Hello from Jersey Channel Islands
Received: 01/17/2008 @ 4:13am PST
From: David Watts

Hi Charlie

Hope that you are keeping well my name is Dave watts i live in jersey which is a small island close to France I'm just writing to see if it would be at all possible for you to do me a big big favour. i'm putting together a CD of jingles for a bit of fun to give away to other collectors and was wondering if you could record a small mp3 for it something like

HI THIS IS CHARLIE TUNA IN LOS ANGELES AND YOU'RE LISTENING TO ANOTHER JINGLEMAD JINGLEMIX

if you could find the time i would be very grateful as I've been a fan of your work for many years your radio shows and voice work

Hope you can help me out with this take care

Cheers

Dave Watts

Your old AFN shows
Received: 01/16/2008 @ 4:40pm PST
From: Steve Orchard

Hi Charlie,

Sorry to hear about you losing the spot at KBIG. Wish I could have listened to you on a regular basis,but all I have these days are your old syndicated AFN shows from the mid 70's into the mid 80's. As a teenager and a military dependant living in Germany circa 1974,I used to listen to your morning programs as often as I could. Recorded a few of them too. I can remember sneaking a small radio into one of my history classes back in 1975 and sneaking an earphone up through my shirt just to be able to listen to your show! It wasn't until I came back to the States and began working in radio myself that I found a contact in Germany who was willing to record your shows for me. Hence,I have loads of the one hour shows you used to syndicate to the military community. And now I'm slowly transferring those from Cassette to CD. I don't know if there is a collectors market for that stuff,but to this day i still enjoy listening to you and those old shows. Suffice to say,you're one personality who's worth listening to each and every day. Thanks for loads of fun and memories. Maybe at your next stop you can let your listeners know of a link and we can listen from our homes on a daily basis.

Regards,
Steve Orchard
Goldmine Magazine
Kingsford,Michigan

Look forward to hearing your voice
Received: 01/16/2008 @ 6:59am PST
From: Faith Golob

Can't begin to tell you just how much I miss you. I would love you to add me to your email data list. I am looking forward to hearing your voice again.

Happy New Year

Faith Golob

Washington D.C. Listener
Received: 01/15/2008 @ 9:29pm PST
From: Jeremy Fretts

Miss you all the way from Washington DC! I listened sporadically (and at times faithfully) online over the last 7 years, and whenever I was in LA.

Best wishes for what's next.

Blessings,
Jeremy

Hi Charlie
Received: 01/15/2008 @ 10:53am PST
From: Naomi Salcido

Hi Charlie, I just wanted to wish you a happy and prosperous new year. I'm sad to say that I don't listen to KBIG in the morning anymore, I listen to Mark on KOST. He has more class than Valentine (I had to pause and think of his name). I have to admit I truly miss you.

I'm looking forward to hear when you'll be on the radio again.

Your loyal listener

Forty years the greatest D.J.
Received: 01/14/2008 @ 11:30pm PST
From: Al McKinley

Hi Charlie;
In my earlier years I kept in contact with you with phone calls and visiting you at different stations. I started with you in the 60's when you were at KHJ and at all the 40 stations in 40 years ha! ha!. I used to call you on April Fools Day a lot about the stunt you pulled on us one April Fools Day when you were going to RETIRE and move back to Nebraska to be a Soccer coach at your old high school. You use to help our Knights Of Columbus Council #5803 with our advertisement of our Chilli Cook-Off on your show. Since I retired in 2000 I have not bugged you like I used too, but that doesn't mean I have forgotten you are still the greatest D. J. that I have listened to in my 55 years in the Los Angeles Area.
I go back to the early Black Music era with Hunter Hancock, and 2 D.J.'s you work with at KRLA Dick Huggy Boy and Art Laboe, in fact I used to dance on the Art Laboe T.V. show back in 1958. You do not know how much I miss you on the air, as the only reason I listened to KBIG was you, as I thought their music selection was lousy for my listening.
YOU USED TO MAKE MY DAY, now we need you back to MAKE MY DAY this year. You have been part of my life like Tina Turner, Chicago, Gloria Estafan and the Miami Sound Machine, Olivia Newton John, John Fogarty and Credence Clearwater, and many other great oldies but goodies. Today's music it is not to my liking, except Country music which is like early Rock & Roll.
I want to just thank you for all the enjoyment you have given me for all the years and I hope we each have many more. Are you still as active in your church as you were as a child? I sure hope so, as I was an Altar Boy also.

