rant · moment 7 of 21

The Radio Guy Who Wants Into New York and Williamsburg's Death

from Skin Pocket · #92

Audio-only archive episode — no video to seek.

3 min

Tim describes an awkward local radio interview with a guy fishing for NYC restaurant hookups and pizza recommendations, then riffs on how New York's hipster identity has faded into just rich people, including Williamsburg's decline.

In this bit8 moments
  • 20:10Tim explains that terrestrial radio only makes sense if it's hyper-local.
  • 20:28Radio station hosts in smaller markets rank differently when transplanted to New York—a nine in Spokane becomes a six in the city.
  • 20:47Tim describes a Spokane radio guy who name-drops New York dismissively, then spends the whole interview trying to get him to hook him up with restaurants and clubs.
  • 21:26The radio guy asks Tim about the best pizza in New York, then wants to know what they'd say about him at Sabara.
  • 21:41Tim's take: to provincial radio people, New York is frozen in a fantasy of pizza, the mafia, and tomato sauce—a reference that hasn't been relevant for 30 years.
  • 22:07Even hipster culture in New York is fading; the city is now just rich people, occasionally one with a hat.
  • 22:32Williamsburg in 2005 or 2007 felt cool and alive; something was actually happening there.
  • 22:45Tim went to Williamsburg today for lunch with a friend and found nothing left.
Mentioned here

New York CitySpokaneWilliamsburgSabaraLa Goulette

All 21 moments in this episode →