10 Questions with ... Rudy DeSantis

NAME:Rudy DeSantis TITLE:Phone Screener, The Deminski and Doyle Show/Lead Singer, MindCandy STATION:WXYT-AM-FM MARKET:Detroit COMPANY: CBS Radio BORN:8/31/1975 Dearborn, MI RAISED:Dearborn, MI

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

1996-1997- 88.7 CIMX 89X -- Producer, Promotions
1997-Present WKRK/WXYT 97.1 -- Air Talent, Promotions, Phone Screener, Producer, Traffic and News

1. You're well-known in the Detroit area as the lead singer of rock band Mindcandy, yet you're also well known as the phone screener/sidekick/punching bag for Deminski and Doyle on the radio. What got you into radio -- did you make a conscious decision to try the business or was it more of an accident?

More of an accident. I switched majors in college from political science/pre-law to music. One night I was at a bar in Windsor and there was a DJ named Jerry Millen from 89X broadcasting live. I went up and introduced myself to him, basically saying that I wanted to be involved in music anyway that I can. I asked if he needed an intern; he said yes, and he then took me under his wing. Shortly after that, the big rumor was they were bringing Howard Stern back to Detroit and that 97.1 was going to become a rock station. Millen came over to 97.1 to do afternoon drive, but he resigned soon after. The station again changed to 97.1 Extreme Radio... I stuck around and the PD at the time, Mike Stern, gave me my first real shot at being on air. The format again changed to FM talk; Jeff and Bill were hired in from New Jersey and I got the gig as their phone screener. The rest, as they say, is history...

2. You've had to do several stunts, some more difficult or disturbing than others, for the show. What's the worst experience you had doing a stunt?

Wow, ha ha ha... which one to choose... Probably the worst and or most embarrassing one was we did a Friday night game called "Where's the Booze?" I had to go to complete strangers' houses, knock on their doors, and ask them for a drink -- beer, shot, mixed drink, whatever. Most had the reaction, "who the hell is this guy?" I was really uncomfortable doing that. The strange thing is, I am a pretty big partier, and I love to drink. The fact that it was so random was pretty hard on me. I didn't really want to do it at all! I did, though, 'cause I am a trouper... It worked out though, 'cause the last house I went to invited me in for shots!

3. You are the only Michigan native on the show, and you were there when Jeff, Bill, and Beaver showed up -- two Jersey guys and a St. Louis guy. What about Detroit did they need to learn from you? And what about Detroit would you say are the biggest things people from elsewhere don't know, or would be surprised to know about the area?

I don't think they needed to learn anything from me, actually -- they all fit in quite well here right away. Jeff and Bill are pros -- they have moved around working in this business and they knew how to adapt to a different city right away; hell, they pronounce most of the city names better than I do, and I was born here! As for Beaver, I'm still trying to convert him from a Yankees fan to a Tigers fan -- it's a slow process but I am working on it! People always have this bad impression about Detroit, that they are going to get robbed or carjacked around ever corner. Not true -- just some corners. Detroit is great: plenty to do, a great sports and music town... oh, don't forget Motown, Hockey Town, and soon to be Baseball Town!!!

4. Doyle plays a lot of drops on the show, and some of the most frequently used are out-of-context clips of you saying embarrassing things. Of all the things he has you saying, what's the one thing you wish you could take back, and why?

Again, so many to choose from... Can I say all of them? Probably the often used "I'm Gay" -- that is a town favorite but, like you said, so out of context. I am not gay. I was telling a story on the air about how I told a fat chick that "I was gay" cause I wasn't interested in her. No biggie. I laugh at all the drops of me -- some of them are classic Rudy.

5. What would listeners be surprised to know about what Jeff, Bill, Beaver, and you are really like?

Ah, this is the part where I actually get sentimental... Listeners may or may not know this from our on air personalities, but two things: one, we are the same on the air as off the air, and to me that is cool -- some people in this business play a "part" on the air and when the mic goes off they are totally different. Us being the same off the air makes the show more real and relatable. Two, more specifically, Jeff, Bill and Beaver -- they are caring individuals, guys I consider friends, not just co-workers. They are guys that I can count on, and ones that have gotten me out of a jam a time or 12....

6. You can claim a lot of musical influences, but if you had to pick one as your primary musical influence, who would it be?

Probably Kurt Cobain. Although born in '75, I consider myself a musical product influenced by the grunge era. I really admire what Nirvana and Kurt were able to do. Musical genius? No way, but what they were able to do was take a simple form of music and bring it into the mainstream, something the Ramones couldn't do. You have to appreciate that. And MindCandy's approach to songwriting is very similar to Nirvana: Verse-Chorus-Verse-Chorus-end of song. Simple in-your-face Detroit Rock and Roll!

7. You're known to listeners as a World of Warcraft fanatic, but if you got banned from WoW right now, what would your next favorite video game be? And what was the worst, suckiest video game you ever played?

Oh, yeah, World Of Warcraft is like my heroin. I have only been playing since November of last year and I already have 2 level 70 characters!! That is the highest you can be right now, for all you non-WoWers. If I got banned from WoW, I would probably have to go to detox... but if I had to pick a new video game, I may go with something similar, Everquest or a new one called Arch Lord. Both are online games similar to Warcraft.

Man, the crappiest game ever... Jeff is going to kill me for this one but it has to be PONG. PONG is by far the most boring video game ever invented. I would rather listen to Steve Dahl on ludes than play PONG.

8. Of what are you most proud?

My goals are set high for my band -- I am proud to have put out 4 CDs of original material. I am proud to say that I am a 4 time Detroit Music Award Winner. But it doesn't end here -- I would love to make a living as a musician.

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without ___________.

...World Of Warcraft.

10. What's the best advice you've ever gotten? The worst?

The best advice: never pay attention to online message boards. Never battle people online -- it's a battle that can never be won. So I stay away from any online bitch fests, whether it is about me, the band, radio, music... just stay away!

The worst advice? I have never received any bad advice that I can think of. All the mistakes I have made in my life have been my fault... and, boy, there have been plenty!