First there was Valentine’s Day, then Galentine’s Day. Now Chris and Dave bring you the first annual Palentine’s Day…a celebration of manhood.
On this episode we talk about the top recommended male bonding activities as well as the origins and purpose of the man cave.
Baba Gonesh delivers another installment of Breaking Baba News where he discusses the disturbing trend of Bride Burning.
It’s really hard to believe we have been at this little hobby of ours for 10 years, but the calendar confirms it. This episode is a look back on the past 10 years. This is not the same type of retrospective that we did when we hit our 100th episode. Rather, Ally and I look back on life’s events and major milestones of the past decade. Considering we began this podcast when Ally was in 6th grade and now she has graduated college and planning a wedding, we have a lot of ground to cover.
We’d like to thank all our listeners who were in some way entertained by our brand of crazy antics over the years. This is certainly not the end of this podcast, even though at times this episode sounds like we are winding things down. This has been a part of my DNA since I was 7 years old so I imagine I will continue doing this for another 10 years.
Recorded and published on the longest night of the year, this episode is dedicated to my father, William Nicholas Bockay, who passed away after a long illness on November 23, 2019.
On this episode, I discuss the last several weeks that I spent with my dad, including the final hours I shared with him in the hospital.
My dad has made a couple of appearances on this program over the years and I share those clips again here. Recordings include the French quiz we gave him to test his knowledge on French culture before he went to live in Paris as well as the time that he phoned into ‘Date Line’ on my high school radio show. I also share the eulogy that I delivered at my dad’s visitation which provides a glimpse into my childhood and the influence that my dad had on me during my formative years.
Peet McCain also phones into the studio to share some of his memories of my dad.
My dad’s passion was classical music and he adored my daughter Ally’s musical abilities. To close out the show, I play Ally’s recent original music composition, “Danze delle Piume” (Dance of the Feathers), which was the last sounds my dad heard as he drifted from this world.
Slideshow Celebrating the Life of William Bockay
This is perhaps the most personal episode that I ever recorded. In fact, it wasn’t really going to be an episode at all. I had an idea just to turn the recording equipment on and start talking. Whether it ended up being interesting enough to share out was yet to be seen. In the end, I think what we ended up with is something worth preserving and adding to our catalog of shows. Also, at 1 hour and 45 minutes in length, it violates our recent format change where we made a decision to make each episode shorter in length for easier consumption. I could have easily made this into three separate episodes, but decided in the end to leave it in tact as one continuous recording to capture the essence of the conversation.
The first 20 minutes of the episode I share my feelings about Ally’s recent engagement and my latest life transition that includes watching her leave home and in less than two years, seeing her get married. Having Dave present to hear me out was very therapeutic.
We then go through a box of old memories that I had stashed away in the archives for several decades. The box contained a journal that I apparently wrote almost 30 years ago, documenting the ups and downs of a particular relationship from the time. I don’t remember ever writing it, and I had not read it prior to reading it aloud on this episode. It shed a lot of light on what was going on in my life in the early 90’s.
In the end, I think we made this entertaining enough to be put along side of the other Smorgasbord material.
As an added bonus, Baba Gonesh returns with a lesson about Diwali for the kids in the audience.
Chris and Dave are back in the studio together again sans Jerry Malauskas. On this episode we air Dave’s exclusive interview with legendary blues guitarist, John Primer. John was the last guitar player to play with Muddy Waters and Dave got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interview him at Johnny’s Blitz in Westmont, IL.
Chris is also celebrating his 53rd birthday and shares his experience of attending his 35th year high school reunion.
Spicy Baba Gonesh returns with another installment of Baba Blue, this time in a Breaking News story about a man in Delhi who has reported getting hundreds of calls daily from men looking for exotic Bollywood film actress Sunny Leone after she gives out his phone number in the new film, Arjun Patiala.
Jerry Malauskas joins Chris in the studio again this week. In fact, he never left after Episode 106. Jerry shares his experience with diversity training at work and specifically their new ‘Cultural Competence and Implicit Bias’ program. Jerry is none-too-pleased about it.
Next, Spicy Baba returns with a new installment of ‘Baba Blue’. Geoffrey Gleason returns with another ‘Tech Talk’ and tips to know whether you are addicted to your cell phone.
Finally, Chris and Jerry take a road trip to pick up Dave Jackson before heading to a blues club where Dave is scheduled to interview legendary blues guitarist, John Primer. We will likely include that interview in the next episode.
We are pleased to welcome Jerry Malauskas back to the studio. On this episode, Chris discusses the news of Ally’s recent engagement and the process of accepting change. What will become of the SmorgShow Podcast without Ally? Chris shares his own personal journey toward marriage and reconciles that her journey through life will naturally be different.
Other features: To celebrate Oktoberfest, Chris challenges Jerry to a German history quiz, Baba Gonesh returns with a new feature ‘Baba Blue’. You’ve never heard Baba quite this way before. Finally, we introduce ‘Q’, the world’s first genderless AI.
In our 11th installment of SmorgShow Theater, we re-enact ‘Knock at the Door’, which originally aired in 1942 on the ‘Lights Out’ radio drama series that centered around horror and the supernatural.
