The Bat Segundo Show
Encyclopedia
The Bat Segundo Show is a podcast
based in New York
run by writer and literary critic Edward Champion.
The program features comprehensive interviews with prominent figures in arts and culture, with a special focus on literature. Past guests have included David Mitchell
, David Lynch
, Amy Sedaris
, Nora Ephron
, John Updike
, Errol Morris
, Nicholson Baker
and others. It was one of the first in-depth literary podcasts created exclusively for the Internet. The program was singled out by the Washington Times in 2007 and The Los Angeles Times in 2008.
." Needing an introduction, Champion took the name of "Bat Segundo" from Mitchell's first novel, Ghostwritten, (later obtaining Mitchell's permission) and created "a deliberately unappealing and grating character" to introduce each segment. Bat Segundo is "a former radio DJ" who is "believed to be 49 years old." He spends "most of his time living in a Motel 6 room and is very fond of tequila." A Spanish-speaking character named "Jorge," described as "a key component to getting Mr. Segundo recording his introductions" and "also instrumental in getting the listener excited about the program" soon followed.
Other characters who have appeared are the Three Cheap Tenors, who sing songs for particular guests, and Doris Segundo, an ex-wife of Bat Segundo who regularly demands alimony.
The interviews are conducted by "Our Young, Roving Correspondent," a stand-in for Champion. The questions asked are often tough and quite detailed, sometimes surprising the authors themselves. Champion prepares "by reading an author's most recent book, and sometimes additional volumes in the backlist." He then tries "to determine what questions have been asked of an author and strikes these angles off my list, if at all possible."
Bat Segundo was killed off on Show #199, the victim of an apparent shooting. But there were some suggestions in later introductions that Mr. Segundo was not dead. Mr. Segundo then resurfaced during the introduction for Show #226, now apparently residing somewhere in East Los Angeles, and has since made steady but less frequent appearances.
, writing, "Maybe it's because my interviewing style is less rapid-fire Q&A and more conversational and idiosyncratic. Maybe it's because I don't like to ask questions that everybody else asks."
On September 21, 2007, Champion described a post-interview confrontation with Danica McKellar, in which McKellar reportedly said to him, "That should have been my first warning. When you said, I'll give you a softball question, like, there's going to be a hardball? But what?"
On April 30, 2008, after a bad experience interviewing actors Linus Roache
, Jennifer Ehle
, and Rahul Bose
, Champion vowed in a heated post that he would "never do a junket interview again. And, at least for the time being, I do not want to talk with actors."
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
based in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
run by writer and literary critic Edward Champion.
The program features comprehensive interviews with prominent figures in arts and culture, with a special focus on literature. Past guests have included David Mitchell
David Mitchell (author)
David Stephen Mitchell is an English novelist. He has written five novels, two of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize.- Biography :...
, David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
, Amy Sedaris
Amy Sedaris
Amy Louise Sedaris is an American actress, author, and comedian. She is known for playing the character Jerri Blank in the Comedy Central television series Strangers with Candy. Sedaris regularly collaborates with her older brother, humorist and author David Sedaris...
, Nora Ephron
Nora Ephron
Nora Ephron is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, novelist, playwright, journalist, author, and blogger.She is best known for her romantic comedies and is a triple nominee for the Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay; for Silkwood, When Harry Met Sally... and Sleepless in...
, John Updike
John Updike
John Hoyer Updike was an American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic....
, Errol Morris
Errol Morris
Errol Mark Morris is an American director. In 2003, The Guardian put him seventh in its list of the world's 40 best directors. Also in 2003, his film The Fog of War: Eleven Lessons from the Life of Robert S. McNamara won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.-Early life and...
, Nicholson Baker
Nicholson Baker
Nicholson Baker is a contemporary American writer of fiction and non-fiction. As a novelist, he often focuses on minute inspection of his characters' and narrators' stream of consciousness, and has written about such provocative topics as voyeurism and planned assassination...
and others. It was one of the first in-depth literary podcasts created exclusively for the Internet. The program was singled out by the Washington Times in 2007 and The Los Angeles Times in 2008.
History
The Bat Segundo Show started in 2004, as a "shameless excuse to interview David MitchellDavid Mitchell (author)
David Stephen Mitchell is an English novelist. He has written five novels, two of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize.- Biography :...
." Needing an introduction, Champion took the name of "Bat Segundo" from Mitchell's first novel, Ghostwritten, (later obtaining Mitchell's permission) and created "a deliberately unappealing and grating character" to introduce each segment. Bat Segundo is "a former radio DJ" who is "believed to be 49 years old." He spends "most of his time living in a Motel 6 room and is very fond of tequila." A Spanish-speaking character named "Jorge," described as "a key component to getting Mr. Segundo recording his introductions" and "also instrumental in getting the listener excited about the program" soon followed.
Other characters who have appeared are the Three Cheap Tenors, who sing songs for particular guests, and Doris Segundo, an ex-wife of Bat Segundo who regularly demands alimony.
The interviews are conducted by "Our Young, Roving Correspondent," a stand-in for Champion. The questions asked are often tough and quite detailed, sometimes surprising the authors themselves. Champion prepares "by reading an author's most recent book, and sometimes additional volumes in the backlist." He then tries "to determine what questions have been asked of an author and strikes these angles off my list, if at all possible."
Bat Segundo was killed off on Show #199, the victim of an apparent shooting. But there were some suggestions in later introductions that Mr. Segundo was not dead. Mr. Segundo then resurfaced during the introduction for Show #226, now apparently residing somewhere in East Los Angeles, and has since made steady but less frequent appearances.
Controversy
Champion's provocative interviewing style has resulted in some of his guests taking offense. Writing on his blog on May 3, 2007, Champion described a failed interview with the novelist Marisha PesslMarisha Pessl
Marisha Pessl is an American writer best known for her debut novel, Special Topics in Calamity Physics.Pessl was born in Clarkston, Michigan, to Klaus, an Austrian engineer for General Motors, and Anne, an American homemaker. Pessl's parents divorced when she was three, and she moved to Asheville,...
, writing, "Maybe it's because my interviewing style is less rapid-fire Q&A and more conversational and idiosyncratic. Maybe it's because I don't like to ask questions that everybody else asks."
On September 21, 2007, Champion described a post-interview confrontation with Danica McKellar, in which McKellar reportedly said to him, "That should have been my first warning. When you said, I'll give you a softball question, like, there's going to be a hardball? But what?"
On April 30, 2008, after a bad experience interviewing actors Linus Roache
Linus Roache
Linus William Roache is an English actor.-Early life:Roache was born in Manchester, the son of Coronation Street actor William Roache and actress Anna Cropper. Roache was educated at Bishop Luffa Church of England School in Chichester, West Sussex and at the independent Rydal School in Colwyn Bay,...
, Jennifer Ehle
Jennifer Ehle
Jennifer Ehle is an American actress of stage and screen. She is known for her BAFTA winning role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1995 mini-series Pride and Prejudice.-Early life:...
, and Rahul Bose
Rahul Bose
Rahul Bose is an Indian actor, screenwriter, director, social activist, and rugby union player.Bose has appeared in Hindi films such as Pyaar Ke Side Effects and Jhankaar Beats. Time magazine named him "the superstar of Indian arthouse cinema" for his work in parallel cinema films like English,...
, Champion vowed in a heated post that he would "never do a junket interview again. And, at least for the time being, I do not want to talk with actors."