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Big Jay Sorenson - WJRZ

HIya..
I'd like to know if there's a hidden agenda with the question?
I'll assume (oh damn does that get me in trouble) that it's a perfectly reasonable question. Here goes..
I've known Bob since I was a kid..literally when he coached Little League baseball in the 60's when I was 9. His team always won. He was a fab coach.
His kid and I went through school from 7th-12th grade. He went to school with my mom and my uncle in the 40's. My family knew his family since the 40's..as many in town knew each other through either business or religious reasons..or just walking and shopping in town. I knew he was involved in WOBM since day one. My family knew most of the owners of the station for the same reasons mentioned above. So they KNEW me and my family personally. That had NOTHING to do with me being hired there as a news stringer back in 1970. I was JUST 17..you know what I mean?
Many people at school thought my FATHER was on the radio. MANY of the teachers changed the way they spoke to ME once they found out it WAS ME on the radio.
I really didn't have much to do with Bob back in those days. I was hired by the news director..(Joe Murray)..and Paul Most the station manager. I saw Paul at the Island Heights post office about a year ago..and told him just how thankful I was to have been given the massive opportunity to work at a station at such a young age. His response floored me. He said it was my TALENT.that I did it all..not he. I was totally at a loss for words. Here I was thanking HIM and HE turned it around to me. That was quite interesting..and I've thanked Greg Koziar (the then evening jock who was all of 19 at the time) for showing me the ropes. I left there in 1972 after I didn't lock the front door one night. (I became the first person to do the all-night shift there, when they went 24 hours.) Good career move Jay.. But I got hired at WHLW in Lakewood after that, became full time after they had an ugly union vote there..and the talent lost..so all were gone. I was in the right place at the right time. I became PD after year 3 there. Left in '76..went to JRZ. That lasted 2 months..too goofy to even discuss. Went to WPST in Trenton for several years. Came BACK to the shore to program WHLW and it's transition to WOBM. I was hired by Bob's brother and those same owners who knew my parents. But I was hired as the PD for the AM station only due to my gumption and plan to make the station great again. It worked..real quickly..so much so that the owners hired me to program the FM station. They asked me to FIX the music. I did it within 2 weeks with the help of some very talented people..Mike Boyle, Frank Canale, Steve Paul, Pam and Ed Ronan, and many others. The AM station was amazing..really cool top 40 rocker..on an AM daytimer (11-70 then). Eric Johnson, (yeah him)..Mark Sheppard, Mike Boyle, and others involved in my 3 years there..
But the problem was that some people resisted SELLING it. No names mentioned. I tried my best to make the FM the strongest it could be with AC music. It worked. The AM was breaking all the rules..and SOME didn't like that. Eventually, the station manager, Roger Tees left for unmentionable reasons. One of the owners kids was named manager of the AM station..and I was told I'd be the operations manager of the FM. I saw the writing on the wall, and hastily called Tom Taylor at WPST. I left. Levy was named General Manager..but he had been pulling the strings for a while..and that was cool..'cause his brother, after all was one of the owners. But he is his own guy for SURE. I seemingly got along with Bob. His SUNDAY show is an institution. I'm always in awe of people who can do that kind of show week after week, year after year. It ain't easy..'cause some people love you..and some hate you. No grey area with talk shows. I oughta know. He is UNIQUE for sure. Do I like the politics? Nope..but that's ok..'cause he is allowed to have opinions, and so is the audience. What I DON'T like is the focus on the elderly types listening. It gets old..pardon..real fast when the callers sound like they babysat Benny Goodman when he was a kid. Saying that..they are extremely loyal..and seem to find what he does compelling.. So who am I to judge that? I did a TOTALLY different type of show..and I think I made him get his muse back when he had competition on Sundays for the first time ever. JRZ management knew he was vulnerable with a younger audience..and they were correct. I will NOT comment on my tenure there..only to say Jeff Rafter is a fab guy who had NOTHING to do with my exit. Anita and I WILL work together again. I enjoyed my time there..wish it didn't end the way it did..but it's a business.. I WILL say I think they made a mistake..but it's their station. I was told I did NOTHING to cause my demise. So I continue to seek my next gig with a clear conscience.
Will Bob ever retire..will Gearhart? Dunno..they seem like they can go on till they're 90. I'll wait.
BE BIG
www.bigjayandanita.com
 