This tale is narrated by Ella who describes her descent into madness – how she married a nice fellow and mama’s boy Jay who adores his mother to the point of Ella feeling pushed out of the way. Our narrator, after hearing some convincing voices in her head, pushes her poor mother-in-law down a well and seemingly doesn’t have to deal with her anymore. But how wrong she is when the couple hears a knock at the door while eating dinner one night…
The SmorgShow Players are: Ally Bockay (Ella), Chris Bockay (Jay), Kim Bockay (Mrs. Kruger)
This is the first episode where I host the show with someone other than someone from the SmorgShow gang. This week I welcome Eric Coleman to the SmorgShow lounge. Eric has been serving as the AV technical/worship arts leader at Harvest New Beginnings Church in Oswego, IL where I have been running sound and assisting the tech team for the past couple of years. Eric is one of the few people who can appreciate the complexity of running a podcast and can “geek out” over the lights, sounds and smells of our studio. Eric has been asking to be on the podcast for several months and it’s taken me a while to figure out how to create an episode around him given the unique format of our show. I also needed to ensure I could connect with a millennial in terms of finding the right content that fit within the framework of the program.
The result is something completely unique to what we have ever done before. We talk about about Eric’s faith and his journey that brought him to this point of being involved as a worship arts leader for Harvest New Beginnings church. Somewhere along the way we determine that puppet shows had influenced us both at an early age and inspired us to pursue our passions in life. We spend some time chatting about relationships in the high-tech world of online dating apps. Eric also performs a couple original songs as well as a more current, popular worship song.
This episode is nothing like we have ever done before, but since the SmorgShow is “a show about anything”, I think this fits in quite well with the format.
The passage of time: We discuss some theories on why time seems to pass more quickly as we get older and ways to slow it down.
Social media distractions and pressure to be “liked”.
Breaking Baba News
Classic Chris and Dave Rewind: “Algebra – Not Just for Homework Anymore” commercial (from Season 1 of the Chris and Dave Smorgabord, 1982)
Chris, Dave and Jerry host this episode of the SmorgShow Podcast. Chris is very upset to learn that Baba Gonesh’s podcast has surpassed the SmorgShow in number of subscribers. Baba’s recent marketing blitz and updated podcast artwork has caused Apple to take notice. Baba’s show was recently featured in “New and Noteworthy” section and is among the Top 5 Indian Culture podcasts on Apple. Given that Baba has been given the SmorgShow as his creative platform for 35+ years, it was a little shocking to the gang that this “spinoff” show has become so successful. It prompts the gang to brainstorm on how to get more listeners. Perhaps the show needs a fresh makeover or some gimmick to attract more listeners.
On this episode we discuss the recent Supreme Court case of a California fashion designer who was denied a trademark registration due to its “scandalous” and “immoral” brand name, which uses the acronym for “Friends U Can’t Trust”.
This is the first episode of the new format where we will begin to publish more frequent episodes in a shorter, more concise format.
The SmorgShow quartet returns with the first episode of 2019 after a rather long hiatus. A busy spring sent Ally to New York City to perform with the North Central College Women’s Chorale at Cathedral of St. John the Divine and Carnegie Hall. Ally talks about this amazing experience and some of the other things she has been involved with as she gets closer to graduation.
The second half of the episode picks up where Episode 99 left off. Chris and Dave interview Jim Swick from Downers Grove North High School class of 1966. Jim was largely responsible for making high school radio station WDGC-FM a reality.
Jim takes us back to the pre-launch days of the station’s origins and discusses how he established the first radio signals that would be the start of what would become an incredible legacy and would influence the lives and career paths of so many individuals.
Chris and Dave set the record straight that 2019 is actually the 50th anniversary of the station, not 2018 as was celebrated last fall with the station’s alum. Jim shares some of his favorite stories from his career in broadcasting.
Finally, Chris shares an embarrassing story about his childhood.
One Saturday morning in early January 1979, I launched my own faux-radio station from my bedroom with the call letters WKID-FM. This 12-year old’s humble configuration consisted of just a turntable and a Panasonic cassette recorder. My early influences were Chicago radio station disk jockeys John Landecker, Larry Lujack, Bob Sirott and eventually Steve Dahl and Garry Meier. Each Saturday morning, I would record myself spinning the Top 40 hits and announcing over the intros. I did this religiously on a weekly basis to the point where I felt I was actually broadcasting to a real audience. For the next two years, I partnered with my best friend at the time, Peet McCain, and we just recorded ourselves doing radio shows together. It was a hobby that kept me off the streets and away from drugs. I was convinced that this was going to be my path in life.
By the time I got to high school a short two years later, I had become rather seasoned from doing these bedroom and basement recording sessions that I was able to land a pretty decent time slot for a freshman on my high school’s radio station WDGC-FM in Downers Grove, IL. It was then and there that I met Dave Jackson. After discussing my vision for the show, we launched the Chris and Dave Smorgasbord program in the fall of 1982. Our free-form talk show format pushed the limits for what was acceptable for a high school radio program. The show was successful in terms of building a loyal following that by the time I got to college, I had intended to major in Communications and make a career out of radio. Then reality hit me when I got assigned the 6-8am Sunday time slot on NIU’s campus radio station WKDI (coincidentally close to ‘WKID’ now that I think about it). I was prohibited from doing anything creative. I was told all I needed to do was read the weather, tell the time and announce the songs. After only two shows, I quit radio for good and changed my major.
