Jim Bronk
Appleton, Wisconsin |
Joined: January 29, 2003 |
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Shep fan since: 1968
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 791
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Comments:
While stationed in NYC, I discovered Shep on WOR. I taped a few programs before heading back to the Midwest because I thought his shows were so unique. At the time, I wasn't aware of his popularity on the East Coast. To this day most people around here remember his classic movie, The Christmas Story, but they aren't aware of the rest of his accomplishments. Thanks to the generosity of Jim Clavin, Jeff Beauchamp, and the other Shep fans who have shared their collections, I have been able to enjoy literally hundreds of Sheps performances, each one a pleasure! His humor doesn't age! Thanks also to Max Schmid for making his broadcasts available for those of us too far from The Big Apple to receive them. Flicklives and Shep...both class acts!
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Jim Bronk
Appleton, Wisconsin |
Joined: December 12, 2005 |
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Shep fan since: 1968
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 1555
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Comments:
I first discovered Jean Shepherd on WOR in 1968 while stationed in NYC. I taped only 3 shows before I left New York, but through the dedication and generosity of Jim Clavin, Jeff Beauchamp and The Jean Shepherd Project, and Max Schmid and WBAI, I have been able to enjoy many shows that have been preserved by some of Shep's many fans. I have recent videos of A Christmas Story and A Summer Story that I enjoy, but my copies of The Phantom Of The Open Hearth, The Great American Fourth Of July, Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven Of Bliss, and The Star Crossed Romance Of Josephine Coznowsky are second and third generation dubs from Beta vcr copies I made years ago. I would like to see some pressure put on WGBH or PBS or whoever is sitting on the originals of these American Playhouse specials to re-air these programs or at least release them to video. The Disney channel aired several of them, but that also was quite a while ago. Also, there's the Jean Shepherd's America series. It's time to dig them out and preserve them before they get destroyed and lost forever. If they haven't been already! Shep's humor is timeless and should be preserved for all to enjoy.
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Greg Navarro
Bayfield, Wisconsin |
Joined: March 11, 2001 |
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Shep fan since: 1977
Discovered Shep:
Guest No: 503
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Marilyn Hager
Birchwood, Wisconsin |
Joined: August 10, 2009 |
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Shep fan since: 1956
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 2873
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Comments:
Have enjoyed Jean's music for over 40 years, saw her in Hayward WI at the LCO Casino with Stonewall Jackson, what a show they put on.
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Barb Thoma
Crivitz, Wisconsin |
Joined: October 07, 2001 |
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Shep fan since: 2000
Discovered Shep:
Guest No: 704
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John Parrott
Dousman, Wisconsin |
Joined: October 15, 2008 |
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Shep fan since: 1963
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 2784
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Comments:
I'm just another whimpering kid from the suburbs, clutching my first edition of "In God We Trust.." I tried to get him to sign it when he came to Wohlmuth's clothiers in Manhasset to get measured for a suit. After he arrived on his Honda 305 Superhawk, the crowd became impenetrable, and their adulation was manic to the point that I crept off, figuring that I was enjoying the best of him as I listened to WOR.
He's one of the very few people I've heard who actually made me want to remember and write down what was going on around me; a whimpery kid life could actually have epic qualities.
Anyone remember the night things got out of control at the Limelight, and they had to stop broadcasting the show? What was that Dionysian cry? "EVOE!" Shep was swept away by those primal forces that night.
Love the site, thanks so much for your good work.
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Anna DuPont
FoxPoint, Wisconsin |
Joined: September 17, 2004 |
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Shep fan since: 1960
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 1315
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Comments:
Always loved Jean Shepherd, his late night radio show, the stories about his family and friends.
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Don Stoffel
Hayward, Wisconsin |
Joined: June 26, 2003 |
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Shep fan since: 1954
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 996
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Comments:
When I first discovered Shep, he was on WLW, Cincinnati, holding forth from some sort of nightspot. I had never heard anything quite like him before, nor have I since. I lost many an hour of sleep, although I was in my last year of college at the time.
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Ray Cubberly
Madison, Wisconsin |
Joined: February 18, 2000 |
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Shep fan since: 1958
Discovered Shep:
Guest No: 5
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Paul H. Abramson
Madison, Wisconsin |
Joined: October 30, 2000 |
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Shep fan since: 1964
Discovered Shep:
Guest No: 274
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Dudley Bowlby
Madison, Wisconsin |
Joined: March 05, 2003 |
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Shep fan since: 1951
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 903
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Comments:
...while he was in Cincinnati...
