The Best Show on WFMU: The End

[stewart from australia]

It's hard for me to convey how much the show has meant to me.
Living in Australia, I got on board when the podcast began around (2007) ? I had my very first ipod and new nothing about podcasts so I had a look around, and The Best Show was the first podcast I ever listened to!!
I can't even remember how I found it.  I truly believe it was an act of God blessing me!
Tom has taught me so much about pop culture, music, comedy, books etc I can hardly believe it.  He's added to my vocabulary in so many ways.
Jon has cracked me up with all the characters.  I've bought all the cd's and I listen to them on trips with my wife and young kids. My kids LOVE them! Timmy Von Trimble and Hippy Johnny are two of their faves.
My family quote lines from the show, and have loads of "in jokes" from the show.
How can a radio show have been this important to us all?
What a ride It's been!!
Thank you Tom and Jon.
Stewart.

[Trembling Eagle]

good night sweet prince.


great run

[Kormodd]

good night sweet prince.


great run

Please call in one last time before the show ends.

[Stanley]

Will Zork still be coming?

[Stanley]

I realize I am dreaming aloud here but here goes-

Knowing that each idea I list here is being said in a vacuum, without taking into direct account various reality-based cashflow/business/ past relationship consideration(s)  the following are some ideas how one might  theoretically monetize the Best Show and keep it (chump steam-) rollin'

In no particular order:

The Best Show on Maximum Fun.org (Does Jesse Thorn pay folks who do podcasts on his network? Is he "rolling in NPR cash"? I dunno)

Maron expands his podcast empire and co-presents the Best Show as a weekly video podcast network live show

IFC/Adult Swim/Comedy Central/Tim Heidecker's Ab-so-lutely {or was that Twitter exchange real- I've always assumed it was a well executed prank?} (co-) Presents Newbridge Commons tv show (animated or Live Action- you take your pick)

The Best Show moves to Earwolf- Tom keeps popping up every so often on those Earwolf podcasts...) (Similar ? Do Aukerman and co. pay those who podcast on Earwolf- also dunno)

[Joe Rogaine]

You know that leftover record that plays from Antique Radio Show at the beginning, it should end with the sound of somebody picking up the needle and The Best Show was just a record playing the whole time, Right?

[Big Plastic Head]

I was listening to my iTunes on random and a track came up that I had totally forgotten that I made: Tom talking over HELL YEAH by Neil Diamond from a 2008 show.

More important now than ever.

[YuriDedman]

The silver lining I'm trying to wring for myself is that now I get to be a cosmonaut in the archives and try to write some insane comprehensive history of the show without worrying about keeping up on the new episodes

Yeah, I've thought about trying to get a truly comprehensive Wiki of the show going, for a while, now.  More than some of the attempts I've come across.  Like DEEP, with all sorts of cross-references to specific dates and times in shows, but with all of the hours, it's tough to relisten to all I have heard, let alone everything that came before, take notes, AND know 3 more hours are going to be added to the pile, each week.  If I (or anyone gets around to it), that can be the only plus to be taken from this, aside, of course, for Tom getting a chance to spread his wings and take the chump-steamrolling to the next level (with income attached, as well).


   -Zach

I would love to see a Best Show wiki with the same completeness and level of cross-referencing as the Homestar Runner wiki. The task becomes more manageable, in theory, with the weekly inflow of new material stopping or slowing after December 17th.

[Joe Rogaine]

The silver lining I'm trying to wring for myself is that now I get to be a cosmonaut in the archives and try to write some insane comprehensive history of the show without worrying about keeping up on the new episodes

Yeah, I've thought about trying to get a truly comprehensive Wiki of the show going, for a while, now.  More than some of the attempts I've come across.  Like DEEP, with all sorts of cross-references to specific dates and times in shows, but with all of the hours, it's tough to relisten to all I have heard, let alone everything that came before, take notes, AND know 3 more hours are going to be added to the pile, each week.  If I (or anyone gets around to it), that can be the only plus to be taken from this, aside, of course, for Tom getting a chance to spread his wings and take the chump-steamrolling to the next level (with income attached, as well).


   -Zach

I would love to see a Best Show wiki with the same completeness and level of cross-referencing as the Homestar Runner wiki. The task becomes more manageable, in theory, with the weekly inflow of new material stopping or slowing after December 17th.

Like this?

http://bestshow.wikia.com/wiki/Tom_Scharpling

[YuriDedman]

That's a start. I was thinking something hosted on its own domain and having an overwhelming amount of information, for example a page for "The Magazine" giving its 1st and last appearance, summarizing the premise, citing every character to have alluded to it, and listing every one of those mentions by episode and time. Unfortunately, like Omar said earlier in this thread about an extremely thorough oral history book, such a work would require years to compile. Perhaps less time with a KISS Army of organized fans listening back to assigned ranges of shows and working within entry guidelines to maintain consistency in the format and level of detail.

Sometimes I think such a wiki would be a great resource for new listeners to get a handle on the scope of the universe they're entering, but part of the fun is being thrust into a strange world without a guide and landing on your own two feet. Also, I'm reminded of the E. B. White quote about analyzing humor.

[Mr. Colin]

The Best Show can only end with a playing of  "Je T'aime (Moi Non Plus)".

[Joe Rogaine]

It will end with Tom disconnecting the voice modulator and we finally hear his real voice.

[Pete from Boston [and NJ]]

So is tonight like that second-to-last episode of The Tonight Show when Johnny gave his last monologue, etc. -- the last regular episode before the big finale?

[deathdrive83]

This isn't Lou Reed dying.

It's the Velvet Underground breaking up.

I'm looking forward to seeing Tom's Transformer. Maybe he'll even get the financial compensation he deserves.

[Joe Rogaine]

Do you think we will ever get to hear the Jack White story?