The freedom to do our own thing: Busy Doing Nothing with Charlie

Listener comments!

**cough**
[tunes ukulele]
**plink-plink-PLUNK-plink**
[adopts posh accent]

Programmed radio is shite, but we'll avoid the norm,
Because we always swarm
To one that is freeform. (YEAH YEAH)
And this one's name is FMU, believe me folks it's great --
For all the jocks sing out to us
As we call to donate...

10:56am Charlie:

That's music to my ears, S.A.!

11:00am listener james from westwood:

oh, man, the eternal conundrum ... pledge now or see when dj food is in the running and then place a bet? there's really no wrong answer here.

11:48am Charlie:

It's a toughie, James, but I trust you'll make the right decision at the right time :)

11:50am Holly in NC:

Hi Charlie - Have to go out, don't think will get to listen today, so just sent in wee pledge in honor of your consistently great show. Thank you! :-)

11:53am Charlie:

Thanks for the pledge cushion, Holly. Nice way to start the show!

11:57am listener james from westwood:

aw, hell, i can always pledge again. holly's got the right idea.

11:58am listener james from westwood:

and may i say, thanks, kenzo, for the linked registration-pledge system. that autofill makes donating a dream.

11:58am Doug Schulkind:

I'm on Amtrak right now. The WiFi is in and out, mostly out at the moment, and the iPhone connection is spotty. Will do my best...!

11:59am S.A. from S.F.:

Here, here, listener James!

12:00pm Doug Schulkind:

Holy shite! Everything just popped into place at 11:59! Cross your fingers! (After you've pledged, of course).

12:00pm S.A. from S.F.:

I crossed my fingers and perforated my septum.

12:01pm ndbob:

morning Charlie and everyone!

12:01pm Michael:

Hey Charlie - and everyone else.

12:02pm S.A. from S.F.:

Hi Bob! [takes drink]

12:03pm People Like Us:

helloooo

12:05pm Carmichael:

Hi Charlie and everyone. It's a highwire act until payday, but expect lavish fiscal praise right then and there.

12:05pm People Like Us:

oh that's me

12:05pm Carmichael:

Cool promo, Vickie!

12:06pm listener james from westwood:

wakey wakey, eggs and bacey!

12:06pm Charlie:

Hiya Doug, Bob, Michael, People Like You, Carmichael, all a youse.

12:07pm listener james from westwood:

doug, that train's wireless internet is clearly a gtdr fan. it has good taste.

12:08pm glenn:

jeeez. i'd think the opportunity to do a promo spot would be a good pledge prize. li'm sure kenzo could figure it out.

12:09pm Michael:

An old prize I won one marathon many moons ago was a cassette of Station ID's. I'm sure I still have it somewhere.

12:12pm Doug Schulkind:

My connectivity is schizophrenic at best. Like you said, LJFW, a GTDR fan!

12:14pm Dan B From Upstate:

Hi, Charlie/Doug. I think I saw in your email this morning that GTDR has a flash stream now? I can't access my personal email at work. Would either of you happen to have a link?

12:15pm Doug Schulkind:

Speaking of schizophrenic:

PLEDGE ALERT...PLEDGE ALERT...
Station manager Ken Freedman has dropped a little money bomb. Boom!

@Dan B from Upstate
Try this: www.wfmu.org...

12:17pm Doug Schulkind:

Charlie, impossibly chipper tunes is way better than woodchipper tunes!

12:17pm Artie:

Septum?!? Damn near killed him!

12:17pm Carmichael:

My septum is deviated.

12:18pm Uncle Michael:

I'm not not here. I'm just not all here.

12:18pm Uncle Michael:

Jebus. Ken Nordine ftw.

12:18pm People Like Us:

Nice to see you have a Flash stream now!

12:19pm S.A. from S.F.:

Uncle Michael, get in here!

12:20pm Dan B From Upstate:

Awesome! It works! I can listen to GTDR at work now! Thank you, gentlemen!

12:21pm Charlie:

Flash are us!
Hi Dan, Artie, Uncle M!

