iColon: Chris and Dave talk about a new idea for a less intrusive medical device and we share an outtake from our forthcoming radio play “It’s a Wonderful Life”.
Author: SmorgShow
A special 11-minute episode to bring the audience up to date on the latest happenings and to talk about Ally’s performance in IMEA.
Get ready for thrills and chills as we present our second annual Halloween SpookFest Episode.
Features include creepy, dramatic readings from Chris and Ally, Granny Rose shares special Halloween recipes that you can make with friends and family including forked eyeballs and funny bones. Baba Gonesh presents Baba News, ghostly jokes, and a classic Indian folk tale appropriate for Halloween. We also sprinkle a few Halloween songs throughout the show by Featured Artists: Earl Clifton Radio, Ben Twisted, and Brian Baker.
A good time for the entire family, so gather them up but be sure to hold on to your little ones…This episode is not for the faint hearted!
On this episode, Dave Jackson from the old Chris and Dave Smorgasbord radio show joins Chris and Ally in the studio for a special 45th birthday celebration for Chris. We look back on the contribution that Steve Jobs has made on the world and play a segment from his 2005 Stanford commencement speech. We discuss some of our favorite features of the new iOS 5 operating system for the iDevices. Chris discusses his meet and greet with Cliff Ravenscraft, the Podcast Answer Man. Other features include, Baba News and Get a Life. Peet McCain and Granny Rose phone in birthday greetings for Chris.
Featured Artist of the Week: Adam Woodall Band
Let’s catch you up on where we came from and what we have been doing since we last left the airwaves. Here is a video collage of the highlights of the SmorgShow gang going back to the very beginning up to the time we launched the show in podcast form.
Read on below for the details that explain much of what you just saw.
On this week’s show, Chris and Ally discuss a new disturbing craze in India regarding the Reay Road Boys scaling the outside of a moving transit train. These young daredevils have been caught on video which has gone viral on YouTube, prompting a copycat scenario. Baba has just returned from the Ganesh Chaturthi festival and witnessed an accident first hand.
News Balls: Pink Floyd’s pig flies again outside the Battersea Power Station in London, and a man on Salt Lake airlines threatens a man’s life over the armrest.
A new installment of “Get a Life”. If you want to trade in your old, worthless life for a brand spanking new one, call our hotline (312-95-SMORG) and tell us why you are deserving of a new life. Be sure to specify door number 1, 2, or 3 and we will give you a new life!
Additional stories in Baba News: Bihar man commits suicide after cow’s death, Child dropping ritual banned in Bangalore, Ceiling fans from IIT Technical University removed to curb suicides. Then we close out with a new song by singer-songwriter Phillip Donald.
A 10-year anniversary retrospective of the 9/11/01 terrorist attacks. Chris and Ally present an audio montage against the timeline from that day. Featured Artist of the Week: Doug Hanks
I’ve made it an annual tradition to meet up with former WDGC-FM General Manager Fred Moore as he comes through our area each summer with his production company. This time Dave came along for the ride. We watched Fred perform as John Wesley (founder of the Methodist movement) at First United Methodist Church in Downers Grove. It was the first time since high school that Dave saw Fred in person.
This was recorded live at Waa Kee Sha park in Oswego, IL and was featured in the “Campfire S’Morgs” episode, number 57. Singing with us on this track is Anthony Luperini, Judy Child, Baba Gonesh, Phillip Donald, and Granny Rose. It was the first time we podcasted our show live to the world with our remote equipment. It was a beautiful summer night and a great way to cap off Ally’s summer vacation. We will likely do this again next year.
In this week’s episode we unofficially close out summer by taking our show to the woods! We present our very first live streaming event from Waa Kee Sha Park in Oswego, IL. Join us around the campfire for ghost stories, campfire songs, and an exclusive S’Mores recipe that we like to call “Campfire S’Morgs”.
Recipe for Campfire S’Morgs:
- Cinnamon Graham Crackers
- Marshmallows
- Granny “Rose” Smith Apple Slices
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Milk Chocolate
Granny Rose, Phillip Donald, Anthony Luperini, Judy the Child, and Baba Gonesh join us for this special live, remote podcasting event. Featured Artist of the Week: Locomotive Ghost
Former Smorgasbord radio show partner Dave Jackson co-hosts the show again with us this week.
We feature an exclusive interview with singer-songwriter Jordan Martyn and we debut a brand-new recording of his. Check out Jordan’s website at: JordanMartyn.com
Chris shares his professional demo recordings from his voiceover acting class and makes the announcement about launching SmorgShow Productions as an official voiceover recording services business. Other features include “Baba News”, “News Balls” and a discussion about how the Insanity Workout program is working for Chris after month one.
My family and I started the Insanity workout program back in June. It is a completely insane way to get in shape. I’m not sure if you ever saw the infomercials for it, but it is a 60-day DVD fitness program that really digs deep to give you those really ripped abs. The exercises in the warm-up period alone is more than I ever did in previous workouts! We talk about surviving month one of the program on Episode 56 of the SmorgShow Podcast.
Here’s a photo of me after only 5 weeks of the Insanity workout program. Can you imagine what I will look like after 60 days???
On this special Independence Day edition of the SmorgShow Podcast, Granny Rose joins Chris and Ally in the studio for the full show. Granny shares a holiday recipe and some tips to make your 4th of July picnic more enjoyable. Then Chris gives Ally and Granny Rose a quiz on fireworks safety. Finally, we share some flag etiquette.