God Bless
Al Mckinley

Possible Return Soon?
Received: 01/14/2008 @ 9:30pm PST
From: Mike

Hi Charlie -

I now read your web page every day to get my dose of you and I see today you hint about a possible return to radio. I certainly hope this does happen soon!! I am an LA native and like so many others grew up with you and really miss you on the radio. Of course I follow radio and know it is a business and I can't figure where you might end up especially since the evil empire owns so many stations in LA. Maybe someone will be brave enough to launch something new with you as a cornerstone?? I listen and channel surf daily and check your site. I so miss you, Irma (last I heard she is still on that lame name of a station - no fault of hers), and Lori Ryan.

Long time Charlie fan and Bruin fan!!

Hope to hear you on the radio soon!

Mike

Hope to hear you soon
Received: 01/14/2008 @ 11:22am PST
From: Rick Rule

Hi,

Really need to hear you again soon. Really hard to get through the next 4 months without your voice after the past 30 some years. Yes, I could even hear you when you were in San Diego during my surfing days(It was KCBQ, wasn't it). Hope something breaks now.

(NOTE TO RICK: You're right about KCBQ. When I left KHJ the first time in 1972, they paid me for 6 months not to work against them on the air in L.A. when I asked to be let out of my contract (kind of similar to the last 4 months with Clear Channel, except they were just paying off my contract after taking me off the air). I did get an offer back in 1972 to work at KCBQ in San Diego in that 6 month period, so I commuted every morning, leaving Tarzana at 3:30 a.m. and arriving in Santee where the station was located at 5:45 for my 6 a.m. show. I was doing syndicated radio and Armed Forces Network radio for worldwide distribution here in L.A. at the time, and that's why I didn't move to San Diego. 35,000+ miles for that 5 month period I actually worked that way, but we set ratings records at KCBQ in San Diego that have never been equaled. Great station, and the General Manager's name at the time.....Hap Trout! Really it was!)

NEW SHOW
Received: 01/14/2008 @ 10:04am PST
From: Dottie Spisak

Hi Charlie

I’m still checking and waiting to hear you on the air again. I’ve been reading some of your e-mails but there are too many to read.
I don’t know how you can read all of them or if you even do. You are one of the GREATS.

I was so surprised when I got your e-mail and didn’t even think you would remember me, COME BACK TO US.

Can’t wait to talk to you again.

Love and miss you.
An old fan

Dottie Spisak
Facilities Assistant

Boss Hits Album Cover
Received: 01/13/2008 @ 9:07am PST
From: Kelly M. Bray

hope you get back on the radio soon. I have listened to you for around forty years. I am sitting here looking at my old KHJ "Boss Hits" album with my ten year old. You are right on the cover.

Thank you very much,

Kelly M. Bray

Re: Charlie in your Tuna
Received: 01/13/2008 @ 7:24am PST
From: Bill Oxley

Hi Charlie,

Well, it was a pleasant Tuna Surprise for me tonight when I heard from you.

Thanks for the note. I'm impressed with your attention to your fans. The collection of comments from listeners on your Web site is quite an asset, which I'm sure will help to get you back on the air in L.A .

Flashback: Of course, all of us at UCLA's radio station wanted to be YOU when we heard you on KHJ. The closest any of us got was Ken Levine who carved out a wonderful career in radio and TV....I help Ken with occasional projects (...walking his dog, shining his shoes...or sometimes recording the audio for his latest international comedy writing Webinar.) He has perhaps one of the few blogs worth reading. Smack-smart and funny.

Robert W. helped me get my first gig at KMBY in Monterey - a full-time summer job working all shifts for the vacationing jocks. It was heaven. After graduation, it was off to active Navy duty for me followed by the usual mix of radio, ad agency and radio sales jobs, all of which I really enjoyed. When I did afternoons here in San Diego in the '90's at KBEST 95, Robert and I reconnected...and I cursed him for starting me down this Troubled Path. :)

Today, I enjoy the occasional voiceover assignment www.billoxleyvoiceovers.com and I help my wife with her breast cancer survivors' Web site www.thebcmall.com We're doing ecommerce videos, too: www.eStoreVideos.com Plus, I'm the Google/Microsoft/Yahoo! Web advertising guru. Man alive, the technical world sure changes fast, and the only ones out there are the quick and the soon-to-be-dead.

I have my eye on a radio gig on the big island. A pal of mine, who's a big fan of yours too, is GM out there. Can't say which station yet, but here's a hint: http://barefootbillyaloha.blogspot.com/ I'll be doing a bit of everything: sales, internet, and airwork, I think. My wife is looking forward to it: We've been married 28 years, so I'm not really sure if she's looking forward to my absence, or looking forward to visiting the islands regularly. Hmmmmm.

