Is Kobayashi's Reign Coming To An End?

Many folks have emailed me this week about Kobayashi's reported jaw arthritis. Brought on by misaligned wisdom teeth and competitive eating training, Kobayashi's ailment allows him to only open his mouth as wide as two fingers.

Is it true or is he just full of bologna?


Joey Chestnut (on the left) ate 59 1/2 HDBs (hot dogs & buns) last month at a Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Qualifier in Phoenix, AZ shattering Kobayashi's old record of 53 3/4 HDBs. It seems that Kobayashi has maxed out at 52 or 53 HDBs at the past several Hot Dog Eating Championships. Can Joey eat on July 4th at Coney Island like he did in Phoenix?

By the way, the reason that Chestnut is pointing to Kobayashi is because he cheated last year. Kobayashi threw up into his cup. The crowd saw it. We all booed and screamed, but the judges let it slide. Usually a "reversal of fortune" means instant disqualification, but Kobayashi drank it. That's all I have to say about that.

I want Joey to bring the coveted mustard belt back home to the USA.

Despite the hype of the Chestnut/Kobayashi rivalry, my hot dog hero will always be Sonya "The Black Widow" Thomas. Swallow Sonya Swallow!


National Hot Dog Month starts tomorrow. Happy Holidays!!!!

I'm A Rock Star

As I've written about before, I've been trying to learn to play the ukulele over the past few months making slow, but gradual progress. My development picked up speed once I started playing with Noah, Elizabeth, and Ted. We've been practicing together now for about a month which has been absolutely thrilling for all of us. After our very first practice and after consuming a few beers, we decided to become a band. An all-soprano ukulele band, called the High Dollar Hot Dogs. (We're still working on our MySpace page.)

On Wednesday night, during a light rain (before the BIG thunderstorm), the High Dollar Hot Dogs made our debut on the front porch of a little house in the Glencoe Mill Village. We covered songs such as "Walking After Midnight," "All of Me," "Ragged But Right," and "Tonight You Belong To Me." The dozen or so folks there seemed to like it. They applauded for us, which felt so great! And I think that everyone in the band was shocked with how good we sounded. I, especially was surprised considering that I can now play several chords and sing at the same time! I usually stuff a couple socks into the back of my banjo uke to soften it, but Wednesday night, I played with only one sock!

We have another show at a party on July 14th, which is so exciting!! I still need to work on feeling confident about projecting my voice and playing loud enough for people to hear the beauty and the uniqueness of the banjo uke's sound. With enough practice, I hope that I can play without any socks at all!!!

Someone once told me that guys learned to play instruments to pick up girls. And guys typically think that girls who play in bands are hot. Will a banjo ukulele have the same effect?

Radio Show, Tuesday June 26 6-9PM

Loney, Dear - Hard Days 1,2,3,4
Patience & Prudence - Tonight You Belong To Me
Galaxy 500 - Blue Thunder
Tom Waits - Old Shoes (& Picture Postcards)
The Smiths - Well I Wonder
Les Chauds Lapins - Vous Etes Jolie
Curve - Horror Head
The S.O.S. Band - Take Your Time (Do It Right)
Rod Rogers with the "Swinging" Strings - Little Rug Bug
Bob Dylan - The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest
Lil Johnson - Sam-The Hot Dog Man
Coon Creek Girls - Banjo Pickin' Girl
Nancy Sinatra - Jackson
Louis Armstrong - Sunny Side of the Street

I have been so stressed out with various obligations (especially work) that I have just been in an overwhelmingly crappy mood for the past few days. Last night's show felt slapped together and didn't flow well. But I really didn't really care As soon as Bill walked in, I barked at him and he pretty much avoided me for the rest of my show.

But I did play another song of the Loney, Dear album which I liked. I think it's time for me to go get that one. I'm sold on them.

I also enjoyed Nancy Sinatra's take on "Jackson," but who was that singing with her? Was it Lee Hazelwood? The liner notes didn't say. We have several Nancy Sinatra albums at the station and I think I'd like to explore them. I am all too familiar with "These Boots Are Made for Walking" but I don't know anything else about her work. Lee Hazelwood, too. Who are these people?

And I am finally getting a gradual lesson on Bob Dylan. I am completely enamored with his John Wesley Harding album, especially "The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest." I listened to that song several times on my way to ukulele practice on Saturday. It is really wonderful.

The entire playlist can be found here.

Radio Show, Sunday June 24 3-5PM

chris powell & the five blue flames - hot dog
ella fitzgerald/louis armstrong - summertime
eartha kitt - i want to be evil
helen o'connell - brazil
kay starr - you're just in love
carmen miranda - yipsee-i-o
harry belafonte - jump in the line
cliff "ukelele ike" edwards - dinah
rosemary clooney/bing crosby - how about you
ethel merman - everything's coming up roses
blossom dearie - rhode island is famous for you
spike jones - knock knock (who's there?)
marion hutton - three little fishes (itty bitty poo)
shirley bassey - big spender
betty hutton - doin what comes naturally

Today was the final Divaville that I will ever cohost with Christa. Although I was getting a little teary on my drive up to WXDU, we had a great time in the station. I was dancing so hard to "Brazil" by Helen O'Connell, I seemed to have injured my hip. On the good side.

