I just got some news that has me shaking. "The Best Strangers In the World" is an instant New York Times bestseller,
#8
on the list its first week in the world. What a crazy surreal joyful experience this has been - and continues to be.
The coda to
@NPRKelly
's interview with
@SecPompeo
is shocking. As described on
@npratc
: He screamed, swore at her, and said she couldn't find Ukraine on a map. He ordered staffers to bring a blank map. She pointed to Ukraine and thanked him for his time.
NPR just announced that my
@npratc
co-host
@nprAudie
will be leaving for other adventures at the end of this week. We’ve been friends for 20 years, since long before we were cohosts or even NPR reporters. That won’t change. But this one stings.
For the record, this colleague of mine is the same
@NPRKelly
who started the week anchoring 14 hours of live impeachment coverage as a solo host. I’m full of awe and gratitude.
<Tour group walks by my office>
"That's Ari Shapiro."
Me: Hi, how are you?
<Tour group walks away>
"Oh my God that's his voice."
"Yes, it comes out of him."
My niece and nephew in Seattle just got a new 5th grade current events teacher. Me. I’m gonna do a weekly Skype lesson with them until school resumes. My first time teaching!
We’d been talking about it for years and decided—it’s finally time to turn our house into a doggy retirement home. Meet my new yoga buddy, an 8 year old pointer named Bruce.
To get a guest's voice level, we often ask what they've had for lunch. Today was a first. "Three bottles of wine, and I started with a gin & tonic." Sadly, that guest will not be on
@npratc
tonight after all.
She opened doors for me in so many ways and taught me so many things - not least how to be a host. It has been difficult this year to say goodbye to
@nprgreene
@lourdesgnavarro
@NoelKing
@RadioMirage
and more. If NPR doesn’t see this as a crisis, I don’t know what it’ll take.
Happy *50th wedding anniversary!!!* to my Mom and Dad, who are always thinking ahead. Last year they suggested the whole family gather at the Oregon Coast to celebrate their 49th, “because who knows what 2020 may bring.”
Finally got to see my (vaccinated)
@npratc
co-hosts
@nprAudie
and
@NPRKelly
in person for the first time in more than a year! Now we just need someone to photoshop in
@ailsachang
from the West coast.
Dear
@cnn
, we appreciate your running audio of our exclusive interview with
@SenatorTester
but would appreciate it more if you mentioned that he was speaking to
@NPR
.
I'm about to go into the office for the first time since March, and I'm putting all kinds of crazy things on my body like SOCKS and A BELT and SHOES WITH LACES.
I’m on vacation and not planning on staying glued to twitter or email. If you’re a journalist writing about this, I’ll sing Audie’s praises to the end of time but refer you to
@isalara
at NPR comms for comment on why we’re hemorrhaging hosts from marginalized backgrounds.
As a journalist, I know that I may be a target of law enforcement when I cover conflicts overseas. I know I may be a target of protesters when I cover domestic conflict. But I never thought I’d see police target the press in the United States like this.
Right now the most important thing is to spend the rest of the week celebrating
@nprAudie
, her accomplishments, and her incredible tenure at
@npr
- from covering the South to Congress to hosting
@NPRWeekend
and
@npratc
to launching
#ConsiderThis
. Then let’s fix what’s broken.
I just had to close my window because I'm live on the air from my guest bedroom/home studio, and people are shouting and cheering in the street outside my house.
YOU GUYS, the city of Portland just made this Wednesday Ari Shapiro day!!! I'm going to wear a tiara and carry a scepter and make a pack of dogs pull me around the city in a radio flyer red wagon
I am pleased not to have wasted this time during lockdown. Rather, I have improved myself through acquisition of such useful skills as eating an entire box of spaghetti in one sitting.
@maggieNYT
@liamstack
To be clear, it was not an OTR. As Mary Louise explained, no one requested that it be off the record nor would she have agreed to those terms.
A friend volunteered to work at the polls today. He was told to show up at 6 AM to help open, and that he'd be there until the last vote is cast. (And bring his own mask.) Tremendous gratitude for everyone giving their time and risking their health for our democracy today.
I really feel like I drew the lucky straw. Not only did I get to co-host with Robert on his final day at
@npratc
last week, I also get to be in the host seat tonight for "shithole."
Even though we've been working from home for 10 months, I still find it weird that my husband can turn on
@npr
in the kitchen and hear what I'm saying upstairs in our guest bedroom in real time.
I’m not an especially sheltered person, but when I show up at a hotel and they tell me the snacks and drinks in the room are complimentary, I feel like I have achieved the Height. Of Luxury.
I thought my 401k would be the scariest number I saw this week, but my iPhone just told me how long I’ve been staring at a screen each day. If I had a nickel for every minute it would solve my 401k problem.
I just realized that this week marks 3 years since I started hosting
@npratc
. It has flown by. Don't worry (or, for some listeners, sorry to inform you), I'm not planning on leaving any time soon.
Although I haven’t seen many of my colleagues in more than a year, I’m proud to stand in solidarity with them and with the union that’s had my back for the 20 years I’ve worked at
@npr
.
