regale

She’s been at it since her grandparents earned free beers in exchange for the young Squibb’s tap dancing on varnished-wood bars in Vandalia, Ill. Squibb can regale you with tales of working on cruise ships, in regional theater and on film and TV.

On the show, which airs every day, a collection of guest hosts regale listeners with shadowy tales of the evils of the left, of the global power structures plotting against American patriots, and of the immigrants who threaten the very stability of the country.

He loves to regale his crowds with lurid, detailed accounts of violent crimes allegedly committed by undocumented migrants and goes to great lengths to present such isolated incidents as evidence of an unprecedented crime spree.

He turned instead to trying to make her laugh, which proves an ideal origin story for someone who would go on to regale audiences with his unique comic skills.

I never met Shales, but when I thanked him for reviewing my biography of David Letterman, he was kind enough to regale me with some war stories, and this advice: “Try not to let The Times suffocate you.”