Jeff Schwartz

Jeff Schwartz was a key force in shaping Chicago radio stations like The Loop, The Score, WCKG, and ESPN Radio during his 35-plus years in the business.

(Photo by Paul Natkin)



Rick: How did you break into the business?

Schwartz: My first job was working for Van Heusen shirts. Every son wants to follow in his father's shoes, and my dad was a clothing salesman, so I did it too. But they wanted to transfer me to New Orleans, and I just didn't want to move there. So I called up Bob Sirott (photo), who was at WBBM-FM at the time, and has been a great friend since kindergarten. I said "Bob, get me an interview. All I need is an interview and I'll take it from there." And that's what started my radio career in sales. This was in the early 70s, and they told me "You got the biggest list in the business...the yellow pages."

Rick: From there did you go directly to the Loop?

Schwartz: No, actually then I went to WDHF/WMET, and from there I went to the Loop. Les Elias was the GM then, and offered me the job of general sales manager.

Rick: I always thought you were in marketing/promotions at the Loop because of Disco Demolition.

Schwartz: I didn't move into marketing until later. When Jimmy de Castro (photo) started as the GM at the Loop, I had a hard time. I liked Jimmy a lot as a person, but we had a totally different way of selling. I couldn't do it his way. That's when we came up with the idea of my moving to promotions. They created the VP/Promotions job for me then.

Rick: So you were still the sales manager back in July of 1979 during Disco Demolition?

Schwartz: Yes, I was the GSM, but I always involved myself in promotions. I realized it even back then that we weren't just selling numbers. I couldn't sell numbers. I never did. I always sold emotion. And those promotions were part of what I did. Dave Logan was the promotion director in those days, and if you look at the video you can see him running on the field. He got to do the fun stuff. I had to get on a plane the day after Disco Demolition to calm down our biggest client in Detroit who wanted to cancel all of his advertising after witnessing the spectacle.

Rick: I've heard conflicting stories about who came up with Disco Demolition...was it you, Mike Veeck, Steve Dahl, a combination of the three of you?

Schwartz: There wouldn't have been a Disco Demolition if Steve wasn't blowing up disco records on the air at the time. That's where the idea starts. I was having dinner with Mike Veeck (photo), and at the time the White Sox were drawing nobody—maybe 5, 6 thousand a night. Mike said "We're dying here. Do you have any ideas?" They had just put in the exploding scoreboard, and I suggested that we do the promotion with Steve blowing up the records.

After that, it was a bunch of people working together to make it happen. Mike Veeck never said no to a crazy idea, I never said no to a crazy idea, but Steve was worried about attendance, and thought that nobody was going to be there. He thought we would draw maybe 10,000 people, which was better than they normally drew, but it still would have looked like an empty stadium. He wasn't thrilled by that prospect. I'd like to tell you that I knew it was going to be much bigger than that, but in reality, I thought the most that would show up would be maybe 25 or 26,000.

I've always been the type of person that says "Never say you can't do it. Just figure it out after you agree." And that's how it was with Disco Demolition. The event itself was a little overwhelming, but it's really neat now to have been a part of history. When WTTW ran the special about Disco Demolition a few years ago, I got my real reward. My daughter was watching it with my grandchildren, who were very young then, 2 1/2 , 3 years old. And my granddaughter looks up and sees her ZZ Pops (that's what she calls me) on the television, and she walks up and kisses the screen. That's pretty special. That's what it's all about.

But again, nothing would have happened without Steve. There was no idea without him, because he was the one who came up with the whole concept on the air, and he was the one that inspired all the people to show up.

Rick: You eventually left the Loop after Steve lost his job, and started up your own company called Promotional Rescue. You were basically a consultant, right?

Schwartz: Yes, I had an opportunity to leave and start my own business and did that for eight or nine years. It wasn't until I started consulting the Score in their early days that I was dragged back into the business. They talked me into coming back fulltime.

Rick: For the Score and WXRT, right?

Schwartz: Yeah.

Rick: I've always thought that must have been a strange combination of personalities: the mellow dudes at WXRT and the manic Score hosts like Mike North and Dan McNeil. Was that as big of a psychological yo-yo as it sounds?

Schwartz: My nickname is psychological yo-yo! Isn't that what medication is for? (Laughs) The Score side was easier for me because I'm a maniac. The XRT side was harder because it was a totally different culture. I was never a die-hard XRT fan even before I started working there, although the people there were great people...you'll never meet finer people than Terri Hemmert and Lin Brehmer. But it was a different mentality. I was the kind of guy who jumped off the ledge then thought, now what? They were much more analytical. It really got to be a bit too much for me. I went to Harvey Wells and told him that I couldn't do both anymore. Poor Harvey was being pushed into so many different directions at once; he was in charge of XRT, the Score and WCKG. You just can't do all of those jobs at once. It's too much. He made me Operations Director at the Score because he knew that he could trust me to handle it, and take it off his plate. That was my first foray into programming, and it was all because of this multiple managerial stuff, which by the way, I think has been terrible for the radio industry.

Rick: As someone who has been instrumental in both sports stations in town, and is now associated with neither, which station do you listen to, and who do you think is doing a better job covering Chicago sports?

Schwartz: To be totally honest, I don't listen to either one that much anymore. When Mike North (photo) left, I really stopped listening to the Score. I'm not just saying that because I still work with Mike on some of his projects. I just think they lost a lot of emotion. His departure left a big void. The one guy I still think "has it" there is Mike Murphy. He gets radio. Listen to his show and you can hear his emotion coming through the speakers. Same with Dan McNeil at ESPN. I listen to Mac, Jurko and Harry because all three of those guys don't just say it, they feel it. You don't have to agree with them to appreciate what they bring. The listeners really respect their authenticity. The same was true with Mike North. I like Rush Limbaugh for the same reason. I don't agree with him very often, but he is a guy who really understands how to do talk radio. So, I guess to answer your question, if I'm really pinned down, I have to admit that I listen to ESPN more than I listen to the Score.

Rick: After leaving the Score you ended up running the FM talker WCKG for several years, and were reunited with Steve Dahl. I know you were gone from there before it blew up, but I think you probably have better insight than most about what went wrong. What, in retrospect, were the mistakes that led to the demise of WCKG?

Schwartz: When the "end of Howard Stern" happened, they frankly didn't have a plan. I put together a list of things that I thought needed to happen, from air personalities to ways to market them. I talked to Steve a lot before I sent that list in, because I needed Steve to support it. That was his radio station. We needed his audience to endorse this new show. We talked about a whole bunch of different options, but New York just wasn't listening to us. Rob Barnett and the Hollanders thought they knew better. So, when ESPN came to me with an offer, I said, "yup I'm out." The timing was perfect because I knew it was going to fail at CKG, and I didn't want to be there when it happened. Even the name "Free FM" was designed to fail. What the heck does that even mean? Was that a swipe at Howard because he wasn't free anymore?

