Norm Nathan's Vault of Silliness with Tony Nesbitt

Today’s episode is titled “Surprise!”

The date on the cassette really, really, really looked like January 30th BUUUUUT it turns out it was July 30th, 1994 the (1 was a 7). January is my least favorite month so why not think about the warmth of summer? So that’s what we are getting here today!

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Players:

Brian in Brookline

Ruth from Winthrop

Monica from Nahant

Rose in Wellesley

I'm possibly producing and playing in studio

Jack Harte

And introducing, playing for the first time, the newly minted producer: Brian McKinley

Bdays:

Paul Anka

Anita Hill

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Pat Schroeder

Ed ‘Kookie’ Burns

Peter Bogdanovic

Delta Burke

And David Sanborn

Ep 173, Surprise! Shocks its way to your ears in 3,2 and 1.

Patreon

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Hello and welcome back for another episode of Norm Nathan’s Vault of Silliness. Today brings us aa show I’ve titled: “Time for a Name Change.”

Why? Because this was before Ed Mullen filed formal papers with legal to change the name to The Swell Music Quiz. For this one it was called:

The Dumb Music Trivia Quiz Game.

Ric Duarte was producing.

There were only TWO categories on this early incarnation of the SMQ:

Rock n Roll and Big Bands

But later, Darrell Gould joins in with Doo Wop!

So the The Panel consisted of:

Norm, Ed, Darrell, Jack Harte and much later, I grace the broadcast booth with my presence because I was working some bizarro shift WBZ created when they shifted hours around. There was a 3 hour shift M-F that ran 2-5am. Yeah, try to get up for that one if you fell asleep at home.

Did that sound like I was speaking from experience? Maybe.

Of course we begin with Ed explaining the rules and then it’s on the callers:

Fred from Medford

Sean in Cambridge

May in Boston!

Bill from Chelsea

Brian from Newton

Arlene in Braintree

Kevin from Providence, RI

Oakley from Falmouth

Joe in Malden

Derek in his car…nope, it’s Rick

Jim from Somerville

John from Hornell, NY

Ken in Randolph

Joe in Waltham

The prophetic Harry from Milford

Steve in Brockton

Jodie from NY

Beth in Michigan

Randy from Norton

Jerry in Quincy

Jonathan from Salem

Sean in Chelsea

Joe from Chelsea

Phil in Newton

Joe from Brookline

Geri in Clinton

Kathy from Quincy

John in Natick

Mike in Swampscott

David from Chelmsford

Andrew in Boston

Kevin in Malden

Geri from Clinton…wait. Again?

Warren on the Mass Pike

Bob in Fitchburg

And Rob from Needham

Ep 172, Time for a Name Change, hums its way to your ears, now.

Patreon

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Let’s keep the laughs going here early in 2024 with a DBG from January 7th, 1995.

The title? It Doesn’t Get Any Simpler.

Players:

Terry

Al from South Boston

Pat in Brockton

Rick from Newton

Jim Cormier producing and playing in studio

And Jack Harte the traffic guy

Bdays:

Nicholas Cage

Kenny Loggins

Katie Couric

Donna Rice

Alvin Dark

William Peter Blatty

Dates in History:

The world’s first typewriter was patented by Henry Mill in what year?

In what year was commercial TransAtlantic telephone service inaugurated between NY and London?

Ep 171, It Doesn’t Get Any Simpler, kindly makes it way to your ears in 3,2 annnnnnd 1.

Patreon

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Our first installment of 2024 is a DBG from January 1st, 1994.

Let’s title it, "Getting Saucy with Italian Names."

Players:

Julie in Medford

Ginny from Burlington

Judy in Lynn

John Kelly

Aaron Sawyer

I'm on the phone

Bdays:

Barry Goldwater

Frank Langella

Don Novello

JD Salinger

And Country Joe McDonald

Dates in History:

In what year did Elizabeth Taylor announce she would be marrying actor Michael Wilding?

Hank Williams died on Jan 1st in what year?

What year did President Abraham Lincoln sign the Emancipation Proclamation? 

