10 Questions with ... Scott Rizzuto

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

1998-2003 WXRK/New York, 2001-2003 Sirius Satellite Radio, 2001-2003 WHTG/Monmouth-Ocean, and 2003-Present KPNT/St. Louis.

1. You've spent two decades at The Point. Take us back to when you first started working at The Point. What stands out the most?

It's crazy to think that I've been at The Point now for OVER 15 years. Just thinking back to when I first moved to Saint Louis with my girlfriend (now my wife) brings a smile to my face. Young and dumb and taking a leap of faith, moving to a strange city with no backup plan. We had to make it work. Most of the faces at The Point have changed, but the radio station itself has remained consistent. The Point has always played the best new music in Saint Louis, has always had the best on-air personalities in the market, and has always put on/presented the best shows. I feel like I've grown up with The Point listeners. We've all gone from an angst filled 20-something to a 30 to 40-year-old parent and, somewhat, fully-functioning member of society.

2. Over four years ago your morning show was relaunched as The Rizzuto Show. Give us the 411 on your morning show.

I'll always be appreciative of Tommy Mattern and the higher-ups at Emmis for believing in me and letting me start The Rizzuto Show. I like to say that we're just four guys sitting in a booth at a diner with the newspaper, joking around and talking about what's going on and you're listening in on the conversation. We're also very Saint Louis-centric, which is why I think the show works so well and why we connect with our listeners. The people of Saint Louis are very proud of their city and very protective of it, I'm happy they've accepted us. We're also a show that doesn't take itself too seriously. We're not above making dumb jokes, being self-deprecating, and putting ourselves in stupid situations (Tony and Jeff walked 15+ miles in 100 degree heat from downtown to our new studio in the Saint Louis County).

3. How would you describe your on-air style?

On-air, I'd say we're conversational, laid back and not afraid to bust each other's balls. Every member of the show has their own unique personality that they bring to the table (example: Jeff is the creepy older guy. Moon is the musician/hipster. Tony is the loud, energetic... sometimes too energetic guy. And... I'm the quarterback. The glue that holds it all together. We've also got a new member of our show, King Scott. He's our 36-year-old virgin [for religious reasons].)

4. What is your show prep routine with Tony, Jeff & Moon?

We all get to the station at 3:30am. For the first hour and a half I don't think anyone speaks to each other. Everybody knows what they have to do to prep for the show. Tony puts together all the show's spots stuff. Jeff is in charge of celebrity news. Moon works on our social media. And I put together our news segments and piece together a schedule.

5. What do you like best about being on-air?

The fact that I get to BS with my friends for a couple hours a day, get paid to do it, and not have to wear a suit to work.

6. Tell us about Team Rizz and the other benchmarks that make your show unique?

Team Rizz just started as a "listener of the day" type of thing, but now it's taken on a life of its own. When someone is chosen as a Team Rizz member, they're welcomed into a community. Team Rizz members hang out together. They come to all our events. We have special invite only events for Team Rizz members. They're also out on the streets evangelizing, spreading the gospel of the Rizz Show. We love each and every one of them.

7. What is your favorite part of the show?

I love when our show opens. We're all still a little tired... a little punch drunk... and we're off and running.

8. What annoys you most during your show?

It's going to sound cheesy, but, when we're cracking each other up and we've got to kill all the momentum by taking a break or even ending the show that sometimes crushes me. But that's just nitpicking.

9. Who is your favorite on-air personality not on your staff and why do you like them?

My ex-partner and friend Woody is crushing it with his syndicated show. I'm also a daily Howard Stern Show listener. I'm also a big fan of, our new sister station, WXOS's afternoon show "The Fast Lane". Those guys bring it every afternoon.

10. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _________?

A nap! With our crazy hours, all I need is an hour to an hour-and-a-half in the afternoon and I'm good. My kids appreciate a not cranky dad. It's best for everyone's safety.

What are weekends like for you?

Weekends are for spending time with my wife and two kids. It's tough living with a morning show guy. Weird hours and going to bed early effects the whole family. I want to make sure I'm around as much as possible.

What are your hobbies?

I started taking guitar lessons and we planted a vegetable garden in my backyard. So far I stink at playing guitar and animals keep eating everything. So, things are going well.

What music are you listening to away from work?

I'm a child of the '90s. I still listen to Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice In Chains. You can also mix in some Queens Of The Stone Age and Tom Petty.

Favorite concert in the past year?

Tommy, the boss, put together another great Pointfest this spring. I also saw the band Ghost for the first time. I was THOUROUGHLY entertained.

Anything else you would like to add?

A couple months ago, Emmis Communications sold our radio station to Hubbard Broadcasting. Change is a good thing. I'll always look back at all those years at Emmis fondly, but I'm really looking forward to the future with Hubbard. They're a company that really believes in radio and, I think most importantly, believes in LIVE and LOCAL radio.