Charles Laquidara

Charles Laquidara (born 1938) is an American radio disc jockey whose show, The Big Mattress was broadcast in the Boston, Massachusetts area for nearly 30 years (1969–1995) on WBCN. He spent four years doing The Charles Laquidara Radio Hour on WZLX.

Biography

Early career

Born in Milford, Massachusetts, Laquidara attended Milford High School, where he was voted "most artistic" in his class. Upon graduation, he attended the Rhode Island School of Design for two years, and then moved to Pasadena, California where he received his BTA at the Pasadena Playhouse. He spent about eight years on the West Coast trying to get work as an actor in television and films. His successes in the acting field were limited to several stage roles and one appearance on The Dating Game. (He lost, but was awarded a tape recorder as a consolation prize). He was also up for the lead in the film, The Boston Strangler, along with Alan Bates and Tony Curtis, but Curtis got the role. Laquidara did get a small part as one of the "phone dates" in the film Next Stop Wonderland which was shot in Boston.

Broadcasting career

Laquidara worked part time as a classical music announcer at KPPC in Pasadena, and (after several moves back and forth to his home state of Massachusetts) he eventually ended up working at KPPC full time. By then the station had adopted the new "Underground Radio" rock format. Laquidara's classical music background helped him get somewhat of a reputation as "the radio guy who segues Bach into the Beatles and somehow gets away with it."

In 1969, he was offered an airshift at WBCN in Boston, to replace DJ Peter Wolf, who was leaving to join the newly-formed J. Geils Band. In 1972, Laquidara took over the morning shift on WBCN — dubbed the show "The Big Mattress" — and stayed there for almost 25 years, before moving to WBCN sister station WZLX in 1995. He drew national attention in 1988 for leading anti-Apartheid protests and a boycott of Shell Oil. After his retirement in August of 2000, Laquidara moved to Hawaii. In 2003 Laquidara sold his home in upcountry Maui for over US$2 million to Oprah, whose magazine referred to it as a "fixer-upper" (much to the chagrin of the owners before Laquidara, who had built the house).

During the first half of 2006, Laquidara did a show live from his home in Hawaii that aired on Boston radio station 92.9 WBOS called "WBOS Backspin". The show was short-lived, however. Laquidara resigned shortly after being chastised for playing Neil Young's song, "Impeach the President" during the height of the Iraq War.

Laquidara had a profane alter ego, Duane Ingalls Glasscock, who had a vulgar catchphrase. When he was told not to utter the phrase on the air any more, he "cleaned it up" into the similar-sounding "Have you even been phoned in Upton, Mass. for being a lucky wise guy?" Duane would begin his broadcasts with the phrase "Hello, Rangoon!"

Present day

Laquidara occasionally broadcasts on internet radio Mana'o Radio KEAO-LP Mana'o Radio in Wailuku, Hawaii. He has held this position since March 2005. He also keeps a personal blog called the the Big Mattress, which has been described as "well-designed," "controversial," and sometimes "frustratingly compelling."

External links

• Charles Laquidara's blog, the Big Mattress
• "Charles Laquidara". Universal Hub.
• "Some classic clips from Charles Laquidara's alter ego: Duane Glasscock". WBCN - The Rock of Boston.