25 years later, in early 2010, after a successful career in market research, I got the creative itch again and launched the SmorgShow Podcast with my 11-year old daughter Ally. Through the new medium of podcasting, I was able to relive my old passion for radio while at the same time share a very special activity with my daughter. The SmorgShow Podcast was an attempt at taking the Chris and Dave Smorgasbord show to a new level. We were pretty consistent with pushing out regular content for the next three years, learning the new technology and investing heavily in a state-of-the art recording studio along the way. We then took a break in 2013 and published a few shows here and there over the next few years as Ally started to become busy with high school social events as any normal teenage girl would. She eventually went to college, and had even less time to do shows with me. In 2018, I decided to push forward with the show myself. Starting with Episode 91, Dave Jackson as well as Jerry Malauskas (also from our old WDGC Smorgasbord days) began appearing as co-hosts on the show, carrying me to the finish line of having 100 episodes in the can at the end of 2018.
Episode 100 is very monumental to me. It marks a significant milestone on this journey. On this special occasion, Ally returns as my co-host along with Dave and Jerry and we take a look back on our favorite moments on this 9-year journey together. Baba Gonesh has traveled all the way back to the U.S. from Chennai, India to be on the show, so you know it has to be good. Phillip Donald also makes a rare appearance after spending 6 months in prison and performs his new song live. We have some other surprises in store as well.
So almost 40 years to the day since I fired up my Panasonic tape recorder in my bedroom studio of WKID, I bring you the latest installment of my life’s journey.
Welcome to the 100th episode of the SmorgShow Podcast, recorded live from Granny Rose’s barn.
On the heels of the WDGC-FM 50th Anniversary Alumni Reunion (featured on Episode 98), Chris and Dave reflect on the special day. Jerry Malauskas also joins us in the studio this week to keep things interesting.
Most of this week’s program is devoted to our SpookFest tradition as heard back on earlier episodes 37 and 61 (from 2010 and 2011, respectively). SpookFest is where we discuss all things spooky as we approach Halloween. Ally is back in recorded form and contributes to this episode with a couple of dramatic readings of her own that are guaranteed to give you thrills and chills. Baba Gonesh delivers ‘Baba News’ and makes a very special announcement.
The second half of the show features our very special interview with Sandy Rizzo, WDGC-FM alum, class of 1978. We exchange stories with Sandy about the old days of being on the radio on WDGC during the 1970’s.
Chris and Dave attended the WDGC-FM 50-Year Anniversary and Alumni Reunion on Saturday September 29, 2018 and were given a one-hour on-air time slot where they took the opportunity to reflect on their memories of their old high-school radio station. We bring you the entire broadcast here in Episode 98 of the SmorgShow Podcast.
For the first time in 34 years since they walked out of the WDGC studios at Downers Grove North High School in 1984, Chris and Dave step on ground zero where all the magic happened so many years ago. The Smorgasbord duo discuss their favorite memories of the radio station, their early days of working together, and of the general manager Fred Moore. Chris and Dave come full circle with their radio journey by broadcasting from the very same microphones they used on the original show.
This episode was also recorded on HD video, so check it out on our YouTube channel.
Jerry Malauskas is our in-studio guest again for a very unusual installment of the SmorgShow. For an episode where there was absolutely no show preparation, we managed to squeak out another 90-minute show. An open conversation of two middle aged men that goes on a variety of paths. Just some of the subjects discussed:
The Smorgasbord Woods Project: Dudes in the Woods. Former Smorgasbord Radio Show Co-Host Dave Jackson and Jerry Malauskas join Chris on this episode. As a closeout to summer ’18 and a kickoff to fall, the guys head to the hiking trails.
The guys hit the trails at two relatively secluded forest preserves, Saw Wee Kee Park, and Waa Kee Sha, located in Oswego, IL.
Our original intent was to record both audio and video for this adventure. However, it didn’t take very long for us to realize how difficult it is to balance the content so that it worked equally as well on both platforms. Therefore, we created an entirely separate video of the event which can be found on our YouTube channel as well as at SmorgShow.com.
Jerry Malauskas is our in-studio guest again as we celebrate the end of summer and the start of Oktoberfest. This episodes’s features include:
The second of two installments with special in-studio guests Dave Jackson and Jerry Malauskas. This episode breaks from our traditional format where we delve into some of the latest social topics, including:
An episode too hot to be contained to a single episode, so we broke it into two installments! Episode 94 to be released 4.22.18.
For the first time since 2011, we are joined live in the studio with both Dave Jackson and Jerry Malauskas from the original Smorgasbord Radio days. We went into the show with all good intentions of not discussing our medical issues, but unfortunately Chris had a pretty major medical scare last month that is worth talking about. Other topics/features include:
This episode was streamed on YouTube Live. If you missed it, you can watch the video posted on our YouTube channel.
Former WDGC-FM Smorgasbord Radio Show contributor Jerry Malauskas co-hosts this episode with Chris. Jerry has been a close friend of the show for over 35 years and we are excited to have him back in our studio to share his perspective on all things Smorg.
