B&T Extra: Greg Warren Warren report - Fuzzbusters

Summary

Podcast Summary: The BOB & TOM Show Free Podcast
Episode: B&T Extra: Greg Warren Warren Report - Fuzzbusters
Release Date: April 1, 2025

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Introduction

In this episode of B&T Extra, hosts Bob and Tom welcome comedian Greg Warren to delve into the fascinating world of radar detectors, specifically focusing on the iconic Fuzzbusters. The conversation spans the history, functionality, legal implications, and personal anecdotes related to these devices, providing listeners with an entertaining and informative exploration of a classic automotive gadget.

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The Evolution of Radar Detectors

Origins and Early Development

Tom initiates the discussion by tracing the roots of radar detectors back to the early 1950s when police began utilizing Doppler radar to enforce speed limits. Greg elaborates on the progression of technology, mentioning the first attempts at radar detection:

Greg Warren (08:32): "In the early 1950s, the police started using Doppler effect radar to catch speeders... The first branded one was actually Radar Sentry by Ratatron."

Bob adds a humorous touch to the conversation:

Bob (09:15): "Doesn't Ratatron sound like a surfing robot?"

The Birth of Fuzzbusters

The conversation shifts to 1968, highlighting Dale Smith, an electrical engineer who played a pivotal role in developing the first radar gun for police:

Greg Warren (10:32): "He helped design the first radar gun for the cops... but after being ticketed himself, he built the Fuzz Buster to combat these speed traps."

Bob reminisces about the early models:

Bob (11:23): "I remember my parents having one... it plugged into the cigarette lighter and was kind of ungainly sitting on the dashboard."

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Legalities and Technological Challenges

Regulations Across States

Tom provides an overview of the legal landscape surrounding radar detectors:

Tom (08:32): "They are illegal in Virginia and the District of Columbia and on any military bases. If you're driving commercial, anything over $10,000, you cannot have a radar detector."

Technological Advancements and Limitations

The duo discusses the transition from S and X band to K band radar systems and the ensuing challenges:

Tom (12:00): "The K band picks up collision avoidance systems, leading to numerous false alarms from bank security systems, farm implements, and railroad signals."

Bob humorously imagines the frustrations:

Bob (14:01): "Oh, this is like a spy movie."

Tom further touches on the rise of lidar technology and the emergence of jamming devices:

Tom (15:10): "There's this new thing called lidar, which is laser-based, and you can jam it... but it's regulated by the FCC. Using jammers can lead to hefty fines and even jail time."

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Personal Anecdotes and Experiences

Bob’s Encounter with a Radar Detector

Bob shares a personal story about receiving a speeding ticket despite using a Fuzzbuster:

Bob (07:25): "One of the only times I ever got a speeding ticket, I was using a Fuzzbuster. I was sailing along down a highway in Kansas when a patrolman caught up to me."

Nostalgic Memories

Tom reflects on the popularity of radar detectors in the 70s:

Tom (16:39): "They were big in the '70s. If you're on a budget, Cobra is the brand to go for. I remember Cobra even had commercials telling you where the cops are."

Bob adds a light-hearted comment on law enforcement’s stance:

Bob (16:57): "Actually, they're legal pretty much everywhere."

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Current State of Radar Detectors

Modern Brands and Features

The discussion transitions to contemporary radar detector brands like United and Escort, which have garnered high ratings for their effectiveness.

Challenges with Modern Technology

Tom highlights the ongoing battle between radar detectors and law enforcement advancements:

Tom (14:31): "With the shift to K band and lidar, radar detectors face more false alarms and reduced effectiveness."

Bob emphasizes the persistent demand:

Bob (15:55): "I just googled it. You can still buy them. They're big. You know, United and Escort are the two brands that seem to rate the highest."

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Greg Warren’s Comedy Special and Other Projects

Upcoming Comedy Special

The hosts take a moment to discuss Greg Warren’s forthcoming comedy special, filmed on May 16, coinciding with Bob’s birthday:

Bob (06:24): "What's the status of the Greg Warren comedy special that we know has been filmed May 16? All right. My birthday."

