[clock ticking]
*[funky pop with sharp guitar]
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
- How ya doin'?
My name's Mike Perry.
Wisconsin born and raised.
Cheesehead from day one.
[pitchfork clangs]
Grew up on the wooden end of a pitchfork.
Educated by farmers,
loggers, and public-school teachers.
Owner of one nursing degree, two broke-down pickup trucks,
and, occasionally, some pigs.
I've written some books,
sung some songs,
and told some stories.
Outside my duties as a father and a husband,
the most meaningful thing I've ever done
is serve beside my neighbors
as a volunteer firefighter
and emergency medical responder.
But through it all, I've been a clodhopper.
The term is part euphemism for "flat-footed roughneck
"who can't even polka
and who could never pull off fancy ,"
[sassy, sinuous crooning] - * Ooh, ooh, oh, ya, ya
* Ah, ah, ah ow
- But it's also true
I grew up hopping from dirt clod to dirt clod
in my father's farm fields;
sometimes in shoes,
sometimes not.
So, a few years back,
when Wisconsin Public Television asked me
to file some reports from my part of Wisconsin...
How ya doin'?
You're not from around here, are ya?
...it just seemed natural to call it
the Clodhopper Report.
[ax thwacks] There you go.
It's called a 'four-banger'.
Now that's [chicks peeping] what I call a Twitter message.
We did a bunch of 'em.
[metal clinks] Some in my backyard,
some in the swamps, some in the trees,
and at least one
from the back of a manure spreader.
We're gonna take a little time now
and look back at a few of those old Clodhopper Reports.
See what you still recognize,
see what I still recognize.
From back when this beard wasn't so white,
and this hair...
Well, you'll see.
[man singing] - * Woot, ooh, ya, ya
* Ah, ah, ah, ow
* [happy, bouncy, quirky acoustic guitar] *
- Funding for Michael Perry: How Ya doin'?
was provided by
Ron and Colleen Weyers,
Stanley J. Cottrill Fund,
Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programming,
and Friends of Wisconsin Public Television.
*
* [Free-spirited indie folk]
From the get-go, I hoped the Clodhopper Report
would reflect the people and part of the state
that shaped me--
mainly the area north of Highway 64.
But I also wanted to weave in things that any Wisconsinite--
be they from the city, the cornfields, or coasts--
would recognize.
For instance, many of our warm-state friends
think that snow equals cold,
whereas us ear-flappered Cheddarheads know
that the worst cold is cold without snow.
And whenever possible, I wanted to work in a little humor.
Humor is a form of self-deprecation.
And where I come from, if you don't self-deprecate,
somebody's gonna do it for you.
One of the self-imposed forms of self-deprecation
is comparing the old you to the...
even older you.
So, let's go back in time
[wrestling with mailbox]
and get this over with.
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
* [earthy wavering Blues] How ya doin'?
Oh, it's been cold up here north of 64!
It's cold and brown.
Cold and brown is a whole different deal
than cold and white.
Cold and Brown makes a guy kinda wanna grouse.
* [guitar slide twangs]
Grousing's like--
It's like whining, only with coffee and donuts.
You can kinda' hang out and grouse.
The expert grouser never plays the first card.
It's a high-stakes game.
And he who goes first, gets trumped.
- Stormy Kromer hat: So, is it cold by you?
- Packers cap: Ah, yeah, it's 22 degrees below.
- Stormy Kromer hat: Ah, well, it was 24 below up by us.
- Packers cap: [gulps]
- Stormy Kromer hat: 'Course that was on
the milk house thermometer,
and that always reads about 3 degrees high.
- Packer cap: [resentful breath]
- Stormy Kromer hat: Yeah, froze the manure spreader up,
broke the worm gear.
How much you figure
a little chunk of steel like that'd run ya?
- [Packers cap groans audibly] Tangible evidence of tragedy.
- Stormy Kromer hat: 127 bucks.
- Packers cap: Mmm, out-groused!
- Stormy Kromer hat: Well, that's farming.
- Packers cap: Ooh, out-martyred.
- Grousing martyrdom,
a favorite Wisconsin winter pastime
playing now at a café near you.
Man, it's cold!
Is it cold by you?
* [playful Dobro slide twangs]
* [fun guitar-picking blues]
O, sweet innocent youth.
You know, I still have two of those three hats.
The hair?
Well, I don't mean to grouse,
but let's just say there's a reason
I keep all that extra headgear on hand.
Around here,
staying warm
is a way of life.
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
[driving banjo-pickin' folk]
[breathing heavy, brushing snow]
How ya doin'?
It's wintertime and we're splitting wood like mad.
I don't know,
splittin' wood's kind of a multi-disciplinary activity.
It's kind of your tai chi, your yoga,
your Pilates
all rolled into one.
Not for this winter.
A little late for that.
No, this is firewood for next winter.
I know there's been a lot of talk
of climatic creep and global changes.
I ain't no meteorologist,
but I'm betting that the winter of 2010
is going to be cold.
*
There you go.
[exhaling vigorously] It's called a 'four-banger'.
Oh, I like splitting wood.
My wife wants me to have a wood splitting bee
where we get in an automatic splitter
and have a bunch of family and friends over
and she'll make some chili
and she says we can get it all done in one day.
But where's the fun in that?
No, I like to get out here and chop
and feel the bones and muscles do the work.
Get a little bit sweaty out here in the cold.
That's alright.
Kind of a peaceful thing.
Kind of rhythmic.
And I like to take a break
and just kind of gaze off over the territory
like I'm some kind of hardy woodsman on the frontier.
Just another Abe Lincoln,
albeit a little shorter and a little dumber.
And unlikely to change the course of human events.
A lot of you firewood snobs are probably wondering
what I'm doin' splitting box elder,
which basically burns like a bad cigar.
But what happened is we had a whole bunch of these
growing up against the barn
and they were rubbing the shingles off.
So, I cut them down and now we're going to burn them.
Get over it.
Of course, I spend most my time
splitting big manly chunks of oak.
By the way, if you've got yourself a problem teenager,
here's what you need.
You need to get yourself a great big gigantic splitting maul,
send 'em out in the backyard with a huge round chunk' a elm.
You won't hear from him for a week.
A lot of reasons people split their own firewood.
I split my own firewood because I'm a man
and with every stroke of the ax
I'm providing for my family.
Our first year on this place, I'd be out here splitting wood
and my wife would come out and she'd say,
"We're not going to have enough firewood."
I just kept splitting.
She'd say, "We're not going to have enough firewood."
I just kept splitting.
Of course, we didn't have enough firewood.
Had to have a man come with a load of firewood.
It's a humiliating thing for a man
to have to stand beside his wife
in the middle of 37 acres of woodlot
and write a check to another man
for wood he didn't split.
* [guitar plays resigned tone]
*[dreamy, optimistic folk rock]
My belief in firewood as a parenting tool
has only deepened
since the day we filmed that piece.
Having now raised one child into adulthood,
I can't tell you the number of times
we started stacking in steam and silence...
and by the time the wood was neatly arranged,
so were our feelings.
I still run this thing.
Split a truckload with it last winter.
Ain't gonna lie to ya though.
There are easier ways...
[log splitter's engine sputters and chugs]
One of the things the Clodhopper Reports--
silly as they are--
have caused me to consider is:
What do we fight to preserve,
and what do we graciously let go?
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
- Fifty-eight! [auctioneer chants quickly in rhythmic monotone]
Fifty-eight dollar, fifty-eight now-now!
Fifty-nine dollars! Sixty, y'abletabid
Sixty-one dollars, sixty two, how about three, raised to four?
How about five dollars, sixty- two, how about three, four?
Sixty-five, somebody on the end, seventy!
- How ya doin'?
I don't want to brag,
but I picked up a couple of bargains last week,
didn't have to go anywhere near the mall.
Got them the old-fashioned way.
Went to an auction.
Try and find yourself one of these at The Sharper Image.
If you're going to go to an auction around these parts
you got to work on your nod.
You know, a lot of folks think ya got a wave,
wave your little paddle,
but you just gotta give him the nod.
My buddy Mills goes to a lot of auctions
and he says about 12-degree tilt is about right,
just go...
That's a bid right there.
Saw these babies on the hay wagon
and this is the first object that I bought.
These are logging tongs.
These are for hauling your, ah, your log outta the woods.
And, boy, you know, I started bidding on it
and I realized once the bidding started
I really didn't know how much one was worth
so I just kept bidding
and I think I got it for about 30 bucks.
Of course, as soon as I won it,
I walked away carrying it proudly,
and this guy comes up me, goes "Whaddya pay for that?"
And I looked him right in the eye and I said, "Twenty dollars"
because when someone asks you
what you paid for something at an auction,
you lie to 'em.
I ain't telling how much I paid
'cause if you tell them how much you paid,
sure enough, he goes,
"Aw, cripes, you can get those for eighteen dollars brand new
down to the Farm & Fleet."
I don't want to know that.
Don't tell me that. That's not helpful.
Then I was--
They had one of them deals where they just kind of--
They hold up a bunch of junk and you bid on 'em
and I've been looking for a corn knife
and I saw a corn knife in this mess of stuff here.
And they held it up.
Two bucks for this whole assortment
and I want to tell you something I scored.
This right here
is an aluminum case for putting notebooks in
and kind of like what we use on the ambulance.
I always wanted one around the farm here
to put my notebooks in 'cause...
'Cause I'm not sure why, but I always wanted to have my own.
And I had my eye on these.
They were on a big pile of stuff on a hay wagon.
And I wandered off somewhere
and when I came back, they had already sold that pile.
And I was looking at the pile
and the guy who bought it,
he looked at me and he saw my long face
and he said, "Did you have your eye on something in there?"
And I said, "Yeah, I was kind of looking at them,
them aluminum folders there."
And he said "Well, what will you give me for it?"
I said, "I'll give you two bucks."
And he said, "All right."
He paid five bucks for the whole pile
and I paid two bucks for these aluminum folders.
But he said,
"You gotta take the computer."
So, I got a computer.
The other thing I wanted was a mattock
and they had one there
and a mattock is a pickaxe.
It's got a flat blade on one end
and several of the old timers said,
"You know how to run that thing, son?"
and my standard joke of the day was,
"Well, I keep looking
and I can't find the starter on it."
And I said that joke about four or five times,
got a nice laugh.
About the sixth time, I met somebody funnier than me
and I said, "Well I can't find the starter on this thing"
and he looked at me and he said, "She's at home."
It was cold and rainy at the auction that day.
Perfect weather
because the farmers couldn't get into the fields,
so they all came to the sale.
They had a great turnout.
But the mood sort of matched the weather.
I've been having a good time talking about auctions here
and I, I like going to the auction,
I like bidding for stuff,
I like giving them the old nod.
But the truth was we were participating
in the end of the line
for a long-time hometown family business.
This was the place where my dad bought his first tractor.
