Captain Buffoon, mornings on KSLY
March 8, 2010 – 2:25 pm
From his environment of record albums and tape cartridges, Captain Buffoon welcomes the world with craziness. ©Thom Halls/Telegram-Tribune
Radio used to be entertaining. Decades ago it was local and staffed with real humans, the playlist was broader than the same 50 songs you have heard since for the last 30 years. There was room for surprise.
Today most of the stuff that sprays over the airwaves is the sonic equivalent of cheese whiz.
That’s OK. We no longer have to call the station to hear a favorite tune, our phones hold music libraries that put the automated-airwave zombies to shame.
Back when KSLY was an AM station they had a morning DJ that worked under the moniker Captain Buffoon. Most syndicated morning drive shows have a zoo full of personalities and guests to carry the show but Harry May, was pretty much on his own. I lived in several radio markets growing up and when we would to SLO on a family visit I would check out. You could count on Buffoon to take a risk and poke fun at what was going on in the region. Tours of Gum Alley, mock shower interviews, the latest song parody from Cal Poly student Weird Al. If it got a laugh, or groan it was on the air.
A couple of postings from former employees reveal a strong sense of nostalgia for that time. One story by Richard Wayman (AKA Ric Stratton) about the station mascot Sly remembers the cat sleeping atop the warm cart [tape] player. One day it jammed and the DJ had to keep album cuts spinning until the technician fixed it, removing handfuls of orange hair from the machine. It is a longer story, here is the link then search the page for KSLY to find it.
The zaniness spilled over to the pages of the then Telegram-Tribune arts section then called Focus.
Published April 2, 1977
Captain Buffoon tells all
… but his nameStory by Mike Harris
Photos by Thom HallsFirst the bad news:
This article will not reveal the true identity of Captain Buffoon, the racous-voiced star disc jockey at KSLY Radio in San Luis Obispo.
The Telegram-Tribune was permitted to interview Buffoon — a.k.a. “CB,” the “Fearless Bionic Nose” and Funny Crummy Dummy” — only on condition that his real name remain confidential.
A breach of faith, Buffoon warned last week in his famous shower stall at KSLY Studios on South Higuera Street, would result in this reporter being cursed by Mary McGregor’s “Torn Between Two Lovers” replaying endlessly in his dreams.
The public, however, should be assured that the T-T does know who Buffoon is. We just aren’t telling. Appropriate documentation has been stored in a ground-squirrel hole at Fort Hunter Liggett, available only for a Grand Jury subpoena.
Now the good news:
This ace of the airwaves has graciously consented to reveal biographical data hitherto unavailable to the print media.
“I come from the planet Buffoonia, where the people live on jokes,” says the curly-haired 30-year-old behind the microphone. “But I was born just a nose. I had no mouth to laugh with.
“So they sent me to Earth in a rocket ship, and every morning I took a secret potion — coffee — and turned into… CAPTAIN BUFFOON!”
This transformation, of course, took time. One of the intermediate stages saw Buffoon, still nose-heavy but sporting a fine rich baritone, as an art major at Cal State Northridge.
“I could draw,” he says, “But competition was fierce among art majors there, and I guess I as still looking for something I could really get into. I’d beeen involved in advertising as an artist, so I shifted over into journalism.
“It was an accident, actually, how I got into broadcasting. A guy from the school station was looking for people with deeper-than-average voices — which I had— and I tried it and liked it, though there it was strictly formula stuff.”
After receiving his degree in mass communications, the ex-space traveler saw a lot of the Earth’s surface in the next seven years, working at radio stations in Burbank, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and Thousand Oaks before stints at KATY and KSLY in “SLOtown.”
However, he couldn’t help giving out hints of his extraterrestrial origin.
“I always wanted to do wild, crazy things,” he says, “and I got fired a couple of times because of it. One of the things I wanted too do was create a character, and when I was at KATY I finally said to myself, ‘Self, it’s time you made a move.’”
Why Captain Buffooon?
“It’s a kind of superhero name, but with a twist, because the dictionary says a buffoon is a guy who tries to tell jokes and fails or he tells bad jokes.”
Was it hard to do?
“I’d been in radio five years then, which really wasn’t much experience to create a character. In broadcasting, I think, first you’re yourself, then you spend 10 years learning to be an announcer — the deep voice, and all that. And then finally you become yourself again.
