10 Questions with ... The Morning Mess with Marty & Shannon

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

(Marty) It all started in 1992 at 1550 am WCGR in Canandaigua, NY in my first year of college. In 1993 I did an internship at 96 WCMF in Rochester with Brother Wease. At that point I was totally hooked! In 1994 I started to do part-time shifts at 98 PXY in Rochester, NY under PD Clarke Ingram. First full-time gig was at WWHT Hot 107.9 in Syracuse, NY in 1997. I started out doing nights 5-10pm, then afternoons, and mornings. I worked with Shannon doing mornings for several years before Elvis Duran took it over in 2010. I stuck around for a bit after that doing middays on Hot 1079 until I decided to leave in 2012. I then ventured in the sales world of radio for about a year at Cumulus Syracuse, 93Q, 95X. Also did some weekend and fill in stuff on WNTQ 93Q. Radio sales was not for me, so I left that after a year. I then did some part time air stuff at Wolf Country in Syracuse.  In 2014 I got the call from Joe D the Program Director at 95X. He said he wanted to talk about Marty & Shannon doing mornings on WAQX. And just like that almost 7 years later here we are still.

(Shannon) Began on the famous SU radio station WJPZ while in high school in 1995/1996. Got my first paying gig at WWHT in Syracuse in college, which is where and when I met Marty. But after college I had the chance to work at Kiss 108 in Boston (2000-2002), then WWMX in Baltimore for a very short time (it was during the DC sniper time, bad time to move to Baltimore...). Then I did middays at WOZN in Greensboro, NC before coming home to Syracuse in 2004. They paired me up with Marty on WWHT Hot1079 Syracuse and we had several really fun years!  They replaced us with Elvis Duran in 2010, I ended up being the local producer for Elvis- doing the local news breaks and running it locally, while also doing breaks on our sister station WYYY-FM- Y94. Within a few months I was doing that show full time with Kathy Rowe, recording news for our AM R&B station, and doing the local breaks on WWHT... also voice tracking middays and then afternoons on WYYY.  It was a crazy few years and I was close to burn out when 95X reached out to us... with this crazy idea to put the old CHR morning show on then an Active Rock station. It was an exciting leap of faith... and the best career move I've ever made. We're finally doing radio the way we craved.  It's fun.  The music is awesome (I started radio during the alternative 90's... it's like being home).

1. How did you first become interested in radio?

(Marty) When I was a teenager I would sit in my room and listen to 98 PXY in Rochester. I would listen to the jock do a break and then record myself doing a break. Then I was the annoying kid who called the radio stations all the time! I would beg my parents to take to the station remotes to see the DJs. I was completely hooked!

(Shannon) I was that annoying kid that called the radio station ALL OF THE TIME.  Poor Ragman... Rob Wagman... had to answer my calls at 93Q/WNTQ for ages.  But he was an incredible mentor.  I'd ask questions about how things worked and it didn't take long for me to know this was all I wanted to do.  I reached out to the college station at SU, back then they had it open for high school kids to do shifts over the summer when the college kids went home... before automation... we used carts and cd carts and recorded phone calls on a reel to reel.  There was such satisfaction in editing and getting a call on the air back then.

2. It’s been almost 7 years since The Morning Mess moved to 95X and between the two you have been on-air in Syracuse for over 30 years. Talk about when you first met and what stands out the most about when The Morning Mess first came to fruition?

(Marty) I met Shannon when she started doing part-time at WWHT Hot 107.9. She started to hang with the Morning show and help us with the "stunts" on the street. She left town for a while and when she came back, we put together the Marty & Shannon Morning Show on WWHT Hot 107.9. When Elvis took over the morning show on Hot 107.9 we didn't work together for 4 years. Then in April 2014 Joe D from 95X called and wanted Marty & Shannon to come back together on Morning Drive in Syracuse on WAQX 95X. This is when the Morning Mess was born!  

(Shannon) We met when I was in college doing part-time at WWHT/Hot 1079. I helped with a couple of stunts with the stunt guy for the morning show, so we were familiar with each other.  When I moved back to Syracuse a few years after college is when our show was put together, but we never really got to be this Mess until 95X came along. We finally got to be our authentic selves and have fun, and not have to fit into a mold or be the generic show we'd been coached to be.  I can't say enough how much I love and appreciate being able to do live, local radio in my hometown... on a radio station I used to listen to with my fingers crossed for snow days. I was the listener here. And to be the voice on this frequency is just so cool.

3.  How would you describe your role on the show?

(Marty) This is an interesting question. I operate the board and Shannon is the one who gets the information for The Morning Mess. She is way more computer savvy than me. She also handles most of our social media stuff. Our show is legit a Mess! We just feed so well off of each other and our craziness just works with each other very well.  

