March 11th, 2001

The Next Big Thing is a huge, gigantic blizzard. Run for you lives!!!! Just kidding. This week, the Forrest Gump of radio shows ("You never know what you're gonna get") is a look behind the curtain of a sort-of secret society. It's dishing the Oscars. It's the only thing better than reading a Richard Ford story: Richard Ford reading one of his stories to you.

Caption Contest
Five Sounds in Search of an Author:
Listen carefully
In between these sounds is a story and it's up to you to write it. Once again, The Next Big Thing is inviting your ideas on ways to weave a plot out of seemingly unrelated sounds. Author and Next Big Thing contributor Jesse Green will choose a winner to read his or her story on our show. You'll hear the results next week. E-mail your stories by Tuesday, March 13, and remember, the time it takes to read them should come close to the time it takes to hear the sounds (about 30 seconds). Good luck!

The recession's a-comin'. What's the first thing to go?
Joey Anuff of www.plastic.com
Andy Newman of The New York Times
Car Talk's Tom Magliozzi

A barbershop quartet, only more so
Producer Jad Abumrad pulls back the curtain of the Big Apple Chorus. And don't expect a haircut and shave. "Jump Shot, Knock yourself out." It's the Big Apple Chorus with Vinnie the Cop. Find out more at www.bigapplechorus.org.

The Oscars are coming. It hurts so good.
Salon.com columnist Cintra Wilson, although disappointed celebrities won't be swimming through vats of Jell-O to claim their gold statuettes, will -- like the rest of us -- watch the vexed spectacle. Why are we drawn?

"You Know What Else I Hate?"
Plenty of un-P.C. imaginings from writer and Next Big Thing Contributor Mark O'Donnell.

"Privacy"
In the chill, a fantasy. Richard Ford, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, reads his story.

Five Sounds in Search of an Author.
Channel the Richard Ford within. Send your stories to thenextbigthing@wnyc.org.

Danny Boy has left the building
Instead of sloppy St. Pat's fare, we've got lovely traditional music - in Irish - by Solas. Performed at Symphony Space. Check them out for yourself at the Village Underground on West 3rd Street on March 30.

We'll vouch for her
Meg Wolitzer, author of "Surrender, Dorothy," IS really, really smart.

WNYC archives id: 8955