Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2006 > August
August 2006
8/31: CNN’s Kyra to appear on Letterman tonight
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Kyra Phillips, clearly willing to laugh about her mike being on a few days ago while she gabbed in the john, will be presenting the infamous Top 10 list tonight on “Late Show with David Letterman.” That should be worth Tivoing…
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8/31: Mike Malloy fired from Air America
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former WSB-AM talker Mike Malloy has been let go from Air America, the liberal talk-show network that lost most of its feed into Atlanta a couple months ago. Malloy, who still lives locally, said on his web site www.mikemalloy.com. Here’s what he wrote. I’ll check with Jon Sinton, the Atlanta-based president of Air America, to see if this is correct. Last I heard from Jon about two weeks ago, he had yet to find a new station in Atlanta to take the full Air America feed. (Currently, 1690 is only airing Al Franken.)
MIKE MALLOY FIRED BY AIR AMERICA RADIO
There will be no Mike Malloy program on Air America Radio as we have been terminated as of 8/30/06.
We are as shocked as you are, especially since as recently as last Tuesday we were told we had the go-ahead to announce our return to NY airwaves and that our contract was “on the way.”
We are told its a financial decision.
More details to follow as we hear them ourselves.
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8/31: Best looking jocks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
No news is no news. So here’s a question of the day:
Radio jocks are often jocks for a reason. There’s the joke, “They have a face for radio.” Who do you find are the best looking DJs in town? Rashan Ali? Jen Hobby? Ryan Stewart? Tom Sullivan?
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8/30: Radio plays CNN’s Kyra oops
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Radio stations replayed audio of CNN’s Kyra Phillips, who accidentaly left her mike on while Pres. Bush was talking about Katrina. The problem: Phillips went to the bathroom and sounded like she was chitchatting with a coworker. Good news is she said nice things about her husband, but then badmouthed her inlaws, including her brother’s wife, who she dubbed a “control freak.” Watch the clip here
Interestingly, on 96rock, the Regular Guys got into a tiff after playing the audio at about 6:40 a.m. Larry Wachs wanted to contact Kyra, who Eric Von Haessler knows personally. Eric said no, she won’t want to talk to Larry because she hates him. Larry said at least try and why is Eric playing her spokesman. Eric then explains that when she had visited one time, Larry said two words together which I probably can’t put together here without getting in trouble though the second word was “bang.” Larry then asks Eric if he has Tourette’s. It was tense. Then Larry went to commercial break.
Over at Q100, Jeff Dauler at 6:50 a.m. told a story about food poisoning Monday night, then mowing the lawn Tuesday and fainting, resulting in a 911 call. He then covered the Braves game and proceeded to oversleep this morning because a storm briefly knocked out electricity and his backup alarm clock had been knocked behind the couch by the dog.
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8/30: The Jimmy job hunt continues
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former 99Xer Jimmy Baron is trying out this week in Philly. According to his blog, “Check me out next week 8/28-9/1 from 6-9AM on WPHT Philadelphia www.thebigtalker1210.com.”
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8/29: Blink!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A few decades back, marketers experimented with subliminal advertising, which proved to be of dubious utility. But in this day of ADD and TiVo, not only has Clear Channel Radio pushed 30 second ad instead of 60 seconds, they are offering TWO second ads. Yes, a whopping TWO seconds long!
According to the New York Times, on Sept. 10, all 1,100 of Clear Channel’s stations (which include local stations the Buzz, WGST-AM, 96rock, Lite 94.9 and Viva 105.7) will air two-second bursts advertising the Simpsons’ debut for Fox. Every half-hour you may hear Homer’s “Woo-hoo” or something along those lines for two seconds. The senior VP for Fox Kaye Bentley told the New York Times compared these ads to pop-ups. They go by so fast, she said, you can’t avoid them. Fox ais also using such “blink” ads for the premieres of “Prison Break” and “House.”
What do you think?
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8/26: Barnes’ dog needs a new home
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Steve Barnes, formerly of 99X and now morning co-host at Dave, is not the most popular guy in Atlanta radio so when someone found out he had put his 9 year old dog Stoli on an adoption site Friday here, they posted it on radio-info.com with nasty insinuations.
But that may not be fair. Barnes explained that with two young kids in his home, his dog had become destructive, badly so. And he’d rather the dog find a place where it can be happy. The adoption group doesn’t help his cause though by simply saying “they did not have time for her anymore.” At age 9, the dog is nearly a senior citizen and may be tough to adopt but it’s a no kill shelter. Hopefully someone will come along and save the dog, who is adorable.