Tom praises Greg’s performance:

Tom (06:43): "I saw you doing your thing and it was absolutely brilliant. I can't wait to see it again on TV."

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A Brief Detour: NFL and Super Bowl

While not the main focus, the conversation briefly touches upon the NFL and Super Bowl, with Tom expressing his disinterest due to his team's relocations:

Tom (04:00): "Chick, we've been over this. The NFL took three teams from me... So you're boycotting the NFL?"

Bob and Tom share a light-hearted banter about team relocations and their impact on fandom.

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Closing Remarks and Future Topics

As the episode wraps up, Bob and Tom hint at future discussions and topics, including ideas inspired by Bravo TV star Lala Kent:

Tom (20:24): "How fun would it be to bring in some Bravo liberties and make our own bracket iconic?"

Bob encourages listeners to follow and subscribe:

Bob (20:31): "Follow and listen on your favorite platform."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Greg Warren (08:32): "In the early 1950s, the police started using Doppler effect radar to catch speeders..."
• Bob (09:15): "Doesn't Ratatron sound like a surfing robot?"
• Greg Warren (10:32): "He helped design the first radar gun for the cops... but after being ticketed himself, he built the Fuzz Buster to combat these speed traps."
• Bob (11:23): "I remember my parents having one... it plugged into the cigarette lighter and was kind of ungainly sitting on the dashboard."
• Bob (14:01): "Oh, this is like a spy movie."
• Tom (15:10): "There's this new thing called lidar, which is laser-based, and you can jam it... but it's regulated by the FCC."
• Bob (16:57): "Actually, they're legal pretty much everywhere."
• Bob (06:24): "What's the status of the Greg Warren comedy special that we know has been filmed May 16? All right. My birthday."
• Tom (04:00): "Chick, we've been over this. The NFL took three teams from me... So you're boycotting the NFL?"

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Conclusion

This episode of B&T Extra offers a comprehensive look into the world of radar detectors through engaging storytelling and expert insights from Greg Warren. From their historical inception to modern-day challenges, listeners gain a nuanced understanding of Fuzzbusters and their place in automotive culture. The blend of humor, personal anecdotes, and technical discussion makes for an informative and entertaining listen, even for those unfamiliar with the intricacies of radar detection technology.

Transcript

[Bob]

Lavender is back at Starbucks. Put some spring in your cup with the iced lavender matcha. And now here you go. Your iced lavender lattes are ready at Starbucks. The wild is closer than you think. But if you want to do more than gaze at it from a safe distance, you might want more than just any small SUV. Introducing the new 2025 Ford Bronco Sport with a sasquatch pack. The most capable Bronco sport ever built to rock crawl off road and conquer the trails near you. Built Wild. Always consult the owner's manual before off road driving. Know your terrain and trail difficulty and use appropriate safety gear. Welcome back. It's another Bob and Tom extra. This is Christopher. Not only is the Bob and Tom show live every weekday morning, but every afternoon. We'll give you a little extra in case you missed anything on the big show today. Greg Warren with the Warren report. Today on Fuzzbusters. It's coming up in just a min minute. Welcome to AutoZone. What are you working on today?

[Tom]

My car is making this noise. Sometimes it's like. And sometimes it's like.

[Bob]

Do you have a dash light on?

[Tom]

Oh, yeah.

[Bob]

And we don't have to listen for clues. With the free fix finder service, we can read a check engine, ABS or maintenance light to find the likely fix and even recommend a local shop if you need one.

[Tom]

So you don't need to hear the.

[Bob]

Not with fix finder free at every AutoZone. Get in the zone. Autozone restrictions apply. Everyone's talking about in car GPS navigation systems, but have you heard about this one?

[Greg Warren]

Turn right at the next stop sign. Destination ahead 100 yards on left. You have reached destination. Now pull up to the curb. Shut the car off. Okay, now you see that house on the left over? Duck down and look through the upstairs window.

[Bob]

Yeah.

[Greg Warren]

Using binoculars in the glove box. Yeah. That's Mrs. Jenkins working out on the treadmill. Look at them curves. She used to work over at Hooters, you know. And then she married old man Jenkins. Pretty sweet milf, huh?