12:21pm S.A. from S.F.:

Another technological triumph!

12:22pm Doug Schulkind:

@Dan B From Upstate
The flash player is kinda bare bones at the moment. After the marathon, WFMU's Kenzo (aka the Wizard of Woofmoo) will be fixing it up even more better.

12:24pm Carmichael:

Funky remake of Chris Kenner/Allen Toussaint!

12:24pm Doug Schulkind:

Sweet Charles, aka Noon-2 (ET) on Thursdays

12:26pm S.A. from S.F.:

Doug and Charlie, sitting in a tree...

12:27pm Doug Schulkind:

R.A.D.I.O.I.N.G!

12:28pm Charlie:

You guys crack me up.

12:29pm Parq:

This BFF is killer!

12:30pm S.A. from S.F.:

Better signal up there.

12:30pm People Like Us:

these remind me of the GTOs (Best Friends Forever)

12:30pm People Like Us:

oh... IS IT the GTOs?

12:32pm listener james from westwood:

bare bones, bare bones, dem flashy bones...
uncle michael, agreed on nordine.
and always good to hear that cambodian rocks comp. always sad, too, but good/sad.

12:32pm Charlie:

Very GTO-like. BFF is some new young-uns from Minneapolis.
Hi Parq!

12:33pm ndbob:

agreed people and charlie - good stuff!

12:36pm S.A. from S.F.:

True, James; I would guess most of those people were killed by Pol Pot.

12:38pm listener james from westwood:

s.a.: that is very likely the case. here's a post from the fmu blog that (a) suggests that was their fate and (b) links (if they're still live) the whole collection: blog.wfmu.org...

12:42pm S.A. from S.F.:

Ah, thanks for that link!

12:43pm Scott:

Hello to Charlie from Kelly and Scott in Brooklyn!

12:44pm Charlie:

Thanks for posting that link, James!

12:47pm S.A. from S.F.:

OOIOO is a cold shower; Cab Calloway is a warm bath. Both useful in their own ways.

12:47pm Doug Schulkind:

That OOIOO would go nicely with AIEAOA (Yamasuki Singers)! Oh oh oh!

12:50pm Charlie:

Yes, good call Doug!

12:56pm listener james from westwood:

back at the computer after getting some broccoli steamin'. hail crucifer!

12:57pm S.A. from S.F.:

Mmm, broccoli. Do you have a main course?

12:59pm Listening Out There:

...too darn many exclamation points on this comment list!!! :)

1:00pm !:

Hey, I resemble that remark.

1:01pm S.A. from S.F.:

...and not enough damn cussing, for a web stream!

1:04pm Doug Schulkind:

@S.A. from S.F.
It's called a stream, not a gutter!

1:04pm the cook:

A healing lunch with Florets Nightingale.

1:06pm listener james from westwood:

congrats to the winners! but there's no such thing as losin' when you're listenin' to charlie!
s.a., the main course is cold roasted chicken w/ balsamic viniagrette.

1:07pm the cook:

I'm doing the Persian twist with this.

1:07pm Doug Schulkind:

One "Mouse of Today" pledge in full ($365) will bring us to within $3.89 of our goal!!!! (extra exclamation point for Listening Out There)

1:11pm Doug Schulkind:

We're slightly under $250 from the goal now. I am confident we can obliterate it. If we do, I will stand up in the middle of the Amtrak car I am riding and yell "Goooooaaallllll" just like that soccer announcer.

1:12pm Carmichael:

Uh, Charlie .... check the rpm switch. Should be on 16 ....

1:13pm Doug Schulkind:

Motherfucker!!!!

1:13pm Michael:

Get ready to stand Doug.

1:14pm joerg:

Hi Charlie, great that your contributing to our listening pleasure.

1:15pm Doug Schulkind:

Heads swiveled, but no one looked me in the eye.

1:16pm S.A. from S.F.:

Oh, I'm going nuts, trying to get my pledge to Charlie added to my (billed monthly) pledge to Amanda from yesterday. Bet I'll have to contact someone after the Marathon.