Here’s Barnes’ email message to me:
After 2 kids, Stoli had not adapted well and has caused over $10,000 in damage to the house. Experts suggested that she would be better of living with more dogs. We are in no place to add dogs, so we made a family decision to find her a new home. It was a hard decision but had to be made as we could not correct them destructive problems.
Steve Barnes
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8/28: Update on Tim Rhodes
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I checked in with Tim Rhodes, half of the 96rock Southside and Rhodes team, who was let go earlier this year in favor of Jennifer Reed. Nothing yet in Rhodes’ camp in terms of a job. The Dave FM deal didn’t work out, for instance. Not sure what other stations he’s tried.
But one thing’s for sure: he and Southside have split (they were on afternoons on 96rock for a little over 18 months) and are seeking jobs solo though surely either is willing to latch onto another team.
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8/25: WSB-AM Care-a-thon total: $1.27 mil
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
According to Jennifer Sinclair, the publicist for the care-a-thon at WSB, here are the totals raised Thursday and Friday:
At the Care-a-Thon’s official end at 6 p.m. today, WSB Radio personalities Scott Slade and Clark Howard were on hand to celebrate the fundraising total of $1,267,798. This surpasses last year’s total of $1,039,563 and again will go to support the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
A few highlights from the 37-hour broadcast:
—Nearly $250,000 was pledged in the Care-a-Thon’s final hour, and that amount was generously matched by Aflac CEO Dan Amos and his wife Kathleen.
—Governor Sonny Perdue and first lady Mary, Atlanta Braves pitcher Tim Hudson and wife Kim and the Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders made personal visits to the Aflac Cancer Center. Special call-ins included U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson and Braves Jeff Francoeur and John Smoltz.
—Sean Hannity hosted a special hour during Care-a-Thon and talked with guests including former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and Aflac Cancer Center clincal director Lydia Gonzalez-Ryan.
—Neal Boortz’s 1925 Chevrolet, restored by Carl Black of Roswell, netted $35,000 on the auction block.
—U.S. Air Force Maj. David Hyre auctioned off 14 American flags flown during military missions in Iraq for $1,000 each.
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8/25: New Beat morning show
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Has anyone heard the new 95.5/The Beat morning show yet with Murph Dawg and Stacy C? How is it? I know it launched just a couple weeks ago.
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8/24: Guiltiest singalong pleasure
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
What lousy or cheesy song on the radio do you inevitably sing along to in the car that’s beyond embarrassing? Tubthumping? Baby Got Back? Don’t Cha? Bohemian Rhapsody?
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8/24: WSB-AM Care-a-thon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
WSB-AM raises a ton of cash every year for the AFLAC Cancer Center, usually more than $1 million. It starts Thursday and runs through Friday.
This from the publicist:
Neal Boortz will show his softer side once again at the WSB Care-a-Thon – this year, by auctioning off his 1925 Chevrolet Cabriolet. He’s had it for about eight years, and with the help of Carl Black of Roswell, the antique auto will be newly restored for the winning bidder. WSB reps estimate that it will be worth around $20,000 in restored condition, and it will be up for auction between 10 a.m. and 12 noon on Friday. The fundraising will benefit the Aflac Cancer Center at Children’s.
Here’s a link to Boortz’s car page, which includes “before” photos and a glimpse of “after”: http://wsbradio.com/inside/careathon/082306_boortz.html
Lastly, here’s the full skinny on Care-a-Thon, which will broadcast beginning at 5 a.m. tomorrow through 6 p.m. Friday: http://www.choa.org/default.aspx?id=1452&releaseaction=view&releaseid=89
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8/23: What station would you miss the most?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As we slither along here in August, let me throw out a question since news is wanting:
What local radio station would you miss the most if it just disappeared?
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8/22: Guys Gone Shirtless calendar
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How slow are things in radio land? I’m actually posting this press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GUYS GONE SHIRTLESS CALENDAR UNVEILED AS WOMEN*S INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH CUTS RIBBON IN ALPHARETTA
Atlanta, GA, August 16, 2006 * Womens Institute for Health (WIFH), Georgias most trusted name in laser hair removal, is pleased to announce the grand opening of a new state-of-the-art center on the Northside Hospital Alpharetta campus.
Q-100*s Bert Weiss will host the ribbon cutting and champagne toast at the new Alpharetta location from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Thursday, August 24.