[Bob]

New from Brick and Mall industries. It's the hottest GPS system ever. It's the beeping Tom Tom. Featuring the voice of actual pervert from your neighborhood or the area you're traveling through.

[Greg Warren]

Okay, now let's pull over right over here. Here's another good stop. This here is a soccer mom. It's new in town.

[Bob]

Oh, yeah.

[Greg Warren]

There she is, cleaning up the backyard and her jogging shorts. That's right. Bend over and pick up that frisbee. Little monkey woman.

[Bob]

Oh, here come the doggies.

[Greg Warren]

Yeah, yeah. Good puppies. Oh, yeah. Jump up on Mommy.

[Bob]

That's it.

[Greg Warren]

Oh, that's what I'm talking about.

[Tom]

Y.

[Bob]

It's the Beeping Tom Tom navigation system. Not affiliated with the Tom Tom or any other legitimate company.

[Greg Warren]

All right, big boy, time for a real treat. We're gonna head over to Christy Lee's house.

[Bob]

Yeah, baby.

[Greg Warren]

Oh, dude, you're gonna want to stop off at the store for some Kleenex on the way.

[Bob]

If you missed something yesterday, maybe you'll hear it now.

[Tom]

This is Bob and Tom.

[Bob]

Extra. Oh, there. He's right there. I see him now. It's Greg Wal. Hey, Greg. How are you, sir?

[Tom]

Hey, guys. How's it going?

[Bob]

Good. Did you see your buddy Nate in the. On the commercial during the super bowl yesterday?

[Tom]

I didn't see it. You know, I. I didn't watch the game, but I heard about it. Saw a little preview of it.

[Bob]

Yeah, it was good.

[Tom]

Pretty cool. Yeah.

[Bob]

What are you. Are you, like, a Russian who doesn't watch the Super Bowl? What the.

[Tom]

Well, Chick, we've been over this. The NFL took three teams from me, so I.

[Bob]

All right, St. Louis, the Rams, the Cardinal.

[Tom]

The Cardinals.

[Bob]

Oh, yeah, the Cardinals. Yeah. They went to Arizona. You're right.

[Tom]

And then I. You know, my first job out of college was in Houston, and I went to Oiler games.

[Bob]

Oh, yeah.

[Tom]

And then. And then they took the Rams.

[Bob]

Yeah. Wow. They did? So you're boycotting the NFL?

[Tom]

Boy, I just. I just kind of a little bit at first. Now I just don't care as much. I was. I did watch that whole AFC championship game because, you know, O'Brien, my buddy, is a big Bills fan, and I was kind of flipping to see I was pulling for chicks. Redskins, but I don't know. I. I didn't care so much about the suit.

[Bob]

Hey, let me tell you something, Greg. Plenty of room on the bandwagon for those. Those commanders. Come on up. Come on. I'll give you a hand up here. Come on up. And I forgot if it was on or off the air, but Chick said the Commander's put up a pretty good fight there at the end. I would have. I think they would, given the Eagles. Never mind. Yeah.

[Tom]

Well, in any event, I love that quarterback for the commanders, though, I. Oh, yeah. Oh, you watched him in college, man.

[Bob]

Yeah. You're talking about my. My sweet baby Jaden Daniels. That's right. Yeah.

[Tom]

That guy. Yeah. I saw him play against Missouri in college. He's so good.

[Bob]

He's very good. Well, I was just trying to underscore the fact that Nate had a pretty fun commercial on.

[Tom]

Yeah, it was doordash, right?

[Bob]

Yeah. It's some kind of. It was, it went by pretty. Think about these. They go by pretty quick. So it was some kind of doordash, like dash pass. Yeah, Like a, like a club, I guess you join for a better deal.

[Tom]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. He, he has a joke about doordash. It's one of my favorite, favorite jokes. He, he's talking. He orders like twice from doordash. He says he orders like two different meals. He says it's, it's, it's like because why they don't put the vice president and the president on this on the same plane?

