The End of the Dr. Demento Show On Radio

damnbunni writes "Dr. Demento has announced that his long-running comedy radio show will be ending (except weekly in and around Amarillo, TX). Modern 'format' radio has been less and less friendly to oddball and offbeat programming, and after years of declining station membership the Doctor announced on June 6 that his radio show will be no more. He will still stream weekly shows on Saturday from his website, drdemento.com. While I'm sad to see the show go, nearly 40 years is a good run."

Comments

The End

[Anonymous Coward]

And I mean it.

Re:The End

[happy_place]

Too bad, though I haven't listened to it in ages... perhaps because what he did, the internet does so much better... I mean he was an aggragate of comedy/weird music in an age before internet searches... It's where I first heard of musical comedians like Tom Lehrer and (not as musical) George Carlin... and of course the god of musical mirth, Weird Al... who has done quite well by evolving with the times... as evidenced by the fact that I still regularly watch his stuff on YouTube...

Re:The End

[Gojira Shipi-Taro]

I haven't listened to it in ages either, mainly because I don't listen to radio at all anymore.

Turns out it hasn't been broadcast in my current location in recent memory. I'm glad WLVQ, where I listened to the show as a kid, is one of the stations that held on to the end.

A bang or a whimper

[spqr0a1]

It's sad to see it go. The show that helped so many of the musicians that geeks love make it big.

How will we get our entertainment in the future? I think the net will let shows like Dr. Demento thrive.

Re:A bang or a whimper

[Concern Is A Faggot]

It's sad to see it go. The show that helped so many of the musicians that geeks love make it big.

Is that an endorsement or an indictment?

Re:A bang or a whimper

[mcgrew]

At least we can hear him on Saturdays. He hasn't been on the radio anywhere I've been for years; hooray, internet!

If it wasn't for Dr. Demento, nobody would have ever heard of Wierd Al. IMO some of Al's older stuff, like the polka versions of Rolling Stones songs, were his best; the stuff he taped at home and mailed to Dr. Demento.

Re:A bang or a whimper

[Creepy]

The pop stations near me played Weird Al and he was a massive hit on MTV (/me remembers music on MTV...) but if you meant Weird Al wouldn't have done what he did without Dr Demento, then I agree - in fact, I believe the live show where Another One Rides the Bus was largely his breakthrough (he had minor hits before that - My Bologna and such) and he was inspired by the show.

The live and demo recordings were fun, too - in fact, the demo version of Happy Birthday recorded on Dr Demento is FAR better than the one on the first album, which was overproduced, mixed poorly, and lost the guitar and vocal edginess (in fact, it is rather cheesy).

Re:A bang or a whimper

[mcgrew]

you meant Weird Al wouldn't have done what he did without Dr Demento, then I agree

Yes, that's what I meant.

Re:A bang or a whimper

[MobileTatsu-NJG]

The pop stations near me played Weird Al...

Same here. I remember wondering how "This song is just six words long" is really six words long and if a contraction counted or not. That was about the time I got my first wedgie.

Re:A bang or a whimper

[kindbud]

The "Another One Rides the Bus" track Dr D. always played was a recording of the live performance of it Wierd Al did on his radio show way back in the KMET days.

TheSoundLA (100.3 FM) did a KMET retrospective last July, which they called "Finally a KMET Friday" or something. Dr. Demento got an hour live on it. He played, of course, that same recording of "Another One Rides the Bus" and most of the other faves like "FishHeads" and "They're Coming To Take Me Away."

Here: They have it archived.

I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm not trying to troll but why is this relevant? Why is this Dr. Demented important? What is being lost?

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

Local radio and opportunities for niche programming are disappearing. We are left with Clear Channel drones broadcasting across the nation the same drab crap. The free market is going after the lowest denominator. Personally, I did not like Dr Demento but a large number of slashdotters probably do. It is a shame that it is harder to find a place for something different in this world.

I live in a small town. Clear Channel is one more way to erode something unique. The corporate whores at the FCC have decide to server their corporate masters, and this is just one more sympton.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

"Dr. Demented"??? That alone says why you aren't qualified to even ask this question. Geez.

Re:I'm ignorant

[gclef]

Dr. Demento ran a syndicated radio show that focussed on the weird, offbeat, and just silly. Weird Al got his start there, for example. A large number of people in the geek community grew up listening to his show, especially as it's had a forty year run.

What's being lost? A bit of the unique, a bit of the oddball and unusual. Radio has become that little bit more boring and bland.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

Because the subject of "I'm ignorant" and the question itself wasn't enough of an indicator? I think your comment and grandparent are about on par. Believe it or not but some American radio-show, no matter how old, may not be known outside of America.

Re:I'm ignorant

[discord5]

The corporate whores at the FCC have decide to server their corporate masters

Yes, I too have servered my corporate masters every now and then. From great distances I have hurled 1U, 2U and every now and then 4U servers towards their heads. Sadly, despite their weight and looking very sturdy, servers break too easily for servering my corporate masters on a regular basis.

I'm planning to bring out a book in a year or two: How to server man.

FWIW, I make the same typo nearly all the time ;)

Re:I'm ignorant

[TaggartAleslayer]

Though I agree with your sentiments, I have to point out, nothing is being lost. It is being redirected. As the Demento audience declines internet useage increases. Your strange, silly, and plain funny are now online. Radio is going the way of the newspaper. There is a new medium in town.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Trogre]

What a bunch of ga-ga. I happen to have it on very good authority that radio is yet to have its finest hour.

Re:I'm ignorant

[vm146j2]

Everything I had to know, I learned it on the radio.

Oh, well; somebody still loves you.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

This will happen when the FM frequencies get repurposed as a dedicated channel for streaming Internet pr0n.

Re:I'm ignorant

[ultrasound]

Radio in the UK is growing stronger each year, from http://www.rajar.co.uk/:

Radio listening reaches all time high as 46.5 million adults tune in to radio each week Radio digital listening hours up 18% and digital share up 19% year on year DAB ownership up 9% year on year to over 1/3 of the population

Althought the commercial stations complain about the dominance of the BBC, the fact that there are so many quality channels on the BBC (no adverts, mandate to produce quality programming) forces the commercial stations to push similar content quality in order to remain competetive.

Re:I'm ignorant

[mh1997]

Local radio and opportunities for niche programming are disappearing.

Dr. Demento was syndicated, not local. He is definately niche.

It is a shame that it is harder to find a place for something different in this world.

Too bad there is not some system that can allow people to connect and search for content using computers.

I live in a small town. Clear Channel is one more way to erode something unique. The corporate whores at the FCC have decide to server their corporate masters, and this is just one more sympton.

I also live in a small town and if it weren't for the clear channel stations, I'd receive no radio stations (we have weak local stations with lots of static).

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

I know this isn't a cure all, but have you tried NPR? There are quite a few programs on there of merit. Radiolab, for one, should be instantly interesting to many slashdotters.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

Sorry, but neither local radio nor niche programming opportunities are going anywhere. In fact, networks such as NPR have recently reported an all-time high in listenership, with NPR CEO Vivian Schiller crowing about this very matter at the recent All Things D conference.

In addition, with Sirius/XM, a bazillion podcasts available on iTunes and elsewhere, and the ability to stream radio stations from the most far flung locations on the planet, the fact is that there are more listening choices than ever before. Hell, I'm a radio fanatic and have never heard of Dr Demento. This Slashdot posting is my opportunity to check him out, something that never would have happened had he not made the choice to move online.

As for the FCC and their "corporate masters", the best thing the FCC could possibly do is stay the hell out of the way of radio, the Internet, and everything else in media. In case you haven't noticed, the only thing the government is good at is royally screwing things up. WAKE UP. You have more listening opportunities than you could ever possibly use.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Darth Sdlavrot]

Local radio and opportunities for niche programming are disappearing.

Dr. Demento was syndicated, not local. He is definately niche.

He wasn't always syndicated.

I used to listen to his (four hour) show on KMET 94.7 in Los Angeles in the 70s. Went to see one of his live shows broadcast from Los Angeles Pierce College once too.

