10/30/2007 @ 8:45am PST
Tuesday Morning, October 30th! More Halloween stuff today, including Pumpkin Carving with your Computer!

Halloween is the second biggest holiday celebration of the year and the number one candy sales day of the year with $2 billion. That beats out Valentine's Day, Easter and Christmas. In fact, one quarter of all the candy sold each year is purchased between September 15 and November 10th.

The biggest pumpkin in the world? Yes, Charlie Brown, there is a Great Pumpkin! It weighed in at 1,689 pounds on September 29, 2007 at the annual Topsfield Fair and Great Pumpkin weigh-off in Massachusetts. Take a look on this link. http://www.pumpkinnook.com/giants/giantpumpkins.htm

And now, if you would like to practice carving Pumpkins online and make your own creative designs, just click on this link, have your mouse ready as your carving tool, and have fun! Kids especially will love this!

http://www.cubpack81.com/images/carve_pumpkin.swf

On the "Tuna Clips" today, a reprise of Bobby "Boris" Pickett, the "Monster Mash" star who was hanging around in my studio on Halloween-1988 when I was talking to Mike Marinachi, author of "Mysterious California", a book that takes you on a tour of all the places in our Golden State where you can find ghosts, spirits, and just plain strange spooky stuff! Plus there's my 1988 visit with the late Warren Freiberg who died in 2000, A Chicago newspaper columnist, who loved to explore the occult, ghosts and investigate unexplained phenomena. Wait till you hear Warren explain Ghosts, it sounds like the storylines of Jennifer Love Hewitt's "Ghost Whisperer" on CBS!

More great emails still coming in, click on the "Tuna Talkback" link for them and get ready for a Happy Halloween tomorrow. I'll have all sorts of Halloween trivia tomorrow to have fun with! (Boy, this stuff really makes me anxious about getting back on the radio, but I'll be patient, hopefully you'll wait for me too!)

Charlie

10/29/2007 @ 8:30am PST
Monday Morning, October 29th! A Halloween themed website today, starting with a game that'll take up your whole day.

First of all, did you have to reset some automatic devices that switched you off of Daylight Savings time Sunday morning at 2 a.m.? Apparently not all the automatic programs that change the time were programmed with the new dates this year that pushed the "Fall Back" to this coming weekend, November 4th. Even my cell phone showed I had gained an extra hour early Sunday morning, you'd think somebody would have checked this, or maybe they didn't hear about the change this year in the law, where we "Spring Ahead" on the second Sunday in March and fall back the first Sunday in November. Estimated additional energy savings for the nation is 1%.

Now to the Halloween theme this week till Wednesday. On the "Tuna Clips" today, a couple of vintage interviews with the late Bobby "Boris" Pickett who had one of the biggest hits ever with "Monster Mash". Bobby was in studio with me 20 years ago explaining where the idea for the record came from, the sound effects that were used, the fact it was recorded in only one take, the young keyboard player on the song who later became a superstar himself, and what Elvis thought about the song the first time he heard it.

Also on "Tuna Clips" today, a 1974 visit with Louise Huebner, who was known back then as the "official" Witch of Los Angeles County, so proclaimed by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. Louise teaches me a spell that everyone can try on Halloween to achieve our dreams and desires.

No tricks, just a lot of "treats" today in the "Tuna Talkback" email link with more messages from all you listeners. Thank you for your tremendous support. It's 6 weeks today since my last show, and the emails continue to come in.

And finally, here's a link to a Halloween game that you may wind up playing all day on your computer instead of working.....just wanted to warn you in advance.

http://www.dedge.com/flash/hangman/hangman.swf

More Tricks and Treats tomorrow!

Charlie

P.S. Congratulations to the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, second time in 4 years they've won it all! I mention that because my website designing son Bryan and his Boston born fiance Liz, that's their favorite team. Me, I'm stuck with my Nebraska Cornhuskers Football team (losers of 4 straight games now for the first time since 1961).....it's been that kind of year:)

10/26/2007 @ 8:30am PST
Friday Morning, October 26th! After the week we've been through, here's a little laugh for the weekend!

Have a great weekend! Words cannot say thank you enough to all the firefighters and law enforcement personell who helped us survive this harrowing week in Southern California! Here's something to put a smile on your face for the weekend.


In a busy city at a crowded bus stop, a beautiful young woman was waiting for the bus. She was decked out in a tight leather miniskirt with matching tight leather boots and jacket.

