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March 28, 2024, 11:31:50 PM

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Scharpling & Wurster / The Best Show On WFMU

Started by Paaaaul, July 13, 2009, 09:31:02 PM

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Crabwalk

Mike's suggestions for the list were the highlight of the episode. Was really roaring at that interjection and Tom's response. Great to have him back (and unrepentantly so it seems, to Tom's clear annoyance at the end).

Quote from: Dusty Substance on January 21, 2021, 11:52:13 PM
Not as good as I  hoped but for good news for Lisk-heads, Mike is back for the Crabapple special!

I'm back in, baby. Long live the king.

dr_christian_troy

Probably deserves a thread on its own (and apologies if it has already been mentioned), but does anyone else watch The George Lucas Talk Show? Aside from having popped up as a guest a couple of times, he also watches with the audience when the show is live on Twitch on Sundays, and occasionally makes comments that appear on the screen (as "scharpling500").

Dusty Substance


Not yet seen The George Lucas Talk Show but have been meaning to since it got mentioned on The Best Show.

I reckon you should start a thread for it as it will act as a reminder for me to watch it :)

Anyone else up to date with Double Threat? It's been my favourite new podcast of the last year and the most recent episode (Oh No, I've Seen Dilbert's Toilet) is in my top three.

Dusty Substance


Watched some George Lucas Talk Show last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Didn't really know what to expect and only knew it by name. Very funny, original stuff. Definitely deserving of its own thread.


dr_christian_troy

Quote from: Dusty Substance on January 23, 2021, 06:55:36 PM
Watched some George Lucas Talk Show last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. Didn't really know what to expect and only knew it by name. Very funny, original stuff. Definitely deserving of its own thread.

Glad you enjoyed it! Consider it done.

Crabwalk

Did anyone else have to rewind to check Wurster's character said what they thought he said in this week's episode?

Hearing Tom's stifled laughter in the background makes me think it was ad libbed. I f'ing lost it too.

Paaaaul

I saw Wurster and Mike both referring to something outrageous in the show on Twitter before I listened, so I was kind of prepared and half-expecting *that*. Although it was unexpected, there have been many Scharpling and Wurster convos with fuck-bombs before, such as the Merge Round Table and a bunch of the WFMU premium albums.

Last week's Double Threat is worth your time if you enjoy The George Lucas Talk Show.

Dusty Substance

Quote from: Crabwalk on February 28, 2021, 06:28:19 PM
Did anyone else have to rewind to check Wurster's character said what they thought he said in this week's episode?

Hearing Tom's stifled laughter in the background makes me think it was ad libbed. I f'ing lost it too.

Lovely stuff.

I love how a lot of recent Wurster calls have dug deep into the Best Show Universe, with mentions of Quad P, Sheila Larson, Rupert The Manager, "It only aired once" etc.

So happy to have Mike back - Even if it means certain callers won't phone in.


Crabwalk

Quote from: Dusty Substance on March 01, 2021, 11:14:04 AM
I love how a lot of recent Wurster calls have dug deep into the Best Show Universe, with mentions of Quad P, Sheila Larson, Rupert The Manager, "It only aired once" etc.

Yes! Especially loved the Powerpop Pop Pop reference this week.

QuoteSo happy to have Mike back - Even if it means certain callers won't phone in.]So happy to have Mike back - Even if it means certain callers won't phone in.

Indeed. I've no idea who won't call in now but they've not been missed so far.

dr_christian_troy

I called in last night - I rambled a bit (and was nervous for some reason) but I think it went okay.

Dusty Substance

Quote from: Crabwalk on March 01, 2021, 12:33:09 PM

Indeed. I've no idea who won't call in now but they've not been missed so far.

Remember Fred from Honolulu? He and Mike had a bust up on the old Best Show Facebook group.


Epic Bisto

I signed up to the Patreon just because of the So Far podcast.  I'm only a fan of Y but it's addictive and absolutely hilarious at points.  Thanks to them I've become obsessed with Stills' atrocious 1984 synth pop album.

Dusty Substance


Tom's finished his book and it's out on July 6th.

https://tomwroteabook.com/

He mentioned on the latest show that there will be an audiobook version too but he's not yet recorded it. Very much looking forward to listening to the audiobook. He said it's mostly made up of stories that he's never told on the air before.

