Tom Scharpling is host of
The Best Show on WFMU, a 3-hour comedy, music and
talk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
program which airs every Tuesday night on
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
freeformFreeform, or freeform radio, is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. Freeform radio stands in contrast to most commercial radio stations, in which DJs have little or no...
radio station,
WFMUWFMU is a listener-supported, non-commercial radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform format. It is the longest-running freeform radio station in the United States....
. He is also an executive producer and writer for the television series
Monk, on the
USA NetworkUSA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1977. The channel shows a variety of original and second-run programming, from syndicated TV series to edited movies...
(Scharpling was the first writer to be hired for the series), as well as a contributing writer to
Tom Goes to the MayorTom Goes to the Mayor was an American animated television series on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. Created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, the show premiered on November 14, 2004 and ended on September 25, 2006, after two seasons and 30 episodes...
's second season. He is best known for his on-air collaboration with
SuperchunkSuperchunk 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.-History:...
drummer
Jon WursterJon Wurster is a musician/humorist best known as the drummer for indie rockers Superchunk, and for his comedic work with radio host Tom Scharpling....
on WFMU.
Tom Scharpling is host of
The Best Show on WFMU, a 3-hour comedy, music and
talk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
program which airs every Tuesday night on
New JerseyNew Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered on the north by New York, and to the east by the Hudson River, Upper New York Bay, the Kill Van Kull, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Westchester County, New York City, Long Island, and...
freeformFreeform, or freeform radio, is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. Freeform radio stands in contrast to most commercial radio stations, in which DJs have little or no...
radio station,
WFMUWFMU is a listener-supported, non-commercial radio station headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, broadcasting at 91.1 MHz FM, presenting a freeform format. It is the longest-running freeform radio station in the United States....
. He is also an executive producer and writer for the television series
Monk, on the
USA NetworkUSA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1977. The channel shows a variety of original and second-run programming, from syndicated TV series to edited movies...
(Scharpling was the first writer to be hired for the series), as well as a contributing writer to
Tom Goes to the MayorTom Goes to the Mayor was an American animated television series on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. Created by Tim Heidecker and Eric Wareheim, the show premiered on November 14, 2004 and ended on September 25, 2006, after two seasons and 30 episodes...
's second season. He is best known for his on-air collaboration with
SuperchunkSuperchunk 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.-History:...
drummer
Jon WursterJon Wurster is a musician/humorist best known as the drummer for indie rockers Superchunk, and for his comedic work with radio host Tom Scharpling....
on WFMU. Together, as Scharpling and Wurster, they have released 5 critically acclaimed CDs of comedy segments from
The Best Show on their
StereolaffsStereolaffs 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...
record label.
In the early 1990s, Scharpling was the publisher of
18 Wheeler fanzine, and ran an independent record label of the same name. The first 7" single by
PortastaticPortastatic is an American indie rock band founded in the early 1990s by Mac McCaughan. Portastatic began as a solo project for McCaughan, lead singer and guitarist of the indie rock band Superchunk...
was released by Scharpling's label in 1992.
He was also a contributing writer for
The OnionThe Onion is an American "news satire" organization. It features satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news as well as an entertainment newspaper and website known as The A.V. Club...
, as well as the writer of Harp Magazine's
(Not So) Great Moments in Rock column. He also contributed the liner notes for
The Electrifying Conclusion,
Guided By VoicesGuided by Voices was an American indie rock band originating from Dayton, Ohio. From the band's formation in 1983, it experienced frequent personnel changes, but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard...
's DVD documentary of their final live show in Chicago.
In 2007, Scharpling wrote and
producedA film producer or movie producer is someone who creates the scenes and conditions for making movies. The producer initiates, co-ordinates, supervises and controls matters such as fund-raising, hiring key personnel and arranging for distributors...
the music video for "Colleen", by
Ted Leo and the PharmacistsTed Leo and the Pharmacists are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Washington, D.C. and currently recording for Matador Records. They have released five full-length studio albums and have toured internationally...
.
Scharpling appears on an episode of
Aqua Teen Hunger ForceAqua Teen Hunger Force is an American animated television series shown on Cartoon Network as part of its Adult Swim late-night programming block, as well as Teletoon in Canada...
("The Shaving") as the voice of "Willie Nelson," an awkward, unassertive onion/spider monster hybrid who lives in the attic of the house. He also appears on the special features portion of the
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Volume 3 DVD.
Big Dipper Reunion
On his January 20, 2004 radio program, Scharpling had been derisively talking about the VH1 show
Bands ReunitedBands Reunited was a television program produced by VH1 in 2004. Hosted by Aamer Haleem, the show documented the attempted reuniting of a formerly popular musical ensemble for a special concert in either London or Los Angeles....
. This discussion led to Scharpling facetiously declaring his goal of reuniting the beloved (though relatively unknown) 1980s Boston indie-rock band
Big DipperBig Dipper was an indie rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, formed in 1985 by former members of Volcano Suns and The Embarrassment. They released 4 albums between 1987 and 1990, before splitting up...
. In the following weeks, the concept of a "Big Dipper Reunion" had become a recurring in-joke on the program. Scharpling began calling the members at home to convince them to reunite. He first reached bassist Steve Michener, who was surprised that there would be any interest in a reunion. Eventually, other members of the band called in, all speculating on whether or not such a reunion would be a good idea.
In 2008, Scharpling's quest to reunite Big Dipper was finally achieved. In advance of several reunion shows in April 2008,
Merge RecordsMerge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance; it began as a way to release music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends.-History:...
released the 3-disc
Supercluster: A Big Dipper Anthology on March 18th, featuring liner notes by Scharpling.
Discography (as 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)
- At The Speed Of Sound (Stereolaffs, 2009)
External links
- The Friends of Tom web site
- Official Scharpling & Wurster web site
- Stereolaffs web site
- Audio archives of The Best Show on WFMU
- Follow Scharpling on Twitter
- Best Show Vault, a fan site featuring "best of" audio clips from The Best Show on WFMU
- "Gotcha! Stay Tuned", Feature article about Scharpling in The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
, January 1, 2006.
- Interview with Tom Scharpling, The Gothamist
Gothamist LLC is the operator of twelve city-centric blogs worldwide that focus on news, events, food, culture, and other local coverage.The namesake blog, Gothamist, focused on New York City, was founded in 2003, with launches in other cities shortly thereafter...
, June 15, 2006.
- Interview with Tom Scharpling Pt. 1 & Pt. 2, Marvel.com, August 6 & 11, 2009.
- Interview with Tom Scharpling and Jon Wurster (audio), AST Radio, July 2, 2007.
- Interview with Tom Scharpling (audio),The Sound of Young America
The Sound of Young America is a public radio program and podcast based in Los Angeles, California and distributed by Public Radio International...
2004.
- Review of Scharpling & Wurster's "The Art of the Slap", Pitchfork Media
- Recidivism Best Show Recaps
- The FOTpedia, a compendium of Tom Scharpling/Best Show on WFMU knowledge
- Video interview with Scharpling on the official Monk website