Norm Nathan's Vault of Silliness with Tony Nesbitt

Sorry about that little glitch in last week’s episode with a repeat opening from the previous episode. Thanks to ol’ pal Fred in Medford for pointing that out and I republished it with the correct opening.

I’ll chalk it up to too many late-night production sessions.

Today we have ourselves a DBG from July 2, 1992 the title of which fits almost like no other:

Summertime PUN

The game opens with no theme as it hadn’t been created yet!

Players:

Lorna from Plymouth

Mike in Marshfield

Tom from Menden

Kristin in Dorchester

Tony Nesbitt on the phone from parts unknown

Lynn Palumbo producing and playing in studio

Jack Harte from the Traffic Dept

Bdays:

John Sununu

Cheryl Ladd

Imelda Marcos

Lucy Baines Johnson Turpin

Polly Holiday

Thurgood Marshall

Jose Canseco

Jimmy McNichol

Post game:

Norm reads the 5-day forecast from Roy Gallant

Bob calling on a payphone from Ohio

Commercials:

Concorde Resort Hotel

North Shore Music Theater’s production of Damn Yankees with Jamie Farr

SailBoston WBZ Promo

The American Will Kit

Dept of Transportation and the Ad Council Drunk Driving PSA

Ep 242, Summertime Pun, burns its way to your ears, now.

Today’s we have ourselves a NNS from June 30th and a taste of July 1st, 1995. It’s a great way to end June and pack up for a lovely July vacation. That reason, among others is why I’ve named it: A Trunkful of Fun

Norm was filling in for Bob Raleigh, so we have guests and lots of callers. This ride gets bumpy with lots of jump cuts to other calls and subjects.

The first guest was Tom Hamil, editor of Collecting Toys Magazine (At the time, the highest circulation toy magazine in the country). Also was involved with a couple of other toy related publications: Toy Shop Magazine and The Toy Collector and Price Guide. Unfortunately, the entire interview is not here but enjoyable, nonetheless.

Cut to Norm listening to a message he left on some voicemail.

Jump to:

Norm teasing upcoming guests for the week – Mike Blake author of Baseball’s Bad Hops and Lucky Bounces

Al & Carolyn Burrell who restored and live in two converted caboose rail cars

David Stewart who walked 1600 miles from his home in Gillette, WY to Nashville, TN so he could be on the Grand Ole Opry

Antiques with Terry Covell and the 27th Annual Cavell’s Antiques and Collectibles Price List

Please hold your applause until I’ve completed reading the list of callers.

Betty in Cambridge

Ed from Malden

Jeanette from Pembroke, ONT, Canada

Then, suddenly, we are transported to some host on WCCM playing the DBG with Sid Whittaker? W T Hey?!

Caller named Tony with 1936 Caterpillar jokes? Norm talks under the conversation and it’s freaking hilarious! I loved when he did this. Some nights I couldn’t breathe it was so funny.

Our next guest: Mike Blake – the interview is a bit choppy, but we do get a bunch of great stories and they take a call from Ivy who is the mother of Phil and Joe Niekro!

An unknown caller

Christine who wants to talk to Jack Harte and he sings a tune and Norm joins in

Then Angela is on Line 1 and sings too! Beautifully, I might add

A super sweet call from Kathy who’s a U.S. Mail hauler, going to school and has a young family

Laurie

Marie in Rockport – refers back to the Tony call about the caterpillar (though she called him Joe)

Mike Epstein tells a story about getting a parking ticket in Rockport

Mary is on the line and feels Mike’s pain

Dottie from Chelsea and accusations against Fred. Could she mean Fred from Medford? Oh boy…Now I’m gonna hear from him.

Norm speaks with Anthony Silva as they head to the 5am news

Now here’s our taste of July 1st:

David talking about his 14-year-old daughter, Dusty, who played the DBG the night before

And a caller talking about Jump Rope Jingles

We are treated to some show opens throughout. Norm makes a DBG announcement to the throngs of listeners gathered outside the studio, Jack traffic reports, a very funny traffic report from Paul Drake on WBNW, Norm and Mike Epstein chit-chat, a Paul Sullivan live tease for the NNS and Norm talks about the ‘vind.'

Last but not least, our commercial content is from Excel Printing, True Value x2, Dunkin Donuts Coffee & Star Market

Ep 241, A Trunkful of Fun, packs its way to your ears in 3, 2 and 1.

Welcome back to another episode of Norm Nathan’s Vault of Silliness. Today’s feature presentation is a couple of back-to-back hours of a NNS from June 22nd, 1996. I have titled it: A Cozy Companion. Not just because we talk about rescuing animals but because Norm was like that to so many people during those over weekend overnights.

We begin with an excellent traffic report from Jack Harte sponsored by Acura.

Our first guest was Robert Davenport author of “The Celebrity Birthday Book.”