Dang I'm old.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

Regardless, he ought to have been able to correctly copy the name from the summary.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Cornwallis]

sorry, but NPR is as bad as Clear Channel! I didn't use tho think that way and I don't think NPR was that way years ago but they have the same corporate roll-over-anybody-who-doesn't-agree-with-them mindset that characterizes the stereotypical Big Media guys. For example, not too many years ago NPR came out STRONG against the low power radio service that was gaining a toe-hold in markets now being steamrolled by Clear Channel (and NPR!) They said the low power stations wouldn't be in the public interest when in reality the low power stations were EXACTLY what the public wanted and needed in small markets. NPR is Big Business. But since it is so "PC" it doesn't get tagged the same way as Clear Channel.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

True, he could put his content on the internet as you say. However, he wouldn't get paid for his work and would have to pay for bandwidth and hosting. I guess you mean he could donate his own money to produce and host this content. But that would be sorta stupid.

Re:I'm ignorant

[NekSnappa]

Ahhh, "The Mighty Met!"

With Patrick "Paraquat" Kelley talking about 'face saddles', and 'belly stirrups', Dr. D, and a bunch of other good on air talent.

Also played great album rock. I was very disappointed the first time I heard them play a Flock of Seagulls song. They were dead to me after that.

Appears I'm old too.

Re:I'm ignorant

[aussie_a]

If no-one values his work enough to pay for it, perhaps his work isn't that important after all.

Re:I'm ignorant

[drinkypoo]

Local radio and opportunities for niche programming are disappearing. We are left with Clear Channel drones broadcasting across the nation the same drab crap.

Dr. Demento was carried in my area by a clearchannel station, so while I agree with you that they are eroding creativity, that has nothing to do with this.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

It is painfully obvious you never had the pleasure of listening to the Dr. Demento show.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

The free market is going after the lowest denominator.

To be fair, you can hardly call any market in the US "free", considering they are all subject to the most expensive, most powerful government in history as well as the most complex set of laws this world has ever seen. Radio in particular is heavily regulated in the US, and this is likely the reason why the market has been consolidated into the hands of the few. It's not unlike the situation with cable and telco monopolies.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Ephemeriis]

Though I agree with your sentiments, I have to point out, nothing is being lost. It is being redirected. As the Demento audience declines internet useage increases. Your strange, silly, and plain funny are now online. Radio is going the way of the newspaper. There is a new medium in town.

I agree in general... There's plenty of strange, silly, and funny available online. Assorted videos on YouTube... Streaming stuff from Pandora... Assorted podcasts and blogs and Internet radio stations and whatnot...

But none of that is really as accessible as radio is.

Sure, if I'm sitting in the office or at home I can listen/watch as much as I want. But when I'm driving around in my car, or out on a bike, or walking, or whatever - it isn't nearly as accessible. Maybe if I've dumped a podcast to an MP3 player... But that's about it. You can't get anything live from the web like you can with radio.

Or, rather, I can't. I guess if you've got a smartphone with data or something like that you could...

Re:I'm ignorant

[Myopic]

Whoa. Is Clear Channel still in operation? Wow, I haven't heard a Clear Channel radio station for, sheesh, it must be eight or nine years now. I totally agree: it sucks badly; people should turn it off like so many of us already have.

Re:I'm ignorant

[mcgrew]

It is a shame that it is harder to find a place for something different in this world.

College radio has always been my favorite. We have WQNA her in Springfield, "roughly the power of four light bulbs". They play pretty much anything and everything; I once heard Tennessee Ernie Ford followed by the Dead Kennedies followed by Johnny Cash.

In St Louis you have to be in Forest Park (or on the bluff with a very good reciever) to hear Washington University's ten watt station.

Re:I'm ignorant

[BVis]

Yes, because as we all know, the only value of something is how much money it's worth.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

There is this thing that you may have heard of called the internet that appeals to pretty much every niche ever thought of.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

And the Fish Report With a Beat, and the Wednesday night piccolo lessons - "pucker up and blow" - Dr. D. was a great fit with that kind of wackiness, but frankly I'll be able to find his online show much more easily than getting a radio signal in the boonies where I now live. I will, too.

I think my current fave, www.kcalfm.com, is a Clear Channel station. It's almost as much fun as KMET. They're the reason I've never bothered with satellite radio - they're the only station I like (can't take Mark & Brian).

Re:I'm ignorant

[mcgrew]

There's a show on Tuesday mornings on WQNA, a local college station here, that plays Dr. Demento type music (I can't think of the name of the show). That's a very geeky station; there's one DJ there named "Commander Riker", there's a show called "Pemberton's Basement", and a friend of mine and fellow nerd, Mike King, has a blues show on Sundays at noon.

Re:I'm ignorant

[fl!ptop]

The corporate whores at the FCC have decided to sever their corporate masters

Fixed that for ya.

Re:I'm ignorant

[hairyfeet]

Blah blah blah corporatism yay! blah blah blah sucking business penis blah blah blah. Sound better to you? Monopolies are baaad,mkay? See how you couldn't hardly find AMD Athlon PCs when Intel was putting out shitty Netburst, or how MSFT crushed legitimate competition by tying sales per PC manufactured. Do we need to hire Sexual Harassment Panda to do a little jingle to spell it out for you?

As for TFA, while the Doc was always an acquired taste, because some of his stuff was funny and some was just...well demented, it is a shame to see another piece of our collective past bite the dust. Sadly like the poster before the corporatism yay! guy ever since Clear channel bought out every station in my area it has been nothing but shitty radio 24/7/365. Thank the Great Electron for MP3 car stereos, that way I never have to be exposed to the complete and total foulness that is Clear Channel. I wouldn't wish that dreck on anyone...well maybe the anon coward that I'm responding to. I bet after a couple of weeks of forced CC listening he'd be crying like a bitty baby!

Re:I'm ignorant

[Leghorn]

What's it like working at iBiquity?

Re:I'm ignorant

[Jer]

WTF?

I can't stand to listen to NPR either, but it's mostly because ever since sometime shortly after 2000 they became another branch of cheerleaders for the so-called "centrist" Democrats and the GOP who want to bend over every time Wall Street asks for something. They're like CNN, only slightly more pompous about it. They may be somewhat harsh on the neo-"Know Nothings" who have been trying to take over the GOP in recent years, but that doesn't mean that they're liberal.

If you seriously think that NPR is liberal you need to expand your horizons a bit. NPR is barely left of center, let alone liberal. The only brand of socialism NPR advocates these days is corporate socialism - bail out the banks and the big money guys on Wall Street and gut Social Security as much as you can to pay for it! That's been NPR's unofficial motto for years.

Except maybe Car Talk. Those guys are totally rampant Maoists.

Re:I'm ignorant

[rworne]

Don't bring up bad memories. The day I drove in to work, flipped on KMET (94.7) and heard New Age music coming out of my speakers was one of the saddest days of my life.

Re: The grandparent post

I loved the 4 hour format and the "Top 10". When the show was cut to two hours, a lot of the more obscure stuff was also cut out. The show also really grated on me when every week for a year or so Weird Al's "Another one Rides the Bus" came in #1 over and over and over again.

Re:I'm ignorant

[cmiller173]

Amen! I mostly listen to http://www.897theriver.com/ from Iowa Western Community College which does have a 100,000 watt transmitter a covers a fairly significant area http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM34155.html

Re:I'm ignorant

[geekoid]

I have an email folder full of emails from NPR on how they wanted to support low power radio.

You are full of shit.

I have dealt with both organizations. Clear channel is full of entitled ass holes who think cities should do what they say because they own the radio stations.

Re:I'm ignorant

[SydShamino]

You are incorrectly assuming that, in the absence of Clear Channel stations, some other broadcaster would not choose to use those same frequencies.

Another way to look at is that Clear Channel owns all the high-power stations in the area, leaving the little guys no room but to broadcast on low-power frequencies.

Re:I'm ignorant

[sconeu]

Most of the Mighty Met staff gravitated to KLOS, but it's just not the same. KLOS is a Disney-owned corporate whore.