“It’s like that with a character, too. At first there are two people — yourself and the character. I hear myself projecting this raunchy image, and I think, ‘That’s not me.’ But the two grow together.”
The character of Captain Buffoon became fully fleshed out when our mystery man joined KSLY — a station, he says, where the management is young, morale is good, and he’s “backed up 100 percent” in what he does.
San Luis Obispo commuters who flick on their car radios between 6 and 10 a.m. Monday through Saturday are familiar with his brand of buffoonery:
The Showers, usually with a giggly female. The Insult Contests. The All-knowing Wizard answering movie trivia questions. The now-defunct Obscene Phone Calls. The voices in the background that groan, hiss and laugh. The barrage of jokes between Top-40 songs. The exchanges with announcer Fred (“…and the news”) Peterson and fellow disc jockey Guy Paul.
But how does he do it?
The mechanics are comprehensible to anyone with a Ph.D. in electronics. Buffoon sits in a sunny office with a view of a green hillside, a fence and horse through the window. An orange cat named Sly curls up on a table. Posters cover the walls and ceiling — Farrah Fawcett-Majors prominent, the psychedelic covers of rock albums a maze of color.
He’s alone with revolving drums of tape cassettes — “carts” in the trade — that he plugs and removes in rapid succession: records, commercials, public interest announcements, those shrieks of “Buffoon, lyou have a big, big, big, big…NOSE!”
He’s alone — this is important— in a world of dials and switches and steel cabinets and split-second timing, speaking to thousands of listeners invisible in their kitchens and cars.
“I always try to relate one-to-one with my audience,” he says. “That works better. But sometimes even the best of us start talking into the microphone, and we get a call from somebody who’s upset and say, ‘Hey, there are people out there. We’d better watch it.’”
The voice on the radio — dripping with lechery, tweaking the udders of sacred cows, implying that its owner is fortyish and fat — is only part of the story.
The real Buffoon is hip, slender, dedicated to his craft and capable of functioning on several levels at once.
Six days a week he’s up at 4:30 a.m., at the studio at 5:30, in cheerful, abrasive form for four hours, and then deep into preparations for the next day’s show.
Every radio station, he explains, has a format that determines when news, music and commercials should fit in.
“The rest of the time — and it’s a lot — I’m supposed to entertain.”
He estimates he spends two hours preparing for every four hours on the air. Some of the jokes he writes himself; others come from writers who supply him with humor for a fee. The voices and sound effects were taped with the aid of friends, some of them disc jockeys on other stations.
“A comedian can do the same monologue every night and get rich,” he says, “but a disc jockey has to be just as good, with completely new material, six days a week. That’s a lot of jokes.”
Even for a high-energy person who enjoys the work— As Buffoon says he does — It can be exhausting.
“Most of the so-called glamor jobs are like that — long hours,” he says. “I’m a bachelor, and that has its disadvantages. Married people don’t understand when I say I’ve got to take time out to do my laundry.”
“Yet I wouldn’t want a woman just to take care of me, so maybe that’s why I’ve never married.
“Sure, I’ve got girlfriends, but not many want to go home at 8 p.m., which is what I have to do. Besides, most people think a radio star has to go out all the time, drive a sports car, and that’s not me.”
Buffoon prefers to spend his evenings with a few good friends. He soaks in hot tubs, plays racquetball and tennis, wishes he still painted (it’s great relaxation and therapy, but I just don’t do it”), and works on his car — the “Buick Roadapple” he mentions on his show.
And revs up for the next morning, to the delight —and sometimes the consternation — of Buffoonians everywhere.
27 Responses to “Captain Buffoon, mornings on KSLY”
The Captain Buffoon Show was great! I remember when the Santa Maria Mall first opened, and Capt. B spent a week in the glass elevators in Gottscshalks and did him morning show from there. He would interview shoppers when they had the courage to take the elevator (got pretty rank in there after a couple days).
By Blaine on Mar 8, 2010
Captain Buffoon isn’t a title that’s usually self-applied, but it sounds like it fits in this case. Wish I could have heard the show.