I'll try to keep that in mind when I use that corn knife.
[auctioneer announcing in background]
* [peaceful guitar music]
Time rolls on.
We try to preserve some of it by buying old things
and even using old things.
When the beloved old white pine that sheltered our family's
farmyard for generations came down,
I used these to haul off the chunks.
Made me feel good to know that they were still doing the work
for which they were intended.
You know what would have been really cool, though?
Is if I'd had an old tractor to match.
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
How ya doin'?
* [upbeat gentle country pop]
Up here north of 64, the past has become the future.
The local implement dealer sells more used tractors
than new tractors.
Did I say "used"?
Vintage!
The farmers who bought these tractors new,
they're not buying tractors anymore.
These days, your average tractor buyer
is looking for something that will go nice with the gazebo.
They get a little patch of land up north.
Pretty soon, they get the tractor bug.
I understand.
Tractors are time machines of the heart.
First tractor I ever drove was a John Deere B.
Johnny Popper.
My dad let me take it through the gate.
Man, I pushed that hand clutch forward
and I was the captain of the Queen Mary.
First tractor my dad ever bought new
was a Massey Ferguson 135.
A little smaller than this tractor.
Same beautiful color, same excellent logo.
Man, I spent a lot of hours on that thing.
Cutting hay, plowing,
pulling a drag,
thinking about love.
I even wrote a poem once.
"And that tractor would be a plunging white charger,
"in plowing daydreams
"where you waited to be rescued
at the end of every row."
Yeah, everybody wants to be
the knight on a shining Massey Ferguson,
or an old Ford,
or a Minneapolis Moline.
The old ways are going, going, gone.
They always are.
But on an old tractor, you can go back for another round.
Why didn't I ever write a poem about manure spreaders?
[loud diesel passes]
[speaking breathily] Wow!
You catch that last part?
I have made a lot of mistakes in my life,
but the one I will take to my grave
is allowing some fancy-pants television producer
talk me into pronouncing it "mah-noo-ure" spreader.
Every clodhopper knows
it's "mah-NERRR".
That's a signifier is what that is.
A word or words deployed in order
to connect with a sub-segment of folks.
Like, for instance, the phrase
"pickin' rock."
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
* [rockin' country jam]
How ya doin'?
Hey, if you're running around north of Highway 64 this summer,
keep an eye out alongside the roads or out in the farm fields
for big old piles of rocks.
The Welsh and the Irish refer to them as cairns.
Who built these symbolic stacks of stones?
What vanished tribe?
Who were these mysterious people?
Polish farm kids mainly.
These piles represent a tradition
that a lot of farm kids would probably just as soon forget.
Every spring they were sent out into the field
to clear away the stone so that the farmer
didn't tear up his machinery during plowing season.
And when you look at these piles,
keep in mind that every rock
has probably been handled at least twice:
once when some poor kid picked it up
and tossed it on the hay wagon,
and the second time
when he picked it up and threw it in the pile.
We call it "picking rock."
You might think that if you pick all the rocks off a field once
you'd never have to do it again.
But every spring the frost heaves up a new crop.
The rocks just keep coming.
Year after year after year.
Some of the old timers will tell you that rocky ground
made good farming ground 'cause it held water.
Not sure what the kids loading the wagons full of rocks
would have said about that.
It wasn't just the country kids who got to pick rock
where I came from either.
When I was in grade school,
they put in a new football field
and they marched all of us little grade-schoolers out there
into the hot sun to pick rock
and whoever had the biggest pile at the end of the day
got a prize.
It was like a Slo Poke or something.
Can you imagine if they sent little grade schoolers
out into the hot sun to pick rock today?
This isn't picking rock.
This...
IS picking rock.
I'll get that one later.
* [rowdy party bluegrass rock]
Here's the beautiful part of this story:
Farmers tell me that lately people from Minnesota
have been showing up looking for these rocks.
They put them on their patios
or decorate their gardens with 'em.
They're willing to pay money for these rocks.
I think we can work something out.
* [high-octane bluegrass rock]
* [mellow acoustic guitar]
I got no idea
of the state of the decorative stone industry these days.
But when I watch that piece
I remember how my neighbor Barry cackled
when he told me about those folks from Minnesota
willing to pay him cash for the bane of his existence.
[chuckles]
Barry's gone now,
but his story plays on.
That's why we tell stories.
To draw threads of the past
into the present.
* [country outlaw blues rock]
How ya doin'?
>> HEY.
HOW YA DOIN'?
I'M MICHELE GOOD AND I'M IN THE
STUDIO WITH AUTHOR, PLAYWRIGHT,
PUBLIC RADIO STAR MICHAEL PERRY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN
TONIGHT.
>> GLAD TO BE HERE.
>> THIS IS SORT OF A A
COMPILATION OF THESE PIECES YOU
DID FOR "HERE AND NOW" YEARS
AGO.
>> YEAH.
THAT'S HOW IT STARTED.
THEY SHOWED UP WITH A CAMERA AND
SAID TELL US SOME STORIES.
I DON'T KNOW THEY FEW WHAT THEY
WERE GETTING INTO.
THE FIRST ONE WE DID WAS OUT IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE SWAMP IN THE
DEAD OF WINTER AND WE FROZE UP
ALL THE GEAR, HAD TO START OVER.
>> AND WHAT'S IT LIKE SORT OF
RELIVING YOUR LIFE AGAIN?
>> WELL, I MISS THE HAIR.
>> MULLET.
>> AT THE TIME I WAS STARTING TO
GET REAL THIN ON TOP AND IT WAS
LONG IN BACK.
MY FRIEND MOLLY SAID YOU GOT A
SKULLET.
IT'S BRACING TO SEE THESE OLD
VIDEO.
>> WELL, WE LOVE BRINGING THIS
TO WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
IF YOU ENJOY THIS KIND OF
PROGRAMMING THAT IS
WISCONSIN-BASED, IT'S ALL ABOUT
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE BROUGHT
TO YOU BY SOMEBODY WHO LIVES
HERE, MAKE THAT PLEDGE NOW,
1-800-236-3636.
>> WELL, THANK YOU, MICHELLE AND
MICHAEL.
I'M KERMAN ECKES ON THE STAFF
HERE AT WISCONSIN PUBLIC
TELEVISION.
WHEN YOU CALL AND TALK TO OUR
VOLUNTEERS, WE HAVE FANTASTIC
THANK YOU GIFTS TO SEND YOUR
WAY.
IF YOU CALL AND BECOME A MEMBER
WITH A COMMITMENT OF $8 A MONTH,
WE'LL SEND YOU A DVD OF THE SHOW
WE'RE WATCHING, "HOW YA DOIN'?."
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GO BACK
ENJOY THESE BITS AGAIN, HEAR
MICHAEL'S WISDOM AND WIT.
IF YOU JOIN US AT THE $12 A
MONTH LEVEL, WE'LL SEND YOU A
FABULOUS BOOK COLLECTION, TRUCK,
A LOVE STORY, POULTRY, PIGS AND
PARENTING AND ROUGH NECK GRACE.
ONE FABULOUS THING ABOUT THESE
BOOKS, THEY'RE ALL SIGNED.
SO THAT'S A GREAT THING FOR A
COMMITMENT OF $12 A MONTH.
IF YOU JOIN US AT THE $15 A
MONTH LEVEL, WE WILL SEND YOU
THE DVD, THE BOOK COLLECTION I
JUST MENTIONED AND WE WILL ALSO
SEND YOU A TWO-CD SET, THE
CLODHOPPER MONOLOGUES.
IT'S A GREAT WAY FOR YOU TO
WATCH, READ AND LISTEN TO
MICHAEL.
SO MANY, MANY DIFFERENT WAYS FOR
YOU TO JOIN US HERE AT WISCONSIN
PUBLIC TELEVISION.
BUT IT STARTS WITH A PHONE CALL
AT 1-800-236-3636.
>> THOSE ARE SOME GREAT THANK
YOU GIFTS.
I'M ERIC GREILLING, DIRECTOR OF
FRIENDS OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC
TELEVISION.
I WANT TO JUST TAKE A MOMENT TO
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO RENEW
YOUR SUPPORT, TO ADD TO YOUR
SUPPORT, TO BECOME A MEMBER OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
YOUR SUPPORT MAKES IT POSSIBLE
FOR US TO DO SO CRAZY THINGS
LIKE FOLLOW MICHAEL PERRY INTO A
SWAMP AND FREEZE UP ALL THE
EQUIPMENT.
BUT THE RESULT IS THIS REALLY
DELIGHTFUL SHOW THAT WE HAVE FOR
YOU TONIGHT.
WE'RE ALL HAVING A GREAT TIME
HERE IN THE STUDIO WATCHING IT,
SOME OF US NOT FOR THE FIRST
TIME, AND WE HOPE YOU'RE HAVING
A GOOD TIME TONIGHT.
ONE GREAT, EASY WAY FOR YOU TO
BECOME A MEMBER, TO RENEW, TO
CHANGE YOUR GIFT TO A SUSTAINING
GIFT IS TO BECOME A SUSTAIN,
EASY, MONTHLY ONGOING PAYMENTS
YOU CAN MAKE.
JUST GIVE US A CALL HERE AT
1-800-236-3636.
>> MICHAEL, ONE OF THE THINGS I
LOVE ABOUT YOUR SHOW AND I THINK
A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE DO IS
YOU'RE SO RELATABLE.
I THINK EVERYBODY KNOW ONS YOU
BECAUSE THEY KNOW SOMEBODY JUST
LIKE YOU.
YOU'RE LIKE AN EVERYMAN.
>> WELL, SOMETIMES EVEN MORE
THAN I INTEND TO BE.
I'M A DAD.
I'M SELF-EMPLOYED.
I WAS RAISED BY LOGGERS AND
FARMERS AND I'M JUST TRYING TO
FIND MY WAY IN THE WORLD.
I HOPE THAT COMES THROUGH.
WHEN I DO A PIECE LIKE THIS, IT
DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ABOUT
SOMETHING GRAND, JUST CUTTING
FIREWOOD AND MAYBE NOT QUITE
ENOUGH FIREWOOD.
>> BUT HOW DID YOU MAKE THAT
BRIDGE FROM FARMER TO AUTHOR AND
PLAYWRIGHT?
I MEERNTION YO MEAN, YOU ARE EVERYMAN.
>> MY FAMILY WOULD SAY IF YOU
EVER SAW ME TRY TO FIX A
TRACTOR, I MADE THE RIGHT
DECISION.
I WAS RAISED ON A JOY AND A LOVE
FOR BOOKS.
MY MOM FILLED THE HOUSE WITH
BOOKS.
THEN I REALIZED AT SOME POINT IN
MY LIFE THAT THESE EXPERIENCES I
HAD GROWING UP ON A FARM COULD
BE TRANSLATED INTO STORIES.