New York just didn't get that Howard wasn't even the most important voice on our station, Steve Dahl (photo) was. Chicago radio is so much better than New York radio has ever been. We had the talent here...we had all these options, but they didn't understand this market because it's not at all like New York. New York doesn't have the anomaly of WGN—so they couldn't understand it. New York doesn't have an anomaly like Eric and Kathy...where did they come from? How could anyone explain the success of that show to New York? You and I would have been successful if we had millions of dollars in outdoor advertising. I'm obviously talking with tongue planted firmly in cheek, but you know what I'm saying. I think Eric does a real good job—I'm not besmirching him or his show at all. But it takes money to make money. These guys didn't think that advertising worked to sell their own product, which is, ironically, a product based on selling advertising. Does that make any sense? Plus, they actually OWN the companies that OWN the billboards! I never understood why they wouldn't use their own power to promote themselves.

Rick: Your last radio job in Chicago was program director of ESPN Radio. Can I just ask you a question about that organization there? What is the deal with all the suspensions of air talent? I've never heard of a station doling out so many suspensions, and it's not like I haven't worked at radio stations with controversial talent.

Schwartz: Oh boy, that's a tough one. How can I explain it? Hmmm. You know when you were a kid--your best friend's parents may have had a different set of rules than your parents did? That doesn't mean your rules were right or your friend's rules were right. Everyone just looked at it a little differently. ESPN had their own set of rules and those who worked there had to live up to the rules.

Rick: Are you saying that those weren't really your rules, or that it's not the way you would have done it?

Schwartz: Let's put it this way. When you get hired for a job, you don't ask "By the way, what's your suspension policy?" It's just not something you think is going to come up very often. I think it's a matter of public record that the Mac, Jurko and Harry (photo) stuff was not from me. I was caught in the middle of some situations, but those were the rules in place before I got there. I personally think suspensions only hurt, they don't really help much. It's like giving a timeout—and that's not the way I raised my daughter. I just had a different philosophy. That's just my opinion. That's not to say that people shouldn't be reprimanded, especially at a place like that. Doing sports talk, boys will be boys, and sometime emotions get the best of them. In those cases, reprimands may be in order.

Rick: You were also there for the birth of the Oldies station WZZN, which has now changed ownership and become WLS-FM. What do you think of the re-branding of that station, and were you surprised by how well that station is doing in the PPM ratings?

Schwartz: NO! I'm not surprised it's a hit. The WLS re-branding, though, doesn't really matter anymore because of the PPM. That would have helped more in the diary system. But as for loads of people listening to Oldies, no, that doesn't surprise me at all. I once told Harvey Pearlman when he was the GM at Magic, that they should market it as "everybody's second favorite radio station." That's what Oldies is. It's everybody's 2nd favorite. Nobody dislikes the Oldies. Every song is a proven hit that everybody knows. It's like a favorite old pair of blue jeans. Totally comfortable. In radio, finishing second is not like being the runner up in the World Series. Second in radio is HUGE. Having said that though, it will all come down to whether or not they can sell it. Let's wait to see if it turns into dollar and cents.

Rick: What are you up to these days?

Schwartz: That's what everybody asks me now. I've been keeping busy. This past year I've worked with Mike North helping him put together projects after the Score. I believe in Mike, I've worked with him on lots of projects for lots of years, as an advisor and friend. I've known him 26 years. I really don't want to work fulltime anymore, so I've only been doing that in an advisory role recently. When Mike starts up his Comcast show in January, I'm not sure where I will go from here. My wife and I have even talked about maybe moving out West. Right now I'm spending a lot of time with the grandkids.

Rick: Do you still keep up with the radio business?


Schwartz: I still listen to the radio, but I'm sad about what I hear, or more importantly, what I don't hear. It's not what it once was. There are no mom and pops anymore. Every station is owned by a huge corporation and every advertiser is owned by a huge corporation. Now when someone is handed a phone book like they did to me when I started at WBBM, the salesman has got no chance.

Do I miss radio? Sure. I miss what it was, but I really believe that the stock market has ruined the radio industry, and that's a shame.

Mancow

Erich "Mancow" Muller is the host of a syndicated morning radio show, as well as a talk show on WLS every weekday morning from 9-11.




Rick: I can tell that saying the call letters W-L-S is a thrill for you. What do those call letters mean to you?

Mancow: Actually, Fred Winston the radio legend yelled at me for not selling those famed call letters! “It’s double U L S!” He instructed. WLS? Wow! Me on WLS.


Rick: Mike Fowler was your GM when you first came to Chicago, and he was obviously instrumental in bringing you back on the radio in Chicago (on WLS). You've been known to take your shots at management over the years, but you've always gotten along with Mike. What is it about him that makes him different?

Mancow: It’s a strange thing I have always gotten along with general managers and the money people. They see the value in my art. It’s the program directors that are mostly failed on-air radio people. They are frustrated & jealous of what I do. The worst was a gentleman named Mike Stern who went to The Second City school of yucks and thought he was wacky. He wanted to be me! Creepy.

Rick: I've heard that we're going to hear a little more Erich on this new show and a little less Mancow.

Mancow: I’ve hated “Mancow” since I coined it. People loved it & it stuck. You can’t pick nicknames they pick you.

Rick: Doing two shows a day (the syndicated morning show and the WLS show) has to be a challenge. Is the plan for this WLS show to be a completely different animal from the syndicated show?

Mancow: The process of 7 hours of radio a day is daunting. That’s what I’m doing--all in. How it will all gel is still up in the air.

Rick: A few years ago you came up with something you called "The Ten Commandments for Morning Hosts" after that stunt in California resulted in the death of a woman who drank too much water. What kind of a reaction have you gotten from other radio people around the country?


Mancow: I tried to warn stupid shallow hosts to wake up. They didn’t evolve and now they are losing their jobs. Evolve or die. Those that laughed it off did so at their own peril.



Rick: I can usually tell the influences of a radio personality based on the show they do, but with you I'm not so sure. Who are some of yours?

Mancow: My influences are so evident to me. “Lost in Space” set my imagination into hyper-drive. Also, TV Shows like “Ultra Man” and “Johnny Socko.” The music of “The Kinks” which featured the voice of reason and doubt through the bravado. Even at my rock jock baddest I always expressed my fears & weaknesses. On radio it was “The Shadow” and “Inner Sanctum” and the comedy of Stan Freberg and The Firesign Theater.

Rick: Fairly or not, you've acquired a reputation of "not working well with others." I think part of that comes from your very public feuds with other radio personalities in town, and part of that comes from the turnover on your staff over the years. Is that reputation deserved or not?

Mancow: My staff has been regular people that I’ve meet on the street. When they’ve lost their regular guy vibe I dust ‘em. One guy made a quarter of a million dollars & showed up late, left early, always complained and on top of that I wrote his entire character. Goodbye! Also when you pay for the party and never hear “thanks” it gets very old. My sports guy Al Roker Jr. has been with me for many years. He started fat & lazy and has evolved into a lean mean work addict. He’s great! I am old fashioned in that I believe in hard work. People that work hard last. Also, attitude equals altitude. At this point in my life I can’t be around jerks. No paycheck is worth that.

