-
The Jay & Kevin Show - KDRK Cat Country 94FM - Spokane, WA
May 25, 2006
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
Thursday, May 25, 2006
CREATE THE SCENE: Name the one thing about your city most folk' don't know?
J & K: That it does not rain very much in Spokane, and we have indoor toilets.
And the one thing about radio in your market, that impresses you (or, maybe not)?
J & K: There are 3 morning shows that have been around and dominated for over a decade.
If the radio station disappeared tomorrow, what's the ONE thing listeners would miss most about your show?
Jay: Localization and interaction. Kevin says his news!
THE SHOW:"The Jay & Kevin Show"THE STATION:KDRK Cat Country 94FMTHE CITY:Spokane, WATHE FORMAT:CountryTHE CAST:Jay Daniels, Kevin James, producer Bob Castle.Resume Time
Give us brief rundown on each of you, your personal history, your radio bio, and what brought you together.
Jay: A Llama with a Jay & Kevin Sign on it brought us together. It's what Kevin stuck in the GM's office. The GM decided Kevin had worked overnights long enough and he'd be a cheap sidekick. Kevin got the job and Bob became the shows stunt guy.
He eventually hated us after a few months and left. But much like a relationship set the bird free and if it comes back it was meant to be. Bob came back.
In the meantime Jay & Kevin went to work on becoming one of the most recognized shows in Spokane history.
Jay Daniels started in radio in 1981 in New Prague, Minnesota. He's been fired 4 times! Unaffected, he's been doing mornings now for 18 - years. The bags under his eyes show it. He's a really, really, really funny guy.
Kevin James started his love of conversation in the wheat fields of Harrington, Washington on a CB radio. He then got a job at KDRK doing overnights. After 5 years Kevin began hanging out with the new morning host Jay Daniels. Jay and Kevin ended up doing some shows together and the instant chemistry was noticed by management.
The Jay and Kevin Show was born! The rest is history. He now wishes his dj businesses was not so successful becomes he no longer needs it and he has no time!
Producer Bob Castle is celebrating 15 years in radio and he's been with us for about 6 years. He's been a PD and an OM and yet chose to be our producer. We all actually met in 1994 while working our first leg here at KDRK.
His love is sports and he's been doing play by play for local colleges for 10 years. He hopes to be the voice of any professional team in Seattle before he dies.
What's It All About?
Briefly describe your show your personalities and the "premise" listeners wake up to every morning.
Jay: The leader or the Dad of the show!
Kevin: The child who may actually need to tell Dad that he is the one who should be grounded.
Producer Bob: Brass and opinionated top keep the show in balance. Listeners know they will wake up to a family friendly show that will actually make everyone laugh.
How would you describe the feeling a listener gets after 20 minutes of your fine radio extravaganza?
J & K: Stomach hurts from all the laughing! Maybe a little nauseated too!
How does this separate you from the pack, the other shows in town?
J & K: Most other shows frankly are not that funny or nearly as creative. Plus Kevin really thinks he can read the news!
Prep 101
Segue to the show planning, how much of it is prepared before you walk into the studio? How much left to spontaneity?
J & K: Every segment is prepared. We are planned two weeks out. The best show however seems to occur when everything became spontaneous and we got to nothing on the prep sheet! The ability to be spontaneous is what makes the show.
Who makes up your pop-culture VIBE team, in terms of the creative brain trust?
J & K: It is a group effort without question. We are great friends on and off the air, and constantly create ideas throughout each day.
When does the PD, or marketing director get a say?
J & K: Whenever they decide to pop in but we are not sure they know where our office is.
Is there another morning talent (or show) that you enjoy networking with?
J & K: Right in our own market actually. Dave and Ken, The Breakfast Boys. And anyone out there who just signed a gigantic contract!
Most Memorable
Name your most memorable radio moment. (Good or bad!)
J & K: September 11th as we did the show live from a fair. The events happened as we went on and were forced to watch everything unfold from a news truck.
Celebs-N-Stuff
CELEB Interviews... do you do 'em? Love 'em? Hate 'em?
J & K: We do them and we love them, because listeners love hearing from their potential favorite actor or singer. It's up to the talent to make many of them good however.