AND THEN I COULD BRIDGE THAT GAP
OF WHAT AN ARTIST MIGHT BE, THAT
AN ARTIST COULD WEAR LOGGING
BOOTS.
THOSE ARE MY PEOPLE.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE FANCY TO
CREATE ART OR BE AN ARTIST.
SO MAKE THAT PLEDGE FOR THE KIND
OF PROGRAMMING THAT YOU LOVE AT
1-800-236-3636.
>> WELL, AND SHOWS LIKE THE
PROGRAM THAT WE'VE BEEN
WATCHING, "HOW YA DOIN'?," ARE
POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF YOUR
SUPPORT.
ONE PERSON AT A TIME, WE TAKE
YOUR CALL AND SUPPORT AND WE'RE
ABLE TO CONTINUE TO BRING YOU
SHOWS LIKE THIS.
WE HAVE SOME THANK YOU GIFTS.
AT $8 A MONTH WE WILL SEND YOU
AN EP COMPANY O COPY OF THE DVD "HOW YA
DOIN'?" WITH A FEW BONUS
SEGMENTS.
THAT'S SOMETHING SOMETHING THAT
YOU'RE GOING TO WANT.
IF YOU CALL AND JOIN US AT THE
$12 A MONTH LEVEL, WE'LL SEND
YOU A FABULOUS BOOK COLLECTION.
SO THAT INCLUDES TRUCK: A LOVE
STORY, COOP AND ROUGH NECK
GRACE.
THAT'S A GREAT ADDITION TO YOUR
LIBRARY AS WELL.
YOU CAN ALSO JOIN US AT THE $15
A MONTH LEVEL AND WE WILL SEND
YOU THE BOOKS, A COPY OF THE DVD
"HOW YA DOIN'?" AND WE WILL SEND
YOU ALSO A TWO-CD SET, THE
CLODHOPPER MONOLOGUES.
THIS IS A LIVE PERFORMANCE THAT
MICHAEL RECORDED AT THE --
STOUGHTON OPERA HOUSE.
NOW IS THE TIME TO CALL
1-800-236-3636.
>> MEMBERSHIP COMES WITH
BENEFITS AND ONE OF THOSE IS
"AIRWAVES" MAGAZINE, OUR MONTHLY
PROGRAM GUIDE.
AT $35 A YEAR YOU'LL GET
"AIRWAVES" EVERY MONTH AND BE
ABLE TO CHECK FOR YOUR FAVORITE
PROGRAMS.
YOU CAN CIRCLE OUT AHEAD FOR THE
WHOLE MONTH AND DISCOVER
UPCOMING PROGRAMS LIKE MICHAEL
PERRY APPEARING IN THIS MONTH'S
ISSUE.
IF YOU BECOME A SUSTAINING
MEMBER, THAT'S EASY MONTHLY
ONGOING PAYMENTS, THEN YOU'LL
KNOW THAT YOU GET "AIRWAVES"
EVERY MONTH.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
RENEWING.
YOU JUST SIGN UP AT THE LEVEL
THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU AND YOUR
GIVING WILL CONTINUE COMING OUT
OF YOUR CHECKING ACCOUNT OR FROM
YOUR CREDIT CARD UNTIL YOU TELL
US TO STOP.
SO THAT'S A QUICK AND EASY WAY
TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE A MEMBER OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION,
THAT YOU'VE GOT BENEFITS COMING
TO YOU AND THAT ONE OF THOSE
BENEFITS IS KNOWING THAT YOU'RE
A PART OF MAKING THESE GREAT
PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO YOU AND TO
THE ENTIRE STATE OF WISCONSIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IF YOU CAN GO ONLINE, YOU CAN
VISIT US AT wpt.org IF YOU
FIND THE PHONES ARE BUSY OR GIVE
A CALL RIGHT NOW AT
1-800-236-3636.
>> WE'RE GOING TO BE GOING BACK
TO THE PROGRAM IN A COUPLE OF
SECONDS.
IF YOU'RE GETTING A BUSY SIGNAL,
JUST HANG ON THE LINE.
WE'LL STILL GET YOUR PLEDGE IN.
TELL US ABOUT WHAT WE CAN EXPECT
COMING UP.
I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOMETHING
TO DO WITH CHICKEN PROJECTS.
>> YEAH.
I WROTE AN ENTIRE BOOM ABOUT HOW
I CAN'T BUILD MY OWN CHICKEN
COOP.
THE POST SAID WELCOME MICHAEL
PERRY, AUTHOR OF THE BOOK CO-OP.
DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING.
THE CHICKENS ARE GREAT.
I JUST HAD SOME EGGS BEFORE I
LEFT.
THERE ARE PIECES IN HERE ABOUT
FIREWOOD AND ABOUT CHICKENS AND
I SAY BOTH ARE VERY EFFECTIVE IN
THE RAISING OF CHILDREN.
>> AND HOW IS THAT?
>> WELL, IF YOU'VE GOT A
TEENAGER THAT'S UPSET WITH YOU,
GIVE THEM A SPLITTING AWL AND
SEND THEM OUT TO THE FIREWOOD
SHACK.
>> AND CHICKENS, A LITTLE
TENTATIVE AROUND --
>> I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHOSE FIRST
CHORE IS TO GO OUT AND COLLECT
THE EGGS.
>> THAT TEACHES YOU BRAVERY.
>> AND SHE GETS TO SPLIT THE
PROFITS 50/50, TOO.
SO TEACHES HER ABOUT THE FREE
MARKET, I GUESS.
>> I LOVE THAT YOU BRING YOUR
LIFE EXPERIENCE TO THESE
STORIES.
IT REALLY -- ONE, IT MAKES IT SO
INCREDIBLY RELATABLE TO
EVERYBODY.
BUT THESE ARE JUST SO MUCH FUN.
>> IT'S A FORM OF GRATITUDE.
>> SO PLEASE MAKE THAT PLEDGE
FOR THIS SHOW,ong]
* [sweet, gentle country pop]
I not only love being from Wisconsin,
I love being of Wisconsin.
I feel the same about my hometown.
But I'm not as susceptible to romanticized reminiscence
as I used to be.
When I watched this next video
all these years after filming it,
I smiled in recognition,
but I was also braced by all the things
that no longer apply, or perhaps never did apply.
But one thing hasn't changed:
I'm still grateful to be from around here.
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
How ya doin'?
* [sassy mid-tempo blues rock]
We're in the midst of a kind of a 'back to the land' movement
up here north of 64.
And this time, it's not just hippies.
Well, we do get some hippies.
They're on their second go around.
This time, they've got retirement plans.
If you come up here to live or even just to visit,
at some point, somebody is going to look you over
and then they're going to say,
"You're not from around here, are you?"
Did you ever wonder how we know?
Perhaps you used your turn signal on Main Street.
No need.
Could be you keep calling the town hall
to see how long it'll be before the snowplow comes by.
Or maybe somebody asks you how Boober Olson's corn was doing,
and you said you hadn't noticed.
[speaking in incredulous tone] You don't know Suzy Johnson?!?
The one who run off with the pastor?
You can't back up your boat trailer?!? [laughing]
You passed a load of hay on a double yellow?!?
Slow down!
That's why you moved up here.
The number one dead giveaway
that you're not from around here.
Ya keep mooing at the cows.
Please, don't moo at the cows.
I don't know why they moo at the cows.
They don't bark at the dogs.
They don't squeak at the muskrats.
They don't uff-da at the Norwegians.
* [thick rock guitars and breezy banjos] *
I make a lotta hay over my "around here"
being cow-crossing country,
but I try not to be reverse-snooty about it.
Wisconsin simply wouldn't be Wisconsin
without the vibrancy of its big cities.
Big cities defined by a guy like me
as any settlement
with more than three digits on the population sign.
Yeah, I like going to the big city,
catchin' some of that energy.
Especially if it's the state capital
and it's being overrun
by vintage trucks and tractors of a certain make...
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
How ya doin'?
You know, I woke up at 6 a.m. this morning
three-and-a-half-hours south of my chicken coop
and I looked out my hotel room window and there on the horizon,
I saw a beautiful sight.
* [rowdy country bar music]
This is my favorite version
of the International Harvester logo.
I don't know if I want to touch it.
We've got little peanut tractors
and great big ole honkin' tractors.
We're down here in Madison, Wisconsin
for the International Harvester Red Power Roundup.
This is the biggest collection of red paint
you're going to find in the entire United States of America.
It's a long haul from
a horse-drawn reaper in 1831 to this in 2009.
[engine rumbles]
This is a farm boy's dream come true here.
You know, what'd be really terrific
is if someone would take all these beautiful tractors,
find a bunch of old International pickup trucks,
and have themselves a parade.
- Did anyone bring a tow strap with 'em?
Good, because that means
nobody will break down.
[crowd laughing]
- When you're offered the opportunity to be
the marshal of the International Harvester Red Power Parade,
there's really only one answer.
* [good-humored polka music] And away we go!
Follow that tractor! - Wrong lane.
- This isn't just a parade; this is a pilgrimage.
We've got folks from all over the U.S.
have come to this event.
If you like red paint, this is your day of worship.
Sometimes you're in the parade
and sometimes you're IN the parade!
- Bystander: What happened?
- I think we ran out of gas.
All red, all the time.
I should mention that I do have friends who have a fondness
for agricultural equipment of another color.
But today is our day and we'll still be friends tomorrow.
There's a self-help group
for people who are obsessed with Internationals.
It's called the International Harvester Collectors Club
and you are looking
at member number 429.
It's not a tractor show.
It's not a truck show.
This is an art show.
Anybody who says an International isn't beautiful
hasn't seen that truck.
I'm not much of a gearhead but I'm here today
because I love International Trucks.
I love 'em so much I wrote a book about one.
It was called Truck: A Love Story.
And people ask me sometimes, they say,
"Is that a love story about a truck or about a woman?"
and I always ask the question in return,
"Is there not room enough in a man's heart for both?
I mean, look at her."
For a farm boy, this is like going to the Loo-vra (Louvre).
* [guitar-picking country]
Country boy goes to the city
to see the country!
A show like this is, by definition,
about the past.
Old trucks, old tractors, old times.
But this next episode
is unfolding right up into the present.
Isn't that right?
[buck, bok, bok]
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
[bird chirps, door rolls mechanically]
How ya doin'?
Feed mill called yesterday and said, "Your chicks are in."
Now that's what I call a Twitter message.
* [sunny, relaxed reggae]
How was your trip? [chick peeps]
A lot of folks don't realize it, but these little chicks,
they come in the mail.
You'll get a call from the Post Office,
or in this case, down at the Feed Mill,
and they'll say, "Your chicks are in."
It's one of my favorite things.
It's kinda like Christmas right in the middle of summer.
OK, kids, gonna leave you to it.
Put the safety screen over the top.
That's intended to prevent varmints and 2-year-olds
from getting to the chicks.
Weight it down a little bit.
And then, put out the heat lamp.