Featured Artist of the Week: Audrey Auld
Chris and Ally take a travel back in time to the golden years of radio by listening to some vintage radio commercials. There was a time when it was okay to use the Flintstones to sell cigarettes.
Other features include: ‘News Balls’ where we discuss an assault using a dead weasel, angry crows dive bomb police in Seattle, an unusual donut shop robbery and a contortionist thief. Baba joins us for two features: “Breaking Bread with Baba” where Baba shares his recipe for a refreshing yogurt-based lassi drink, and a new installment of “Baba News”. Finally we give away a new life to help save the dignity of one suburban father.
Featured Artist of the Week: Anthony Walker
Dave Jackson joins Chris and Ally in the studio again this week. A listener sends in his voiceover demo recordings to the SmorgShow, but we really don’t know why. A discussion about the end of the world which has come to naught once again. Phillip Donald releases his debut CD and visits the studio for an exclusive interview and gives the crew a special gift. Baba Gonesh presents news from India, we give a life away on another installment of “Get a Life”, and a man eats his 25,000th Big Mac and lives to tell about it.
Featured Artist of the Week: Stonehoney
Phillip Donald drops by the SmorgShow Podcast for an exclusive interview with Chris and Dave on the eve of his debut album, ‘Such A Good Ugly Thing‘.
Such a Good Ugly Thing – Promotional Spot
Select Tracks from the LP
SmorgShow Theater Presents Ray Bradbury’s ‘Zero Hour‘, originally broadcast on April 5, 1955 as a part of the Suspense radio series. Dave Jackson from the original Chris and Dave Smorgasbord radio show narrates this science fiction installment of SmorgShow Theater.
Featured Artist of the Week: Jordan Martyn. Jordan has been featured on our program before, but on this episode we present a SmorgShow Exclusive: Jordan’s new studio version of “Runaway to Me”. We are honored that Jordan has selected the SmorgShow Podcast as the first venue to air his new song before it is made available to the public. Check out Jordan’s website at www.jordanmartyn.com.
Great news everyone! Our original Tisha Chicken that we launched on August 22, 2009 has finally resurfaced after six months of no action. She has landed in Tacoma, Washington which brings her traveling distance to 2758 miles. She is just 2000 miles away from her final destination of Chicken, Alaska! But this is no time to celebrate. Her most challenging and dangerous section of the trip begins now. Pray for our dear Tisha!!
Dave Jackson joins us live in the studio again in this action packed episode: An update on the new SmorgShow Theater radio play, Baba’s new podcast is up and running and has a larger audience than the SmorgShow Podcast, Chris quits his day job after receiving an outstanding evaluation from the good folks at the Voices For All voiceover acting school.
News Balls: A new study on belly button bacteria, the corpse flower is set to bloom in Ohio, and a man eats his finger after being depressed. EASTER BUNNY SPOILER ALERT! Granny Rose joins us again to give helpful Easter egg decoration and hiding tips. Baba Gonesh presents another installment of Baba News. Also, we help a man get out of his desperate situation on Get-a-Life. Finally, ‘Where’s Tisha?’ and listener feedback hotline calls.
Featured Artist of the Week: Cross the Border
I’ve been told by many SmorgShow listeners that I am the best thing about the entire program and that they always fast forward to my section of the show. Well I have very exciting news for these people. I am so very proud to report that Mr. Steve Jobs and his very fine friends at the Apple company have approved yours truly for a new podcast series now available in the iTunes store.
Yes, that is correct… old man Baba has his very own show in iTunes. If you have a favorite Baba story and just don’t know what episode of the SmorgShow it was from, look no further than Baba’s own show, “Not Just for Baba Anymore – The Wisdom and World View of Baba Gonesh“. Subscribe to my show and you will hear such Baba favorites as “Thought for the Day”, “Comedy Camel”, “Love Poems”, “Indian Folk Tales”, and my new series, “Baba News”.
So take that…in your pants, Mr. Chris. I have a show now too!!
– Peace, Baba
Update: Baba’s Podcast has been re-branded and can be found by simply searching ‘The Baba Gonesh Podcast’.
Chris and Ally are back in the studio together for the 50th SmorgShow Podcast Episode. Breaking News: Obese Ohio Man Dies After Being Fused to Chair for Two Years, Chris discusses some famous April Fool’s Day job firings, Chris and Ally discuss their plans for their next old-time radio play, another installment of game show, “Get A Life”.
Baba Gonesh talks about launching his brand new podcast series, “Not Just for Baba Anymore – The World View and Wisdom of Baba Gonesh” then delivers this week’s installment of “Baba News”. Stories include: Man marries his dog, Man Eats a Snake for 100 rupees, Elephant Dung as a source of livelihood, and Elephant Boy returns to school. Finally, Philip Donald performs.
Featured Artist of the Week: Katie Thompson
Dave Jackson and I hit the road this past weekend and headed out 70 miles west of Chicago to a small town called Malta, just a few miles from our old NIU stomping grounds. We decided to attend a voiceover acting class at Kishwaukee College. It was only a two-hour class, so I didn’t really expect to learn that much. However, there was a ton of information packed into the session and the class got to read from various commercial scripts which were recorded and will be later used for the evaluation they will provide back to each of us.