No hidden agenda regarding that Levy question. I've just been curious if there was some major falling out or something w/ you and him. This goes back about ten years when I used to call Topic A. I was 20 at the time and obviously I stood out on his show because of my age and also the controversial nature of my calls. I was eventually banned from calling in but was never given a real reason. As time went by, and I listened back to old calls, I put two and two together. Basically, I brought stuff out of Bob that I don't think was in his best interest to be aired on the radio. Specifically, things involving race relations. The final nail in the coffin was when I was invited into the studio and sat in w/ him for about an hour and a half. We spent close to 40 minutes talking about "Race in Sports" and he said things that I totally agreed with but would definitely be considered politically incorrect and/or racially insensitive.

But anyway, I distinctly remember calling in and talking to Levy about "radio talk show hosts". And this was when you and Hilarie went to the Philly station. I mentioned you by name, and Levy said that he really didn't want to comment on it, so I moved on. But I was recording the call and when I listened to the tape, the mention of your NAME was dumped off the air. And that station is so primitive, when they hit the dump button, theres like 7 seconds of dead air so its blatantly obvious "something" happened.

When I confronted Levy about it the following week, he said he didn't have anything to do with it, that Tom Masiak did it on his own. Then Levy said that the reason he wouldn't give an opinion on you as a talk show host is because you are a "local" guy and its not fair to say anything about you if you're not there to defend yourself. I was confused because you were on a PHILLY station and didn't consider you a "local" guy, meaning Ocean County. Then he said that you worked there but you LIVED here, so that was his reasoning. The whole thing was a bit weird. I guess his rule of radio is you can only trash talk someone on the air if that person lives outside of the listening area??

When I saw you responding to posts on this board, I had to throw Levy's name out there. Cool to see that you took the time to respond.
 
Yo..but interestingly enough, you never responded to my quite long winded answer to your one sentence question! I wish you had posted what you did PRIOR to my answer. Hearing about THIS now puts a whole new spin on it. Notice I didn't trash Bob..and I CERTAINLY could have..but for what? So some message board geeks can have something new to trash ME about? And notice how Tom Maziack's name was never uttered by my fonts. HE has done just about ANYTHING he can to malign me over the years, way back to when I got the gig at WNBC. It was amazing that he had that much venom in one body. It was almost laughable, and was treated that way by ALL of the suits at NBC..and that just made him even MORE mad. I guess I'm his demon..and have been since I LEFT there in 19 hundred and Eighty freakin' FOUR!!!??!!?!?!?!?!? That's sad. But, I guess when a person like me speaks the truth, it sets you up for over 25 years of junk. Wow. So sad.
So..if LEVY said stuff about me, remember he may have been influenced by Maze. I don't know..and frankly, I don't care that much now. Levy obviously has stuff about me too..and I guess he didn't want to bring it to the air. Fair. I called him the old guy up the road a few times..but he IS old after all..and he WAS up the road a few miles.. But that's just pure fun..no harm intended..and I never would do that to a fellow broadcaster. I've commented on some occasionally..but they have a right to their opinion based on what they know. If Bob doesn't like me..that's fair.
And I respect that he didn't air dirty laundry about me. Ya know..we all have fans..and some take things SO literally that it's scary..and some hang on every word I've ever written on these boards. Some companies don't LET their employees POST on them, because of the turmoil it creates, or misunderstandings that can arise. I don't hate anyone. But I just wish some people could move on and let stuff go. Things that happened 20, 25, 30 years ago..are SO bouncing off Uranus, that it's clinging by now. (That was quite funny..but I'm sure SOME will take offense to it..as usual).
Ok..enough about me..
I hope this board ONCE AGAIN can be about RADIO and it's mechanics and people instead of this kind of questioning. But I feel compelled to answer as honestly and fairly as I can. I've spent a LIFETIME trying to be a decent radio guy. MOST days, I succeeded. Thanks for reading my tome.
BE BIG
www.bigjayandanita.com
 
