U.S.HOT TAKE OR NOT
Tiny Love Stories: 'Turn Off That Dirge!'
The long-running series publishes reader-submitted love stories of no more than one hundred words, each paired with a photo; the writers are not paid.
On air: Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman on BBN OriginalsPublished
Watch it as it aired: Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman on this story, from BBN Originals at 9:48 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are The New York Times's, the jokes are ours.
Watch the segment
At a glance
- First reported by The New York Times: “Tiny Love Stories: ‘Turn Off That Dirge!’”, with reporting from Anna J. Rollins (Substack).
- Covered on BBN on Thursday, October 29, 2026, at 9:48 PM ET on BBN Originals, by Hank Ledger, Vera Bullock and Dale Bearman.
The real story
The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.
- The New York TimesTiny Love Stories: ‘Turn Off That Dirge!’
- Anna J. Rollins (Substack)want to publish a tiny love story facts used on air
What BBN said about it
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorA reader-submitted story called Turn Off That Dirge is out in the Tiny Love Stories series, which allows no more than one hundred words, the New York Times reports.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorHot take: a hundred words is the perfect length for love. Anything longer is just a press release with a bouquet.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorNOT. Press releases are longer, and nobody has ever cried at one.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorHot take: the writers get no fee and no pay, and each one has to send a photo as well.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorThat's a free headshot for a hundred words of heartbreak.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorHOT. Accurate, and a little bitter.
Vera Bullock · Co-AnchorBitter? Exposure is the payment, Dale. The series has become an anthology, a calendar and a podcast. That's a franchise built on affection.
Dale Bearman · Chief Skeptic & ContributorA calendar. So somebody's dirge is now hanging in a kitchen for the month of March.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorFine, that's two NOTs and a HOT, and I'm the judge.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorMy own take: a hundred words is too many. I'd use one, and it would be turn it off.
More Shorts
All videos →
Photo: Tim Evanson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Eric Hunt · CC BY 2.5 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Iain Campbell · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: APK · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
Photo: Yarl · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Daniel Torok · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN
From the archive: everything BBN aired on Thursday, October 29, 2026 · the U.S. archive · all months
More in U.S.
All U.S. →Dem wants to block Trump from buying DC golf course
The National Capital Planning Commission is due to consider the course and park plans at its December 3 meeting; the trees have already gone ahead.
Ramaswamy pulls attack ad featuring Acton's estranged mother
The ad featured Amy Acton's estranged mother, and the campaign had said it would spend four million dollars promoting it; Trump had urged him to…
Patrick Stewart dies at 86; tributes pour in
Ian McKellen, his close friend, wrote that Stewart was defined by his Yorkshire roots; his last completed film is Marvel's Avengers: Doomsday, due…
Readers Name Vegetables They Hated, Then Changed Their Minds
The New York Times asked readers about vegetables they once swore off; one roasting method of oil, salt and a hot oven changed many minds.