Joining Kevin & Sluggo on KLOS-FM to Talk TV

 

RETRO FRIDAY/MIKE ON RADIO: Radio Free Hawaii Guest DJ Spot, September 1991

If you're looking for a Friday soundtrack... it's been 30 years (!) since this Sept. 1991 guest DJ spot on Radio Free Hawaii, a week before I headed off to college. Fun mix of The Cure, Jane's Addiction, Dee-Lite, Joy Division, Anthrax/Public Enemy, The Smiths, Information Society, Chris Isaak, Real Life, When In Rome, Faith No More, and much more!

drmikela · Dr. Mike on Radio Free Hawaii Sept. 10, 1991

A Few Thoughts About the End of "Kevin & Bean" and "Kevin In The Morning" on KROQ

When I first arrived to Los Angeles in 1996, I immediately began listening to KROQ in the morning. Being a radio junkie, I had heard about "Kevin & Bean," and wanted to finally check it out for myself. I've listened to plenty of morning radio, and had just lived in both Washington, D.C., and Chicago, where the morning radio shows I heard were... all right. But missing real personality.

"Kevin & Bean" had personality. It wasn't trying to force sophomoric gags on you or unearned laughs. By the time I started tuning in, Kevin and Bean had been doing the show for six years, while Jimmy Kimmel had already been there for two — so I missed the early trials and errors. By 1996, the elements had all come into place. Kimmel was scripting fantastic bits and providing sports reports. Adam Corolla would join in, mostly in character. Lisa May chiming in on traffic, Doc on the Roq on news. Kevin and Bean orchestrating it all.

As Kimmel left and Ralph Garman joined the show, "Kevin & Bean" climbed to even greater heights, including many ratings books at No. 1. The show's bits were even further honed, and took full advantage of Ralph's voice skills and improv abilities. They not only referenced the top news and pop culture stories, they gave sharp commentary on them via satire and parody. "Kevin & Bean" had plenty of sophomoric stuff, but it was funny — and balanced by some really smart takes on the world. At one period of time, "Psycho Mike" Catherwood provided even more voices and takes, and the show was on fire.

Lisa and Ralph were eventually let go, and the way both of those exits were handled were unfortunate. Mike went off to pursue other things. But in came Allie Mac Kay, who gave the show new energy and a fresh perspective. Other players, including Johnny "Beer Mug" Kantrowe stepped up. A year and a half ago, Jensen Karp joined the show, another sharp writer and producer who injected the show with more original ideas.

After 30 years, "Kevin & Bean" had been inducted into both the NAB Hall of Fame and Radio Hall of Fame. Bean, who had done the show remotely for the last 20 of those years, departed at the end of 2019. "Kevin & Bean" was reborn in 2020 as "Kevin in the Morning with Allie & Jensen," but apparently the station's new management wasn't patient. And opted to throw away 30 years of history, just like that, on Tuesday. "Kevin & Bean" is no more, and now "Kevin in the Morning" is no more either.

Which is a shame. Especially during this coronavirus crisis, we need all the virtual human connection we can get, and "Kevin in the Morning" was family, a group we heard from and interacted with every morning over the airwaves (or on the podcast). Kevin Ryder, in particular, had developed those relationships with KROQ listeners over 30 years. To be so cavalier with its listeners shows a great amount of disrespect by the KROQ and Entercom management. That's truly a slap in the face, and extremely short-sighted by them.

I'm heartbroken. And yeah, quite a bit angry at KROQ and Entercom. But also grateful for having had "Kevin & Bean" and "Kevin in the Morning" in my life for the 24 years I've been out here. Part of what made my lengthy commute so bearable all these years was knowing I had a full hour and a half of the show to accompany me on that drive every day.

But even more important, I'm grateful to having known the "Kevin & Bean"/ "Kevin in the Morning" team personally. Ruben and Destiny. Beer Mug is truly one of the good guys. Omar created two different openers for my podcasts over the years. Christine was so kind to invite me to see Local Natives at the KROQ Sound Space just a few weeks ago, after seeing me post a pic of their album on Instagram! Dave Sanchez, the man who kept the K&B/KITM ship floating for these past several years as producer, thanks for always having me on, especially in November, when I got to spend the entire day with the team. Jensen, you were a fantastic addition to the show this past year and a half. Allie, you brought a fun evergy and an important voice/perspective to the show every day.

And Kevin, after 30 years, you and Bean are radio legends. KROQ can't take that away. Grateful to have had "Kevin & Bean"/ "Kevin in the Mornings" in my life, and to have even unleashed "Bruddah Mike" on your listeners. Thanks to you and the entire team for everything.