The class was more of a launching point for those who want to pursue a career in voiceovers. Dave was an excellent student: He brought a notebook and writing utensil and took very detailed notes. The notebook had just about 12 pages remaining as if he ripped out all used pages from the last college class he took over 20 years ago. Following the class, we headed back to the SmorgShow Studio to record our first show in over 25 years. Check out episode 49 of the show in the podcast episode section of this site.
The Chris and Dave reunion show!
Dave Jackson joins Chris in the SmorgShow studio for this special reunion episode. Chris and Dave discuss their voiceover acting class, go down memory lane from the old Smorgasbord radio show years, and call old SmorgShow contributors Peet McCain and Jerry Malauskas. Baba Gonesh visits with another installment of ‘Baba News’ and discusses the 2011 Holi Festival. We take a call from the hotline and give away another exciting life on our game show, ‘Get A Life’.
Featured Artist of the Week: Freeky Clean
Hello everybody! I have debuted a new feature on the SmorgShow Podcast this weekend. I have decided to put on hold my famous folk tales that you have come to love over these last several months in exchange for more serious business. I am now an official news correspondent for the SmorgShow Podcast.
There is a lot of turmoil in the world right now and as a result I have decided to present news from the homeland for the foreseeable future.
Listen to Episode 48 when I talk about the monkey catchers in India finally getting paid what they are worth. Then there is a tragic story of a freakish man-eating elephant who devoured 17 human beings before being brought to his death. Only old man Baba can deliver this type of news. You cannot find this anywhere else in the media, so I hope you will tune in. Hasta la vista, baby!
Peace, Baba
It’s Ally’s birthday weekend and Peet joins in on the fun remotely from Cleveland. Peet discusses the gift certificate for a Second City acting class that he gave Ally. Ally describes how her party this year will involve a video scavenger hunt at the local mall. Baba Gonesh is in the studio this week to delivery news from India: Monkey catchers in India finally get a pay increase, the world’s largest family, and a man-eating elephant devours 17 human beings before being brought to his death. Finally, another installment of “Get a Life”.
Call us at 312-95-SMORG and tell us about your boring and worthless life. You can then swap that life for something more exciting by choosing door #1, 2, or 3!
Earlier in the episode we mentioned we were going to call Dave Jackson for his birthday. We actually did try to call him but we were not able to reach him. That portion of this show was edited from the final production. Happy 46th birthday, Dave!
Featured Artist of the Week: Todd Koal
On this episode, Baba Gonesh calls in with a play-by-play recap of the near tragedy at Baba’s restaurant where a man tries to blow up the place. Chris talks about his visit with Dave Jackson over the weekend and his plans to take a voiceover acting class.
Featured Artist of the Week: Kyle Dine
BREAKING NEWS: Your good friend and life coach Baba almost had his restaurant blown to smithereens!! Some drunken fool came into my humble establishment and wanted a drink of water. He was not a customer – he was just a drunk! Our policy does not allow for free handouts even if it is only a glass of water. My employees told him to get out of our place, and he left reluctantly. But he later returned with a container full of disgusting urine and threw it over the counter and it broke all over. We then threw him out of the restaurant again and called the police. The filthy creature returned once again with a container of gasoline and a match. He tried to strike the match when a very honorable man who was a student of martial arts stepped forward and tackled the filthy urine man! The fight broke out with additional people trying to restrain the man who at this point was out of his mind and throwing chairs at my employees.
The police finally arrived and took the man away. We thought we saw the last of him until the next day when he returned to apologize for being drunk. He came back to look for his iPod which he had lost in the scuffle, which I have in my possession right now. It was a very scary day for old man Baba. I do not need this kind of aggravation in my later years. I would like to thank my co-owner and shift manager Mohammed Malik for his quick thinking and for the brave customer for stepping out from behind the shadows to save the day.
CBS NEWS REPORTS
After the rave reviews I received for my Valentine’s Day poems last year, I have prepared another segment of more very romantic, moving love poems for this year’s Valentine’s Day episode. Please listen to episode 46 of the SmorgShow Podcast and you will have a very toasty feeling inside you. My poems are enjoyed best when you are cuddled up together with that special someone. If you do not have a special someone to share this with, that is perfectly fine as well. As you listen to the soothing sounds of Baba’s voice, just imagine what it would be like to have someone in your arms if you were not so pathetically alone on yet another Valentine’s Day.
Peace, Baba
On this Valentine’s Day show, we welcome Granny Rose back to our studio to talk about how to celebrate the holiday. Baba Gonesh recites a few sentimental love poems, and Phillip Donald performs his latest hit, “Be My Valentine.”
We also debut our newest segment, “Get a Life” which was originally featured on the Chris and Dave Smorgasbord radio show. If you have a boring life and want to exchange it for something more exciting, please call our hotline at 312-95-SMORG. Tell us why you are deserving of a new life and select door #1, 2, or 3.
Also, the 2010 Stella Award winners are discussed.
Featured Artist of the Week: Carles Bellot
On January 15, 2011 Chris and Ally recorded their 44th episode of the SmorgShow Podcast live from Baba Gonesh’s Restaurant, “The Hidden Palace – A Taste of Baba!”. It was a long road for Baba to get his restaurant up and running, and during this episode Chris and Ally discuss Indian cuisine, customs for eating out in an Indian restaurant, and even sample many selections from the buffet. Old friend and Smorgasbord show regular Jerry Malauskas joins in on the festivities. Jerry is a proud vegan and absolutely craves the taste of Baba!!
