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FACT OR FICTION

Program 06-01-08-A

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Did you know that Teddy Roosevelt was one of nine U.S. presidents who had hooks for hands? Well, that's just one of countless facts included in John Hodgman's new almanac. But, as it turns out, all of these facts are fake. In this hour of the Peabody Award-winning To the Best of Our Knowledge, we'll look at the murky area that lies between fact and fiction.

SEGMENT 1:

Christine Wicker is the author of "Not in Kansas Anymore: A Curious Tale of How Magic Is Transforming America." She tells Anne Strainchamps about the time she spent with people who practice Hoodoo and other forms of magic and/or believe they're vampires, elves and werewolves. Also, Michael Shermer is the publisher of "Skeptic" magazine, and the author of many books including "The Science of Good and Evil" and "Science Friction: When the Known Meets the Unknown." He tells Jim Fleming that skepticism means being open to new ideas but not assuming anything is true.

SEGMENT 2:

Jan Harold Brunvand is the dean of urban legend studies and the author of the "Encyclopedia of Urban Legends." He reviews some of his favorites for Steve Paulson and explains that they always happened to a friend of a friend. He says they're basically true stories that are too good to be true. Also, John Hodgeman has written an almanac called "The Areas of My Expertise." It's comprised entirely of fake facts. Hodgeman tells Steve Paulson what goes into a good fake fact.

SEGMENT 3:

Kelly Link is the author of the short story collections "Magic for Beginners" and "Stranger Things Happen." Link tells Anne Strainchamps where some of her stories came from and about answering customers' questions in a Boston bookstore.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 06-01-08-A.

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Books:

• John Hodgman , The Areas of My Expertise (Dutton)
  
• Jan Harold Brunvand, Encyclopedia of Urban Legends (W.W. Norton)
• Kelly Link, Magic for Beginners (Small Beer Press)
  
• Michael Shermer, Science Friction: Where the Known Meets the Unknown (Owl Books/Henry Holt and Company)
• Christine Wicker, Not In Kansas Anymore: A Curious Tale of How Magic Is Transforming America (HarperSanFrancisco/HarperCollins)

Links:

• -- Christine Wicker
  http://www.christinewicker.com/
  
• -- Michael Shermer's "Skeptic" Magazine
  http://www.skeptic.com/
  
• -- Jan Harold Brunvand
  http://www.hum.utah.edu/english/faculty/brunvand.html
  
• -- Snopes.com Urban Legends Reference Page
  http://www.snopes.com/
  
• -- John Hodgman
  http://www.areasofmyexpertise.com/
  
• -- Kelly Link
  http://www.kellylink.net/
  

Music:

• -- "Mulholland Drive/Love Theme"/Angelo Badalamenti
  with the City of Prague Philharmonic
  from the CD, "David Lynch's Mulholland Drive (Soundtrack)"
  (Milan)
  http://www.milanrecords.com/
  
• -- "Metal On Metal"/Kraftwerk
  from the CD, "The Mix" (Elektra)
  http://www.kraftwerk.com/
  
• -- "The Sinister Urge"/Ray Condo & His Hardrock Goners
  from the CD, "Condo Country" (Crazy)
  http://www.raycondo.ca/
  
• -- "Mr. Ghost Goes To Town"/The John Buzon Trio
  from the CD, "Ultra-Lounge Volume Eleven: Organs In Orbit"
  (Capitol)
  http://www.ultralounge.com/
  
• -- "Carlotta's Portrait"/Music Composed by Bernard Herrmann
  Conducted by Muir Mathieson
  from the CD, "Vertigo -- Original Motion Picture Soundtrack"
  (Varese Sarabande Records)

Distribution dates:

week of 01/28/2007 - hour 2 week of 01/08/2006 - hour 1

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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