WIFH is supporting Weiss* charity, Berts Big Adventure, with its sponsorship of the Guys Gone Shirtless calendar. As part of the grand opening celebration, the party will move to Rainwater Restaurant, 11655 Haynes Bridge Road, Alpharetta, at 7 p.m. for the official launch of the calendar. All of the proceeds from the calendar will go to the Berts Big Adventure.
The sudden closing of some national chain operations has rattled consumer confidence in laser hair removal clinics. Many customers who paid in advance for services had their cash, not their hair, removed by these fly-by-night companies.
Laser expert Dr. Jay M. Kulkin founded WIFH over two decades ago. This stability and his unique approach to laser hair removal and other aesthetic and cosmetic treatments is why consumer demand supports the addition of a second WIFH in Alpharetta.
We have loyal clients traveling from all over the Southeast to reach our Johnson Ferry location, explains Dr. Kulkin. We really felt the demand for our unique philosophy of combining the comfort and relaxation of a spa with the trust and expertise of a doctor, to our existing and new clients living well beyond the I-285 Perimeter. We could not be more excited to bring WIFH to Alpharetta.
The new Alpharetta location, an 1,815 square foot facility at 3400-C Old Milton Parkway, Suite 190, will offer the same services as the original location including, laser hair removal, laser facials, Botox, peels and other cosmetic and aesthetic treatments. Unlike others that offer these services, WIFH is the only Georgia provider to have a doctor involved in the care of every patient.
Despite many of these treatments being perceived as commonplace these days, they are still medical procedures that require the training and experience of a fully-certified medical doctor to ensure safety, comfort and proven results, says Dr. Kulkin. As the only Atlanta doctor teaching continuing medical education on these laser procedures, Kulkin feels greater regulation on these procedures is necessary to protect the consumer.
About Womens Institute for Health Womens Institute for Health (WIFH) is a physician-owned and operated medical practice specializing in laser hair removal and other non-surgical cosmetic procedures. As founder and full-time medical director, Dr. Jay M. Kulkin is a nationally recognized leader in laser hair removed and womens health expert. His knowledge and reputation have made WIFH Atlantas most trusted name in laser hair removal. In addition to the experience and expertise of Dr. Kulkin, WIFH provides the best value in laser hair removal with their price match guarantee. For more information, please visit them online at www.wifh.com.
8/21: Southside Steve update
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I spoke with Southside Steve Rickman last week. He’s still seeking an Atlanta radio job and was supposed to meet with 96rock now that new management is in town. “96rock made the proper decisions in the changes they’ve made,” he said. “It just needs to figure out what it is.’
Rickman, who was a sidekick on the Regular Guys for several years and did his own afternoon show for about 18 months with Tim Rhodes before being let go earlier this year, said he’s willing to be a third wheel on a morning show again. He said he’s even open to going back to the Regular Guys, who used him as a whipping boy. (I can’t tell if this is remotely a possibility. Larry Wachs on his blog mocked me for leaving phone messages asking him about Southside.)
“I’m so branded with 96rock, I’d look at going back,” Rickman said. “I love the station. I love the listeners. i didn’t love the former management.”
For now, he’s doing gigs at Wild Bill’s, Ultimate Fighting and Hooters.
8/18: Ex-WSB-TV anchor Warren Savage in pot bust
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
All is quiet in the radio world. So here’s a tidbit about a former TV personality:
Warren Savage, the former morning news anchor for WSB-TV for nine years from 1996 to 2005, has popped up at the Gwinnett County Detention Center. The charges: “possession of less than an ounce of marijuana” and “giving false name or information.” There is no date of his arrest but his photo is here and the charges are listed here
Savage, 42, quit last year under strange circumstances. He literally didn’t show up to work one day, then filed his resignation, noting in an email that quoted Miles Davis: “If you don’t feel it, don’t play it.” He was vague to me at the time about his future plans and when I called him a few months later, he angrily told me he didn’t like the way I had written about his resignation and refused to say anything about what he was up to. Here was the original blog item and follow up in January.
Here’s the story we ran in the ajc by Ken Suguira on Saturday and online. Suguira found out he was arrested after a response to a domestic disturbance call at the Best Western Peachtree Corners in Norcross Thursday night.
Here was the email he sent to his colleagues the day he quit about a year ago:
A rapper once said, “before I sell out, I get the hell out.” Since I’m more a musician than a rapper, I prefer to take a cue from the late, great Miles Davis, “If you don’t feel it, don’t play it.” Thus has become my sentiment here at WSB-TV.
Spinners will spin. Liars will figure, but figures don’t lie. WSB-TV has enjoyed some of the highest ratings in this history of this station on my watch. I am proud of my contribution.