(Shannon) This is so hard.  I don't know that we have traditional roles. We're just us. It's a chaotic mess and it somehow works. We have different interests, so we bring different topics and points of view in.  I don't follow sports at all, Marty is a sport nut.  I love sci-fi- Marty doesn't even know who The Doctor is or why #10 will always be my favorite. I suppose you could say that Marty takes the lead, he runs the board and opens the breaks.  I'm usually the information getter... unless it's about sports, that's all Marty.  

4.  What is your show prep routine?

(Marty) Show prep never stops! I actually have a notebook in my truck, and I am constantly writing stuff that I see down that we want to mention on our show! We feed off of our listeners aka "Morning Mess Nation" a ton! We interact with our listeners on our Morning Mess text line all morning. We also interact on our socials with topics discussed on-air.  

(Shannon) It's all day long. I spend way too much time scrolling through news feeds on my phone. I'm always looking for videos and stories for the next day. At least an hour at night before bed, then I'm up at 3:45 to prep. We start recording our Westwood One shows by 5am so that gives me an hour to organize the stories and send an outline to Marty. Throughout the morning we're updating social media, replying to the text line, and reading though our favorite sites.

5.  Talk About Mental Health Monday on The Morning Mess.

(Marty) Mental Health is a topic that needs to be openly discussed way more. We have learned that during this pandemic mental health issues are growing weekly, not with just adults, but with kids too. With so much isolation and stress we just knew that we needed to have this discussion on-air. We are so glad we were able to team up with Helio Health here in Syracuse to do Mental Health Mondays on air. The experts from Helio Health come on-air and discuss different types of mental health topics. Our listeners know that we are wild and fun, but they also know that we can have these serious conversations to save lives in our community.  

(Shannon) We realized early in the pandemic that this needed to be addressed. We were already working with some wonderful charities in the area (like ACR Health) and getting updates on how rough it was. The need for food/diapers/narcan was growing weekly. People were relapsing because of the stress and isolation. We had a listener who tells us his life was saved because he knew about ACR Health because he heard it from us.  When Helio Health approached about doing Mental Health Monday it was a no brainer. We like to have fun in the morning. We hope that we make people laugh with us. But this is our home, our town, our neighbors and families and we knew it was important to be real and human for a break. We grew up in the 80's and 90's and you just didn't talk about anxiety then. Depression was a sign of weakness. You were told to toughen up.  Or you were labeled a bad kid at school. I'm mom to a "special needs" child. Autism is her superpower. Don't ever forget that. And she has been my superpower because I've been so educated over the past few years learning about her... and it's just so eye opening to re-learn the wrongs we were taught about mental health back then.  I've learned that children have big feelings, real feelings, and they don't know how to show it. Their constant bellyache can be anxiety. A child acting out at school can be sensory issues or learning troubles or anxiety.  And just like children, we present troubles in different ways... and pretty much all of us struggles with some sort of insecurity or mental health issue.  And wouldn't it be nice to not feel alone in that? I just wonder how different life would have been if I'd known how to handle anxiety and panic attacks as a child or teen rather than just being terrified and shy. I hope we raise our next generation to embrace their minds in ways we weren't allowed to.  

6.  What is your favorite part of the show?

(Marty) By far Morning Mess Nation! Our listeners are so dedicated! I also love our segment called Dumb Criminals. Our listeners are sending us dumb criminal stories all the time. We have a blast with the Florida Dumb Criminals. FloriDuh!!!  

(Shannon) Our listeners. Without a doubt they're the best part of this morning show. They call themselves the Morning Messers, they come with crazy nicknames like Smart Alec, Furious Fizz, Undercover Ferret, TaxiDad, Cool Daddio and Psycho Joe.  They name themselves and call each other out.  We get hundreds of texts each morning and have actually formed friendships with several Messers (Butt Nugget, Lil Wood, Racing Rob, Farmer Scott and so many more). We had fans and listeners and regulars at our other stations, but it's never been like this. Heck- Tattoo John and Sara have our names on their left butt cheeks!

7.  What do you love most about being on-air?

(Marty) This to me is not a job. I feel so lucky every morning that I can come into this studio and do what I love. We share the same things as our listeners in this community. We go to the same places. I am just blessed to be able to do "local" radio in the city I live in!  

(Shannon) I love connecting with our listeners. When we have a chat or a topic that gets the phones ringing, or the texts popping up, it's such a rush. Knowing that the weird thing I just admitted on the air to thousands of people isn't so weird because other women also stick hair on the shower wall, or talking about a favorite show and getting Messers to gush about it too, or laughing at myself for tripping and spilling coffee on the ceiling... It's such a great connection being a weirdo with others.