Give 'em a little sun to soak under, as it were.
And you come back in about 15 minutes
and they'll be all together
in one little yellow fuzzy cluster
right under that heat lamp.
The stock tank is just the first stop.
That's the crib, that's the nursery.
The next stop is the pullet house.
[rooster crows]
Hello, ladies.
I call it the pullet house, but, actually,
it's just our old chicken coop.
You may remember this building from the day I remodeled it.
* [vigorous electric guitar]
That was a long day.
Alright, ladies, here you go.
These are pullets which means that they're young hens
and they should start laying eggs sometime in the fall,
at which point they can earn their keep.
So, these young ladies
will be in this coop for a few more weeks,
and then, when we think they're ready to go pro,
we'll move 'em to the big house.
* [Rat Pack big band jazz]
How about this baby?
Welcome to the rolling poultry palace!
A chicken coop on wheels.
This is clearly an upgrade on other properties.
[boc-boc-boc-urrrk, bok bagok]
Take special note of the sill-less construction
which allows hassle-free by-product extraction.
Centralized food distribution center.
Detachable porch!
Hand-crafted portable gate unit
with auto-lock.
Fully cleated, detachable ramp.
Fully interiorized pocket door componentry--
simply remove, raise,
and insert to hold.
And how happy are the residents
of the Perry Portable Poultry System?
[kuh-kuh-kuh-kuh] Let's ask them.
What do you think, ladies-- Oh, look at the joy!
You can feel the joy in their wings,
you can hear the joy in their voices.
Are ya happy? [boc-boc-bawk-buck-bok-bagok]
Do ya like where you live?
Are ya happy with that?
Are ya satisfied? How about you, sir?
Are you happy with your Perry Portable Poultry System?
[cluck, cluck, cluck, cock-a-doodle-doo]
[chicks squeak contentedly]
From the stock tank,
to the pullet house,
to the big house,
it's all about one thing.
* [sunny, relaxed reggae]
[rooster crows]
[hens clucking]
[tuk-tuk-kah]
[cock-a-doodle-doo]
Remember when I said
firewood was the perfect parenting tool?
Chickens come a close second.
*[fun, carefree, jaunty music]
[boc-boc-boc-urrrk, bok bagok]
[clucking tuk-tuk-kah]
Chicken chores, sure,
but the birds are also instructive
regarding entrepreneurship, profit-sharing,
government regulation of the free market,
and gumption,
as it pertains to sticking your hand
in the nesting box of the one that pecks.
[clucking]
[assertive clucking buck-bok-ba-gaw!]
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
* [romantic, swirling country blues] *
[crunching underfoot]
How ya doin'?
It's been mighty dry up here north of 64
and that's bad news for the farmers
but its good news for me because
I can go sit in the swamp without getting soggy shorts.
It's a great place to hide,
a land where no lawnmower ever comes.
There's too much mowing in this world.
I like it out here,
just laying in the grass, looking at the sky.
Maybe a cloud comes by, maybe it doesn't.
It's kind of like playing hooky.
You can muse out here or you can pout.
No bill collectors out here.
Nobody banging on your door.
Nobody calling.
No email.
I like grass that's taller than I am.
Given half a chance, some lawn loony would mow this,
I guaran-dang-tee it.
Probably stick a gazebo right over there,
run some pavers through here.
Put a couple of plywood Packer cutouts over there.
Probably run the edger up and down Five Mile Road.
Believe it or not, they did mow all this at one time.
The old timers tell me that during the Depression
the drought was so severe
that the hayfields all dried up
and so they went out into the swamps
and cut whatever they could.
And I myself can remember back in, I think it was, 1976
we had such a bad drought
that dad sent us out into the little swamps
that surrounded our farm and we cut the hay there.
I remember banging off across the swamp
knocking the tops off
the saw grass clumps with the hay cutter.
You can faintly see where the old road
used to run out across the swamp.
This wasn't a swamp
until they put a dam in and backed up Beaver Creek.
And there was a time when
there was a farm up there somewhere.
You see this old road running out between the cattails.
The smell of the swamp
is one of my favorite things.
I've described it before as salty sweet.
Kind of reminds you of
decay and life and the ocean.
Sometimes, if you're out here at night
when the sandhill cranes come in, they'll bugle,
and it's a real spooky clotted sound
and you can convince yourself that you're living
in the time of pterodactyls when they come in to land.
Of course, after you spend some time out here
collecting yourself,
you want to remember that you're also collecting ticks
and kind of go over yourself when you get home.
Oh, you'll have some bugs out here and a few mosquitoes,
but really nothing too severe.
The cool thing about Wisconsin is
it gets so bitter cold during the winter that
all the really nasty animals and insects and little beasties
get frozen out...
'cept for snapping turtles...
and brown recluse spiders...
pine rattlers...
black bears.
[huffing and puffing]
* [sweet, gentle country pop]
[laughs]
Gosh, I run like I was raised by farmers.
My secret weapon is: I may be slow,
but I can be slow
all
all day
all day long.
That'll get you through life.
But that piece was also a testament
to the idea of stopping,
of the pause,
of just sittin' there.
And one Wisconsin tradition
has allowed me to do just that--
deep in the trees--
for years.
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
[opens door]
* [brass band plays sunny, whimsical song] *
[closes door]
How ya doin'?
C'mon.
Up here north of 64,
everybody's getting ready to go deer hunting
and I'm going out to check my deer stand.
I've been deer hunting since I was a kid.
It's part of my culture.
I'm not a trophy hunter.
I mean, I'll take a crack at the big buck if he runs out,
but basically,
I'm more interested in putting something in the freezer
than on the wall.
Of course, before I can put meat in the freezer,
I got to put my seat in the stand
and this thing has been sitting here for a year,
so some safety checks are in order.
[shaking and knocking]
Like a rock.
* [moody Southern blues]
By the way, I know you're dying to ask about the hat.
It is, after all, highly stylish.
This is a very special hunting hat for me.
I have a head problem.
I have a very huge melon.
See what I mean?
So, I got this problem.
When I go to buy hunting caps
they're always too tight.
I'll be on the stand for about two hours
and then I'll develop this hat rash.
And then, for the rest of the week
nobody wants to eat beside me.
So, I was in this store about
two weeks after deer hunting one year
and I went past the clearance table
and there in the middle
of a pile of mittens and hats and everything else
was this cap.
And I opened it up and I looked inside at the tag
and I saw
X-
X-X-
X-X-L.
And I thought, "Could it possibly be?"
And I raised it above my head,
and I let it settle gently down over my ears
and I heard angels sing.
Alright, I got the three basic ingredients
to hunting comfort.
Ingredient number one:
collapsible chair.
Ingredient number two:
blaze orange heater seater.
And ingredient number three:
cheapo sleeping bag.
[exhales deeply]
[old fashioned brass band performs playful melody]
Well, stand's good to go.
Got my shells.
Got my rifle cleaned.
Wonder what I did with my license?
[humph]
Now, as long as I make sandwiches.
Sandwiches are the key to a pleasant hunting experience.
That and a couple of granola bars.
You want your hunting trip to be a civilized experience.
* [country music with a Down South rap beat] *
Well, that's a wrap on my Wisconsin.
There are plenty of other Wisconsins,
and I respectfully commend you to them.
As time passes,
I am ever more grateful to share my stories,
but I also feel it is my duty
to help amplify the stories of others.
To honor the past
while holding the door open for the future.
Things change, and for the most part,
that's OK.
I've changed...
I hope!
Although I am always and forever...
a clodhopper.
How ya doin'?
Grousing's like whining
only with coffee and donuts.
Mmm!
I like it out here,
laying in the grass, looking at the sky.
Up here north of 64,
the past has become the future.
This is a farm boy's dream come true here.
How ya doin'?
>> HEY.
SO YOU THINK IT'S OVER, BUT IT'S
NOT OMPLET STICK AROUND.
WE'VE GOT A SNEAK PREVIEW OF
SOME OF THE BONUS MATERIAL ON
THAT GREAT DVD.
MICHAEL PERRY IS HERE IN THE
STUDIO WITH US AND WE'LL TALK TO
HIM A LITTLE MORE.
I'M MICHELE GOOD FROM WISCONSIN
PUBLIC RADIO AND THIS IS A GREAT
TIME TO PLEDGE BECAUSE WE HAVE A
MEMBER CHALLENGE.
CURRENT MEMBERS HAVE GIVEN
$2,000 FOR US TO MATCH DOLLAR
FOR DOLLAR.
SO IF YOU CALL RIGHT NOW AT
1-800-236-3636, YOU WILL GET
YOUR PLEDGE MATCHED.
THIS IS AN AMAZING PROGRAM WE'VE
BEEN WATCHING AND SO MUCH FUN.
AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS YOU
WATCH IT AND YOU'RE LIKE I KNOW
HIM.
I KNOW PEOPLE JUST LIKE HIM.
IT'S A GREAT LOOK AT THE
WISCONSIN THAT WE ALL KNOW AND
LOVE.
AND, MICHAEL, HOW DID YOU CHOOSE
WHAT WOULD GO ON THE DVD?
THERE'S SO MUCH MATERIAL.
>> I THINK WE TRIED TO SELECT A
RANGE OF THINGS, SOME HUMOR,
SOME REFLECTIVE.
IT WAS ALSO IMPORTANT TO ME AS
YOU HEARD RIGHT AT THE END THERE
TO GO THIS IS ONE VIEW OF
WISCONSIN.
THERE ARE MANY WISCONSINS.
AND SO WE TRIED TO ADDRESS THAT
AND ALSO SNEAK IN A LITTLE
FOOTAGE OF ME INSIDE A MANURE
SPREADER.
>> VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
SO MAKE THAT CALL AND GET YOUR
PLEDGE MATCHED RIGHT NOW,
1-800-236-3636.
>> WELL, I'M KERMAN ECKES, I'M
ON THE STAFF HERE AT WISCONSIN
PUBLIC TELEVISION.
AND AS MICHAEL SAID, THIS IS HIS
STORY ABOUT WISCONSIN AND THERE
ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT STORIES
ABOUT THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN
AND WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE IN
WISCONSIN.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S
IMPORTANT TO US HERE AT
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU, GO TO THE
PHONE AND JOIN US AS A MEMBER.
WHEN YOU DO, WE HAVE SOME THANK
YOU GIFTS THAT WE'LL SEND YOUR
WAY.
IF YOU JOIN US AT $8 A MONTH, WE
WILL SEND YOU A COPY OF THE
PROGRAM THAT WE JUST WATCHED
"HOW YA DOIN'?" WITH MICHAEL
PERRY.
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GO BACK AND
ENJOY THE WIT AND WISDOM, TO
HEAR MICHAEL'S IDEAS ABOUT
THINGS FROM THE PAST AND WHAT'S
GOING ON CURRENTLY.