1:17pm Doug Schulkind:

Freaktastic!!! Fanderful!!! Amazlorious!

1:18pm listener james from westwood:

go, charlie, go! thanks everyone! stay busy doing pledges!

1:19pm Listening Out There:

..."Doing the Lord's work"...well, at least he didn't say which one...

1:20pm Doug Schulkind:

FYI: That pledge box showing 28% represents WFMU's overall goal.

1:20pm S.A. from S.F.:

Lord of The Flies

1:20pm Uncle Michael:

I am all here.

1:21pm Doug Schulkind:

My train is about to pull into Harrisburg, PA. Let's see if I get kicked off!

1:21pm Doug Schulkind:

Thanks for your pledge earlier, Uncle Michael!!

1:22pm People Like Us:

Well done Charlie!

1:22pm Uncle Michael:

Aww...shucks. You and Charlie are welcome.

1:22pm listener james from westwood:

doug, show them your gtdr ID. you'll have free drinks and a row to yourself in no time.

1:23pm the cook:

Ever see Emperor of the North...? Watch out if Ernie boards.

1:23pm Parq:

Doug, swingin' town! I spent a few years living in Harrisburg during the summer of '81.

1:23pm Carmichael:

The guitar here (I'm willing to bet) is a sample from Donovan, Sunshine Superman.

1:24pm Uncle Michael:

Doug's a tough little monkey. Ernie doesn't scare him.

1:24pm Mary Wing:

Ain't no thing like a chicken wing! Congrats, Charlie!! Can't wait to co-host with you next week--it'll be like a master class in radio!

1:24pm Lewis:

@carmichael - agreed!

1:24pm Carmichael:

Doug is A #1. He can ride any train anywhere, any time.

1:24pm Doug Schulkind:

On Mary Wing and a prayer!

1:25pm S.A. from S.F.:

In honor of Charlie reaching his goal, and Uncle Michael getting all the way here, and my upcoming move to WA... I am about to change my name. Here goes...

1:25pm listener james from westwood:

100% whatever = 1000% delightful

1:26pm Uncle Michael:

@S.A., have you chosen a moving company?

1:27pm S.A. from S.F.:

Did it work?

@UM almost!

1:27pm Charlie:

Hi Mary -- I'm looking forward to Busy Doing 100% Whatever with you next Thursday!

1:28pm pacific standard simon:

Ah, I needed to refresh.

1:28pm the cook:

H.R. Roughonstuff is a good moving company.

1:29pm listener james from westwood:

^^^ lol @ the cook's line. well done. (but hopefully the move is smooth!)

1:29pm Uncle Michael:

It's not Pacific Daylight Simon Time?

1:30pm listener james from westwood:

still laughing. i could imagine seeing such a truck in a simpsons episode.

1:31pm Uncle Michael:

Good one, Cook.

1:31pm Doug Schulkind:

OK OK OK, we just changed the goal slightly to keep things fun. Charlie is and will forever be 100% mantastic! We have never had a double-100% show on Give the Drummer Radio before. Can Charlie hit the goal TWICE?

Make it happen!!

1:36pm Uncle Michael:

I prefer to think of this as fraternization.

1:37pm Michael:

Set us free Charlie!

1:37pm listener james from westwood:

i upped a bit. let's see the dog leap on the cow's back and howl "wfmuuuuuuu!"

1:37pm pacific standard simon:

Don't say "daylight" to me.

1:38pm Mary Wing:

Thanks, James!

100% Nothing will happen next week, heh.

1:41pm Doug Schulkind:

I'm not here, I'm there.

1:42pm Mary Wing:

I feel pleased that my premium cover also features a comic (but it's not finished yet). I'm synching myself with Charlie without even knowing it.

1:42pm Uncle Michael:

Are we there yet?

1:43pm Doug Schulkind:

Virtual co-host. It's kind of like one of those blow-up sex dolls. Without the sex. Or the hot air. Or the doll. Yeah, exactly!

1:43pm Mary Wing:

Everywhere Doug goes, there he is!

