10 Questions with ... Jeremi 'Big J' Schlader

1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?

My first job in radio ultimately was stunt guy for our morning show at the time called The Byl and Doug Show. About three or four months after I started doing that for free and sitting around on the couch in the lobby, I was hired as a board op.

As far as my early influences go, I only really had one and that was Jim Rome. I loved listening to him and I was definitely a clone. Though I never considered radio really something I was going to get into as a career.

2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment that made you realize "this is it"?

I'm going to try and condense this story and not turn it into an entire chapter of a book! I was only a year into really working in radio, working on the morning show, doing a weekend shift and board op'ing all while doing another full-time job and college. Our PD at the time, Jacent Jackson, happened to also have a specialty show on Sunday night called Hip-Hop Nation. Along comes the Up In Smoke tour. The tour was winding down and wanted to throw a tour party here in Boise, so the promoter invited all the staff to this party. Enter Hip-Hop Nation ... Jacent wanted to try and get some interviews and for some crazy reason, he wanted me to interview Eminem.

The week before Eminem pistol-whipped some dude, and I was green and nervous about the whole situation. We get to the party and are mingling, and I'm seeing things I never saw before, ha! So, Jacent is talking to Eminem's manager; I'm just standing there like an idiot and Eminem is playing a video game. I get super-impatient with the whole process and I just tap him on his shoulder and say: "Excuse me, Mr. Eminem?" He turns around and I put my hand out to shake his. He looks me up and down, then decides to shake my hand.

I say, "So is that cool?" and he asks, "Is what cool?" "Doing the interview?" I ask, he responds, "Oh you need to talk to my manager!" He then turns back around, and the manager overhears all of this and comes down on me like an anvil! "No one talks to Em on his day off but me!" I turned as pale as a ghost, and Jacent looking at me like what the hell just happened. I laugh so hard about it now, but that interview never was going to happen anyways. The next week I quit my full-time job and dropped out of school. I knew what I wanted to do, and I would put all of my energy into working in radio.

3) How long have you been working for KQXR (100.3 The X) and what makes this station so unique and special?

I've been here 18 years ... man, almost to 20! So that fact alone makes it difficult to answer the second part because I've never worked in another radio market. One aspect is that through all of those years the station has seen some change. Even though we went from the Alternative panel to the Active Rock panel, we've always done a great job of listening to the audience. Even when it was an Alt station, we always leaned on the aggressive side. Boise likes to rock! Sure, the pop stuff is going to make a big splash, but hard rock and metal is the meat and potatoes of this town.

4) You and PD Jeremy Nicolato (Nic) do the morning show together as The Morning After with Nic and Big J. Give us some of the benchmarks of the show and what makes it tick?

Well, Pop Culture Smack has been with us since the beginning. Basically listeners have to match popular culture wits with us. We switch up who asks the questions every few months or so to keep it fresh. We are celebrating 10 years as a morning show this year, which is an achievement in itself these days. It can get weird sometimes, but we enjoy the benchmarks that involve audience interaction. Ultimately, what makes The Morning After tick is the chemistry between me and Nic. We don't have to do a lot of verbal communication; sometimes we can read one another's mind.

5) Where and how did the name Big J come about and what does it all mean?

Eighteen years ago, I was sitting in a radio studio for the first time with two of the funniest radio personalities named Byl and Doug. Right before we go on, they asked me what they should call me. I was stunned. I stammered for a moment and blurted out Big J. Later when I tried to change it to something normal, our PD said, "Nope! Too late; everyone knows you as Big J." I picked it because my name was Jeremi and I was a big guy. Ha, that's it! No metaphors there ... sorry everyone!

6) All Access recently did a story about your Metallica diet. How did this all come about?

I have been trying to lose weight for what seems like my whole life. In 2009 a new term entered my life: Binge Eating Disorder. Basically, I was using food to cope with issues. I would regularly binge eat. This is how I got fat, no doubt about it. The astounding thing to me was in the original recovery treatment I underwent with my therapist, who helped me figure out the when, where, how and why! Those facts might take an individual a long time to discovering. I started binge eating when I was around 10 years old. I am 41 now, but for about 25 years I had been abusing food and had no idea I was doing it. Initially I lost a tremendous amount of weigh,t but looking back now I didn't really finish my recovery and I have slowly fell off the wagon. Maybe it was turning 40, I'm not sure, I just felt like I better get this figured out or it is going to kill me. I started to formulate an action plan, then we started talking to Q Prime about bringing Metallica into Boise. I simply had a moment and thought, why don't I ask the biggest rock band in the world for help? How could they help motivate me to really dig in and do the work all the way through? I set the bar high! I thought I would ask for something crazy, and doing interviews together just isn't something that happens on a regular basis. I figured I had to come up with a catchy title that would help people follow along and might catch some attention. #MetallicaDiet was born.

7) When you put the challenge forth to Metallica, did you think you would ever hear back from them?

I knew a couple of things; first, it never hurts to ask. We have seen in the world of social media how something can take off. Second, Metallica cares about the fans and they are looking for ways to give back. They just started the All Within My Hands Foundation for just that purpose. Lastly, I had an in with Q Prime, their management company. So, I was hedging my bets that at least it would make its way to one of the fellas. I thought at some point I would hear something, but never expected it to be so soon, and certainly not a video with all four members addressing me. Be prepared with this next sentence or two because it's going to get emotional. The message couldn't have come at a better time for me personally. The week before I just lost my mother to Alzheimer's. It was my first day back to work after a long week, and I have no doubt that Mom's spirit was swirling around this whole situation. She was a huge Elvis fan and she had to know how much my musical heroes reaching out to me would make me feel. I told you, it was heavy.

Metallica Respond's To Big J's Challenge!

8) Now that Metallica has responded to your challenge, this story has really gone viral. How many music and news outlets have you heard from about this?

Only two reached out to me personally. This fine publication, All Access and MetalNation.com. I sent a blurb to another web publication that we share with often, and then people started sharing it with their favorite places to get Metal news. I did two local TV interviews and an interview with our local newspaper, The Idaho Statesman. So that made for a crazy day. I can't tell you just how bizarre the next day was, opening our prep services getting ready for the show and seeing the story. Then it really set it this happened and is happening!

9) Your four-stage weight loss plan is named after Metallica albums. What stage are you in now and how is the Metallica Diet going so far?

I wanted a theme running through out, and I knew that what I had planned out needed different phases. Currently I am in the "Ride The Lightning" Phase, Phase 2. Just before Metallica posted the video, I decided to make a change to Phase 2 and cut out the "Keto" diet portion. I just felt like I was focusing to much energy on what I was eating and not why I was eating. Getting real for just a moment,I want to let everyone know that I'm not even weighing myself. The weight part isn't important to me right now. Once I have solved and then retrained my brain to respond to things accordingly, the weight aspect will take care of itself.

10) Finally, kudos to you for embarking upon this very creative weight-loss program. How do you hope to inspire others who also struggle with weight?

In my case, it isn't so much about weight as it is with mental health. I have spent almost my entire life running from my emotions and using food to hide from them. My goal secondary to getting mentally healthy is raising the question for others -- in particular, men who might also be using a dysfunctional relationship with food to mask other issues. I have had both men and woman reach out to me with questions and admissions that they, too, might be doing this. I take that seriously and am going to try and do all I can to help them as well.