NPR More Funniest Driveway Moments: Radio Stories That Won't Let You Go

NPR Driveway Moments

by National Public Radio, Robert Krulwich

Most NPR listeners have experienced at least one “driveway moment”: You’re so captivated by a story, interview, or essay you’re hearing on the radio that you sit in your driveway, motor running, to hear it all the way through. Even if the ice cream is melting in the trunk.  The latest collection of this best-selling series features memorable tales, bits, and commentary from NPR favorites, regulars, and guests. Smartly chosen, sincerely hilarious, this collection will leave you in stitches.

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Audiobook

2 pages, Audio CD

First published October 12, 2010

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two segments were not very funny and I almost gave up, but stuck with it and the rest of the recording was enjoyable enough to pull out a third star by the end. I may listen to Volume One some day since it's rated higher. As someone else said, this is at least as much about interviewing funny people as it is a collection of funny moments, though there are both on this recording.

Ultimately though, I laugh harder at almost every episode of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell me" than I did at this recording. It reminded me that I should really listen to all the episodes I have missed. If you just want to laugh, that might be a better way to go.

[Derrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hit or miss. Some entries were very funny and some weren't even the slightest big amusing. I gave it three stars in consideration for the entries that were phenomenal but was tempted to give it two for the terrible ones.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

As with the first volume of this collection of excerpts from NPR shows, much of this was more about humor than humorous per se. Perhaps because I was disappointed in this regard with volume one, I had lower expectations and ultimately enjoyed this more. Or maybe it was legitimately funnier. Who can say, humor is so subjective. But this did make me laugh a few times, and when it didn't, it had some interesting moments. It also relied a little less on interviews with comedians who were promoting a particular work than in volume one, which I think was beneficial.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun short collection of humorous stories and interview broadcast on NPR. An interview with Justice Stephen Breyer stands out as it shows a light-hearted side that you seldom see in a Supreme Court Justice. It’s well worth a listen!

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed for a road trip. Entertaining and funny. Includes some of my favorites.

[Gerda Leek · Rating 2 out of 5]

audio book - the parts I heard were not funny to me

[L Huber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sure these moments were funny with in the original program’s theme, but they lost something as excerpts.

[Joy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not funny, except for the short section with Jane Lynch

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun

[Dale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should be called "Funny People in Rather Boring Interviews"

Published by HighBridge Audio in 2012
Multicast Performance
Duration: 2 hours, 12 minutes

This collection of performances from NPR's vast radio library is the second volume of "Funniest Driveway Moments." They are called Driveway Moments because the idea is supposed that the stories are so good that the listener sits in the driveway and listens to the end of the story when he/she gets home rather than just turning off the car and going on into the house.

But, most of this 2 CD set should be called "Funny People in Rather Boring Interviews."

The collection starts out with a run-of-the-mill interview with Joan Rivers (Sorry NPR but discussing her husband's suicide is just not funny) and the most boring interview with Harry Shearer that I have ever heard. There was an interview with Harold Ramis about how to write comedy that was vaguely humorous and I was really beginning to wonder if this would ever pick up.

Thankfully, a clip from "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me" came on featuring Brian Williams. Despite the recent controversy concerning Williams, this is the best segment of the first CD.

Carol Burnett and Tim Conway come through at the beginning of the second CD and after several slow cuts, another "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me" cut comes in and picks things up. An interview with Jane Lynch is not terrifically funny but at this point I was glad to settle for interesting and a couple of chuckles. The second CD just sorts of eases its way out and I was glad to see it go.

I am a huge fan of NPR's Driveway Moments series but this set is just not all that funny. If you want an NPR-based laugh, find any of the "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me" CD sets (The Brian Williams track is on one of them) and have a laugh. This was a disappointment.

See all of my NPR-related reviews here: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/searc...

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sequel to NPR's Funniest Driveway Moments hosted by Robert Krulwich. Most of these stories are indeed hilarious starting from the interview with Joan Rivers that opens the collection. She really is hilarious and irreverent and quite self-deprecating. My favourite is Brian Williams on Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me. He's hilarious - I had no idea. He was asked about the balloon boy story and he said "I was on vacation with my wife" with some relief. Williams loves music and he has a blog call Bri-Tunes - that's quite funny by itself. He has 7,000 songs on his iPod - those hilarious Wait Wait folks from NPR quickly dubbed it a Bri-Pod.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another short road-trip disc that I enjoyed. What I have discovered from listening to these NPR collections is that we don't necessarily agree on what is funny, but I did find most of these interesting.

[Betsy Daniels · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick book on tape to enjoy while driving. Carol Burnett is my favorite. You may be surprised that some vignettes were once funnier than they are now, but also reminded that other stories transcend the test of time in their laugh-o-meter!

[Lora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Long car trip - but not that funny.

[Harriet Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best segment --Brian Williams.

[Alesia · Rating 5 out of 5]

funny memories

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hit and miss, but the hits outweighed the misses. I especially enjoyed the Harold Ramis, Tim Conway, Carol Burnett, and Brian Williams segments. Very short listen.

[Tom Priddis · Rating 2 out of 5]

More recycled radio fodder.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not exactly the funniest stories, but good stories nevertheless.

[ilene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting people interviewed. I wouldn't call it funniest but some interesting people (Carol Burnett was one I enjoyed)

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny. Especially Lilly Thomlin