IF YOU JOIN US AT $12 A MONTH,
WE HAVE THE WONDERFUL BOOK
PACKAGE THAT WE'LL SEND YOU.
SO THAT INCLUDES A COPY OF
"TRUCK: A LOVE STORY,"
"POULTRY, PIGS AND PARENTING"
AND THEN "ROUGHNECK GRACE."
AND TO TOP IT OFF, MICHAEL HAS
SIGNED ALL OF THE BOOKS.
SO, AGAIN, A GREAT WAY IF YOU'RE
A MICHAEL PERRY FAN, THIS IS
DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE
GOING TO WANT.
YOU CAN ALSO JOIN US AT $15
LEVEL PER MONTH AND WE WILL SEND
YOU THE DVD "HOW YA DOIN'?," THE
BOOK PACKAGE I JUST MENTIONED
AND ALSO A TWO-CD SET OF THE
CLODHOPPER MONOLOGUES, A LIVE
RECORDING MICHAEL DID.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO MICHAEL, READ
MICHAEL, WATCH MICHAEL.
YOU HAVE TO START BY GOING TO
THE PHONES AND DIALING
1-800-236-3636.
>> I'M ERIC GREILLING.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF FRIENDS OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
THIS IS A GREAT TIME TO CALL
BECAUSE IT IS A MEMBER CHALLENGE
BREAK.
WE'RE ALREADY AT 22 CALLS ON OUR
WAY TO 50.
PLEASE CALL NOW, TAKE ADVANTAGE
OF THIS TREMENDOUS MEMBER
CHALLENGE.
IF THE LINES ARE BUSY, KEEP
WAITING.
GO ONLINE IF YOU LIKE.
BUT HE WE WAN WE WANT TO DO REALLY WELL
AND THANK YOU WITH THESE AMAZING
GIFTS.
WE'VE GOT THE CLASSIC "TRUCK: A
LOVE STORY."
IF YOU'VE EVER HAD A TRUCK THAT
YOU LOVED, YOU'LL KNOW WHAT THIS
IS ABOUT.
SIGNED BY MICHAEL PERRY.
"ROUGHNECK GRACE," SOME OF HIS
BEST ESSAYS FROM HIS JOURNAL
COLUMN.
AND CO-OP, WHICH I HAVEN'T READ
YET.
NO.
SORRY.
IT'S COOP.
IT BLENDS MICHAEL'S HUMOR AND
POILOVE OF WISCONSIN.
IT'S A TREMENDOUS READ.
SO READ PARTICIPATE IN THIS
MEMBER CHALLENGE.
GIVE US A CALL, 1-800-236-3636.
>> SO, MICHAEL, LET'S TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT "ROUGHNECK
GRACE."
I LOVE THAT CONCEPT BECAUSE I
THINK OFTENTIMES PEOPLE ONLY
THINK OF A SNOOTY,
ARTTY-FARTHERY PEOPLE THAT
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TAKE THE
TIME TO REFLECT.
TELL US ABOUT IT.
>> WELL, THE TERM "ROUGHNECK
GRACE" CAME FROM A SUBTITLE OF A
BOOK CALLED VISITING TOM, WHO
WAS ABOUT MY NEIGHBOR, A MAN OF
GENTLENESS AND INSIGHT.
IF THERE'S A THEME TO ALL THE
WRITING I'VE DONE OVER THE
YEARS, IT'S FINDING THAT BEAUTY
AND THAT GRACE IN THE MIDST OF
LOGGING COMPANY.
I THINK OF MY FRIEND BARRY WHO
WAS A DANCER WHO MOVED TO RURAL
RUSK COUNTY AND TAUGHT MODERN
DANCE.
SOMETIMES THE DANCE SESSION WAS
DROWNED OUT BY THE SOUND OF A
PULP TRUCK.
BUT ART AND BEAUTY AND
GENTLENESS CAN BE FOUND ANYWHERE
IF WE TAKE THE TIME.
>> EVEN ON A TRACTOR.
>> I'VE DONE A LOT OF MEDITATING
ON MY TRACTOR.
MY FATHER WOULD SAY MAYBE TOO
MUCH.
>> MAYBE EVERYBODY SHOULD HAVE A
LITTLE BIT OF TRACTOR TIME SO
THEY CAN FIND A LITTLE PEACE IN
THEIR OWN PLACE.
IF YOU ENJOY THIS KIND OF
PROGRAMMING, IF YOU WANT TO SEE
MORE OF IT, MAKE THAT PLEDGE.
YOU CAN GET IT DOUBLED RIGHT NOW
AND YOU CAN GET MORE MICHAEL
PERRY WHEN YOU MAKE A PLEDGE FOR
$8 A MONTH.
YOU GET THIS GREAT DVD THAT YOU
JUST SAW.
MAKE THAT PLEDGE RIGHT NOW,
1-800-236-3636.
>> I LOVE THAT CONCEPT OF
TRACTOR TIME.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING WE
ALL COULD USE.
SPEAKING OF THINGS THAT ARE
ABSOLUTELY FUN AND FANTASTIC,
OUR MEMBER CHALLENGE, WE NOW
HAVE 34 PEOPLE THAT HAVE JOINED
US.
THANK YOU IF YOU'VE ALREADY
GIVEN US A CALL.
OUR PHONE BANK RIGHT NOW LOOKS
LIKE EVERYBODY'S ON THE PHONE.
IF YOU DON'T GET THROUGH RIGHT
AWAY, STAY ON THE LINE.
PEOPLE WILL ANSWER YOUR CALL AS
SOON AS THEY CAN.
REMEMBER, WE HAVE A GOAL OF 50.
I HAVE A FEELING WE'RE GOING TO
MAKE THAT GOAL.
BUT WE NEED YOU TO GO TO THE
PHONES AND GIVE US A CALL.
IF YOU JOIN US AT THE $8 A MONTH
LEVEL, WE'LL SEND YOU A COPY OF
THE SHOW WE JUST WATCHED WITH
MICHAEL PERRY.
THIS IS BRINGING BACK SOME
PIECES FROM THE PAST THAT
MICHAEL'S DONE WITH SOME NEW
ADDED FOOTAGE.
IT'S A GREAT COLLECTION.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING IF YOU CAN
JOIN US AT THE $8 A MONTH LEVEL.
AT THE $12 A MONTH LEVEL, WE
HAVE THE BOOK COLLECTION.
SO THAT INCLUDES "TRUCK: A LOVE
STORY," THAT INCLUDES "POULTRY,
PIGS AND PARENTING" AND THEN
"ROUGHNECK GRACE" THAT MICHAEL
AND MICHELE WERE JUST TALKING
ABOUT.
AGAIN, ALL OF THOSE COPIES ARE
SIGNED.
YOU CAN ALSO JOIN US AT THE $15
LEVEL A MONTH AND WE WILL SEND
YOU A COPY OF THE DVD, THE BOOK
COLLECTION AND WE'LL ALSO SEND
YOU THE TWO-CD SET OF THE
CLODHOPPER MONOLOGUES.
IT STARTS WITH YOU GOING TO THE
PHONE AND DIALING
1-800-236-3636.
>> THIS IS GREAT.
WE'RE ALREADY AT 40 ON OUR WAY
TO 50 AND BEYOND IN OUR MEMBER
CHALLENGE.
CALL NOW AND HAVE YOUR GIFT
DOUBLED BY MEMBERS OF WISCONSIN
PUBLIC TELEVISION, EXISTING
MEMBERS OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC
TELEVISION WHO WANT YOU TO CALL
NOW AND MAKE A GIFT TO GREAT
WISCONSIN PROGRAMMING.
ENTERTAINING WISCONSIN
PROGRAMMING, POIGNANT
PROGRAMMING, PROGRAMMING THAT
MEANS SOMETHING SPECIAL TO US.
WHEN YOU CALL, YOU COULD
CONSIDER BECOMING A SUSTAINER.
AT $5 A MONTH, $10 A MONTH,
WHATEVER LEVEL IS RIGHT FOR YOU,
THESE ARE EASY, ONGOING MONTHLY
PAYMENTS THAT ARE DEDUCTED FROM
YOUR CHECKING OR FROM YOUR
CREDIT CARD EACH MONTH.
IT'S EASY.
IT KEEPS GOING.
YOU KNOW THAT YOU'LL GET
"AIRWAVES" AND BE NOTIFIED OF
WHEN GREAT PROGRAMS ARE GOING TO
BE COMING ON THE AIR THAT YOU'LL
WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU TUNE INTO.
SO CONSIDER THAT GIFT BUT MAKE
THAT CALL NOW, 1-800-236-3636.
>> WE'LL GET BACK TO THAT BONUS
MATERIAL IN JUST A COUPLE
SECONDS, BUT RIGHT NOW THERE'S
STILL TIME FOR YOU TO GET THAT
DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR MATCH WHEN YOU
MAKE YOUR PLEDGE AT
1-800-236-3636.
AND YOU ARE BUSY.
LIKE YOU'RE ALWAYS WORKING,
YOU'RE ALWAYS WRITING, YOU'RE
ALWAYS WORKING ON A PROJECT.
IT SEEMS LIKE.
>> DESPERATELY SELF-EMPLOYED.
>> AND RIGHT NOW YOU'VE GOT A
NEW ONE, FATHERS AND DAUGHTERS.
>> I'M JUST STARTING WORK ON A
BOOK ABOUT FATHERS AND
DAUGHTERS.
AND I'M JUST TRYING IN MY OWN
LITTLE WAY NOT PASS MYSELF OFF
AS AN EXPERT AS MY OWN DAUGHTERS
WILL TELL YOU, BUT JUST TRYING
TO MAKE THE WORLD A LITTLE
BETTER PLACE FOR DAUGHTERS.
IT'S BEEN A LOVELY BOOK SO FAR
TO WORK ON.
>> YOU CAN ALWAYS JUDGE A MAN BY
HOW HE TREATS HIS DAUGHTERS.
SO THAT SAYS A LOT ABOUT YOU.
AND YOU'RE PEOPLE TO HELP YOU
WITH IT, AREN'T YOU?
>> YEAH.
I'VE BEEN HAVING PEOPLE SEND IN
STORIES.
IF THEY GO TO MY WEBSITE.
IT'S SNEEZINGCOW.COM.
EMAIL ME, IF YOU'VE GOT A HAPPY
STORY, SAD STORY OR
HEARTACHINGLY BEAUTIFUL STORY
ABOUT FATHERS AND DAUGHTERS.
I ESPECIALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM
DAUGHTERS.
>> I LIKE TO HEAR THAT.
SO YOU CAN BE A PART OF
MICHAEL'S NEXT BOOK AND YOU CAN
BE A PART OF HELPING BRING THIS
PROGRAM TO THE AIR.
MAKE THAT PLEDGE AND GET IT
DOUBLED RIGHT NOW,
1-800-236-3636.
>> WELL, AND AS YOU CAN HEAR,
THE PHONES ARE RINGING LIKE
CRAZY.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC.