On this special anniversary episode, Chris and Ally look back on their first year of podcasting. We play the top 5 listener favorite bits from the first year, Peet calls in with a special anniversary message, and Chris and Ally are featured on the Podcast Answerman show where host Cliff Ravenscraft offers suggestions for growing the SmorgShow audience. Baba Gonesh presents a disturbing tale of the Bedbug and the Flea.
Featured Artist of the Week: Brett Ryan Stewart
It was so nice to have my such dear friends out to my restaurant last weekend. I purposely wanted them to wait coming to see my new establishment until I felt the place lived up to all my dreams and expectations. I have been so busy over this past year creating an atmosphere that is welcoming and enjoyable for all ages. If you have not done so already, please listen to episode #44 of the SmorgShow Podcast and listen to Chris, Ally, and Mr. Malauskas talk about all the wonderful dishes that the Hidden Palace serves up on a daily basis (except for Sundays when we are closed).
They did a pretty good job discussing the Indian culture and dining etiquette, so consider this episode to be an educational experience for all. Until next time, I am Baba and I thank you for visiting my blog spot.
Peace, Baba
नमस्ते
This week we bring you our show live from Baba Gonesh’s restaurant, “The Hidden Palace: A Taste of Baba”. Old Smorgasbord Radio Show member Jerry Malauskas stops in and co-hosts the show with us. We discuss Indian cuisine including the basics of an Indian meal, terminology, spices, and desserts. We go through Baba’s buffet items and Baba joins us to discuss the proper etiquette of eating in an Indian restaurant. News Balls: a Hitler-mocking dog, a Russian exorcist killing, Romanian witches who use cat excrement to curse the country’s taxmen, and the star realignment impact on the horoscope.
Featured Artist of the Week: Junkyard Groove
Well, it happened. I found Dave Jackson after so many years and we met up at the Downers Grove Omega restaurant on Ogden Avenue. It was the same place where we used to unwind after our radio show. The place looked identical to how I remembered it. The big difference for me is that this time around I didn’t have to worry about the $2.00 minimum. So Dave and I had lunch and we caught up on the years that have passed since we last connected. I made a few CDs of the shows that Ally and I have done over the past year and gave those to him.
Once lunch was over, we took a drive over to Downers Grove North High and snapped a few pictures in front of the WDGC radio station door. We decided not to ring the doorbell. It was already obvious that many years have gone by that we didn’t need to be reminded of it by having a 15-year old give us a tour of the studio. Then we drove over to Starbucks just across the street from the Tivoli Theater and Bowling Alley. We chose Starbucks because they had free Wi-Fi where we could fire up the laptop and explore some of the old videos that we did back in the day. We rounded off the afternoon with Dave recording some taglines that we can use for our new show. Take a listen and hear more on episode #43 when Dave Jackson joins us by phone and shares the challenges he has faced with his radio career. We agreed that he would come out to our studio in the springtime and do a real episode with us. Meanwhile, Peet is trying connect with Dave now. Peet wants to finance high speed internet for Dave so that he can do shows with us remotely. We’ll see how that goes. So there it is, the Chris and Dave reunion. Very low key, but an extremely enjoyable afternoon.
On our first show of the new year, we re-connect with Dave Jackson from the original Chris and Dave Smorgasbord radio program. Dave gives us an update on what he has been up since Chris and Dave disbanded and the challenges he faced with his radio career. We go down memory lane with a few highlights from the original show. Baba Gonesh presents the story of “Tenali Raman’s Gift”, and News Balls: Top 10 offbeat stories of 2010.
Featured Artist of the Week: Kelly Harper
On this special Christmas Eve episode Granny Rose reads ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”. Baba Gonesh has a very somber message to deliver about the children of India and how the listening audience can help a child in need. For more information, go to Baba’s blog entry at https://smorgshow.com/compassion
BREAKING NEWS: Just received a Christmas Card from Dave Jackson with a very long letter enclosed. Could this be the start of a reunion? Developing…
Update: 12/21/10: Yes, it is true. It was quite exciting yesterday getting a call from my wife who had just picked up the day’s mail and saw a card with a return address label indicating Dave Jackson was finally in contact with me again. One of the earliest blogs here from almost 4 years ago had us finding Dave after many years of being out of touch. Since Dave has had some health issues over the years, we have always been concerned about him when time passes without any contact. However, these last several years were much different. We were getting our letters returned with no forwarding address, all phone numbers we had for him and his family were inoperable, and Dave has absolutely no digital footprint to speak of. On top of all that, no People Finder could ever guarantee we were actually finding the right Dave Jackson. So when I received the 4-page letter from Dave yesterday with all the details on his situation, I was quite relieved to say the least. I immediately phoned him and we talked for at least an hour.
It was a very good conversation and we will be hooking up over the Christmas holiday in person, most likely at one of our old favorite hangouts, the Omega Restaurant in Downers Grove. We used to go there regularly after our radio show each week. Perhaps the timing of receiving contact from Dave again is somehow connected to the Winter Solstice coinciding with the lunar eclipse for the first time in 456 years. I don’t want to make it sound like this is the start of another Chris and Dave Smorgasbord Show run, as I don’t think that will be possible on many levels. But I truly believe Dave will have something to contribute to the new SmorgShow Podcast and I look forward to whatever contribution he can make. This is truly exciting news to have my old friend and radio partner back in my life.
