The SmorgShow Podcast (Smorgasbord Radio)

This is perhaps the most personal episode that I ever recorded. In fact, it wasn't really going to be an episode at all. I had an idea just to turn the recording equipment on and start talking. Whether it ended up being interesting enough to share out was yet to be seen. In the end, I think what we ended up with is something worth preserving and adding to our catalog of shows. Also, at 1 hour and 45 minutes in length, it violates our recent format change where we made a decision to make each episode shorter in length for easier consumption. I could have easily made this into three separate episodes, but decided in the end to leave it in tact as one continuous recording to capture the essence of the conversation.

The first 20 minutes of the episode I share my feelings about Ally's recent engagement and my latest life transition that includes watching her leave home and in less than two years, seeing her get married. Having Dave present to hear me out was very therapeutic.

We then go through a box of old memories that I had stashed away in the archives for several decades. The box contained a journal that I apparently wrote almost 30 years ago, documenting the ups and downs of a particular relationship from the time. I don't remember ever writing it, and I had not read it prior to reading it aloud on this episode. It shed a lot of light on what was going on in my life in the early 90's.

In the end, I think we made this entertaining enough to be put along side of the other Smorgasbord material.

As an added bonus, Baba Gonesh returns with a lesson about Diwali for the kids in the audience.

Chris and Dave are back in the studio together again sans Jerry Malauskas. On this episode we air Dave's exclusive interview with legendary blues guitarist, John Primer. John was the last guitar player to play with Muddy Waters and Dave got the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interview him at Johnny's Blitz in Westmont, IL.

Chris is also celebrating his 53rd birthday and shares his experience of attending his 35th year high school reunion.

Spicy Baba Gonesh returns with another installment of Baba Blue, this time in a Breaking News story about a man in Delhi who has reported getting hundreds of calls daily from men looking for exotic Bollywood film actress Sunny Leone after she gives out his phone number in the new film, Arjun Patiala.

• Arjun Patiala
• Sunny Leone

Jerry Malauskas joins Chris in the studio again this week. In fact, he never left after Episode 106. Jerry shares his experience with diversity training at work and specifically their new 'Cultural Competence and Implicit Bias' program. Jerry is none-too-pleased about it.

Next, Spicy Baba returns with a new installment of 'Baba Blue'. Geoffrey Gleason returns with another 'Tech Talk' and tips to know whether you are addicted to your cell phone.

Finally, Chris and Jerry take a road trip to pick up Dave Jackson before heading to a blues club where Dave is scheduled to interview legendary blues guitarist, John Primer. We will likely include that interview in the next episode.

We are pleased to welcome Jerry Malauskas back to the studio. On this episode, Chris discusses the news of Ally's recent engagement and the process of accepting change. What will become of the SmorgShow Podcast without Ally? Chris shares his own personal journey toward marriage and reconciles that her journey through life will naturally be different.

Other features: To celebrate Oktoberfest, Chris challenges Jerry to a German history quiz, Baba Gonesh returns with a new feature 'Baba Blue'. You've never heard Baba quite this way before. Finally, we introduce 'Q', the world's first genderless AI.

In our 11th installment of SmorgShow Theater, we re-enact 'Knock at the Door', which originally aired in 1942 on the 'Lights Out' radio drama series that centered around horror and the supernatural.

This tale is narrated by Ella who describes her descent into madness - how she married a nice fellow and mama's boy Jay who adores his mother to the point of Ella feeling pushed out of the way. Our narrator, after hearing some convincing voices in her head, pushes her poor mother-in-law down a well and seemingly doesn't have to deal with her anymore. But how wrong she is when the couple hears a knock at the door while eating dinner one night...

The SmorgShow Players are: Ally Bockay (Ella), Chris Bockay (Jay), Kim Bockay (Mrs. Kruger)

This is the first episode where I host the show with someone other than someone from the SmorgShow gang. This week I welcome Eric Coleman to the SmorgShow lounge. Eric has been serving as the AV technical/worship arts leader at Harvest New Beginnings Church in Oswego, IL where I have been running sound and assisting the tech team for the past couple of years. Eric is one of the few people who can appreciate the complexity of running a podcast and can "geek out" over the lights, sounds and smells of our studio. Eric has been asking to be on the podcast for several months and it's taken me a while to figure out how to create an episode around him given the unique format of our show. I also needed to ensure I could connect with a millennial in terms of finding the right content that fit within the framework of the program.