Rick: When you've done a high profile show for as long as you have, you've gotten a chance to meet just about everyone, from local and national celebrities to world leaders. Of all the people you've met since you got into the business, who impressed you the most, and who disappointed you the most?

Mancow: Don Henley (The Eagles) Peter Tork (The Monkees) were let downs. Michael Madsen, Bob Schieffer, Alice Cooper, Carlos Mencia, and my preacher Steve Munsey all were recent brilliant guests. Rush and (ahem) Drew Peterson were interesting as well.

Rick: Controversial figures like yourself are usually much different in real life than people expect. What is something about the real you that would surprise your fans?

Mancow: I believe radio listeners probably know me better than my own wife. I talk for seven hours a day so when I get home I hate talking. Truly, there is nothing I could say that would surprise my listeners. Non-listeners would be surprised to find out that I am a Christian, Libertarian, and father of two perfect twin girls that I love very much and I’m a serial killer….Scratch that last part.

Spike O'Dell

UPDATED January 2012

SPIKE O'DELL

Rick: Spike, every time I check out your facebook page it makes me smile. People are supposed to enjoy retirement, and it's so obvious that you're in hog heaven.

Spike: Life is good! We really like living here in Dixie Land. We are in the Nashville area. It is such a fun town with everything you want in a big town, but packaged up in a small town feel! I'm even listening to some country music nowadays! Yee-Haw!

My children live here and they keep us busy with grand kids and going places. (we have 3 grandsons now with a 4th arriving in the spring) I spend my time golfing and doing a lot of photography. Tennessee is such a beautiful place to take pictures.

Rick: Have you been following what's going on at your old station?

Spike: A lot of changes at the 'ol "Love Pump" I see. Change is always going to happen and I know it takes some people a little time to get used to it.

I'm glad the powers that be are returning the station to more of a personality approach and pulling back the elements a little for the talent. It's the right thing to do. I fought the "traffic and weather on the 7's" hard, but to no avail. It was very restrictive and limited your ability as a host to do much of anything but get ready for your next "traffic and weather on the 7's". There were already a couple of stations in town that were doing that...why try to sound like them? I never understood the thinking there.

It will be fun to sit back and watch how the station progresses over the next year or so. Strong personalities are in place...you've got the Cubs and Hawks and great college sports on the radio. Sounds like a pretty solid mix to me.


The original interview follows...


Spike O'Dell is the morning host at WGN Radio. After a distinguished 30+ year broadcasting career, he is retiring in December.


Rick: Are you really going to do it?

Spike: Oh yeah, I'm doing it. Anyone who has worked with me over the past 10-12 years knows that this has always been the plan. 55 has always been the magic number for me, and Karen and I have been planning for it now forever. We packed it away and knew we were going to do it. Now, I will say in all fairness, if I knew what was going happen with the market, I might have stayed another year , but we're gonna be fine. We're absolutely ready to go.

Rick: So, it's not a matter of being sick of the hours?

Spike: I think Rob Feder made a big deal about that awhile back, but that didn't come from me. I really don't mind these hours at all. It's been a lot fun. Heck, for the money they pay, heck yeah, I'll get up in the middle of the night. Now, it's not normal hours, that's true, and it will be nice to have a social life again after going to bed around the time most people get home from work—6 or 7 at night—but the hours really had nothing to do with my leaving.

Rick: And the new ownership team at the Tribune wasn't a factor either?

Spike: No not at all. I know people still wonder about that, but I made this pretty clear to everyone here when I renegotiated my last contract two years ago. I wanted a two year deal, and told them it was going to be my last one. They wanted me to sign for at least three—and I didn't want to do it, so we compromised on a three year deal, with the last year being my option. I even told them I'll be nice enough to give them six months notice if I decide to go...and I did that in July.

Rick: Were they surprised?

Spike: Actually, I think they were-- which surprised me. This wasn't a big secret. I've been talking about it for a long time.

Rick: Did they try to coax you to stay?

Spike: Yes, they did want to me stay, at least for a few more months, but I talked to my wife Karen about it, and we just said, no—this is the time. It's time. But it didn't have anything to do with the new guys at all.

Rick: And it didn't have anything to do with the new clock, either? That must have been a bit of a culture shock to you after so many years of doing the show one way, to suddenly drop whatever you were doing for weather and traffic at the 7s. Did you feel constrained in any way by that format, or do you think it's been a good thing for the show?

Spike: I came up through personality radio and that was my background. Top 40. Personality talk. Whatever you want to call it. Not really news-talk. I'm personally not a huge fan of the strict format we have now, but they did the research and presented it to me, saying that the listeners really wanted this. For me, it takes a little bit of the 'person' out of personality radio, but in all fairness, there's only one way to see if it was a good decision or not, and that's by looking at the numbers after a fair amount of time. If you're asking me my opinion, I'll say this: For years WGN has always had a different sound to it than any other station on the dial, and we took our lumps for that. But we laughed all the way to the bank, because nobody else did what we did and that's what made us so unique. With these strict formatics, it makes us sound like just another radio station sometimes...but again...we'll see if they're right about it. Time and numbers. That's the only way to really judge it.

Rick: I've said this about you for years, and I really mean it. I think you are one of the most underrated and underappreciated radio personalities in Chicago history. Why do you think that people in the industry have been so reluctant to give you credit for your incredible success?

Spike: I don't look at myself as a publicity seeker, and maybe that's a bad thing when you're headlining a radio show. After all these years, I'm not your typical radio person. I don't like the limelight or the spotlight—I really don't. I know that's a little unusual. In this business, most people can't get enough of it. I've always maintained that it's an honor to do a radio show while you're doing it, but six months after you leave, you're lucky if people even remember you. I know I could get headlines by saying or doing something outrageous, but that's really not who I am. It's never bothered me that I don't get the credit that other more outrageous personalities get. I'm fine with that. I've always been fine with it.

Rick: You got the morning slot under some of the most difficult circumstances imaginable. One day Uncle Bobby was the king of Chicago morning radio, and the next day after his tragic plane crash, the microphone was handed over to you. What was it like during those days?

Spike: I was numb to be honest with you. I always felt like I was just filling in for Bob (photo) and it took a long time before that show became mine. I totally understand the cautiousness on the station's part. To start with they wanted me to do it just like Bob—after all, he was the franchise. But after awhile I had to say to them: "Look, I'm not Bob." They finally warmed up to that, and I started doing my show instead of his.

Rick: "I Like Spike" isn't just catchy slogan. When your fans are asked why they listen to you, they usually say that they like you. I know it sounds simple, but that really is your secret isn't it?