Thanks again for the note, and I hope soon one day, once again, to "have Charlie in my tune-a."

Be boss,

Bill Oxley

Where are you?
Received: 01/11/2008 @ 7:05pm PST
From: Margaret McGahern

Hi Charlie,

Just wanted to send a big Hello!!!.
I miss you in the mornings on KBIG 104.3. It’s just not the same without you.
Are you currently on a radio station? If so, tell me where so I get back to enjoying my favorite radio announcer.

Take care.

Margaret

NOTE TO MARGARET: Talks are underway with several stations, my agent and I are just looking for the deal that makes the most sense at this point for the next step in my career. I hope in the next couple of weeks we can work out a deal for a new station. You and everyone who has emailed me will be the first to know if you're in my email database when I send out the next update. Keep checking back here on the website and all the links for the latest daily news on me.

Lost in Southern California and Awaiting your return
Received: 01/11/2008 @ 1:11pm PST
From: Edna G. Montez

Dear Charlie,

We are counting the days till we get to hear you again!!!! I think we are all lost here in Southern California... I keep switching stations and can't find one I really like. I think it is happening to all your listeners. We really miss you a lot!!! When we visit Childrens hospital, everyone talks about your return and miss you as well. So here we are just waiting for your e-mail to let us know when you will be back.

I hope very soon because we need our Friend and DJ Charlie Tuna back ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of Edna’s dream is that you would have your radio station at the new hospital at CHLA. I wish that too.

Love ,

The Edna’s

Charlie Tuna Update
Received: 01/11/2008 @ 12:12pm PST
From: Dolores Zubiate

Hi Charlie,
It's so nice to hear from you, thank you for sending me your personal update. I do miss you on 104.3 the station is not the same without you, too many changes. When you were on there I had to listen every day now it doesn't matter if I hear it or not. The other radio personalities are ok, but not like you, you had class and I just enjoyed listening to you. Please keep me updated on your moves. I am one of your fans from back in the old days of 93/KHJ.
Good luck!

Dolores Zubiate

Love Ya Charlie!!!
Received: 01/11/2008 @ 1:35am PST
From: Jaime Monroy

LOVE YA CHARLIE !!!

I'll pass along any good potential sponsors your way for upcoming opportunities !

TUNA TUNES !!!

L.A. STINKS WITHOUT CHARLIE TUNA !

Jaime Monroy
Jaime Monroy Studios
Beverly Hills, California 90212

Any news??
Received: 01/10/2008 @ 4:22pm PST
From: Jackie Bonilla

Hi Charlie,

Do you have any good news about you coming back to the air?
It is so boring without you I rather listen to the HD radio.
Please let me know of anything new.

Que Dios te Bendiga,

Jackie

(NOTE TO JACKIE: My agent and I do have talks and meetings underway, and you and all the listeners who are on my database email list will be the first to know when I finalize an agreement with an L.A. radio station. Thank you for your patience. It's been a long 4 months, and I'm anxious to get back on the air, but as I said at the outset, I want to make sure it's going to be a situation again that makes sense for the long term, so that's why I'm looking very carefully at my options.)

Charlie Tuna Update
Received: 01/10/2008 @ 4:02pm PST
From: Pat Barker

I can't tell you how great your news is!!!! I can't wait to hear you on the radio again. I really think Clear Channel goofed BIG TIME, when they let you go. See, I was right. Your a great DJ and nothing is going to keep you away long.

Oh, I woke up and heard about the passing of Johnny Grant. You must have known him since you got a Star on the Walk of Fame. He was really an icon for Hollywood, and, I think, Hollywood will never be the same. I understand he was really someone to know. I think he will be missed greatly.

Stay safe and always be young! Say hi to the family for me.

Pat

P.S. I really like the way your son set up your website. He did a great job!

We will be there for you!
Received: 01/10/2008 @ 11:40am PST
From: Carole Martin

Dear Charlie, thank you so very much for the informative email! It was wonderful to hear that we may be able to have you back on the air again in the not so distant future. I commute to UCLA everyday at 6am and truly miss listening to you. I absolutely cannot stand this “Valentine” person they have on now. I think he is an idiot, and not nearly as witty or comical as he seems to think he is. I am at a complete loss as to how Irma can tolerate working with him. In my opinion K-BIG has really gone down hill, and judging from the emails you have received they have lost many loyal listeners. This is clearly their loss, and hopefully they will pay dearly for it.