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John Talbot
Madison, Wisconsin |
Joined: July 04, 2009 |
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Shep fan since: 1964
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 2870
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Comments:
I used to go to sleep every night when I was kid listening to him on WOR. I especially liked it when he talked about HAM radio. To this day I still practice Ham radio. The best story was his prom date which ended badly with the turkey problem.
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Ed Blonski
Mayville, Wisconsin |
Joined: May 27, 2004 |
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Shep fan since: 1990
Discovered Shep: Saw One of His Movies
Guest No: 1257
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Comments:
He was a giant of radio and he influences me from beyond the grave to be a better radio host.
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Mark Manning
Menomonie, Wisconsin |
Joined: May 20, 2009 |
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Shep fan since: 1959
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 2859
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Comments:
spent many, many an hour (or more on saturday) listening to shep. Had the opportnity to tslk with him on the air. I spoke to connecting my brother to an antenna to pick up his signal in JERSEY. My younger brother called in suggesting cereal names of mummy-os one night. If you have an mp3 of these contact ASAP. Saw him in New Brunswick, Sommerville, Metuchen among other places when he got into doing appearances. His (unread) 4th of July show my favorite. Also liked the gravy boat riots as well. Flick Lives
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Newton Newton
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Joined: September 03, 2001 |
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Shep fan since: 2001
Discovered Shep:
Guest No: 670
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Julian E. De Lia, MD, FACOG
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Joined: March 14, 2003 |
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Shep fan since: 1960
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 913
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Owen ("Buck") May
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Joined: June 30, 2003 |
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Shep fan since: 1958
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 998
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Comments:
I have a long story that I will make short (unless someone pleads for the long.)
Two classmates and I interviewed Shep circa 1966. It was for our college radio station, WCWP-FM (at C.W. Post College on Long Island.) Shepherd was promoting his latest article in Playboy.
We were welcomed to the 1440 Broadway studios by Lee (whom we thought was Shep's secretary at the time), and ushered into Jean Shepherd's sanctum -- a small office with a doo-dad on the desk that looked very high tech. Turns out the doo-dad was handmade by Shep -- a bunch of transistors strung together just to look important. It had a flashing light to complete the hi-tech picture. Remember...this was the mid-1960's. And this was Jean Shepherd.)
The long story: To this day, I savor every detail of that live-and-up-close encounter with every young man's idol.
The short story: We got the hour-plus long tape back to the radio station only to discover A LOUD HUM IN THE ENTIRE HOUR-LONG SOUNDTRACK!!
I felt like Shep in the front seat of the car with Esther Jane -- after seeing that cockroach in her Coke.
Knees knocking, one of us exclaied: "Woaohhhhhhhhhhhhhh. WHAT'RE WE GONNA' DO NOW???!!!!!!!"
We settled down and simply ASSUMED that Shep -- great guy that he was -- would welcome us back with a smile. We went back the next day (after Lee had it approved), and strolled into 1440 like old friends of the man himself.
One catch, though -- and a lesson I will never, ever forget: Shepherd was NOT SMILING this second time around.
He said words to the effect: "OK, guys. You've got a half-hour. Sit down right there AND GET IT RIGHT!!!!!"
The scolding was well deserved and we took it to heart.
Shepherd had every right to be pissed. (The real irony: I later made a career in radio and TV. And for those 19 years, I tried my darnedest to GET IT RIGHT!)
These days -- it's enough just to keep my glove oiled and my knees loose. Shepherd, I know, would approve.
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Marty Collins
Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
Joined: January 14, 2006 |
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Shep fan since: 1970
Discovered Shep: On the Radio
Guest No: 1605
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Comments:
I remember attending a concert he did at Rutgers in 1971. I dragged friends along. They were sceptical about a concert where a guy sat on stage and told stories but we all enjoyed it! What a talent.
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Gene Traas
Milwaukee (orig NJ), Wisconsin |
Joined: August 30, 2001 |
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Shep fan since: 1965
Discovered Shep:
Guest No: 690
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Mike Rice
Sparta, Wisconsin |
Joined: June 08, 2000 |
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Shep fan since: 1989
Discovered Shep:
Guest No: 107
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Rich Dubiel
Stevens Point, Wisconsin |
Joined: April 04, 2001 |
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Shep fan since: 1959
Discovered Shep:
Guest No: 526
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John E Lang
Waukesha, Wisconsin |
Joined: October 25, 2001 |
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Shep fan since: 2000
Discovered Shep:
Guest No: 724
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