Philip Donald uses his one-call allowance to call us from jail to set the record straight about his recent arrest on a Baltimore elementary school playground. Baba sends in two updates from India while preparing for the upcoming 2018 Holi Festival. He shares his perspective on what Holi is and why we all should care. Baba also provides his exclusive beauty tips for celebrating this special occasion the right way. Finally a shout-out to Ally who turns 20!! Happy Birthday, Ally!
SmorgShow Flashback Bit: The Dating Game (2010).
With Ally out of town on a youth group retreat, original Smorgasbord Radio Show Co-Host, Dave Jackson joins Chris in the studio for this first episode of the new year. The show opens with a news flash concerning the shocking arrest of SmorgShow music contributor, Philip Donald. We play a previously aired exclusive interview that Chris and Dave did with Philip back in 2011.
Baba Gonesh uses Dropbox to send in a new installment of “Thought for the Day” from India. We then place a phone call to former WDGC-FM radio host, Jerry Malauskas who discusses his blood report. And as expected from a bunch of guys now in their 50’s, we hear more than we need to know about lipid panels, HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, and blood pressure.
Featured Artist of the Week: Ally’s band ‘Wanderlove‘ and the band’s first single “New Kids”.
We are so excited to finally present our latest radio play that we have been working on since August. Normally the SmorgShow players re-enact classic radio dramas, but in this episode, we aim to deliver something a bit different. This time, we present to you a radio adaptation of “Rope”, a 1948 American psychological crime thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, based on the 1929 play of the same name by Patrick Hamilton.
In our story, just before hosting a dinner party, Philip Morgan and Brandon Shaw strangle a mutual friend to death with a piece of rope, purely as a Nietzsche-inspired philosophical exercise. Hiding the body in a chest upon which they then arrange a buffet dinner, the pair welcome their guests, including the victim’s oblivious fiancée and the college professor whose lectures inadvertently inspired the killing.
The Cast (In Order of Appearance):
Chris and Dave reunite again for another episode of the SmorgShow. This time, prepare yourself to kick back in the SmorgShow jazz lounge while Chris and Dave take a journey down memory lane and discuss how they met and decided to pair up together on high school radio station WDGC-FM.
The duo revisit their passion for radio and the individual life paths each has taken. Ally then visits the studio and talks about what pairing up with her dad for the SmorgShow Podcast has meant to her during her formative years. This is a very nostalgic and introspective episode compared to prior episodes, but one that gives a very intimate glimpse into the lives of three individuals.
As we prepare for Christmas and to close out 2016, we present to you the 10th installment of SmorgShow Theater. “Letter from Cynthia” is a re-enactment of an episode from “The Whistler” old-time radio drama series.
Originally aired on 12-25-1949, “Letter from Cynthia” finds a medical intern receiving a letter from a lost love, the love he lost to his best friend. In a strange turn of events, the man who took his love, his best friend, ends up in an accident at the hospital where he is interning. He has to make a decision between getting revenge and doing what’s right.
This episode has a different feel to it when compared with our previous radio plays. We hope you take some time out this holiday season to kick back and listen. Turn out your lights, bask in the glow of your fireplace or Christmas tree lights and let our story transport you back to a simpler time when families sat around their radio for entertainment.
The Cast
We then discuss Ally’s performance in the “Let It Be Christmas” musical and play a clip of her promoting the show on the Steve Cochran radio show on WGN-AM 720.
Chris and Ally return to the studio for the first time in over a year and catch on a variety of topics including Ally’s first job at Chick-Fil-A and going off to college.
Baba calls in from the Ratha Yatra festival in West Bengal. Ally performs live in the studio. This was our first attempt at video streaming the show via Periscope.
We are excited to bring you our 9th installment in the SmorgShow Theater series. This time around we bring to you a re-enactment of 1943’s radio classic ‘Sorry, Wrong Number’, originally starring Agnes Moorehead.
But wait a minute, you say! Didn’t you guys already do this one before? As a matter of fact, yes we did…way back in 2010 on Episode 9 of the SmorgShow Podcast. However, back then Ally was only 11 years old and we were working with really basic editing equipment.
It sounded good at the time, but listening to it now, we’ve come to realize that we really didn’t do this classic play justice. We decided to tackle this project again. Coincidentally, the date this is being aired is April 11, 2015 (or 4-1-1).
Mrs. Stevenson is a spoiled, bedridden daughter of a millionaire. The telephone is her sole connection with the outside world. One day, while listening to what seems to be a crossed phone connection, she eavesdrops on two men planning a woman’s murder. Mrs. Stevenson calls the phone company and police, only to be ignored. Adding to her dilemma is the fact that her husband is missing. After a number of phone calls, the terrorized Mrs. Stevenson begins to piece together the mystery.
The Cast:
In another feature, International News Correspondent, Baba Gonesh delivers the news to us in 90 seconds in a call from Mumbai – a story of Needle Man.
Featured Artist of the Week: Echosmith
This episode of the SmorgShow Podcast includes the latest installment of SmorgShow Theater where the SmorgShow Players re-enact Ray Bradbury’s classic short story, ‘The Ravine’. Written around 1936 during Mr. Bradbury’s formative high school years, ‘The Ravine’ emerged as a true story of his childhood fears of a dark, foreboding ravine that existed just a short distance away from his Waukegan, Illinois hometown. The SmorgShow Players:
Chris and Ally also catch up on events that have taken place since our last program one year ago!
