Comedy Radio Veteran Dr. Demento Announces His Retirement

Veteran broadcaster Dr. Demento, known for his long-running eponymous radio show and for discovering ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic, has announced his retirement after 55 years on the air.

The radio icon – born Barry Hansen – began hosting The Dr. Demento Show back in California back in 1970, where he initially began a show in which he simply played contemporary rock songs.

However, after broadcasting some of the rare oddities from his own personal collection The Doctor found a dedicated fanbase who enjoyed his unique selection of comedic recordings.

As the decade went on, his show began national syndication throughout the U.S., and his profile grew rapidly. In 1976, he spoke at the school of budding musician Alfred Yankovic, who soon sent in his own recorded parodies to The Doctor, who began broadcasting them to voracious response.

This constant exposure resulted in Yankovic securing a record deal, with his nearly 50-year career has since seen him become one of the most influential figures in the world of comedy music. In the satirical biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, The Doctor was portrayed by US actor Rainn Wilson.

The weekly show would often feature themed segments and vast quantities of comedic, strange, or just plain odd recordings from musicians around the world, along with a weekly countdown of the most popular ‘Demented’ recordings.

However, after 55 years on the air, The Doctor has now announced he will be retiring from the airwaves, with this month featuring his last regular show ahead of his final broadcasts in October.

"I'm now 84 years old, and I have been doing this show for nearly 55 years – about two-thirds of my life," Demento said, as per Radio Online. "It's been a blast, but I have come to the decision that I need to hang up my top hat soon. The show you just heard is the last of my regular shows."

Though The Doctor’s weekly broadcasts have never been readily available in Australia until he took his weekly show online in 2010, the legacy of his show has impacted pop culture deeply.

Artists such as Flight Of The Conchords found a wider global reach as part of his airplay, and other famed artists such as Frank Zappa, Spike Jones, Stan Freberg, and Allan Sherman were also introduced to new and wider audiences.

Comedic TV series and films have also cited The Doctor as an influence, with his persona being referenced on the likes of The Simpsons, which also included songs such as Barnes & Barnes’ Fish Heads – a track popularised by The Doctor’s radio show.