Hosting a weekly radio show filled with two hours of the coolest music on the face of the earth - chock full of obscure 60s R&B and soul mixed in with a little garage, some powerpop, some blues, and occasionally something new to spice things up. Whether it was recorded 40 years ago or 40 days ago, if it's great music, it's great music, and if I've got it, I'll play it. Where is this, how you say, radio show, you may aks?
------- Sleep (see Occupation). My two dogs - my energetic, handsome, somewhat neurotic 1 1/2 year old yellow Lab, Boogie , and my adorable, bouncy, utterly retarded year-old golden retriever puppy and savvy PR director, Moose .
The radio show - the two most fun hours of my week. Great food, from barbecuing for friends and family to lingering over a quiet romantic dinner (without the friends or family around, obviously). Sharing an exquisite bottle of wine, or just having a cold frosty one at a ballgame / on the patio / on a beach far, far away from here. Just getting away from here and from work (schedule permitting). Keeping fit, working out regularly.
Oh, and when I have any time left over, saving lives, healing the sick, mending the wounded and all that kind of altruistic bullsh*t.
God (though we speak on a daily basis, I'm not in any rush to meet Him in person). . . Howard Stern (my radio hero and the best interviewer I've ever heard in my life). . . My wife (one of these days). . . Kristin Davis (the closest thing to my dream girl). . .Little did I know that at the age of 4 I was only 2 FRICKIN' MILES AWAY from THIS - Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr (with Johnny Carson, Quincy Jones, and Count Basie and His Orchestra) (recorded at the Kiel Opera House, St. Louis, June 20th, 1965) .. Donald Trump, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffett over lunch. . . Chris Rock (the funniest man alive). . . Ricky Gervais (from the original British version of 'The Office'), Stephen Merchant (his co-writer) & Karl Pilkington (his radio show producer) (see video) . . .Any of the many loyal "Big Bang!" fans and listeners - thank you so very much for your kindness and support. . . Tom Hanks (how in the hell did you go from Kip Wilson in 'Bosom Buddies' to multiple Oscars?). . . Tiger Woods . . . . . .Anyone with a sense of humor, a sense of adventure, a sense of humility, and a shred of human decency. The beer's on me.
FEATURED CLIPS FOR JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2008: (so all right, I'm lazy) The Monkees with 'Love Is Only Sleeping' recorded in June 1967. Featured on the album 'Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd'From Memphis, TN, The Gentrys perform their only major hit "Keep On Dancing" on the ABC-TV show Shindig! on November 13, 1965. (Factoid: Backup vocalist Jimmy Hart went on to become the World Wrestling Federation's obnoxious "Mouth of the South." Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it.) Anything by the HUNDREDS of great artists featured on the show and listed on the archived playlists, which you can see at any time on the Big Bang! home page )click on the Big Bang! promo above to get there). For example: Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Marvelettes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas (from ABC-TV's "Shindig!" 1965) .. The Velvelettes, Mary Wells, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Brenda Holloway, Jr. Walker & The All-Stars, Kim Weston, Tammi Terrell, Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, Booker T & The MGs. . . .. Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, Don Covay, Johnnie Taylor, Eddie Floyd, Rufus Thomas, The Bar-Kays, The Mar-Keys, The Turtles, The Monkees, The Rascals, The Beatles, The Stones, ? Mark & The Mysterians, Paul Revere & The Raiders. . . .. Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, The Beach Boys, The Kinks, Jan & Dean, The Association, The Mamas & The Papas, Dusty Springfield, Dobie Gray (featured on Shivaree!, KABC-TV, Los Angeles in 1965 (featuring Roger McGuinn, David Crosby & The Byrds in the background!) singing a rare Northern Soul gem, 'My Baby'). . . The Kaisers (only the Greatest Band No One Ever Heard Of). Relaxing downtempo genres like Smooth Jazz (The Rippingtons, Brian Culbertson, Peter White, Dave Koz, Mindi Abair, Chris Botti, Euge Groove, Hiroshima, David Sanborn, Fourplay, David Benoit, Brian Simpson, Marion Meadows, Wayman Tisdale, Rick Braun, Boney James, Lee Ritenour, Gregg Karukas, David Foster, Michael Buble, etc.) and Chillout/Downtempo Lounge (when you do what I do for a living, you need something to help you wind down). "Amore" by Andrea Bocelli. (I'm serious.) Frank Sinatra / Dean Martin / Sammy Davis Jr / Tony Bennett / any of the great standards over a steak and a martini. Anything by Oscar Peterson to read/study/lounge over morning coffee by. The Early '80s Angry Elvis Costello (My Aim Is True, This Year's Model, Armed Forces, Get Happy!) - seen here with The Attractions with "Pump It Up". . . ..
.. .. Beach Blanket Bingo (1965). Quite simply, the greatest movie in the history of mankind. .. The Godfather (parts I and II - forget III). The Shawshank Redemption (especially the last 45 minutes). Swingers (before Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn ballooned up. Don't I know how that is.) Forrest Gump. Four Weddings And A Funeral (see above) / Notting Hill / Love Actually. When Harry Met Sally. (Excuse me while I adjust my sundress.) Full Metal Jacket (if you want to see what a career in Emergency Medicine does to you over time, see Vincent D'Onofrio as Private Pyle). A Hard Day's Night. . . .. Animal House (no coincidence that the movie came out during our first week of medical school, thus influencing our deviant behavior for the next six years). Standing In The Shadows of Motown. The Big Night (make sure you've eaten beforehand). Trading Places. . . .. Office Space. Dating: Do's and Don'ts and Wash Those Hands! (Encyclopedia Brittanica, 1959). Highways of Agony (1976 Driver's Ed Class).
Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (Travel Channel). Anything on Howard TV(the Howard Stern inDemand channel). License to Grill (Discovery Home). Pardon The Interruption (ESPN). The Office (though the original BBC version is funnier though more sublime). Living St. Louis (KETC). Semi-Homemade Cooking with Sandra Lee (Food Network) - (screw the food - holy Christ, is she gorgeous.) Entourage. The Sopranos. Anything else I have taking up space on the TiVo or Moxi. (As for ER, House, Grey's Anatomy, Scrubs ...I can't. I'm sure they're all good, but I just can't. Imagine having a crazy day at work, then coming home to kick back and relax, only to watch a show about having a crazy day at work. Besides, most of it isn't accurate anyway.)
Why We Want You To Be Rich (Donald Trump & Robert Kiyosaki). Three Nights In August (Buzz Bissinger & Tony LaRussa). The Hits Just Keep On Coming (Ben Fong-Torres). Kitchen Confidential: Adventures In The Culinary Underbelly / The Nasty Bits: Collected Varietal Cuts, Useable Trim, Scraps & Bones (Anthony Bourdain). Everyday Italian (Giada di Laurentiis. Hamana hamana hamana.) Harwood-Nuss' Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. Marley & Me (John Grogan). Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom). The 2006 Physician's Desk Reference. The Barbecue Bible (Steven Raichlen).
My family - my father (who taught me everything in life and is now officially a cancer survivor), my mother (who, despite being charmingly neurotic, has the patience and wisdom of a saint), and my two sisters (who have gotten more than even with me for being the first kid in the family to own a car by being the first kids in the family to raise wonderful families while having successful business careers). My colleagues in Emergency Medicine, from my fellow physicians to the nursing staff to the techs, secretaries, and EMS personnel - by far the hardest-working yet underappreciated people in the business. People tell us we're nuts for doing what we do for a living. We are. And we wouldn't change it for the world.