Name your most memorable CELEB interview. (Good or bad!)
J & K:
Worst - Richard Simmons.
Best - Paul Jr from OCC, Ed McMahon, and Garth Brooks.Quick Word Association
Politics?
J & K: BORING!
'American Idol'
J & K: HOT!
Gas Prices?
J & K: SCAM!
Tom Cruise?
J & K: WHACKED!
Morning Radio?
J & K: Corner Stone To Any Nutritious Breakfast.
Mark That Bench
Tell us about your best weekly or daily on-air Benchmarks?
J & K: We do not necessarily have benchmarks. We have a bullpen full of emergencies in the event that our starter begins to stink!
"Late Night Jokes Stolen From The Late Night Folks"... "Joke Round Up" - Kids jokes told in a high-pitched hillbilly voice.
"Open Phones"... "Entertainment News"... "Super Duper Hard Question"...
Any Games & Trivia?
J & K: "Name That Tune", "Who do you believe", "Whose life is it", "Paired Up", "Buzz Word".
What About Stunts?
J & K: We had our stunt boy hitchhike back to the station after we dropped him off. We set up and actor to pick him up and freak him out so bad that our stunt boy eventually jumped from the moving car. It still is talked about to this day.
Also, "Buried Alive" and "Underwater Ordeal".
X-tra Pointers
Were any (either) of you voted "class clown" in high school? Voted anything at all?
Jay: too long ago - can't remember!
Kevin: Class Clown, ASB President, Most Likely to succeed and the list goes on and on and on and on. There were 7 kids in his class!
Bob: Class Flirt and Best Dressed
At what point do you reach out for staff input on show ideas?
J & K: But they are always welcome. Sometimes we even stop typing long enough to fake like we are listening.
How do you motivate your producer?
J & K: With coffee each morning at 5:45. Sometimes we actually pay.
Who's the funniest person on the show, be honest?
Kevin Eugene The Love Machine James. Just don't tell our producer. We always tell him he was great and funny today.
How do you deal with a GM or PD who says you can't do that?
J & K: We have been very lucky and honestly this has not been a problem for us. When you are atop the rankings we found they tend to leave you alone.
Our current PD, Cary Rolfe is amazing. "What's that Cary?" Cary has asked that you send tape and resume to our company care of Cary Rolfe. He is looking for a new morning team. We are not really sure what that means!
Staff interaction: are you a "mixer" or an island unto your own bloated ego?
J & K: On an Island that is open for anyone to experience. But sometimes we are forced to throw some individuals out to sea.
The Sales Department: friend or foe?
J & K: Friends for sure. We hope for amazing success. But they sure as heck confuse us sometimes!
How do you handle a Sales person or manager who walks into the studio, in the middle of your show?
J & K: It is not allowed. But on the rare occasion that it does happen it is probably because we have food in studio!
If your PD suggests something lame and insists on you executing it, how do you react?
J & K: It has to fit the show. We will not do anything that does not go through the show's filter that we've spent so many years creating. So we try to find a way to take the idea and make it fit.
Station appearances, do you do them, even the freebies? Or do you need to get paid?
J & K: We do appearances many times a week. We make it a point to get out and be seen. We are not against going on sales calls or showing up at a business to say hi. But we do not do free remotes and no one ever should.
Throw us a freakin' bone, name one thing about yourself or about each other, that most people don't know. Be honest.
Jay: Not Really Puerto Rican as the running joke claims.
Kevin: Has a really bad temper.
Bob: Actually is caring and not as abrasive as his normal character.
Parting Thoughts on anything, from the radio industry to the world we live in, marriage to this painful interview.
J & K: Not many morning shows get the chance to work in the same great market as long as we have. This is one of the greatest jobs in the world and we have the best listeners you could ask for.
Even through the many changes the industry and our market has gone through we could not be happier to be anywhere else but Spokane, Washington. Our final thought is whoever made up all these questions needs therapy.
LOL! BitXChange THANKS Jay, Kevin & Bob for their time, and support!
You can find out more about them here.
You can email them here: Jay, Kevin & Bob. -
-