Spike: I hope so. I hope that would be part of it. I had a guy back in the Quad Cities who said to me: "There will be days when you're in a bad mood, and don't really feel like doing a radio show, but you know what? The person listening to you doesn't care about that. Why give them a bad day just because you're having a bad day?" I've always remembered that. I tried to be the good neighbor, and if what you say is true about how people look at me, that's a great compliment.

Rick: Looking back over your career now—what are some of your proudest moments, and are there any moments that you would handle differently in retrospect?

Spike: Oh yeah. I've definitely said some things I wish I didn't say. We're all guilty of that, especially in talk radio. You know as soon as you say it, and think to yourself, "what did I say that for!" or "I shouldn't have said that!" and you wish you could reach back into the microphone and pull those words back out. I've been wrong on so many things. But I don't have any specific regrets, because I'd like to think that I've been big enough to say when I was wrong. I've apologized on the air many times.

I also happened to have been on the air a lot when bad things happened. We already mentioned Bob's crash, and it was horrible to be here when that news came in, but I was also on the air on 9/11 when the planes crashed into the towers. And I was on the air when the Oklahoma City bombing story broke. Heck, my first month or two on the air here, Mayor Washington died while I was on the air. None of those were pleasant memories, but in a strange way they were good learning experiences—they helped me develop my craft. Taught me how to handle the toughest situations.

I'll remember all those times, but I'll also remember all the great times...laughing and scratching with some of the greatest people you could ever hope to work with. So many great folks, too numerous to mention, the different crews, like my morning crew now (featuring among others, Andrea Darlas, shown here). And the afternoon crew we had back in those days had an absolute blast every day too. That was free form radio—exploring things and just taking things wherever they went. I'll always remember that time with a smile on my face.


Rick: You've also been around long enough to see radio undergo some dramatic changes. What in your mind is better about radio today compared to the day you started and what is worse?

Spike: Well, the money's better today (laughs). It took me 30 years, but I can't complain about that. That's better for sure. I think the corporate end of the business has made it worse, though. The whole industry has become so corporate. Believe me, that's not just here—it's everywhere. I understand sales is in a tough situation in the current climate, but sales seems to dictate programming in ways that it never did before, and that has taken a lot of fun out of it for guys like me.

Rick: Of all the people you listened to on the radio, or worked with at a radio station, who had the biggest impact on your development as a broadcaster?

Spike: When I was working in a factory on the banks of the Mississippi, I would listen to all of those WLS guys on the Big 89 and the guys at Super CFL. I remember thinking: "Hey these guys are having too much fun." I wanted to do what they were doing. I loved 'em all. Fred Winston was great—he and Lyle Dean. Larry Lujack and Little Tommy with Animal Stories—that was tremendous. But to me, John Landecker (photo) was the best. I listened to him every night—and I still think he is the best rock jock that ever lived. The best of all-time.

Now when I came here to WGN, I really never thought I had a chance of getting this job. I was just this kid from Moline, and thought they'd just give me a tour of the place and that would be that. Just walking the hallways here was humbling. When I got the job I couldn't believe it. Think about some of the people who were working here then. I learned so much from Bob Collins. Just watching him. He was a real mentor to me. (Spike is saluting Bob Collins at this year's National Radio Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Chicago)

I think another underrated guy in this town was Roy Leonard. He was a class act, a consummate pro—I learned a lot from him too. Not to mention Big O--Orion Samuelson, and Max Armstrong. I also always admired Clark Weber. I don't know him well, but I consider him to be a class act too.

Rick: Do you have any preferences for who should take over for you, and have you been consulted about that decision at all?

Spike: No I haven't been consulted. I thought I might be, and I would like to be, but it hasn't happened. I just hope that they don't bring in somebody who has made a career out of beating up WGN. I hope they promote somebody from within.

Rick: If I call you up five years from now, where would I need to call you, and what do you hope to be doing?

Spike: I would assume that I'll be a couple hundred miles south. We have a house in the Nashville area, and our kids are down there. What will I be doing? I'm not sure. That's a good question. I'm definitely hanging up the headphones. I don't foresee ever doing it again. I know I'm walking away from a good paycheck, but it's time. I told my wife that she's followed me around all these years, now it's my turn to follow her wherever she wants to go. I'm not ruling out going back to school. Maybe I'll work with my son. He's got a couple of businesses there. I'll definitely be doing some fishing.

Rick: No regrets?

Spike: No regrets. I've done radio for 31 years, and worked at 5 different radio stations, and I know this is a rarity in the business, but I've never been fired. Although...I guess I shouldn't say that quite yet. I've still got a few weeks left to go.

Robert Murphy

UPDATED January 2012


ROBERT MURPHY

Rick: It was great hearing you back on Q-101 last summer...obviously I wasn't the only one that thought so. Rewind 100 snatched you up.

Robert: After my brief (but totally rockin') stint last summer at the transitioning Q101 (thanks to John Gehron & Joann Genette), the Commandants of Hubbard Broadcasting decided I would be a great fit for 100.3's 80s and 90s format. I had to agree.

Rick: Any trouble climbing back into the saddle?

Robert: Since I had been professionally hibernating for several years, there were some new "teachable moments" but I quickly remembered how much I enjoyed having a daily interaction with Chicago via radio. It's all I have ever done and I was thrilled to get "back in the saddle". I've been provided with a clear set of goals and a great and supportive staff. The only drawback: When I first started getting out of bed at 3:30am to do a morning show, I was in my teens. Now that I am just slightly older, it is just a bit harder. Okay, I'm a lot older and it's a lot harder.


The original interview follows...




Robert Murphy is a legendary Chicago radio personality, most famous for his stint as "Murphy in the Morning" at Q-101.





Rick: The straight jacket. You must be sick and tired of answering this question, but for an entire generation of Chicagoans, when they hear the name Robert Murphy, they think of the straight jacket commercials. Looking back on those commercials now with the benefit of hindsight, have you embraced the straight jacket or are you still (metaphorically) stuck in it?

Robert: Well, "embrace" may be too strong a word, but I am very aware of the commercials positive influence on my career. My initial objection was that it seemed kind of a lowbrow concept ("That Murphy's Cray-zee!) but most of the commercials were exceptionally well executed (such as the original "Bambulance" spot, now popping up on YouTube.)

Though it is inarguable that the straitjacket helped to bring me recognition and thereby bolster my ratings when I first started, I wanted to move on after a while. But No! If there was a smidgen of a drop in the ratings, management whipped that bad boy out again, and I was back on TV, running through Chicago with my arms restrained and my feet bare.

Rick: In the 1980s and early 90s, your show on Q-101 was one of the top rated and most influential radio shows in town. You assembled an incredibly talented team there. I think a lot of people in Chicago radio aren't even aware of how many people in the business worked on your show. Talk a little bit about the contributions of the other cast members, including those behind the scenes.

