10 Questions with ... AJ DiCosimo

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

AJ got his radio career started as an intern in sports-talk back in 2007 and started doing stand-up shortly after. Since then he went on to train with Second City's satire writing program and wrote for MAD Magazine for almost two years.

1. How did you first become interested in radio?

When I was a kid, my dad used to take me and my brother camping and I was never a big outdoorsy person, but I had this little portable radio I brought with me and at night I would spend up in my tent listening to that little radio all night.

2. What led you to host mornings on 107.3 Alternative Cleveland?

I really liked what they were doing. In Cleveland we don't have an Alternative Rock station and I couldn't pass up doing radio on a station that plays the music I like that happens to be in my home town.

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

I'm pretty sarcastic and I listen to DJs talk about the music and that's all fun and stuff, but I'm naturally irreverent and sarcastic so I kind of approach my show with a sense of ironic detachment to the whole process.

4. You are also a standup comic. How does that help you with your morning show?

Not as much as you'd think. They're similar in the sense that we're talking into microphones, but it's a different thought process. On stage I don't really consider my audience. I talk about the things I like and as a stand-up if you're good enough you can command them to see things your way. In radio I am finding out that you have to consider them at least a little bit.

5. What is your show prep routine?

I get up every morning at 4 am and I go through the news cycle trying to find stories that interest me or I try to find something that happened to me the day before and I'll talk about that a little bit.

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

I just announced that I will be hosting in the mornings. The people that follow me on my various social media platforms are less inclined to be up at 6 am to listen. My typical audience sleeps til 2 pm haha. I'm still trying to figure that out.

7. Talk about your duties with "True Crime Nation With Chris Hansen."

I coordinated the production. I worked with Chris and various technical positions like camera men and sound people get to certain cities and acquire the gear they needed to film what needed to be done.

8. Tell us about your work with podcasting.

I was on the iHeart podcast The Bill Squire show for two years and it was a blast! I had so much fun doing that. There were no rules and we literally said and did whatever we wanted.

9. What would surprise people most about you?

A: I'm a huge Anne Murray fan.

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

Cigarettes

What are weekends like for you?

Trying to get to the things I didn't have time to do during the week.

What are your favorite places to eat in Cleveland?

Il Rione, Slyman's, and Cloak & Dagger

You're a huge sports fan. Rank your sports teams in order of passion.

1. Cavs
2. Guardians
3. Green Bay Packers

Bigtime film buff too, right. What are some of your favorites?

Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity, Reservoir Dogs, Happiness, Amelie, and all of Christopher Guest's films.

First record ever purchased?

Conspiracy of One by The Offspring

First concert?

Ozzfest 2004

Favorite band of all-time?

David Bowie

Favorite new band over the past year?

String Machine

Anything else you would like to add?

Fiber is important! Don't be laissez-faire about it.