Chris and Ally are finally back behind the mic after another rather lengthy hiatus. This time, Chris’s Dad and Ally’s Grandfather Conrad Cardello is in the studio. Chris’s roots and passion for radio broadcasting are traced back to his dad’s early days when he also recorded spontaneous skits with his best friend. An early recording from circa-1963 was recently unearthed and played here.
We then ask the deeply philosophical questions, “If you had a time machine, would you travel to the past or future?” and “What time period would you visit?”. This then leads into a discussion around American life in the 1950s and whether all that we see in TV shows accurately represent that decade. We then play a trivia game around the classic TV series “The Honeymooners”.
Baba Gonesh has left the country, this time perhaps for good, but he presents “Baba News” from India where he informs us about the end of the telegraph service.
Featured Artist of the Week: Winner of The Voice Season 4, Danielle Bradbery.
Happy New Year and Happy St. Patrick’s Day – The first episode of 2013! Chris and Ally have a lot of explaining to do about why six months have passed since the last episode.
Chris discusses his days on the government dole and his victorious return to the workplace. Baba Gonesh returns for a belated 70th birthday and delivers the long awaited ‘Baba News’.
Former Smorgasbord Radio Show Co-Host Dave Jackson guest stars.
Featured Artist of the Week: Celtic singer-songwriter, Marc Dunn
It’s really hard to believe that it has been 30 years since Dave Jackson and I kicked off the original Smorgasbord Radio Show at Downers Grove North High School radio station, WDGC 88.3 FM. Dave and I had a unique chemistry that made the show special. Sadly, at the pressure of parents who wanted me to amount to something, I never pursued a professional radio career, so there was a 25-year gap between my last radio show at my college station and the time that I brought the Smorgasbord show back in podcast form in early 2010.
Over the past 82 episodes, I have been blessed to have another fantastic partner by my side for this new adventure – my daughter, Ally. If you listen to the shows that have been recorded over the span of the past three years, you can hear how she has grown into a strong partner. The SmorgShow Podcast has been a great hobby for Ally and me as it has created a bond and special memories between us that will forever last. It’s also allowed me to get the creative juices flowing again after two long decades of an office career. Thanks to 21st century technological advances, we have been able to take the show to a level that was not possible when Dave and I did the original show back in the 80’s. For the most part, Ally and I have tried to make the new show our own rather than try and recreate what Dave and I did 30 years ago. But on this particular anniversary episode, we could not let the milestone occasion pass without looking back and celebrating what we did all those years ago.
I think we created something special with episode 82. Those with an acute attention to detail will notice that the anniversary show where we look back on 1982 actually falls on episode #82. Coincidence? Of course, it would not be a complete celebration if we did not have one of the original co-founders of the Smorgasbord Show, Dave Jackson, present for the event. On this particular occasion, we chose to return to our original stomping grounds and host the event at the fabulous Carlisle Banquets in Lombard, IL. This is where Dave and I hosted “The Taste of the Smorg, 1984” (a nod to Taste of Chicago where local restaurants set up their stands and sell samples of their menu items). We were able to line up quite a variety of food vendors this time around. In addition to sampling some of the great foods from around the country, we couldn’t resist the urge to dust off some of the old Smorgasbord Show recordings and give them a spin. Admittedly, some stood the test of time better than others.
This episode is nearly 3 hours long because in addition to going down memory lane, we booked a list of great entertainers who performed live on two different stages at the Carlisle. On the Oakbrook Room Stage: Hawaii’s David Kamakahi & Ikaika Brown, Iceland’s Sjonni’s Friends, the SmorgShow’s very own Phillip Donald, and Ally performs her brand new ballad, “Untold Stories” to an adoring crowd. Also, we are very excited that our good friend from Cheltenham, England – Jordan Martyn – came all the way to Chicago for our show and decided to debut two brand new songs never heard before tonight. Finally, on the Butterfield Room Stage, we are entertained by the sounds of Richard Cheese and his band ‘Lounge Against the Machine’.
I’d like to thank everyone who has been with us on this journey. Whether you listened to us during the original run or just recently stumbled upon us, we really appreciate our audience. I hope we can provide additional entertainment value to you for many years to come.
We are proud to present Ally’s new song – an original composition called “Untold Stories”.
We discuss the death of a 44-year old man out of Kalispell, Montana who was killed by a motorist while dressed in a ghillie suit, trying to stage a fake Bigfoot sighting.
We then go to Rockwood Tap House in Downers Grove, IL where we find Chris and Dave having lunch together. They just came back from putting down the final deposit for the upcoming 30th anniversary show at Carlisle Banquets. They discuss how they used to think being in radio impressed girls.
This episode is shorter than usual because we are preparing for what we hope to be an amazing show on September 15. The SmorgShow will be doing a live podcast event from the Carlisle in Lombard, IL. We have just confirmed that Jordan Martyn, one of our featured artists of the week, will be traveling from the UK to Chicago to perform at our special event. In case you missed our exclusive interview with Jordan, you can check it out at Episode 56.