Robert: One of the earliest and best remembered incarnations of the Murphy in the Morning Show featured Beth Kaye as co-host. Beth and I had a strange and wonderful professional relationship (she strange, me wonderful) and I think we came across on the air as adversaries with an affinity for each other, much like on the show Moonlighting which was big at the time.

Also on the show was Chicago voice-over potentate Pete Stacker whose character voices really brought out the best in the scripts that I wrote. The very knowledgeable Pat Benkowski handled the sports aspect, and all was topped off by our venerable newsman, the intelligent and eloquent Dave McBride.

Later on Joy Masada joined us as producer, followed by Carol McWilliams and Mick Kayler (former producer for Lujack). Later co-hosts were Susan Anderson and Eleanor Mondale. Danger Dan Walker became one of the most popular cast members, using the newly invented cell phone to go out and jack with people. He is one humorous dude! We worked under a gazillion different PDs who passed through (not all of them great, some of them downright damaging to the show) but occasionally some good ones like Randy Lane, Chuck Morgan, and Bill Gamble actually helped out the show

Rick: In one way, I think your show blazed the trail for a show like Eric and Kathy's, in that you were so successful in attracting female listeners. I realize part of that was the format (adult contemporary), but part of that was also your show. When you were on the air did you think of female listeners, or were you just doing your thing, trying to appeal to a mass audience?

Robert: Interesting question. There is no doubt that it was the female ratings that pushed the show to the top, and I would like to think it was my irrepressible charm, brutal good looks, and sexual magnetism that drew them like a moth to a flame, but since I possess none of those attributes, I speculate that the subject matter, along with the style and presentation, were to the female audiences liking (along with the music, of course.)

When I first started in radio, not as much attention was being paid to the demographics of gender, and my goal was a mass appeal morning show. Later, when gender breakdowns became more of an issue, I didn't change the focus too much because what we were doing was working - and though there was a fair amount of sexual humor on the show, it was never presented in a puerile fashion. I know that today, women are targeted with a slew of soccer/hockey mom references and heaps of celebrity gossip. Were I on the air now, I would probably have to make concessions to that end, but the women I know are so much more than that.

Rick: What are a few of your favorite moments from those years?

Robert: As far as just plain fun, I think back to the Q101 switch parties. Every Tuesday night, the whole Q101 air staff would descend upon a club, rewarding those who had "switched" to Q101 (get it?) with free beer while the morning show did a kind of adult club act. It was a great chance to mingle with the audience and learn more about them, plus over the years, it allowed me to visit every neighborhood and suburb in the Chicago area. (Wait a minute, I think we missed Stickney)

Doing the show also allowed me to hobnob with all manner of movie stars, rock musicians, members of royalty, presidents, but the coolest was getting to hang out with Captain Kangaroo. (note to those under 40: The precursor to Mister Rogers and Sesame Street)

Rick: You famously wore a suit when you did your show. First of all, is that true, and if so, why did you do it?

Robert: Okay, you got me! I confess. I frequently wore a suit to work. And if I live to be a bazillion years old, I will never understand the consternation it caused among so many people. (after the strait jacket queries, it is next in line.) So here we have,

The Top Five Reasons I Wore a Suit To Work

Number five: Because I never bought into the fallacious reasoning that because the audience couldn't see you on the radio that you should show up for work looking like some Dickensian street urchin. I still worked in an office.

Number Four: Because I grew up in the Woodstock generation, and had spent enough time in worn out denim, tie dyed shirts and sandals. I wanted to move on

Number Three: Because it made it convenient for someone such as I who had to get dressed at 4am in the dark. Throw on a T-shirt, Toss a suit over it, and voila! You're done!

Number Two: Because ZZ Top is right!

Number One: 'Cause I am one stylin' dude

Rick: After your stint at Q-101, you did two other morning shows in Chicago--including a stint at the 80s channel, WXXY. I've previously spoken to Fred Winston (who also worked there) about those days, and he felt it was a little frustrating because the quality of the radio station's signal didn't quite match the quality of the programming. Do you agree, and what are your thoughts about your time at that station?

Robert: Fred and I get together and commiserate every once in a while over the frustration of working at a station that no one could hear. We had been led to believe that the stations dual tower setup would cover the city, but you could barely pick it up in Morris. It was like talking to Gramps when he had his Miracle Ear turned off. And if I do say so myself, when WXXY unveiled the all 80s format with their great talent lineup, that station was bangin'! But, the two years I spent there were great fun. It got me back to Chicago from Florida, I could walk to work, and we had beautiful brand new studios in the Neiman Marcus building, overlooking Michigan Avenue. I had two great producers there, Scott Straus (now at KISS) and Tony K Kwiecinski (who had produced my show at WLS-FM) who helped me put out what I think were some of my best shows. Too bad you couldn't hear them. I would have stayed but my Spanish is rusty.

Rick: You also anchored the lineup at WLS-FM during the time they tried out the young-talk format. They pulled the plug on that format pretty quickly, despite the all-star lineup (including yourself, Richard Roeper, Turi Ryder, and more). Do you think they gave up on it too soon, or was it just the wrong time or wrong station for that approach?

Robert: Ah, another format squashed by 94.7, The Frequency of Doom. When I took this job I was looking to evolve a little professionally, and thought that we were going to establish a new free form talk format. Jay Marvin was really the only one on board with any conventional talk radio experience, but he was (as Sarah Palin would say, "all mavericky and everything") But once we got started, it seemed management just wanted a spinoff of the AM talk format. I do appreciate my time there because I did learn a few new tricks that helped me out later. Too hard to speculate on whether the station would have ever pulled in the big numbers, but it was never given the opportunity to grow before they pulled the plug. I would have stayed but I look stupid in a cowboy hat.

Rick: Since your last stint on the air in Chicago, you've maintained a residence here. That means you've had a chance to listen to just about everyone who has come and gone on the Chicago radio dial over the past 30 years or so. Who are some of the people that have really stood out to you, past and present?

Robert: Woefully, I didn't get much of a chance to listen to most of the other morning shows, 'cause I was busy doing my own. But to me, Chicago radio is still spelled L-U-J-A-C-K (photo). He is an exemplary talent who knows how to entertain an audience without compromising his own personality. Enjoy Fred Winston also, and I'm glad I got a chance to hear Wally Phillips in his last years on the air. Much could be learned from him. I have always admired Brandmeier's talent though his approach to radio and mine could not have been more disparate. There are a few personality morning shows still on (Eric & Kathy, Drex) but I am really disappointed in the state of radio these days- out of market syndicated shows, voice tracking, and managements who replace personalities with banalities.

Rick: What kind of situation would it take to coerce you back onto the airwaves here?

Robert: Basically, a mutual decision between me and management that my particular talents and the stations mission could forge into a great ratings success, and overcome the obstacles that radio faces in today's climate, obstacles that are legion and formidable. I would also need a guarantee that enough time would be allotted to give us all a fighting chance, and of course a claus that specifies a strict "No Straitjacket" rule. Oh, and I'll need a little bit of money so I can buy some new suits.