As the bus rolled up and it was her turn to get on the bus, she became aware that her skirt was too tight to allow her leg to come up to the height of the bus's first step. So, slightly embarrassed and with a quick smile to the bus driver, she reached behind her and unzipped her skirt a little thinking that this would give her enough slack to raise her leg. Again she tried to make the step onto the bus, only to discover she still could not make the step. A little more embarrassed, she once again reached behind her and unzipped her skirt a little more. And for a second time she attempted the step and once again, much to her chagrin, she could not raise her leg because of the tight skirt. With a coy little smile to the driver, she again unzipped the offending skirt to give a little more slack and again was unable to make the step.

About this time, the big Texan, who was behind her in the line, picked her up easily from the waist and placed her lightly on the step of the bus.

Well, she went ballistic and turned on the would-be hero, screeching at him, "How dare you touch my body!! I don't even know who you are!!"

At this, the Texan drawled, "Well. ma'am, normally I would agree with you, but after you unzipped my fly three times, I kinda figured that we was friends."

10/25/2007 @ 8:44am PST
Thursday Morning, October 25th! Now that some people are getting a chance to return to their homes in fire scorched areas, there are questions! Find out the answer to all questions by reading below!

As the firefighters start to gain the upper hand and get containment on this historic number of fires, and a record million plus people begin to return to see if their homes are still standing, there are the inevitable questions of not only why did this happen, but in some cases, what mentally crazed arsonists may have contributed to some of the fires starting? And also why did some homes burn to the ground, and why did other homes right next to them not suffer any damage?

There isn't any logic that can explain it, or are there any reasonable answers. But more than a few listeners have emailed me asking for a reprint of a piece about 9-11 that I read on the air a month and half ago, that it may offer some consolation and hope.


It's called "The Little Things"!

As you might know, the head of a company survived 9/11 because his son started kindergarten.

Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her alarm clock didn't go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident.

One of them missed his bus. One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change.

One's car wouldn't start.

One went back to answer the telephone .

One had a child that dawdled and didn't get ready as soon as he should have.

One couldn't get a taxi.

The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work, but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.

So now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone.....all the little things that annoy me. I think to myself, this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment. Next time your morning seems to be going wrong, the children are slow getting dressed, you can't seem to find the car keys, you hit every traffic light, don't get mad or frustrated; God is at work watching over you. May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things.....and may you remember their possible purpose.


Just to add a little more perspective to this, certainly losing a home and all your possessions in it is more than just an annoying little thing, it's a life-changing event that tests your will and your faith to continue. But we all have similar events in our lives that have the same impact emotionally. Relationships that we thought would be forever suddenly end, a devastating accident injury, death of a very close loved one, or the loss of a job that you loved and you wonder what's next.

I can certainly identify with that last one, but now over 5 weeks later, it may have turned out to be just the thing I needed to get my life back in balance. I loved my job so much that it consumed me, and diet, exercise, sleep, home projects....all suffered because I gave everything to the morning show preparation and let everything else slide. It was one of those treadmills you get on, and need a little tap on the shoulder from above to get off.

I've lost 17 pounds so far with diet and exercise (yes, even no pizza, and more water than Diet Coke), my sleep debt has been repaid from not waking up at 2 in the morning to get ready for the show (I'm still up at 4:30 though), I'm getting all my studio files and audio archives organized, and I've got time for me, my friends and family. I didn't know it at the time, but it was just what I needed to get ready for the next chapter in my radio career.

So if you, or you know someone who's had one of life's big setbacks, maybe it's supposed to happen to put you on a new path that will take you down a brand new road to happiness. It's up to us to realize when it happens.

On "Tuna Clips" today, a visit with my friend Regis Philbin, and one of my favorite dumb jokes. Check the "Tuna Talkback" link too for more new emails.

Have a great day, and don't worry about life's little annoyances. Now you know why!

Charlie

10/24/2007 @ 7:35am PST
Wednesday Morning, October 24th! If you haven't been affected by the fires, don't be so sure. Read on below!

Everyday I not only get a bunch of new emails from listeners and fans wondering or commenting about my radio situation, but also little tidbits that I like to share with all of you. I got one yesterday from Earle Wayne Arnold that seemed particularly fitting with all of the problems that hundreds of thousands of people are facing with the fires.....and then there are those of us (by the grace of God), who haven't been touched by this tragic devastation yet. Read on if you're one of the lucky ones. It's a simple fable of the Tapestry of Life.