All the best to each and every one of you!
8/17: Bob & Tom get a Comedy Central special
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
For the five of you who miss Bob & Tom — the syndicated, always chuckling Indianapolis duo who were briefly on Real Radio, then 96rock in 2004-05 — they are getting a Comedy Central special on Sept. 16 at 9 p.m. Mark the calendar! Inexplicably, Bob & Tom are on more than 150 stations nationwide and it’s estimated they are heard by 5 million listeners a week.
8/17: Fish’s Kevin Avery runs marathon
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I know, I know. It’s truly the dog days here for me to be reporting this, but I have to give credit for Kevin Avery, the morning host at the Fish, for finishing a marathon. Kevin said he did it in about 4:49. His goal was to do a marathon before he hit 40. He’s now 39 and some change.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE…
ATLANTA - Kevin Avery from “Kevin & Taylor in the Morning” on 104.7 The Fish (WFSH) recently took part in the San Francisco Marathon. This was the first marathon Kevin ran, and he completed the race in 4 hours and 49 minutes. No truth to the rumor that Kevin tested positive for Starbucks. Kevin’s already begun training for his next big race, and he’s even considering taking part in the inaugural Georgia Marathon in March of 2007.
Thanks, Chad Davis Asst Promotions Director 104.7 The Fish - WFSH, Atlanta
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8/16: New night jock at Kicks
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I have no clue who this is. He also worked weekends at Star 94 at some point. He definitely has a name that rolls off the tongue in radio… This completes the “new’ Kicks lineup.
Christy mentioned that Kicks and Eagle are hosting a benefit for the 173rd Airborne on October 7 at HiFi Buys Amphitheatre starring Big & Rich (who did a song about the 173rd called “The 8th of November” and Lynyrnd Skynyrd.)
Here’s the press release
SCOTTY O’BRIEN JOIN KICKS AS NIGHT SHOW HOST
Wednesday, August 16, 2006 FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Richards, Operations Manager, Kicks 101.5 WKHX-FM, Atlanta, GA An ABC Radio station 770-521-1015
ATLANTA GA – KICKS announces the addition of Scotty O’Brien as the new night show host. “We are delighted Scotty will be joining the KICKS team. his experience on the air in the morning, and in the evening gives him the tools we need to entertain at night. Following the move of Wylie Rose to afternoons we were searching for the right talent to carry on our nighttime tradition of fun, and energy and building a relationship with our nighttime audience. With Scotty at the wheel, we have the ability to KICK-start the night show and take it to a new level of entertainment. He will be special in Atlanta!.”
Wylie Rose moved to the afternoon show earlier this year, after longtime afternoon talent Cadillac Jack took on the morning show in May.
O’Brien comes to Atlanta after ten years of radio work in Nashville. He has hosted mornings at CHR WQZQ-FM, nights at HOT AC station STAR97, and nights at COUNTRY, The BIG 98, WSIX. -FM.
“I am thrilled to be part of the KICKS radio team in Atlanta, truly one of America’s greatest country music stations. I have always been a big fan of country radio, and living in Nashville, I have had the opportunity to know the music and, yes, bump into some of the stars of the format. Atlanta is the city where I have always wanted to do radio. I can’t wait to get things cranked up at night” O’Brien joins the KICKS air staff on September 1st.
#
Christy Ullman Promotions Director WKHX (KICKS 101.5) and WYAY (EAGLE 106.7) - Atlanta
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8/15: Ex-WSB-FMer “The Dream Doctor” has ALS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
WSB-FM back in 2002 had high hopes for a man named Charles McPhee, better known as “The Dream Doctor” to take on LIte 94.9’s Delilah. He interpreted dreams, about one every quarter hour, interspersed with songs. Locally, his ratings didn’t quite take off and he was shunted off to the overnight hours, then dropped completely by 2004. He was a really nice guy who complained to me that he didn’t feel he was marketed well by B98.5. Cox Radio eventually dropped him and he’s now syndicated through another company.
Here’s the news: According to trade publication Inside Radio, McPhee has Lou Gehrig’s Disease. I hope to get a hold of him to see how he’s doing. Sad. Here’s a link to his site www.dreamdoctor.
The note from Inside Radio:
The researcher-turned-syndicated radio host says he’ll keeping doing the three-hour nightly show for as long as he’s able to. McPhee’s successor on “Dream Doctor” will be Frank Runyeon, “a fellow Princeton graduate with a Master’s degree in Divinity from Yale and General Theological Seminaries.” The Dream Doctor Show - helping callers understand their dreams - is produced and syndicated by the George Oliva-run Springhill Syndication. More about ALS - the progressive and incurable neurodegenerative disease - at http://www.alsa.org/.
