Back in the days before Reagan-era deregulation turned the US medium wave dial into a cesspool of partisan poison and “religious” charlatanism, entertaining and engaging local talk show hosts could be found. Here is an example captured at random on July 20, 1981, shortly after midnight, on WGR-AM (550 kHz) in Buffalo, New York. Listen to the (unidentified) host walk the line between graciousness and sarcasm, as he discusses contemporary music with his earnest but boneheaded teenaged caller. Topics covered include Rastafarianism, the local concert scene, early 80’s pop-metal bands, and the relative popularity of Van Halen and the Box Tops. Funny and pathetic at the same time. (4051872 bytes, 8:48)