All us Best Show/Tom fans had bloody better pay for the thing, after he's given us 20 years of free content!


Listening to the latest show right now. No Pat this week and there's a nice dynamic between Mike and Jason.

Wurster called in earlier than usual (second call, I think), as OG character Darren from Work. I don't know if it's because I've been listening for so long, or if it's down to tech trouble, but Wurster never sounded like he was reading from a script until the last year or so. Maybe I'm imagining it, but there's something off about his calls that was never there in the old days.

Mike continues to be on good form and he's made it clear on Twitter that he's enjoying the new freedom on the show:

https://twitter.com/search?q=from%3A%40APMike%20freedom&src=typed_query&f=live

Whether that means they've relaxed the "No swearing" rule or something else, but it's nice to hear him having fun.

A lot of the old callers have all but stopped calling in and it's mostly to the show's benefit. There was a call a couple of weeks ago from a guy who told a story of  trainhopping, which is the type of call I prefer to hear rather than, say, someone who seems to think being "quirky" is a decent substitute for having a personality or something to say.

Paaaaul

Quote from: Dusty Substance on April 02, 2021, 09:01:41 PM

Mike continues to be on good form and he's made it clear on Twitter that he's enjoying the new freedom on the show:

https://twitter.com/search?q=from%3A%40APMike%20freedom&src=typed_query&f=live
Whether that means they've relaxed the "No swearing" rule or something else, but it's nice to hear him having fun.
He just posts that whenever Wurster says "fuck". I think he's referring to something he said years ago about how the show might change once they were free from radiio legislation.

Custard

Deffo getting Tom's book, and it's already up on Amazon for pre-order

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1419747924/

Dusty Substance


Been catching up with all of April's shows over the last few days. The technical issues are still there, often getting in the way of the rapport between the team, but it's better than nothing.

There was a good Wurster call from father and son Sherm and Tad Throckmorton (maybe the most Wurster names ever). The call included a list but it went against tradition and Tom read it out, which was a nice twist.

Up to the third Mascot episode. Good grief, the J. Mascis interview is tough going.

Dusty Substance

#767
Bumping this thread with some sad news from last week.

Former regular caller Cat from Raleigh passed away in May: https://twitter.com/scharpling/status/1402777671268847617

QuoteCat from Raleigh was a great caller to The Best Show, I really enjoyed speaking to them over the years. They passed away in May and it's just heartbreaking and tragic. A huge loss.

Please consider donating to keep their legacy flourishing!

RIP Cat.


colacentral

Is that a caller from the podcast years? I haven't listened to much of those and don't remember her.

Dusty Substance


Pretty sure Cat started calling to the show shortly after it returned in the podcast era (early to mid 2015, I'd say).

Is there a reason why you've not listened to much of the podcast years? Nothing will ever match those golden days of FMU circa 08/09, but there's still always stuff to enjoy.

The show in its current third and final iteration suffers from tech issues almost every week but even then there's something from each episode that makes it worth listening to.

Paaaaul

Tom mentioned Cat's passing at the end of last week's show. V sad.
The main difference between WFMU days, and the modern show, is that you never get callers who accidentally tune in now. By becoming an internet show, the audience is self-selecting and is more reverential towards Tom, which might be a good thing for his temperament, but means that the calls are a bit blander.

And the second biggest difference is that Wurster seems to struggle to do voices now, so pretty much all of his callers sound like him, other than Philly Boy Roy.

Crabwalk

I really loved the 50 greatest snacks episodes, even though I'd never heard of half the nominees. Hearing them get het up over buttered rolls was a highlight. The team have built a great rapport in recent years and compliment each other so well.

Tom seems to be in a decent place again and is enjoying the show, I hope.

colacentral

Quote from: Dusty Substance on June 17, 2021, 01:04:31 PM
Pretty sure Cat started calling to the show shortly after it returned in the podcast era (early to mid 2015, I'd say).

Is there a reason why you've not listened to much of the podcast years? Nothing will ever match those golden days of FMU circa 08/09, but there's still always stuff to enjoy.

The show in its current third and final iteration suffers from tech issues almost every week but even then there's something from each episode that makes it worth listening to.

It's mainly because I like to listen to as much of it in a whole long run as I can, and so binging on archives is easier. I like to be able to pick up on call backs, running jokes and topics etc. Three hours a week to listen to something is more of a commitment than listening to four episodes in one day.

I do also think it's been a bit off in the podcast years too, so it's easier for me to drop off and then not be able to get back in. Tom not quite being as sharp, the callers not being as good, etc. I get frustrated with how often a large chunk of the show is given over to an interview with a guest too. Those are okay every now and again, but it's not why I started listening.

Dusty Substance

Quote from: Paaaaul on June 17, 2021, 01:20:31 PM
And the second biggest difference is that Wurster seems to struggle to do voices now, so pretty much all of his callers sound like him, other than Philly Boy Roy.

Can't disagree with that. He called in as Bryce a few weeks ago, a voice he can still do, but virtually all the other characters sound the same. Also, Tom will always give away that a Wurster call is upcoming when he asks for 'line five' to be next. This might be due to the ongoing tech issues (Tom's in L.A, Pat, Jason and Mike in NJ) but it was always a nice surprise when Wurster would unexpectedly come on the air.

Quote from: Crabwalk on June 17, 2021, 01:28:32 PM
Tom seems to be in a decent place again and is enjoying the show, I hope.

Hope so too. We're in the final iteration of the show at the moment. If Tom finds himself in a not good place again then it's curtains for the Best Show.

Quote from: colacentral on June 17, 2021, 01:33:45 PM
I do also think it's been a bit off in the podcast years too, so it's easier for me to drop off and then not be able to get back in. Tom not quite being as sharp, the callers not being as good, etc. I get frustrated with how often a large chunk of the show is given over to an interview with a guest too. Those are okay every now and again, but it's not why I started listening.

The callers are definitely not as good. Every now and again there'll be a new caller who ignites something in Tom. A newish listener by the name of Caitlyn (in Rochester, I think?) brings some antagonism that Tom doesn't know how to deal with, which I enjoy, but there aren't that many interesting callers any more.

McChesney Duntz

I feel like Tom is having more fun doing his Double Threat podcast with Julie Klausner these days. I know I've been listening to it more frequently than the Best Show of late.

Dusty Substance

Quote from: McChesney Duntz on June 19, 2021, 04:45:23 PM
I feel like Tom is having more fun doing his Double Threat podcast with Julie Klausner these days. I know I've been listening to it more frequently than the Best Show of late.

Easily my favourite new podcast from last year. The Double Threat Alec Baldwin/Woody Allen podcast gave me probably the biggest laugh of 2020.

Another thing about the new version of The Best Show, and it might be due to the tech issues of recording 3000 miles apart, but I they need to bring back the audio bed. It sounds bleak and empty during the pauses and silences between conversation. I remember when Tom would pull down the volume during  a Wurster call presumably for future Best Of CDs, but the show would be greatly improved if they brought it back.


Dusty Substance

Quote from: Crabwalk on June 17, 2021, 01:28:32 PM
I really loved the 50 greatest snacks episodes, even though I'd never heard of half the nominees. Hearing them get het up over buttered rolls was a highlight. The team have built a great rapport in recent years and compliment each other so well.

Spent the last couple of days catching up with the show and Top 50 Snacks saga has made for great listening. There have been some decent callers off the back of the topic (no snack pun intended) and, as Crabwalk said, the Buttered Roll debate was especially funny.

Just about to start the fourth and final instalment of the epic saga.

biggins chris

Powell's Books in Portland have uploaded a recording of Tom Scharpling and Nathan Fielder in conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpdRptjNUYc

Dusty Substance


Anyone read Tom's book? I've not yet - I'm a terrible reader and have been waiting to find an affordable version of the audiobook which will benefit Tom directly without having to do a subscription or giving money to Amazon.

I'm not one to pry into people's personal lives but do we know if Tom's still married to Terre T? He's been living in L.A for well over a year now, he never seems to talk about his beloved dog, his home life or even any plans to move back to NJ. Obviously the pandemic hit during his initial stay in LA which prevented him from moving back but I wonder if part of the reason for the show going off the air last year also had something to do with his personal life.

Was wondering if he addresses it in the book.

Paaaaul

He does admit that him and Terre have split in the book.

I think the book is solid, but not brilliant. There is one section near the beginning that has a few bombshells in it that really explain Tom and how his brain works, and there's another really boring chapter later about pinball machines.