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10 Questions with ... McConnell 'Man @ Large' Adams
June 16, 2009
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POSITION:Dir./Programming Alaska CHRMARKET:Anchorage and Fairbanks, AKCOMPANY:New Northwest BroadcastersBORN:Greenville, MSRAISED:Detroit, MI
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Everywhere in Michigan but Grand Rapids and Da U.P. Detroit (WDRQ and WHYT 96.3 Jamz), Dallas (K-104), Fort Wayne (Wild 96-3...what up Shady), and now in Alaska (KFAT 92-9 and K-WOLF 98-1)!
1. Why Radio?
Because I'm already a little chunky and the camera adds 10 pounds so screw TV! I got the bug early and I love it. My passion for the business will never die. Only in this business can all your worries in a day be made better by a 24 second talk up Lady Gaga with a bad ass caller nailing your calls at the end! That shit makes it all worth while!
2. You're becoming a veteran of life in Alaska. How has life in Alaska improved for you over the years?
It's kind of cool that things take a while to get here so I can adapt some older strategies and promotions to work here with some pretty good success. And you've got a chance to be creative and pull some things folks haven't seen before.
As far as me personally...well, they have this thing called a pfd (permanent fund dividend). They pay you to live here. And after my first year...here comes the money. Crab legs are hella cheap! I am not a salmon fan but I can mail it out and people think I'm some kind of god or something. Oh and just so everyone is up to speed...we don't all know Sara "f*%kin" Palin. So knock it off.
3. What are the biggest differences between living and working in Alaska and say...Flint, MI?
Moose don't stand in the middle of I-75. And crab legs are cheaper here...hookers are cheaper in Flint.
4. You've taken on additional programming duties with New Northwest. What are you doing in addition to programming KFAT?
I am programming our sister mainstream Top 40 in Fairbanks K-WOLF 98-1. Longer title, less pay! I love it. I have two great staffs, two great stations, and a great company. And as I mentioned before, they aren't paying me any extra to say that! Can I call them cheap bitches or will that probably not look good. I'm just kidding Tom, Jeff, and Trilla. See...corporate name dropping. Nice!
5. What's the biggest key to managing your time?
Remembering when the sun is gonna be up all the time and being a boy scout! You have to be prepared. Two stations, two different formats, six hours away from one another by car. You have to learn how to juggle on a moments notice. And keep your cool! Get it cool...and we're in Alaska...I got a million of em.
6. Is there much of a club scene in Anchorage?
Yes, we have plenty of clubs. From the glitzy kind of dance clubs, to your more hip hop vibe, to Latin clubs. A lot of people show up here and expect us to be lost in time. We're a little slower on getting things up here but you're not going backwoods! We've got a city of over 300,000 with a huge cultural melting pot. And a major airport named after a crooked Senator. We're ballin' big time baby!
7. With Anchorage being rather remote, I'm guessing your audience is very appreciative of live shows. Do artists normally make runs through the area or are they fairly uncommon?
We get B level artists and some majors. But it cost a lot of cash to fly a big tour or drive it through here. And even for a B artist, they are flying them and their entourage up. So that gets pricey. And folks sometimes want to get here and not do a whole full on show. So folks are a little skeptical about who they think is coming, and if they'll get their money's worth.
8. In the world according to McConnell, what will be the first sign of the apocalypse?
Hell, you've already seen it. Octomom, Soulja Boy, Jon & Kate Plus 8, the guy from Twilight...his hair(it's terrible), and folks in Anchorage still voting on or deciding if discrimination laws should be extended to gay people.
9. The sound of Rhythm radio is in constant stat of flux. What's your vibe on the explosion of "dance"?
Everything goes in cycles...we'll have hip hop take over for a while, then its dance, then its R&B, and so on. Throw in a healthy dose of autotune and everyone's happy. I like the dance thing a little more because it's what the rhythmic format is for me. Energy and movement. And the ladies like it so I love it!
10. What do you miss the most about living in the lower 48?
My mom, dad, being able to drive state to state without having to take a plane everywhere, the lottery, and normal prices on food. The extra value menu here is a buck fifty instead of a dollar. And a five dollar footlong...six dollars! What the hell! Oh and Detroit Coney dogs! And Detroit Lions football...yeah I said it! What bitches?! Honolulu Blue and Silver until I die! Our team finished dead last and got a record. What did yours do...oh what you won a game or two! Big deal. We LOST EVERY SINGLE ONE! That takes talent...or lack thereof!
Bonus Questions
Which record reps would you like to see on ABC's Wipeout?
Sujit Kundu (because he likes to see his name anywhere), Dontay Thompson (because of his nonstop promotion of Day26), and Enrique Ongpin (because that's my dude).
What TV reality show would you like to adapt for your show?
Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers! Duh! We'd rename it Deadliest Ice Road Truckers! Where you're sliding down the Glen Highway in a beat up old Ford truck with no studs on your tires and you have to avoid plowing into a pack of moose drunk on Alaska Amber. If you win, then we feed you your weight in Alaskan King Crab! And treat you to a night at the Great Alaska Bush Company! Hell yeah it's a strip club! What else did you think it was?
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