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Charese Fruge’ (@MCMediaonline) Talks To Jess Dutra
June 21, 2022
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Jessica “Jess” Dutra is co-host of the “Kramer and Jess” morning show on Audacy’ s WWMX (MIX 106.5)Baltimore, Social Media manager for the show, co-host of” Kramer and Jess UNCENSORED” podcast, and host of her own podcast ‘lowkey.’ The new Kramer and Jess show launched in September 2020. She started in radio in 2018 as an intern. “Born and raised in Stockton, CA, I moved to San Diego the summer after I graduated high school in 2011 to go to community college to eventually transfer and graduate from SDSU in 2018,” she says. “I started early as an intern for iHeart/San Diego. By early I mean I didn’t actually have enough credits to take the ‘official internship classes at school so I did it as a ‘volunteer’ for a while. Eventually I got officially hired on the street team in 2014.”
“Later, I started taking over social media at events while on the promo team… which got me noticed by the morning show (Kramer and Geena on Channel 933) in 2016,” explains Dutra. “I started phone screening for them which progressed into becoming a 4th mic on the show & taking over social media for them as well (which later became the Geena + Frankie V. show). In 2017, I started doing overnights on KHTS and later added the KHTS mix show to my responsibilities in 2018. I became the in-house midday fill in; and morning show fill in for Geena 2019. I wore the street team/social media coordinator/morning show phone screener/overnights/fill in hats until I left iHeart/San Diego in August of 2020 and started co-hosting the ‘Kramer and Jess’ show.”
For Jess, getting into the business all started by accident. “I called into the KHTS night show on my way home from class to comment on a Bruno Mars topic (had to defend my man),” she says. “The host told me I was funny and should look into their internship program, so he sent me the info. Next thing I knew I had an interview and started interning for the street team. Part of the internship was assisting a show of your choice a few times a week…I would rotate between the morning and night show. I fell in love with the listeners being on the streets, which made me more connected to them when I started getting airtime because they would listen to me in the morning and then see me setting up the tent later that night at an event. I became obsessed with doing social media at events/concerts because the listener interaction was magnetic. But it’s always been the listener connection that I’ve been addicted to. Ever since I felt that I’ve been hooked.”
The most exciting thing for Jess about the radio business so far is all her “firsts” she says. “The first time I got to do overnights…the first time they let me fill in for middays… the first time they let me fill in for the morning show…those were always the most exciting because each time I got to share a little more of who I was and had the chance to figure out who I wanted to be on air,” says Dutra. “The biggest accomplishment so far is moving across the country from everyone/everything I love and starting a brand-new morning show with my friend during the pandemic in a place I had never been to before.”
“At the same time, the biggest challenge for me so far has been moving across the country from everyone/everything I love and starting a brand-new morning show with my friend during the pandemic!!!,” Jess adds. “I thought getting bullied as a kid in school was bad…Listeners on Facebook and the text line are on a whole new level!! They didn’t know us, we’re not from their home (unlike the previous host that was with the station for 20 years) …we were the outsiders during a time when all they wanted was some sort of normality. So, I cried. A LOT. But it forced me to work on my confidence and self-worth. And it’s made me appreciate and value the genuine connection we have with our listeners now because we’ve worked really hard to get there.”
Another big challenge for me was going from 4th mic to co-host.,” says Dutra. “Allowing myself to fill up the new space I now had to share who I am. As a 4th mic you only get to play a certain character, so changing that mentality and breaking down those walls within myself was definitely a transition.”
“And being a young woman in the industry is a challenge within itself. Getting the respect/pay you deserve and constantly fighting to be taken seriously, adds Jess. “And just because you stick up for yourself doesn’t mean you’re being difficult. That’s the most frustrating part. We MUST fight harder.”
Another big challenge for the industry in general according to Jess is the lack of internships. “This makes me really sad because if I didn’t have the opportunity to intern, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she says. “I don’t think it’s fair, it makes it harder for people to get their foot in the door.”
One of the biggest changes in the industry is “social media!!!” Says Jess. “It went from something that you maybe did if you felt like it, to something that needs to happen if you want your show/brand to become successful. But it has opened a door to a completely different level of listener engagement, which I love.”
Over the last four years of her career, Jess has had the privilege of working with a few radio pros. “The entire cast of the Kramer and Geena morning show…Chris Martinez, Stephanie Sidela and DJ Criz…we had too much fun,” she says. “Kramer taught me how to share genuine real-life content on the air, the good and the bad. It’s what I love most about radio and the show we’ve been able to create together. Geena taught me how to stand up for yourself in this industry, and how she’s used her career to help the community and young women, which is something I aspire to do with my own.”
Her best advice to women who want to get into the business: “Be your authentic self on the air. You don’t have to play a role and you’re not there just to make someone else look good,” says Dutra. “Your voice and perspective matter. Women are allowed to have emotions other than just being happy and smiling for the camera. Speak up for what you want because you deserve it. It’s okay to make mistakes…there isn’t a rule book on how to navigate through this thing, so remember to be kind to yourself and to not compare your journey to somebody else’s,” she adds. “You can’t fuck up anything that is MEANT for you. So, make the move, take that chance, and try something different – despite what anyone else thinks or what your own fears/insecurities might be – because there’s no growth without trial and error.”
Something people would be surprised to know about Jess: “I have a matching video game tattoo with my dad,” she says. “My dad got a Mortal Kombat tattoo when he was twenty-four, so when I turned twenty-four, I thought it would be funny to do the same thing. To be honest, it was just a joke! A video game dragon? On my back???? WTF??? But then I realized that it actually meant something to him, sooooo I did it. It ended up turning out to be something really special between me and my dad and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
Lately in her spare time Jess is turning into a foodie! “I love trying out new bars/restaurants in Maryland. I’ve only been here for 2 years so every weekend I try to go somewhere I’ve never been,” she says. “And I love traveling around the East Coast as much as possible! Growing up in California, I always wanted to live out here at some point in my life so I’m exploring as much as I can.” As for what she’s binging, “The Ultimatum’ and ‘FBoy Island’ on Netflix. Both shows are complete trash. I love it.”
Jess has a busy schedule moving forward, including participating in this year’s Morning Show Boot Camp. “I’m beyond excited and so honored to be on the ‘Talent to Watch’ panel at Morning Show Bootcamp in August!!!”
Look for her to be on this prestigious panel on Friday August 19th at 4p, at the Swissotel in Chicago and follow Jess on social media @jessduitt
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