I just love Ethel Merman's "Everything's Coming Up Roses." I recommend singing it at the top of your lungs. Out of tune. Like no one else is watching. It feels great. But I should think twice before consuming caffeine... that drug brings out the crazies.


I think that the idea of Divaville grew out of a Thursday Night Feature that Christa and I cohosted on WXYC in the late 1990s of jazz and female vocalists from the 40s and 50s. In 2000, we cohosted a show of female vocalists once a month on Sunday mornings on WXDU. Eventually, Christa took the show into her own hands and created Divaville, a 2-hour show dedicated to the music that makes us both melt: vocalists of the 20s - 60s. Over the past six years, I'd sometimes pop up at WXDU to help out. My "help" usually was just me saying, "OOOO, let' s play this. Or I want to hear that." I would always want to play "Hot Dog" by Chris Powell or the "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett.

Today, Christa and I sang Kay Starr's "You're Just In Love" together... each singing the separate parts. It was a lovely spontaneous duet just for the two of us during our last radio show together. I keep telling myself that I am not going to cry about Christa's departure.

Our entire playlist can be found here.

Radio Show, Tuesday June 19 6-9PM

Ethel Merman - Heat Wave
We All Have Hooks For Hands - Jumpin Jean-Luc
The Shangri-Las - The Dum Dum Ditty
Versus - Shangri-La
Les Paul - Chicken Reel
Jens Lekman - A Man Walks Into A Bar
Bowerbirds - Human Hands
Don Lennon - Young People Need Guidance
Louis Prima - Oh Marie
Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group - Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Overnight)
Cripple Lilies - Bella of the Rocks
Sugarplum Fairies - Not Smart At All
Little Willie John - Leave My Kitten Alone
Richard Hawley - Just Like the Rain
Annie Hayden - Swingin Party

I don't know what's happened to WXYC's Music Directors, but whatever it is, I like it. The MDs must've all fallen in love at the same time a couple weeks agoor something, because the music in rotation (the required hourly tracks that all DJs must play) is really wonderful: lots of pretty melodic pop music. Just this week, I discovered We All Have Hooks For Hands, the Sugerplum Faires and the Cripple Lillies, all of which are in rotation. My new favorite local band, the Bower Birds, have something in rotation. Two months ago, I dreaded playing the required cuts, because I felt like it was all noisy, scronky, dissonant stuff. But lately our rotation has introduced me to lots of new stuff that I love like Autumn Shade and Loney, Dear. Go Music Directors!!!!

So, I find myself thinking about Ethel Merman's voice kinda frequently these days. Doesn't everyone? Years ago, I couldn't stand the sound of her voice, but she's grown on me and now, I think I love her. It' s fun to sing along and imitate her. Try it sometime. And look at her with the Muppets! I don't remember seeing that episode... I'll have to put it in my Netflix queue. BTW, if you would like to hear Ethel Merman this afternoon, tune into Divaville on WXDU from 3-5PM.

Last week, Christa sent me a link to a Louis Prima performance which we discussed at length the hilarity of Keely Smith. Just check out the expression on her face. You can hear Louis Prima today on Divaville, too.

The entire playlist for last Tuesday's show can be found here.

RIP Pogo

Every evening when I drive home from work, I pass by Pogo's house. Pogo would always be sitting by his kitty door on the back stoop or in the grass nearby, as in the photo above. He was always there every night. Always. Seeing Pogo on the back stoop meant that everything was alright in the world. Last night on my way home from work, I drove by Pogo's house and he was not there.

Today, Pogo passed away. I'll miss him. But Pam will welcome him in kitty heaven with squishy food, kitty treats and Dolly Parton music. I miss Pam, too.

I Have Versus Stuck In My Head

I had mentioned to Rossi that I was thinking about going to find this outsider art stone village north of Hillsborough. He wanted to go, too.

In my life, I've passed by this house a million times on my way up Hwy 86 on the way to Danville to see my grandparents. It on the right soon after you pass Hwy 49 in Prospect Hill. I have always loved this house... the trees, the porch, the stone wall and stone fountain. If I were to move out to the middle of nowhere, I'd want to live in a house just like this.


But I had no idea of what was on the other side of the driveway down the embankment. Wow. I squealed. It was a miniature village made of stones, concrete, bricks, and found objects. I was blown away.

In 1968, retired tobacco farmer, Henry L. Warren started building his little stone village. And it grew. It was very inspiring.


If this ukulele thing doesn't work out, I want to make beautiful, crazy yard art, too.

But when I say the word "Shangri-La" in my head, I cannot help but think of the song by Versus. I'll have to play that tomorrow night on the radio.