Radio Hosts Ralph Garman, Big Boy, Ellen K and Others Remember Their Morning Show Whiplash on 9/11

I still think quite a bit about listening to radio on the way to work on 9/11 and hearing Ralph Garman and Boyd R. Britton "Doq on the Roq" on KROQ; Big Boy on Power 106; Mark Wallengren on KOST; Ellen K on KIIS-FM and others as I scanned the dial that morning. For Variety I talked to them and NY's Elvis Duran Show about having to pivot from jokes to news on air that day:

Elvis Duran still recalls the phone-in topic on his morning radio show the day of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. “We were talking about whether you’re cheating on your significant other if you’re flirting with someone else in an online chat room,” Duran says. “And then playing a song.”

Back in 2001, Duran’s top 40 WHTZ-FM “Z100” was located in Jersey City — just across the Hudson River from Downtown Manhattan. The “Elvis Duran and the Morning Show” team had a direct view of the World Trade Center from their 40th floor studio, and it was their phone screener who first fielded reports of smoke from one of the towers.

“It started with rumors a helicopter hit it,” Duran recalls. “Around the time we found out it was a commercial airline plane that hit it, that’s when the second plane hit the other tower. And we immediately knew, this isn’t what we think it is, this is something that we don’t understand.”

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, morning hosts were just arriving to start their shifts. “We’re having our pre-meeting off air before we jump on air live,” remembers Big Boy, who was then based at hip-hop KPWR-FM “Power 106.” “One of my guys comes in and says, ‘Man, some fucking idiot just crashed his plane into the World Trade Center.’ So we go into our office. And as we’re sitting there watching it live, the second plane comes in, boom.”

The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks kicked the nation’s TV and radio news organizations into high gear, as they quickly went live to cover the unfolding events. But also on air that day were drive-time radio personalities who suddenly had to drop the jokes, stop spinning records, and instead pivot to becoming somber lifelines as listeners looked for information and solace.

“We got on the air and started answering calls,” says Ellen K, who back then was Rick Dees’ partner on Los Angeles top 40 KIIS-FM. “I was over seven months pregnant, and my baby in my belly, my son — who’s now almost 20 — was kicking and punching wildly because of the stress reaction I was having. I remember I couldn’t breathe very well, so I had to sit down and calm myself while we’re answering these phone calls.”

K remembers no music being played that day on KIIS. “It was just constant calls, and we stayed on the air way past 10 a.m., when we would usually sign off. We were on until almost 2 p.m. People were taking turns, coming on, crying. We were also giving information as fast as we could get it. So we had our producers calling out, we were calling friends in New York City. We were also reaching out to everyone we knew to get on the air.”

At Los Angeles alternative KROQ-FM, the hosts of “Kevin & Bean” were on vacation, so the station was replaying “best of” clips from previous shows. Just a skeleton crew were in the offices: Sidekick Ralph Garman and news anchor Boyd R. Britton (known as “Doc on the Roq”), who were originally only there to contribute a few live segments in between the repeats.

“By the time I had gotten to the studio, the news had just broken that the second plane had hit the second tower,” Garman says. “And it was only then that it dawned on us that this was not an accident. And the station didn’t know what to do. I was in there, Doc was in there. We had a board op. But the decision eventually was made: We can’t ignore this; we have to go on the air with something. And here I am, this baby broadcaster. I had done voices and stuff for the show but I’d never really taken on a larger role than that. And they said we have to go live, so we just turned on the mics and started broadcasting.”

In an unconventional move, Britton and Garman — normally two contributors who never interacted on “Kevin & Bean” — were suddenly co-anchoring coverage on KROQ.

Read the full story here.

KOST Finds Its "Kelly Ripa of Morning Drive"

Remember earlier this year, when KOST put out a job listing to find Kim Amidon's replacement as Mark Wallengren's new morning drive co-host?

Wallengren's new co-host, Kristin Cruz, officially started Monday. "Mark Wallengren & Kristen Cruz in the Morning" pairs long-time local radio host Wallengren with Cruz, who spent time in San Diego working at KGTV and as host of the "Love Songs" show on Soft Rock 96.5 FM.

Have any of you tuned in? And tell me how well she fills the job notice:

On Air HOST, MORNING SHOW
KOST-FM
We're looking for the Kelly Ripa of morning drive to join longtime host Mark Wallengren! If you are opinionated, funny and witty, topical, can relate to women 25-54, be edgy but still talk in a family-friendly environment, and know the basics of radio, we want to hear from you! This is your chance to work with one of the most popular and legendary AC stations in the country. REQUIREMENTS: Formal training in radio broadcasting and min. 1 year on-air experience. Ability to operate on-air control board, CD player, and remote broadcast equipment. Knowledge of all FCC rules and regulations. HS diploma, AA or equivalent from 2-yr College or technical school preferred.

So whatever happened to Kim? Mark Wallengren actually commented on our 2007 post about Amidon's axing:

I've talked with Kim several times about putting another show together and she told me she doesn't want to work in radio again. I hope that's not true. She has said that she'll listen to any offers.

Anyone know about playing office politics? Well for a long time Kim has expressed on the air and in the halls that she wanted to do something else. I think maybe one too many times. I do know that the company had to make painful financial decisions that affected many here at our station both on and off the air. I guess, knowing Kim's feelings, they felt the time was right and opted not to renew her contract in 2008. She did receive severance pay that insures that she won't have to work for years if she chooses. Kim wants to become a writer. She has an agent and is pursuing that field.

I have told Kim that many people want to catch up with her. Her daughter Bevy is supposed to be putting up a Myspace.com page for her. When that happens I will post that address on my blog! If I can't convince Kim then I'm going to have to go out there and find that perfect partner again.

It was an amazing 22 years and I will always have wonderful memories of the people we've met and fantastic things we were able to do while on the air. It's always been such a blessing to work here and if at some point I am asked to leave I will be forever grateful for the time I was allowed be on the air and reach out to wonderful people like you.

As for Cruz, she'd actually been unofficially handling co-hosting duties since May, although had been on maternity leave more recently. This week's announcement makes the duo official.