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10 Questions with ... Dave, Mahoney & DK Morning Show
September 2, 2014
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
BORN:
Dave: St. Paul, MN
Mahoney: Born in the home of the Mizzou Tigers (Columbia, Missouri)
DK: in LA -- totally a valley girl.RAISED:
Dave: Combo of Brainerd, MN (think; Fargo) and South Carolina (think; Deliverance)
Mahoney: From basically the time I was born to the age of 22, I was raised in St. Louis with the humid, scorching summers and freezing cold winters, it's truly a wonderful city.
DK: From the mean streets of Chatsworth, CA. I've been in Las Vegas for 14 years.Dave: Dave@x1075lasvegas.com
Mahoney: mahoney@x1075lasvegas.com
DK: DK@kxte.comDave: Started in radio at 19 in 2000 by pestering the DJs at WARQ in Columbia, SC until they gave me a part-time job doing overnights on the weekend. Worked my up to APD/MD/Afternoons by 2005 and got the call from Chris Ripley (then-KXTE PD) to come to Vegas with my afternoon show to be part of the replacement for Howard Stern. Did PM drive for 3 years, and took the morning reigns with Mahoney in 2009.
Mahoney: In 2002, I started doing college radio in St. Louis at KCFV, did that for about a year before I moved on to my first paying radio gig in Champaign IL at WKIO and WLRW in 2003. I spent another year in Champaign before getting the call up to X1075 in Las Vegas in 2004. I was a jack of all trades for the first few years in Las Vegas; weekend air shifts, specialty show host, overnights and finally nights over the course of 4 years. Made a huge jump to mornings in San Diego and 91X (XETRA) in 2008, a year later I was back in Las Vegas doing The Dave And Mahoney show and we've been here growing ever since.
DK: I've been with CBS Radio for almost 9 years. I began doing weekly segments with Dave and Mahoney during their first week on-air doing mornings in Las Vegas. I've been full-time on the morning show for 3 1/2 years.
1. How did you become interested in radio?
Dave: Always loved radio. It was a huge part of my life as a kid listening to the Twins games on the AM radio while fishing with my Dad. When I was 12 me and my buddy Rick launched the "Scooter And Do-Doo" show from his basement. We would plug a couple mics into a karaoke machine, hit record, and do shows for hours on end.
Mahoney: Since I was a young boy, I've spent an almost endless amount of time listening to the radio; the music, the personalities and the shows have always compelled me and intrigued me. 30 years later as an adult, they still do.
DK: Aside from being obsessed with Rick Dees and a regular winner on KIIS-FM when I was a kid, I became interested in a career in radio when I graduated college. I started in the sales at CBS and worked my way up the ranks in that department. After a few years I was lucky enough to have Dave And Mahoney invite me on their show and I instantly fell in love with the experience. The three of us clicked and I knew that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
2. How did the morning show come to fruition?
Dave: In 2008, Vegas was going through a really bad time with the economy. The afternoon show I was hosting didn't get renewed. Luckily for us, Adam Carolla, got bounced a few months later and that opened up AM Drive. Ripley called and asked if Mahoney and I would be interested in doing the show together. We launched in April 2009 and DK joined us shortly thereafter on a staggered basis. In 2011 DK officially became a full-time member of the show. We got some excellent coaching from our PD Charese Fruge and consultant Mike Stern, and really honed the roles and sound of the show. Since then we've added an excellent young producer Jered Jones, and the program is in a continual state of growth.
Mahoney: What Dave said.
3. The description of your morning show says a fast paced daily radio program designed for a progressive Las Vegas audience that features breaking news, top sports highlights, and a slew of celebrity pop culture lowlights. Explain your roles?
Dave: I'm the driver of this boat, the host, and many times the referee. It's my job to keep things moving forward, and to provoke reactions, which comes naturally for me (I have 4 brothers). Mahoney and DK regularly collide with their opinions and it's my job to encourage them to get vocal and heated without letting things go off the rails. It's a fun dynamic.
Mahoney: I'm the wild card as Charlie from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia would say: "You're either going to LOVE me or HATE me and that's the way I like it". If I'm not creating an emotion then I am not doing my job.
DK: I think I offer a unique view on the female perspective seeing as I'm not your typical girl. As a big sports fan, I bring a lot of insight and knowledge on that topic to the show. Mahoney and I typically differ on opinions and neither one of us is afraid to speak our mind so it works well with Dave acting as the referee.
4. How did the name of the show originate with one first name, one last name, and the third host using initials?
Dave: Mahoney and I thought we were really clever by calling ourselves the DAM (Dave And Mahoney. Get it?) show when we first launched. Then DK came along and ruined everything, as usual.
Mahoney: There were too many guys named Jason (my first name) in Las Vegas radio when I got here so I went with Mahoney. Wasn't rocket science. Thankfully I didn't get stuck with some silly name like Pepe or Beaker.
DK: When I started doing segments while I was still in the sales department I didn't want any of the (overly competitive) AE's saying that I had a sales advantage because I'm on-air, so I asked the boys to use my initials to eliminate that argument. Plus, back home friends call me DK.
5. What makes your show unique?
Dave: Mahoney being so damn stubborn. Really, he has the most amazing ability to believe his own lies and bullshit, it's uncanny. DK constantly calling him out is great, too.
DK: We don't pretend to be anything we are not. What you see is what you get, both good and bad.
Mahoney: Plus we're really really really handsome and tall.
6. What is your show prep routine?
Dave: The best prep comes from our adventures together. Some of the stories that came out of our experiences together at Morning Show Bootcamp are just priceless. Outside of that we have a strict prep cycle of accumulating interesting (and extremely current stories) each night and morning.