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8/14: Sirius vs. XM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Washington Post did a nice job differentiating XM and Sirius satellite services in case you’re interested in either. As the reporter notes, Sirius has more jock talk but it’s usually fairly intelligent if you’re into that thing. XM is more jukebox like. I get a sense he likes XM a smidge more but it’s a close call. Personally, I listen to more Sirius but that’s because I have that in the car and I only have a boombox for XM. I can’t give one or the other a definitive thumbs up. Interestingly, with the arrival of Howard Stern on Sirius, the service (which began a year later than XM) is catching up in subscribers. It’s now 6.9 mil for XM and 4.7 mil for Sirius.
The Wall Street Journal (which requires online subscription) today took a business tact on the services and notes that they are both losing gobs of money, struggling more than optimists earlier expected. Sirius has recently given away a ton of one-year free subscriptions to new car purchasers and are awaiting to see how many of those drivers actually startpaying. (XM early on had a 55% conversion rate with GM cars, the story says.) Part of the reason for the huge losses: subsidizing radios in retail stores, though XM has reduced its rebates. And Sirius paid dearly for Howard Stern ($100 mil a year over five years) and NFL ($220 mil over seven years) while XM paid $650 million for 11 years of Major League Baseball.
Here’s a bit from the Post story:
Despite the considerable overlap in programming, a handful of distinctions are so clear that you can base your decision entirely on them. Baseball fan: XM. Football nut: Sirius. Movie maven: XM. Howard Stern addict: Sirius. Bob Dylan freak: XM. NPR lover: Sirius.
If movie soundtracks are your kind of music, XM is the only service with a channel dedicated to those sounds, including long-form profiles and interviews with composers such as Danny Elfman and Randy Newman. On the other hand, if you want Playboy Radio or Korean-language programming, Sirius is your only choice.
Sirius has the only all-gay channel; XM, the only black talk channel.
8/14: Whither Southside Steve?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
With the program director Buzz Casey suddenly gone from 96rock and Regular Guys producer Tim “Virgin Murray” Frasier off to Playboy Radio, could this leave an opening for “Southside” Steve Rickman to make his glorious return to the Regular Guys? I haven’t been able to reach Steve, who has stated in the past that he wouldn’t be too keen on going back being the whipping boy for Larry and Eric. But who knows? Larry and Eric, after the 2004 firing, said they didn’t want to work together again and they’re back together. So stranger things can happen!
Would this “turn back the clock” strategy work if they did it?
8/12: Mara Davis in the AJC
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dave FM’s mid-day music guru Mara Davis landed in the paper on a story unrelated to radio by John Kessler about Chastain Park Amphitheatre and its tradition of catered dinners and candalabras. Her photo was taken with concertgoers before a recent George Benson concert. She also recently started her very own blog, which is also linked on the let. Check out her hilarious review of the Mariah Carey concert from her front row vantage point.
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8/11: Steve Craig gets new 99X contract
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Steve Craig, a pillar of stability at middays at 99X and best known for his lunch hour retro-request hour, has signed a new contract with the new owners for two years, according to John Dickey, head of Cumulus Media programming. Dickey is based in Atlanta and oversees a whopping 360 radio stations in 70 markets. But he knows the Atlanta stations well and has deep respect for Craig, who now also has the music director/assistant program director title under Leslie Fram. Craig, a true encyclopedia of musical knowledge, is on vacation and isn’t available for comment.
Dickey also said he is confident he has a new morning show he will be able to announce next week. He naturally wouldn’t comment about the Sean Demery rumor.
Dave FM Mara Davis’ blog
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
http://www.maradavis.com/marablog.htm
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8/10: Remember Sean Demery?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I heard a rumor that Sean Demery, currently at Live 105 in San Francisco, may be coming back to Atlanta. Demery was a keystone figure in the 1990s on 99X as an afternoon jock. More information to come. Joey Mills, who said he’s buddies with Sean, said Sean laughed when he heard the rumor and said he’s happy where he is. Sean repeated that to me. “I got nothin’ ” he said. He said he talks to Leslie but only about music, not about any job back in Atlanta. And the prospect of waking up at 3 a.m.? Not something he relishes. So sorry about that. Fun rumor, though.