Re:I'm ignorant

[nschubach]

And how many Big Macs are sold, [pop artist here] albums are sold, etc., etc...

Re:I'm ignorant

[nschubach]

mandate to produce quality programming

"You there! Entertain me! I demand it!"

How do you mandate that? (I do love Top Gear here in the US, and the US version of The Office... so I give them that.)

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

Cute. For those who don't recognize the song reference, it's Radio Ga-Ga by Queen, one of the two 1980s tributes to the death of quality radio as Clearchannel began its deathmarch that would eventually lay waste to a segment of our collective culture.

The thing that really terrifies me is that Clearchannel, among others, have largely succeeded in making the Internet a less competitive music distribution venue through the courts. Jamendo and their ilk are probably the last, best hope for Internet music that isn't overwhelmed by the same droning machine, but doubtless, they're already in the crosshairs.

Re:I'm ignorant

[rworne]

Yes, I heard that. Back then I listed to KMET and KROQ quite a bit.

I remembered when I switched over to 95.5 (KLOS) out of disgust, the hosts there were discussing the overnight format change and subsequent lockout of all the KMET employees (who they said showed up for work to find all the locks had been changed). Such was the birth of 94.7 (The Wave). The rival station then hired quite a few of the ex-station's employees. That showed a lot of class.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

I remember listening to Dr. D. on the "Met", and then the "7th Day".

Then they closed the KMET, and "The 7th Day" moved to KLOS.

Yes, we are old.

Re:I'm ignorant

[h4rr4r]

Your last sentence hits the nail on the head, you should get a smart phone.

Re:I'm ignorant

[CoolCalmChris]

Don't bring up bad memories. The day I drove in to work, flipped on KMET (94.7) and heard New Age music coming out of my speakers was one of the saddest days of my life.

I remember that all too well...it was almost as surreal as a Dr. D show, except not as funny. Happened around 1986 or so, I was 13 and a fan of the Mighty Met and Doctor D.

Fortunately the Doctor switched over to KLSX, which was another amazing station. One that I truly missed when I moved to the Bay Area in 1989.

Re:I'm ignorant

[arkane1234]

We all fixed it, mentally, every time we read it.

Re:I'm ignorant

[anyGould]

I would suspect he wouldn't have too much trouble finding sponsors for the show. Leo LaPorte seems to be doing quite well for himself, for example.

Added bonus is that Dr. D has likely made his retirement money, and would be doing it for kicks and beer.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Ephemeriis]

Your last sentence hits the nail on the head, you should get a smart phone.

Except that isn't equivalent to buying a radio.

I'd have to purchase a smartphone for a couple hundred dollars. I'd have to sign up with a provider. I'd either be signing a multi-year contract or paying more for the phone. I'd have to pay monthly bills.

By contrast, you can buy a radio for less than $20 and tune in to whatever is available. No monthly bills (aside from whatever it takes to power the thing). No subscriptions. Nothing.

Re:I'm ignorant

[squidfood]

Dang I'm old.

Sounds to me like a case of the Existential Blues.

Re:I'm ignorant

[SpzToid]

FYI, I live in a foreign (to the US) country, and I think NPR over the internet is fantastic. Better than anything else I can find for radio news. And I say this as an I.T. worker that listens to a LOT of radio every day.

FWIW, I also really enjoy 2 of the 3 www.groovera.com stations too, because what I really dislike is musical repetition; but I still need something funky and cool to work all those hours behind Le Machiné.

Viva le internet radio!

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

I also live in a small town. All the clear channel FM stations around here play the same songs at the same time of day...even the commercials are synchronized! (same commercials at the same exact times on several stations at once) Clear channel has been the death of radio broadcasting as far as I am concerned. About the only broadcasts worth listening to these days are Shortwave broadcasts from outside the U.S

Re:I'm ignorant

[PCM2]

For those who don't recognize the song reference, it's Radio Ga-Ga by Queen, one of the two 1980s tributes to the death of quality radio as Clearchannel began its deathmarch that would eventually lay waste to a segment of our collective culture.

A little revisionist history there. In the 1980s Clear Channel owned six AM stations and six FM stations, plus some TV. Queen wasn't singing about Clear Channel, they were singing about how radio is overlooked in the age of television.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Ungrounded Lightning]

If you seriously think that NPR is liberal you need to expand your horizons a bit. NPR is barely left of center, let alone liberal.

That's just an appearance - caused by the far-left leaning of the bulk of US broadcast media and their deliberate attempt to make their position appear to be "center", allowing them to characterize anything "right" of them as "right-wing extremism".

Not that right-left matters much these days. Awareness of the libertarian-authoritarian axis has become sufficiently general that the current major political battle is between attempts to expand and shrink government power, rather than details of which behaviors are being suppressed and which can still be exercised without major government interference.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Tetsujin]

mandate to produce quality programming

"You there! Entertain me! I demand it!"

How do you mandate that? (I do love Top Gear here in the US, and the US version of The Office... so I give them that.)

More serious response: it seems you missed the content.

The BBC is under a mandate to produce quality programming. The BBC isn't an ordinary corporation, it operates under a royal charter, funded by the television license fees, and their charter comes under review periodically - so of course not complying with a mandate like "produce quality programming" could jeopardize their comfortable niche.

Other broadcasters wouldn't be subject to that mandate, of course - but ultrasound's point is that the mandate still affects them, since they need to compete with the BBC in order to survive.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Cornwallis]

I have an email folder full of emails from NPR on how they wanted to support low power radio.

You are full of shit.

I have dealt with both organizations. Clear channel is full of entitled ass holes who think cities should do what they say because they own the radio stations.

Sorry but I'm not "full of shit".

I remember the fight and here is a great article from Democracy Now that details NPR's attempts to derail low power radio.

http://www.democracynow.org/2000/9/25/why_is_npr_fighting_public_radio

I've not only "dealt with" both organizations I've *worked* for both of them. They are different sides of the same coin with the main difference being NPR is full of sanctimonious self-absorbed assholes who will never admit they consider themselves privileged. Meanwhile they continue to suck the public tit for all it is worth.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Anonymous Coward]

Oh yeah right, cos if I'm not a cocksucker in the way that you guys are cocksuckers then I can only be some other kind of cocksucker. Cos if you like cock then surely everyone else must. Dumbass commie cocksucker with hairy feet.

Re:I'm ignorant

[Ol Olsoc]

Yes, So much better is my area, where we have 1 NPR and 6 or 7 stations all owned by the same outfit.

The mega owned stations do really cool things, like maybe three of them broadcast the same thing. One is really great, it often broadcasts nothing but a carrier, but it makes up for it by then broadcasting two feeds at the same time.

Your sanctimonious self absorbed assholes at NPR are the ones we listen to, because our glorious free market overlords at Clear Channel have destroyed the rest of the stations. They can do that ya know, because they own them

Yes, they are two different sides of the same coin.

Re:I'm ignorant

[a61sun]

"Little bit o' heaven, 94 point 7, tweedle-dee!" Good ol Dr D and the Mighty Met. I have fond memories of the Demento Show back when FM was still fun. Color me old too.

Ahh, the memories.

[Aeternitas827]

When I was younger, it was always a privilege to catch a bit of the Dr. Demento show on the radio...usually on a car trip home from somewhere...usually wasn't up late enough, and/or listening to a local station that carried it. I don't think now that there's a local station here that does, though I've long given up on FM Radio. I'll remember what I can fondly, yet, I'll remain more pissed that Adam Corolla left Loveline shortly after I left high school--he made that show funnier than anything.

Re:Ahh, the memories.

[omni123]

I don't know. I like Adam's antics as much as the next guy but he really did talk all over Drew and it made it pretty difficult at times; nothing worse then having an amazing celebrity guest and Adam talking all over them either.

Re:Ahh, the memories.

[Goffee71]

I lived in the U.K. as a kid, but discovered him playing before baseball or football games (late night for us) on a, rather weak, AFRTS radio station (broadcasting from Belgium or Frankfurt, I think) - made me wonder if all Americans were that off the wall. Thought the power of the Internet would keep him going, but hey-ho - let's go!

