Oedipus, one of the most legendary rock radio programmers in the country, is once again hosting his annual radio show “Christmas Eve with Oedipus” at GBH. The show will air for Greater Boston audiences at 89.7 FM and worldwide at www.wgbh.org from 6pm until midnight on Thursday, December 24.
“Christmas Eve with Oedipus” showcases the Christmas music you’ve never heard, rare tracks from rock, hip hop, classical, spoken word, ethereal, and more. Oedipus was the first DJ to put The Waitress’ “Christmas Wrapping” on the air as part of “Christmas Eve with Oedipus.” But listeners won’t hear this song on “Christmas Eve with Oedipus,” because now it is too well known. He vets hundreds of Christmas songs throughout the year but doesn’t determine what he’s planning to spin until Christmas eve arrives. In 2018, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh proclaimed December 24 “Oedipus Day” in Boston.
Oedipus gained notoriety for hosting the first punk radio program in the country when he was a student at MIT in 1975. While heading up programming at Boston’s pioneering rock radio station WBCN, he helped the station break bands like The Ramones, The Clash, The Police, and U2. He’s been recognized as the Best Program Director of the Year by multiple publications including several times by Billboard.
It was always a challenge for Oedipus to staff WBCN on Christmas Eve, so he began to host the shift himself in the 1970s, a tradition that continued until the station’s demise in 1999. The program was carried by WFNX and RadioBDC before being picked up by GBH in 2015.
At 6pm on Thursday, December 24, Oedipus will pour a single glass of wine, light a candle in the GBH studios, and let the mood of the night determine his 6-hour playlist before handing off the airwaves to Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” at midnight on Christmas Day.
Fun Fact: This year's show marks the third radio reunion for Oedipus and GBH host and anchor Henry Santoro. After WBCN signed off, it was Santoro who invited Oedipus to continue his holiday show over on WFNX, and then, when FNX was sold, Santoro brought Oedipus to RadioBDC. This Thursday night, Oedi and Henry ride again at 89.7 GBH, afterwhich Santoro will host Morning Edition Christmas Day from 5-10am.
