Podcast Summary: The BOB & TOM Show Free Podcast

Episode: B&T Extra: Greg Warren with the Warren Report – Fuzz Busters

Date: January 15, 2026

Overview

This "Bob & Tom Extra" episode features comedian Greg Warren delivering the "Warren Report"—a deep dive into the history, culture, and technical quirks of the "Fuzz Buster," one of the original radar detectors. The show, known for its irreverent blend of comedy and topical talk, uses Warren’s segment as both a nostalgic trip and an exploration of the cat-and-mouse dynamic between speeders and law enforcement. Regular cast members (Tom Griswold, Chick, Christopher, Pat, and more) jump in with stories, questions, and their trademark banter.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

NFL Teams & Super Bowl Banter (05:12 - 08:40)

• Tom Griswold explains his waning interest in the NFL after "losing" his favorite franchises (Rams, Cardinals, and Oilers) due to team moves:

  "The NFL took three teams from me, so I just... a little bit at first. Now I just don't care as much." (06:04)

• The group discusses teams, Super Bowl commercials, and notably Nate's appearance in a DoorDash commercial.

  "I love that quarterback for the Commanders, though. I watched him in college, man... So good, so tough." (06:44) Chick jokes: "Let me tell you something, Greg. Plenty of room on the bandwagon for those Commanders..." (06:23)

Greg Warren’s Deep Dive: The Fuzz Buster (08:40 - 21:29)

The Invention and Cultural Impact

• Greg Warren launches his segment with the history:

  "We're going to talk about the history of the Fuzz Buster, Tom." (08:40)

  • TIME Magazine named it one of the 100 all-time gadgets.
  • Origin of radar-based speed traps dates to the 1950s; DIY radar detectors appear in the late ‘50s.
  • First branded detector: Radar Sentry by Ratatron—minimal range, humorous riffing on its name from the cast.

• Key Story:

  • Dale Smith, an Air Force radar engineer, helped design police radar guns and, after being wrongly ticketed, invents the Fuzz Buster in frustration over a miscalibrated gun:

    "He went in his garage and built the Fuzz Buster. He was like, 'I'll show you guys.'" (12:22)

  • Released in 1972, it symbolized rebellion:

    "They were cool but a little bit counterculture... like, ‘I think I'm with a criminal here.'" (13:08)

Legal Grey Areas and Technology Evolution

• Only a few states (notably Virginia and D.C.) outlaw radar detectors; illegal on federal/military roads and commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds.
• The progression from X Band (rare today) to K Band is explained, noting:

  "The problem is there's a lot of false alarms... automatic door openers, bank security, farm implements, and railroad signals." (14:31)

• Cast jokes about phantom alerts from random sources (farm equipment, new car sensors).

Cops vs. Speeders: The Escalating Arms Race

• Radar detectors beget radar detector detectors, escalating cat-and-mouse technology:

  "I think it goes back and forth, like, seven times... radar detector, detector, detector..." (15:41, Tom Griswold)

• Pat recounts family stories involving detector thefts and amusing candor with the police.

• Jamming Devices & Legal Risks:

  "You cannot... jam radar, because it's regulated by the FCC. If you're caught with a jammer or scrambler: $10,000 fine and up to one year in prison." (16:10-16:42)

  • LIDAR (laser-based speed guns) aren't FCC regulated, leading to legal loopholes for laser jammers in many—but not all—states.

Fuzz Buster’s Pop Culture & Modern Alternatives

• Greg lists notable brands and pop-culture offshoots:
  • "Fuzzbuster was the first one, but there was Super Snooper, Bear Finder, Screaming Demon..."
  • Cast jokes about an adult film called “Fuzz Buster” (18:07).
  • Cobra for budget-minded speeder; now, apps like Waze serve a similar function.

Personal Ethics, Tickets, and Storytelling

• Driving habits divulged:

  "Josh does [speed]. Yeah, I speed, yeah." (18:50, Tom Griswold) “I don’t [have a detector]. I just pay the tickets…” (18:56, Tom Griswold)

  • Old story: “One time I dropped the Bob and Tom Show [name] and got out of a ticket…” (19:02)
  • The “dirtbag” aura of early radar detector users; in the old days, “cops would confiscate and smash” detectors.
• Greg shares about companies providing “first ticket free” warranties for detectors (not valid in school zones/DUIs):

  “The K40, that's a big time radar detector... has a first ticket free guarantee... Does not include tickets in school zones or DUIs.” (21:07)

Radar, WWII, and Tech Tangents (20:11 - 21:19)

• Radar’s origins as wartime tech: “Radar was a big deal in World War II… used by the British to detect air raids by the Germans.” (20:11, Tom Griswold)
• Hedy Lamarr mentioned as a tech innovator (20:50).
• Fun Fact: Frequency-sharing now used in smartphones.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On invention out of spite:

  “He went in his garage and built the Fuzz Buster. He was like, ‘I’ll show you guys.’” (12:22 – Greg Warren)

• On radar detection standoffs:

  “I think it goes back and forth like seven times. Like, there’s radar detector… detector, detector.” (15:41 – Tom Griswold)

• Culture of rebel gear:

  "They were cool but a little bit counterculture… and a little bit like, I think I’m with a criminal here, you know.” (13:08 – Tom Griswold)

• On the uselessness of some gadgets:

  "Those early ones were pretty... they had a very minimal range. I think as the police officer was writing the ticket, it went off." (11:26 – Tom Griswold)

• On the criminal element's affection for their gadgets:

  "There’d be like some guy… and that fuzz buster would go off and he’d… pat it and go, ‘That’s my girl.’” (19:02 – Tom Griswold)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------| | 05:12 | NFL talk, team grievances, commercial riffing | | 08:40 | Warren Report intro; History of Fuzz Buster begins | | 09:52 | Legality in states; early use cases | | 12:22 | Dale Smith story – The inventor’s revenge | | 13:08 | Fuzz Buster’s cultural mystique | | 14:31 | Technical evolution: X-band/K-band/false alarms | | 15:41 | Radar/Detector/Detector arms race | | 16:40 | Legal risks: Jammers & FCC regulations | | 18:28 | Affordable brands, transition to apps | | 18:50 | Hosts’ speeding confessions | | 19:53 | Early police tactics: smashing detectors | | 20:11 | Radar in WWII, Hedy Lamarr’s tech contributions | | 21:07 | K40’s “first ticket free” warranty |

Tone and Energy

The tone is lighthearted, cynical, and playfully combative—full of inside jokes, teasing, and “old guy” reminiscences about the glory days of both cars and comedy. The history of an obscure car gadget turns into both a comedic history lesson and a meditation on American ingenuity—especially the sort born of irritation and rebellion.

Summary for the Uninitiated

If you missed this Bob & Tom Extra, you missed more than just car trivia. Greg Warren’s “Warren Report” on the Fuzz Buster is a hilarious yet genuinely informative dive into how Americans tried (and still try) to outsmart the law on the road. It’s an ode to DIY tech, ingenious criminals, and the endless technological back-and-forth between cops and speeders—a topic everyone with a driving ticket can relate to.