8/10: Monica plans to stay at WSB beyond 2007
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Monica Kaufman, WSB-TV’s venerable anchor who has been on the Atlanta airwaves for three decades, in the past had hinted that she might step down from the anchor desk in 2007 when her latest contract is up. The inclination was to perhaps just do special reports for awhile. On Q100 this morning, while promoting her “Monica Kaufman Closeups” tonight featuring Will Ferrell, Martha Stewart, Cowboy Crush and Robin Williams, she said at first that she’d “probably” stay beyond 2007, then said more definitively that she will. She said her husband, who is on the police force, planned to work at least five more years so that could be the minimum amount of additional time you might be seeing her on WSB-TV.
More specifically, does this mean she’ll stay at the anchor desk? The publicist at WSB-TV, Steve Riley, said he hadn’t heard what she had said and would have to check. I don’t personally know Monica well and have only spoken to her a couple of times so I’m not sure if she’d be willing to talk to me personally to elaborate. We’ll see.
8/10: Christina Aguilera
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I have no real reason to talk about Christina Aguilera though her current single is doing okay on the charts — at No. 8 on the top 40 with “Ain’t No Other Man.” But I did want folks to check out her retro look on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
8/9: 96rock’s Virgin Murray to Playboy radio
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Allaccess.com broke the news today that Tim “Virgin Murray” Frasier, long-time producer for the Regular Guys since he was a mere teenager, is going to Sirius Satellite Radio’s Playboy Channel to produce the morning show. Tim told me, “I wanted to move out that way and produce a morning show that needs a little help. It was something I couldn’t pass up.” And now he’ll be able to hang out with Hef at the mansion and live the Playboy lifestyle.
His thoughts on working for Larry & Eric since he was 19: “I think I learned everything about this business. There were a lot of ups and downs. We experienced them all together and Larry and Eric taught me a lot.”
Tim was the one who accidentally left the mike on when Larry Wachs was interviewing a porn star in 2004 and bits of it inadvertently ran over an advertisement. This led to Larry and Eric getting fired for a year. Tim somehow survived and Larry & Eric came back to 96rock in the spring of 2005. (Frasier is also “Dank” and has been on the Buzz for years.)
“Now I think it’s hilarious,” he said, in his first comments about the situation since it happened. “It was a stupid idea in the first place. Looking back on it, it’s really funny. The whole irony of it.” (The point of the bit was to mock the FCC’s crackdown on indecency by taping a porn star’s dirty talk, then airing it live backwards.)
Why wasn’t Virgin Murray fired, too, at the time? “They knew it wasn’t completely my fault.”
As for his new job: “They want to make it more mainstream, make it a little smarter. It’s the only show that’s hosted from a guy’s perspective.” And though they have no FCC restrictions on Sirius, “we’re not necessarily going to take advantage of that.”
According to the sirius web site, here’s the show he’ll be joining:
The Playboy Morning Show Today 7:00 am ET
Kevin Klein and Cort McCown host the only audio version of Playboy magazine and bring the lifestyle to radio! The guys are joined by their very sexy co-hosts for the day, Tabitha Taylor & Meriah; Hot Teacher Allyson does the Playboy Quickies; and Brody Stevens stops by for Stump Stevens.
Coming soon: Tune in Friday as Kevin and Cort broadcast poolside as Playboy and The Palms launch the search for new bunnies for the Playboy Club, set to open this fall at The Palms. The Girls Next Door, Magician Lance Burton, comedian George Wallace and 100 Playmates and Cybergirls are expected to join the fun.
8/9: Radio playlists
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
John Boydston (aka Daddy a Go Go) asked me a good question: is it really true that radio stations play new songs based on when the record labels tell them to play them? On the most part, yes.
Sometimes, record labels will preview albums to program directors at influential radio stations to get their feedback on possible singles. But record labels make the final girl. They use “drop dates” for songs and tell the stations when to start playing a single. There’s no firm rule about it per se but I presume it’s to keep the labels happy. For example, Q100 notably played Kelly Clarkson’s “Walk Away’ several months before it was released as an actual single. Star 94 added “Ready to Make Nice” by the Dixie Chicks without any regard to what other top 40 stations were doing. 99X played Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” long before anybody else.
Especially in top 40, big artists often get their singles played early on no matter what at once i.e. Justin Timberlake, Paris Hilton, Jessica Simpson. But if the listeners’ feedback isn’t so hot, the single will die quickly. After just eight weeks, Paris’ “Stars are Blind” is already losing steam in the top 20. After six weeks, Simpson’s “A Public Affair” is falling out of the top 20. In its fourth week, Timberlake’s strange “Sexyback” is now in the top 10 but I can’t say if it has any legs.
