote as the best storytelling podcast in any genre. And that, as our genial host is wont to say, is a statement, not a fact.
I share Norms distress at the demise of the Triceratops as a Species, but take comfort in the fact that at least there are Flying Carpets.

Respectfully,

The Polecat

[Muse of Chaos]

I'm a long time listener and this intro was so funny I had to register and say great job. I almost crashed I was laughing so hard while I drove.

Great work Norm, as always. This goes right up there with the french fry song for all time favorites.

[dreamrock]

´Twas a splendid story, if a trifle optimistic - whatever happened to eternal damnation?

I know a number of people who find the idea that death is the end more terrifying than hell. I've always found that a little odd myself, but I'm not them. I find the idea poignant rather than optimistic or terrifying.

[tbaker2500]

I'm a long time listener and this intro was so funny I had to register and say great job. I almost crashed I was laughing so hard while I drove.

Great work Norm, as always. This goes right up there with the french fry song for all time favorites.

Congratulations, Muse of Chaos! You are our 666th member!
Stay for a while, put your feet up.

[Goldenrat]

Wow, this story rocked. Creepiest ventriloqust ditty since Twilght Zone's "The Dummy". Narration was perfect. Will listen again.

[Muse of Chaos]

Congratulations, Muse of Chaos! You are our 666th member!
Stay for a while, put your feet up.

Oh now that's just frightening! Thanks for the welcome, I intend to!

[Lucid]

Hi, I'm new and easily scared by social situations such as first posts on a new forum.

BUT... this story was great. It was clever and creepy and very well written. I enjoyed the story referring to itself in the third person. That's a unique and somewhat gutsy literary device and it came off as charming and also a bit mournful, which I'm sure was the point. Well read too.

Also, what's in a name? That which we call a triceratops by any other name, would smell as...

well you get the idea.

[normsherman]

Welcome Lucid! Great to have you. I also thought the story referring to itself was a neat device pulled off particularly well.

[Mikes]

I'm new and easily scared by social situations

He's new and easily scared! Get 'im!

/joke

Hi there mate

[Lucid]

Greetings! Also, SHE'S new and easily scared. By social situations. And also spiders, but it's rare to encounter those on a forum.

And thanks!