THANK YOU FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO
HAVE CALLED IN.
WE'VE HAD 55 PEOPLE JOIN US.
WE'VE MET OUR GOAL OF GETTING 50
MEMBERS.
BUT WE CAN EXPAND THAT OUT.
PLENTY OF TIME FOR YOU TO JOIN
US HERE AT WISCONSIN PUBLIC
TELEVISION.
THE PHONES ARE VERY BUSY RIGHT
NOW.
IF YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH, JUST
STAY ON THE LINE.
SOMEBODY WILL GET IN TOUCH WITH
YOU AS SOON AS THEY CAN.
I HAVE TO TAKE A MOMENT TOO TO
KIND OF GIVE A SHOUT-OUT TO THE
PEOPLE THAT HELPED PUT THIS SHOW
TOGETHER.
THE ORIGINAL SEGMENTS WERE SHOT
BY ANDY MOORE AND WENDY WOODARD
WHO WERE THE PEOPLE THAT WENT
OUT IN THE SWAMP OR FIELD OR OUT
IN THE WINTER.
THEY WERE THERE WITH HIM.
THE NEW FOOTAGE WAS DONE BY LORI
LAURIE GORMAN, GRANT AND JASON.
MADE A FANTASTIC SHOW.
YOU CAN ENJOY THAT SHOW BY
JOINING US AT $8 A MONTH.
WE'LL SEND YOU A COPY OF THE DVD
OF "HOW YA DOIN'?" AND IT
INCLUDES THE BONUS SEGMENTS THAT
WE'RE GOING TO GET A SNEAK PEEK
AT.
IF YOU JOIN US AT THE $12 A
MONTH LEVEL, WE HAVE THE
THREE-BOOK SET.
THAT INCLUDES "TRUCK: A LOVE
STORY," COOP AND "ROUGHNECK
GRACE."
$15 A MONTH WE'LL SEND YOU THE
BOOKS, DVD AND TWO-CD AUDIO SET.
WE HAVE MANY WAYS TO THANK YOU.
WE NEED YOU NOW TO GO TO THOSE
PHONES, DIAL 1-800-236-3636.
>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WE'VE ALREADY SURPASSED OUR
GAL.
YOU'VE ALREADY SURPASSED THE
GOAL.
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GOING.
PLEASE KEEP CALLING.
SOMEBODY HAS SIGNED ALL THESE
BOOKS.
SO WE CAN'T SEND THEM BACK.
SO PLEASE KEEP CALLING, TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THIS WONDERFUL
CHALLENGE BREAK AND LET US KNOW
THAT YOU VALUE THIS KIND OF
PROGRAMMING, YOU'D LIKE TO SEE
MORE OF THIS KIND OF
PROGRAMMING.
I'D ALSO LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW
THAT YOUR GIVING SUPPORTS SO
MUCH MORE THAN WHAT'S BROADCAST
OVER THE AIR.
WE DO A LOT OF EDUCATIONAL WORK
AROUND THE STATE, CREATE THINGS
LIKE EDUCATIONAL VIDEO GAMES, SO
THIS IS USED IN CLASSROOMS TO
HELP CHILDREN UNDERSTAND,
STUDENTS UNDERSTAND HISTORICAL
INQUIRY.
WE WORK ON LOCAL HISTORY.
WE PARTNER WITH LOCAL EDUCATORS.
SO WHEN WE DO A HOMETOWN
STORIES, WE JUST DID EAU CLAIRE
THIS LAST SUMMER, WE WORK WITH
LOCAL EDUCATORS TO CREATE LOCAL
EDUCATION, LOCAL HISTORY
MATERIALS THAT CAN BE USED IN
THE CLASSROOM.
WE CREATE WISCONSIN BIOGRAPHIES,
SO THE KEY FIGURES IN WISCONSIN
HISTORY ARE SOMETHING THAT CAN
BE LEARNED ABOUT AND STUDIED IN
AN ENTERTAINING WAY.
ALL THIS IS DONE THROUGH
PARTNERSHIP WITH EDUCATORS AND
PLAY TESTING AND LEARN TESTING
WITH CHILDREN AND STUDENTS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
SO PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS
CHALLENGE BREAK.
WE'RE AT 68 ALREADY.
YOU CAN CALL 1-800-236-3636 AND
JOIN IN.
>> YOU ARE A POPULAR GUY,
MICHAEL.
VERY POPULAR.
AND WE LOVE TO HEAR THAT.
I THINK IT'S BECAUSE YOUR
STORIES ARE THE STORIES OF
WISCONSIN.
LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S JUST --
YOU'RE JUST TELLING ONE GUY'S,
BUT THERE'S SO MUCH THAT'S
RELATABLE.
WE WERE TALKING BEFORE OFF AIR
THAT I GREW UP IN MINOCQUA.
I GOT FRIENDS WHO HAVE A CHICKEN
TRACTOR, RAISE PIGS.
IMMEDIATELY I THOUGHT OF THEM.
I THOUGHT OF GOING HUNTING WITH
MY DAD, THE DEER STAND AND ALL
THOSE STORIES.
AND YOU'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT
YOUR LIFE.
IT'S JUST KIND OF YOUR
AUTOBIOGRAPHY IN A WAY.
>> I REMEMBER A LONG TIME AGO
WHEN I FIRST STARTED WRITING --
AND I DON'T HAVE ANY FORMAL
TRAINING, BUT I SPOKE WITH A
WRITER WHO DID HAVE FORMAL
TRAINING.
HE SAID IF YOU'RE GOING TO USE
THE WORD "I" IN YOUR WRITING, IT
SHOULD BE A TRANSPARENT "I."
I HOPE MY GOOFTY STORIES ARE
SOMEWHAT REFLECTIVE OF THE PLACE
AND PEOPLE I COME FROM.
>> IT SHOWS.
WE KNOW YOU.
WE KNOW THE PEOPLE THAT SURROUND
YOU.
SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION FOR THIS
CELEBRATION OF LIFE IN WISCONSIN
AND FOR THE FACT THAT WE HAVE
MICHAEL PERRY HERE IN THE
STUDIO.
MAKE THAT CALL AND GET YOUR
PLEDGE DOUBLED.
1-800-236-3636.
>> AND WE'VE HAD MANY PEOPLE
DOING JUST EXACTLY THAT, SAYING
I LOVE SEEING MICHAEL PERRY ON
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
I LOVE THE STORIES ABOUT
WISCONSIN THAT ARE ON WISCONSIN
PUBLIC TELEVISION.
AND PEOPLE STEPPING FORWARD AND
MAKING THAT COMMITMENT OF
SUPPORT.
IN FACT, WE'VE HAD 74 PEOPLE
JOIN US DURING THIS CHALLENGE
BREAK.
THANK YOU TO THOSE OF YOU THAT
HAVE ALREADY CALLED.
WE'LL BE GOING TO THAT BONUS
FOOTAGE IN JUST A COUPLE OF
MINUTES.
OUR PHONE BOOK IS STILL BUSY.
STAY ON THE LINE.
IF YOU CAN'T GET THROUGH RIGHT
AWAY, SOMEBODY WILL GET TO YOU
SOON.
WE HAVE THOSE THANK YOU GIFTS.
IF YOU CALL WITH A MEMBERSHIP AT
THE $8 A MONTH LEVEL, WE'LL SEND
YOU A COPY OF THE SHOW THAT
WE'VE JUST BEEN WATCHING, "HOW
YA DOIN'?," AND THAT WILL
INCLUDE THE THREE BONUS
SEGMENTS.
IF YOU JOIN US AT THE $12 A
MONTH LEVEL, WE HAVE THAT
WONDERFUL BOOK PACKAGE.
I LOVE THIS PACKAGE.
IT HAS TRUCK, COOP AND
"ROUGHNECK GRACE."
WE HAVE THE $15 A MONTH LEVEL
WHERE WE'LL SEND YOU THE DVD,
BOOKS AND TWO-CD SET.
AGAIN, MANY, MANY WAYS TO SAY
THANK YOU, BUT IT STARTS WITH
YOU GOING TO THE PHONE, DIALING
1-800-236-3636.
>> SO TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE BONUS MATERIAL WE'RE GOING
TO SEE.
WOOD PILES, SNOW TUNNELS AND
SPRING.
>> THEY'RE ALL RELEVANT.
THE WOOD PILE IS SHRINKING AT
HOME.
I KNOW THAT.
THE SNOW TUNNELS, I HAVE
PROMISED A CERTAIN 11-YEAR-OLD
THAT I WILL HELP HER DIG A SNOW
TUNNEL IN THE NEXT WEEK.
WE HAVE HUGE PILES BECAUSE WE
HAVE BEEN HAVING TO MOVE SNOW.
WE HAVE A LONG, WINDING DRIVEWAY
ON OUR FARM.
AND THEN I BELIEVE THE LAST
SPECIAL PIECE IS ABOUT SPRING.
>> WELL, THANK GOD.
>> YEAH.
>> MAYBE IT WILL BE HERE SOON.
>> I HOPE.
>> MAYBE IT WILL PUSH US TOWARD
SPRING.
SNOW TUNNELS.
SO WHEN I WAS A KID, WE'D SHOVEL
EVERYTHING OFF THE ROOF AND THEN
MAKE A FORT RIGHT UNDER THE
EVES.
I LOVE THAT IDEA.
I'M SO EXCITED TO SEE IT.
>> I EVEN REMEMBER WHEN WE SHOT
THAT.
HERE I WAS A GROWN MAN, BUT I
DUG THAT TUNNEL.
AND THE FIRST TIME THAT I SLID
THROUGH THE TUNNEL, I FELT JUST
LIKE I WAS TEN AGAIN.
SO DON'T DO IT ALONE, KIDS.
>> WELL, SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR
THIS CELEBRATION OF THE STATE.
YOU CAN ONLY GET IT HERE ON
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
MAKE THAT CALL,
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
* [punchy electronic folk]
[wood tumbling]
How ya doin'?
Welcome to the family wood shed.
The reason I call it the family wood shed
is because my dad helped me
put in the foundation and the stud walls,
my buddy Mills helped me put on the siding.
Let's see, our friend Carissa helped paint it
and our neighbor Jeremy
help me put the tin on the roof.
And my wife and two daughters
helped put the wood in the wood shed.
[wood clunks]
I have to work on my shot.
Most of all, I'm just grateful
we had a roof over our firewood this year.
This is the first year on the farm
that I haven't had to dig it all off from the snow,
and we had a lot of snow this year.
Pretty much finished, although as you can see,
we're missing the door there,
and there's no door over here either,
although I've got the lovely
Farm & Fleet tarp hard at work.
Well, I'll get those doors on maybe next year.
What happened is
I ran out of friends and relatives. [chuckles]
I think we're in pretty good shape this year.
That stuff over there that was from the County.
