Day Twenty-Three (of 30) Dr. Demento!

While I was never a hard-core, regular listener, I have been aware of the good Dr. throughout the years. I was, in fact, aware that he launched Weird Al Yankovic. I remember Barnes and Barnes quite vividly, and I remember when Steve Dahl (local DJ) got some national play thanks to Herr Demento.

I also know that radio is in the middle of a terrible shift toward lowest common denominator music and talk - stuff that will people tuned in, but for the least amount of money. Talent is irrelevant for a disc jockey these days; most music is pre-programmed and most stations are owned by the same companies that press the records/CDs/MP3s. Imagine the uproar over payola. How quaint.

I did not know that Dr. Demento's real name is Barret Hansen, or that his radio show started the year I was born. I am saddened to hear that he's leaving the air waves. Here's what has happened in his words:

"Stations that call themselves Top 40 usually play a particular style of music aimed at women aged 18 to 30," Demento says, "and The Dr. Demento Show, for some reason, has not tested too well in focus groups among that particular demographic."

That's from a post describing the Morning Edition piece about him. Gone are the days of rebel and pirate radio. The new era gives us uncharted internet terrain that corporations can't quite wrangle yet. They'll catch up, but let's hope we squeeze a few new Dr. Dementos out before that happens. In the meantime, look for Dr. Demento on this brave new frontier.