44 "What is the connection between 'WTF,K?' and Dan Rather?" (R.E.M.)
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This article is from the R.E.M. FAQ, by Ron Henry (rgh3@cornell.edu) with numerous contributions by others.
44 "What is the connection between 'WTF,K?' and Dan Rather?" (R.E.M.)
The title of the song itself, it needs to be explained, refers indirectly
to the incident in Oct. 1986 in which Dan Rather, anchor for C.B.S.'s
network news broadcast, was attacked by two unknown men in the street in
New York City wearing suits and sunglasses. The men kept asking Rather
"What is the frequency?" and called him "Kenneth" while they shoved and
accosted him; to date the incident has never been explained completely
(though some have theorized that "Kenneth" might be Ken Scheafer, an
electronics expert with whom Rather had worked in connection with Soviet TV
broadcasts). Since the incident, "What's the frequency?" and calling a
clueless person a "kenneth" have become a trendy youth culture
catch-phrases (which is probably, why Stipe wanted to use it, rather than
an interest in Rather).
Very recently, a man was arrested in conjunction with the incident and
identified by Rather as his attacker. Reportedly, he was a
mentally-disturbed individual who had fantasized many conspiracy theories
about the media being against him, and was also responsible for the murder
of a CBS technician.
Please note that the supposed reference to Rather and CBS news in the
"Ignoreland" lyric was incorrect, so there is *no* tie-in that we know of
between the two songs regarding the newsanchor. Mr. Rather, meanwhile, has
taken the "tribute" in good spirits and has been quoted as saying he has
always liked R.E.M., that he owns the Monster CD, and suggested jokingly
that the band's name really stands for "Rather's Excellent Musicians,"
before proceeding to sing the chorus of "It's the End of the World As We
Know It," during a David Letterman appearance. Also, before the band's 1995
appearance at New York's Madison Square Garden, Rather joined them onstage
during a sound check for a quick rendition of WtFK?
Also note in passing that the album Lolita Nation by Game Theory, released
in 1987 and produced by Mitch Easter (there's another R.E.M. connection)
contains a similarly titled song: "Kenneth -- What's the Frequency?";
WTF,K? is not a cover of that, of course -- the resemblance pretty much
stops at the title. Other newsgroup readers here have noted that the phrase
may also have popped up in the movie "The Conversation" and in Dan Clowes'
comic "Eightball".
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