10 Questions with ... Jeetz

1) What was your first job in radio and early influences? My actual first job in radio was helping out at a college radio station (not the broadcasting school I went to) just a gig making sure everything was up and running.

My interest in radio started when I was a kid and I used to listen to Sonics games on the radio. Their play-by-play man was Kevin Calabro, and I remember him extracting so much emotion out of me, I knew in some way, I wanted to have the same effect on people.   

2) I know you cut your teeth for years in this business at KISW/Seattle. Tell us how long you worked there and what your various roles at the station encompassed?

My first run at KISW was for 8 ½ years. I got my foot in the door doing promotions and a little production. I remember a little after I started, I was asked by my promotion director at the time, what my long term goals where at KISW. I said I was going to make an impact on-air. I was literally laughed at and was told my goals were probably a little too lofty to accomplish at KISW. I left that meeting saying to myself, I will work harder than anyone in this building to prove her wrong. Low and behold, I ended up doing on-air weekends. That led to everything from editing podcasts, production, produced videos, and being part of music meetings. Soon I became the stations everything go-to swing guy which led to rolls on every major day part. Fast forward to 2019, I returned to KISW, till you know….Covid. I was extremely fortunate to work with people who encouraged me to develop my personality and to not be afraid to take chances.  

3) Congrats on your new gig as co-host of “Terry Boyd’s World” in mornings on KGON. How did this new gig come about for you and how are things going so far?

A few years ago Audacy talked to me about joining KGON, and it didn’t work out. Beginning of this year they talked to me about some other potential “things” when all of a sudden, the KGON opportunity resurfaced. I had a chat with Ryan Castle, who I wanted to work with anyways, and he told me about what the station was doing and where he hoped it would go, I got excited. I really felt in its current setup (i.e GM Kim Martinez, PD Ryan Castle, and working with Terry Boyd) this was a best -case scenario I had to snag. I’m stoked the company felt the same.

4) Do you guys do any special benchmarks in the morning?

Every weekday at 7:30am “Beat Jeetz” is a trivia competition that pits me vs. a listener. I lay the trash talk on THICK and listeners are dying to hear me lose. I consistently leave them disappointed. As of this writing I’m 26-2.

The other one I love is every Tuesday at 6:50am we do the Tin Foil Hat club. Terry literally believes 1 in 5 people are reptilians who have zipper jaws or something. He also believes in other cosmic theories/insanity I’m not smart enough to comprehend. He talks, I scratch my head. It’s great.

  5) You’ve been co-host of “Terry Boyd’s World” since mid-June. Any memorable moments you can share from the morning show to this point? 

Terry has formed one of the most organic morning shows I’ve ever been around. You start the morning with a full show sheet and then you don’t get to like 60% of it because the reaction from listeners, or the natural conversation between Terry, myself and our producer Taylor, will take the show in a completely different area. So of course, we’ve had a lot of great segments in my short time, but the flow of the show has been what stands out to me the most. It’s a lot of fun to be a part of.

6) I read your BIO on the website (https://www.audacy.com/kgon/hosts/jeetz) which includes such gems as “I like tacos. I typically eat them on Thursday’s. I have nothing against Tuesday”…and “I often wish I was a pug. I’m Pug Life.” Care to explain?

I’ve always believed that nobody remembers bland/boring. People want interesting. Whenever presented the opportunity to interest our listeners, I try and take advantage. Even web bio’s. So If by chance someone stumbles on my bio and actually reads it…..be interesting. Case and point, your article asks 10 questions. You read my bio and made it the topic of one of your 10 questions.

7) I know you are from Tacoma, WA and Seattle has always been home. What’s it like working in Portland, OR…arguably a rival Northwest city? 

There’s definitely a regional rivalry between the two markets. The great thing is Seattle and Portland are two unique cities with lots of differences. They also have a ton of similarities. Being a PNW guy the best part about Portland unlike other markets I’ve worked or visited, it took about 12 hours to feel like home. I have friends in Portland both personally and professionally. So to answer your question, working in Portland for me has been awesome.

  8) Getting back to Seattle, I know you are a huge Seahawks football fan. How do you think the team will do this year?   

Everyone knows the NFC West is the toughest division in football. After looking over their schedule and taking a deep dive into what they’ve done in the off-season, I’ve got the Seahawks going 17-0 and winning the Super Bowl. Conservatively.

  9) When you are “not” rooting for the Seahawks, what do you like to do for fun when you’re not in your “radio work” mode?

I’ve got two young sons. AJ who is 4 and Hank who will be 2 in October. I like to have fun by watching them have fun. And drink, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention I think drinking is fun too.

  10) Finally, I don’t think I’ve ever asked you this but, why Jeetz? 

Funny story. My real first name is Joe. And my longtime buddy Aaron used to give everyone goofy nicknames. For some reason he started calling me Jeetz. When I got offered an on-air gig at KISW, Ryan Castle looked at me and said “What are we going to call you. Joe is too boring.” I wasn’t expected to be offered an on-air gig that day so I spent exactly zero minutes on what my radio name would be. I stuttered out ”Ummmm….my buddy calls me Jeetz?” Castle snapped his fingers and said “Jeetz. I like Jeetz. I can market that.” I’ve been stuck with this name ever since.