Jay, I enjoyed reading your tome. As someone who always had the radio bug, but never got to scratch that itch, I sort of live that life vicariously by reading these boards, and reading what your impromptu autobiography was fascinating to me, at least. I've been listening to you to some extent all the way back to those early WOBM days when I was a kid in HS falling to sleep with an earphone in my ear, so to me yours is a real "local boy makes good" kind of story. I really miss your show in the morning, and look forward to hearing you again, hopefully with Anita. You guys are great together.

What I really found intersting is what you said about your first departure from JRZ in the early days. When I heard you later at PST, I always figured it was a natural progression in your career, moving up to a bigger market with bigger exposure. Despite how it came to be, do you think that in fact your being dismissed at JRZ then, freeing you to go to PST really had that effect?

Hey, lets keep this going, 7000 views isnt that far off now, is it!
 
Hiya..again,
Glad you enjoyed it. I suspect that MOST people who read these type of boards are normal, well adjusted, respectable individuals. Some are not..but that's what makes life so interesting..to observe them flame-out. I've been told for years that I should write a book about what it's like in this business. I just may do that. My health experiences from the last two years have made me quite aware of my mortality. I think SOME may find it entertaining..others would think it's just an ego-gratifying boost. IF I do it, it'll be because of what I want, (and my family.)
Thanks for the 'local boy makes good' thing. Some people think it's cool..most don't care. We're just an appliance to the majority of listeners. A few get it.. Some get it SO much that they know more about ME than I do!
I ASSURE you, I WILL be working with Anita in the future. We're best of friends, speak regularly, and have a lot of respect for each other as radio folks, and as just PLAIN folks. Thanks for that compliment. I've answered hundreds and hundreds of email from people wondering what happened to me at JRZ. I've been honest with each and every one..and personally answered them all. Phew..
I was at JRZ back in '76. Most people don't know it, but I gave the owners then the idea to name it WJRZ. The conversation happened in the record dept. (remember those) at K-Mart on Rt. 37 in Toms River. They had been picking my brain for about a year, and very proud that they were putting a station on the air in Ocean County. I told them what BETTER call sign than WJRZ..then they could call it Jersey Shore JRZ.. Bingo.
I was only there for two months. I was there day one (actually day two as they hadn't figured out how much they were gonna pay me until the first day they were on. (Duh). I got married on Aug. 15th, went away for 8 days. A few weeks later they fired me.. Because the MORNING guy..some dude named Jay Laurie refused to put my name in a station promo!! I protested..and then I found myself gone. I protested about THAT..they Rehired me..and behind my back TAPED all of my RECORDS that they had been using since day ONE..(without them, they would have had NO library.) Then they fired me again a week later. I saw it as a blessing, because I was THEN hired by the legendary Tom Taylor at WPST. I started there doing Sunday mornings. Tom was there with me. Good thing, because I was SO NERVOUS that I puked. He sent me home. I thought I had blown the gig. I told him I would be fine the next week. I was..and the rest is history. I guess that coming from the shore and the small station mentality, going to a big city station was like hitting the big-time. It was a class B station, reaching MUCH greater distances than what I had been used to. I did weekends for about 2 months..but needed a full time job. So I sent tapes everywhere (remember tapes)? I scored a gig in Lynchburg, VA. It's the only city in Virginia that DOES NOT have an interstate highway going through it. And it SHOWED. My then new bride got the heebie geebies when people were asking us if we were yankees..and I don't me the Thurmon Munson Yankees. When her tears just wouldn't stop, I decided to not accept the gig. So the day before I was supposed to do the top 40 evening show on WLVA, I called the Program Director and told him forget it. He said..'I kinda reckoned you'd be fixin' to do that.' My decision was the correct one. BEFORE I told him, I called Tom Taylor to ask..beg..for my part-time gig back at PST. He said YEAH.
