Journal

Journal[1]

Series
Somewhere Out There
Original Broadcast Date
3/1/1997
Cast
Joe Frank
Format
Absurd Monologue, 1 hour
Preceded by:	Third World Country
Followed by:	The Other Side (Show)

So I promised you that I was going to present a journal of my daily life.

Journal is the name of a program Joe Frank produced as part of the series Somewhere Out There. It was originally broadcast on March 1, 1997.

Synopsis

Joe explains that the show will not be a radio journal of his daily life. A celebrating of changing one's mind. Joe repeatedly airs a spousal abuse promo deemed offensive by the management and solicits comments from people on the phone, including his mother. ("Just get stinking drunk and kick the piss out of terry.") The actors from the promo fight about wearing seat belts. Being infuriated and interrogating someone with a bumper sticker that says "I know Jesus." Feeling the need to perform as a member of the audience at a friend's play. The audience, everyone, as actors. Everyone as a star of their own life; life as recognition. Tonight's program from the viewpoint of his life, the audience's life. Making up for our inferiority to animals with technology. Our relationship to our bodies. Lying in bed and fantasizing about horrible choices involving torture of others. Joe's past as a teacher: experiencing department meetings in the manner of a student. He dates a fellow teacher with capped teeth, worries about his appearance, fears defiant Marxist students in the classroom. He spontaneously ejaculates while cuddling the fellow teacher, disguises it by splashing himself with water, loses touch with her, and eventually tells the story at a party. Joe fails to confront a drunk who harasses his date. Man's inability to contemplate the dimensions of the universe.

Interesting Facts

Shares material with Cocktails Before Dinner, When She's Asleep She Looks Like an Angel, Higher Learning

The promo spot features the tune 'Isa Lei' which is also used in Three Shingles

Music

• "Isa Lei" - Ry Cooder and V.M. Bhatt (from A Meeting by the River, 1993) | YouTube

Commentary

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