Dr. Mike (or Is It Bruddah Mike?) Fills In on KROQ's 'Kevin & Bean Show'

A definite bucket list item, as KROQ's "Kevin & Bean Show" (now, sadly, minus Bean) asked me to join them on Monday, Nov. 25, to fill in for the vacationing Allie Mac Kay. Allie usually does the "What's Happening" entertainment reports near the top of the hour, so I fashioned my own reports -- featuring news such as the American Music Awards and Baby Yoda. I also got to play with hosts Kevin Ryder and Jensen Karp on other segments, such as "Great News."

But most importantly, they got ahold of tape from when I was a kid, dreaming to one day be a radio DJ. (And yes, they also found one of my KCSN "Bruddah Mike" shows.) It was quite the morning. Listen below!

KCRW Is Outta The Basement: A Farewell To Its Old Digs (PHOTOS)

It was a long time coming, but KCRW is finally in its new studios off of the main Santa Monica College campus. Well, almost. "Press Play" is still originating from the old basement studios this week, and I recorded this week's "Screengrab" segment (my weekly TV chat with Joe Adalian that airs Tuesdays at 8:45 a.m.) in the old studios on Monday — but it was a ghost town. After years of planning, KCRW finally has a new home.

A new home that will finally give the station and its employees room to breathe. Even as it grew, the KCRW staff managed to operate in tight quarters, in the basement below Santa Monica College's cafeteria. Above and below, some views of its music library. Look at all that sweet, sweet vinyl! (CD's in the file cabinets and on the walls as well.)

(And when I say it was a long time coming, it's no joke. I remember bringing the family to KCRW's new building open house in December 2017 -- read about it here. It took longer for the move than anyone expected, but I think everyone finally now sees the light at the end of the tunnel!)

A view of one of the KCRW offices. Not a lot of natural light, and phone reception was always spotty down there. 

One of the studios where I got to record "The Spin-Off" and "Screengrab" over the years.

Not sure what's going to happen to this stuff, but new equipment awaits the station at its new facility.

The hallway as of last week, before the moving boxes came.

A view into KCRW's live studio in the basement.

Some amazing photos of artists who visited KCRW over the years could be found all over the basement -- and have now been transported to the new station.

One of the first things you saw when entering the station: An ever-growing collection of Polaroids taken by notable guests.

Oh, and the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne. His face would be beaming back at you, welcoming you to the basement.

KCRW is leaving just before this fading sign completely peeled off.

My view.

Coincidentally, this is the second time I've been affiliated with a radio station that moved out of a basement. As general manager of Northwestern's WNUR in 1995, I was part of the team that moved our student-run station out of the basement of Annie May Swift Hall and into brand new facilities on its first floor.

Here's an updated look from Monday, with the walls now bare and the staff mostly gone.

Someone had to painstakingly remove all of those Polaroids! Curious to see how they're displayed in the new building.

And that's it! Congrats to everyone at KCRW on making the big move, especially my producer, Kaitlin Parker, and general manager Jennifer Ferro! Can't wait to begin recording "Screengrab" there!

KCRW's Screengrab: Down From Its Former Glory, But 'The Walking Dead' Is Still a Hit

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about the fact that "The Walking Dead" is still a huge enterprise for AMC, even though the show's ratings have declined:

Once delayed viewing is factored in, more than 10 million people will have watched the season 8 finale of 'The Walking Dead.' The show is an interesting case study in the world of Peak TV. It was a ratings juggernaut for many years, with devoted fans across the country. The numbers have slipped significantly in the past two seasons--about a third fewer people watch the show today than at its high point. But, it's still a huge, huge hit for AMC--in addition to still being the most popular show on TV for ages 18-49, it spawned the popular spin-off 'Fear the Walking Dead.' Also, a lot of fans left the show after some fan favorite characters were killed off in a particularly violent fashion, but the show aims to take a new creative, less violent direction now.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: Broadcast TV's Roadmap to Survival

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about how some recent ratings hits demonstrate that broadcast TV can have a future, even in a landscape dominated by streaming:

The Stormy Daniels interview on CBS' '60 Minutes,' the revival of 'Roseanne' on ABC, and the live performance of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' on NBC maybe not seem like they have anything in common. But the one thing they do share? They all aired on a broadcast network, and they all got people talking--not to mention some solid ratings. Whether it's important news, a nostalgia hit, or a live event, programming like this demonstrates that for broadcast, there is indeed, as Joe Adalian puts it, "a middle ground between dominance and death." Success doesn't come cheap, of course, and if the big networks want to survive in a world of Netflix, they need to be willing to put the resources towards their programming.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: Why Were Dozens of Local News Anchors All Reading the Same Script?

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about Sinclair, the right-wing broadcast group that has forced propaganda into its local newscasts over the years:

After Sinclair acquires Tribune Media, its newscasts will be accessible to more than 70% of homes in America, across all kinds of cities and markets. So while people are tuning in to their familiar local news hosts, they may not realize that those anchors are being told how and what to report, like pre-packaged segments on terrorism and the dangers of immigration. Sinclair is very conservative and pro-Trump, and reporters jobs are on the line if they don't comply with Sinclair's messaging. During the campaign, Sinclair actually cut a deal with Trump in exchange for better access to the then-candidate. It's a scary situation for those who believe in the importance of an strong independent media.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: Knee-Deep In Midseason and Drowning In Premieres

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about all the broadcast premieres in March and April, particularly on ABC:

We're used to Netflix dropping a bunch of new shows at once, but now it feels like the big broadcast networks are doing the same. But whereas Netflix can drop an entire season at once, the slow rollout that comes with a broadcast schedule can be brutal for shows that take time to find an audience. Part of the logjam this year comes from the Olympics--no one wanted to debut a show against the Games. The other factor is the Emmy cutoff date, which comes at the end of May, so some shows may be trying to make their debut later in order to be closer to that cutoff date. But all the new shows doesn't necessarily mean innovation: this week on ABC alone, you can see the rebooted version of 'Roseanne,' plus shows starring Jenna Fischer and Zach Braff--sitcom stars from shows ('The Office' and 'Scrubs,' respectively) that had their heyday more than a decade ago.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: Trial Begins Over Proposed AT&T and Time Warner Merger

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about the AT&T/Time Warner merger lawsuit:

Trump has spoken out against the merger, possibly because of his dislike of CNN, though that news network is only a tiny part of the deal. This would be more of a vertical merger--AT&T and Time Warner are not really competitors--and the deal resembles the previous merger of Comcast and NBC Universal, so it's unclear what would legally stop this one from going through. Regardless of the outcome of the trial, the decision will have huge implications on the industry, as more mergers are likely to follow, especially as companies strive to get big in an attempt to compete with the Netflix's and Apple's of the world.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: The Case of the Disappearing 'Black-ish' Episode

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about the mysterious case of a "Black-ish" episode:

The episode in question featured some discussion of NFL athletes kneeling in protest of police brutality during the National Anthem. Creator Kenya Barris said there were "creative differences" between him and ABC. Agreements between showrunners and networks are not uncommon, but they usually crop up in the script stage, it's rare that the network will allow show to be filmed first, and then pull it later. It sounds conspiracy theory-minded, but there could be something to the idea that ABC/Disney is now in the process of purchasing Fox, and they need Trump's approval for the deal to go through.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: 'American Idol' Is Back! But Didn't We Just Say Goodbye?

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about the return of "American Idol":

We've talked about it before--rebooting an old show is one of the only ways to cut through the clutter of the TV landscape. But was anyone really asking for a revival of 'American Idol'? We'll find out this weekend when the show returns to ABC. Also returning is host Ryan Seacrest, who is under the shadow of a sexual harassment allegation. An internal review has cleared him of any wrongdoing, but no one knows what that review actually looked like. But ABC is forging ahead with Seacrest as host, and has already shelled out a lot of money to get Katy Perry as a judge. Whether the show still holds up, especially in a world where we've now got 'The Voice' and 'America's Got Talent' remains to be seen.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: Lots to Love About These Olympics, But No Ratings Gold Medal

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about how the Winter Olympics has been performing:

The ratings dip is not surprising--almost all live events are down compared to years past, including the Superbowl. NBC is still counting these Olympics as win--lots of viewers checked out the games on streaming platforms, and NBC was also dealing with a new crop of hosts and reality show competition from ABC and CBS. Plus, Netflix and Hulu are always there as a potential source of distraction. Even if ratings continue to fall for these big live events, the networks still depend on them for the revenue from ad sales. That's true for the upcoming Oscars on ABC, where Jimmy Kimmel is hosting again, and ratings will almost surely be down, though some viewers might check in to see how Kimmel addresses last year's envelope snafu in his opening monologue.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: What the F? Saltier Language Creeps Into Basic Cable

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about how the f-bomb and other bad words are now OK on basic cable:

Cable is not regulated by FCC standards like the big broadcast networks, but still, basic cable shows used to hold off on the edgy language as a way to appease advertisers. But times are changing and F-bombs are flying. More and more, shows like the SyFy drama "The Magicians" are allowing a higher number of curse words per episode, and specifically the "f-word." In the past, the offending words were "dipped" when they aired on TV, but not when the episodes were streamed on Netflix. So people who discovered the show first on streaming, were confused when they started watching new episodes on the network.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: NBC's Jennifer Salke will Run Amazon Studios

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about Amazon Studios' new chief:

We finally have an answer to the long-awaited question of who will run Amazon Studios. Jennifer Salke, the entertainment president of NBC will take the reins. Salke is in old-school network executive who has experience working with producers and agents to make shows that have broad appeal--something Amazon has struggled with in the past. In addition to overseeing Amazon's new approach to television, she'll also be head of the film side of things. Amazon studios has had film success in the past with movies like 'The Big Sick,' but they didn't pick up anything at Sundance this year and they've also got a Woody Allen problem. Amazon's on the hook for 3 more movies with the director, but at the moment, no talent seems to want to work with him. We'll see how Salke deals with Allen and shapes Amazon's upcoming entertainment strategy when she takes over in a few weeks.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: This Year, Post-Super Bowl Viewing Came With a Twist

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about Netflix's Super Bowl surprise:

When Netflix announced--via an ad on NBC--that the movie 'Cloverfield Paradox' would be available to watch right after the Super Bowl, the internet lost its mind. In a move borrowed from Beyonce, Netflix did no other marketing for the film (other than the $5 million ad). The moment felt like a confluence of a lot of disruptive events: a streamer capitalizing on all the captive eyeballs of the most popular linear TV event of the year, to send viewers to watch a movie in a fashion that's already disrupting the film industry. But, as Ted Sarandos is fond of pointing out, there's enough viewing for everybody. 'This is Us' still got great ratings, even if the numbers for the game itself were down.

Listen below!

KCRW's Screengrab: Riding the Wave of Gen X Reboots and Revivals

Every week, Joe Adalian and I talk TV on KCRW's "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition."

On Tuesday's episode, we talked about the world of reboots and remakes:

If you're a fan of Gen X nostalgia, it's been a great couple of weeks for you. 1980's reboots and revivals continue to get the greenlight. Every time old shows are announced to be coming back, there's always a blowback of criticism about TV being out of new ideas. Years ago, it's true the reboots could take away oxygen from potential new shows, but in today's landscape, there's plenty of space for new ideas at cable and streaming networks, so perhaps a little comfortable nostalgia is what the broadcast networks are best at. Perhaps, however, there should be a time limit before something can come back. Joe votes 10 years, at least.

Listen below!

Screengrab: Joe Adalian and I Talk TV, Every Tuesday Morning on KCRW

You may have noticed last year that Joe Adalian and I ended our KCRW podcast, "The Spin-Off," which we recorded at least once, or sometimes twice, a month. The show was always sporadic, and ultimately had sort of run its course. But out of the ashes of "The Spin-Off" came something more regular: "Screengrab," a weekly segment that airs on Tuesday mornings at 8:45 a.m. on KCRW during "Morning Edition." Not only does that give us an on-air slot for the first time, but podcast listeners can still subscribe (at iTunes, Stitcher or anywhere you download podcasts) and download the show each week to listen on their leisure.

It's still Joe and I talking TV, but in bite-size form, and focusing on one major topic per week. The frequency actually allows us to talk about news as it happens, and there's no shortage of things to talk about these days.

On last Tuesday's episode, we talked about the evolving nature of streaming comedy in light of recent cancellations:

Sorry, fans of 'Lady Dynamite' and 'One Mississippi.' Both shows were cancelled recently--the first on Netflix and the latter on Amazon. They join the likes of also recently cancelled comedies 'Difficult People' on Hulu and 'I Love Dick,' also from Amazon. Though these shows all had critical acclaim and niche fan bases, they clearly weren't getting enough eyeballs to keep their respective studios happy. In the old days of streaming, almost everything would get a second or third season, but now, as the streaming networks all have a massive amount of content, they don't need to hang on to dead weight.

Listen below!

Damon Lindelof on the End of 'The Leftovers': KCRW's The Business

There's always so much to talk about with Damon Lindelof, particularly as we head into the third and final season of "The Leftovers." We chatted for the latest edition of KCRW's "The Business," and discussed the show's move to Australia, how he finds himself once again ending a critically acclaimed TV series, and why he can't help but care what audiences have to say. (And no, he won't be returning to Twitter!) We also chatted about the potential of a writers' strike, and the legacy now of "Lost." Listen below!

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Netflix Domination, Emmys Overload, and Another Writers' Strike?

On the latest edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, Joe and I were joined by CNN's Sandra Gonzalez, and we discussed the potential writers' strike, among other things:

It's not news anymore that Netflix is a huge player in the scripted drama space. But now they've also got movies, stand-up specials, children's shows, sitcoms and reality TV. In their quest to become the go-to for everything, what happens to the traditional networks left in their wake? The Spin-off crew talks about Netflix's growth, how they're paying for talent, and what other networks can do to keep up.

Plus, if you're noticing a lot of prestige dramas premiering right about now, it's not coincidence. Everyone is trying to get their show on the air in the time frame right before Emmy voting starts. With Game of Thrones out of the running for best drama this year because of timing, the field is wide open for the first time in years.

And finally, there's talk of another writers' strike, but what's the likelihood of actually happening? People who have been in the industry a while are still scarred from the last strike. In the event of a strike, the late night shows would be the first to suffer, and that would be a shame since they've been on such a roll lately.

Listen below!