I’ll continue to provide updates here as I have them to share. In the meantime, Merry Christmas to all!
-Webmaster Chris
This week we devote the entire episode to our latest radio play production, “A Christmas Carol”, by Charles Dickens. It is a relatively faithful rendition of the original story, shortened to around 45 minutes in order to keep in line with our usual show length. We brought in a large cast of actors to play the many characters of the classic story. This was by far our most ambitious production which would not have been possible to pull together if we had not previously done the other old-time radio dramas from our earlier episodes, like “Sorry, Wrong Number”, “On a Country Road”, and “The Sisters”. We had a great time over the past couple weeks preparing, directing, and producing this show. We really hope you enjoy the final outcome of it.
We would like to thank all the people who made this recording possible, some of whom even braved the nasty winter weather by making the long journey to our studio to lay down their tracks. We also want to thank our loyal listeners for making 2010 a very memorable year for us as we brought you our new weekly podcast of the SmorgShow. It has been a very rewarding year and we look forward to doing more of it in 2011. Merry Christmas to all and ‘May God Bless Us Every One!’
Unfortunately I come to you today with a very solemn message. Usually just the presence of old man Baba is enough to lighten a room. Everyone looks forward to my uplifting stories from generations past. Children rush up to me and gather around my robes as if I were a summer campfire. Well, let me tell you why I am coming to you today in such a different manner. While everyone is preparing for their holiday festivals and family gatherings, shopping for loved ones, and celebrating in whatever way that each of you wishes to, it is also very important to remember those who are not as fortunate.
Yes, this is a very charitable time of year. Unfortunately, we tend to think about those less fortunate only around such time of year when everything else seems to be so abundant. I am here to tell you about a situation that does not go away simply after the last of the eggnog is had, after the decorations are taken down and put away into storage for another year, or after you send off that final thank you note to a loved one for the generosity that they shared with you during the holidays. I am here to talk to you about a very serious problem in my home country of India.
The problem is Child Survival:
- Were you aware that of all world’s malnourished children, nearly one in three lives in India, and about half of all childhood deaths are attributed to malnutrition?
- Did you know that in India where there is a population of almost 1.2 billion people, that 35% of the population lives below $1.00 per day?
- Of every 1,000 babies born alive, 52 die before the tender age of 1.
- Nearly half of all children younger than 5 are malnourished
- Every year in India, 1.5 million children die before their 5th birthday because of unsafe water, inadequate sanitation, or poor hygiene.
- Nearly 30% of all newborns have a low birth weight
- About 46% of children younger than 3 are too small for their age
- 74% of children younger than 3 are affected by anemia
- Only 15% of mothers receive complete prenatal care
But there is some good news underneath all of these dire statistics that I have shared. I would like to make you aware of an organization called Compassion International. You can sponsor a child for just $38 per month which will go a long way to helping children in need. By becoming a sponsor with Compassion International, local church partners provide nutritious food, prenatal care, health care, education, and faith for those in the most need of help.
Your tax-deductible contribution of just $38 a month connects your sponsored child with a loving, church-based child sponsorship program that provides:
- Food and Clean Water
- Medical Care
- Educational Opportunities
- Important life-skills training
When you sponsor a child, you will receive your child’s photo, personal story, and a child sponsorship packet by mail in approximately 15 days. You will be able to correspond directly with your sponsored child through letters that both of you write to each other. When children find out that they have been sponsored, the joy they feel is indescribable. Just knowing that someone across the globe cares means more than you can imagine. Sponsoring a child will profoundly change the future for your child – and you.
I am providing you with a direct link to Compassion International where you can make a profound impact on the life of a child today. God bless you and your generosity.
Peace, Baba
नमस्ते
We are currently undertaking a major recording production of the classic Charles Dickens story, “A Christmas Carol”. This will be our fifth staging of an old-time drama since we began the SmorgShow Podcast in January 2010. We are hoping to have it released on our 41st episode, currently targeted for Sunday, December 19. This will be our final podcast in 2010 and we plan to be back up and running on a weekly schedule beginning January 2, 2011.
“A Christmas Carol” has been presented countless times, yet it always finds a warm place in our hearts during this time of the year. We brought in a pretty wide cast of actors for this version and we are having a blast pulling it all together. I personally think this will top any previous production we have done to date and we hope you enjoy it.
Wow, I just realized my last official post to this blog was late January 2010. I guess I am trying to figure out when it makes sense to blog. It’s not like I have been without anything to say. To the contrary, this has been the most creative year I have had since dissolving the original Chris and Dave show over 25 years ago. When I last posted an update here, I had just launched my first podcast episode with my daughter, Ally. At the time I wondered if it would last beyond just a couple of episodes. We have been on quite a journey since then. Quite honestly, it has been tough to come up with brand new material each week with all of life’s other priorities and challenges, but I must say that some of our current shows surpass what we were able to do back in the 80’s during the original SmorShow run. It’s been our goal from the beginning to make each and every show better than the last one. I’ve invested a good amount of cash into our revamped studio and broadcast quality equipment along the way. I’ve attended webinars and consulted with the Podcast Answerman, Cliff Ravenscraft who has coached many podcasters on how to take their show to the next level. I must say this has not been just a casual hobby of ours, but something that has grown into a big part of our lives. We are grateful to all the listeners who have downloaded our shows or called into our hotline. We have connected with many up and coming artists who we have featured on our show. Overall it has been a great experience to build a community using 21st century technology.