By Sarah on Mar 8, 2010
Ah yes, the great Capt. Buffoon! Harry was wonderful to listen to back in the wild 70s. He was always “on” as they say, and I had him tuned in to the shop radio in the 76 station on Santa Rosa during the 5 years I worked there. Got to meet him a few times when he stopped in to fill up the 56 Buick Roadmaster (nee Roadapple). Good times, and a good guy. Anyone know where he is today?
By Joe Dunlap on Mar 8, 2010
Wasn’t Captain Buffoon the source of all those pet names for SLO County towns/cities? (ex. Morbid Bay, Dismal Beach, Groover City, Atrashcadero, Patch a Rubble, Arroyo Grungy, Cuyuckus, etc…)
By Jeff on Mar 8, 2010
You are right Jeff. I think he came up with every one of them.
By Joe Dunlap on Mar 9, 2010
Does anyone else remember when Capt. Buffoon got in trouble for the promotion called “MOON BUFFOON”?
If you came into the studio and “mooned” him (very 1970s) you would get a prize. Since it was the radio, the listener would have to use their imagination. Still, the FCC (or someone) didn’t think it was as funny as everyone else. I recall that was near the end for old Buffoon.
Ahhh…..good times.
By Surfstar on Mar 10, 2010
I listened to Capt. Buffoon every morning before school. I remember an exercise song that he used to play called “Chicken Fat.” (Give that chicken fat back to the chicken and don’t be chicken again!)
By Dee on Mar 10, 2010
I know Harry a little. I worked in radio back then. I remember the first time I met him and was so amazed at how shy he is. Also, he has an identical twin brother.. I don’t know if they share the same sense of humor.
By Anna Scott on Mar 11, 2010
Just reading the story makes me long for the old days of radio. I used to be a big fan of Captain Buffoon’s. Like Anna Scott (hi Anna) I also worked in radio a bit and was always impressed with Buffoon’s ability to time things so well and to just be so consistently entertaining. He even made his mistakes entertaining. I loved radio back then. Today, not so much.
By Paul Jacobus on Mar 12, 2010
I worked with Captain Buffoon at KATY, where he first got a foothold in the San Luis Obispo market. He was one of the DJs hired after Duane Hill bought the station from John Grandy. It was immediately apparent that Captain Buffoon’s talent was too big for the little station situated above the Audi dealership on Montgomery Street but he was just what the new station owners needed to make their investment pay off. For a while there, KATY 1340 was a real spot on the dial, competitive with both KSLY and KVEC.
Harry May was always a very friendly and unpretentious person around the station and constantly bantered with the staff when the mike was off. Yet his thoughts were often preoccupied by how the station’s format constrained his freedom of expression. Back then our Program Director would script out the entire day’s music by hand every day. He literally wrote out the songs you had to play on an 8-1/2 by 11-inch paper tablet for you to follow. So despite being genuinely appreciated by the station’s management, Harry’s talent needed a forum that KATY just couldn’t provide. Everything finally fell into place when he got the job at KSLY and settled into the morning shift. KATY may have been too small for Captain Buffoon but San Luis Obispo was just right.
By Len Filomeo on Mar 12, 2010
Wow! I just happened to run across this blog!
I will show it to Harry. How nice that you all
remember such a wonderful period of his career.
Liz May (Harry’s wife)
By Liz May on Mar 12, 2010
OH my Harry was the Captain Buffoon, well it figures he still is lol and with long curly hair i love it I will cherish this story, What a man he is have you seen him lately !!!!!!!!!! I have and still get to listen to him on Tv in another venu Harry is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Rose Squyres on Mar 12, 2010
Are you sure that’s not Butch? Really Harry… I guess we all have a past… don’t dig too far for mine…
By Chuck Sukut on Mar 12, 2010
So the question remains. Just WHERE IS Captain Buffoon now?
By Joe Dunlap on Mar 12, 2010
Well the Baffoon was indeed an iconic morning madman in SLO county. I did sports on his show for awhile. I remember when i first started I was trying too hard to be an “announcer” so he sent me home and instead started calling me on the phone for the sports report. “Don’t read anything, just talk to me,” he said. So I followed his direction and became a half-way competent reporter on the air. The guy is as talented with commercial idea development and production as anyone who ever set foot in a studio around here.