• Eric Coleman performing in the SmorgShow Lounge
• Eric gives online dating a chance

The result is something completely unique to what we have ever done before. We talk about about Eric's faith and his journey that brought him to this point of being involved as a worship arts leader for Harvest New Beginnings church. Somewhere along the way we determine that puppet shows had influenced us both at an early age and inspired us to pursue our passions in life. We spend some time chatting about relationships in the high-tech world of online dating apps. Eric also performs a couple original songs as well as a more current, popular worship song.

This episode is nothing like we have ever done before, but since the SmorgShow is "a show about anything", I think this fits in quite well with the format.

The Passage of Time

The passage of time: We discuss some theories on why time seems to pass more quickly as we get older and ways to slow it down.

Social media distractions and pressure to be "liked".

Breaking Baba News

Classic Chris and Dave Rewind: "Algebra - Not Just for Homework Anymore" commercial (from Season 1 of the Chris and Dave Smorgabord, 1982)

Chris, Dave and Jerry host this episode of the SmorgShow Podcast. Chris is very upset to learn that Baba Gonesh's podcast has surpassed the SmorgShow in number of subscribers. Baba's recent marketing blitz and updated podcast artwork has caused Apple to take notice. Baba's show was recently featured in "New and Noteworthy" section and is among the Top 5 Indian Culture podcasts on Apple. Given that Baba has been given the SmorgShow as his creative platform for 35+ years, it was a little shocking to the gang that this "spinoff" show has become so successful. It prompts the gang to brainstorm on how to get more listeners. Perhaps the show needs a fresh makeover or some gimmick to attract more listeners.

On this episode we discuss the recent Supreme Court case of a California fashion designer who was denied a trademark registration due to its "scandalous" and "immoral" brand name, which uses the acronym for "Friends U Can't Trust".

This is the first episode of the new format where we will begin to publish more frequent episodes in a shorter, more concise format.

The SmorgShow quartet returns with the first episode of 2019 after a rather long hiatus. A busy spring sent Ally to New York City to perform with the North Central College Women's Chorale at Cathedral of St. John the Divine and Carnegie Hall. Ally talks about this amazing experience and some of the other things she has been involved with as she gets closer to graduation.

Ally performing with the North Central College Women's Chorale at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in March 2019

The second half of the episode picks up where Episode 99 left off. Chris and Dave interview Jim Swick from Downers Grove North High School class of 1966. Jim was largely responsible for making high school radio station WDGC-FM a reality.

Jim takes us back to the pre-launch days of the station's origins and discusses how he established the first radio signals that would be the start of what would become an incredible legacy and would influence the lives and career paths of so many individuals.

Chris and Dave set the record straight that 2019 is actually the 50th anniversary of the station, not 2018 as was celebrated last fall with the station's alum. Jim shares some of his favorite stories from his career in broadcasting.

Finally, Chris shares an embarrassing story about his childhood.

Phillip Donald has completed his first new recording in 6 years. The song 'Break Loose' was written during Phillip's 6-month stay in a federal penitentiary. Phillip was convicted of lewd public behavior in April 2018 and was sentenced to one year in prison. Phillip was released on parole 6 months early and came out to perform his song for the SmorgShow gang on their 100th episode.

Lyrics:

I'm not the kind of guy you think I am

Sophisticated all around I even roast yams

So don't you say I don't have class

I'm not the roaming creep that they say I am

Don't make your accusations just because I drive a van

They took my every pound of dignity

How many times do I have to say

It's not me that you should be taking away

I've got three bags of candy still left inside

But officers are clear about taking bribes

Chorus

Why is it a crime if I decide to share my smile with you

Here I wallow in my thoughts

Just hoping I will soon break loose

****

I never even got the chance to explain

Now there's local news alerts and orders of restrain

How will I ever tell my mom?

I'm sleeping on a bed with no lumbar support

Breakfast lunch and dinner here are really a bore

Tallies on the wall and lyrics to this song

Hoping that I won't be here for long

Chorus

Why is it a crime if I decide to share my smile with you

Here I wallow in my thoughts

Just hoping I will soon break loose

© 2018 SmorgShow Productions, Music and Lyrics by Phillip Donald