10 Questions with ... Joe Crummey

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Started out as a DJ, migrated toward mornings and ultimately Talk Shows. Currently 7-10p host at KTAR-FM, Phoenix

1. Since we last did this exercise six years ago, you've established yourself as a popular talk personality in Phoenix, even while not actually sitting in a Phoenix studio. What did you do to get yourself schooled in Arizona issues and topics? How did you become "local" to Phoenix after years in L.A.?

Oddly enough, the first thing I did was to get on a plane and check it out. Laurie Cantillo was the PD at KFYI and she wrote into my contract the number of times I had to visit Arizona. The first thing she showed me was Paul Harvey's house. When it came time to do KTAR, Russ Hill just assumed I knew the place. It was never an issue. Winter PPM, we were #1 M 25-54 & #3 A 25-54.

The issues are really the same. For example: Politicians overspend. It's in their DNA and so it doesn't matter whether you're in L.A. or Phoenix or Venus -- money is like crack to them. All you have to do is get to know the players.

The web is key. I can read the local paper, stream a lot of local TV and I can listen to the station all day if I want. When people ask me what it's like to cover a city 380 miles away, I think about being on KFI and KABC, where we'd talk about a bunch of "local" stories but we never actually drove out to Alhambra.

2. You're doing evenings now, and that means that by the time you're on, many -- most -- of the big topics have been discussed all day by other hosts. Does that present a problem or challenge to you? How do you approach, say, talking about SB 1070 when it's been Topic A all day? Does it matter to you? Or do you look for other things to talk about?

You'd be surprised what breaks late, but all that aside, being "last" on the issues gives me time to think about them -- that way I can bring more to the table than those who just react. The trick is to add insight, connecting seemingly unrelated stories and taking the listener somewhere they weren't expecting. It's like calling your wife and saying, "Meet me at the airport and pack a bathing suit."

3. What would you say the mood of your listeners is right now, a year and a half since the economic collapse? Are people angry, resigned, optimistic?

Anytime you've got 10% unemployment, people are going to be somewhat less than pleased, and that's a good thing, because politicians and policy makers inside the Washington Beltway need to hear that. The President is enjoying an extended honeymoon -- the afterglow of a historic election -- but this will not last.

Re: resigned... I'm not hearing it. This is the United States of America. We don't do malaise long term.

4. In that regard, What's your take on the tea party movement -- is it a good thing, and what has talk radio's role been in the movement? Is talk radio leading or reflecting its listeners' discontent?

The Tea Party movement says more about the Republicans than it does the Democrats. If the Republicans were a real party of alternative principles and not infested with a bunch of posers, there wouldn't be a Tea Party. Talk Radio can give it a voice & help spread the word, but they're largely preaching to the choir.

5. Politicians and activists have had their say, but how do you sense the general public in Arizona -- your listeners -- feel at this stage about SB 1070? Do you sense any buyers' remorse or is there resolve to support the new law? And how do they feel about the state's image on the outside, whether it's supporters of the law pushing "Buy-cott Arizona" or protestors following the Diamondbacks around?

Generally the public in AZ is solidly for SB1070 and there is zero buyer's remorse amongst those who initially supported it.

As far as boycotts- they are risky because if they fail, it becomes obvious nobody really cares and that goes double for those who would "lead" the boycotts. Take, for example, the city of Chicago. They want to boycott Arizona, but they won't cancel an existing 52 million dollar contract with Redflex. They've got no skin in the game -- it's all talk.

As far as protesters following the D-backs, it's a matter of perspective... 45,325 people showed up for Monday's game @ Dodger Stadium and there were 150 protestors -- and that's with the union busing them in, calling reporters and hoping they'll write it up.

6. What, and/or who, makes you laugh?

Tom Kenny, when he does the voice of SpongeBob -- still gets me after 10 years. His kid goes to my kid's school, by the way...

7. What would surprise people most about you?

I'm introverted and quiet.

8. Of all the people you've met in your radio career, whether they were interview subjects, co-workers, or rivals, who stands as the most impressive person you've met and why?

At the risk of sounding like an Academy Awards acceptance speech... there are so many talented people, but as long as I have the floor, I'd like to mention George Oliva at KFI. I always thought he deserved more credit for putting that station on track to become what it is today. No slight to David H. & Robin B., but it was George Oliva who turned the corner and set the tone.

9. As a father, how optimistic or pessimistic about the future are you? What do you anticipate today's children will encounter 20 or 30 years from now, a better or worse world?

I am very optimistic about the future of the entire planet as long as we do our jobs as parents. There are going to be reactionaries who want to take us back to the 7th Century, there are going to be wackos who want us to live in the Twilight Zone, but it'll be our kids who will take the lead. As I tell my kid, steady at the wheel, my son.

10. What's the most valuable lesson you've learned in your radio career

To put it all on the line.

I used to do the all night show at WNBC back in the days of the titans -- Imus, Stern, etc... It was one hell of a hierarchy at NBC; the more you broke the format, the more they paid you... that is, if they didn't fire you first. I had come over from mornings at WAPP, but that didn't mean squat as far as the big guns were concerned.

After a year or so of weekends and "co-hosting" with Wolfman Jack, I inherited the all night show. One night I had one of those nights when I happened to be on, and so I just decided to go for it as if I owned the place.

When it was all over, a bunch of us were decompressing behind one of those big glass windows in the hallway that lead to the studio. At one point Imus walked past the window. He looked suitably surly for 5:45 am. He noticed us and pushed open the door. He pointed at me, walked over, got right up in my face, and just above a whisper, he said, "F--k you."

Then, the thinnest, most wry smile came over his face. He turned and walked out and I knew right then that he had just paid me the highest of all compliments. I'm sure he has no recollection but I never forgot it.