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MJ Kelli vs. DB Cooper

R

radioguy555

I was wondering if anyone remembers the rivalry between MJ Kelli (Z104) and DB Cooper (97 Star) back in the late '80s. I'd love to hear some airchecks from both of these stations during this night-time DJ battle. I heard it got pretty ugly and MJ filed a lawsuit against DB Cooper after DB called him gay.
 
radioguy555 said:
I was wondering if anyone remembers the rivalry between MJ Kelli (Z104) and DB Cooper (97 Star) back in the late '80s. I'd love to hear some airchecks from both of these stations during this night-time DJ battle. I heard it got pretty ugly and MJ filed a lawsuit against DB Cooper after DB called him gay.
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MJ Kelly airchecks when he was on WGH 97 Star are available online on such sites like airchexx.com and on reelradio.com ( which now requires a fee to listen BTW ). Reelradio does have a Z104 aircheck from 84 but I don't know who it was but its neither MJ or DB.I have yet to stumble upon a DB aircheck. I remember reading awhile back about the MJ vs. DB lawsuit. Think it may was on the old radio-info. Did DB come right out an directly say that MJ was gay or did he implied that MJ was gay? If the latter happened, I would be surprised if it had went to court at all. A few years back, I think it was in West Virginia where a local business owner went after a newspaper after they ran a story calling the business owner a "bear" since he had a grizzly adams style beard. The business owner said the paper called him a homosexual since the term "bear" means hairy gay man with goatee/beard. Unless you have gay friends or family members ( such as I ) or are gay themself, how many people would know that? Well the local judge thought so too and had the suit thrown out.Back to MJ vs. DB, how did MJ get wind of this? Listener calling up? Somebody rolled tape?
 
MJ talked about this case the other morning on his show here in Tampa, which is why I thought I'd mention it on the board. Yes, they rolled tape on DB and presented it in court. MJ ended up winning the case in 1990 but he wouldn't disclose how much he got out of it. DB was indeed calling him "homosexual" and also mentioned that he saw MJ involved in "homosexual acts" in a car, so I think the suit was legitimate (at least from the way MJ made it sound).
 
I was at 97 Star WGH part time, inbetween full time gigs, when this happened. I don't know how it got started, other than the incredible rivalry between the 2 nighttime jocks. When it was all over, Susquehanna let the WGH General Manager go. I found a full time gig later and lost track of it.I will say this.....at the time, there seemed to be no objections from the WGH GM or PD to allowing the rivalry/on air jabs from DB. Anything for the ratings I guess.
 
radioguy555 said:
MJ talked about this case the other morning on his show here in Tampa, which is why I thought I'd mention it on the board. Yes, they rolled tape on DB and presented it in court. MJ ended up winning the case in 1990 but he wouldn't disclose how much he got out of it. DB was indeed calling him "homosexual" and also mentioned that he saw MJ involved in "homosexual acts" in a car, so I think the suit was legitimate (at least from the way MJ made it sound).
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Stupid on DB's part !! Yeah, I can the suit being legitimate at least back then anyway. Today if this would happen, who knows !!Be interesting to hear this broadcast. Sounds like DB wanted to get MJ fired. Go on the air, calling him gay and such and in an area where Pat Robertson/700 Club/ CBN is based out of, getting peoples dander up (.."OMG !! Could there be a gay DJ on Z104 !! He could recruit the young !! " ), starting boycotts and hoping they will get Z104 to fire him.Besides, anyone who directly calls someone "gay" on the air, unless the person in question has came out or they have proof ( not easy ), ought to be sued. Makes me wonder also what DB's sexual preference is by doing this.
 
It just went too far. MJ started the "Buy DB a Toupe Fund" making fun of his age. DB retaliated by calling MJ a *** jew. MJ files a lawsuit, eventually wins, and next thing you know, 97star turns into "Elvis from A to Z" for a few days and then starts playing country. Z104 then becomes the lone Top 40 station in the market with the closet competitor being Mix 105. Eventually, Top 40 radio dies in Hampton Roads (Z104 loses focus without any Top 40 competition), and all Top 40 listeners have to tune to Q94 in Richmond in order to hear Top 40 music.
 
I never knew there was such a big controversy. I liked both DJs but I was a casual listener, being that I live in N. VA, only got to hear these 2 stations every once in awhile. But I do have some recordings of both DJs on tape, but not the incident in question. I'll hafta transfer them to an audio file someday.....
 
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