Mahoney: Being a giant news junkie certainly helps but the best way I prep is by living my life. Relating life's little details and experiences can't be beat.
DK: Aside from our standard nightly emails with prep, I keep notes in my phone throughout the day of topic ideas, interesting things that happen or news stories that I come across that I think will be good, relatable content.
7. What annoys you about your on-air partners the most?
Dave: Mahoney, when he's lazy...he'll just sit there and rub his belly and wait for someone else to do his work. DK...When she gets all grumpy and chick-like. I think that's stupid.
Mahoney: Aside from being the workhorse of this group, it would have to be Dave and DK's insistence on always trying to contradict statements I make that are obviously 100% true.
DK: Dave is annoying when he's overly emotional and claims I get all grumpy and chick-like. Mahoney will never acknowledge when I am right and he is wrong. EVER.
8. Who in radio are your influences, your mentors, and the people to whom you listen?
Dave: Early on DZL (now at WEND) and Gina Juliano (PD at WARQ at time) were HUGE in helping me develop my on air persona. Chris Ripley gave me a chance to really build a real show, and our current PD Charese Fruge has been so instrumental into making us as good as we can be. Also, consultant Mike Stern (now with Jacobs Media) offered a ton of valuable insight into who plays what role on the show.
I still take mental notes when I listen to Howard Stern's amazing interviews. Kevin & Bean at KROQ have a great energy on their show. And Jim Rome is one of the best at trolling his audience for reactions.
Mahoney: My early influences were Steve And DC in St. Louis, they ruled the airwaves on Q106 in the early to mid-90s, their sidekick The Mad Hoosier was the guy who didn't give a damn and he was the guy I always wished I could be. My teen years and early 20s were spent listening to Howard Stern and the Woody (now at KYSR) & The Whipping Boy on The Point in St. Louis.
My mentors have all been my PDs over the years. Chris Ripley at X1075 taught me how to be an amazing jock; Phil Manning at 91X gave me my first big shot at mornings and grew me from a guy with no morning show experience into a real morning show host. Finally, I can't forget my current PD, Charese Fruge who has vast amounts of morning show and high level programming experience. She has guided me to a new level in my career.
Right now I listen to a bit of everything. Kevin & Bean, Preston & Steve, Jeff And Jer, The Breakfast Club on Power in NYC and weekly podcasts from Marc Maron and The Nerdist with Chris Hardwick.
DK: Being relatively new in morning radio, I don't have a long list of influences. Our PD, Charese Fruge, has been a great mentor and a champion of our show from the start. I've learned and have been encouraged a TON from our radio colleagues in the market, as well. I listen to Kevin & Bean podcast regularly and gather a lot of insights from their show.
9. How do you use Social Media?
Dave: We use social media to drive listenership, clicks to our station site, and primarily for listener interaction. Everyone loves a favorite, retweet, or like. We use the access we have to the audience through social media to make sure that their voice is heard. Everyone has an audience on social media, and if people are directing their audience to our audience and we can all play together on-air and online, then we are using social media effectively.
Further, we've had a lot of success extending our own on-air brand through social media. In the past 2 months we've garnered over 100 million impressions just through our Facebook page alone. We work hard at posting interesting, relevant, shareable content, and it's working.
10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _________?
Dave: Coffee. Hustling to extend the show and my brand outside the traditional lines. More coffee. Vodka. 4.5+ hours of sleep.
Mahoney: Listening to the radio and consuming media.
DK: Chapstick and lotion. We live in the damn desert.
Bonus Questions
What are your hobbies?
Dave: Love traveling, the UFC, going to the lake, playing bad golf and poker. I really enjoy trying figuring out ways to make money off my hobbies. Had some success with the UFC and poker. If anyone can tell me how I can get paid shooting a 98 on the golf course, that'd be great.
Mahoney: GOLF! I can't go a week without playing. I'm also a pretty hardcore PC gamer and always have been.
DK: Home improvement projects. My friends nicknamed me Construction Barbie - not sure if I love it or hate it.
Last non-industry job?
Dave: Slinging Bloomin' Onions at Outback Steakhouse.
Mahoney: I was the best bartender they had ever seen at Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon.
DK: Bartender
First record ever purchased?
Dave: I remember being gifted Billy Joel's greatest hits on cassette for my Walkman when I was about 11. We Didn't Start The Fire was my jam!
Mahoney: On cassette it was "Weird Al" Yankovic in 3-D. On CD it was Primus - "Tales from the Punchbowl"
DK: First album I begged my mom for was WHAM! I got the cassette for my birthday in '86. First albums I bought with my own money were Guns 'N Roses - Use Your Illusion 1 and 2
First concert?
Dave: Grew up in a religious household, so the first show my parents allowed me to go see was Christian rock band "Petra" when I was 13. That was until I was 16 and snuck out to go see "Corrosion Of Conformity" at a dive bar. Quite the difference.
Mahoney: The first REAL concert I went to by myself was Pointfest 9 on May 24th, 1998 with the Foo Fighters, Green Day, Creed, Deftones, Semisonic, Big Wreck, Gravity Kills, and God Lives Underwater. Still the best show I have ever seen to this day.
DK: My mom took me and 3 friends to see New Kids On The Block at the Universal Amphitheater in 1989. First solo show was Warrant and Cinderella, also at the Universal Amphitheater.
Favorite band of all-time?
Dave: Metallica. They made me feel like I was a bad ass when I was 12, even though I wasn't.
Mahoney: Primus. Les Claypool is the greatest bassist in the universe.
DK: Joshua Radin.
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