[Bob]

Well, one of them is going to get there. Well, I guess they must have liked the joke because they, they hired him for the commercial. Now, what's the latest with you? What are you doing?

[Tom]

Well, I'm doing pretty well, thanks, man. Yeah, Been on the road quite a bit, but doing well.

[Bob]

What's the status of the Greg Warren comedy special that we know has been filmed May 16? All right. My birthday.

[Tom]

Yeah.

[Bob]

All right. Oh, that's good.

[Tom]

Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, that's awesome.

[Bob]

Yeah. Does it have an official title that you can release yet?

[Tom]

It does. No, nobody knows. In fact, it's up for grabs. Tom, if you want to screen it.

[Bob]

And you've got, don't tell them I saw this. I saw the. I, I saw you doing your thing and it was absolutely brilliant. I can't wait to see it again on the tv. But I saw it in person. It was just terrific. So I'm sure it'll be good. But in the meantime, your assignment has been to do a deep dive into some topic. May I ask what that is?

[Tom]

Yes, sure. We're going to talk about the history of the Fuzz Buster, Tom.

[Bob]

All right.

[Tom]

Yes. Voted one of the all time 100 gadgets by TIME magazine.

[Bob]

Okay. Yeah.

[Tom]

Did you know that? No.

[Bob]

Let me tell you something about the fuss buster, Greg. The only time I, one of the only times I ever got a speeding ticket, I was using a fuzz buster. Really? And I'm sailing along down this highway out in Kansas and all of a sudden the fuzz buster goes. And the highway patrolman was waiting until I got close enough and then he kicked his radar on and I thought a problem. So that's the defeat of the fuzz Buster.

[Tom]

So you tell me, an ongoing battle.

[Bob]

Yeah, you tell me, are they still, are they still out there? Fuzzbusters that are. That's a specific brand Right. It's a.

[Tom]

That is a brand. But it sort of became like Kleenex, man. I mean.

[Bob]

I know that in some states they're illegal. Yeah.

[Tom]

You had to hide it.

[Bob]

Right.

[Tom]

There's a. I don't. Yes, they are illegal in Virginia and the District of Columbia and on any military bases. And if you're. If you're driving commercial, anything over £10,000, you cannot have a radar detector.

[Bob]

Oh.

[Tom]

But let's go to the beginning.

[Bob]

Sure.

[Tom]

In the early 1950s, the police started using Doppler effect radar to catch speeders. That was S band back then. And then right around, I think, 1958, CQ, it was an amateur radio magazine, ran an article about a radio speedometer receiver that was modified. It was probably the first crude radar detector. The first branded one was actually Radar Sentry by Ratatron. And it detected S band and X band, and it was a minimal range.

[Bob]

Doesn't Ratatron sound like a surfing robot?

[Tom]

Hey, I'm Ratatron.

[Bob]

That or a robot that. That tells what you've done. Yeah, the Ratatron said I was cranking one.

[Tom]

Would you shut up, Ratatron?

[Bob]

Man, I wanted a Ratatron, and they got me a Ratatron.

[Tom]

You know, I saw Jo Chick was smoking cigarettes.

[Bob]

Hey, shut up, Ratatron. He's a liar.

[Tom]

Those early ones were pretty. They had a very minimal range. I think as the police officer was writing the ticket, it went off. But in 1968, there's this guy named Dale Smith. Now, Dale's an interesting guy. He worked. Worked in the Air Force with radar. He was a very bright guy, an electrical engineer. And then he helped design the first radar gun for the. For the cops. Like, he. He helped build this thing. But they pulled him over and they gave him a ticket, and he got angry and he. He said, hey, let me see that thing. Which I'm sure the cops didn't like. He was like, you're doing it wrong. Apparently. He said they'd been giving out these tickets. They'd given out about $250,000 worth of tickets. And the thing was about 15 miles an hour off of calibration.

[Bob]

That's huge.

[Tom]

Yes. Yes. And. And he knew because he built the thing, and they were like, yeah, whatever, buddy. You got a ticket. So he went in his garage and built the Fuzz Buster. He was like, I'll show you. I'll show you guys. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll show you guys. Yeah, yeah. He went. And the. The Fuzz Buster was the first one. And I. I Mean, you guys were around. I, like during the set. I think 72 was when that thing first came out. Yeah.