Re:Ahh, the memories.

[Clovis42]

You should check out the Adam Corolla podcast.

Re:Ahh, the memories.

[elrous0]

Anyone talking over that smug jackass "Dr." Drew (and the "Dr." part only highlights just how easy it is for an known assclown to maintain a medical license in this country) has got to be an improvement.

Re:Ahh, the memories.

[Anonymous Coward]

I dunno, I am a fan of Psycho Mike (current co-host of Love Line), as he isnt as pompous as Adam was.

Re:Ahh, the memories.

[omni123]

At risk of starting an s-fight... what do you have against Drew? I've heard similar sentiments a few times but never really been able to get to the bottom of them. I've actually met him and listened to his show for a couple of years and I don't have any particular issue with him. He definitely has his own opinions to broadcast on radio but none of which are radical or outcast in the medical community.

RIP for the Dr Demento Show

[Anonymous Coward]

I grew up on Dr D in the 70s and even saw a live version in the 80s. Heartbreaking that it's fading into the sunset and that the current generation won't know the Dr. When I was growing up the big things on radio were the top 40 show and Dr Demento. While he had a show the truly twisted had a home. Without shows like his it's hard for such things to stand out. These days there's entertainment overkill. Unless it's a Youtube hit the odds are you'll never hear about it. Shows like Dr Demento gave a forum for such works long before there was a web. It may be giving him a place to continue on but it'll never be the same.

Re:RIP for the Dr Demento Show

[cgenman]

When I grew up in the 80's and 90's the only way to listen to Dr Demento was on tape and later CD. By that time, no stations in my area were carrying him. It was all radio stations playing the major label's push-of-the-week.

The landscape changed. It used to be that the only place to find weird, unexpected, fun acts was Dr Demento. Now some kid in Texas can make a flash video and suddenly the world shows up at their inbox. Youtube, Digg, and even Facebook feeds all aggregate the offbeat for us.

I'm sad to see that Dr Demento hasn't quite found a footing on the internet (Pay only podcast? Good luck with that.), but a legendary 40 year run is nothing to sniffle at.

fishheads, fishheads,...

[Cragen]

Lovely little fish heads! The only place that song EVER got played. Perhaps "They're coming to take him away. ha-ha. ho-ho. hee-hee..."

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[billsayswow]

Actually, funny enough, they played that song on BBC 6Music about a week or two ago. Oh wait, they're probably closing that station too... Be right back, I have some weeping to do.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[GrahamCox]

The only place that song EVER got played

Not quite true. It was played occasionally on Anne Nightingale's Radio 1 request show (1980s, Radio 1, UK, Sunday evenings) which in itself was a national institution, and where I first heard the song. It now has a permanent place in my iTunes collection as a result (along with Kristina's version of "Is That All There Is?" and "Win a Night Out With A Well-Known Paranoiac" by Barry Andrews).

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Yaur]

I remember seeing it on you can't do that on television back in the day.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[TubbyBoy]

Now that brings back some memories... Time to dredge that off the net and add it to my music collection!

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Anonymous Coward]

They can't play baseball, they don't wear sweaters...

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[brunes69]

They used to play the video for that on Much Music in Canada all the time, so I guess you could say it was basically main-stream up here. Back on topic, I am unsure why everyone is so upset. He is continuing the show online, which may make it more popular than ever before, and have much more of an impact. Things go viral online now, not based on radio shows. Any good act he promotes has the potential to be twittered / facebooked / dugg ad-infinitum within minutes.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Pikoro]

don't forget... deaaaaaaad puppieeeeeeeeeees... deaaaaaad puppieeeeeeeeeesss. dead puppies aren't much fun.....

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Anonymous Coward]

UK radio doesn't come in so well in the states.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[DNS-and-BIND]

The problem is, that song is pretty much the pinnacle of Dr. Demento. The rest of his music, sadly, just wasn't that good. It was like watching a sitcom written by fourth graders instead of highly skilled television professionals. Like, you could tell where the jokes were supposed to be funny but they just weren't.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Anonymous Coward]

I only ever saw the music vid that went with it on HBO of all places. They would show it between these things called movies. But HBO doesnt play either anymore.

And BTW curse you. Now I have that song in my head.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Anonymous Coward]

Rolely polely fishheads - eat 'em up ... YUM! After MANY years my 30+ son and I still share that as a greeting ... time to make some new memories!

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Anonymous Coward]

Kip Addotta, _Wet Dream_

Good lord that still makes me giggle. /authentically old. //the lawn, why are you standing on it?

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[NekSnappa]

I remember when he played Frank Zappa's "Titties & Beer" unedited.
Alas someone complained and it became "Bleepies & Beer."

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[richlv]

ooooooooooooh. napoleon xiv reference :)
neato. personally, i really like the "I'm In Love With My Little Red Tricycle". oh, and "nuts on my family tree". oh, and "The Place Where the Nuts Hunt the Squirrels".

i've never heard dr demento (ex-ussr, no chance), but i know that napoleon xiv appeared on demento record releases, so thanks for popularising that :)

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Anonymous Coward]

What are you talking about? The "Fish Heads" video used to play on MTV (back when they actual played videos).

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[natehoy]

I loved Addotta's work. Continuous bad puns to silly music.

"...He said I'd blown a seal. I said, 'fix the damn thing and leave my personal life out of it, OK, pal?'..."

That and "Life in the Slaw Lane" were brilliant. It's too bad I can't find my old cassettes of Kip Addotta, he had a lot of other funny songs, though none of them half as funny as "Wet Dream" or "Slaw Lane".

Doctor Demento and Larry Glick were staples of my youth.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[mcgrew]

That was probably the only show that played Captain Beefheart, but "they're coming to take me away" was actually a pretty big hit when I was a kid in the early sixties. I had the 45, the B side hade the song played backwards.

Oh, for the youngsters here, a 45 was a 45 rpm vinyl record that was slightly larger than a CD and would hold six or seven minutes worth of music per side at most. Most were two to three minutes per side. Usually but not always the A side had the song that you heard on the radio.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[drinkypoo]

WOLLLLLF CRICK PASSSSSWAY UP ON THE GREAT DIVIDE
TRUCKINNNNN ON DOWNNNNNN THE OTHER SIDE

I could not disagree with you more. There was a ton of great stuff played on Dr. Demento.

Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!Lameness filater encountered. Post aborted!Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!Lfameness filter a. Posdt aborteddLameness filter encountered. Post aborted!Lamadeness filter encountered. Post abhorted!Ldamheness filter encofuntered. Post aborted!Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!Lameness filter encountedded. Post aborted!Lameness filter encountered. Post aborted!Lameness filter encojuntered. Post aborted!Lameness filtjder encountessred. Post aborted!q

Ahh, there we go. Got past the lameness filter finally. First caps (oh noes I'm yelling!) and then compression. What a fucking stupid fail, slashdot.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[bwcarty]

The Kids Place Live channel on Sirius/XM plays it every so often, too. My wife will leave it on that channel even after dropping our son off at school because they play more unique/entertaining stuff there than on other stations.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[markhb]

Dr. Demento and Larry Glick... never thought I'd hear those two in the same sentence :)

I think Kip Addotta has a site where he sells his old albums. I emailed him a couple of years ago, but alas I haven't followed through to buy the album yet.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[speedeep]

VH1 Classic has played the video multiple times in the last couple years. Not very frequently, but I always stop everything I'm doing and sit down to watch...

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[puto]

They played that song on college radio stations. I heard in Tulane's station WTUL all the time. Plus the Video was shown on Night Flight in the states, probably every weekend night for 5 years.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[sconeu]

[sadness]

Dead radio shows...
Dead radio shows...
Dead radio shows... aren't much fun

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Delusion_]

I can trump that. I saw the video for it on MTV. You see, long ago, MTV used to play "music videos" which were kind of like little movies for songs. Now, they play reality TV shows like every other station, having been instrumental in popularizing the format.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Kiaser Zohsay]

Just thinking about it gives me the Existential Blues.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Anonymous Coward]

If you liked Fishheads, I also recommend Mummy's other work (Billy Mummy of Lost in Space and Babylon 5 fame is also Barnes of Barnes and Barnes who did Fishheads for those who don't know). His serious work isn't my genre of preference, but I still liked it, and I absolutely love The Ballad of William Robinson.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[arkane1234]

Actually, no, it wasn't the only place that song was ever played.
It was played on a top 40 radio station in the mid 80's quite a bit. It was played as a joke, to lighten people's moods.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[arkane1234]

UK radio doesn't come in so well in the states.

