The Portland Files

TONIGHT!!!

Our Christmas gift to you!!!

In late 2016, Ashley and myself found a tape of a legendary WMPG FM broadcast that was believed to be lost forever. It was the infamous Arty Masel's Happy Holidays Variety Show from 1972 -- Masel was a very popular nightclub comic back in the day and his material was, shall we say, very blue. We're not sure whose idea it was to put him in a family friendly variety show setting but to say the least, it did not go well. Although Masel did try to control himself, the live 30 min. broadcast was laced with profanity and almost caused the station to shut down. The FCC solidly blamed Masel for the fiasco and reportedly fined him $500,000 although that was never confirmed. After the broadcast, Masel returned to the nightclub circuit and would play clips of the show in his act. The entire unedited show has never been played since it's original airing.

We have played this bit of Portland history every Christmas since discovering it -- unfortunately or fortunately we have had to bleep out the mind-boggling profanity but it's still an uncomfortably entertaining holiday train wreck that deserves an audience!

So tune in TONIGHT at 7:30, make yourself a holiday cocktail and dive into the somewhat disturbing audio wormhole that is Arty Masel's Happy Holidays Variety Show! You're welcome!

Holiday Huzzah!

Due to circumstances beyond her control, Sheila Phillips will no longer be hosting It's The Sheila Show! on WMPG FM -- the show was a hasty replacement for The Portland Files and although there were only 2 episodes, Sheila and the station thought that was enough. So, The Portland Files has agreed to air their holiday favorite, Arty Masel's Happy Holidays Variety Show in the show's time slot this week! And after that, it really is goodbye, farewell and huzzah!

So enjoy this infamous holiday trainwreck this Weds. at 7:30PM -- spiked egg nog is recommended! 👍🎄🍸😁🎭❗

Did you miss Sheila's Christmas Extravaganza Show a few days ago..? Well shame on you if you did -- things took an unusual turn right at the start thanks to special guest Elsinore Barnville. But fear not! You can still give a listen (or two) to the episode by clicking attached link! I know!

Enjoy and be safe and wear a damn mask for God's sake!!!

Archive Player

Celebrate Christmas the way it should be with songs, Santa, the Baby Jesus and some heavily spiked egg nog! PLUS a very special guest (well, he's a guest but not really very special...)!

It's The Sheila Show Christmas Extravaganza! WEDS NIGHT 12/16 at 7:30 on WMPG FM!!! Like Jason Timberland would say: We're bringing Christmas Back!! 🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄✝️

It's The Sheila Show! will be preempted this week for this much more important piece of WMPG FM programming -- please listen!

WMPG will air the 22nd annual Homelessness Marathon. The live radio show will broadcast on Wednesday December 9th from 6-10pm. Four hours of conversation where we’ll hear the voices of people living in Poverty and Homelessness. WMPG joins many other community radio stations around the country to promote a national dialogue on how we can do better dealing with this gigantic social problem.

OK...here we go...TONIGHT -- the debut of It's The Sheila Show -- you have been warned...