I listen to local NPR station KUOW just about every morning. Lately I’ve noticed a pattern that has probably been in place for some time.

The Morning Edition time slot is hosted locally by Deborah Brandt. Like most NPR hosts, she is articulate and has a pleasant voice. Unfortunately, she also has a really lame sense of humor.

And the sounding board for her lame sense of humor is, inevitably, poor Bonnie Brown, the woman staffing the Metro Traffic desk during the same time slot. She is forced to play straight-man to someone who thinks it’s funny to conclude a traffic report with, “wow, maybe we should change your name from ‘Downtown Bonnie Brown’ to ‘Slow Down Bonnie Brown’!” You can hear the poor woman’s exasperation in her feeble attempt at laughter, a sort of “oh, heh heh heh, mmm.” She can’t just ignore the comment, she can’t say what she really thinks about Brandt’s little bon mot, so all she can do it grit her teeth and chuckle gamely—or perhaps “gamily”.

How I wish I could free Bonnie Brown from social convention—and disciplinary action—for just one morning! I’d give just about anything to hear her say something like, “Oh, puh-leeze, Deborah, can’t you for the love of God just say ‘Thanks, Bonnnie’ and leave it at that? Must you force me to play Ed McMahon to your endless cornucopia of ham-handed segues? What is wrong with you?”

Then again, I’m not sure I’m mentally prepared to listen to a Public Radio host cry on the air.