Scharpling and Wurster is a long-form radio comedy duo composed of Tom Scharpling

Tom Scharpling

Tom Scharpling is an American radio host, comedian, television writer, producer and music video director. He is best known for hosting the weekly freeform radio call-in comedy program The Best Show on WFMU and for acting as a writer/executive producer for the TV show Monk.Scharpling is also noted...

 and Jon Wurster

Jon Wurster

Jon Wurster is an American musician and humorist best known as the drummer for indie rockers Superchunk and recently for The Mountain Goats, as well for his comedic work with radio host Tom Scharpling on the The Best Show on WFMU....

. Scharpling was a writer/producer for the USA network program, Monk

Monk (TV series)

Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...

. Wurster is the drummer for indie rock pioneers Superchunk

Superchunk

Superchunk is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, consisting of singer/guitarist Mac McCaughan, guitarist Jim Wilbur, bassist Laura Ballance, and drummer Jon Wurster. Formed in 1989, they were one of the bands that helped define the Chapel Hill music scene of the 1990s...

 and was also the drummer in The Ascended Masters, Guided by Voices

Guided by Voices

Guided by Voices is an American indie rock band originating from Dayton, Ohio. Beginning with the band's formation in 1983, it made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard...

 vocalist Robert Pollard

Robert Pollard

Robert Pollard is an American rock musician and singer-songwriter who is the leader and creative force behind indie rock group Guided by Voices, who disbanded in 2004, only to reform in 2010...

's solo touring band. He is also currently the drummer for The Mountain Goats

The Mountain Goats

The Mountain Goats is an American indie rock band formed in Claremont, CA by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle himself, despite the plural moniker....

.

Scharpling is the longtime host of The Best Show on WFMU radio program on WFMU

WFMU

WFMU is a listener-supported, independent community radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform radio format...

 in Jersey City, NJ. Wurster calls in as a bevy of characters, including Ronald Thomas Clontle (author of Rock, Rot and Rule), The Gorch (a 63-year-old hoodlum), Philly Boy Roy, Timmy von Trimble (a two-inch racist), Barry Dworkin (singer for the Gas Station Dogs), The Creature (the pompous lead singer of 'Pout'--a band that resembles, but (according to The Creature) is far superior to, KISS), and Corey Harris (of the band Mother 13).

Scharpling and Wurster release their "Best of the Best Show" CDs on Stereolaffs

Stereolaffs

Stereolaffs is the comedy record label run by Jon Wurster and Tom Scharpling of the longform radio comedy duo Scharpling and Wurster.-Discography:*Rock, Rot and Rule *Chain Fights, Beer Busts and Service with a Grin...

 Records, a label they founded in 1999.

Scharpling and Wurster contributed to several episodes of the 2006 season of the Cartoon Network program Tom Goes to the Mayor

Tom Goes to the Mayor

Tom Goes to the Mayor is an American animated television series created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim for Cartoon Network's late night programming block, Adult Swim. It premiered on November 14, 2004 and ended on September 25, 2006, with a total of thirty episodes.-History:Tom Goes to the...

. The duo also co-authored the "(Not So) Great Moments in Rock" for Harp Magazine.

Discography (with Scharpling and Wurster)

• Rock, Rot and Rule (Stereolaffs, 1999)
• Chain Fights, Beer Busts and Service with a Grin (Stereolaffs, 2002)
• New Hope for the Ape-Eared (Stereolaffs, 2004)
• Hippy Justice (Stereolaffs, 2005)
• The Art of the Slap (Stereolaffs, 2007) press bio
• At The Speed Of Sound (Stereolaffs, 2009)
• A Vampire or a Dogman (Merge, 2009)

External links

• Scharpling & Wurster home page
• Stereolaffs
• Stereolaffs Myspace
• Best Show archives
• Fotpedia archive of Best Show/Scharpling & Wurster ephemera
• Onion interview with Jon Wurster
• Fluxblog interview with S&W
• A matter of characters (Mike Miliard, The Boston Phoenix, April 4, 2007)