8/8: Question of the day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Erik Smith, one of my loyal blog readers, had a good suggestion for a blog topic. What is the most overplayed song of the year? Is it something by T.I., Shakira or Kelly Clarkson or perhaps “Dani California” by Red Hot Chili Peppers (Erik’s suggestion)?
8/8: Larry Wachs mocks Barnes lawsuit
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
At risk of being sued himself, the Regular Guys’ Larry Wachs on his blog makes fun of Steve Barnes’ lawsuit related to 99X making fun of him.
Check out Larry’s blog at www.regularguys.com under the headline, “Anybody who criticizes me will be sued.”
I spoke to Pete Wellborn, Barnes’ attorney, who recused himself from the case because he plays a mafia don in “No Witness.” He fully supports Barnes and calls the case “a slam dunk.” Brandon Witkow, who reps Jimmy Baron and Leslie Fram, said the case has “no legal merit.” Arthur Gardner, Barnes’ lawyer for this particular lawsuit, said, “We regret we had to sue. Nobody likes to have to sue. It’s unpleasant for everybody involved. But the conduct of the defendants in this matter is so outrageous, it leaves us no choice but to litigate.”
I anticipate it will be a few months before we hear anything more about this case. The defendants can 1) fight 2) settle or 3) try to get the case thrown out. We’ll see…
8/8: The Zone wives
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Zone wives have taken over the airwaves from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. this morning. So far, nothing overly revelatory.
Carrie Dimino, Chris Dimino’s wife, said he can really sing well.
Carrie Cellini, Nick’s wife, said he has wimpy acts like Olivia Newton-John and Abba on his iPod.
Steak Shapiro’s wife Kimberly said he loves indie films like “Capturing the Friedmans.”
And naturally, Sandra Golden, who handles entertainment and is overseeing the women, said they are all sensitive nice guys off camera.
But the guys clearly couldn’t take it so they came in at 8 a.m. and joined the women. Cleary, the guys knew it: this was an idea better on paper than in reality. Hey—can’t win’em all!
8/7: The Zone Wive’s Club
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(Photo courtesy of Atlanta Jewish Life magazine)
Steak Shapiro, morning host at 790/The Zone, knows he’s all about shameless promotion. His latest scheme: bring on the wives of some of the the Zone’s hosts to gab about their hubbies.
So Tuesday morning from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. is the first edition of the Zone Wive’s Club, with Shapiro’s wife Kimberly, morning co-host Nick Cellini’s wife Carrie and late morning host Chris Dimino’s wife, also named Carrie.
“They’ll reveal the seedy underbelly of the sports talk world,” Shapiro said. Besides, “she can’t embarrass me much more than I’ve embarrassed myself.”
Dimino agreed: “My life has been enough of an open book Let them have at it.”
For Cellini, Carrie is wife No. 3; the other two are on their second. While their sex lives and personal bad habits are open forum, Shapiro is hoping for one thing: “Stay off the ex-wives.”
“We can only hope to be even half as clever as our husbands are,” Kimberly said.
Has Steak ever said anything that bugged Kimberly on the air? She said no. “I’ll call in sometimes to give my two cents. He’ll make fun of me or defend himself about a fight we had. I’ll sometimes give Mike Bell dating advice.” She said Steak actually self censors himself a lot: “He’s private and kind of shy. He’s not one to go there.”
Sandra Golden is the female voice of reason who will preside over the three wives: “There’s a reason they’re married to these three characters. Hopefully when the mike goes on, they won’t freeze up.”
8/4: Weekend shows
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Beyond the Barnes lawsuit, it’s been a dry well this week for radio news. So I keep throwing out questions. Most music radio stations do specialty shows on the weekends, often on Sunday nights, usually syndicated, sometimes local. Q100’s Twist, the national gay-themed show with Melissa Carter, for instance, on Sunday evenings. And the talk stations have a bunch when not playing repeats like Eric Von Haessler’s Mad Pundit show on Saturdays 1 to 3 p.m on GST. Any favorites out there to recommend?
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8/3: Question of the Day
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Anybody know what Dave FM can do to get itself back into gear? The rock station’s ratings have been flagging and after two years, it hasn’t managed to build from a promising start in 2004. Any advice in terms of format, positioning, marketing, promotions, staffing?
