Most Americans, whether they admit it or not, have a little Howard Hughes in them: 50% of women won't sit on a toilet seat without a paper guard. And while we make fun of their habits in movies such as Along Came Polly, these freaks are the ones who are laughing as the rest of the population sniffles away in bed during germ season (which is actually all year.)

In The Germ Freak's Guide to Outwitting Colds and Flu, Allison Janse - a committed Germ Freak - and Dr. Charles Gerba (Dr. Germ) give us the lowdown on how to avoid the common cold and survive flu season with your health and sanity intact. Dr. Gerba has appeared regularly on Good Morning America, Dateline, CNN News and 60 Minutes as well as national magazines and newspapers.

First up on tonight's show, the perfect mix of science meets suburbia: the microbiologist and the mom. This is the practical information your doctor won't give you (they always say not to worry and may be giving you the latest bug by not washing their hands when they examine you!), but which you're dying to know, such as:

• How clean is my office desk? (It's better to eat off a toilet seat)
• Do I have to shake that snotty person's hand?
• Are my hygiene products killing me?
• How do I get out of a public restroom without contamination?
• What is the best way to wash my hands?
• Am I the only germ freak in America?
• Bird Flu update.

Also this week, from the "whatever happened to" category Allan welcomes Rock icon Dick Peterson of The Kingsmen. Don't miss this live segment as Dick Peterson reveals the humorous, sometimes unbelievable, details about the America's Party Band, The Kingsmen, and their controversial hit Louie Louie.

"Worldwide, scores of millions of people recognize the opening strains of Louie Louie the instant they hear them. Whether listening to The Kingsmen blasting away on the radio or CD or tape or watching actors performing in countless movies like Animal House or Mr. Holland's Opus or Dave, people of all ages and backgrounds break into smiles the moment that primal riff first tickles their ears. On a multitude of levels, Louie, Louie has embedded itself deep within our collective consciousness and become a permanent element of our cultural identity. Yet few know the true story behind this legendary recording and its aftermath."

Since The Kingsmen's release of Louie, Louie in 1963, a controversy over the questionable lyrics remains unresolved. Untold millions of copies have been sold and well over 1,000 cover versions have been recorded, giving the recording iconic status while crowning the band the "fathers of garage rock" and bestowing The Kingsmen with the title of "America's Party Band".

Forty years ago, as a member of The Kingsmen, I lived through, or perhaps I should say "survived", the original pandemonium that surrounded the song. Back then, following an extensive FBI investigation personally directed by J. Edgar Hoover, a federal judge found that our version of the song was "unintelligible at any speed." His declaration gave the youth of America the nebulosity necessary for the growth of the rumors and accusations that helped create the legend of Louie, Louie.

Herein the humorous, sometimes unbelievable, details of what really happened to The Kingsmen and Louie, Louie are revealed for the first time. The never-ending controversy that lies at the heart of this tale is more than just once-upon-a-time history; the legend, the mystery, the wonder of Louie, Louie live on today.

About the Author

Born in the Pacific Northwest, Dick Peterson grew up in quaint, picturesque Gig Harbor, Washington, where early on he developed a passion for classical music and a curiosity for Jazz. Moving to Portland as a high school student, at 17 the author joined a local rock-'n'-roll band, The Kingsmen, and soon found himself in the middle of one of the most famous incidents in the history or rock music: the controversy surrounding the alleged dirty lyrics of Louie Louie. Today, more than 40 years later, he continues to perform with The Kingsmen.

Check out these sites:

Publisher's site for Dick Peterson's book
LouieLouie.net's Links and News pages

Louie, Louie trivia and links

The original national Kingsmen 45 release, on the Wand label from 1963. From Andy Land . Photo used by permission of Andy Martello

From Purdue.edu:
Was Louie Louie Banned in Indiana? Click for more...

From The Smoking Gun:
We've all been there. You're at a party, a bit liquored-up and dancing like a loon. Then Louie, Louie starts to play and, suddenly, you're one of the Kingsmen. You're howling the lyrics when, during the third verse, you realize that you don't know the lyrics.

Well, J. Edgar Hoover once found himself in a similar predicament (sort of). In the early-1960s, the FBI boss and his troops investigated whether the song's lyrics violated federal obscenity laws. Triggered by complaints from parents and other tightasses (who sent the FBI copies of the supposed Louie, Louie lyrics), the G-men struggled to determine just what it was the Kingsmen were singing. But even when they slowed the 45 rpm single down to 33-1/3, the agents remained stymied. This was one case Hoover's boys couldn't crack.

Here are some choice excerpts from the FBI's Louie, Louie investigative file.

From Wikipedia:
The song is written in the style of a simple Jamaican ballad, and tells, in simple verse-chorus form, the first-person story of a Jamaican sailor returning to the island to see his lady love.

Also tonight, …. Bigfoot!!
Tom Biscardi, the world renowned Bigfoot researcher, and his team would like to have you join them as they travel the country to research some of the hottest reports of sightings and encounters. Tom and his team invite you to go to SearchingforBigfoot.com and join them in the quest to document or even capture this elusive creature.