@sagaftra
@wemakenpr
thinkin’ about when i told my family i got this internship, and almost everyone said the usual “wow!” and “congrats!!”, except for my mom who said “does this mean i get to meet
@arishapiro
”
I’ll never forget my freshman year of college meeting graduates of nyc private schools who expected I would recognize their schools’ names and know general stuff about them
This morning, instead of listening to somber recaps of a year that I really don’t need to be reminded of, I decided to listen to dance music about surviving. Do what works for you, kids.
I accidentally poured maple syrup into my coffee from a container labeled half & half, and honestly I feel like this was the universe trying to provide me a treat at the end of the week. Thank you, universe.
For days I've been telling myself, "Don't do something stupid like break your toe." Then today I sliced open my finger scrubbing bathroom tile (don't ask). I had my 1st ever video MD appointment; the doc said I'm ok; I don't think I've ever thanked/apologized to someone so much.
I stepped outside, leaving a large uneaten salad on the table, and my dog—who is way too smart for her own good—managed to pull out each little slice of jalapeño, set it aside on the table, and eat the rest of the salad.
Mornings when I listen to music instead of news I feel like I’m committing some sort of illicit transgression. I guess this is what passes for rebelliousness in middle age.
Every year, I decide that the period from Christmas to New Years is "magazine amnesty," where I can recycle all the piled up back issues that I've been meaning to read without consequence or guilt. Feels great - give it a try!
It’s a reality that politicians and their supporters weaponize the media. That said, since well before I arrived at
@NPR
in 2001, we’ve aired every Presidential Oval Office address live–with fact checking and context. I’ll anchor tonight’s live broadcast the same way.
Today
@lourdesgnavarro
announced that she’ll be leaving
@npr
next month after 17 years, including 5 as
@NPRWeekend
host. When we were both foreign correspondents, I’d sometimes send her stories I was struggling with, to benefit from her wise insights and creativity.
Every year I cringe at hearing myself say, “merciless Indian savages,” and then remember it’s important to see the founders for their shortcomings as well as their triumphs.
Excited to announce that starting next week, in addition to hosting
@npratc
, I'll help launch "The National Conversation," a daily live show on
@npr
from 9-10 PM ET. We'll have experts answering your questions on everything from epidemiology to economics to exercising at home.
Sept is:
• 5 years since I started hosting
@npratc
• 6 months of lockdown
• the Jewish High Holy Days
• my birthday
So, I’m marking the occasions by stepping off the news treadmill for a bit. I’ll be spending my time roughly as depicted below.
Hang in there everybody!
Here’s to
@AudieCornish
- my friend of nearly 20 years, my work wife, and until today, my
@npratc
cohost. My best stories about working with her are ones she’d never forgive me for sharing, so I’m just gonna put this here:
Just returned from the UK, where 7-packs of rapid home Covid tests are available for free all over. Wouldn’t that be nice in the US, as so many of us travel to see family this week? (I confess I brought a few packs home w me.)
Seasonal tip: Your leftover pumpkin pie goes better with your morning coffee if you sing "Breakfast pie" to the tune of "Edelweiss" while you eat it. You're welcome.
@hels
My question is whether, in the ultimate plot twist, the NYT reporter now owns the rights to the inevitable movie about the article about the short story about the kidney donation
This is the first day my husband and I are *both* working from home, and he keeps asking when I’ll let him be in my show. I’m afraid he’s plotting to host
@npratc
via insurgency.
In a statement,
@NPR
's Senior VP for News
@nancycbarnes
says, “
@NPRKelly
has always conducted herself with the utmost integrity, and we stand behind this report.”
May I add- the tone of these two contrasting statements says as much about the people involved as the content.
So many journalists have had this exact nightmare.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the
@nytimes
at this difficult time
or
My schadenfreude knows no bounds
So here’s a testing story, as the the US sees 40,000 new covid-19 cases in a day. My friend in DC waited in line 2.5 hours to get a test. That was 10 days ago. They still don’t have his results. “If it’s urgent you can get tested again,” they told him. 😱 🤬🤪
I’m not trying to further alarm an already-stressed-out DC, but it’s the day before Passover and the Whole Foods on P street has run out of horseradish.
As a person who grew up in Portland and now works in public radio, it's taken me a long time to feel comfortable saying this:
I don't love quinoa.
#SpeakingMyTruth
I have so many thoughts about this statement by
@SecPompeo
. But I think it’s best to let
@NPRKelly
’s journalism and reputation...and this official statement by the Secretary of State...speak for themselves. Go listen to the interview at the top of this thread if you haven’t yet.
I always like it when I spill coffee on my light-colored clothes first thing, because then I don't have to spend the rest of the day dreading the inevitable.
I’ve gotten coffee at
@roosroast
in Ann Arbor every morning this week. Today, on my last day in Michigan, they asked if I wanted a frequent guest punch card. And then they asked if I was Ari Shapiro.
Yknow how we consider all things on
@npratc
? Yeah well tonight
@taylorcrumpton
and I are considering WAP. We'll be using our
@NPR
voices. You're welcome.