8.  How are you using social media to augment what you’re doing on-air?

(Marty) We never ever talk politics on-air or on social media. We promote sharing the positive. We get so much interaction when we talk nostalgia stuff. Listeners love to reminisce. If we have a huge topic on-air it automatically gets posted on social media.  

(Shannon) We love sharing the positive and we try to do this as often as possible. When people come to our social media there's no politics. It's adorable animal videos, stupid criminals, or positive stories. But #sharethepositive is our mission on social media. Too many people and companies just harp on bad news when there's so much goodness to be shared and praised.

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

(Marty) Scotty Davis. I loved listening to his show on KDWB His energy and phoners were absolutely amazing! I also had the opportunity to work with Kane. I was a huge fan of his as well. I still can't believe he is gone...  

(Shannon) I have two. The Ragman... I grew up listening to Rob Wagman on 93Q and he's the reason I fell in love with radio.  His advice has been invaluable through the years.  And Dale Dorman, God rest his soul. What a trip to work with him. He used to do breaks on the air that broke all of the rules that nobody else could get away with... he was just... Uncle Dale.  I'll never hear Loverboy's "Working for the Weekend" without saying "Hi Ma". 

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

(Marty) Laughing and making someone laugh  

(Shannon) A nap. Or chocolate. Can I have both?

What are weekends like for you?

(Marty) Spending time with my kids! My 15-year-old son races go karts and RC cars, my 12-year-old daughter plays on 3 different softball teams, and my 3 year old boy is just a monster! I wouldn't change any of it for anything! My kids are my life!

(Shannon) I'm a total introvert. Which seems odd with my job, but when I'm not on the air I'm totally "off".  I like lazy family weekends where we plan to get a lot of projects done, buy the stuff we need, and usually never actually start.  A Saturday where I don't have to put real shoes on is a win.    

What are your favorite places to eat in Syracuse?  

(Marty) Limp Lizard, The Retreat, and the Boulangerie...all local!!!   

(Shannon) Mother's Cupboard. OMG, Mother's Cupboard. The best diner ever. Watching someone eat a whole frittata is always a treat (Man vs Food did it!) ... so is seeing the look on my daughter's face when they bring her 1 pancake bigger than the plate. Yes, I love Dinosaur BBQ which you are required by law to say if you live in Syracuse, but Mother's is such a guilty pleasure.  

Rank your sports teams in order of passion.  

(Marty) Buffalo Bills, New York Yankees, North Carolina Tar Heels... that is hard living in SU Orange country  

(Shannon) I mean... SU... go Orange... It doesn't matter the sport- I support our hometown. And Quidditch- I have to say go go Gryffindor.    

First record ever purchased?  

(Marty) Guns and Roses  

(Shannon) If we're being technical the first and only record I had was the Chipmunk Christmas album that I had for my fisher price record player. But the first tape I bought with my own money... Madonna's True Blue.  

First concert?  

(Marty) Steve Miller Band, I have seen them 7 times  

(Shannon) I was lucky to grow up 20 minutes from the NYS Fair. So, I saw a TON of concerts as a small child at Chevy Court (which was Cole Muffler Court and Miller Court growing up), but the first ticketed concert was Billy Joel at the Carrier Dome in 6th grade. It was awesome. And I sang every word to "We Didn't Start the Fire" at the top of my lungs. Fun fact- my husband was at that show too... we wouldn't meet for 7 more years though.  

Favorite band of all-time?  

(Marty) Foo Fighters  

(Shannon) I can't pick!  I really can't. I love Bryan Adams.  Like, in my soul love him and his music and would probably have to say he's my #1. But I couldn't go without the Beatles. I love the Struts and Panic at the Disco. I listen to Barry Manilow without apology.  Put Frank Sinatra's greatest hits on and I'm singing along. Janis Joplin, NKOTB, REM, Journey.... I guess you could say I like an awesome mixtape and should never program a radio station.

  Favorite new band over the past year?  

(Marty) Lumineers, and the Black Pumas  

(Shannon) I really like Billie Eilish. I didn't get her at first, but it didn't take long before I was singing along to every song we played (duh). And then I began to respect her.  She wasn't over sexualized; it was really about the music and the art for her and just being talented and I dig that.  

Anything else you would like to add?  

(Marty) Thank you very much for asking us to do this! Long live LOCAL radio! I am blessed that I work for Cumulus Media, and that they still believe in local radio! Support Local!  

(Shannon) Just thank you for asking us to do this!  It was pretty fun to remind myself where we started and how we got here. We're so fortunate with this job. I get to wake up every morning and laugh and make other people laugh. I will never not be thankful for this opportunity.