And The Ellis Island Immigration Station opened in what year?

Ep 170, Getting Saucy with Italian Names, stirs it’s way to your ears, now.

Patreon

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Ho, Ho, Ho and Merry Silliness to you all!

Today a fascinating interview with Nat Hentoff on Jazz, country music and his book, “Listen to the Stories” begins our NNS from December 27th, 1995.

Because of the time of year I will title this: The Past is the Present!

Next guest: Rebecca Molly – Middlesex News reporter who was doing an article on overnight radio, her focus was on the people who CALL talk radio during the overnights.

Norm teases guests and features on the show for the week as he filled in for the vacationing Bob Raleigh:

One was Jami Bernard author of “Total Exposure: The Movie Buffs Guide to Celebrity Nude Scenes.”

Richard Alan Heene – “The Offensive Driving Handbook”

Ann Marie Bivens – “101 Secrets to Winning Beauty Pageants.”

And Bruce Lee a former WEEI Broadcaster and his wife Norita, join us later from Sapphire Village on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Callers:

The dreaded Unknown Caller

Fred from Medford

A familiar sounding caller talking about all different radio stations

Ruth Clennott

Charlie from NY

Caller talking books and reading

Another Caller with more on reading

Lynne from N. Andover

The Amazing Mr. B from Boston

Joan

And John from Charlestown

Ep 169, “The Past is the Present” unwraps its way to your ears in 3,2, annnnnd 1.

Patreon

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This week it's DBG/DBG from the weekend of December 17th and 18th, 1994.

Let’s call this one: “2 for the Price of None”

Players:

Laurie

Ellen in Stoneham

Carol Lee from Providence, RI

Brian in Plaistow, NH

Brian McKinley producing and playing in studio

Jack Harte in traffic

Bdays:

Eugene Levy

Robert Guccione

William Sapphire

Gene Rayburn

Sarah Dallin

Marilyn Beck

History:

Wilbur and Orville Wright had their maiden flight at Kittyhawk, NC in what year?

In what year did Edgar Bergen make his radio debut on the Rudy Vallee Show?

DBG #2 – 12/18/94 

Players:

Thomas in Clevland

Frank in Ontario

Juanita from Birmingham, MI

Brian McKinley producing and live, in studio

Ken Newman in Traffic

Bdays:

Kiefer Sutherland

Keith Richards

Roger Smith

Steven Spielberg

Leonard Maltin

Anita O’Day

Bill “Moose” Scowron

Ossie Davis

Please don’t forget Patreon and become a subscriber for exclusive content.

Patreon

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Not one but TWO very silly DBG’s lay ahead here on Episode 167. Both from the weekend of December 9th and 10th, 1995. Based on the wacky discussions that took place throughout I have titled this:

“Shake Well Before Listening.”

Game #1 features the following cast:

Jack Harte

Ed LeClair

Dave

Ellen in Peabody

Forrest from Woonsocket, RI

And Dorothy in NY

The Bdays:

Kirk Douglas

Dick Van Patten

Beau Bridges

Dick Butkus

Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

John Malkovich

Donny Osmond

And Joan Armatrading

Game #2 stars:

Ken Newman in traffic

Ed LeClair

Marie in Quincy

Betty in Louisville KY

Kevin from Boston

And Jim in Lowell

And the Bdays:

Dorothy Lamour

Harold Gould

Susan Dey

Kenneth Branagh

Gloria Loring

12/11

Teri Garr

Brenda Lee

And John Kerry

Ep 167, Shake Well Before Listening, bubbles it’s way to your ears in 3, 2 and 1.

Patreon

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Hejsan Allt bra Sweden! Thanks for discovering us here at the Vault of Silliness!

Today, as we kick of December and feeling a bit nostalgic, I thought it would be a treat to make most of these episodes ‘2-siders.’ I mean, it is the season of giving.

Today we harken back to the heady day of December 5th, 1993 for a NNS/DBG which I have titled: “The Donahue Début,” because WBZ’s and now AP’s own Ed Donahue plays the DBG for the first time!