Shelli Harmon

I recently conducted this mini-interview of Shelli Harmon for SHORE Magazine...






Shelli Harmon // Sunny 101.5 FM, South Bend

Shelli Harmon is 1/3 of the Jack, Shelli & Bruce show at Sunny 101.5 in South Bend. The threesome with the playful camaraderie can be heard every morning from 5:30-9a.m.

Radio Philosophy

I go with the 3 Bs: Be prepared. Be yourself. Be fun!

Favorite Brush with Greatness

I would have to go with Don Henley. I was working in New York and lucky enough to go back-stage after a show. It was when he was touring for his monster album, Building the Perfect Beast. Don Henley was the kindest, most down-to-earth celebrity I’ve met. We sat and gabbed for about a half-hour. He wasn’t rushed or hurried and had the softest hint of a good ol’ boy Texas accent. He was just a lovely person. The framed picture commemorating that occasion still proudly sits on my desk.

Radio Influences

I grew up listening to WLS out of Chicago. I listened religiously to Larry Lujack and Little Snot Nose Tommy Edwards. Also, Yvonne Daniels was amazing. She broke ground for women in broadcasting in so many ways. However, I decided radio was my calling after I went to Marriott’s Great America and had a visor signed by John Records Landecker. I thought that was sooo cool. I later told that story to Mr. Landecker when I met him at a radio conference. I was in awe, he just chuckled.

Something Listeners Don’t Know about You

I grew up near Lake Michigan, and I still don’t know how to swim. I love being on the beach, wading in a bit, and hearing the waves. I didn’t want my son, Lucas, to have the same phobia, so I insisted he take swim lessons. He loves to swim and tries to get me to learn. It’s one of my goals along with remembering where I put my car keys. Although I swear my husband, Karl, hides them from me . . . exactly where I left them.

Best Thing about Doing Radio Here

The best thing about being in radio here? It’s home! I grew up in Southwest Michigan. I was born in Benton Harbor, raised in Coloma. I still have tons of relatives and friends here. I feel connected to the beaches, orchards, festivals and everything in between. After working in places like New York, Charlotte and too many other cities to mention, I missed the Midwest feeling you can’t get anywhere but here.

Marc Silverman

Marc Silverman is the co-host of "Waddle & Silvy" every weekday morning from 9 to noon on ESPN Radio, AM 1000







Rick: You're a local Chicago boy. Who did you listen to on the radio when you were growing up?

Marc: Easy. Chet Coppock. Every single night. I would sit at home not doing my homework, and sneak the phone into my room and try to call the Coppock show. It was considered a toll call in those days and my parents would ask me what all these calls to this 591 number were.

I loved Coppock. We had Bulls season tickets, and I would shush my grandparents on the way home from the game so I could listen to what Chet had to say about the game. He did the only really sports show in town those days, before Sports talk started as a format. The Score started just as I was going to Southern, and it was a big thrill for me to have guys from the Score on my show in Carbondale. I had Dangerous Dan McNeil as a guest, who I idolized from his days with the Coppock show. I also had George Offman on the show. I used any excuse to talk to these guys.

Rick: That was at WIDB, right? There are quite a few Chicago radio people who got their start at that radio station.

Marc: Yup. Lots of 'em. I don't know them all, but I know David Schuster did, and so Peggy Kusinski and George Offman. I think Mike Murphy worked there too, although I'm not sure. I know he went to SIU.

Rick: Your Chicago career started at WGN, as a sports reporter. That must have been quite a thrill to be working at the number one station in Chicago as a youngster.

Marc: Oh yeah. I was in Northwest Iowa before that, in a little town paying my dues. I was sports director at KILR Radio, but that just meant that I directed myself, because I was a one-man sports department. When you're at a small market station like that you do everything. I DJed an oldies show, went to the state fair, all of those stereotypical things, but I really wanted to get into radio in Chicago. Dan Falato was at WGN at the time, and I bugged him every other week, asking for ways to break in there. At the time they had this paid internship program, and I finally scored one of those. This was in the days after Chuck Swirsky left but before David Kaplan was there, and they didn't really have anyone who was willing to go to the locker rooms and do all the legwork.

The first story they sent me out to cover was the day it was rumored Jordan was coming back. It was the first time I had ever been to the Berto Center, and there I was, amongst this crowd of reporters—-all these guys that I had seen and heard, all looking for the same story. Jordan didn't show up, but guys like BJ Armstrong and Bill Wennington were interviewed. I made a bit out of it when I got back to the radio station. I used the mission impossible theme, and I knew how to splice reel-to-reel tape, so I created this bit about the intern out to get the impossible story. I played it for Joe Bartosch (photo) who was Punnett's producer, and he loved it. They played it on the air, and after that they trusted me to cover these stories more often. When my internship ended, Tisa Lasorte, who was the program director at the time, offered me a job. It really was a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

Rick: The years you were there (95-98) happened to have coincided with the last three Chicago Bulls championships. Do you have any favorite stories from those years?

Marc: I was a huge Bulls fan growing up. My family had season tickets. Honestly, the chance to cover Jordan on a day to day basis was definitely the biggest thrill. I was there 3 ½ years, asking him questions in the pack of reporters every day. Well, one day, when the Bulls were down in a series, I asked a question that he didn't like—it ticked him off, and it was like he was seeing me for the first time. He asked "Hey, who is this guy?" I wanted to say, "Hey, it's the same guy who has been asking you questions every single day for the past 3 ½ years."

Rick: You moved to ESPN (WMVP) in 1998 and have been there ever since, in various different roles. You've been in this midday time slot now with three different co-hosts; Jay Mariotti, Carmen DeFalco and now, Tom Waddle. Compare and contrast the experience of working with each of those guys.

Marc: My experience with Mariotti was totally positive. I know a lot of people who have worked with him or against him have had bad things to say, but I never felt that way about him. We only had one minor disagreement on the air. I still consider him a friend of mine and I thought he was very good at what he did. I was bummed when the situation with the station didn't work out (during the renegotiation of the White Sox/Bulls contract), and I still miss reading his column every day.

But when you're working with Jay, you always know you're going to be #2, and the show is going to be hardcore sports. With Carmen, it was totally different. I will always believe that we had a big following and we would have had a bigger following if we had been allowed to continue together. We were both young and raw, but we had a great time doing that show and it was really developing. I still consider Carmen to be one of my best friends in the world. And he still sounds great when he's filling in for Mac. He's more opinionated than ever and he knows how to have a good time on the air.

That's actually something I've always tried to keep in mind too. Danny Mac taught me that. The most important thing is to entertain the audience. At the end of the day they care about that more than they care if you were right about some sports story. The best e-mails I get are the ones that say "you guys crack me up."

