10 Questions with ... Rich Berra

NAME:Rich Berra POSITION:Morning Host STATION:KZZP & KRQQ MARKET:Phoenix & Tucson OWNER:Clear Channel HOMETOWN:www.johnjayandrich.com

Please outline your radio career so far:

Started out overnights and producing for Big Ron O'Brien at WKBQ/St. Louis, then produced Steve & DC. Next, I moved to San Diego to produce Dave, Shelly and Chahinsaw at KGB, then on to co-host with Kidd Kraddick in Dallas. Then I moved over to The Eagle for a short-lived Rock-formatted morning show, then teamed up with Johnjay to form Johnjay and Rich.

1) Congrats on your continued ratings success. What were the highlights of your most recent Tucson book?

We piled a lot into this book, including our Christmas Wish, which is a huge charity event, and Phooson, our first morning show concert, which was part "Wayne's World," part "Field Of Dreams." We also did a "Who Do You Know" contest. That's where "The Ellen Show" came into play, too. We got kind of lucky by working our butts off. We're still shocked at how well the Phooson show did. I kept thinking, "Do these people know they showed up for a show in the middle of nowhere?" But ... it has been a fun ride. We benefit from being sort of stupid when we dive into our little scenes. We get in way too deep before we realize that it could be a total failure.

2) You've managed to draw lots of media attention to the show, including national media attention. Tell us about the Ellen DeGeneres appearance.

That was one of the craziest things. It was the end of a "Who Do You Know" contest, where we had a great car to give away for the biggest celebrity to call in for a listener. Our listeners went mental over this and got us some great guests. Ellen was right at the buzzer and told us she'd have us on her show. We were there when she was taking heat for working during the writer's strike. It was a little bit of history we might never forget. Also, my wife made me go get a new sweater for the show.

3) Your show has a lot of charity involvement too....

4) How's the Phoenix end of the broadcast going?

It's so good; we've been lucky in merging the two cities into what we're doing. Tucson folks are sort of happy to see that we still hang where we started, and Phoenix has just sort of absorbed us into the culture. It's cool. The ratings are just fantastic, but, of course, not high enough for our tastes. Even when the books are good, we still feel like we're in trouble for something. We're also always shocked. We think people lie for us and nobody is listening.

5) What promotion has gotten you in the most trouble?

We work in a leased building that does not find us the least bit engaging, amusing or entertaining. We get notes about turning turkeys loose in the lobby and having chainsaw competitions with American Gladiators in the halls all the time. Some people just don't have a sense of humor ... even though chainsaws and listeners DO NOT mix.

6) How would you describe your first radio gig?

I worked at a station owned by the YMCA. It was 100 watts, but people in town listened. It was an Alternative station way back in 1986. It was so cool. I was tasting the vibe of being a deejay as a freshman in high school and I thought, "Man, I can never get a real job. This is too cool."

7) What is your favorite part of the job?

Every day feels like the first day. I get so excited that I get to do what I always wanted. I feel like every day we are trying to audition to get the job. We love it.

8) What is the most challenging part of the job?

Making Johnjay laugh... I feel like we know each other well enough that I have to work harder to go more random to catch him off guard. That is an "every break" challenge, but worth it when I crack him.

9) What artist would we be surprised to find on your iPod?

I am an iPod and music fanatic. I have the 160-gig iPod with about 15,000 songs. I love them all. The mixes are what's odd. I like the shuffle. I can hear Wyclef into some Peter Frampton. The odd one today was the triple shot of Alabama "Mountain Music" into The Killers. I like it that way ... always keeps you guessing.

10) What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?

I am fluent in Latin, French and Italian. I mobilized freedom fighting mercenary sects in South America, can construct a full-scale yacht with bamboo and shoestrings, and can play Van Halen's "Eruption" note for note on any kazoo.

What's the biggest gaffe you've made on-air?

I think we screw up every day on the air and I can see it in my head ... ending our career. It could be something stupid, but we know our time is coming. We take a lot of chances and shoot from the hip a lot. It's both compelling and scary ... and the reason we come in every day.