1:45pm Parq:

Wait, does this mean Doug is going to sing "In Every Dream Home a Heartache"?

1:46pm northguineahills:

I hope Doug's experience w/ Amtrak outside the NE corridor is better then mine. Love taking the train everywhere from DC to Boston.

1:47pm pacific standard simon:

In other news, R.I.P. Alvin Lee.

1:47pm the cook:

Was just about to go for a "on every dreamtrain..." thing, Parq.

1:47pm Doug Schulkind:

Charlie is only $329 away from hitting the goal AGAIN. Less than a full mouse pledge. A whiskers and tail pledge! Charlie is aming to become the first-ever DOUBLE GOAL HITTING show on the Drummer Stream. Help Charlie score that goal!

1:48pm Uncle Michael:

I love Amtrak. Took the Southwest Chief to L.A. a couple years ago.

1:48pm Tower:

I've been enjoying today's show as usual, Charlie. I just haven't had much time to talk, being at work and all that.

1:49pm ndbob:

heya Tower Todd!

1:49pm Charlie:

Well thanks for saying hi, Tower!

1:50pm listener james from westwood:

the iselin-to-philly amtrak trip was infinitely better than the nj turnpike. quite civilized.

1:52pm Doug Schulkind:

GIVE THE DRUMMER RADIO PROGRAMMING ALERT...
Immediately following Charlie here on your 24-hour Drummer Stream will be another live show. Waiting in the wings is Matt Fiveash with his regular 2-4pm shift. Matt's co-host, live from Studio C at the WFMU Mothership, will be Joe Belock.

Matt's playlist page is here:
www.wfmu.org...

1:54pm Uncle Michael:

I'm here...and there.

1:55pm listener james from westwood:

uncle michael is the kwisatz haderach!

1:56pm pacific standard simon:

Only another hour until Mexico vs. Italy in the World Baseball Classic.

1:56pm northguineahills:

I once took Amtrak from Jacksonville to Ft Lauderdale, it took 10 hours (driving usually takes under 5 hours w/o traffic). It went to Tampa, and spent hours waiting for CSX trains to go by (since Amtrak doesn't own the tracks).

1:56pm Dominick:

Great show as always Charlie

1:56pm Uncle Michael:

I'm more the Quasi-Ersatz Haderach.

1:57pm ndbob:

excellent pledge show Charlie!

1:57pm Tower:

Tell me of your home world, Usul.

1:57pm Uncle Michael:

Thank you Charlie!

1:58pm Artie:

Channi, let me tell you, it's wet. Real wet.

1:59pm Charlie:

Hey, all -- thanks so much for your chat support today (I'll catch up and read later), and for your pledges! I'll be back next week doing my show from WFMU's Studio C with co-host Mary Wing! Yay!!!

2:00pm Charlie:

Stay tuned for Matt Fiveash right here on the stream -- here's his playlist link: www.wfmu.org...

2:00pm listener james from westwood:

linda perhacs and laura veirs is some damn fine company. a bit of a noonday underground vibe to laura gibson's vocals, too. maybe just me.

2:01pm listener james from westwood:

holy crayap! nicely done, chazaloo!

2:01pm ndbob:

really nice song here

2:01pm Tower:

Thanks for the music, Charlie.

2:02pm Michael:

Thank you Charlie. You make Thursday bearable. See ya next week.

2:02pm Matt F:

Can I hit it now?

2:03pm Matt F:

Never mind, I hear you!

2:03pm Matt F:

Wasn't sure if it had gone back to the stream or not.

2:03pm the cook:

Went from West Texas to S. F. by Amtrak and learned that, deal or no deal, you want a SLEEPER. Nights in a regular seat is fragmented, uncomfortable, unhappy non-rest, with passenger noise and disturbance noogieing the misery index higher.

2:03pm listener james from westwood:

woo-hoo! congrats, all, and many thanks, charlie!

2:05pm Doug Schulkind:

Great show Charlie! Great showing, listeners!

2:08pm Charlie:

Thanks Doug, for your virtual co-hosting! Go Amtrak! And thanks everyone!