[Bob]

I remember my parents having one. I, I remember one that I saw a guy had and it, it plugged into the cigarette lighter and it.

[Tom]

Yeah.

[Bob]

Sort of, kind of ungainly. Sitting on the dashboard.

[Tom]

Yeah.

[Bob]

Yep.

[Tom]

It was so I, I thought they were cool. My dad didn't have one, but I, I thought, you know, you'd be in with some guys. I thought they were cool, but a little bit counterculture, you know, and a little bit like, I think I'm. I'm with a criminal here, you know. And did you guys remember the sound of the first fuzzbuzzer? It was like sinister. It was like, like.

[Bob]

Ours would light up, of course. And then it would. And it was just kind of high pitched.

[Tom]

Yeah. This. The fuzz buster. He was. It lit up, but it had like a kind of a low pulsing thing to it.

[Bob]

It was.

[Tom]

Yeah. Wow.

[Bob]

I'll have to ask a, a cop what they think about that. I mean if they're, you know, my dad, our car was broken into and my dad called the police and they came out because a bunch of things were stolen. And one of the things that was stolen was a radar detector. And I remember my dad. So what else was taken? Oh, we also radar detector was. He wasn't like super confident in telling him. And of course four oun pot and some magazines that may or may not be legal.

[Tom]

Like my, my neighbor Jesse in, in high school, somebody, she told the principal, somebody broke into her locker and stole her pot.

[Bob]

That's amazing. Wow. What's that guy doing now?

[Tom]

It was a girl, but actually. Yeah. Yeah. Well, yeah, he was X band. Today there is very little X band. You might run into some X band in New Jersey and Ohio and maybe a rural town. But it's K band which is used by the police now. And you can get these K band radar detectors. The problem are there's a lot of false alarms. You're going to pick up automatic door openers, bank security systems, farm implements and railroad crossing signals which. That, you know, there's some guy, he's like, I can't believe that that that cop's hiding in that combine over.

[Bob]

He's rolling his window down. You'll never get me. Could a police officer tell if you have a radar detector? I mean, obviously. Radar detector. Detector, yeah. If it's sitting on your dashboard, certainly.

[Tom]

But I mean, yes, I think I read that.

[Bob]

Do they have like some kind of thing going? Oh, this guy's got a radar detector. I'm really gonna screw this guy.

[Tom]

I think there's. Ray. I think it goes back and forth like seven times. Like, there's radar detector. Detector, detector. Yeah.

[Bob]

Oh, this is like a spy movie.

[Tom]

Yeah, it is. I'm. They. They've been going at each other for years. Yeah, they also. The K band picks up, like, you know, that stuff on the new cars. The collision avoidance and blindside is. Sure, yeah. Yes, they pick up all that, too.

[Bob]

Oh, well, that's no good. Yeah, no, you'll be. Every time you drive by a car, it'll go off.

[Tom]

Yes, yes.

[Bob]

What if you have it in your car? Would it continually go off?

[Tom]

Yeah, I guess it would just be going off all the time. And then you cannot.

[Bob]

You.

[Tom]

You can't jam radar because it's regulated by the fcc. So there's jammers. You know, you can. Actually, there's. There's devices that'll just render whatever the cops. Radar gun. Like, you can't use it.

[Bob]

Yeah, that makes sense.

[Tom]

Yes, you can. And then it's like $10,000 and up to one year in prison if you're caught with a jammer or a scrambler. But this is interesting. The new thing that a lot of the cops are, they use lidar, which is a laser technology. And the lasers are not covered by the fcc. So you can jam those.

[Bob]

Oh, in.

[Tom]

In a lot of states. Yeah. You can't do that in California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and a coup others. But you can do. You can do some. Some lidar jamming, if you guys are up for that.

[Bob]

And I just googled it. You can still buy them. I like to jam. What, radar detectors? Yeah. I didn't. I had no idea. They're still out there.

[Tom]

Oh, yeah, no, they're big. I think that the. They're still very prevalent, as I. I can see. United and Escort are the two brands that seem to rate the highest. All right, but there's been. I mean, Fuzzbuster was the first one, but there was Super Snooper, Bear Finder, Screaming Demon, and I don't want to.

[Bob]

Be vulgar, but I. I distinctly recall seeing a pornographic video entitled Fuzz Buster. It was before the popularity of the shaving. No, you didn't like that?

[Tom]

Yeah, I'm sure you did. I mean, of course, Yeah. I mean, this was the. These things were big in the 70s.

[Bob]

Sure, sure.

[Tom]

If you're on a budget, I think Cobra is the brand that you guys are. I remember that.

[Bob]

I remember Cobra looking for yeah, yeah.

[Tom]

And that. Yeah, it was like a real. I think they even had a commercial at one point. You're like, use the ways app now tells you where the cops are.

[Bob]

Yeah.

[Tom]

Right. Greg. Yes.

[Bob]

No, no. Greg. Greg, you obviously have to drive a lot and. And Pat, you certainly do as a comedian and back in the day, certainly. Josh, do you speed all the time? Are you.

[Tom]

Josh does? Yeah, I speed, yeah.

[Bob]

Do you?

[Tom]

Yeah.

[Bob]

So do you have a radar detector?

[Tom]

I don't, I don't. I just pay the tickets, you know.

[Bob]

Do you have a lot of them?

[Tom]

No, no, I'm not. No, not too bad. No, I haven't. I haven't had one in a while. I don't. It's. I don't. It's not crazy. I think I. One time I got off. I think I dropped the Bob and Tom show one time and got out of a ticket actually. Well, yeah, I remember doing that. Do you guys remember like. Because it was like dirt bags that had him at first and there was. There was always. There'd be like some guy I can't remember as one of my dirtbag friends, like an older guy that we were going somewhere on a wrestling trip or something and that. That fuzz buster would go off and he'd reach up and he'd pat it and go, that's my girl. Y. I love you're a scumbag, man. But back in the day the cops would like compensate him and smash them.

[Bob]

Oh no.

[Tom]

Yeah, the cops would just like pull them out and then. And they'd break them. And then they were like, hey, you can't do that. Actually they're legal pretty much everywhere.

[Bob]

Except for if a police officer sees one. Aren't they're much more likely to give you the ticket? I would think.

[Tom]

Yeah. I mean radar, I guess. Did you know this time that radar was a big deal in World War II?

[Bob]

Sure.

[Tom]

Yeah. I mean it was like. I think that's when we first started using radar. It was used by the British to. To detect air raids by the Germans and it wasn't.

[Bob]

I think Chick maybe can help me with this one. Wasn't some of the technology used in contemporary smartphones developed by. Was it Hedy Lamar, the actress and some torpedo. It's Headley Torpedo guidance system. She was some brilliant engineer. It's frequency sharing. She. She came up with that. Yeah. Of all random things.

[Tom]

By the way. Guys. Sorry. I did have one more thing. The K40, that's a big time radar detector. They have a first ticket free guarantee.

[Bob]

No kidding. Wow.

[Tom]

Yes. However, it does not include tickets in school zones or DUIs.

[Bob]

Yeah, that's good. Yeah. Isn't that great?

[Tom]

You know, they had to put that in there because some guys are. Nah, brother. You said I got a ticket.

[Bob]

That's it for another Bob and Tom show. Extra. Catch us on itunes, Google, Google Play and Stitcher for Bob and Tom. Extra. This is Christopher. Take care, everybody. Bravo TV star Lala Kent holds nothing back. There's been so many times where I'm like, I apologize that I said that, but that wasn't meant for you to hear. Feel you there. How fun would it be to bring in some Bravo liberties and make our own bracket iconic? All right, I'll take Dorinda. You take Sonia. Sonia is who I wish I could be.

[Tom]

You and me both.

[Bob]

I cannot be someone in the program. What's PTO pay time off.

[Tom]

See, you never had a real job.

[Bob]

Give them Lala. It is nothing but honesty. You guys know follow and listen on your favorite platform.