At any rate, all you have to do is let us know “when and where”, and we will be there for you! Thanks again Charlie, you’re the best!!

Carole Martin

I want to stay on your list
Received: 01/10/2008 @ 10:08am PST
From: Sue Hurst

I was in Colorado for Christmas so I missed you. I want to stay on your list so when you get back on the Air on a regular show I can tune you in as I have for years

Sue

Charlie in the afternoon
Received: 01/09/2008 @ 8:00am PST
From: Detlef Welsch

Hello Charlie,

thank you so much for your signed picture. My wife and I really appreciate it and it has a special place in our house.

I was shocked in September to find out that you are no longer on air at KBIG. Since then, I just barely listen to this station anymore.

It is great that you update your home page every day. However, I prefer to HEAR these things from you. I have been listening to you since I was a kid. You were my first English teacher.

First, I was listening to your Charlie Tuna show on American Forces Network (AFN) later on KBIG in Los Angeles and recently via Internet here in Germany. Therefore, when your morning show was on it was already afternoon here and I was usually listening to it in my office at work or I taped it and heard it in the car later.

I hope you will be back on air, soon, and it will be a station which I also can receive via web. Not only the folks in Southern California are missing you.

You are a true radio legend!

For the new year, I wish you all the best, a lot of success with your new career and most of all, health!

best regards

Detlef Welsch
Merzig, Germany

It was like Home listening to you
Received: 01/08/2008 @ 5:33pm PST
From: Patty Fuentes

Hey what happen to the 104.3 station. The music is boring for me now. Kinda switched to THE MOVE I like old school and the new music. Sorry, wish you were still there. I loved the variety you played and all the Information you would provide. It was like Home listening to you. Good luck.

Patty Fuentes

Happy Anniversary
Received: 01/08/2008 @ 3:11pm PST
From: Joan Abram

happy anniversary to you, happy anniversary to you, happy anniversary dear charlie, happy anniversary to you. 40 years wow! that's almost as long as i've been alive. plus 10 years. i've almost got your age now. keep giving me hints and i'll get it. i need a favor and yes you can do it. it's easy and no spam is required. pray for my mom. she had a heart attack on friday and is in the hospital. she's out of icu now and we're waiting for the doctor to tell her she can go home. her name is patricia abram. (the first a is a long a and the second a is pronounced like the a in car.) that should make it easy to say. love, joanie.

A Little Help
Received: 01/07/2008 @ 4:06pm PST
From: John Singleton

Charlie,

What is the secret to buying things from the 104.3 website? Now that you are no longer an employee, can you tell me the secret time and day to get things. I don’t understand it. Every time I look at that website wanting to spend the credits I saved up, everything is either “coming soon” or “sold out”. When do they go on sale? I got a lot of credits listening to your show and I want to spend them. Please help.

Any news on when you will be back on the air? Miss listening to you on my morning drive. Take care and I wish you all the best.

-John

(NOTE TO JOHN: Sorry to tell you John, there is no secret. Our promotions department then, would tell you I drove them crazy trying to get them to come up with some way so more listeners like yourself could cash in their credits for prizes before they were gone, but nobody figured out a way for it to be done. Hopefully my next station I work for will have a better plan for rewarding more listeners and causing a whole lot less frustration. I really do feel your sense of futility, and I tried to fight for a better way, but got no results. My goal is to be back on the air in L.A. in the very near future and make it easier for everyone to share in the radio station goodies equally.)

Original KOMA listener!
Received: 01/07/2008 @ 2:58pm PST
From: Dave Erwin

Charlie -
Thanks for your *fan update* and good luck with your prospects injecting yourself back into the LA market. Whereas I'm not as optimistic about the scene as you seem to be, I am constantly looking for a way for me to side-step the effects of the writer's strike.

I grew up in the middle of Kansas, and KOMA was my constant companion after dark -- and the signal boost -- until I left for college in 1978. In 1981 I moved to Munich Germany, and got to hear you on Armed Forces Radio Network -- I felt like you were following me!! ;o)

When I came back to the States in 1985, I started my on-air radio career, always citing you as one of my influences - among John Records Landecker, Larry Lujack and Robert W. Morgan.... I had John Winston as my PD at a station in Albany, GA!

