Dave's Gone By

Dave's Gone By is a weekly radio program that has aired on Long Island, NY's WGBB AM since October 2002. A mix of comedy, talk-radio and music, the program is produced and hosted by David Lefkowitz. The program currently airs Sundays, 11pm(ET) on WGBB AM-1240 and streams live audio at the station's website, http://www.am1240wgbb.com.

Internet

The official website for Dave's Gone By is http://www.davesgoneby.org. The site includes links to the radio station's live stream and archived episodes, as well as photos, schedules and a history of the program.
In 2003, WGBB began live audio streaming its content, including Dave's Gone By, at http://www.am1240wgbb.com. In 2008, the station began archiving some of its streamed content. The archive section of Dave's Gone By on WGBB's site currently includes virtually every episode aired since Jan. 2008.
Since 2004, an archive of 25 older episodes of Dave's Gone By has been posted at the website for Theater Online: http://dgb.theateronline.com/.

History

The first episode of Dave's Gone By aired at 11pm on Oct. 6, 2002 from WGBB's studio, then located in Merrick, NY. Setting the eclectic style for most episodes to come, the debut program included host David Lefkowitz greeting listeners, talking AbOUT the (then-missing) monologist Spalding Gray, reviewing theater and the Neil Young biography "Shakey," and playing clips of Shooby Taylor, Joan Rivers, the Beatles and Husker Du. Rabbi Sol Solomon, a recurring comic character, also made his first appearance here.

In June 2003, the hour-long program expanded to 90 minutes and moved to Mondays at 6:30pm. April 2004 would see the show move to Thursdays at 7pm and return to its 1-hour format. In January 2006, the show returned to its original Sunday night, 11pm timeslot.
December 2008 saw the program reach its 300th episode.

Segments

Recurring segments on the program include:
Dave Goes In - The show's intro, including the program's content, sponsor mentions, and light banter
Inside Broadway - Since the host is a theater critic And Co-publisher of a theater journal (Performing Arts Insider), the program has a weekly theater segment, which is GeneRally divided into theater news and gossip, followed by reviews of Broadway and off-Broadway shows.
The News Gone By - A satirical look at current events, much in the mold of "The Daily Show" and Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update.
The World Weird Web - Devoted to odd or helpful sites on the internet
Dave Goes Off - Dave's chance to expound upon or rant about various topics
Dave's Gone Cultural - A segment related to the arts that eventually morphed into "Inside Broadway," though the segment occasionally returns for other art forms.
Dave Says Bye - Generally a remembrance of a well-known figure who died the previous week
Dave Goes Out - Wrapping up the show with thank yous, sponsor mentions and a final song.

Characters

Although much of the program's humor derives from the host's InterViews, monologues and banter, Dave also portrays a handful of comic characters, often based on broad but gently mocking stereotypes.
Rabbi Sol Solomon is the best known and most controversial character. Billed as the "spiritual leader of Temple Sons of Bitches in Great Neck, New York," the Rabbi strongly promotes Yiddishkeit and Jewish themes, though he's just as easily driven to inappropriate flirtation and angry tirades. His truncated interview with Mandy Patinkin (see below) remains the show's most talked-about moment, while is chats with singer-songwriter Jill Sobule and [...] therapist Karinna Kittles-Karsten are generally regarded as being among the program's funniest. Responding to the Rabbi's cult appeal, in Fall 2007, TotalTheater Productions began airing "Shalom, Dammit! Rabbi Sol Solomon's Peace, Love and Acid-Reflux Hour - A Television Miracle" on Long Island and Manhattan public-access cable television.
Peter Fitzgerald, Vice President of WGLFAR (The Woodmere Gay/Lesbian Front...and Rear), is an openly gay character often used to interview cabaret performers or traditionally female-oriented topics. Fitzgerald's best-known expression is "wiggle!", which he exclaims whenever excited or delighted.
Yoni Huttenanni, of unspecified Swedish/Norwegian descent, is a how-to expert who has offered handy tips on folk music and caulking. His accent, however, tends to make the topics sound naughty.
Herman Glogauer is an extremely old and decrepit gentleman whose topics have included young girls and football.
Blarney O'Bunions is best known for his disgustingly inebriated 2006 St. Patrick's Day show appearance to caution listeners against drunk driving.

Guests

Many of the guests visiting what the host calls "the Daverhood" are in the entertainment field, with a special emphasis on folk/indie pop musicians and cabaret/theater personalities.