Campfire S’morgs ’12: Live from Waa Kee Sha Park in Oswego, IL. Last year at this time, we took the remote equipment out to the woods to do a live streaming podcast event. We called it ‘Campfire S’morgs’, a clever play on words if you didn’t figure it out. If you missed it, you can head over to Episode 57 and listen to us do the show from around the campfire. Given that the weather was absolutely perfect this weekend, we decided to do this show a week earlier than planned.
In light of a recent tragic campfire accident where two young girls were badly burned from a campfire explosion, Anthony provides helpful tips for keeping safe when building and extinguishing a campfire. Baba tells some jokes to lighten up the atmosphere, and shares some unusual games that you can play around the campfire. We then take turns reading some extremely scary ghost stories. Finally, it wouldn’t be an official campfire without singing, so we all take a stab at singing a John Denver song. Maybe we should have practiced a bit more before doing this one live.
Also, on a totally unrelated topic, I talk about how I met Verne Troyer, the actor best known for playing the Austin Powers character, “Mini Me”.
Featured Artist of the Week: Jenna Jentry
I would like to apologize to our featured artist of the week in that I back-announced her as “Jenny Jentry”. I must have been reading ahead to one of our ghost stories called “Screaming Jenny”. There is no relation as it turns out. Anyway, head over to her Facebook page and check her out.
In this episode, I prep Ally for returning to school – this time as a high school freshman. It reminds me of a feature that Dave and I used to do on the old Smorgasbord radio show. We would help the incoming freshman survive their first week by making their transition to the big school a little easier. Although 30 years later, I am not sure I know all the right moves myself. It’s a good thing for Google. I did some extensive research on the important things to keep in mind when starting high school. This segment transitions nicely to the discussion I have with Ally and my wife Kim about the new girls social group that they are starting, and how that feeds into my new idea for a family-oriented podcast I am launching this fall.
We then weigh in on the Chik-Fil-A controversy without getting too political. Regardless of where you stand on the same-sex marriage issue, you have to admit that they make a pretty darn good chicken sandwich. So we present the official Chik-Fil-A chicken sandwich recipe that you can make at home if you are not in close vicinity to one of their restaurants.
Baba Gonesh stops in to present another installment of Baba News. Featured stories include: A teacher is jailed for beating up and cutting the hair of a 10-year old student for not conforming to the appropriate code, India pampers its pooches, and the debut of the India National Museum of Toilets.
Featured Artist of the Week: Adrianne Richards
Pizza, beer, and Baba…that’s how Chris spends his bachelor week while his wife and daughter are on vacation in Arizona.
Chris hosts this week’s show alone and discusses a brand new podcast he will be starting up this fall that will focus on issues facing high school students.
Baba Gonesh calls in to talk about his new business venture and then joins Chris live in the studio for another installment of ‘Baba News’. Featured stories include: Bridge in India could collapse due to human spit, Cook is killed for a delay in serving tandoori chicken, and Weird ‘blood red’ rain in India panics people . Baba also talks about the top reasons for suicide in India which has prompted him to purchase a new domain name “DeathByCeilingFan.com“.
Also featured: SmorgShow Family Feud (previously aired on episode 26).
Featured Artist of the Week: Mark Knopfler
Former Smorgasbord Radio Show Co-Host Dave Jackson is in the studio this week. Chris and Ally are back from their Mackinac Island vacation and share some stories from the trip. It’s also Chris’s 17th wedding anniversary, so his wife Kim makes a rare appearance on the show.
Dave discusses the restaurant review of Baba’s Restaurant that he planned to have appear in the New York Times but instead was bumped to the Libby Elementary School publication in Montana. Baba Gonesh has returned from India with some fresh new stories he personally covered while abroad.
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Ally has graduated middle school and we discuss the awards that were given, including the one for being disciplined no more than once per quarter over the duration of three years. Really? Is this an accomplishment? Has the bar been lowered to the point where this deserves an award?
We give a special shout-out to Tim Janus, the winner of the first ever World Burping Championship who delivered an 18.1 second long belch.
We also discuss 9-year old Martha Payne from Scotland who has been blogging about her school cafeteria lunch program. She has won the censorship battle against her school council who tried to silence her for posting photos of her school lunch and writing reviews about it. Ally commented that her lunches are much better than the ones served at her school. Martha’s blog is now back up and running at NeverSeconds.blogspot.com
For the upcoming Father’s Day weekend, we play a flashback recording of Baba Gonesh from a few years back. Baba discusses the Father’s Day tradition in India and shares a very touching story about him and his son. You better have some tissues handy for this one!
Finally, Phillip Donald has returned to our studio with a brand-new track from his forthcoming children’s CD. Chris and Ally are concerned about his behavior.
Featured Artist of the Week: Codie Prevost
After an extended hiatus, Chris and Ally return with another episode. Chris discusses the technical disasters that have plagued the production studio since the Titanic episode. We get to hear a couple of Chris’s recent voiceover jobs including an online dictionary reading as well as a farmer character he did for a computer video game. Chris talks about his new turntable purchase and how fun it was to demonstrate it for Ally and one of her friends. Chris demonstrates to Ally how the turntable was used to uncover secret backwards messages in rock music.