I've been in LA since just after the Northridge earthquake in 1994, and shortly after moving here, I recorded Chuck Riley a couple of times for some CBS promos I was producing. Naturally, I brought up KOMA.... and how when I was in middle school, I used to have a little transistor radio under my pillow, when my mom would come in and check on me. He said that he'd never met anyone who actually listened to KOMA!

SInce then, I've been doing sound design/effects editing and mixing for film and television shows - and last year was my best ever - with a great series for History Channel, "BONEYARD-Where Machines End Their Lives".

Those things don't come along every day, and I'm trying to re-think how I can best utilize my ProTools rig here at home -- or perhaps you might know of some radio advertising type who could use a seasoned pro for commercials, promos and whatever might be needed.

Just a thought. Let me know.

Be great on the air,

dave

(READER'S NOTE FROM CHARLIE: The late Chuck Riley and I both worked at KOMA Radio in Oklahoma City in the mid 60's. KOMA was a 50,000 watt AM station that covered most of the western half of the U.S. with the 50 kw power. Chuck also came up with the Charlie Tuna name the week before I started there when he was forced to cover a DJ shift and didn't want to use his "News name" and diminish his journalistic integrity. I was made the permanent "Charlie Tuna" when I arrived the next week because the name was such a big hit with listeners. Coincidentally a couple of years later in 1967, I wound up in L.A. and Chuck arrived here about a decade later.)

Miss You!
Received: 01/07/2008 @ 2:31pm PST
From: Ana Judaken

We miss you and want to hear you

softball games
Received: 01/07/2008 @ 2:04pm PST
From: Janice johnson

I just listened to your interview with Henry Winkler and you talked about the softball games at the Burbank Park. I have memory about a particular softball game. It was the Happy Days gang against AT&T. My sister worked for AT&T and she had a little girl about 3 at the time. She was playing in the game and I was babysitting her little girl. We were sitting on a blanket behind the right side dug out, down towards the end of the fence. Henry hit a foul ball that was heading for us. The foul ball came up and over the fence. I crouched over my sister’s girl, to cover her and the ball hit me in the back. I was ok but Henry and some of the crew came running over to make sure I was ok. He came over a second time during the game to make sure all was ok. That impressed me because he came over and he didn’t send somebody over to make sure we were ok.

I just had to relay that story to you. I look forward to hearing you on the radio in 2008. I’m not sure what Clear Channel is up to as they just moved several radio stations around to different frequencies in my neck of the woods. I live in the high desert and I believe they moved at least 3 different stations around this week.

Janice Johnson
Telecommunications Analyst
California State University, Northridge

Good Luck
Received: 01/07/2008 @ 12:50pm PST
From: Mary Hudspeth

Good Luck Charlie we're still waiting and looking forward to hearing you

Happy New Year
Received: 01/07/2008 @ 11:40am PST
From: Susan Stewart

Hi Charlie,
I really like your new website. Thanks for keeping me informed of your whereabouts. Now that Clear Channel has gotten rid of many of my favorite D.J.’s, it’s hard to find a channel I like with the music I like. Does this giant corporation care what the people of southern California think or listen too? Obviously not. Hope to hear you on the radio again soon. In the meantime, I will keep checking your new website.
Note: I have been listening to you since you were on 93 KHJ. I will never forget the day of the Sylmar earthquake. My alarm went off at 6:00 a.m. I heard you introducing a song and then your voice and the music went all warpy sounding and then the earthquake hit. Do you remember that day?

Susan Stewart

(NOTE TO SUSAN: As a matter of fact, the audio of that earthquake morning is on the "CLIPS" link. Just scroll back to the "BEST OF" CLIP for November 7, 2007. It's labeled "1992 and Part 2 of what was then Charlie's 25th L.A. on air Anniversary". Thanks for being out there for me, I hope to announce a new station shortly.)

Charlie in your Tuna
Received: 01/07/2008 @ 8:59am PST
From: Bill Oxley

Charlie!

After the boneheaded decision to take you off the air, they now have my permission to change call letters from KBIG to KDUD.

You’ll be back soon...

Bill Oxley

Lost without Tuna
Received: 01/06/2008 @ 8:27pm PST
From: Alma Martinez

I’m getting a bit teary eyed as I write my e-mail. I was in complete shock when I heard you say it was your last show with KBIG. I couldn’t believe that Clear Channel didn’t see you as part as the change for KBIG. With so many other choices in the morning, I only had ears for you. I hope that you will be back on the air soon and that I’ll still be able to listen to you again. Best wishes all the time for you from me.
*I really think that Clear Channel made a mistake by not keeping you on KBIG (although it’s not called KBIG anymore either).*

Alma