BY JEN
Last night was the last episode of the Best Show on WFMU. The show is over as we know it.
I love the Best Show so much I don’t know how to talk about it. I talk about it all the time and never say what I mean. It’s a radio show, yes, but it’s more than that. It’s about warmth and community and comedy and music and it’s about something else that probably doesn’t have a word because it’s so Best Show specific. Maybe it’s a mispronunciation of a word that means something all encompassing about how massively hugely loved the Best Show is.
The Best Show has been on WFMU for 13 years and sadly I only got to listen every week for a year and change. I don’t know why I didn’t find it earlier – I was so close. I’m thankful for the short time I’ve spent with the Best Show. I’m also very thankful for the archives and for all of the Best Show Gems.
The show is like a friend or a blanket. It’s comforting and dependable. It radiates kindness even when Tom Scharpling is hanging up on callers. I consider it a feminist show, and Scharpling is a feminist art hero to me. This may be my delusional own thing, but sexism is called out for sure and my existence is never the butt of a joke. A few weeks ago a caller called in to thank Tom for his non-sexist humor. I may have cried.
I’m going to miss hearing Tom talking about everything and anything. How terrible Tom Waits is. Starbucks. Panera bread. Pinball. Feeling dumb. All of it. I’ll miss hearing bad callers get Bad Companied (slow fade in of the song Bad Company by Bad Company with a hang up as the chorus kicks in). I’ll miss hearing Gary the Squirel talk about #showbiz and #snacks. I will miss seeing which demented Wurster character is calling in this week. Philly Boy Roy, I love you, shine on you crazy diamond. I’ll miss it all. I guess I can go out on Tuesday nights now, but who cares?
I made this shrine last night while listening to the show. The show started at 9 and the sticker letters came out. It had to happen. I cracked open a Coors Light (chi-ku) in celebration of AP Mike and listened to the last episode of this perfect show. It was hilarious and beautiful, a total victory. I cried a little but not too much. I cried a very appropriate amount. I consider the show one of the great loves of my life and thank Tom Scharpling, Jon Wurster, AP Mike, Gary the Squirrel, and Vance the Puppet with my entire soul. I’m so excited to see what they do next. Best Show for Life.
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