When we first started doing this early this year, I wondered if it was something Ally would even be interested in after a while. Well, we just finished our 40th episode. With the exception of only a few weeks where we had vacations, we have been consistent with putting out a show every week. Ally is very much the same level of partner that I had with Dave. She is an equal contributor and producer of the show. Her confidence has grown along with mine during the time we have been at this. You can hear the difference if you compare our first episode with the most recent one. We have made a great father-daughter team and I am grateful for the bond that we will always share from this hobby of ours. As a parent I have often wondered what legacy or impression I would leave behind for her, and I guess only time will tell. But I am confident in saying that this will be a very memorable period that we will both look back on with fond memories.
Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year if I don’t get around to submitting another post before then!
-Webmaster Chris
On this week’s show, Chris discusses the tragic decapitation of Bobblehead Chris. We replay a major error that was overlooked on episode 39. Then we go into the way-back machine and dig up an old audio segment from an early Chris and Dave Smorgasbord broadcast where a caller performed the classic Dr. Seuss story, “Mr. Brown Can Moo“…and then we debut our own new version of the song! Baba Gonesh presents another Indian Folk Tale, “The Heron and the Crab”.
‘News Balls’ with Jerry Malauskas: What the 12 days of Christmas costs in 2010, a woman calls 911 to report her snowman was stolen, Lee Harvey Oswald’s original coffin is up for sale, a woman gives birth at a McDonald’s, and the sad passing of Prince Chunk the cat. Finally, we play an exclusive track from the upcoming CD by Jordan Martyn, a recently featured New Artist of the Week and a new fan of the SmorgShow Podcast!
Featured Artist of the Week: Annie Fitzgerald who is also celebrating a birthday today.
Here’s a treat for the old-time, loyal SmorgShow fans. Chris and Ally remake “Mr. Brown Can Moo”, originally performed by the HPs on the Chris and Dave Smorgasbord show (Season 1 Episode 2, 9-18-82). Lyrics taken from the Dr. Seuss classic children’s book and updated with 21st century sound effects!
Special Thanksgiving Episode: Turkey Trivia, “Cookies and Milk with Granny Rose”: Granny Rose shares some of her favorite Thanksgiving Traditions; Baba Gonesh discusses how not to have a disastrous holiday; “News Balls”: First family to line up for Black Friday sales is found outside of Best Buy nine days prior to Black Friday; “Cooking with Judy”: Judy shares turkey preparation tips and a special recipe for Cranberry Chutney.
Featured Artist of the Week: Jordan Martyn
It’s Baba Gonesh’s 68th birthday and we celebrate the special occasion with him live in the studio. We also discuss the India holiday, Diwali as well as the new NBC sitcom “Outsourced”. Another installment of “Emergency: 911” where we play a couple of outrageous 911 calls. News Balls: A man is forced to eat his beard, a man is arrested for stealing sandwiches from Subway, a man tries to run over his girlfriend after she rejects his marriage proposal, and a Twitter threat to blow up an airport is taken seriously by British authorities.
Featured Artist of the Week : Jamie Lynn Noon
SmorgShow SpookFest ’10: Chris and Ally share tips for Halloween pranks and provide history behind some well-known superstitions; Scary supernatural stories; Baba Gonesh presents another Indian Folk Tale, “The Wind and the Moon”; Halloween News Balls: Peet delivers a special Halloween dramatic reading, and Chris and Ally read several Halloween-related news stories; Phillip Donald performs. This episode will give you chills. Mature audiences suggested.
Featured Artist of the Week: Bryan Baker
We are back in the basement studio again after a successful radon mitigation. We talk about our plans for a new home studio. We then debut a new feature this week called “Emergency!”, where we present outrageous 911 calls. Baba Gonesh presents another Indian Folk Tale “The Golden Swan”, and News Balls: Runaway crocodile blamed for plane crash, a woman drives around with a corpse on her front seat for 10 months, and a couple of fast-food restaurant attack stories.
Check out this video we talk about on the show about a woman who flips out at a McDonald’s drive-thru after being told they do not serve Chicken McNuggets at 6:30am. There is no sound to this clip – the action begins at about 1:15 into the video:
Featured Artist of the Week: Kim McClean
A show all about Chris as he celebrates his 44th birthday. Baba calls in with “You know when you’re getting older when…” jokes. Phillip Donald sings a special birthday song for Chris. News Balls: A man’s mile-long trip through a sewer pipe, a man is charged with toilet paper assault, airborne toilet paper bombing explained, and a grandmother’s ashes are accidentally sold at a yard sale.
Featured Artist of the Week: Subplot A
Those who have been following our show recall that we have been testing our home for radon gas. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. It’s a radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of the elements in the soil and can get into homes through cracks in the basement foundation or other means. The SmorgShow studio is located in our basement, so we decided to do a test back in September after someone advised us to do so.
Results from that test showed we tested slightly higher than the recommended maximum so we did a second test as a precaution. The results of the second test just came back and showed we were at 3x the recommended level and therefore we must proceed with getting this problem fixed by a licensed radon mitigation contractor (what a cool title!). Until that happens, we are moving our studio to another location.