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Winners of the Best of the Big A
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I know, I know. I’m being a complete shill for the AJC marketing department but here’s the “Best of the Big A” results, radio portion. Both the Fish and Kicks, on the air, promoted it, encouraging their listeners to vote so it’s hard to say if this has any meaning beyond the fact there’s a charitable element to it…
Here’s the drill:
After five weeks of silence, the results are in for the 2006 Best of the Big A contest. From June 15 to June 29, Atlantans logged onto accessatlanta.com to vote for their favorite places to eat, shop and play. This year we expanded the radio categories. The AJC is proud to announce the 2006 Best of the Big A finalists.
Radio:
Best Morning Drive Show-Kevin & Taylor in the Morning, 104.7 The Fish
Best Afternoon Drive Show-Bill Cellar, Kicks 101.5
Sexiest Voice-Jim Vann, Kicks 101.5
Radio Personality You’d Most Like to Date-Cadillac Jack, Kicks 101.5
Each of these finalists will receive a $1,000 check donated to the 501 (c)3 charity of their choice, courtesy of the AJC. They will also be featured in the Aug. 3 accessAtlanta and on accessatlanta.com/bestof.
8/2: Jennifer Gates out at WABE-FM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The local morning news host for 90.1/WABE-FM, Jennifer Gates, is gone. She was only there for a few months but a few folks did ask me about her. I heard her husband had relocated but the only thing WABE would say is she wants to spend more time with the family and that she’s extremely private.
So there are two positions are open there: news director and news host.
8/1: Barnes files lawsuit against…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Cumulus, Fred Toucher, Jimmy Baron and Leslie Fram.
Steve Barnes, former 99X morning host and now morning host at rival station Dave FM, threatened to sue them a year ago for defamation of character and copyright infringement. On July 25, he followed through on that threat and filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. After he and 99X parted ways in 2004, Barnes produced and starred in a film called “No Witness.” The week it hit DVD stores in July 2005, 99X’s morning show, which at the time consisted of Toucher, Baron and Fram, made fun of the movie and held a free screening of the film at American Pie restaurant and bar.
In the lawsuit, Barnes wrote that 99X’s morning show in July 2005 “played dozens of audio clips from the movie over the air as away of promoting a 99X-sponsored event scheduled for July 28, 2005. In addition to promoting the 99X-sponsored event, the audio clips were played in conjunction with very negative comments about Plaintiff Barnes and the film. The playing of the audio clips was done without permission of the copyright owner, Plaintiff No Witness LLC. The playing of the audio clips was an infringment of the copyright in the film.”
“As part of the on-air promotion, members of the public were invited to a screening of the film and were encouraged to avoid buying the film.” He noted it took place at American Pie restaurant on Roswell Rd.
“Some or all of the Defendants were forewarned that this screening was not authorized and that at least one of the Plaintiffs objected to the screening.”
Barnes requests $300,000 for “Defendants’ willful infringement of Plaintiff’s copyrights.”
He adds a defamation portion, too. He said that Toucher made “the false statement over the air that Plaintiff Barnes had been fired from 99X.” Barnes said he left in agreement with 99X in October, 2004.
He also uses the Crash Clark firing as a point that “in the minds of many members of the listening public, an atmosphere of suspicion that Plaintiff Barnes must have done something very wrong to have been fired from 99X.” He said he is often approached publicly about why he got fired from 99X when he said he was not fired.
Barnes notes that Toucher has continued to make fun of Barnes, even though he’s now in Boston, on his Web site, www.fredtoucher.com. On the site, Toucher had called Barnes “pathetic,” “retarded” and “captain back acne.” He asks for at least $750,000 in punitive damages.
Baron said he’s seeking an attorney and isn’t sure if he and the others will join forces or not. Thank you Jim Voris over at www.99xwatch.org for alerting me on this one.
This is what I wrote about the issue in August 2005:
Late last month, 99X’s morning show mocked its former host, Steve Barnes, by holding a viewing party at American Pie for his new straight-to-DVD film “No Witness.”
At the time, the notoriously prickly Barnes (now morning host at Dave FM) told Buzz he was cool with it. “It’s beautiful, it’s free publicity,” he said. “I’ve done nothing to those people. It makes me laugh. I’ll have to send them a thank-you note.”
Instead, Barnes had his attorney, Pete Wellborn, inform 99X that the station had committed copyright infringement by holding a public screening of “No Witness” without permission.
Barnes referred calls to Wellborn. Any legal action, Wellborn told Buzz, “would include some financial remuneration. But the exact details are premature to speculate. I stress that Barnes and No Witness LLC are still in investigative mode.”
Mark Renier, 99X’s general manager, declined to comment.
