This is a great little interview profile from 2012.
Be sure to click through to the San Francisco Chronicle site to see the original color photos!
Mike Slavko is a 54-year-old lab administrator who lives alone in a basic apartment on North Bayshore in San Mateo. He is also M. Dung, DJ on the "Sunday Night Idiot Show," which goes back to the beginning of KFOG 20 years ago.
The "Idiot Show" is still out there, but you have to go to www.idiotshow.net to hear M. Dung broadcasting from a booth next to the single bed in his room.
Q: Who is M. Dung?
A: M. Dung is a character I created back in college when I started out in radio. We're talking January of 1977 at WSRX, Grand Valley State in Allendale, Mich.
Q: What were the peak years for M. Dung here in the Bay Area?
A: When I arrived in January of '83 on KFOG, I was in production and did the "Idiot Show." I didn't go to the morning show until the following year. So the years for Dung would be '84 through '92. Dave Morey and "10@10" came on after me.
Q: What happened?
A: The station changed formats, my contract was up. The usual radio story - they let me go.
Q: When was the last time M. Dung was heard over the airwaves?
A: In January of 2009.
Q: How do you keep M. alive?
A: I do my show as a podcast. In many ways, it is exactly like it was when I started out in college radio.
Q: What kind of stuff can be heard on the "Idiot Show"?
A: The music that I play on my show is primarily from the '50s and '60s.
Q: Give us a touch of M. Dung?
A: "Aaywaay, babay. Yow." Dung was very excited about music, and I try to convey that to my listeners.
Q: Latest project?
A: I'm doing a two-part "13th Floor Elevators" special. It will be airing in August. I usually sit down in January and map out the entire year.
Q: 13th Floor Elevators?
A: They had one hit in 1966, "You're Gonna Miss Me" (crosses room to put it on). It was garage rock.
Q: Still listen to KFOG?
A: I don't own a radio. I don't have a radio in my car, either. But when KFOG had its new morning shows, I did listen on the Internet for a couple of shows.
Q: What do you think of it?
A: As I suspected, it didn't go over too well with the Fogheads. The guy got fired. Aaywaay.
Q: Can you find a decent station to listen to?
A: Of course. They exist. Just not around here.
Q: Describe your day job?
A: I lead a very boring existence. I work for a small company called Wind River that just got bought out by Intel. I run two testing labs. I work with a team in the Ukraine and have to get there very early in the morning. I have hundreds of switches I work with to set up all the network tests for these guys.
Q: How early is early?
A: I have to get up by 3:30. It's brutal.
Q: How long have you been in this apartment?
A: Five years.
Q: Then how come there is nothing on the walls?
A: I'm not much of a homemaker. I just don't think stuff like that is important.
Q: Ever married?
A: I was. I've been divorced for over 20 years. My daughter, Antigone, plays bass and sings in a band, No Bone.
Q: Have a pet?
A: No, but I'm thinking of getting a bird, an African Grey (parrot).
Q: What kind of car do you drive?
A: A beat-up 1984 Dodge Ram van.
Q: What would you buy if you could?
A: A new car.
Q: What about a radio station?
A: No, because usually the people who work there are radio people, and I don't want to work with them.
Q: Because?
A: Because I got tired of being fired for a living. I've moved on, though obviously I didn't completely.
Q: Who plays you in the movie?
A: It would have to be the guy on the TV show "The Commish."
Q: Describe your hairstyle?
A: (laughs) It doesn't exist. I have no hair. The rent was too high up there. It moved out.
Q: Can you send this off M. Dung style?
A: Thanks for reading the interview, baybay. Keep on feeling it with Dung. Aaywaaay. (A parakeet squawks in the courtyard.)