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10 Questions with ... Rob, Arnie & Dawn
March 13, 2012
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Rob Williams, Arnie States & Dawn Rossi. Seriously? You couldn't figure that one out?
1) What were your first jobs in radio?
ARNIE: For the first year, I was Rob's unpaid intern in Reno on what would eventually become KDOT, getting him breakfast and telling "Arnie the Intern's Joke of The Day" every morning.
DAWN: Rob gave me my first job doing weekend overnights in South Lake Tahoe. He's basically the only boss I've ever had.
ROB: Well we've certainly established early on who the actual achiever is in the group, haven't we? I was hired at age 18 to do mornings full-time at KRLT in South Lake Tahoe. Nine months later I was the PD and I hired Dawn because she was clearly a slutty party girl, which is the only hiring requirement a 19-year-old with hormones and a little authority looks for.
2) When was the show born? How did it happen and where?
ROB: The Rob & Arnie morning show was limping along in Reno in the late '90s, killing with 18-34 men and no one else, and we suddenly decided to give a damn about our careers, stop playing pool during commercial breaks (true story), and add Dawn and some actual content.
DAWN: It was all locker room, all the time before me.
ARNIE: Nothing like a Massengill injection to ruin a great time.
ROB: The one thing we've maintained from the beginning is that it might be the same, lame, two-guys-and-a-girl formula, but we work harder at it and do it better than everyone else. Sorry, there's no humility in the truth. Dawn matters on this show unlike every other token girl getting screwed over by two bullies on every other radio show in America.
3) How would you describe the Rob, Arnie & Dawn Show?
ARNIE: We're the two funniest guys you'll ever hear, plus an idiot.
DAWN: I don't get it.
4) How many stations run the show now?
As of this interview, we have five total affiliates, but by the time people read this, we expect to have five total affiliates.
5) How many people contribute to the show's content? Describe the process and how you come up with things for the show.
ROB: Everyone has a job to stay connected and live a life that maintains our ability to be relatable. It's like Dan O' Day always said, "Show prep is a lifestyle."
DAWN: Arnie and I do nothing.
ROB: Literally.
DAWN: We just react to the topics as Rob brings them up.
6) So what does the show actually talk about?
ARNIE: Boy, you really won't let this go, will ya? Why don't you try listening to the actual show?
ROB: The show is a never ending rollercoaster of making you laugh hysterically, cry passionately and become infuriated all in the same 30 minutes. We'll talk about religion, politics, sex, parenting, entertainment and sports in any given hour. All opinions are welcome, expressed and viciously mocked.
7) Who is a favorite guest of the show and why?
ROB: Guests? Why the hell would we have guests? It's called the Rob, Arnie and Dawn show ... that's who they're listening for. We went to all-talk back in 1999 when we started getting complaints anytime we played a song. Of course, that may be because that's when music started sucking.
8) 1999? How long have you guys been doing this show?
ROB: We've all known each other for 20 years and this show has been together since 1998 in Reno. We came to Sacramento in May, 1999 and in the 50 Arbitron quarterlies since then, we've been #1 18-34 and 18-49 Adults 48 times. Suck on that.
DAWN: Oh my God, be modest!
ROB: I was. I didn't mention that we're always #1 or #2 25-54 adults.
9) What makes you laugh?
ARNIE: Human suffering and Dawn's face.
DAWN: Anything these two say. I swear they're the funniest guys on Earth. Unfortunately, they know it.
ROB: Family Guy, Jon Stewart, children falling down, and liberals.
10) What's in store for the show in 2012?
ARNIE: Apparently a lot of stupid media interviews in a shameless and pathetic attempt to gain attention and free advertising.
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