A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see a farmer and his wife open a package.

What food might this contain? The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning: "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr.Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse turned to the cow and said "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!"

The cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose."

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock.

To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

The farmer's wife did not get well; she died.

So many people came for her funeral; the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

REMEMBER.....EACH OF US IS A VITAL THREAD IN ANOTHER PERSON'S TAPESTRY. OUR LIVES ARE WOVEN TOGETHER FOR A REASON.


Admittedly, it's a children's level fable, but it has wisdom for all ages. Hope it makes you think. Today, in the "Tuna Clips", a couple of 1998 clips.....one has Mary Wilson of the legendary Motown group, the Supremes, with a ghostly reminder of her 60's appearances on the famous Sunday night Ed Sullivan variety show on CBS.....the other one is suggestions on how to spice up those Awards shows. More new emails in the "Tuna Talkback" link too.

Again, Thank You to the firefighters for their heroic efforts so far, and all the law enforcement personnel helping them. Our thoughts and prayers are with them and all the people who have been affected by this historic tragedy in Southern California.

Charlie

10/23/2007 @ 7:57am PST
Tuesday Morning, October 23rd! Pictures are sometimes worth a thousand words!

In 40 years of Southern California radio, I can't recall a day with as many fires as I saw springing up all over yesterday. Even all the local TV channels preempted their regular daytime programming, and watching their coverage just broke your heart seeing so many families driven from their homes, fighting frantically to the last second the oncoming flames. So far there are well over a half million people in Southern California displaced by this disaster and the number continues to grow.

If you know someone who's been affected by the fire, tell them to contact their insurance agent. In talking to my agent's office yesterday (he lives in Santa Clarita and was waiting to see if his house would be in danger), his secretary told me that the phone had been ringing constantly since 9 a.m., and they were telling their policy holders of a local hotel that was giving discount rates to people who now needed a place to stay after being forced from their homes or apartments. I also saw that some local storage companies were offering free 30 day storage facilities to fire victims.

But the remarkable story the TV pictures showed was the bravery and tenacity of the firefighters who refused to surrender any structure to the oncoming inferno without every possible exhaustive effort they could bring to the fight. Watching the air strikes too was an education in heroic aviation, with the uncertain swirling wind blasts and air pockets created by the flames, the pilots of the fixed wing aircraft and helicopters still delivered their fire dousing payloads with pinpoint accuracy. It was the ultimate adventure where the heroes win!

There's still a long way to go till the winds die down and the firefighters get containment of all these blazes, but you just know they're going to do it eventually. In the meantime, take a look at this firefighter tribute video on YouTube I saw yesterday. You can't help but have tears well up watching our heroes at work! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zW5UYZFNI_g

To all the families affected, our firefighters, and all the law enforcement personnel helping them, our thoughts and prayers are with you.


On the "Tuna Clips" link today, Cher in studio talking about the first time she sang "I Got You Babe" with someone other than Sonny, and an eerie story about Sonny Bono still around her long after his death. Plus, Halloween is just over a week away and wait till you hear this Ghost story. More new "Tuna Talkback" emails too as my listeners continue to vent. Thank you for all your support!

Be safe today, and pray for the firefighters to get the upper hand on all the flames.

Charlie

10/22/2007 @ 10:45am PST
Monday Morning, October 22nd! God Bless the Firefighters! Wait till you read what they're up against in the future.

What an incredible day with our first big Santa Ana event yesterday, and the resulting raging fires from Santa Barbara County to San Diego. And it's only going to get worse for our real Southern California Heroes, the men and women who grew up to actually be the firefighters every kid once dreamed about becoming.

On "60 minutes" last night, Reporter Scott Pelley led off the hour with the Mega-Fires that have become a reality in recent years. Last fire season was the worst in recorded history. This year is already a close second, with two months to go. More than eight million acres have burned this year already in the American West.

Scott spoke with Tom Boatner, who after 30 years on the fire line, is now the chief of fire operations for the federal government. Tom pointed out that big fires of 100,000 or 200,000 acres were once extremely rare, now those are fairly common with some fires these days reaching over a half million acres. He went back to the records of the past 47 fire seasons since 1960 and pointed out that seven of the 10 busiest fire seasons have been since 1999.

Talking to scientists, "60 Minutes" also learned that climate change has indeed played a big part in this fiery inferno we find ourselves in, with warmer springs, longer summer dry seasons, drier vegetation (which provoked more and longer burning large wildfires), and longer fire seasons. Reduced winter precipitation and an early spring snowmelt played a role in this shift.

