Early life and career

A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Durgin served in the U.S. Air Force before launching his radio career in Europe in 1964. Upon his return, he worked as news director for KTOK

KTOK

KTOK is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA, the station serves the Oklahoma City area. The station is owned by Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses and features programing from ABC Radio, Premiere Radio Networks and Westwood One...

 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Oklahoma City is the capital and the largest city in the state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, the city ranks 31st among United States cities in population. The city's population, from the 2010 census, was 579,999, with a metro-area population of 1,252,987 . In 2010, the Oklahoma...

. In 1989, he began working at WHP (AM)

WHP (AM)

WHP is an AM station in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The station broadcasts at 580 kHz with 5,000 watts power daytime non-directional and 5,200 watts night time power from a six tower antenna array in Enola, Pennsylvania....

 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...

. There, his radio show became "consistently popular" and was credited for increasing WHP (AM)

WHP (AM)

WHP is an AM station in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The station broadcasts at 580 kHz with 5,000 watts power daytime non-directional and 5,200 watts night time power from a six tower antenna array in Enola, Pennsylvania....

 to second place in its market. He was named the "Reader's Choice" best local talk show host in the Harrisburg

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...

 area by Harrisburg Magazine.

The Bob Durgin Show

He is known for wearing a Stetson hat and cowboy boots and for his catchphrases "Shut Up and Pay Your Taxes" and “Give Me a Physical Break!” His personality has been described as "rowdy" and his political leanings are "conservative."

His radio show has been the center of several political events and controversies. During the 1996 election for Pennsylvania Treasurer

Pennsylvania Treasurer

The Pennsylvania Treasurer is the head of the Pennsylvania Department of the Treasury, which is the custodian of virtually all the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's funds....

, Republican Barbara Hafer

Barbara Hafer

Barbara Hafer is an American politician from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.-Early political career:...

 called Durgin's show to respond to comments by incumbent Democratic Treasurer Catherine Baker Knoll

Catherine Baker Knoll

Catherine Baker Knoll was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. She was the 30th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, serving under Governor Ed Rendell from 2003 to 2008.-Background:...

 saying that Hafer had misused public funds. Hafer told Durgin on air that Knoll and her daughter, Mina Baker Knoll who was running for the Democratic nomination to succeed her mother, were "lying through their teeth. They are lying scumbags. I'm telling you, they are lying. They are outrageous." Pressed by Durgin, Hafer added "Scumbags, that is exactly what they were. And I'll tell you, if we were in Western Pennsylvania

Western Pennsylvania

Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...

 I'd do a South Side

South Side (Pittsburgh)

South Side is an area in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, located along the Monongahela River across from Downtown Pittsburgh. The South Side is officially divided into two neighborhoods, South Side Flats and South Side Slopes. Both the Flats and the Slopes are represented on Pittsburgh City...

 salute, and Cathy knows exactly what that is." In a later interview, Hafer did not retract her comments but noted that she might have "second thoughts" about her language.

In 2004, State Representative Tom Creighton

Tom Creighton

Tom Creighton is a Republican Party member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 37th District and was elected in 2000.-Career:...

 introduced legislation that would delay sheriff sales

Public auction

A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....

 after hearing a segment on Durgin's show about an elderly woman whose home was sold for $15,000 because she hadn't paid $300 in property tax

Property tax

A property tax is an ad valorem levy on the value of property that the owner is required to pay. The tax is levied by the governing authority of the jurisdiction in which the property is located; it may be paid to a national government, a federated state or a municipality...

es.

Political activism

Dugin led protests again the 1995 Pennsylvania General Assembly pay raise, both on his radio program and as a leader of large-scale protests like "The Rotunda Roundup" rally at the Pennsylvania State Capitol

Pennsylvania State Capitol

The Pennsylvania State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is in downtown Harrisburg. It was designed in 1902 in a Beaux-Arts style with Renaissance themes throughout...

.

Following the 2005 legislative pay raise

2005 Pennsylvania General Assembly pay raise controversy

In the early morning hours of July 7, 2005, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed pay increases for state lawmakers, judges, and top executive-branch officials. The vote took place at 2 a.m. without public review or commentary and Governor Ed Rendell signed the bill into law...

, Durgin's show became "ground zero in Central Pennsylvania for public outrage over the raise." Legislators, including Roy Baldwin

Roy Baldwin

Roy E. Baldwin is a former Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.Baldwin earned a degree from Cornell University. He served as Township Supervisor of Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for eight years...

, noticed increases in the volume of critical emails and phone calls about the pay raise when Durgin did shows about the pay raise. Journalist Tom Barnes

Tom Barnes (American journalist)

Tom Barnes is a prominent journalist in Pennsylvania, working for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as Harrisburg Bureau Chief.Barnes, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, earned a B.A. degree from University of Michigan and a M.A. in journalism from University of Missouri. Following graduation, he...

 noted that Durgin "complains about the raise nearly every day on his show." During the summer legislative recess, Durin collected over 129,000 signatures that he presented to legislators during a "Rock the Capitol" upon their return to the Pennsylvania State Capitol

Pennsylvania State Capitol

The Pennsylvania State Capitol is the seat of government for the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and is in downtown Harrisburg. It was designed in 1902 in a Beaux-Arts style with Renaissance themes throughout...

. He unveiled the petitions by carpeting the steps of the State Capitol, before leading 100 supporters through the halls looking to lobby their legislators to repeal the pay raise. To avoid a confrontation with the protesters, the Pennsylvania Senate recessed for private caucus meetings Aides to John Perzel denied access to his office because of size concerns.

In 2007, he was presented with an honor from a reform group protesting the Pennsylvania Society

Pennsylvania Society

The Pennsylvania Society is an annual weekend retreat for Pennsylvania's politicians and business leaders held in New York City. It began during the late 19th century as a meeting of Pennsylvanians living in New York City who gathered annually beginning in 1899 to discuss events in their home state...

by holding a potluck dinner in the state capitol.