(Bump) Re:FOTF "Life On The Edge"

[ChadStevens]

It aired locally in Birmingham on WXJC AM/FM, the FM signal strength being an iffy-at-best proposition.

I remember two other syndicated teen-themed talkshows from the late-'80s/early-'90s but I've totally forgotten the names. Maybe you remember them?

One was a radio talk show, and I remember the host had an Italian-sounding last name. The show was more light in tone than DM Live or LOTE, but otherwise very similar. I heard it on WPIT-FM in Pittsburgh back around 1990.

The other was a television show from around 1988 hosted by a big muscle-bound black guy with some serious Jheri-curls. (He kinda looked like Aaron Neville without all the tats.) Clearly influenced by his contemporary Arsenio, he had the stage all to himself and the audience spoke from podiums placed among the seats - sorta like Morton Downey Jr.'s Loudmouth #1 and #2. I think the show was taped in Richmond, Virginia. For some reason that city sticks in memory. I remember the intro, filmed in a very MTV-style "mosaic" effect: really hot looking white girl fights with parents, runs away, ends up in bad neighborhood, gets scared, gets menaced by white gangsta-dudes, tries to call home, gets attacked, muscle-bound black guy shows up in his black Nissan 280Z, gangstas flee, girl reads Bible in his car as he takes her home to worried parents, he disappears like Lone Ranger. I saw it a few times on WPCB-TV 40 in Pittsburgh.

Yes, it all sounds incredibly hokey, but I actually liked this guy as he wasn't a Bible thumper - or Bob Larson for that matter - and he was an energetic and humorous host if nothing else.

Does anyone remember these guys and if they are still around today.

 

[ccmfan]

> It aired locally in Birmingham on WXJC AM/FM, the FM signal
> strength being an iffy-at-best proposition.
>
> I remember two other syndicated teen-themed talkshows from
> the late-'80s/early-'90s but I've totally forgotten the
> names. Maybe you remember them?
>
> One was a radio talk show, and I remember the host had an
> Italian-sounding last name. The show was more light in tone
> than DM Live or LOTE, but otherwise very similar. I heard
> it on WPIT-FM in Pittsburgh back around 1990.

Just guessing, but the guy with the Italian sounding name might have been Al Menconi. He was a youth oriented minister who talked about the media and took on critics of CCM like Bill Gothard in the 80's and 90's. I can recall hearing a 5 minute program he used to have on some of the CCM stations in Memphis. He's still around and his website is at http://www.almenconi.com .

In the previous discussion I had mentioned that WCRV AM 640 in Memphis had gone between carrying Life on the Edge and Dawson McAllister as their token youth program, but apparently looking at their recent schedule DM Live has been dropped there now.

 

[ChadStevens]

> > One was a radio talk show, and I remember the host had an
> > Italian-sounding last name. The show was more light in
> tone
> > than DM Live or LOTE, but otherwise very similar.

> Just guessing, but the guy with the Italian sounding name
> might have been Al Menconi.

No, that's not him - but thanks - the guy's name is on the tip of my tongue and I can't think of it.

 

[ChadStevens]

Ron Hutchcraft?

> In the previous discussion I had mentioned that WCRV AM 640
> in Memphis had gone between carrying Life on the Edge and
> Dawson McAllister as their token youth program, but
> apparently looking at their recent schedule DM Live has been
> dropped there now.
>
Didn't his show have a teen focus back around 1990? I think he may have been the guy I'm thinking of.

Don't know where I got the idea he was Italian-American, unless there were TWO radio hosts of that era that I've confused.

 

[ccmfan]

Re: Ron Hutchcraft?

> > In the previous discussion I had mentioned that WCRV AM
> 640
> > in Memphis had gone between carrying Life on the Edge and
> > Dawson McAllister as their token youth program, but
> > apparently looking at their recent schedule DM Live has
> been
> > dropped there now.
> >
> Didn't his show have a teen focus back around 1990? I think
> he may have been the guy I'm thinking of.
>
> Don't know where I got the idea he was Italian-American,
> unless there were TWO radio hosts of that era that I've
> confused.
>

I remember Ron Hutchcraft having a show as well. The AFR and Moody stations in my area carried him during their blocks of CCM programming on Saturday nights. AFR dropped their Saturday night CCM programming on their regular network and went to a full CCM network in some areas, and I moved out of the area where I could get the Moody translator so I didn't know if he was still on or not. Moody's idea of CCM programming though was only the softest extreme.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by ccmfan on 02/10/06 01:57 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[callfm]

"Realtime" with Ron Hutchcraft

Ron Hutchcraft is now producing a weekly program called "Realtime." It is a 26.5-minute program covering an issue facing young adults (e.g., divorce, suicide, eating disorders, sex, pornography, substance abuse, bullying, forgiveness, handling pressure, not having a dad around, etc.). Each program incorporates cutting-edge music and teens talking first-hand about the topic. Every show ALWAYS ends "at the foot of the Cross" where the ultimate Answer is clearly presented. It is by far the most cutting-edge, non-religious sounding, teen-oriented show that I am aware of. We air two episodes every Sunday evening at 8:30PM and 9:30PM. Their website is www.realtimeradio.net.

When I was in high school, in the late ‘80s, I had the privilege of listening to "Saturday Night Alive" produced by Ron Hutchcraft, aired on the local Moody station (WCRF).

Rob Robbins, Ph.D.
President/GM
91.7 The CALL (WMKL)
P.O. Box 561832
Miami, FL 33256-1832
(305)662-7736 (Miami-Dade)
(305)451-0301 (Florida Keys)
[email protected]
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