Thanks to the widening of the Atlantic ocean shortly after radio was invented, to avoid such a calamity.
We have enough people in those "special" homes.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Anonymous Coward]

We played "Fish Heads" on KTRU when it was first released. "They're Coming To Take Me Away" was Top 40 in the 60s.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Anonymous Coward]

I used to hear it frequently on our local college station (WAWL) until they went tubes-only a couple years ago.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[Bones3D_mac]

I actually have an original record of Napoleon XIV's "They're coming to take me away" single from the mid-60's!

The neat thing about it, is that it's among the earliest known pieces of media to include an "easter egg". If you flipped the record over and played it, it played the song backwards!

There were other attempts at similar easter eggs from other groups around the same time like the beatles and pink floyd, which would cause effects like a record with an infinite playback time, such as some copies of The Captain & Tenile's single, "Muskrat Love", which simply caused the needle to skip back into the previous groove upon reaching the end. Others were more clever, like records featuring parallel grooves, effectively doubling the density of the playback surface. Depending on which side of the groove you dropped the needle onto, you'd get completely different content from the same side of the record. British comedy group Monty Python released such a record around that time period. Many have referred to it as the "three sided record"

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[greg1104]

The video for 'Fish heads" actually predated MTV by several years. Us old folks saw it for the first time on Saturday Night Live, where it premiered in December of 1980.

Re:fishheads, fishheads,...

[mattack2]

Yeah, and, off-topic, there were video shows even before that. KQED used to show videos, I think on Saturday nights, I think in the late 1970s.

Thanks Mr. Hansen!

[VValdo]

I listened to him on every Sunday,
The Funny Five and music skits,
But now that his show is all finished,
I can't help but feeling like
Shaving cream, be nice and clean
Shave every day and you'll always look keen!

Thanks Dr. D!

W

Re:Thanks Mr. Hansen!

[wwphx]

This is FUNNY, not insightful. The song Shaving Cream was one of the songs that was a mainstay when I listened as a kid in the 70's, though personally I preferred the original and not the version that The Doctor re-recorded. Speaking of which, Barry's the original Doctor as far as I'm concerned, I was listening to him long before some Timelord came over from England.

My big problem with the show was finding stations that broadcast it. I don't know if it was ever listed, but even his web site didn't list the stations that carried it! How the heck are you supposed to find a program to listen to if you can't find a list of stations that carry it?!

So in this way I hope his audience expands. Now that I know I can stream it, I'll definitely try to catch it occasionally.

Re:Thanks Mr. Hansen!

[JohnFen]

My big problem with the show was finding stations that broadcast it. I don't know if it was ever listed, but even his web site didn't list the stations that carried it! How the heck are you supposed to find a program to listen to if you can't find a list of stations that carry it?!

That was my problem with the show since I first heard it as a young sprout back in the early 80s in Portland, OR. Even then, it would move suddenly and without warning to a random other radio station every so often. I would then spend a stupid amount of time scanning the radio dial during the time when it was on the air, until I would finally find it's new hiding spot.

Eventually, I got a life and lost it for good. The show was incredible for me, I missed it ever since. My collection of Dr. Demento records (yes, as in vinyl) was thin gruel. I am so sad that it is passing.

Even sadder when I think what could have been, if only they made the transition to the internet. I suppose is wasn't as obvious how to do that then as it is now, but it is tragic anyway.

Re:Thanks Mr. Hansen!

[Gojira Shipi-Taro]

Apparently, he has transitioned to the internet, but in the form of a subscription only podcast. I'm not that nostalgic. It's not something I'd listen to every week like I did as a kid anymore even if it was free. I'm certainly not planning on subscribing.

Radio?

[Macrat]

What is this "radio" you speak of?

Re:Radio?

[Bill Dog]

It's as dead as dead puppies. And dead radio shows aren't much fun.

Where is the archive?

[Anonymous Coward]

The real question is how we now back up 40 years of Dr. Demento recordings. Rip the tapes, upload to TPB/archive.org, start a net station that broadcasts it in perpetuity. Dr. Demento shall live forever!

Re:Where is the archive?

[Peet42]

Or get the Doctor's permission to play them out on NPR... They always seem to be looking for time-fillers these days.

Re:Where is the archive?

[damnbunni]

The archive is right here. http://drdemento.com/online.html

It's not complete, and it's not free, but it's there!

Re:Where is the archive?

[Anonymous Coward]

emusic has Dr. Demento as well...

Dr. Demento CD

[Anonymous Coward]

I still drag out the Dr. Demento Christmas CD once a year.

Re:Dr. Demento CD

[Peet42]

I've got the (not Christmassy) double CD on my iPod.

Re:Dr. Demento CD

[Anonymous Coward]

I still drag out the Dr. Demento Christmas CD once a year.

Me too, it's a Labor Day tradition.

Re:Dr. Demento CD

[Anonymous Coward]

Nah, Festivous is better...

Formative years...

[Kr3m3Puff]

When I read this today, a was quite saddened. For whatever reason, I identified with Dr. Demento. I remember listening to him when I was 10/11/12. It appealed to me and helped me form my identity today. It wasn't like I was introduced to it, it was patently "un-cool", but the show and the music struck a chord with me. I understood it and I understood there were obviously other people out there who thought like me and were interested in the same things. Call it "geeky" or "nerdy" if you wish, but it was uniquely me in a way that few people around me could even begin to understand. A friend at a time I didn't have any.

It was still running?

[Anonymous Coward]

I had no idea this was still on! I listened to the show back in the mid-80's on Sunday nights in bed with a radio propped on the headboard of my bed (a Patrolman CB60 for you radio buffs). Always tried to stay awake long enough to hear the Funny Five - rarely made it though. I have so many memories of great bits and songs I heard on that show, and that we would talk about at lunch or in study hall the next day at school.

Sigh...

[Eternal Vigilance]

Another one rides the bus.

Re:Sigh...

[MrMondo64]

Irving the 142nd fastest gun in the West

Re:Sigh...

[SCHecklerX]

Heh! I have the LP that is from... "When you're in love, the whole world is jewish"

Lol, Irving :-)

Re:Sigh...

[sconeu]

Alas... It's no longer time for number ooonnne! That was it, here it (no longer) comes... NUMBER ONE!!!

Re:Sigh...

[Anonymous Coward]

Bra size 45, Bra size 45...

Long live Ivor Biggun and the D-Kups!

Re:Sigh...

[Imagix]

Another one rides the bus.

Wrong artist... that's Weird Al.

Re:Sigh...

[bareman]

Nicely done! That was subtle and brilliant and had I the mod point to accord(ion), it would be yours.

Wow

[jayhawk88]

Reading through his website announcements there is like a timeline of and old school radio guy dying. I'm not going to pretend I'm a big Demento fan, but still kind of sad. We're closing up, we're losing money. We got only 100 orders for a last ditch money making idea. We're clearly being hurt by the decline of CD sales. We can't fill orders because we're working with Yahoo Small Business for some reason.

Just out of curiosity, why the hell is going online/podcast a last-last ditch effort for this guy? He's got a name recognition that would draw people in, and the format would seem to work well for podcasting. At the very least a podcast could drive people to his website and help him sell a few CD's/tshirts. I get he's an old school guy and up until recently still had a terrestrial broadcast to do, but you'd think someone would have come to them at some point and suggested this.

Re:Wow

[jollyreaper]

Just out of curiosity, why the hell is going online/podcast a last-last ditch effort for this guy? He's got a name recognition that would draw people in, and the format would seem to work well for podcasting. At the very least a podcast could drive people to his website and help him sell a few CD's/tshirts. I get he's an old school guy and up until recently still had a terrestrial broadcast to do, but you'd think someone would have come to them at some point and suggested this.

