The New Yorker Radio Hour

Episode: Derek Smalls—Harry Shearer’s Character in “Spinal Tap”—Returns with His Solo Début
Date: November 6, 2018
Host: David Remnick
Featured Interviewer: Andy Borowitz
Special Guest: Derek Smalls (portrayed by Harry Shearer)

Overview

This episode pays comical tribute to Derek Smalls, the larger-than-life (fictional) bassist from the cult classic "This Is Spinal Tap." With Andy Borowitz as interviewer, Derek—played in-character by Harry Shearer—reflects on his career, the band's exclusion from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and his new solo album, "Smalls Change: Meditations Upon Aging." The episode blends satire, rock nostalgia, and mock sincerity, delivering a tongue-in-cheek meditation on legacy, aging rockers, and the universal urge never to repeat oneself. In the latter half, David Remnick shifts to a genuine and moving segment about new parenthood with New Yorker editor Joshua Rothman.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Legacy and Mystery of Spinal Tap

• Opening riff: The interviewer mythologizes Spinal Tap:

  “On the periodic chart of metal, one band is heavier than the rest. Its atomic weight is 11. Its name is Spinal Tap." (00:26)

• Derek’s signature lyric is recalled:

  “The bigger the cushion, the sweeter the pushing. That's what I said.” —Derek Smalls (00:59)

Whatever Happened to Derek Smalls?

• Physical condition update:
  Derek describes losing his famous facial hair after a mishap with a wind-blown cat in Scunthorpe, England:

  “I see this little cat...one of these gusts whips up and whips the cat right into my face...claws come out. And so I went to the NHS and they said, 'We'll be shaving you now, mate.’” (01:41)

• Interviewer jokes about his appearance and whether it’s the cat that’s regrowing or Derek’s beard. (02:32)

Spinal Tap’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Snub

• Discovery:
  The interviewer (Andy Borowitz) is perplexed that Spinal Tap is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

  “How could that be? I mean, are you dumbfounded? Flabbergasted? Is it politics? Is the fix out? What is the deal?” (03:21)

• Derek’s take:

  “I was dumbfounded for a long time. And then I did some thinking and research and I became Smart Founded.” (03:32)
  "Do you know what they sell in the gift shop at the Rock and Roll hall of Fame? A T shirt that says hello, Cleveland." (03:43)

• On being hurt by the omission:

  “Every time I see that they're selling a T shirt that says Adam [Hello] Cleveland in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. It hurts, mate.” (04:55)

• Who should be ousted from the Hall for Spinal Tap?

  “Peter Frampton.” (14:55)

Derek’s Solo Album: “Smalls Change: Meditations Upon Aging”

• Inspiration for going solo:
  After large shows at Glastonbury and Wembley, Derek waited for the “call” that never came:

  “I go home and…wait for the call and telephone doesn't ring.” (06:16)

• Getting funding:
  The “British Fund for Aging Rockers” offers grants:

  “My idea is that you give me money and I make a record. And they said, no, what's your idea? Idea. So then I had to do some thinking…they say, write about what you know. What do I know? I know I'm getting older. I'll write about that.” (06:54)

• On the album’s theme:

  “Meditations Upon Aging.” (07:28)

• Philosophy on aging vs. dying:

  “I think you have to get old before you die. Mm. I think that's the way nature works.” (07:44)
  “Rather be alive than in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame.” (14:34)

Not Repeating Himself—Musically or Personally

• Desire to avoid repetition:

  “The worst thing you can do is repeat yourself.” (08:24)
  Regarding solo material:
  “Let’s get a symphony orchestra involved. Let's get other kinds of different musical colors to paint with.” (08:27)

• About the song “Memo to Willie”:
  Skewers Viagra ads and Britishness:

  “Willie, I don't know if you're familiar with British slang, but I am, actually. ... It's the distinguished member from down below.” (09:52)

• On American erectile dysfunction ads:

  “I would come to this country and I would watch the telly and I'd see these adverts...When the time is right, will he be ready? And I'm thinking, is this an epidemic that I've missed? … It's not my problem. I make that clear.” (09:59)

• Audio sample from “Memo to Willie”: (11:10-11:45)

• “Big Bottom” to “Butt Call”:
  Explains inspiration for the song “Butt Call”:

  “Now, you know, we've got these little phones which are germier than anything.…Here's this thing that people, you know, ring you up and they're not even calling you and it's a butt call. Right.” (13:00)

• Layers in his music:

  "On first glance it might seem simple minded, shallow, but then when you dig deeper, it's less shallow." —Andy Borowitz
  "It's always less shallow when you dig deep." —Derek Smalls (14:01)

Reflections on Legacy and the Future

• Hall of Fame hopes:

  "I think I have to die first, you know, which is not my intent." (14:21)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Rock and Roll Hall of Fame merch:

  "Do you know what they sell in the gift shop at the Rock and Roll hall of Fame? A T shirt that says hello, Cleveland." —Derek Smalls (03:43)

• On band branding:

  "You are one third of what's been called the loudest band in rock and roll." —Andy Borowitz
  "I think we were the ones who called us that." —Derek Smalls (05:36)

• Philosophy on life:

  "I'd rather be alive than in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame." —Derek Smalls (14:34)

• On not repeating oneself:

  “I didn't want to repeat myself. The worst thing you can do is repeat yourself.” —Derek Smalls (08:24)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:26 – Rock-legend style intro for Spinal Tap and Derek Smalls
• 01:41 – Derek Smalls' cat-beard mishap in Scunthorpe
• 03:20 – Spinal Tap's absence from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• 06:20 – Glastonbury gig and inspiration for solo career
• 07:44 – Thoughts on aging vs. dying
• 08:27 – Derek’s plans for new musical direction
• 11:10-11:45 – Clip of “Memo to Willie”
• 13:00 – Origin of “Butt Call” and commentary on technology
• 14:21 – Chances of solo induction in Rock Hall
• 14:55 – Who Derek would bump for a place in the Hall: Peter Frampton

Tone and Language

The segment is sharply satirical, blending Spinal Tap-style deadpan with affectionate rock mockery and self-aware aging jokes. Derek, as always, is both the earnest artist and oblivious legend, with Andy Borowitz feeding him straight lines and dry banter. The tone swings from grandiose to delightfully mundane, poking gentle fun at the seriousness of rock stardom and the trivialities of aging.

Brief Addendum: Parenthood Recommendations

(16:00-end)

Interview with Joshua Rothman (The New Yorker Editor)

• Rothman shares the news of his 11-pound newborn, discusses the anxieties and realities of early parenthood, and offers advice:
  • Best parenting book:
    Expecting Better by economist Emily Oster, which advocates using statistics and common sense instead of fear.
  • On wine in pregnancy:

    “Turns out you can have like one to two glasses of wine and it's fine.” —Joshua Rothman (18:35)

  • Dad gear obsession:
    Rothman describes his tactical “dad flashlight” and the dad blog gear subculture.
  • Reflection on fatherhood:
    Rothman reads from Karl Ove Knausgaard’s “Autumn”:

    "Holding an infant close to one's body is one of the great joys in life, perhaps the greatest..." (22:27)

Conclusion

This episode offers pure Spinal Tap meta-humor—Harry Shearer inhabiting Derek Smalls to riff on rock’s indignities, the perils of aging, and the stubborn will to stay original. It is filled with playful banter, satirical insights, and musical mockery, tempered in its second half by a sincere take on the joys and transformations of becoming a parent, making for an episode at once irreverent and endearing.