Enjoy the summer again in Bakersfield, Harry. The heat is calling your name. We here on the coast will enjoy the cool fresh breezes and think about you in dusty, baking hot Bakersfield!!
By John FitzRandolph on Mar 13, 2010
As a teachers aid and drama tech at Custa in the 70’s I got meet Harry. He really was secreative about his name and problbly with good reason.(Plau Misty for Me) I thought it was cool that I knew his name and address.
While it is true that much of today’s radio is canned and homoginized check out K-Jug 98.1. Tom and his Cal Poly interns do a great job with morining drive time.
By Roger Castle on Mar 13, 2010
I worked for Buffy’s brother Butch for a long while. Those two would have me rolling in gales of laughter. Hanging with both of them, forced that damn CB voice into me. It would come out during animated conversation and people would look at me funny, then ask if I was Captain Buffoon.
Had to laugh all over again!
First time I met Harry, was when I won a Steven Stills album from KSLY on a phone in contest; “I wanna steal Stills from KSLY!”…never played it.
Wow! John FitzRandolph up there! Another great name from the heyday of KSLY.
By SSG David Medzyk on Mar 13, 2010
In the 70’s I took the bus to school from Creston and one of those years we got a new bus with a radio. I can remember exactly where we were in the route one morning when Captain Baffoon played the Bonnie Tyler song, “It’s a Heartache,” and described it as a “cross between Rod Stewart and a food processor.”
By Alexandra Robin on Mar 14, 2010
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Harry many times over the years in both TV and radio. I can gladly say I count him as a friend of mine. He’s one of the most creative and natural voice talents I’ve ever met and I’ve learned much from him… too much to repay!
Now, who’s the clown in these photos? He looks like he should be playing a violin for ELO…
By Todd Thorpe on Mar 15, 2010
Great memories. Thanks for remembering me. My days at SLY were the best days in my radio career.
Harry was truly the best. Not only in SLO, but in the state of California.
And Fitz – good to see you again! Been way too long. Email me at djman AT pcutah DOT us, wouldja?
Regards to all.
Richard Wayman AKA Ric Stratton
By Ric Stratton on Mar 15, 2010
Great blogs! We’re, or at least I’m, having a lot of fun with this. I’m glad so many folks remember and appreciate those days of real radio and Capt. Buffoon’s part in radio history.
If the prize was a decent album I’d've mooned him in a heartbeat! I’m his next door neighbor here in hot and dusty Bikersfield but with no prize I don’t think I’ll be hanging my hairy old a** over his wall any time soon!
After seeing him in a couple of funny TV commercials I’ve thought how great it would be for him to be back on the air. Did anyone keep tapes of this stuff? A couple of weeks ago one of the local stations canned their local shows and opted for a national syndicated feed from the right coast.
Bummer!
By Studebiker on Mar 15, 2010
Great story….I wasn`t into AM back then,,but when I started dating is twin brother Butch I had to tune into his show…He would make jokes on the things we did at home the next morning…Such as my cooking,,my family visiting or weekend parties we had….He was a shy guy off the air,,but when we got him going at home with our friends,,what fun we had…If you read this CB,,where is Butch now??? Last time we saw him working at Miner`s…Those were the good old days..I still hears his voice on the air…Glad your still doing what you Love…..
By DEBI on Mar 16, 2010
I remember the first time I heard Capt. Buffoon on KSLY, I said to myself, “great, another Dr. Don Rose”. For those who don’t know, Dr. Don Rose, 610 KFRC san Francisco, was the best morning drive DJ in the US.
By mardel on May 28, 2010
Captain Buffoon, I remember listening to your halarious morning show on the AM station(1400?) in the mid 1970’s. Your one on the kind.
By Jorge Hernandez on Jun 15, 2010
i also remember fred Peterson. He had a GREAT voice for doing news. “This is Perterson…..(pause)…..and the news”. Miss his voice
By Jorge Hernandez on Jun 15, 2010
I was a DJ at KSLY in the early 80’s at the old farmhouse had a ball there. Learned much from harry, That was a great time for Radio and SLO… no longer in radio and miss those days.
By Charlie A. Webb on Jul 13, 2010
I’d love it when he “Strapped on his Announcer Voice” and got all serious for just a second…
By Idaho Joe on Jul 17, 2010