The County trimmed back the road here
and me and the Zich brothers
got out their old buzz saw,
and we buzzed a bunch of that stuff off.
That was fun 'cause when I grew up
buzz saws were pretty common.
And there are all these old-timers
and they had buzz saw stories.
And pretty much the punchline to every buzz saw story
went something like this:
Over here, I got a piece of white pine.
We don't burn a lot of white pine.
It's fun to watch burn, but it goes real fast.
It's kind of like burning firecrackers.
It's kind of a quick deal.
I have had a couple of years where
the calendar and the woodpile
were meeting at a rather abrupt intersection.
[clunk, clunk]
But we're at
that time of year where a guy comes out
and you do this kind of 3-D calculus
where you lay an imaginary calendar
over the stack of wood
and decide if you've got enough cubic cellulose
to make it through.
And I think we'll do fine.
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
[meow]
How ya doin'?
Well, we've had piles and piles
of snow up here this winter.
And you know what piles of snow means!
Snow tunnels.
Well, this here is a little mini snow tunnel.
It was dug by my daughters and their babysitter
right after the big blizzard.
I'm proud of my little girls.
I like the fact that I've got little girls that,
in the face of the blizzard,
they want to bundle up and go dig a snow tunnel.
I'm proud of the babysitter too, for that matter.
That's what you want in a good babysitter.
Can you do CPR?
Can you dial 9-1-1?
Can you dig a snow tunnel?
You're hired.
I don't know where the babysitter
learned to make snow tunnels,
but I did my training up there in Chippewa County
with the Perry brothers and sisters.
[shovel scraping snow]
Yeah, c'mon.
[yaa-aaa-aghh]
Got to see if the old man still got it.
Phew!
So, what is it about snow tunnels?
Why are we fascinated with them when we're little kids?
I suppose, it's obviously something about adventure
and tunneling through the new world.
Every kid talked about digging a hole straight to the earth
and coming out in China.
There's a little bit of danger to it.
You know, you're crawling through a tunnel
under a big pile of snow.
Well, we're getting close.
The best part is that build up
to that moment when you finally break through.
That's what we're looking for
pretty much all our life,
the moment when we break through.
We'll take it wherever we can get it,
even if it's a snow tunnel.
Pretty nice job.
Looks almost like it was dug by a machine.
It was dug by a machine.
[sniffles]
Well, all that philosophy is all well and good,
but if you want to get any work done,
you got to get busy on the wooden end of a shovel.
It's about time for the big moment
what every kid digs for:
the punch through.
* [classic Americana feel-good rock] *
Hello, there! [cackles "ha, ha"]
The punch through.
I love the punch through!
[groaning]
A little snug.
[jovial laugh] Yes!
Success!
Perfect!
*
[chik-chik-cha- chika-cha-chik]
* [upbeat guitar, banjo, mandolin, bass, and drums] *
[birdsong]
How ya doin'?
It's spring here in Wisconsin,
sort of.
If you take a look over there on the horizon,
you can see that the bare bones of the trees
have started to thicken with buds.
You can see that the bud scales on the maple,
which are dark red,
put a sort of smoky maroon haze over everything.
You do hear more birds.
The garlic's coming on.
We got some early onions up.
And here, in this old cold frame
we've got a great head start on the dandelions.
I figure that's what it must be like
to be a dandelion in Tennessee.
[rooster crows]
It's a time of rediscovery,
including things you should have taken care of last fall.
You can feel the countryside just itching to bust loose.
And maybe by the time you see this, it will have.
But for now,
we're cautious.
*[plucking strings watchfully] Yesterday, it was 70 degrees.
Today,
it's not.
That's the trouble with spring around these parts.
You love it, but you just can't trust it.
In short, it is a dysfunctional relationship.
I, for one, am prepared to make a commitment.
Today, I put the snow shovel away.
* [quirky, twitchy, plucky strings] *
>> HI.
I'M MICHELE GOOD FROM WISCONSIN
PUBLIC RADIO.
AND I AM HERE IN THE STUDIO WITH
MICHAEL PERRY, THE GUY YOU WERE
JUST WATCHING.
AND THAT WAS SOME JUST A LITTLE
HINT OF SOME OF THE BONUS
MATERIAL THAT IS ON THESE
AMAZING DVDs IF YOU MAKE A
PLEDGE FOR $15 A MONTH.
THAT'S $120.
YOU GET IT ALL.
YOU GET THIS DVD, YOU GET THE
BOOKS, YOU GET AUDIO RECORDINGS,
YOU GET KIND OF MICHAEL PERRY'S
LIFE IN MEDIA.
AND YOU WILL ENJOY IT, TRUST ME.
AND YOU'RE NOT DONE YET.
YOU ARE WORKING ON ANOTHER WPT
SPECIAL.
IS THAT RIGHT?
>> THAT'S EXCITING NEWS TO ME.
OH, YES.
WE'RE DOING --
>> OKAY.
OH, INTERESTING.
>> I AM WORKING ON ANOTHER
PROJECT TO COME OUT I BELIEVE
SOMETIME NEXT YEAR.
YES.
>> OKAY.
>> CAUGHT ME A LITTLE OFF GUARD
THERE, FOLKS.
IT'S LIVE TV.
WHAT CAN I SAY?
>> CAN YOU TELL US ANYTHING
ABOUT IT?
>> MOSTLY A LOOK BACK AT MY
CHILDHOOD AND HOW WE GOT HERE.
AND I'M STILL NOT SURE HOW WE
GOT HERE, BUT HERE WE ARE.
>> WELL, IT'S SOMETHING TO LOOK
FORWARD TOMENT AND IF YO .
AND IF YOU LOVE THIS PROGRAM,
YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE
YOUR PLEDGE.
1-800-236-3636.
>> WELL, AND AS MICHELE WAS
SAYING, THE SHOW WE'VE JUST
WATCHED BUT THE SURPRISE SHOW,
THEY'RE ACTUALLY POSSIBLE
BECAUSE OF YOUR SUPPORT BY
PEOPLE GOING TO THE PHONES AND
SAYING I LOVE SEEING MICHAEL
PERRY ON WISCONSIN PUBLIC
TELEVISION.
I WANT TO SEE MORE MICHAEL PERRY
ON WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
AND PEOPLE CALL IN JUST LIKE
THAT PERSON DID AND MAKE A
PLEDGE OF SUPPORT.
OF COURSE, WHEN YOU DO THAT, WE
HAVE SOME THANK YOU GIFTS THAT
WE'LL SEND YOUR WAY.
AT $8 A MONTH, YOU CAN GET A
COPY OF THE SHOW THAT WE JUST
WATCHED, "HOW YA DOIN'?."
THAT INCLUDES THE THREE BONUS
SEGMENTS THAT WE JUST SAW AND
AGAIN IT'S A GREAT WAY TO GO
BACK AND ENJOY THOSE VINTAGE
PIECES AND SEE SOME OF THE NEW
STUFF THAT MICHAEL HAS COMING
YOUR WAY.
IF YOU CALL AND JOIN US AT $12 A
MONTH, WE HAVE THE BOOK SET
WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S "TRUCK: A LOVE STORY,"
"POULTRY, PIGS AND PARENTING,"
AND THEN "ROUGHNECK GRACE."
THOSE ARE ALL SIGNED BY MICHAEL.
SO THAT'S A FABULOUS COLLECTION
RIGHT THERE.
EXCUSE ME.
AND THEN MICHELE MENTIONED AT
$15 A MONTH WE HAVE THAT WHOLE
PACKAGE, THE BOOKS, THE DVD AND
THE TWO-CD SET.
SO WE HAVE MANY WAYS TO THANK
YOU.
BUT WE NEED YOU TO GO TO YOUR
PHONE AND DIAL 1-800-236-3636.
>> AND THANKS TO THE OVER 70,000
FAMILIES THAT ARE ALREADY
MEMBERS OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC
TELEVISION.
I'M ERIC GREILLING, DIRECTOR OF
FRIENDS OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC
TELEVISION.
WE'RE SO GLAD TO HAVE SO MANY
MEMBERS AS A PART OF WISCONSIN
TELEVISION.
THERE'S STILL TIME FOR YOU TO
JOIN.
VOICE YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS
GREAT PROGRAMMING, FOR
PROGRAMMING THAT MATTERS TO YOU,
FOR MICHAEL PERRY.
YOUR SUPPORT TONIGHT WILL
ENCOURAGE US TO LAUNCH A NEW
PROJECT WITH MICHAEL AND SPRING
THAT ON HIM.
SO GIVE US A CALL AT
1-800-236-3636 AND MAKE THAT
VOICE OF YOUR SUPPORT TODAY.
AND BECOME A MEMBER.
CHOOSE A LEVEL THAT'S RIGHT FOR
YOU.
KERMAN WENT THROUGH A LOT OF THE
THANK YOU GIFTS.
THEY'RE TERRIFIC GIFTS.
$8 A MONTH FOR THE DVD.
$12 FOR THE DVD AND BOOKS.
$15 FOR THE DVD, BOOKS AND AUDIO
RECORDING LIVE FROM THE
STOUGHTON OPERA HOUSE.
IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO WATCH A
PERFORMANCE.
IT'S A GREAT RECORDING.
DEFINITELY CHECK THAT OUT.
GIVE AT THE LEVEL THAT'S RIGHT
WITH YOU AND MAKE THAT CALL AT
1-800-236-3636.
>> SO, MICHAEL, I MENTIONED AT
THE TOP OF THIS WHOLE HOUR THAT
YOU ARE A PLAYWRIGHT, AN AUTHOR,
A PUBLIC RADIO HOST.
YOU'RE ALSO A MUSICIAN.
>> WELL, YOU USE THE TERM
LOOSELY.
I KNOW JUST ENOUGH CHORDS TO BE
DANGEROUS.
>> WHAT'S THE BAND?
>> THE BAND IS CALLED THE LONG
BITS.
AND I WRITE THE SONGS AND SING
THEM.
AND THEN I HAVE OVER THE YEARS
ACCUMULATED A WHOLE BUNCH OF
MUSICIAN FRIENDS WHO ARE
TALENTED.
WE HIT THE ROAD EVERY ONCE IN A
WHILE WITH THE SONGS I'VE
WRITTEN AND WE PERFORM THEM.
THAT'S BEEN A GREAT JOY.
POETRY WAS MY GATEWAY DRUG TO
WRITING.
SONGS IS A SPED-UP VERSION OF
POETRY.
>> IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HEAR OR
SEE MICHAEL'S BAND, YOU APPEARED
ON 30 MINUTE MUSIC HOUR.
MICHAEL IS BECOMING A PART OF
THE WPT FAMILY.
MAKE THAT PLEDGE IF YOU WANT TO
SEE MORE MICHAEL PERRY.
1-800-236-3636.
>> WELL, AND YOU CERTAINLY MAY
HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW MICHAEL
THROUGH WISCONSIN PUBLIC
TELEVISION.