Among the musicians who have appeared on the program:
Issa (fka Jane Siberry) (Jan. 2008), Athena Reich (Nov. 2007), Jill Sobule (Sept. 2005 & July 2007), Peter Tork (Feb. 2006 & April 2007), The Randy Bandits (March 2006), Wreckless Eric (Jan. 2006), Christine Lavin (Dec. 2005), Oscar Brand (Dec. 2005), Art Paul Schlosser (Feb. 2005), Dr. Elmo (Jan. 2005), Chris Smither (Jan. 2005), Rob Szabo (Nov. 2004), Tom Paxton (Sept. 2004), Jeff Labes (Aug. 2004), One Last November (June 2004), Neil Sedaka (May 2004), October Project (Oct. 2003), Steve "The Whistler" Herbst (Dec. 2002).

Among the writers, directors and performers who have appeared on the program:
John "Dr. Dirty" Valby (July 2008), Karen Mason (July 2008), Eleanor Reissa (May 2008), Jason Graae (Oct. 2007), Marilyn Maye (Oct. 2007), [...] Van Patten (Sept. 2007), Robbie Benson (Sept. 2007), Fyvush Finkel (July 2007), Julie Wilson (July 2007), Christine Pedi (June 2007), Joe Franklin (April 2007), Maude Maggart (March 2007), Richard Skipper (March 2007), Bruce Adler (Dec. 2006), Ray Jessel (Dec. 2006), Daphne Rubin-Vega (Nov. 2006), Barry Levitt (Oct. 2006), Anita Velez Mitchell (Sept. 2006), Blanche Baker (April 2006), Paulette Attie (Oct. 2005), Frank Wildhorn (Sept. 2005), Mandy Patinkin (June 2005), Julie Hagerty (April 2005), Joyce Castle (Oct. 2004), Jay Kholos (March 2004), Jamie deRoy (Feb. 2004), Karen Grassle (Jan. 2004).

Co-Hosts

Since 2006, Dave's Gone By has frequently been co-hosted by Jeff Goodman, a theater critic and co-host on Manhattan cable television's "Two on the Aisle" program.
Joe Salzone, a former WGBB staffer, has also co-hosted a handful of episodes.

Music

From the beginning, the program has opened with "Tropical Hot Dog Night," by Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band. The official closing theme is the Waterboys' rendition of Van Morrison's "Sweet Thing," though in recent years, the show has tended to close with music relevant to that episode's content or guest.

Dave has also written and sung several novelty songs on the program, including "Jeopardy Ken," which had the distinction of being played on the nationally syndicated "Dr. Demento Show" (Oct. 10, 2004). Other ditties by Dave have included: "Joey, the Spastic Kangaroo," "Makin' Poopies," "The Ballad of Pete Townshend," "Captain Liflander's War Madrigal," "Psycho Blues," "The Enema Blues" and "99 Barrels of Oil." Notable holiday songs include: "We Killed Santa Claus," "Pubic Hair," Peter Fitzgerald's "(I'm Having a) Gay Christmas," and Rabbi Sol Solomon's "Anal Dreidel" and "The Twelve Days of Nothing."

Notable Events

Among the most memorable happenings on the program included studio visits by the pop band October Project and singer-songwriters Christine Lavin, Wreckless Eric and The Randy Bandits. Dave has mentioned that his favorite interviews included TV/radio talk host Joe Franklin and folk legend Tom Paxton. He's also expressed gratitude at being able to interview outsider rock journalist Al Aronowitz shortly before his passing.

One of the program's prouder moments included Dave's novelty song, "Jeopardy Ken" (a tribute to "Jeopardy" TV contest uber-winner Ken Jennings), being played on the nationally syndicated "Dr. Demento Show."

The show's most notorious moment remains Rabbi Sol Solomon's interview with Mandy Patinkin (June 2005). Patinkin apparently objected to the tone and style of the character and politely hung up less than 30 seconds into the chat. The Rabbi's impromptu and angry comic rant that followed has become a Daverhood favorite.
Rabbi Sol's interviews with singer-songwriter Jill Sobule and [...] therapist Karinna Kittles-Karsten are generally thought to be among the program's all-time funniest segments. Responding to the Rabbi's cult appeal, in Fall 2007, TotalTheater Productions began airing "Shalom, Dammit! Rabbi Sol Solomon's Peace, Love and Acid-Reflux Hour - A Television Miracle" on Long Island and Manhattan public-access cable television.

Though not technically part of Dave's Gone By, Dave Lefkowitz has hosted four Tony Award specials and two New Year's Eve specials for WGBB, which were then included as part of the show's archives.