Other Features include News Balls: Panda Dung Tea, a man saws off and cooks his own foot in order to continue collecting unemployment insurance, an IT worker is arrested after urinating on his co-workers’ office chairs, Dog Poo-powered WiFi, and a Chinese kid sells his kidney for an iPad. Baba Gonesh returns to the studio with another installment of ‘Baba News’.
Featured Artist of the Week: Daniel Link
On this episode, we travel back in time and take a special look at voyage of the RMS Titanic for this special 100th anniversary of that tragic night of April 14-15, 1912.
This episode originally streamed live at exactly 100 years after the Titanic struck the iceberg.
Our special episode is chock full of facts and statistics about the Titanic: the construction, the launch, the passengers and crew, the food that was served to both first class and third class passengers including the last meal. We discuss the tragic accident, the lifeboats, the sinking, and the wreckage. We get a flavor of what life on the Titanic was like by listening to readings of letters written by some of the passengers. Music was a special part of the voyage and we play a few tracks that were played on board. We close out the show with a special rendition of Ally singing, “My Heart Will Go On”.
Former WDGC-FM Smorgasbord Co-Host Dave Jackson joins Chris in the studio while Ally is on her 8th grade spring break trip in Florida.
Chris and Dave look back on some of their old radio bits including the time when Chris got fired from his job at Time Life Telemarketing. They discuss a disturbing new product – Twitter toilet paper where you can get your favorite Twitter feed printed on 4 rolls of toilet paper for the low price of $35.
Other features include everyone’s favorite game show, ‘Get a Life’. In addition to giving away a brand new life, Chris and Dave play some of the original ‘Get a Life’ bits from the old high school radio days. There is an update on Tisha Chicken, the SmorgShow geocache travel bug, who makes a complete return trip home after two and a half years of trying to get to Chicken, Alaska. Baba Gonesh visits the studio and delivers a dramatic reading of a classic Indian Folk Tale, “The Hunter and the Doves”. Finally, Chris and Dave take the show on the road to the local Starbucks where Dave shares a tragic fertilizer story.
Featured Artist of the Week: Damon Hill
We review some listener feedback from Chris’s Podcast Mastermind group. The consistent theme is that they enjoy the chemistry and interaction between Chris and Ally and want more of that going forward.
Ally is just days away from her spring break trip to Florida with her science class and she walks through her itinerary. Chris thinks Ally is too young to be heading to Florida for spring break, but thinks spending a day at a turtle hospital is probably harmless.
Chris officially launches his voiceover business website and gives an update on some recent jobs he was awarded. In conjunction with the website launch, Chris discusses a new podcast he is launching devoted to the voice over acting industry. The Voice Acting Journey Podcast will debut in April.
Baba Gonesh visits the studio and presents “Baba News”. He discusses “Angry Brides”, a very popular game in India based on Angry Birds, only this game allows brides to get their revenge against opportunistic dowry seekers.
Finally, Ally debuts the audio from her award-winning science class video project.
Featured Artist of the Week: Jonnie Murphy
Terror in Mumbai!! Baba Gonesh returns from India where he witnessed first hand the chaos and mayhem resulting from wide-spread panic of the rumored “Monkey Man”. Local residents believe that a peculiar figure resembling a black monkey runs on their roofs at night, swings from tree to tree, kidnaps children, and attacks women before consuming them. Baba plays actual testimonials from the local villagers describing their personal experiences.
It’s Ally’s birthday and Granny Rose visits the SmorgShow studio to celebrate. Peet McCain joins us live from Cleveland to give us an update on his bread and breakfast venture as well as his pursuit of a Tuk Tuk. Returning to the show this week is “Get A Life”, the game where we give away an exciting new life to someone who is in desperate need of one. If you would like to trade your worthless life in for a new one, call our studio hotline at 312-95-SMORG. Tell us why you feel you are deserving of a new life and then choose door number one, two, or three. Your new life will take affect almost immediately, so you better prepare by saying goodbye to your friends and family before calling into the show.
Featured Artist of the Week: Ed Hale
We realize that Valentine’s Day is not a happy occasion for everyone, so we went out of our way to make sure this is not a warm and fuzzy and “everything is so wonderful when you are in love” episode.
Chris and Ally discuss Valentine’s Day gifts that guarantee to get you dumped, Baba Gonesh returns with “Thought for the Day: How to Prepare for a Date” as well as his annual reading of his carefully selected love poems. Ally performs a duet with Phillip Donald, “My Heart Will Go On”. Chris plays his classic love song written when he was 14.
Also, with the untimely death of Whitney Houston, we share a YouTube video performance of someone trying way too hard to sing Whitney’s classic “I Will Always Love You”.
Featured Artist of the Week : Aitan
Former Smorgasbord Radio Show co-host Dave Jackson joins Chris and Ally in the studio this week. On this episode, we celebrate our 2-year anniversary of podcasting by listening to some of the highlights and lowlights of the show.
Chris talks about the Podcast Mastermind group that he has joined. Baba Gonesh is back with us in the studio to share an update on how his colonoscopy went and then presents Baba News including a tribute to one of his favorite actors and singers, Shammi Kapoor. Ally and Phillip Donald perform a duet together.