So, we packed everything into the Buick Century, and headed back to Jersey. The very NEXT day, Tom called me asking if I'd be interested in working full time. I said sure..and I started that WEDNESDAY, replacing John Brown (Shadow Traffic's legendary guy in Philly). He never held it against me, and we became buds over the years. Wonderful guy. So that was the beginning of my long association with Tom and WPST. I got itchy to do more in '81..and got the PD gig at WHLW when the owners of OBM bought the joint..plaid carpeted walls and all. I was told to FIX it. I did the top 40 rockin' thing..and it clicked immediately. WABC was playing wimpy music by then..and WNBC was a bland top-40/AC hybrid. So I figured let's rock the shore on AM. It worked. I explained what happened over the next 3 years in a previous post. When I realized there was a power play going on, I called Tom AGAIN and asked if I could return to Nassau Broadcasting. He waited a beat..and said Eric Johnson was leaving, and I could replace him. He asked when. I told Levy who was not the GM of OBM. I told him I'd give him two weeks notice. He said if you want to leave today, just do it. I did. So it was a seamless move back to PST.
While I was at WHLW back in the 70's, Joey Reynolds came to visit Charlie Roberts, an already veteran of Jersey Shore stations. Joey stayed for 3 years, convincing the owner Seymore Abrahamson to make the station a top 40 music station..with a twist. We would TALK whenever we wanted to. Sometimes interviewing stars IN the studio. People like Sal Mimeo, and many others. AND, Joey would go on when ever he felt like it and make radio magic. Remember, he was Billboard's DJ of the year for 3 years in a row in the mid 60's from Buffalo's WKBW..quite a feat when you had guys like Ingram, Brucie in NY, Hy Lit in Philly, and EVERY other big city had HUGE personalilties.. HE beat them all..every year! So I was so impressed with him even BEING in the building. I was one of the ONLY people who survived his coming to the station..as EVERYone was replaced eventually. I even became the PD after HE left and took the loose format idea to Pittsburgh on KQV radio. I turned down the opportunity to go with him to Pittsburgh..as I didn't think I was ready for the BIGGGG time. Looking back, that was a mistake.
Back to my return to PST. One day Joey called me. Mind you, we hadn't worked to-gether since 1975. This was in '86. He had just gotten the gig at WNBC to replace some guy named Howard. They had tried a few sidekicks, and they just didn't get him. He asked if I would join him. Duh. So I went through several interviews with the suits at RCA/NBC. They finally hired me after 2 weeks of interviews. Holy crap. I was at the flagship station of The National Broadcasting Company. The very same place that Bob Hope, Imus, and countless stars had been broadcasting. And I had to RUN THE BOARD. I was the first COMBO (meaning board operator/talent) in the history of the station in the afternoon! The NABET engineers didn't like that fact..and busted my hump regularly with grieveances for the stupidest things. I digress.
So going to PST from JRZ, then to OBM again, and BACK to PST was a SUPER career move. Joey had heard me in Jersey..and KNEW I could handle it in NY.
It's funny..and we joke about it still, that I outlasted HIM at WNBC..being there the very last day of it's existence. My career has been SO cool since then.
I hope THIS tome has helped understand a little bit more about what we have to go through to make it in this biz. It's a lotta luck, and some skill involved in most cases.
Jeez.. I can smell a book now.
I also see 8000 views in the near future.
BE BIG
www.bigjayandanita.com
 
Thank you Sam..there's more where that came from..but I may just save the details for
a future book. The stories I could tell..........
We MUST do lunch soon. Let me know where and when, privately..of course.
BE BIG
www.bigjayandanita.com
 
Well, it's been a month since you were here Big Jay......please keep us posted on your whereabouts.......it would be great to hear you on the BIG air again.
 