So this week we bring you an abbreviated episode. We have another exclusive performance by Phillip Donald, Baba Gonesh presents another Indian Folk Tale about “The Little Mice and the Big Elephants”, and News Balls: Older than 52? Then you are probably grumpy, Hot Dog Heist: 10-foot weiner stand goes missing, and a man buys skeleton decorations for Halloween from a yard sale only to find the bones are real.
Featured Artist of the Week: Tim Miller
We are very excited to welcome Phillip Donald to the SmorgShow Podcast as a full-time, creative contributor!
Phillip has had a challenging time over the past several years overcoming health issues related to his weight. Now that he is in top form, he is planning to devote his time and energy into his life-long dream of becoming a singer-songwriter. We feel the SmorgShow Podcast is the perfect platform to support Phillips dreams.
Ally discusses her weekend retreat, Mystical Melinda visits the SmorgShow studio, Baba Gonesh returns from India with another Indian Folk Tale about the Sparrow and the Elephant. News Balls: a very disturbing iPhone charger hits the market, an Arizona inmate ends up nearly naked after an attempted jail escape, 600 pounds of trout go mysteriously missing from a pond, and the winners of the Ig Nobel science awards are announced.
Featured Artist of the Week: Brian Keith Wallen
This week, we bring you our very special version of Family Feud. The SmorgShow Players go up against the staff of Baba’s Village Restaurant. Then, an exclusive interview with former WDGC-FM General Manager, Fred Moore. Chris and Ally catch up with Fred on the road during his local performance of his “Hootenanny” show. And Jerry Malauskas makes his debut appearance on the SmorgShow Podcast in ‘News Balls’: stories include a new product out of China turns your iPod Touch into an iPhone, prison guards catch an inmate trying to sneak in with a cell phone hidden in his rear end, and a computer glitch produces a very strange E-Fit of a crime suspect.
To book Fred for your next event, check out his website: http://www.programsunlimited.org
Hello everybody! I am sending this from Mumbai this week. Be sure to listen to this week’s episode as I talk about the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. You will learn all about Lord Ganesha. Here is a photo of this year’s winner of the Ganesha statue contest. It has been a wonderful vacation and I will be heading back to the U.S. next weekend. It will be good to see how my restaurant is doing!
Chris and Ally discuss the upcoming visit to see former WDGC-FM General Manager Fred Moore, the results from the radon gas test are read, another installment of “Where’s Tisha?”, Chris reads a review from the first Roger Waters “The Wall” concert on the tour and tries to get Ally syched about going to the Chicago show this week, the Chik-Fil-A Aurora grand opening, Chris announces the launch of his wife’s new weekly podcast “Blooming Beauties”, News Balls: A Naperville, IL woman charged in a dog poop-infused meltdown, the development of an anti-aging ice cream, the 2 quadrillionth digit of pi is calculated, and a Craigslist robber is outsmarted by a Sherriff who was involved in the transaction. Finally, Baba Gonesh calls in from his vacation in India where he is celebrating the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. We learn all about Lord Ganesha and the story of how he got an elephant head and fell off his mouse vehicle.
Featured Artist of the Week : Manny
Chris and Ally recap the Northern Illinois Annual Geocaching Pig Roast and Picnic. With the grand opening of the first Chicagoland opening of Chik-Fil-A, Chris and Ally discuss the fast food restaurant’s unusual hiring practices, Philip Donald performs, Baba Gonesh Indian Folk Tales, News Balls: How much time and money is wasted by men who don’t ask for directions and a bizarre death for ELO cellist. Finally, remembering the events of 9/11 on the 9th anniversary of the attacks. The show closes with an audio montage of the events that day.
Featured Artist of the Week: Annie Fitzgerald
Chris and Ally unveil their new iPhone show app and demonstrate the bonus feature functionality. Ally shares her tearoom adventure. Chris discusses the need to have the basement studio tested for radon gas after realizing that he spends almost all of his waking time there. Calls from the 312-95-SMORG hotline. Another installment of “Where’s Tisha?”. Baba Gonesh shares a joke. News Balls: A woman’s decomposed body found trapped in her boyfriend’s chimney, a dog gets sick for 3 months after swallowing 12 bras, and a man while waiting for a “ghost train”, gets killed by a real one. This show brought to you by Porky Puffs.
I am sorry for not posting in a few weeks. It has been a very busy month at my Hidden Palace restaurant. How much money I have had to invest in changing the name from Baba’s Village to the Hidden Palace on so many things, from menus to signage, from yellow page listings to employee paychecks! What a nightmare. But things seem to be falling into place. I now need a holiday from it all! I will be looking for a getaway very soon and will discuss travel options with Chris and Ally on our next week’s show. Perhaps a beach vacation would be nice like the photo I have posted here.
In the meantime, make sure you download Episode 28 and enjoy one of my favorite childhood bed-time folktales as I tell the same to Chris and Ally.
The SmorgShow Players return to the stage this episode to present the 1944 old-time radio play, “The Sisters”. Mystical Melinda calls in to warn us about the retrograde of the planet Mercury. Baba Gonesh shares one of his favorite bed-time folk tales, and News Balls: Another possible explanation for the continued high unemployment rate; a pig-wrestling match is canceled in Great Falls, Montana; a man is shot in the head but doesn’t notice until five years later, and the corpse of a woman hoarder is finally found beneath a pile of her belongings.
Tisha had several visitors during her 3-month stay in DeKalb County, but finally on August 28 she was picked up by a geocacher and she is currently on the move. This individual called into the SmorgShow Podcast and you can hear him on Episode 29. She has not yet been planted in a new cache yet. Check back for continuous updates!
