Wow, all this wild speculation and all they’re doing is hiring a new morning show.
http://ramp247.com/marketing/something-funny-happening-at-kiss-seattle/
http://ramp247.com/marketing/something-funny-happening-at-kiss-seattle/
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KBKS Stunting, Bender out
- Thread starter iamarussianpirate
- Start date
A little more to the story.
https://www.seattletimes.com/entert...t-change-bender-cunningham-out-amid-shake-up/
https://www.seattletimes.com/entert...t-change-bender-cunningham-out-amid-shake-up/
My prediction is: At the end of the day with this promotion, iHeart will either use one of their syndicated shows, or bring in (probably already chosen) talent from another market. Not sure if they've tried, or will-try this in other markets too, but it's doubtful that they would seriously consider hiring (as an example) a local standup comedian with no on-air radio experience to do AM Drive in a top 20 market.
Does iHeart have any former Seattle talents now working elsewhere that might want to come back? Or even someone from the Seattle area who hasn't worked there yet? That would be a way to fulfill the "sounds like Seattle" part of the gimmick without having to put a rookie on the air.
The most famous example of a big-market station giving an air shift to a contest winner is Joe Benigni at WFAN New York. He was a regular caller ("Joe from Saddle River") who got an on-air tryout as part of a "talent search" and wound up with a full-time gig. But that's sports talk; some people are just naturals at it. Running a tight morning show on a music station is more of an acquired skill.
That's interesting. Before he was a morning DJ, KNUC's Tim Leary was a stand-up comedian:
https://radioink.com/2017/03/21/how-to-market-yourself-for-success/
He got tired of touring, and wanted to stay in one place for a while.
My prediction stands. Some on this board will remember past local Seattle comedians like: John Curley, Pat Cashman, Chris Cashman, John Keister, and a couple others, have tried to make the transition to doing radio. A couple were even given morning 'anchor' gigs, where other's sidekick roles. In all cases, (again speaking for Seattle) their standup or Saturday evening TV routines didn't translate well to radio, which ultimately meant a short stint. The only way I could see iHeart using someone local, not-experienced doing radio, is with the hope they can get them to work for peanuts. It's an interesting promotion, but one that won't have legs.
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So he got back into one of the most notoriously unstable businesses possible, radio, moved across the country about a year after that interview to work for a station that has changed formats about five times in the past six years with high turnover of air staff?
OK.
Yet you could say that being a stand-up comedian is even less stable and, for the most part is poorly paid and involves traveling as cheap as possible and staying in lower end accommodations and eating unhealthy food.
What is most unusual is success of any kind on the radio by a club and showroom comic. They generally can't be funny for four hours a day, five or six days a week. They are used to doing a one-hour to 90 minute show which they do over and over every night for different audiences, changing perhaps one or two jokes or routines every month or two. In radio it is the same audience in the same city every day, and professional club comedians just are not able to do the amount of spontaneous humor that a radio morning show host must do.
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Sit back for a moment and think about who is saying they want to make Kiss sound even more local.
iHeart Media wants to make a station sound local.
Remember they just got rid of the guy who raised over $15 million for Seattle Children's Hospital over the years.
Keep in mind the contest isn't to find a local comedian, but Seattle's funniest person. You don't have to be a professional comedian. Lack of radio experience isn't required either. And it's likely whoever wins will be paired with radio pros. I don't see this as a cheap solution. Just not Bender.
Absolutely right. When stations in Seattle have tried using "funny" locals, whether they have a history in standup, comedy writing, or local TV appearances, they typically come out of the gate with modified material used in their non-radio (limited) successes. What follows over a short period, is regurgitation of the same bits, the same fake caller banter, and eventually the smell of desperation aurally drifts through the airwaves to dwindling listeners.
BJ Shea came out of stand-up, too. You don't transition from one to the other overnight.
Has any station ever faked a firing in the way you suggest, right down to the DJ being "fired" tweeting a heartfelt farewell to his listeners? That would be a "work" worthy of WWE's writers! In fact, that sort of thing has gone on in professional wrestling for years: Wrestler is shooting a movie or needs surgery or is getting married and has a long honeymoon booked? No problem! Just tell the fans he's been "suspended" or have him lose a "loser leaves town" match, then write him back into the picture a month or two later.
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And Jubal also does stand-up.
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It was not faked, Bender is not coming back.
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