Hiya..
Lotta stuff starting to happen..but, I can't speak of a single one..or I'd have my ears lopped off.
Other than that, things are fine. Past health issues seem like a distant memory some days..
The Record Pig could rear his ugly head at any time..
Oh..and Sam..thanks for lunch..nice to see Hy!!
Thanks to my personal Bonita for the kind words.
Same to Bobby Valentine..and countless others.
In the words of MacArthur.. I WILL RETURN.
In the words of Jimmy Webb..I need you more than want you..and I want you for all time.
In the words of Jimmy Dean..More Parks Sausages Mom..wait..that ain't right..
Stop me now before I hurt myself.
BE BIG!
www.bigjayandanita.com
 
Jay Please read this

I worked for you, for a very short time, because i was 22 and stupid.( read on, this is a huge thank you) I have to admit, i hated OBM-FM, because everybody there were a bunch of jack asses. I couldn't stand even pulling into that dark, dismal parking lot. But, you gave me a job, because of a friend. You told me i had all the talent in the world, but i thought you were micro managing me, in reality , you were saying, hey fool, your 22. You were a hotliner, and yea, you made people uncomfortable. But that was 1983, and i was a kid.
I grew not to like you, because you made me look in the mirror, plus you are a bit of a pain. You used to show me old photo's of yourself, and i was so thrilled when you let me do shifts on OBM-AAAM. You have to admit, you were a very stressful guy to work for, BUT.....it dawned on me, you saw something, and didn't want me to waste it. You will probably never figure out who is writing this, because i know you were mad when i said screw this place. And i hope you dont, because i know you were dissapointed with me. But, i thought the time was right to say, it wasn't you, it was all the negativity in that building. I went on, and am still doing great radio and sports talk. And yea, a nice paycheck. That said, in 1983-84, i never tapped the knowledge you had. I was told to, but by god, you walk in there, a tons of negative energy ( you named him) just sucked the life out me. So, i will say this to all these hater jerks, Jay pushed me to be great, i wasn't ready to be great. And that dammed place was as depressed as Paris Hilton feels today. So i left, and have made an amazing career. I know you were mad at me, and i am writing this to apologize, first off, i needed to get 24 years of guilt for being a dumb kid off my chest. But what really made me wrte, was all the negative BS....... i would come back to Jersey and hear you on NBC, and i smiled. I also felt terrible, because i torched a bridge for being dumb and uncoachable. I still made it to Philly/ DC....great markets.....and went south and became legend. So for all the asses i have read rip jay, and that one fool who wants to bring up some stations that may not have been that great, 20 years ago, i would have bet against it, but i am here to thank him, for instilling a work ethic, for giving me the passion. I am appaled at the idiots whom would rip a guy who worked in those great markets. I have wanted to say to you, sorry for being an idiot.......but the things you said, got me on both network tv and radio. never thanked you enough, because the lightbulb went off, it was , well the switch went off later than you wanted. So whover freshface is, SHUT UP .......i am an X employee who disliked him at the time, but without his guidence, i never would have made it. Stop being negative to a radio legend. My mistake? in 1983 i thought i knew more.........and i didn't know squat.
God bless Jay, and god bless your health. There is somebody out here, who you may think hates you, but just never had the nuts to say, sorry for not working out.... and the rest of you, leave his ass alone, this man is a showman, i just never told him that in 1983. well, back to the future, i am saying it now. Oh, and you did lose a few pounds, nice going. Oh and the only thing i want you to say sorry for, is you made me board op that damn Levy show, and hit the delay......that old SOB. He used to say, how did i sound today, and i told him once .......like howard stern with out the sense of humor....... he blanked stared me, and i said, yes, your trying to sound like howard, but your talking about colostmy bags. I knew i was gone then. But from a secret bad employee from the past, i really did learn a ton, it was the building that was haunted, well Levy too

oh, and you forgot, Bud Mishkin, my news guy.on my shift.......then NBC..........he and i worked christmas together, 1, cause he was a jew, and me, i needed the OT.......so if you ever find it your heart to forgive me for being 22, know that you have somebody rooting for you.
 