Chris cooks up a pizza in the studio and kicks back after a long and trying week of technical challenges. Chris discusses the saga with installing a new computer and wireless network for his mother. Chris and Ally check in with Peet after shipping a new microphone to him. They would like him to play a character in the upcoming old-time radio drama they are recording and need to get the audio quality up to par. Baba Gonesh is in the studio this week and presents “Comedy Camel”. News Balls: A family sues Wal-Mart after finding a dead mouse in a carton of milk, a man fakes his death to avoid a trial, and an ex-soldier who is jailed for stealing rare falcon eggs.
Featured Artist of the Week: Lisa Bouchelle
Ahhh…it was nice to be back on the SmorgShow this weekend. After a 3-week hiatus, Chris and Ally have returned from vacation and the show went on as scheduled. I unfortunately was not able to be in the studio in person, but rather by phone. I was busy working the streets and could not be there in the flesh. That is, I was handing out new restaurant menus now that I have been legally forced to change the name of my eatery. So Baba is back with a renewed lease on life. My restaurant is called “The Hidden Palace – A taste of Baba!” You can call it the Hidden Palace for short. I got a lot of negative criticism from Chris and Ally about the taste of Baba part. I explain what this means on the latest episode of the SmorgShow Podcast. Download it today from iTunes!
Chris and Ally recap their Disney World vacation. Baba joins us by phone to give an update on the action he has had to take with his restaurant as a result of the threatened lawsuit. We then connect with Pete remotely from Cleveland, Finally, another installment of “News Balls”: The toad-licking chef, the JetBlue Airways steward incident, and a dog who chews off owner’s toe to save his life. Chris also talks about future plans for the show including a new SmorgShow Podcast iPhone app.
Featured Artist of the Week: This is the Good Fight
This has been quite a week. I cannot believe the amount of frustration that I have inside me. Apparently there is another Baba’s Village in the city whose owner not only claims that I stole the name of his restaurant, but also that the bad reviews of my restaurant are causing harm to his business. It is a very messy situation and you can hear about everything on this week’s show. Download episode #25 of the SmorgShow Podcast at iTunes for more details.
Chris and Ally discuss the creation of their new show logo and ask for audience feedback; Baba Gonesh is in some legal hot water over his new restaurant and he calls in to vent his anger over the situation. Chris and Ally discuss a $69 hot dog on National Hot Dog Day; another installment of the game show “What Did I Say?”, and News Balls: A beer that is served in stuffed animals, a rock concert canceled after the band is pooped on by pigeons, the psychic World Cup Octopus stars in a movie, and a town with a strange name keeps getting their city sign stolen.
Featured Artist of the Week: Cherry Suede
On SmorgShow Podcast Episode 24, I debut my brand new commercial for my restaurant. It is updated to counter all the negative reviews I received a few weeks back. I have made substantial improvements to my establishment. Come see and taste the difference!!
My visit to the SmorgShow Studio yesterday was a short and simple one. I stopped by and delivered some strong-hitting camel jokes which went over extremely well with the show hosts Chris and Ally. They will be going on vacation in two weeks, so I am planning to make a pitch to them to let me host the show on July 31. Check out next week’s show to find out more!!
Peace, Baba
नमस्ते
New world records, an exclusive Philip Donald interview and performance, Baba Gonesh Comedy Camel, News Balls: Breakfast falls to 6th most important meal of the day, the Chicken and the Egg mystery is finally solved, a man is trapped by water buffalo head, a New York bakery sells manly cupcakes. Chris and Ally receive their first international phone call.
Featured Artist of the Week: The Maybe Sometimes
Well, it has been a very difficult week for old man Baba. After receiving scathing restaurant reviews on last week’s podcast, I realized it was time for me to take matters into my own palms and grab the bull by the foot.
I had received many reviews concerning an employee of mine being very rude at the serving counter. So I made the decision to terminate the individual this week. She was actually a carry over from the previous owner (Nick’s Gyros and Red Hots). She seemed nice enough at the time, so I kept her on my staff. But she had since turned very ugly against the customer (and this is quite a feat since we have very ugly customers)! This is absolutely unacceptable and does not meet Baba’s standards. I do wish her very well in her next endeavor.
I call into the show on Episode 23 to talk all about it!
Thank you very much and I will talk to you all very soon.
Baba
Ally explains her adventure to help save a snapping turtle; Baba Gonesh calls in with an update on how he is making changes to address the critical restaurant reviews he received last week; “News Balls”: The new San Francisco ban on pet sales, a psychic octopus predicts World Cup winner, and a man who sets himself on fire after losing a drinking bet.
Featured Artist of the Week: 27 Years
It’s Chris’s 15th wedding anniversary but Kim and Ally are out of town, so Peet comes out from Cleveland and joins Chris for a special SmorgShow Podcast.
Chris and Peet discuss how to protect your online reputation; places a call to gal pal of 30 years, Kelly and they reminisce about how a random prank call brought them all together as well as a walk down memory lane of Peet’s summer of hell weekend from 1985.
Baba Gonesh joins the program while Chris and Peet read the not-so-flattering reviews of Baba’s new restaurant.
News Balls – Strange news stories of the week including a recent revelation about King Tut’s genetalia and a cannibal prisoner who eats his cell mate.
Featured Artist of the Week: Big Walter Horton
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