The Plush, Yet Not Overly Ostentatious Norm Nathan Page

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

This is an update to a page that was one of the first to appear on staffannouncer.com in 2005. I’ve added about 12 hours of Norm Nathan audio for the world to enjoy… It’s a great way to spend a night when you can’t fall asleep.

Thanks Norm!

The Plush, Yet Not Overly Ostentatious Norm Nathan Page

“Just trying to leave the world a little sillier than I found it… thank you, jusssdarn much.”

That was Norm’s motto, and his show certainly helped make that come true. Known as a jazz lover with a corn-ball sense of humor on Boston Radio from the 1940’s through the 1990’s, Norm’s largest stage came in the mid-1980’s when he joined Boston’s WBZ– a station that reaches over 68 states, 81 provinces, and 4 planets with it’s 50,000 watt signal.

Always trying to “keep it light,” his weekend all-night talkshow on WBZ never had a real driving topic and never touched on the hot button issues that were the thrust behind other shows.

With no politics or real social issues talked about, every call was taken with a smile on his face, and some of the best times were when he’d come on to octogenarian women or when a gullible listener would be escorted down the road of Norm’s imagination.

He once convinced a listener, complaining about what kids are taught in school these days, that kids were being taught that a man named Sydney Goldfarb discovered America after rowing here from Europe in a kayak made out of paper mache. (Hear the call below!)

He was also gracious. As someone who grew up in awe of him and his show, I once called the station, and asked if I could stop by. Not only did he say yes, but he put me on the air (on BZ?!?!!?) for a half hour. As a 16 year old kid, I was in heaven.

Hear Norm!


The Ultimate NORM NATHAN Collection!

More than 12 hours of Norm Nathan radio goodness from the mid-60s through the mid-90s… From stations WHDH, WRKO, and WBZ.

Originally available as an mp3 CD, now hours and hours of Norm are here on demand!

 


Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com
Reformatted & Updated pages from staffannouncer.com finding a new home at buffalostories.com

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Steve Cichon

Steve Cichon writes about Buffalo’s pop culture history. His stories of Buffalo's past have appeared more than 1600 times in The Buffalo News. He's a proud Buffalonian helping the world experience the city he loves. Since the earliest days of the internet, Cichon's been creating content celebrating the people, places, and ideas that make Buffalo unique and special. The 25-year veteran of Buffalo radio and television has written five books and curates The Buffalo Stories Archives-- hundreds of thousands of books, images, and audio/visual media which tell the stories of who we are in Western New York.