This is Jay's wife replying, as of this moment, he is back in the hospital and dealing with some more health issues after yet another surgery last week. He has heard what you wrote, and he will reply when he gets home from the hospital. You should know, you made him smile. So thank YOU for that. We didn't want you to think he was ignoring you. Not sure yet when he will be out of the hospital, but hopefully it will be soon. Thank you for your kind words. Andrea Sorensen
 
Well if i could put a smile on his face in a time of tribulation in 2007, then
maybe he will give me a pass on 1984. I hope he usues that stubborn " i wont be beat"
that i saw when i walked in the door, cause , it scared the hell out of me, so it should scare the
hell out of whatever is trying to be an issue inside him. I root for him.
 
Jay wants to know if your first name Bob? Thanks for the well wishes, I have already passed them on. He may have a staff infection again, which nearly took his life 3 times already in the last 18 months. This time they seem to have caught it in time. I hope.
 
no no......not bob. It's not important, but it hink Bob was the name of the morning guy when i was there,
it was only 6 months. Tell him this............" Hit, but not halted " thats what he is going through.
Mike Boyle asked him to hire me, man, he probably wanted to strangle mike!

he is " hit, but not halted' but damn, that hit, hurts. but knowing people who he would never expect to hear from , are positive, he has not been halted.......

rooting hard
 
Thanks, I'll pass it on to him. He may need minior surgery to clear out the infection, and hopefully he will be home by the weekend or maybe Monday. Thank you for your well wishes and kind words.
 
good......stress brings on alot of this stuff
and for sure, he had dealt with alot of stress , just the last 6 months.
thats why i just kept the name out of it, he might have
a heart palpation. but for those of us, who it may have taken a few years
to understand jay, i just wanted to him to be encouraged. he will figure me out
in time....... he never got the credit he should have for being a true person of
vision. But i have to say this, there are so many evil, vile people in radio, it's
no wonder he is beat down. I just wanted to be that 1 voice he NEVER expected,
is on his side. But like i said, it was only 6 months, to him, probably nothing, but
to me, i dont like to fail at stuff. Hey, a good thing, did you notice, all the idiots
who were giving him so much stupid grief, stopped, when an ally showed up?
thats why these boards can be so bad, it's not right to just kick a person.
Oh, and tell him, his worst staff infection were the people at WOBM-FM, if he can beat that
he can beat this, hands down...... oh, and just so you know, i never had a bad word with Jay,
i never joined the negative club, we never fought, hell i hated all those knuckleheads in Toms River.
Thats why he threw you a name, thinking about somebody who he battled with.
Na, i just messed up, didn't lsiten, and felt bad..........but i want to encourage him now.
Ha, plus, i hope i get to call him grampa...... that would make my day! god bless
 
Again, thank you for your kind words. I did notice that the negative stopped. Thank you for that. This should make your day, he is a Pop Pop 4 times over. So you can call him grandpa.
 
jay - somewhere in my archive of homemade 8-tracks , i have you taped , on , i think , "kicks , one-oh-one and a half" , or on wpst , from the late 70's , or early 80's , giving out a gift to a guy called gary coombs , from levittown ... thought you'd like the trivia
 
dag.......4 grand kids, well he loved being a dad, but being a grand pa pa pa pa......i am not sure you think your kids are ever going to have kids. That will be fun, tell him he is wished well today, and the negative "others" seemed to have been driven back in the woods, where they belong. I left a job, and took some real ass on one of these boards, just saw one today, and i left on my own. I laughed, thinking, it takes a real hero to slam somebody, with a made up username. But i am in good health, ( better mental health ) but the people you move on from, to work at a better station, can say horrible things, yet jay is ill, and thats not fair. But even though your husband has a healthy ego, it still stings to read hateful things by a bunch of " never got out of ocean county" types. Hell, never got out of " dukes of hazzard " describes most of them.
Tell him hey........ talk soon i hope
 
My very best to Big Jay as he recovers from another health-related issue. I wish him a great Fathers' Day and a very Happy Birthday!

Hope to hear (and see) you real soon!

Stu Dolgon
 
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