That's what Waddle and I try to do. He's great to work with too. He always shows up prepared and he's thoroughly professional in everything he does, but he doesn't take himself too seriously. That makes it fun every single day. We like to poke fun at each other, and I think that makes it fun for the listeners too. He says I nag him like a wife—which I suppose is true. We're true partners. We're also lucky that we have one of the best producers in the business, Randy Merkin. Without him the show wouldn't be nearly as good as it is. If anyone would know how important it is to have a great producer it's you...and we've got one.

Rick: There have obviously been some highs and lows during your ten years at ESPN. What was your highest high, and what was your lowest low?

Marc: The highest high was probably this most recent spring book. We were #3 men 25-54, with a 4.6, which is something we were really proud of. The show has really come a long way. Waddle and I had a 3.0 in our first book together.

The lowest low was probably the day Jeff Schwartz (ESPN Radio PD at the time) told us that Carmen and I were moving to nights. I was really down. Really pissed. But again, it could have been much worse. We could have lost our jobs completely. The other lowest low was probably at the beginning of my time here. We never knew if this station was going to make it in those first two years and that was pretty stressful, just wondering if was going to work out.

Rick: I listen to your show quite often and I've heard a few awkward moments. I mean that in a good way. When I worked with Steve and Garry they always used to say, if it can't be funny, let it be awkward. Sometimes those are the most memorable moments from a listener's point of view. Do you have any favorite examples of that?

Marc: Yes, but it doesn't exactly make me look good. One time I had just gotten back from a Police concert and had been drinking for about six hours. Waddle called me up and said "Hey, I'm town. Let's go out." Well, that doesn't happen often. When Waddle's in town, you go. I was pretty gone already by then, but I went. We were having a great time and I was talking to this 23 year old girl. Obviously there was a big age difference there, I'm 36, she's 23, so I said, "I may be 36 years old, but I have the body of an Adonis." Waddle told that story on the air, and it made me look like a loser and an idiot. People still mention that story to me. I guess it's funny to everyone else, but it was pretty embarrassing for me.

Rick: I really look forward to the Mark Giangreco segments on your show (every Tuesday). I've done a few shows with him over the years, and he is an absolute natural behind the mic. You've known him for a long time—all the way back to the days you served as his intern.

Marc: Actually, I knew him before then. When I was in 7th grade, in Junior High, they had us call people up to ask if we could shadow them for a day. I called all these sports guys in town, Jack Brickhouse, Johnny Morris, you name it. They all said no way. So I called the new guy at Channel 5, Mark Giangreco, and he said "Sure, no problem."

Rick: Anyone who listens to your show knows what a big Cubs fan you are. I'm a big fan too, obviously. I recently wrote about my second thoughts about bringing up my children to be Cubs fans. I know you don't have any kids yet, but if you do, will you bring them up to be Cubs fans too, or will you end this cycle of abuse with the next generation of Silvermans?

Marc: You mean "when" I do have kids, not "if". Let's make that clear. If my mom reads this and it says "if" instead of "when" there will be trouble. The answer is yes, absolutely, yes. I will raise them to be Cubs fans. In fact, I can't wait to do it. Some of my fondest memories are my childhood Cubs memories. I was 13 years old in 1984 and taking the Skokie swift to the games, and I loved every second of it. As much as I'm a pessimistic Cubs fan, I'll still make my kids Cubs fans, and I really look forward to that day. Granted, by then it will be 120 years since their last World Series championship...

Steve Zana & Laura Waluszko

I recently conducted this mini-interview of Steve & Laura for SHORE Magazine...







Steve Zana and Laura Waluszko // Indiana 105, Valparaiso

Steve is the host of the Dawn Patrol show every weekday morning on country station Indiana 105, and Laura is the cohost/newscaster. They have been doing the show together for nearly twelve years on Northwest Indiana’s highest-rated station. Laura is a local girl, originally from Hobart, Indiana.

Radio Philosophy

Steve: Talk about the community and what is going on. And have fun. People remember you had a good time this morning.

Laura: Entertain, inform and be yourself

Radio Influences

Steve: Wolfman Jack. “Oh my baby, I’m always on vacation!” Bigger than life. Great energy. Up-tempo. He is the very reason I do this.

Laura: My family and the people I work with every day, on the air and off.

Best Perks

Steve: I play music and talk for a living. The whole job is a perk. I have a mobile DJ service that I run, too. I do weddings and parties. The perk to that is people know me from the Dawn Patrol and will hire me to bring that fun to them . . . again, playing music and talking and making money. What’s not to like?

Laura: Being able to work in the early morning—really!

Something listeners don’t know about you

Steve: I am very self-conscious. I worry more than I should.

Laura: That I was on a game show several years ago (Sale of the Century) . . . wait, maybe they do know!

Best thing about doing radio here

Steve: The best part is I feel at home. I could never go to New York or Los Angeles. Just don’t see me fitting in there at all. And for what? Most of the people who get those big-time gigs are out of work in a year or two. Laura and I are going on our twelfth year. I have set my retirement date at January 20, 2027. That will be our thirtieth year. As long as they will have me till then.

Laura: One of the best things about doing radio in this town is . . . that we’re doing a radio show for so many cities and towns around Northwest Indiana—it’s great to be able to do a show for the region known as the Region.

Geoff Pinkus

UPDATED: 3/7/09

GEOFF PINKUS
When I interviewed Geoff Pinkus late last year he was doing a Sunday night show on WIND. He is now the full-time overnight host at the station (Mid-4AM). His producer is former Stan & Terry producer Bonnie Sporn.

Geoff: Chicago Overnight has really been a great experience. We're getting calls from true third shifters, we hear from people on their way to work, on their way home. Because we're on a political station, we do talk the talk, but we're not restricted to one perspective and that's what our listeners seem to like.

Our listeners include the voices of true Chicagoans; policemen who want to vent, insomniacs that have found a friend, and truck drivers that need the companionship and more. Our guests are lively and informative; we had Vic Guistino, aka The Professor, give us the history of Chicago with all the nitty gritty stories, we had James Laski explain his personal sabotage with the dirty games of Chicago politics, and then we've also had bar owners telling us their 3am drink specials.

The discovery of this new sub-culture of late nighters has been exciting and beneficial for both the host and we thing the audience as well.

The original interview follows...




Geoff Pinkus is the host of "Living Large," heard every Sunday evening 5-7 PM on WIND-AM 560






Rick: How would you describe your show to people who have never heard it before?

Geoff: It's a man show. It's from a male perspective. We talk about what men like: women, cars, cigars, motorcycles, hunting, fishing, sports, and we take the male perspective because men have become emasculated in our society today. They've lost their way, always asking for permission instead of forgiveness. Women want men to lead. They want us to take charge. And that's what the show is about. In a good way, not in a chauvinistic way. We're there to help guide other men, and remind them what it means to be a man.

Rick: When I first heard your show my first thought was: "Hey, this guy is pretty good." How is it that I hadn't heard of you before?