What all this means is that with the drier winters that are forecast for our future, and the threat of water rationing in the coming year, it's going to be a very tough time ahead for all of us in general and firefighters in particular.

You can't help but have a tremendous admiration for our Southern California firefighters and all the additonal out of state firefighters who have rushed here to help in the battle. Some of them were on the firelines all day yesterday without any stopping for food in order to maintain their stand against the approaching flames. Some rushed into the burning buildings to check for people when there was a question if everyone had gotten out or in some cases, to check for valuables the homeowners said they had left behind. They risk life and limb, all in the name of doing their job, and the people they have vowed to protect. It's no wonder they are always at the top of the most admired profession list.

Thank you too, to all the law enforcement officials, CHP, Police and Sheriff's departments, who have assisted in the traffic control and getting citizens out of harm's way. It's times like this you really appreciate the men and women who have chosen this profession to serve us. Don't forget to say "Thank You" when you see them.


On today's "Tuna Clips", the incredible Frank Caliendo who does an impression of John Madden that's better than John Madden himself, and his President George Bush is perfect, plus another "Actor's Studio" performance that was one of your favorite features over the years. More new email too, piling up in the "Tuna Talkback" link.

Stay safe today, and pray for our firefighters that they get containment of the blazes in the coming days!

Charlie

10/19/2007 @ 10:57am PST
Friday Morning, October 19th! Today, "One of Life's Great Lessons" that may change you forever. Click to "News" link

Thank you again for all your emails! They continue to come in at an astounding rate, even after nearly 5 weeks since my last show on the air. And included every so often, some more pearls of wisdom to improve your life. Here's the latest from David Hatchel!


When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar........and the beer.
A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.
So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full.
They agreed it was.
The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar.
Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."
The professor then produced two cans of beer from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.
"Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things-your family, your children, your health, your friends, your favorite passions -- things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.
"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, your car. The sand is everything else-the small stuff.
"If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.
Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house, and fix the disposal.
"Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."
One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented.
The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of beers."


Have a Great Weekend! Today in the "Tuna Clips" section, I first met the Bee Gees in 1972 when they were in studio for an interview on my KROQ morning show. It was nearly 30 years later, when Maurice Gibb, without his Bee Gee brothers Barry and Robin was in studio with me again, talking with me about their latest CD covering their decades of music. Just over a year after this interview, Maurice Gibb died on January 12, 2003 of complications resulting from a twisted intestine.

Also in the "Clips" section today, the audio version of one of my weekly "Doh" awards. And more emails in the "Tuna Talkback" link, so you can share your feelings with the thousands of other listeners.

My best to you always!

Charlie

10/18/2007 @ 8:40am PST
Thursday Morning, October 18th! Today, another way you can help one of my favorite places, Children's Hospital-Los Angeles.

I received an email this week from Mitch Rosenberg, whose daughter Paige was one of the featured patients during my Tunathon at Children's Hospital. Mitch sent me a thank you note for helping raise money and awareness for CHLA, and for the annual "prom" in the Hospital garden area that we have for the kids at Children's Hospital.

The "Prom" is an event at the end of each Tunathon for the children who aren't able to attend one of their own school proms because they can't leave the Hospital. It's a fun night for all the kids who want to come, no matter what their age, with formal wear for the boys and gowns with make-up and hair styling for the girls, donated by sponsors. Mitch said that was one "one of the highlights of Paige's life."

Mitch does his own part to help raise money for Children's Hospital by organizing what this year will be his 4th Annual Golf Tournament at Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo! A golf tournament this size is a huge undertaking, but Mitch is so dedicated to helping Children's Hospital that he does it himself for 4 years now.

If you know any corporate sponsors/donors, auction donors, or golfers who would like to play in this tournament, or just attend the dinner and auction on Monday, November 12th, click on this link for more info. Remember it's another way you can help Children's Hospital in L.A. and have a fun time doing it. http://www.golf4kids2.com/homepage.html


Be sure and check "Tuna Clips" today! There's a listener call about my first movie in which I made an appearance back in 1977, Universal Studio's "Rollercoaster", and since we're talking movies, another clip is things that happen in movies that don't happen in real life.

More "Tuna Talkback" emails today, they've been picking up in volume again lately. It's been over a month now since my last show and I know you're getting anxious about hearing me on the radio again. One word......Patience. I will be back.

Charlie