Are you tired of having to listen to the entire SmorgShow Podcast in order to listen to Baba at the very end of the show? Well, then I have the solution! Why not subscribe to my very own podcast? Do it now and thank me later.
-Peace, Baba
Sunny Leone, Bollywood Actress
Ever wondered what a museum dedicated entirely to the history of toilets would be like? If that peculiar question ever crossed your mind, you need to seek professional help! But if you really want to know, you can visit Sulabh in New Delhi, India or just browse this section of our website where we bring the museum onto your screens, virtually.
The Museum
Museums as repositories for the preservation and exhibition of the objects of historical, scientific and cultural interest are found all over the world. But rare are the museums that display the evolution of toilets and their various designs.
Dr. Bindeshwar Pathak, the Founder of Sulabh International Social Service Organisation, a pioneering non-profit voluntary organisation (NGO) in the field of Sanitation in India, envisioned the need for the setting up of a museum of toilets in the sprawling campus of his central office at Mahavir Enclave, Palam Dabri Road in New Delhi, India and has consultative status with Economic and Social Council of the U.N.The idea engaged his mind for long, eventually leading him to make hectic worldwide search for minutest details of the evolution of toilets, as also of various toilet designs used in different countries at different points of time. Sulabh International is grateful to the professionals, embassies and high commissions in setting up this museum by furnishing information on the subject and also providing details / photographs of various toilet designs used in their respective countries.
The Museum has been established with the following objectives :
I was so very pleased to receive the following custom-made birthday card posted to my Facebook page today from one of my fans. I cannot express enough the deep gratitude that I feel from this kind gesture.
The only mystery to me is that my birthday is in November.
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’.
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
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.
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
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
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:
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:
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
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!
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.
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!
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.
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
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
On this Father’s Day, I can’t help but recall a favorite memory of mine. Once when I was a middle-aged man, oh so many years ago, my father and I went to a cricket game, a very popular sport in my homeland, while my infant son Ganesh stayed with my mother and fell asleep at their house. I didn’t get back to pick him up until 12:30 a.m., at which point I had to wake the poor child up and put him in the car seat for our ride home. He was really good about it, and fell back asleep for the majority of the 45-minute ride back to my home.
When we got home I grabbed him out of the car seat once again, at which point he got a little fussy. I don’t blame him, I woke him up out of a dead sleep twice and brought him out in the chilly weather. So as I’m carrying him up the walk to our front door through the early morning darkness, Ganesh turns to face me suddenly and says “DADA!!”
And then an amazing thing happened – he ripped not one, not two, but three extremely intense farts. These were LOUD. Maybe they were just amplified by the stillness and dead quiet of the wee morning, but all I know is he farted right on my arm and the vibrations carried all the way to my feet. If any seismologists want to know what that slight tremor was at 1:10 a.m. in the area of the Barnala District of Punjab, fear not! It was merely my son displaying his staggering gastrointestinal capabilities.
But the best part was the aftermath. After he farted, I was flat out impressed. Seriously, it was that good. So he farts, and then there’s this three second pause where I look at him incredulously and he looks at me as if to say “Whoa…did I just do that?” So we’re staring at each other, and then at the exact same time we both start laughing hysterically. Giggling like little kids, which is cool for him and possibly pathetic for me that I still find farts this funny at my age. And then we instinctly high-fived each other. Oh! It was an extremely touching moment for me, and a memory that I carry with me to this very day.
A monk was driving in India when suddenly a dog crosses the road. The car hit and killed the dog. The monk looked around and seeing a temple, went to knock on the door. A monk opened the door. The first monk said: “I’m terribly sorry, but my karma ran over your dogma.”
Listen to the Wisdom of Baba Gonesh and understand why he is known worldwide as ‘The Master of the Wide Open Spaces Between the Ears’.
What’s in a name? Particularly if you are a turkey? For the upcoming U.S. Thanksgiving holiday, Baba provides a history lesson on the discovery of the bird that has come to be known by many names around the world.
The SmorgShow Podcast originates from the Chris and Dave Smorgasbord radio show which aired on suburban Chicago high school radio station WDGC-FM between 1982-1984. The show was known at the time for its edginess for a high school radio program. Chris and Dave’s all-talk format broke the mold by deviating from the station’s rock genre and often pushed the boundaries of acceptable community standards.
In 2010, Chris Bockay resurrected the Smorgasbord brand name and paired up with his daughter, Ally to create a new podcast series staying true to the original spirit and variety format of the old radio show.
After serving as co-host and contributing to nearly 100 episodes, Ally is now grown up and has flown the coop, leaving Chris to fend for himself. As a result, the show has taken a bit of a different turn. Chris now pairs up regularly with original Smorgasbord Radio Show co-host Dave Jackson as well as Jerry Malauskas who serves as the show’s Chief Conspiracy Correspondent (CCC). And let’s not forget ‘Master of the Wide Open Spaces Between the Ears’, Baba Gonesh – who after 40 years of being featured on our show, serves as our International News Correspondent, sending his views and breaking news directly from his homeland of India.
In January 2022, the program was re-launched and re-branded as “The SmorgShow Podcast – Buffet Bites“, and will consist of shorter, more easily digestible episodes for your listening consumption.
While Seinfeld was said to be “a show about nothing”, the SmorgShow Podcast is a show about anything.
We love to hear from our listening audience! Call our studio hotline and leave a message! (312) 95-SMORG (957-6674)
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! To get you in the holiday spirit, we bring you All Things Turkey! As the SmorgShow gang takes an extended break for the holidays, we dig into our vast historical audio archives and breathe some life into our old bits concerning Thanksgiving traditions. Segments on this episode include:
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