Geoff: Well it's just one of those things. I have always wanted to do a radio show. It was my passion. I followed the business closely, but for many reasons, never pursued it. I was in the real estate business. Well about 2 ½ years ago a friend of mine says 'want to do some PSAs' and he thought it was so funny how excited I got just putting on the headphones. I really was excited too. I always wanted to be in radio. I practiced in the car, in the shower, you name it. So he told me if I really wanted to do radio, I should check out WRMN in Elgin. They were doing pretty good business doing a QVC kind of thing, but they also sold some brokered time. It was like $200, and I thought—what the heck. That sounds like fun.

So I hit the streets and got a sponsor to sponsor the whole thing. It was a real estate show, and it was so much fun—taking calls, being a wise guy, trying to do the whole Steve Dahl thing.

Anyway, one day a listener calls me up and says he thinks I need to go to a bigger station. He was a former sales guy at the Loop and knew people in the business, and he made some calls for me, and that's how I ended up here—doing Condo Talk. Unfortunately, my co-host at the time was this woman suggested by the sponsor, and she was terrible—always saying things like "Don't go there" when I would make a joke.

After a few months, the sponsor wanted to leave, so I had lunch with the GM. He asked me to take over selling brokered weekend programming, because I was doing a show already, and I could talk to these people—and I thought, yeah, what the heck. It was a good opportunity to get in the door and learn as much as I could about the business. Anyway, John Howell (photo) did a show with me on December 1st, I'll always remember that date, and when the show was over, he says, "Pinker, you should do a guy show. There's a guy who does a nationally syndicated cigar show, and you're better than him."

I knew right away that was a good idea. I could be myself, do my thing, and the demo was absolutely perfect. I called it "Living Large" and I've been doing it ever since.

Rick: I think it's safe to say that your show is not very much like the other shows on WIND—not exactly typical "Salem Broadcasting" fare. Has the content of your show ever caused problems with your bosses at the station?

Geoff: We do a pretty edgy show, but we've only run into a problem once. The company won't allow advertisers like casinos, gentleman's clubs, Viagra, and that sort of stuff. One time we talked about gentleman's clubs, and we got one hate e-mail. But other than that, we haven't had any problems.

Rick: In a lot of ways, you remind me a lot of Mike North. I think both of your shows are a testament to what can be accomplished if the talent takes a strong interest in selling or helping to sell his own program. Do you agree?

Geoff: 110%! I couldn’t agree more. I think if you have sales talent plus you have talent on the air, you can be a real plus to any radio station. If you're bringing in the money, they're not going to get rid of you. With the way radio is these days, there's a huge opportunity for people like me.

Mike North (photo) and I actually did the show together once, and he was really encouraging to me. He said it was nice to finally be talking to someone who gets it—someone who approaches it from the business side—someone who has a business brain.

Rick: Do you consider yourself a salesman who happens to do a radio show, or radio host who happens to be doing sales, or a combination of the two?

Geoff: It's a combination. I'm a radio host that happens to have 30 years of sales experience. It's like it was meant to be to wait this long to do it, because now I can do it right. I sell my own time, and I can tell you that advertisers love it, LOVE it, when I go to a sales call myself. They say "You're the talent AND you're selling it?" That's not something they run into every day.

Rick: What are some of the traits from your sales background that help your on-air performance?

Geoff: I try to focus on the listeners first, by making the show entertaining and fun. I treat them like a client—if they're happy, I'm happy. Plus, I also understand how important the advertiser is. That's the business side. Like it or not, every single thing you hear or see in the media is driven by the sponsors and advertisers. So I get that. They are the lifeline.

Rick: On the other side of the coin, is there anything you've learned from doing a show that has helped you in your sales job?

Geoff: Yeah, if they listen to the show and they like you on the air, they're gonna buy from you. It's not even selling when you run into that. People buy from people they like. I get the biggest kick out of it when I run into people that like the show. It doesn't inflate my ego, it inflates my heart. Someone recognized my voice at Binny's the other day. That's just the greatest. I really appreciated that. It made my whole day. Who doesn't like the applause?

Rick: Your co-hostess is former Channel 5 television reporter Amy Jacobson. How did you meet Amy and how did she become a part of your show?

Geoff: I met her through my friend George. He runs a Greek media club, and they meet somewhere every month or so, and he invited me to stop by. Amy (photo) was there, and we hit off, and I had her on the show. Amy asked George if I might be up for having a regular female on the show, and I said I would, and we've been doing the show together now for a good month or so. She and Frank (Mahony, producer/co-host) and me have a great time.

Rick: Where do you see your show going from here?

Geoff: I'd like to get it to as many markets as possible, to get it into syndication. That's my ultimate goal. Then I'll really be "Living Large."

Len O'Kelly (2)

I have previously interviewed Len O'Kelly (2) for Chicago Radio Spotlight, but I also recently conducted this mini-interview of him for SHORE Magazine...







Len O’Kelly // WFGR Radio, Grand Rapids

Len O’Kelly grew up in Tinley Park, Illinois, before embarking on a long and successful radio career. After working in Chicago radio for many years, he recently made the move to oldies station WFGR (98.7 FM) in Grand Rapids. He is the program director, and the host of the morning show every weekday.

Radio Philosophy

My first rule for putting a radio show together is simple: no matter what happens in my life, the listener is here to have a good time. Put them first. Talk about things that they are interested in, rather than sticking to things that I am interested in. If there is overlap, great: it’s easier to be relatable. Which leads to my second rule: be real. I’m a real guy. I mow my own lawn. I wait in the line at the checkout. Everyday things happen to me, and I talk about that stuff. I don’t put on any airs of celebrity at all. I’m a guy with a job and a boss, just like my listener. I just happen to have a job I may like more than they do, and I am lucky to get paid for what I do. I bring my private life into the show to a point. My listeners know the names of my wife and some of my nieces and nephews.

Radio Influences

I was very lucky to grow up in Chicago listening to some of the greatest disk jockeys ever to take a hold of the mike. I was one of the stereotypical “radio under the pillow” kids in the ’70s, listening to John Records Landecker, Larry Lujack, Tommy Edwards, Fred Winston, Bob Sirott, etc. A lot of that rubbed off on me in that it made me want to do radio. I have been very fortunate to work with many of the names I heard as a kid. I have learned much from each of them. My hope is that some of the younger jocks in the building—we have five stations in my cluster, and the youngest was born the year I started in the business!—may be able to learn something from me.

Favorite Brush with Greatness

Most of my time in radio I’ve been on Oldies stations, so those are the acts that I have met. Guys like Freddy Cannon, Peter Noone and Bobby Vee are among the nicest guys you’d ever meet—it’s as if they actually appreciate still having the ability to play after all this time. Frankie Avalon and Dick Clark were very nice, as well. The Monkees were nice if you kept them separate.

Worst Advice

The suggestions to smoke and drink more cheap whiskey to “roughen” my voice may have been the worst. Glad I didn’t follow through on them!