Featured Artist of the Week: Adam Woodall Band
Chris and Ally talk about the SmorgShow being added to the Stitcher Radio Network.
Stitcher allows you to listen to the SmorgShow directly from your iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android devices, Kindle Fire, Blackberry or WebOS phones! Please support our show by downloading the free app and entering the promo code SMORGASBORD when you register.
Also featured: Baba Gonesh calls Chris and Ally to tell them about his upcoming colonoscopy appointment. He decided not to visit the studio in person while he preps for his procedure. Finally, more strange Craigslist listings.
Featured Artist of the Week: Avi Wisnia
Chris and Ally ring in the new year by counting down their favorite SmorgShow events of 2011. Chris discusses Christmas at the Dave Jackson household.
Other topics: The creepiest Craigslist listings of 2011; Baba Gonesh returns from a long hiatus and presents Baba News. He is rather boastful after receiving much attention from his performance in our “It’s a Wonderful Life” radio play.
Featured Artist of the Week: Loretta Hagen
SmorgShow Theater is proud to present its latest radio play production. This time, we bring you Frank Capra’s classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life” on the 65th anniversary of the original release. We had an absolute blast creating this! We had a cast of dozens out to the SmorgShow studio this past month to lay down their tracks. The main cast includes:
SmorgShow Theater returns with a new re-enactment of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. We have updated our 2010 production so that we could include Dave Jackson in the performance.
The Cast:
Chris Bockay: Ebenezer Scrooge
Ally Bockay: Ghost of Christmas Past
Peet McCain: Marley, Ghost of Christmas Present, Nephew Fred
Geoff Wells: Bob Kratchit
Kim Bockay: Mrs. Kratchit
A special treat for those who have been with us for the past 30 years. On this episode, the original Smorgasbord Radio Show team – Chris Bockay, Peet McCain, Dave Jackson, and Jerry Malauskas – reunite together for the first time in 10 years.
Ally does not make an appearance during this episode because she could not deal with four old men going down memory lane and complaining about the current state of affairs.
Among the various topics discussed: Peet and Jerry duke it out to play the best Mr. Potter on the forthcoming SmorgShow Theater production of “It’s a Wonderful Life”. In the spirit of that classic story, we discuss what life would have been like if there had never been a Jerry Malauskas. We discuss the culture of high school radio WDGC-FM before and after the Smorgasbord show era, and the impact General Manager Fred Moore had on us. We discuss the trend of moving away from terrestrial radio and toward internet radio and podcasting. We also discuss the current state of the music industry. On a positive note, we do not discuss any of our medical issues.
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”.
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
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
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:
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.
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
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.
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
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 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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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.
While Seinfeld was said to be “a show about nothing”, the SmorgShow Podcast is a show about anything.
As we discussed in the last episode, we determined it would be extremely difficult to continue forward with the Smorgasbord Radio Show in its current form following the passing of co-founder Dave Jackson earlier this year. Have no dispair though, because Chris and Jerry will be launching a new podcast in early 2025.
In order to finish this podcast series properly, it only felt right to return to how it started in January 2010 – with Chris and his daughter Ally teaming up on the mic. In this final episode, Chris and Ally discuss all the life stages we have moved through and the milestones that we have achieved over these past 15 years. A lot of ground was covered during this time. After all, Ally was only 11 when we started the show and now she is only a couple weeks away from closing on her first home. We reflect upon how the podcast format began and all the challenges and learnings that we faced as we tried to get the show off the ground with the relatively primitive technology. From our first episode recorded in our kitchen, to seeing the show evolve over the next 15 years, we believe we hit all of the main highlights in our retrospective.
As mentioned in the show, we reserve the right to occasionally add an episode here and there to the catalog, but this episode essentially marks the end of our 42 year run (15 years in podcast form and the years 1982-1984 when the Chris and Dave Smorgasbord was heard on high school radio station WDGC-FM). We would like to thank everyone who has been on this journey with us at one point in our timeline or another. We certainly had fun bringing our creativity to you and we appreciate all your support and encouragement over the years.
It truly has been a great run!
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’.
A Fashion-Conscious Monkey is cited on the streets of India and Baba Gonesh was there to capture it all.
SmorgShow Theater is a collection of classic, old-time radio dramas from the golden age of radio. Sit back and relax, turn off your lights and let us transport you to a world where your imagination takes over. If you have a favorite radio show that you would like to hear us present, email us at [email protected]. Check out Smorgasbord Radio (The SmorgShow Podcast) for more of our creative antics.
In our 11th installment of SmorgShow Theater, we re-enact ‘Knock at the Door’, which originally aired in 1942 on the ‘Lights Out’ radio drama series that centered around horror and the supernatural. This tale is narrated by Ella who describes her descent into madness – how she married a nice fellow and mama’s boy Jay who adores his mother to the point of Ella feeling pushed out of the way. Our narrator, after hearing some convincing voices in her head, pushes her poor mother-in-law down a well and seemingly doesn’t have to deal with her anymore. But how wrong she is when the couple hears a knock at the door while eating dinner one night…
The SmorgShow Players are: Ally Bockay (Ella), Chris Bockay (Jay), Kim Bockay (Mrs. Kruger)
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