Norm left the book at home. It was only the 2nd day in the new WBZ studios and the ensuing growing pains left Norm all discombobulated. Davenport was a great guest with lots of fun info and tidbits about celebrities. He had also authored some other creative books on celebrity children names, celeb pet names and more.

Our next guest was Sonia DiTomasso, Director of Public Relations for the Animal Rescue League of Boston – talks about Morris the Cat making an appearance to support their effort to raise funds for homeless animal shelters.

Then it’s on to all sorts of callers:

Bob Sacco, who sounds like a guest, but just called in, hosts a Big Band Show on WAZL in Hazelton PA

Unknown caller

Ruth Clenott

Norma from Boston

Unknown caller

Bill in Worcester

Unknown caller

Unknown caller

Dorothy

Unknown caller

Charles

And John

Ep 240, A Cozy Companion, cuddles its way to your ears…now.

Why am I losing subscribers on YT? It doesn’t cost anything. Do you not want to laugh and forget about the madness that surrounds us every day? I’m curious to know if that’s just YT bleeping with the stats.

That’s why I like to remind people to leave a like, click that thumbs up as it helps our old pal Al Go Rithim. Sharing also helps. Comments too! That like button, though, takes barely a second to click on.

I also try to limit or make as a brief a request as I can when it comes to asking to support this channel. I could use all the help I can get.

Currently there are three ways to do so:

Patreon which will grant you access to episode previews and other exclusive content.

Buy Me A Coffee which helps keep me fueled up for the all-nighters I pull to work on putting these together.

Then there’s Castos which helps distribute this show to all the various platforms.

For your convenience, the links to all three are ALWAYS included in the description for every episode.

I’m also in the process of designing some merch. Yup, you heard that correctly. I hope to have that stuff ready during the summer.

Now on to the show!

A super silly DBG from June 6th, 1993 is cued up for you today with the title being…Knowing Your Own Mind

Players:

Dennis from Terra Haute (formerly from Farmersburgh), Indiana

Amy in Uxbridge

Krystal from Arlington

Linda in W. Roxbury

Tony producing and playing in studio and back from not participating the day before

Bruce Connolly in traffic

Bdays:

Richard Thomas

Malcom McDowell

Ralph Edwards

6/14

Dorothy McGuire

Burl Ives

Boy George

Donald Trump

Eric Heiden

Event in History:

In what year did Walter Hunt patent his idea for the safety pin?

Post Game:

Norm reads some various news and sports items.

Commercials:

Marezine

Gold Bond

Boston Book Fair Promo voiced by David Brudnoy

Connect Long Distance

And a surprise one you should PREPARE for...

Ep 239, Knowing Your Own Mind, thoughtfully heads to your ears in 3, 2 & 1

Today we have an encore presentation, kind of. As it turns out, I used this show 3 years ago. I listened again and thought, “Why not?” What exactly am I talking about? A DBG form June 4th, 1994, that’s what. I will however give it a new title: Emili-NO.

It all begins with Norm regaling us with a story of his baseball glory when he donned a Red Sox uniform.

Then on to the game.

Players:

Chris in front of his house on his ‘car phone’

Kristen from Dorchester

Kathy in Tewksbury with a terrible phone connection until…

Steve from Allston admits it was HIS phone!

Tony on the phone from home

Jack Harte in the Traffic HDQTRS

And Emilio Marotta producing and playing in studio

Bdays:

Dennis Weaver

Gene Barry

Parker Stevenson

Freddy Fender

Robert Merrill

Michelle Phillips

Bruce Dern

And we get an Event in History:

In what year was construction on The White House completed?

Ep 238, Emili-NO, yaps its way to your ears…now.

Checking the analytics before lighting up the world with a new episode I was thrilled to see that China is now listening to the Vault of Silliness. That brings us to 38 countries to match the old WBZ 38 states clear channel reach. I’m mighty proud. So xièxiè (thank you) China!

We return to 1992 for a DBG from May 31st.

Let’s call this one: A “Shoe-in” for a Good Time

Let me tell you about the Commercials first:

A Looking at the Law Promo

The Giant Conversion Van Show at Liberty Chevrolet & RV Center x2!

And later…Bullock Watch Buyers

Players:

Bevy from Andover

Brad in Randolph

Robert from Everett

The REAL Helen in Boston

The crystal-clear sounding Tony producing and playing in studio

The tacky Russ Gannon in Traffic

Bdays:

Peter Yarrow

June 1st

Morgan Freeman

Pat Boone

Andy Griffith

June 2nd

Stacey Keach

Event in History:

The Johnstown Flood occurred in what year?

The 17th Amendment to the Constitution took effect in what year?

Post Game Silliness:

Maryann from Philadelphia!

Support the Silly by checking out your options below and always leave a like no matter what service you use to access all this fun.

