What, exactly, is wrong with shorn-n-horn-rimmed talk temptress Terry Gross (Fresh Air)?
Does she, like, have any human emotions -- at all?
I swear she's on the autism spectrum.
Just today on the radio, she goes (paraphrase)"hmm you seem to be showing a lot of emotion while talking about your difficult past," to poor Tracy Morgan (30 Rock). She went all Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory on him, outing him for crying during the interview in the flattest of tones.
She's known for asking refreshingly simple, basic questions. Uh, I'm starting to think it's because she's sorta simple herself -- at least in the EQ department.
Meh, she's long-married with no children. This is public radio, I mean, if you can't have kids, adopt a discontinued toaster. Adopt something. No, Terry has no need for diminutive love objects. Which makes the thousands of conversations she's had with her (mostly) touchy-feely guests about their adorable children (and myriad attending child-rearing issues) kinda weird, 'cause you know the whole time she's thinking: "So glad I don't have kids, so glad, soooo very glad."
In other news, Duke researchers have found out that autistic peeps have less sensitivity to oxytocin (used to treat the condition), about 30% less that regs, 'cause of higher-than-usual numbers of gene-regulating molecules called methyl groups. Some of this may be inherited; they're looking into it.
Did I mention that I know a family in which the women are simply unable to breastfeed? They just don't have it in 'em. (Very rare.) Oxytocin triggers the let-down effect in breastfeeding and other maternal behaviors -- or doesn't. These are some cold beyotches. And the male, breast-n-love-deprived children of the family -- they some cold mfers.
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8 comments:
you know...im glad someone else is confirming my reality on this! i listened to a portion of that interview and really wondered what was wrong with her! she seemed completely lacking in any understanding of what that man (or anyone like him) has been through. she reminded me of Abed from the new show Community, who is CLEARLY aspergers! lol
Hah! That is rich, as my mom says.
I was driving through Jesus radio Pennsylvania going up to see the folks, leaving it to NPR to entertain me, and, yes, I was puzzling, what's the disconnect here, between these sensitive and highly imaginative souls who by their very own nature must reveal deep stuff about themselves and this cold abrupt questioning voice? And you ask yourself, where could the questioning go if someone else was leading it, gentle, listening. "Mr. Beethoven, can you explain how this motif came about and what it might mean personally or suggest to you?" I dunno, maybe she doesn't want to let things 'get out of hand' by her tastes and narrow radio time--wouldn't want to freak anyone out. A Nervous Nellie presiding over the discourse. Maybe that's just professional journalism, I wonder?
I think you put your finger on it though.
It's true that she can't totally meet a crying guest on their level or the show would dissolve, but somehow she just seems puzzled by any emotion. If she had said, "This is really emotional for you, understandably. These things can have such lasting effects on us, no matter what success we've had, how far we've come." But she's says instead: "Do people know you as a person who cries in public?" I don't know. It has been getting on my nerves for a while now. It's a shame because I think she has interesting guests.
Yours is a fascinating comment on the culture, one that could be expanded upon. Why should it be so insurmountably difficult for someone like Ms. Gross to offer understanding, to acknowledge a key emotional element in some constructive person's life rather than remain so coldly outside of that experience, as you portray more agilely and sharper than I. It would indeed be wonderful to hear from her, from anyone, the two sentences you've written so beautifully, "this is really emotional for you, understandably; these things can have such lasting effect on us, no matter what..."
Wonderful writing. Goes well with a fall day, too.
Also, Morgan himself pointed out that comedians (like him) are often funny from past sadness, so that's one legitimate interview avenue she could have explored, rather than just ogling his pain. Tho it seems TG has upped her humanity quotient of late, or maybe I'm just imagining it...
That's a sweet point. Maybe TR is catching up with the zeitgeist that your blog is a thrilling part of.
I suppose any emotion is good, in a way. It's good we feel things. Something that makes you sad offers you a real way to connect to those people we endeavor to bring in from the ranks of strangers to the ranks of our dear friends and people we share our lives with and talk about our stuff with and listen to. Even something you are sad about can be a wonderful gift, in a way, and comedians, earthy folk that they are, derive their kinetic power from such. An icebreaker, you know. A way to be honest. A way to reveal the uniqueness that gets trampled upon in the necessary anonymity of the world's business affairs.
And then once that is shared, you can share all the beauty that comes of being alive and human and maybe even employed. Yeah, even humdrum people have amazing stories to share. It's all a matter of scale.
Yeah, if you cry, then later you can have a good laugh. So much so that maybe you almost want to stay sad, knowing how nice it would be, later on, when you can finally share.
And yet, past sadness and sorrows can be too much for comedy. One thinks of all the things missed and lost. Empathy must indeed be of great depth to offset the considerable size and weight, to make up for, to be able to speak of them. Empathy must be powerful to offer reassurance or comfort. It must be something present, equal to, as easy and ready as daily woes, to overturn them and take away the fault and blame. Empathy must be very effective in its restorative chemistry and alchemy to annihilate our woes and detach us from grief's habit.
It might also be addictive, but in a good way.
Oh, but don't mind me. I'm just a Capricorn, my aggregate of selves habitually pulled upon by the cold, negative, pessimistic, melancholic nature of Saturn. One day, out of learning the hard way through one's own errors and going through all of one's own stuff, one gains wisdom and serenity. Or hopes to, anyway, through work.
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