Radio is a wasteland. Honestly, I didn't even know he was still on the air. I never got to hear him locally.

There are so many weird and wonderful new things online. Just look at all the stuff that's being produced, from song parodies to music video parodies to fan films and the like. The impetus never went away, it's just not channeled through his show. As a case in point, MST3K. Had a great run, died a horrible death on the Skiffy Channel. Resurrected in the form of Cinematic Titanic and Rifftrax. They both seem to be making money doing what they're doing. I just get a kick out of hearing Tom Servo's voice riffing on new, crappy movies. I only wish Trace was working on that project, too. Mike I could do without -- I'm still hoping Joel comes back. (Give it up, man. Yeah, I know.)

All that being said, I agree with the other poster -- Demento has huge name recognition. He should be able to get enormous traffic with it. Look at what the Onion's done with their online presence. And they seem to be making money -- at the very least they haven't closed up shop yet.

Re:Wow

[geekoid]

He is old school media. He thinks that way, and he is reacting that way.

The fact that he doesn't cornball radio doesn't mean he is avant guard in accepting new media paradigm.

Yes, he should have been doing this for years, but is seems to me being entrenched in the old ways killed him.

Re:Wow

[jayhawk88]

There are so many weird and wonderful new things online. Just look at all the stuff that's being produced, from song parodies to music video parodies to fan films and the like. The impetus never went away, it's just not channeled through his show. As a case in point, MST3K. Had a great run, died a horrible death on the Skiffy Channel. Resurrected in the form of Cinematic Titanic and Rifftrax. They both seem to be making money doing what they're doing. I just get a kick out of hearing Tom Servo's voice riffing on new, crappy movies. I only wish Trace was working on that project, too. Mike I could do without -- I'm still hoping Joel comes back. (Give it up, man. Yeah, I know.)

It seems like a guy like Demento could have at one point (and perhaps still can) made a good living/impact by embracing this new media/outlet, having a website/show/podcast that specialized in highlighting new stuff in this vein, along with whatever original content they still wanted to do. As the other reply pointed out though, old school media guy, probably just never occurred to him.

Re:Wow

[Anonymous Coward]

Because theres no money in podcasting, and his audience will shrink as a result.

I listen to a ton of podcasts, but I know I'm in the minority. Until every car has a reliable 3g internet connection, podcasting has no chance to reach the audience needed to pull in the sponsor money to compete with radio. You just end up with people like Adam Carolla bleeding his own money just because he enjoys doing it, and even his show has become mostly plugging live events to try to keep the lights on.

Re:Wow

[mattack2]

You mention Adam Carolla, yet he seems to be the biggest example of someone about to succeed with it. Currently he's losing money, but he is getting closer to breaking even. This is one podcast I'd likely pay a small amount for -- similar to a magazine subscription price.. But not $.99/episode. (I have thought of buying the CD set of his first year's shows as I've only started listening in the past 6 months or so.)

He plugs live events, plus when he does live events does one show as a podcast for free and then sells the other one (and no, I haven't paid for any of those).

Even other things (like a reliable Nightline podcast, which often is cut off or missing), or Penn Jillette coming back to podcasting, would be something I'd pay for.

Plus, why do you mention a 3G internet connection? You obviously can download podcasts beforehand, and that's definitely what I do (so I can listen faster-than-realtime on my iphone).

Pico and Sepulveda

[sensei moreh]

I haven't listened to the Doctor for a number of years now, but Pico and Sepulveda was always my favorite

Re:Pico and Sepulveda

[NekSnappa]

Lahoya

Re:Pico and Sepulveda

[DannyO152]

La Jolla. Like Pico, Sepulveda, Alvarado, Santa Monica, and Beverly Drive, it is a street in Los Angeles. La Brea (Tar Pits) [Tar Pits!] is both street and famous tar pits. Figueroa (as in Felix Figueroa) is also an LA street.

Re:Pico and Sepulveda

[NekSnappa]

Doh! I've been in So. Maryland instead of So. Cal for the last 24 years.

Re:Pico and Sepulveda

[arkane1234]

a WORLD of difference...

Re:Pico and Sepulveda

[bughunter]

Baluga.

Bah-LOOOO-ga.

Gazebo.

Insensitive.

[Anonymous Coward]

To people with dementia.

Re:Insensitive.

[Anonymous Coward]

that's crazy talk

I wrote a column on Dr. Demento

[Anonymous Coward]

http://www.irememberjfk.com/mt/2009/11/dr_demento.php

He's a legend, radio will miss him.

"Star Trekking, across the universe..."

Re:I wrote a column on Dr. Demento

[idiotnot]

Nice write-up.

I agree he'll be missed, but, really, he hasn't been around for most stations since he left WW1. Music radio today doesn't even begin to resemble music radio in 1990. By the late 80s, most music stations didn't have network affiliations, much less run regular programming. The AOR formats of the 70s put a nail into that, as well as shows like Dr. Demento's. The stations who still do have significant network ties are overwhelmingly news/talk outlets. Why put on Dr. Demento when you can run three hours of Art Bell repeats free of charge?

I used to listen to him as a kid on AFRTS. Was always enjoyable. At nearly 70 years old, the Doc probably should be hanging it up, and enjoying retirement.

Wonder if he could guest with Joey Reynolds; that would be a ton of radio history to hear!

Re:I wrote a column on Dr. Demento

[markhb]

Yes, losing his contract with radio's largest syndicator (WW1... is there anyone else left?) didn't help. When I was in high school (early 80's), the good Doctor was largely on AOR stations (at least where I was), typically late Sunday nights.

Re:I wrote a column on Dr. Demento

[idiotnot]

WW1 was the big dog for a long time, but much of their reach was through the CBS and Mutual (how's that name for a blast from the past?) radio affiliates. Many of the music stations don't have any network connections at all these days. Many of the shorter network features that stations used to buy sat equipment for now come via mp3. Why spend #20k setting up a dish and a receiver, when you can just download all the history of rock morning prep clips over the internets? Pretty simple economics, unfortunately.

But the radio networks have also undergone several major upheavals. I can remember scanning the SEDAT channels back in the late 90s for talk programs. Today, pretty much everything's encrypted, and there's only four shows on live -- Premiere/CC, CBS/WW1, and then the sports networks. There's probably 150 stations in the US with the same lineups 0900-1900 Eastern (9-n Beck, n-3 Limbaugh, and 3-7 Hannity). Certainly didn't see that back when Dr. Demento was getting syndicated.

Re:I wrote a column on Dr. Demento

[Nefarious Wheel]

"Pico and Sepulveda.

Pico and Sepulveda.

Damn. No more Doctor Demento's Pimentos? This presages The end of Western culture.

The world is a little poorer

[Anonymous Coward]

Thank you Dr. D for 40 years of steady laughter in a box. Your show wasn't perfect, and you weren't perfect. But in your love of music and laughter and imperfection, you built something beautiful and enduring that touched many lives. I only dream to do so well with my short visit to this little rock. You brought a bit of joy to countless people, usually when they needed it most. You taught us that it was ok to be different, to think differently, and even to really enjoy the differences. To revel in life. For that, you will always have our gratitude.

Myf Fav

[Anonymous Coward]

Dead Puppies Aren't Much FUN!

In Other News...

[Anonymous Coward]

In other News the use of Condoms has resulted in a annual loss of millions of human lives annually...

Hello? 21st Century Calling?

[BoogieChile]

All you people mourning the loss the good Doctor from an obsolete medium seem to be missing a certain salient point.

News Flash!!! Doctor Demento now available online!!!

Re:Hello? 21st Century Calling?

[idontgno]

It's just nostalgia. The media equivalent of seeing your favorite first grade teacher in the obituaries. Some of us are just getting to the point of noticing we're old and haven't gotten used to the idea.

Just *now* ending!?

[Anonymous Coward]

I didn't realize his show *was* still on after all these years. I thought it was only in the 70's, or something like that. My dad had some 8-track tape recordings his friend made from the radio back then.

