Norm Nathan's Vault of Silliness - Ep 91

Welcome to Episode 91 – A Cavalcade of Clips & Work Crews.

It is a collection of Norm’s show hours from June 16^th and June 25^th, 1995. Hope Schauer, Mike Epstein and someone named Ed St. Clair, not to be confused with Eddie LeClair, producing.

A lot of the calls heard here are in-progress, a bit choppy, cut short, and unnamed but, as always, just so darn entertaining.

It all begins with Louie talking about how radio was changing. 

We hear from Chauncey and eating rubber chicken in Canada?

A caller who entertains with his wife at the Boathouse in Hyannis, the Brandy Barrel in Lynn, and Natalie’s in Danvers.

Quick hit from a guest on at 4am from across the pond who ewrote a book on Lorenz Hart.

There's some random musical interlude.

Then we move to a broadcast from WCCM in Lawrence MA with former WBZ producer Sid Whittaker doing the news! The host was Bruce Arnold and what I believe to be his producer, Eric. There’s some behind the scenes talk about a ‘Countdown to Weather.’ Then a scandal erupted to my ears! They play something called The Birthday Game?! Eric, Sid and a caller take guesses on a couple of celebrity birthdays to be entered to win a gift certificate to The Pasta Shack - We shall return this this later.

Next up is Paul Drake doing traffic for Boston’s Business Station, WBNW. That guy sounds familiar.

Then some traffic with ‘Paul’ Jack Harte for WBZ

We get lots of Norm Show opens throughout this episode.

Norm teases an upcoming guest, Phil Kaufman.

Some More Jack Harte traffic. 

Let’s now jump to Norm and Jack talking. I had clipped out an article on The Zipper Lane and the wacky machine that moves the little barriers on the SE Expressway. Norm was fascinated by the whole thing. They have cameras monitoring all of it and this leads to a discussion on all sorts of cable channels dedicated to all sorts of camera feeds. Norm has a particularly good idea that you’ll have to wait to hear. There’s even a mention of the long-lost Store 24. They may have something here since Norm would have never believed there would be a channel totally dedicated to weather (TWC) yet here we are!

Norm tells us of another upcoming guest Tom Hamil, editor of Collecting Toys Magazine.

Another Jack Traffic report.

Let’s take some more calls:

Jim from the Burlington, Vermont area

Next caller is a musician and soloist. Plays a variety of string instruments. Does comedy and offbeat stuff. Plays a regular gig in Boston on a night when Norm’s not on. He won’t recognize Norm by sight, so he’ll have to do his best work all the time just in case he shows up.

During this we hear some wisdom from Norm’s grandfather.

Jack Harte in traffic again! 

A caller complimenting Norm.

One from whereabouts unknown, talking about shooting pigeons in the park from 6pm to dusk.

We take a moment to understand how to use clothes on the clothesline to find the wind direction?

Thankfully this was very ‘brief.’

Next caller, Chris, talking about old time radios, the Antique Radio Association and the N.E. Antique Radio Club, Hosts a program called ‘Let’s Talk Showbiz’ on WOMR down on the Cape in Provincetown.

There’s VERY Quick call from Foster Brooks?

Next up is Frank, continues the old radio talk tubes and testers

Then our old friend Glenn from Brighton is on the line. His friend Eleanor in Quincy is afraid of balconies. Glenn has a foolproof solution you’ll want to hear and maybe even try. There’s some discussion of The Shadow, Kato (Not to be confused with Kato Kalin) and Margo Lane.

Hillary from Buck’s County, PA is on with us and her call mosies on over to Side B. She had recently played the DBG and hopes she didn’t offend. Norm lets her know that if you can’t say something racy between 3 and 4am what’s the point of anything?

We hear from both Jack Harte and Paul Drake on traffic pandemonium

And now we return to the scandalous WCCM with Bruce Arnold, Eric, Sid Whittaker and a caller Chris playing ‘the birthday game.’  I mean…what the hey?!

Another guest is talked about, David Stewart author of Heart & Sole. It’s the story of his 1600 mile walk from his home in Gillette, Wyoming to Nashville, Tennessee. Now the guest may have had his reasons but Norm reveals the real one.

Norm flaps papers in our ears not once but twice!

We hear from a familiar voiced caller talking about her trip to the Southwest with her husband, Bill. A call that’s full of enchanting details.

Norm talks about a few upcoming MC appearances. 

Bones talking about our Old Time Radio gigs and MC stuff.

Then we hear our dear friend, Joan from Tewksbury! She gives an unforgettable report on WCCM and their “mini version of the DBG.” She also talks about her big plans for the weekend.

Norm gives us a weather forecast with a riveting live look out the window.

Like a bad penny, WCCM returns to the tape, this time with Golden Age Radio promo

Now it’s Norm with a guest he talked about and the interview is actually here! Dick Syatt talks dating and Norm reveals what he’s looking for and also offers up quite the observation. 

Back to the calls…

This time we hear from Neal who works for an FM station in town

A secret to working in radio is let out of the bag.

Next caller was 11 years old when he knew what he wanted to do with his life and it’s a very interesting occupation that generates more calls.

Moving on with a call asking about Steve Martorano. He also tells us a funny story and defines a job title for us.

And we close with Peg who worked for WBZ from ‘52 – ‘54 on the 4p – 11p shift manning the switchboard. She runs down a list of some breat broadcasters from back then too.

I hope I’ve whet your appetites because Ep 91, A Cavalcade of Clips & Work Crews is being served up…now.