Ep 237, A “Shoe-in” for a Good Time, slips its way to your ears in 3,2 & 1.

For Ep 236 the Vault of Silliness has doled out a DBG from Memorial Day, May 25th, 1992, that also includes a nice post-game splash of the NNS. You’ll want to stay tuned for that as there’s a feature (if you will) of the show that I have not come across in a long time or maybe at all. 

Because our game was without female representation, I’ve titled it: No Girls Allowed

Before we begin let me run down the vaunted list of commercials included here:

A KERMIT & FOZZIE RECYCLE PSA!

WBZ Morning News Promo

The Chippewa Chipper Vac w/Gil Santos

The Club!

Rubbermaid containers

And MasterCard

Our all-male panel is as follows:

Joe the Baker from Malden-Chelsea

James in Memphis TN

Glenn from Brighton

Rich in Medford

Tony producing and on the phone from MC

And from the illustrious traffic dept, Russ Gannon

Bdays w/all the SFX:

Beverly Sills

Leslie Uggams

Tom T. Hall

Connie Sellecca

Karen Valentine

And a Date in History:

In what year did Babe Ruth hit his 714th and final home run of his career?

Post Game, besides the unnamed highlight: Norm reads some news about a recent drastic weather change as well as the 5-day forecast from Brett Anderson accompanied by the WBZ Staff Guitarist, Gladys Baronboyme.

Ep 236, No Girls Allowed, halts its way to your ears…now.

Picking up where we left off, kind of…Here’s a DBG from the very next day of the last episode’s game.

This from May 10th, 1994 and I’ve titled it:

The Return of NANCO!

Sidenote #1:

This was one of the first shows that the peeper keyring was introduced!

Sidenote #2: Please support the Silly by checking out your options to do so with the links in the description box.

Players:

The excited Jeff in Allston

The Big Voiced Rob from Milton

Bob in New Brighton, PA

Brian from Bentley College

Tony on the phone from parts unknown

Mike Epstein producing and playing in studio

The rather troubled Jack Harte in Traffic

Bdays:

Bono

Donovan

Dead Bday but we will guess…in what year did Fred Astaire die?

Events in History:

In what year was the Golden Spike driven at Promontory, Utah to mark the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad?

The first Mother’s Day observance was held in what year?

What year was J. Edgar Hoover named Director of the FBI?

Winston Churchill took over for Neville Chamberland in what year?

Ep 235, The Return of NANCO, peeps its way to your ears in 3,2 and 1.

Two new countries have joined the us for our fun and frivolity.

Please say, “Marhaba” to Saudi Arabia and “Waz di scene” to Trinidad & Tobago! 

Any and all help with the algorithim is appreciated so when you’re listening pleesa click that like button, share when you can and leave a comment, even if it’s just to say. “Hi.”

Ways to support the show are linked in the description box.

Today we have a DBG form May 9th, 1994 which I have titled:

Locally Grown

Players:

Groggy, lecherous Kevin from Dorchester

Gordon in Boston

Lovely and exciting Kristen from Dorchester

Paul in Malden

Keith Shields producing and playing in studio

Rob Floyd in Traffic

Bdays (because Norm was filling in for an ailing Bob he already used 5/9 sooooo it’s on to:

5/10

Gary Owens

Pat Summerall

5/11

Mort Sahl

Foster Brooks

5/12

George Carlin

Back to 5/10

Tom Snyder

Friday, 5/13

Stevie Wonder

Bea Artur

Yogi Berra

Post Game call:

June near the St Lawrence Seaway, north of Detroit with a joke

Commercials:

Dave Dinger Ford

Ep 234, Locally Grown, sprouts its way to your ears…now.

Let me begin with a question. I don’t know what the dealio is with the subscribers. 255, 254 then 260 and now 259? YouTube, you’re killin’ me smalls. Thank you. 

Ok. What better way to close out the month of fools then to use a DBG from MAY 1st. The year was 1994.

A few broadcast notes before we get to the game:

Some brief static invades the show early and was a sign of the impending doom to come. We have a short section of garbled tape that IS audible to a degree. It’s funny as we slow down and speed up and that gives us our title: Not So Pitch Perfect

The worst of it only lasts approx. 5 minutes. After the 15.00 mark, the devil has been exorcised, and we return to clarity! Our title also describes the many puns and jokes that fail miserably.

Players:

Arlene in Philadelphia

Rick from PA

Mike in Billerica

Julie from MI

Rob Floyd in Traffic

Emilio Marotta

Tony Nesbitt on the phone from parts unknown

Bdays:

Glenn Ford

Judy Collins

Jack Paar

Scott Carpenter

Rita Coolidge

Event:

Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane premiered on May 1st in what year?

Ep 233, Not So Pitch Perfect, squirrels its way to your ears in 3,2 and 1.