L'enfant terrrible
És una publicació de cultura vibrant i divertida.
What is a radio show?
Does it still exist in the age of streaming, podcasts and digital overload? Surprisingly, yes — and with more richness than ever. To truly grasp its magic, nothing beats immersing yourself in Woody Allen’s film Radio Days, a vivid homage to the golden era of radio and its powerful role in shaping imagination, culture, and connection.
Although there’s a notable age difference between Woody Allen and myself, we share a special bond: a lifelong fascination with radio. That invisible companion that lives in our kitchens, cars and headphones — always ready to entertain, inform or move us.
Radio Days (1987), directed, written and narrated by Allen, is a semi-autobiographical tribute to 1940s America — but its essence travels far beyond. Set in Rockaway Beach, New York, the film tells the story of Joe, a young boy growing up in a working-class Jewish family. Joe dreams big, inspired by the radio’s superheroes, crooners, and glamorous voices that seem to beam in from another universe.
The narrative shifts beautifully between Joe’s humble home life and the dazzling lives of radio celebrities, drawing a line between the listener and the dreamworld of broadcast. It’s funny, warm, and full of charm.
My previous article in Catalan reflected how a 9-year-old me saw radio as a portal to wonder. This one takes that perspective three decades forward. While my relationship with radio has matured — today it’s mostly a reliable source of news and thoughtful conversation — its magic hasn’t faded.
I don’t need a psychologist to tell me why I enjoy crafting little worlds in my head. Stories, silence, and sound — they all live together, harmoniously. And radio, in its classic or modern form, continues to be one of the most human ways to travel without moving.
Sylvester Jones
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