THAT MAY BE THE FIRST WAY THAT
YOU HEARD ABOUT HIS BOOKS AND
HEARD SOME OF HIS PHILOSOPHY.
YOU MAY HAVE HEARD HIM ON
WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO BACK WHEN
CHAPTER A DAY DID HIS VERY FIRST
BOOK.
HOWEVER YOU HEARD ABOUT HIM, IF
THAT'S SOMETHING YOU WANT TO
CONTINUE TO SEE HERE ON
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION,
PLEASE CALL, SHOW YOUR SUPPORT.
AND WHEN YOU DO, WE'LL SEND SOME
THANK YOU GIFTS YOUR WAY.
AT $8 A MONTH WE'LL SEND YOU
"HOW YA DOIN'?," THAT SHOW WE
JUST WATCHED, VERY FUN-FILLED,
THOUGHTFUL SHOW.
IF YOU JOIN US AT THE $12 A
MONTH LEVEL, WE HAVE THE BOOK
COLLECTION THAT WE'VE BEEN
TALKING ABOUT, SO THAT INCLUDES
TRUCK, COOP AND ROUGHNECK GRACE.
THAT'S A GREAT ADDITION TO
ANYBODY'S LIBRARY, ANY FAN OF
MICHAEL PERRY.
IF YOU JOIN AT $15 A MONTH WE'LL
SEND YOU THE BOOKS, THE PROGRAM
DVD AND ALSO THE TWO-CD SET, THE
CLODHOPPER MONOLOGUES RECORDED
LIVE.
SO AGAIN MANY WAYS TO THANK YOU
WHEN YOU JOIN US.
GO TO THE PHONES AND DIAL
1-800-236-3636.
>> SO IT WAS ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO
OR SO THAT YOU FIRST DID THE
CLODHOPPER REPORT.
AND NOW WE'VE GOT THIS PIECE.
BUT IT'S NOT LIKE YOU WERE GONE
FROM OUR AIRWAVES.
YOU DID A WISCONSIN LIFE PIECE
FOR US, TOO, CALLED KITCHENS?
>> ONE OF THE GREAT UNEXPECTED
JOYS OF WHAT I'VE DONE IS TO BE
ABLE TO COLLABORATE WITH PEOPLE.
SO I WROTE A PIECE ABOUT FARM
KITCHENS, COUNTRY KITCHENS.
AND THEN IT WAS HANDED OVER TO
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION AND
THEY TURNED IT INTO A VISUAL
PIECE.
I JUST LOVE THE IDEA OF SOMEONE
TAKING MY WORK AND THEN TURNING
IT INTO SOMETHING DIFFERENT,
BETTER, EXPANDING ON IT, GIVEN
IT A WHOLE NEW DIMENSION.
>> PRETTY AMAZING.
WELL, WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH THAT
WISCONSIN LIFE PIECE IS INCLUDED
ON THE DVD.
WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE
TO WATCH IT RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO GO TO THAT.
SO YOU CAN STILL MAKE YOUR
PLEDGE AT 1-800-236-3636.
>> ADD TO THAT THE ENCROACHING
CUPBOARDS, SINK AND COUNTERTOP,
A REFRIGERATOR, A MODERN
ELECTRICAL STOVE AND OVERLOADED
COAT RACK AND THERE'S NOT A LOT
OF ROOM TO MANEUVER.
THE FLOORS ARE DARK CLOWN AN --
BROWN AND UNPOLISHED.
THE TABLE AS I'VE COME TO KNOW
OVER THE COURSE OF MANY
SUBSEQUENT VISITS, IS ALWAYS
HAPPILY CLUTTERED WITH MAIL AND
PENS AND COOKIES AND CRACKERS
AND A SKIPPY JAR FILLED WITH
M&Ms.
THIS IS THE SAME KITCHEN I'VE
KNOWN FROM CLEAR BACK TO MY
GRASSHOPPER SIZED DAYS IN
SAMPSON TOWNSHIP.
THESE ARE NOT THE KITCHENS OF
SLICK MAGAZINES AND STAINLESS
STEEL APPLIANCES, BUT OF CLUTTER
AND STACK AND PANS PILED,
COUNTERTOP BUCKETS SPILLING
ONION HUSKS.
COMPANY IS HAPPILY RECEIVED.
JUST CLOMP RIGHT IN, BOOTS AND
ALL.
YOUR CHAIR IS WAITING.
MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, LEFT AT AN
OPEN ANGLE READY TO RECEIVE THE
NEXT VISITOR.
WHAT I'M SAYING IS THE FIRST
TIME I WALKED THROUGH TOM AND
ARLENE'S DOOR WITH A HER AND
STEPPED INTO THAT KITCHEN, EVEN
THOUGH I HAD NEVER BEEN THERE
BEFORE, I KNEW EXACTLY WHERE I
WAS.
WHEN WE LEFT THAT NIGHT AND
AFTER I HAD DROPPED HER OFF AND
WAS HEADED BACK TO MY HOME,
THERE HAD BEEN A KEY CHANGE
WITHIN ME.
AS I WATCHED HER LAUGH AND TRADE
STORIES, I SAW SIGNS OF AN OLD
SOUL, A PERSON WHO PAID HER
RESPECTS AND PAID THEM TO THE
SORT OF PEOPLE MUCH OF THE WORLD
PASSES BY AT TOP SPEED.
PRIOR TO OUR NIGHT IN TOM AND
ARLENE'S KITCHEN, I SAW HER AS
BEAUTIFUL, DESIRABLE, SMART AND
STRONG.
MORE THAN ENOUGH, IN OTHER
WORDS, AND EASILY MORE THAN I
HAD EARNED.
BUT AS I WATCHED HOW SHE HONORED
TOM AND ARLENE WITH NOTHING
FANCIER THAN HONEST TALK AND
CLEAR LAUGHTER, I BEGAN TO
REALIZE I HAD FOUND A PERSON
PERFECTLY MATCHED TO THE
ROUGHNECK KITCHEN OF MY DREAMS.
*
>> I HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED TAKING
A LOOK AT KITCHENS BY MICHAEL
PERRY.
AND THAT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE
PIECES.
EVERY TIME THAT COMES ON, I HAVE
TO STOP AND WATCH.
EVERY TIME.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I TRULY
LOVE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY
I'M A MEMBER OF WISCONSIN PUBLIC
TELEVISION, BECAUSE OF THE
WONDERFUL SHOWS, THE WONDERFUL
VOICES THAT WE GET TO HEAR FROM
THE PEOPLE ALL AROUND OUR STATE.
AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU
VALUE, MEE PLEASE GO TO THOSE
PHONES, TALK TO ONE OF OUR
VOLUNTEERS, BECOME A MEMBER OF
WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION.
WE'VE HAD MANY PEOPLE JOIN US
TONIGHT, MANY PEOPLE TAKE
ADVANTAGE OF THESE WONDERFUL
THANK YOU GIFTS THAT WE HAVE.
DON'T FORGET FOR A PLEDGE OF $8
A MONTH, WE'LL SEND YOU A COPY
OF "HOW YA DOIN'?."
THAT'S THE NEW MICHAEL PERRY
SHOW THAT WE JUST SAW.
FOR $12 A MONTH WE'LL SEND YOU
THE BOOK SET, TRUCK, COOP AND
"ROUGHNECK GRACE."
ALL SIGNED BY MICHAEL.
AND THEN WE HAVE KIND OF THE
WHOLE PACKAGE AT $15 A MONTH.
THAT INCLUDES THE BOOKS, THE DVD
PLUS A TWO-CD SET OF THE
CLODHOPPER MONOLOGUES.
SO PLEASE GO TO THOSE PHONES AND
JOIN US WITH A CALL TO
1-800-236-3636.
>> WHEN YOU TUNE INTO WISCONSIN
PUBLIC TELEVISION, WE KNOW THAT
YOU EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO TAKE
SOMETHING AWAY FROM THAT
PROGRAM, TO TAKE AWAY SOME KIND
OF NEW PERSPECTIVE, SOME KIND OF
NEW UNDERSTANDING.
AND WE WANT TO DELIVER ON THAT.
THESE STORIES FROM MICHAEL PERRY
REALLY RESONATE WITH ME.
I LOVE THE HUMOR OF THEM.
I LOVE HOW I CAN RELATE.
I LOVE HOW UNIVERSAL AND
SIMULTANEOUSLY UNIQUE THEY ARE.
WE CAN TELL THAT YOU'VE ENJOYED
THEM, TOO.
SO GO AHEAD AND SHOW YOUR
SUPPORT FOR THAT KIND OF
PROGRAMMING TODAY AND GIVE US A
CALL OR GO ONLINE TO MAKE THAT
GIFT.
WHEN YOU MAKE A GIFT, YOU COULD
CONSIDER A GIFT OF AT LEAST $5 A
MONTH AS A SUSTAINER OR $60 A
YEAR AND BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR
PASSPORT.
THIS IS A DEEP CATALOG OF NOT
JUST WISCONSIN PUBLIC TELEVISION
PROGRAMMING, BUT GREAT PBS
PROGRAMMING.
MAKE THAT CALL, 1-800-236-3636.
>> WE HOPE YOU'VE ENJOYED THIS
EVENING WITH MICHAEL PERRY.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING
INTO THE STUDIO.
IT HAS BEEN A LOT OF FUN AND
OBVIOUSLY THE PEOPLE AROUND THE
STATE REALLY CONNECT TO YOU.
>> IT WAS A PLEASURE.
AND IT'S NICE AND WARM IN HERE.
>> AND IT'S NOT SNOWING, WHICH
IS GREAT.
SO HOW CAN YOUR FANS AND THE
PEOPLE WATCHING FROM HOME, HOW
CAN THEY KEEP IN TOUCH WITH YOU,
FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON?
>> SNEEZINGCOW.COM, WHICH IS MY
-- THAT'S THE CENTER OF ALL MY
VAST MEDIA EMPIRE.
AND IT COMES FROM A HUMOR PIECE
I DID A LONG TIME AGO CALLED
"NEVER STAND BEHIND A SNEEZING
COW."
I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT
ONE.
IT'S WISCONSIN PUBLIC
TELEVISION.
>> WE SHOULD ALL KNOW BY NOW.
WELL, YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO
MAKE THAT PLEDGE.
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS
PROGRAM AND ALL THE GREAT
PROGRAMS HERE ON WISCONSIN
PUBLIC TELEVISION.
HOW DO YOU DO THAT?
IT'S SIMPLE.
JUST GO, MAKE A CALL,
1-800-236-3636.
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
SUPPORT.
* [happy, bouncy, quirky acoustic guitar] *
- Funding for Michael Perry: How Ya doin'?
was provided by
Ron and Colleen Weyers,
Stanley J. Cottrill Fund,
Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programming,
and Friends of Wisconsin Public Television.
*