Ads

[Myopic]

I've never heard the Dr Demento show. Did it have advertisements? or was it listener supported?

Re:Ads

[arkane1234]

Google it.
I didn't listen to it, but the least you can do is google something before you ask it that obliviously...

Re:Ads

[Myopic]

No thanks. I prefer to post obliviously, because the conversation was part of what I wanted.

Re:Ads

[Kiaser Zohsay]

In the early 80's, it was syndicated to local radio stations on vinyl, with national ads within segments and local ads between.

One week, the local station where I listened played the first half of the show, but couldn't play the second half, because the record containing the second half had a "hole" in it. The local DJ described the problem for listeners, and then went back to playing the regular format music.

It is sad: This show is/was HILARIOUS!

[Anonymous Coward]

LMAO - this brings back some OLD memories for me, circa 1984 (while I was a freshman in college). I had come into my dorm room quite late @ night one evening (a bit buzzed from a few beers I was having with some pals of mine then)... my then roommate (now deceased, God rest his soul (he was a good man)), was sleeping.

I was being an ass, & I then decided to turn on my stereo, & lo and behold, what was on? The Dr. Demento show!

Hehehe, & they were then playing "I BELIEVE IN BUGS", lmao...

Anyhow/anyways: That tune woke my former roommate from his sleep, which ordinarily meant "trouble"... but, when he heard it? LOL, even HE started laughing his you-know-what off, from that silly tune!

(Ordinarily, we'd have "gotten into it" due to my waking he as I did in this case, with "music"... guess it's "PROOF" that "music (such as it was in THIS tune, lol) hath charms to soothe the savage beast")

I was never a "huge regular follower" of this radio show, but when I DID listen to it? It was consistently always good for a huge laugh 9/10 times!

APK

P.S.=> Hehe, all in all? It was nice to have "relived" this old memory this brought up "from the mental archives" here... So, thanks for that much in this article on /. ... apk

Re:It is sad: This show is/was HILARIOUS!

[Anonymous Coward]

Anyhow/anyways: That tune woke my former roommate from his sleep, which ordinarily meant "trouble"... but, when he heard it? LOL, even HE started laughing his you-know-what off, from that silly tune!

Nose?

Obligatory

[eonlabs]

Guess this is the most appropriate response to a radio host dropping off the air, particularly one as famous as Dr. Demento.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwuy4hHO3YQ

Missed but Not Missed

[Mr. No Skills]

I didn't know it was still on, but that's mostly because I don't know what's on radio anymore except for the morning news station. I guess I'll just go out back and eat worms.

Local Radio now online!

[acomj]

I recommend MIT WMBR if your in the boston/cambridge area, but being online it works anywhere:

http://www.wmbr.org/

they keep a 2 week archive of shows online, if you miss one live. Lost and Found sounds is particularly interesting. Quality of DJs and music subject to programing. The pdf program guide gives descriptions of shows.

Looks like you have to pay to stream

[Nimey]

No freebies - you pay $2 per show, or buy a membership and get access to everything.

Surprised

[GRW]

I am surprised to learn that the show was still running. I haven't heard it for 25 years or so.

Bart must be happy

[Anonymous Coward]

Lisa: Bart, your mortal enemy is on the radio! [turns it on]
Marty: It's time for more deeee-mentia with Dr. Demento.
  Bart: Aah! [tosses radio out window]
Marty: And now, "The Funny Five"!
  Lisa: I meant your _other_ mortal enemy. Sideshow Bob.
  Bart: [gasping] Sideshow Bob? Oh. I'm only ten and I already got two
              mortal enemies.

Bart must be happy one of his mortal enemies is retiring.

Sounds Fair to me...

[Anonymous Coward]

No freebies - you pay $2 per show, or buy a membership and get access to everything.

Sounds fair to me.

Another old media type that

[geekoid]

doesn't get it.

2 bucks a show for 32 kbps?

Podcast it, sell ads. There are companies now the specialize in doing just that, and company have opened their doors to advertising on podcasts. 2 bucks a show ir a rip off.

Don't get me wrong, I used to listen to his show all the time. In fact I had 8 track tapes of weird AL that I recorded off the air.

Re:Another old media type that

[formfeed]

Right.
He couldn't find enough advertisers, so he started selling the show on-line. This would for sure produce extra revenue. Of course you also need to hire a person to do that.
But then why would you buy the show, if you could still get it for free through internet radio? So, he asked the stations that carried his show, to pause the on-line stream, while the show was on.

At the end, there were about a handful of stations still carrying the show.

Re:Another old media type that

[geekoid]

The advertising model for online content and podcasts is different then radio. For one, you don't have to charge the advertiser as much to stay in business.

"But then why would you buy the show, if you could still get it for free through internet radio?"'

Add value to the purchased content is how you do that. Interviews with people, out takes, and so on.

Re:Another old media type that

[mattack2]

But then why would you buy the show, if you could still get it for free through internet radio?

(Note, I didn't buy it nor listen online.)

Because if he sells it as a downloadable item, then you can listen to it on a portable player, and not require a constant internet connection. (I don't know if his sales are streamed.)

Another step towards totally homogenous radio

[pjwhite]

It's too bad that this oasis of unusuality is leaving the airwaves. I listened religiously to the Doctor from around 1973 to about 1980. After that time, it was harder to set aside the time to listen every week and I gradually lost interest.
I did see a live Doctor Demento show sometime around 1977, when he came to my college and played some records from his vast collection that couldn't be played on the radio. I suppose that's one advantage of Internet broadcasting -- fewer restrictions on obscenity.

Where's the Podcast on iTunes?

[Anonymous Coward]

Dr. D needs better management.

Why aren't all the shows on iTunes as podcasts? At a buck or two a pop, he'd be right as rain!

Star Trekking...

[Anonymous Coward]

...across the universe!
Boldly going forward,
still can't find reverse!

The "stoned" captcha reminds me of another DD classic:
Remember the Golden Rule.
Look both ways,
make sure it's cool!

I'd totally listen if...

[bill_kress]

if he went back to his original format. On Sunday night I used to listen from 6 to 10 on KMET.

Back then he wouldn't just play wacky crap--at the time he claimed to have the largest music collection in the world and would play cuts from the 1920's, old jazz, and various bizarre stuff. I remember "My big 10 inch" long before Steven Tyler recorded it.

It also wasn't the same stuff over and over. The top 20 (I think it was 20 or 25 at the time, or was it always top 10?) rotated frequently and once a song got into the top n rotation he would stop playing it on the show to make room for other stuff.

There was a lot of exposure to songs from the 50s and 60s too, stuff that got airplay and was funny but was a little before my time.

When he started putting it in the 1-2 hour format it became shite--he cut out everything that was good and played the same "Funny 5" over and over again.

If he went back to the longer format and started rotating in some variety I'd totally give it another try... Perhaps reducing costs by doing it over the web will allow him to do just that.

Paywall?

[Anonymous Coward]

Um ok, you have to pay for this right? I've never heard this show, but it looks interesting. But not interesting enough to get my visa out. No cigar.

Think I'm cheap? Probably. But I've subscribed online radio shows when I have liked the free stuff so much, I just had to have the 'premium' content as well.

Sad

[p51d007]

As a kid in the early 70's, I spent many nights listening to songs like "The cockroach that ate Cincinnati", "They're Coming To Take Us Away" and songs like that.

Old Much

[Kenshin]

They used to play the video for that on Much Music in Canada all the time, so I guess you could say it was basically main-stream up here.

You're forgetting one thing: Back then Much wasn't the rigidly-programmed corporate hellhole it is now. VJs were allowed all kinds of freedom, and the station was run by people who knew how to have fun. That's how Moses Znaimer wanted it. Remember: They let Weird Al completely take over the station on 3 occasions.

Then CHUM's influence grew, Moses was forced out, it got somewhat dull, and when CTV purchased Much it passed way beyond the realm of banal, essentially copy-pasting MTV's current playbook.

