The Pun Also Rises: A Defense of the Pun
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Hour 2
Are you a punster? Do you appreciate a good pun or do they simply make you groan? Well, today we’re paying homage to beloved and sometimes reviled pun and the important role it’s played in our language, culture – even in our politics. In fact, recently at a White House Correspondents’ dinner, President Obama used wordplay to highlight the threat of NPR’s federal de-funding: “No Things Considered,” and “Wait Wait, Don’t Fund Me!” Now former presidential speechwriter (under Bill Clinton) and world pun champion JOHN POLLACK has written a defense of puns. This hour, Marty talks to Pollack about his book, The Pun Also Rises: How the Humble Pun Revolutionized Language, Changed History, and Made Wordplay More Than Some Antics.
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[audio: 051111_110630.mp3]
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