Summer Sign-Up 2006

Hosted by
'Renumerative'

This is Rob Long with Martini Shot on KCRW.

A few weeks ago, during my sad little four minutes here on KCRW, I made a mistake. A pronunciation error. I know, I know, it's hard to believe. You're listening here on the radio or on podcast and it's hard to believe I'm not a... you know, what do they call it? A professional voice... type person. But the truth is, I have no formal training. My clipped, nasal, awkward delivery was a wonderful gift from God, and I'm just here sharing it with the world.

So I made a mistake. I was talking about a TV show on the air, and saying that I actually liked it, which was hard for me because I usually only like things that are directly remunerative to me. Only I didn't say remunerative. I said renumerative.

Which is not a word, but sounds like it should be a word. I am aware, I guess I should say, that it isn't. I know what the word "remunerative" means, and how it's spelled. But -- and again, this will be hard for you to believe because my delivery is otherwise so flawless -- I kinda got all mixed up in the letters when I was writing it, which meant I got mixed up when I was reading it. And I tend to go so fast because they don't give me parking here and I usually park at a meter on Pico and I almost never have any change with me -- that no one noticed. So it went out as renumerative when what I was supposed to say was remunerative and you'd think that KCRW listeners would understand and cut me some slack.

The problem is that KCRW listeners are persnickety know-it-alls. So I got lots of emails. Polite ones, to be sure, but firmly guiding me back to remunerate and away from renumerate. Some went like this. "My daughter and I usually enjoy your brief, light commentary during All Things Considered. Imagine our shock and disappointment, then, when we heard you say..." And some went, "Please click on the link below, which will take you to the Merriam-Websters dictionary site. Gotta proof-read, bro..." And some went, "As a fellow writer, words are our sacred tools, and to misuse them as you did... ." But I wrote back to all of them. I said I'm sorry. I said it was a mistake. And I said, "Are you a KCRW subscriber? If so, I deserve your scorn. If not, shut your pie hole."

You see, KCRW listeners are smart, literate, cultured, funny, excellent spellers, and just a wee bit irritating. And I'm proud to be among them. You know, irregardless.

Join the party. Subscribe. The number to call is 800-600-KCRW. That's 800-600-5279. Or online, anytime, at KCRW.com.

Credits

Host:

Rob Long