We get to it right away with calls:

Dennis

Bob

Jean

Hank

And then Steve

Now it’s DBG time!

Players:

Eddie in Allston – his cat’s name is Clyde

Our good friend Helen

The just so darn thriILLed Amy from Boston. Cat’s name is Ma

Mark in Hudson, NH – his cat’s name is BJ

Sid Whittaker producing and playing in studio

Bruce Connolly in Traffic

Ed Donahue on the phone!

Bdays:

Deanna Durbin is briefly discussed because of tech issues the night before the game was not played and I guess Norm wanted to mention her.

Now, the real bdays:

Jim Messina

Little Richard

Morgan Brittany

Jim Plunkett

Calvin Trillin

Wil Shriner

Steven Wright

And Dave Brubeck

Post-game callers

Joe in Waltham

And Jeff from Dorchester

Commercials:

The opening to a few Gold Bond’s and an Ovaltine spot

Norm read for Heritage Radio

The Irish Crystal Co.

A terribly annoying spot for the Westborough Antique and Flea Market

James Rife of Riverdale, IL for Gold Bond

Bessie Dupree of St. Petersburg, FL for Ovaltine

Ep 166, The Donahue Début, sparkles its way to your ears, now.

Patreon

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We revisit Thanksgiving week again, with this episode from November 28, 1993. It’s possible another date may have slipped in, or the tape was mislabeled. That does not happen often as our friend Joan was rather meticulous and would even provide copious notes.

So, Because this is a NNS/DBG/NNS broadcast, I’ve decided to call it: “A Cold Turkey Sandwich.”

The DBG is only a partial game that picks up towards the end. We get two celebrities, three history questions and lots of puns.

Callers throughout are as follows:

Good Ol’ Jack in NH

Jane in Pinehurst, NC

John

Paul

Dave

The Reminiscing Pete

The hacking, snorting, hysterical Beverly – what a call!

Guy from Westford

And Ann

We welcome an awesome repeat guest, Jean Aspen author of “Arctic Daughter: A Wilderness Journey” What an amazing story and life. Her description of being in the Arctic is stunning. We had her on with her other book, “Arctic Son.”

The DBG is joined in progress and is very funny.

Players:

I’m on the phone

Sid Whittaker producing and playing in studio

Bruce Connolly in Traffic

Fred in Medford

Dave

Virginia

And Itsy Bitsy Christopher

Bdays:

Gary Hart

Hope Lange

History:

What year did the The Coconut Grove fire happened in Boston?

America’s first auto race took place in what year?

What year was the 1st WSM Barn Dance (Later renamed: The Grand Ole Opry)?

We have Commercials from:

The Club

Ovaltine

Mrs. Nelson’s Candy House but it’s only a tease because it’s edited out

And a Commercial Read by Norm for Heritage Radio

Ep 165, A Cold Turkey Sandwich, slices its way to your ears in 3,2 and 1.

Patreon

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Episode 164 brings us back to Thanksgiving morning, November 24th, 1993 for a NNS that I will call: “Storytime.” Not only does our guest tell stories but so do the callers. It’s one I hope you enjoy all throughout this coming week.

Norm’s guest was uber successful film director Richard Fleischer (son of animation pioneer, Max Fleisher) and author of “Tell Me When to Cry.” He regales us with stories from his career in another great interview by Norm. They take one call from Mark in Newton. A phenomenal guest.

Post interview I joined Norm and we talked turkey including the SMQ and an upcoming guest: Fred Goss of The Newsletter Association

Calls:

Fred from Medford

A Caller with a familiar voice but I cannot recall the name. He reads a chapter from a story he was writing, I believe was titled, “The Castle.”

Charlie in Framingham – who keeps interrupting Norm

Gloria – sharing grief and maybe a love connection?

Danny from Revere who tells a personal Thanksgiving story

Janet with a sweet call

Joe the Baker/Plumber with some cooking tips

Robert talking accents

And Joe from Quincy who also chats about accents.

Ep 164, Storytime, turns to page 1, now.

Patreon

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