A Christmas Story – Shep style!

Undoubtedly, most of you are familiar with and may have watched (many times!) the movie "A Christmas Story".


I am hoping that all of you (or at least MOST of you) know that this story was written by one of the most famous Amateur Radio celebrities - Jean Shepherd K2ORS (SK - call re-issued). What you may not know, is that this story originally appeared as only one chapter in Jean's book, "In God We Trust, All Other's Pay Cash".  The story was also published in Playboy magazine (of all places!) under the title "Duel In The Snow, Or, Red Ryder Nails the Cleveland Street Kid".

Shep, as he was affectionately known, had a long running radio program on WOR-AM radio in NYC when I was a kid. If I remember correctly, it began at 10:00 PM, so we had to listen to it clandestinely, with our trusty transistor radios tucked under our pillows with the earphone running to our ears - as this was way past our appointed bed time. On Christmas Eve of 1974 (when I was a teenager and could listen with no bedtime repercussions), Shep gifted his audience with a reading of this hilarious Holiday tale. Here it is for you to listen to - commercials and all!


I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

72 de Larry W2LJ
QRP - When you care to send the very least!
Larry Makoski, W2LJ, is a regular contributor to AmateurRadio.com and writes from New Jersey, USA. Contact him at [email protected].

5 Responses to “A Christmas Story – Shep style!”

  • Mike, WV2ZOW:

    Larry: He came on at 10:15 after the news, but I also remember Basil Rathbone reading Sherlock Holmes, so maybe I have it wrong. My parents were wise to the transistor radio trick, so I needed something else. Since I grew up in Colonia, WOR from Carteret pounded in. A germanium diode paralleled across a crystal earphone, some wire and the bedspring brought Shep’s show into my bed. I’ve also had two brushes with greatness — I worked Jean on the Greenbrook repeater, and, once at a live show, I was parked next to him in the Newark State College parking lot — he had call letter plates. Thanks for reminding us. –Mike, WV2ZOW

  • Richard KWøU:

    Grew up listening to him late at night. His story about getting a Class A ham ticket while all his friend were figuring out how date girls was priceless. My mother met him once, got an autographed book for me. The current K2ORS mentions him on QRZ, so he is remembered by many. Glad he’ll live on in the Christmas story too, though wish more people heard his other material, of which there is a lot.

  • Bob K2QPN:

    In 1956, my folks moved to NJ and The Shep started at WOR-AM. He was an instant hit with my buddies and I. He announced that he would be at a Nedick’s Orange drink stand in north Jersey. We piled into a car and set out on a pilgrimage. We couldn’t get near the place. It was total grid lock for blocks.

    My favorite Shepism is “Life is like a Popsicle. Full of artificial colors and artificial flavors and everyone wants the “free” stick. In those days, if your Good Humor Popsicle stick was imprinted with “FREE”, you got a free ice pop.

  • Ron W0EAX:

    Thanks Larry
    Nice history lesson. Watched the movie many times
    Ron

  • Luis CaTroca3:

    Tried kill me,torture me,abuse business cocaine,heroine,terrorism organized,banks assaults,stores jewerlys assaults,store Apple computers store assaults also assault HP computer store in Chile,Brink´s trucks carrying money assaults,stolen insurances,fires intencionallys,accidents also organized differents crimes inside USA,in my country in Chile in others countrys organized in secret organized crimes inside roof of my house,using tunnel under my family country house me live alone in 3331 av.Eastman Olmue Chile south-america,around my house conspiracy business fraudolent pólice CIA,central narcotics business DEA,FBI,detective,police municipal business Chilean south-america this criminals intellgence pólice past dictators organization,business woman,man Chilean this bands international,mother witness died in rare cimcurstances in my country,also others parents witness,inside my family witness operating this criminals intelligence Chilean business CIA,stolen my family herency,differents crimes organized this bands,stolen my radio VHF Kenwood dual band my mother keep me this in he huse also stolen me some qsl,adressed,names ham radio people,my card call sign also stolen me,damage doing to my transceiver hf Tempo-One,also FT-857D Yaesu,antennas portables me using intencionally doing damage my antennas organized,also my transceiver FT-857D have some problems,Me leave Chile to New York April 1992 me work and live in NY city,this criminals intelligence Chilean woman man fraudolent business pólice,back me from Chile,using people different,buy pólice,assault me,stolen me,tried kill me inside house building me rent a room there in NY city,abuse,torture organized,buy reports 911,buy investigations,police change my records,put me fals records,invented me fals arrest,tickets,business CIA,DEA,FBI,police municipal business,Years later me move to work and live in New Jersey me rent a room in 2 floors,house after me move to live in basement room 3 floors house in 3369 Kennedy blv.Jersey city NJ,this criminals intelligence Chilean CIA business real state operating like owner,landlord,constractor,employer,employees,tenants inside this place me live,owner house Peru,Colombia,Arabian using greecards,residences,other people foreigns inside this place business CIA,DEA,FBI,police municipal people from Mexico,Dominican,Puerto-Rican,Cuban,India,African,Asian business Chilean woman,man pólice intelligence business again assault me,stolen me,tried kill me,doing me torture,abuse organized inside this 3 floors house 3369 Kennedy blv.Jersey city NJ me live,using childrens,young people,old people ths criminal intelligence Chilean south-america to opeating frudolent business pólice this criminals bands international,also no believe in God,Lord,latin man,woman White,black,others foreigns people using,buy reports 911 pólice,buy investigations,this bands organized,cocaine,heoine business,organized terrorism,banks assault,stores jewerlys assults,store Apple computers assault,also asault HP computers store in Chile south-america,Brink´s trucks carrying money assaults,stolen insurances fires intencionallys,accidents intencionally organized inside USA in my country Chile,in others countrys organized same mode operating,intencionally organized in this place me live in 3 floors house 3369 Kenney blv.Jersey city Jersey city,NJ mother witness died in rare cimcurstances in my country in Chile,Me leave USA 2 March 2012,reason my mother died,my entry in Chile south-america 3 March 2012,stand by to organized ,operating stolen me tried kill me in my country in Chile,also stand by to operating ,organized inside my family witness,where me live alone in my family country house in 3331 av.Eastman Olmue Chile south-america stand by to operating organized,spy me day night,watch me,back me this criminals intelligence fraudolent business CIA,DEA,FBI,police municipal,intencionally broken the wáter pipe of my house invented charges fraudolent wáter bill to pay 1.000 dollar stolen intencionally,also invented charges fraudolent bill internet,electricity,telephone,water,sometimes cut intencionally this services,spy my telephone,tried stolen me my information of my computer,invented assault stolen kill witness,this bands international business Chilean,stolen my keys of my house where me live alone in Chile,me buy new lock door to change,new keys door house,spy me stand by to operating using store sales man,using employee construcción friend of my family to get my keys door house duplicate,put poison inside foods,drinks intencionally,me keep this foods in freezer,kitchen of my house,also this criminals intelligence organized using my family to bring me foods,drinks,others things bring me where me live alone in my family house,when me eat,drink this feel vomit,stomach problems,health problems feel,organized intencionally,me found open my luggage inside my room in my family house the zipper broken,where there have a lock my luggage,me keep inside my luggage bank check,money me save working inside USA,saving card bank also me keep inside my luggage,documents,identifications have me there,tried stolen me,assault,kill.abuse,torture organized this criminals intelligence business pólice CIA,central narcotics business,detective,municipal pólice business together Chilean south-america,when me going to buy something to store,supermarket,o other place me go,stand by to operating organized,me walk alone the av.Eastman Olmue Chile south-america where me live,also walk,walking in group acrossing me,all time back me using bycicle,motorcycle,van,car in secret organized crimes spy me day night,watch me,back me organized business together Chilean south-america CIA,DEA central narcotics business,FBI detective,police municipal business woman,man Chilean outh-america pólice this bands international conspiracy,latin,others people foreigns using White,black,place me live alone in my family country house 3331 av.Eastman Olmue Chile south-america operating around house conspiracy,me live near property municipal construccions have there near my Wall house in secret organized crimes fraudolent business pólice business Chilean using tunnel under my family house me live alone,inside roof of my house also to operating this criminals intelligence Chilean pólice business CIA,DEA,FBI,police municipal

Leave a Comment

Subscribe FREE to AmateurRadio.com's
Amateur Radio Newsletter
News, Opinion, Giveaways & More!

E-mail 
Join over 7,000 subscribers!
We never share your e-mail address.



Also available via RSS feed, Twitter, and Facebook.


Subscribe FREE to AmateurRadio.com's
Amateur Radio Newsletter

 
We never share your e-mail address.


Do you like to write?
Interesting project to share?
Helpful tips and ideas for other hams?

Submit an article and we will review it for publication on AmateurRadio.com!

Have a ham radio product or service?
Consider advertising on our site.

Are you a reporter covering ham radio?
Find ham radio experts for your story.

How to Set Up a Ham Radio Blog
Get started in less than 15 minutes!


  • Matt W1MST, Managing Editor




Sign up for our free
Amateur Radio Newsletter

Enter your e-mail address: