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Were You A Chum-Bug? Here's What That Means Today
If you were listening to Toronto rock radio in the 60s, you surely knew about what a Chum-Bug was - it was the "club" you could join from 1050 CHUM, allowing you to win prizes and other benefits. I had one of the cards below and I'm guessing a lot of people did, too.
I'm not sure if the mascot character depticted on the card ever had an actual name, but he was everywhere - on the charts, in ads and on billboards.
The station essentially abandoned the concept as it went to the Drake format (Bill Drake, not the Toronto rapper!) in the 70s.
I thought that was the end of it, until I accidentally stumbled on a product that gives this a whole new meaning today. There's a clip made to hold glasses manufactured by a company called "CHUMs." Its name? Chumbugs. 
When I first saw it my mind immediately flashed back to my own Chum-Bug card. I applied for two of them over the years. Neither of them ever spelled my last name right!
- Doug Thompson
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Re: Were You A Chum-Bug? Here's What That Means Today
When I started at CHUM in February of 1965, the CHUMbug promotion was still going. Every hour, we had a contest with an intro (voiced by Mike Darow) that said: "Hey CHUMbugs, YOU could Win It This Minute" and if isteners with cards heard their name, and if they called in, they won an album or some prize.
Bob Laine told me that the CHUM DJ's (off-air naturally) used to call the character the CHUM bugger.
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Re: Were You A Chum-Bug? Here's What That Means Today
Doug Thompson wrote:
When I started at CHUM in February of 1965, the CHUMbug promotion was still going. Every hour, we had a contest with an intro (voiced by Mike Darow) that said: "Hey CHUMbugs, YOU could Win It This Minute" and if isteners with cards heard their name, and if they called in, they won an album or some prize.
Bob Laine told me that the CHUM DJ's (off-air naturally) used to call the character the CHUM bugger.
I love that story! The only time there was any CHUM-Bug excitement in my world was the day when a neighbour kid named Debbie came running up to the house, breathlessly telling my brother she just heard his name mentioned on CHUM and to call the station right away!
So he did. And they not only never heard of him, they had no idea why she thought she'd heard it. She was very sincere and very excited and I don't think she was making it up. And we never did learn what was behind the obviously misheard announcement.
And while he never won anything from the Nifty 1050, I won two 45s on the Battle of the New Sounds: Have I The Right by The Honeycombs and From A Window by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. Still have both of them, too.
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Thread Starter- Paul Jeffries
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Re: Were You A Chum-Bug? Here's What That Means Today
Bob Laine told me that the CHUM DJ's (off-air naturally) used to call the character the CHUM bugger.
This was before my time, but I remember hearing a story about CHUM getting Carl Perkins to voice one of their promos, with the script "I'm a CHUM Bug, are you?"
But the end result supposedly sounded a lot like "I'm a CHUM, bugger you!" to some sets of ears. 
PJ
ClassicHitsOnline.com...Toronto's ORIGINAL classic hits station!
- mace
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Re: Were You A Chum-Bug? Here's What That Means Today
The CHUM Bug ended in February 1967. On the March 6 CHUM Chart, the "Chart Chuckle" was introduced. It would remain until July 29, 1968, which was the last top 50 chart.
- Shorty Wave
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Re: Were You A Chum-Bug? Here's What That Means Today
If you were listening to Toronto rock radio in the 60s, you surely knew about what a Chum-Bug was - it was the "club" you could join from 1050 CHUM, allowing you to win prizes and other benefits. I had one of the cards below and I'm guessing a lot of people did, too.
I'm not sure if the mascot character depticted on the card ever had an actual name, but he was everywhere - on the charts, in ads and on billboards.
The station essentially abandoned the concept as it went to the Drake format (Bill Drake, not the Toronto rapper!) in the 70s.
I thought that was the end of it, until I accidentally stumbled on a product that gives this a whole new meaning today. There's a clip made to hold glasses manufactured by a company called "CHUMs." Its name? Chumbugs.
When I first saw it my mind immediately flashed back to my own Chum-Bug card. I applied for two of them over the years. Neither of them ever spelled my last name right!
Not that it matters but I really don’t get the concept behind the Chumbug holder for glasses. Are they supposed to clip on your belt or something along that line? Still, it adds to the story!
- Doug Thompson
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Re: Were You A Chum-Bug? Here's What That Means Today
PJ Wrote:
This was before my time, but I remember hearing a story about CHUM getting Carl Perkins to voice one of their promos, with the script "I'm a CHUM Bug, are you?"
But the end result supposedly sounded a lot like "I'm a CHUM, bugger you!" to some sets of ears.
Paul, that story is quite true, except for one thing. It wasn't Carl Perkins who said it, it was John Wayne.
Last edited by Doug Thompson (May 2, 2026 3:57 pm)
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- Paul Jeffries
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Re: Were You A Chum-Bug? Here's What That Means Today
PJ Wrote:
This was before my time, but I remember hearing a story about CHUM getting Carl Perkins to voice one of their promos, with the script "I'm a CHUM Bug, are you?"
But the end result supposedly sounded a lot like "I'm a CHUM, bugger you!" to some sets of ears.
Paul, that story is quite true, except for one thing. It wasn't Carl Perkins who said it, it was John Wayne.
That's really cool. I figured if anybody could verify that story, it'd be you, Doug. 
Did The Duke record it live in the CHUM studios, or did he (literally) mail it in?
PJ
ClassicHitsOnline.com...Toronto's ORIGINAL classic hits station!
- Doug Thompson
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Re: Were You A Chum-Bug? Here's What That Means Today
PJ: John Wayne was in town for some event and CHUM was recording visiting celebrities saying "I'm a CHUM Bug...are you?". There are over 60 of them from music stars to actors.
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