KACV in Amarillo

[Bonker]

KACV is the student-run radio station for Amarillo College. Frankly, it's one of the best college radio stations in the country. Now that ClearChannel/Cirrus own all the other radio stations, it's one of the best period.

http://kacvfm.org/

Yeah, it's got some 'Dead air... uhm.... .... .... Dead air...' due to the student DJing and announcing, but has otherwise excellent programming, including new release and jazz shows. It's also got some of the nicest, most competent staff I've ever had the privilege to meet.

The station has one of the most powerful FM transmitters in the country, so if you are anywhere in or around the TX panhandle (driving down i40 on your way through, even) turn your dial over to 89.9 and give 'em a listen... if for no other reason than to laugh at the first year broadcasting students.

They also have a live stream available from the link above. I've used it to listen to Dr. Demento's show many times.

I hope the contractual thing allowing them to keep broadcasting his is mutual and amiable, but either way, it's been a treat.

Where else would we have heard...

[Locke2005]

Kinko, Kinko, the kid-loving clown
if the kids just love me back I'll never wear a frown
Kinko, Kinko, the kid loving clown
if the kids just love me back I'll never wear a frown!!!

Kinko's in his Kinko car, pockets full of change
lots of dirty pictures and sticky candy canes.
All the kids love Kinko for the presents that they get
silly leather clothes to wear and happy cigarettes.

-Hi boys and girls, my name is Kinko the clown!!!
-Hi Kinko!!!
-And I really love you boys and girls!!!
Really, really....
-Awwww
-But my legs get tired standing out in the parking lot handing out stale tootsie rolls to you rugrats, so if anyone wants to come back to Kinko's trailer and massage his legs, he'd really really like it.
Really, really.....

Kinko, Kinko, the kid-loving clown
if the kids just love me back I'll never wear a frown
Kinko, Kinko, the kid loving clown
if the kids just love me back I'll never wear a frown!!!

We go to Kinkos clubhouse, sometimes after school
we play in Kinkos crawl space, there's never any room
We have to sit on Kinkos lap there's never any chairs
Kinko likes to tickle us and give us funny stares.

-Gee I haven't had this much fun since Christmas when I got to play Santa Clause and all the boys and girls got to sit on Kinko's lap-
-Mommy mommy! Kinko hurt me!-
-But that was in Indianapolis and thanks to the liberal reciprocity laws here Kinko can be with you boys and girls today or anytime.

Jimmy Johnson ran away and didn't say goodbuy
Kinko went to look for him to help the FBI
But Kinko has some handcuffs on his eyes were full of tears
said "I'll be back to play with you sometime in 20 years!"

Kinko, Kinko, the kid-loving clown
the parents wanna beat me up and run me outa town!
Kinko, Kinko, the kid-loving clown
tar and feather Kinko and run him out of town!

-Bye boy's and girls!!!!
-Bye Kinko! See you at the turn of the century!
-Kinko really love you boys and girls!!
Really, really....


Ha ha! Pedophilia is soooo funny!

Ouch.. kiss Michigan goodbye..

[phrackwulf]

With the Good Doctor taking a bow, my former home state will be left to the not so tender mercies of that sinkhole of mediocrity and self congratulatory comedy, http://www.bobandtom.com./ I weep for the future.

Re:Ouch.. kiss Michigan goodbye..

[Kiaser Zohsay]

I heard Dr Demento play "Prisoner of Love" decades before I found out Bob and Tom were a radio show. The good Dr's show was also the first place I ever heard John Boy and Billy's Porky Pig version of "Blue Christmas".

Rover

[kcurtis]

My personal Dr D fave

I'm looking over my dead dog Rover
Who I overlooked before
One leg is missing, the other is gone,
A third leg is scattered all over the lawn.
No need explaining, the one leg remaining
Is spinning on the carport floor,
I'm looking over my dead dog Rover
Who I overlooked before.

At least we'll still have the online show.

Get Twit

[DeadJesusRodeo]

Get Leo Laporte involved. He's obviously onto something. Perhaps TWIT can buy him outright.

I used to work with a guy...

[Phrogman]

who had some of his material broadcast on the Dr Demento show.
If anyone in Canada remembers the Dr Bundolo Pandemonium Medicine show (http://members.shaw.ca/vancouverbroadcasters2/drbundolo.htm), he was part of that crew. Great guy (top right in the picture).
I listened to Dr Demento all the time when I was a kid.

Goodbye, Dr. D.

[doseas]

Goodbye old friend! Enjoy your retirement.

Am I the only middle-aged geek who DIDN'T....

[Oyjord]

Am I the only middle-aged geek who DIDN'T think Dr. Demento was funny? I never found his shtick clever or humorous, and I just don't get why so many folks are nostalgic over such low-quality entertainment. You all can argue over the merits of radio and clear channels and whatnot till you're blue in the face, but I think perhaps this is just a simple story of bad quality entertainment justifiably giving way to slightly lesser bad quality entertainment in a natural evolution of mediocrity.

Re:Am I the only middle-aged geek who DIDN'T....

[ssbssb]

Yes honestly I never found HIM to be that funny. The show was always about the songs and skits that he played. He was the host and the voice of the show, so it's natural if people liked his program, they would also like him.

Entertain us!

[Tetsujin]

mandate to produce quality programming

"You there! Entertain me! I demand it!"

You're absolutely right. Suddenly I feel stupid. And contagious.

So sad..

[PPNSteve]

Sad to see ya go Dr D! :(

Get thee to a wiki

[Chess Piece Face]

"Yankovic wrote the parody and debuted it live on the Dr. Demento Show."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Another_one_rides_the_bus

Why not move online??

[Anonymous Coward]

THere's no reason his entire show couldn't have been moved online and sustainable. Why act like radio was the be all and end-all of something like this? I guess he's too old to relate to Teh Interwebz!

Pencil Neck Geek

[Archimboldo]

The ballad of Freddie Blassie

also played on USA Network Night Flight

[vaporland]

along with "10 Minutes with The Residents", "Yello: I Love You" and "The Mentors: Get Up and Die" (the worst biker band ever). A friend of mine worked for Storer Cable, and we would drive his cable truck out to a cable pedestal in the middle of nowhere, get totally baked and watch Night Flight on a 12" Trinitron test monitor...

Good show, dead medium

[DedTV]

I haven't listened to terrestrial radio in at least a decade. Can't wait for that medium to die so we can use that spectrum for something worthwhile.

But Dr. Demento was a major source of entertainment for those pre-CD/MP3 years. His show introduced me to Wierd Al, it was during his show that the news of Sam Kinison's Death was broadcast, it's where I learned what was in that little girl's chimney, and it's where Cheech and Chong explained why Santa had to go underground.
'Tis a very sad day.



Gazebo.

The decline of free radio

[Sol Rosinberg]

I have done some listening to other radio stations via streaming over the internet, and one station in Texas, KLFX, AKA 107.3 The Fox, was bought out by Clear Channel. I have never been more disappointed in a radio station than I am in them for selling out. The morning guy, Jack Hammer, used to have a whole lot of fun and did some wacky, crazy stuff, not to mention playing "Smoke Two Joints" by The Toyes every morning. I tuned in via the internet to try to hear some of the fun they used to have, and was sadly disappointed when I found out that it was owned by Clear Channel now. They sanitized his morning show, making it drab and totally uninteresting to listen to. That station had also been one of the stations broadcasting the Dr. Demento Show when I was at Fort Hood, Texas, and I listened to it every Sunday night despite the fact that it was on very late at night. Yeah, I was really tired at P.T. the next morning, but that show was awesome. They don't even carry that anymore. Curse Clear Channel and their mindless corporate drones, they've ruined what used to be a great radio station. They, like the Dr. Demento Show, were wacky and offbeat, but great. Now it's nothing more than a shell of its former essence, with the morning D.J. not doing anything funny at all. Due to Clear Channel's sanitizing of all of the stations it buys and the proliferation of horribly long commercial segments, it's no wonder more and more people are refusing to listen to terrestrial radio, and the good Dr. is disappearing from that medium. I do hope he keeps up online for a long time, he has a great show, and after moving back home from the Army, I missed it terribly because our radio stations here don't carry it, either.