Whip Smart

I generally try and tune into Fresh Air with Terry Gross on NPR if I’m in my car in the late afternoon. I got in the habit after I started picking Peanut up from school on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The show comes on at 3:00 PM and school lets out about 3:10 PM. We listen in on the way home.

Today, I was thankful that Peanut wasn’t with me. Terry’s guest was Melissa Febo, who has just written a memoir of her four years as a professional dominatrix at a club called The Dungeon in Manhattan. The book is called Whip Smart.

To be fair, WAMU advised listeners that today’s show contained “adult subject matter” and that it “may not be appropriate for all listeners.”

I imagine some regular listeners may have missed that message though and maybe were a bit surprised at finding this type of discussion going on the radio in the after school hours. Volumes are suddenly lowered, channels quickly changed…, “so how was your day honey?” …and so on.

The host and guest weren’t holding much back either. At one point Melissa talks about an interview where she was asked if she had a favorite place to shop for her “accessories”.

“Home Depot,” she quipped.

I just about drove off the road.