Video: Kevin and Bean Choke Up at Their NAB Hall of Fame Induction

One more item on the Kevin and Bean NAB Hall of Fame induction on Tuesday (see my post here). I took a few quick videos of portions of both hosts' acceptance speeches (mostly the ends, when things got emotional). A few tidbits:

Live from Vegas, My Chat with "The Walking Dead" Creator Robert Kirkman, Star Steven Yeun and AMC's Charlie Collier (VIDEO)

Selfie with Steven Yeun and Robert Kirkman

I spent 24 hours in Las Vegas earlier this week to moderate a panel at the National Association of Broadcasters convention with "The Walking Dead" creator Robert Kirkman, star Steven Yeun ("Glenn") and AMC president Charlie Collier. It was a wide-ranging chat covering the launch of the show, as well as where things are heading in Season 6 (more Morgan, as he and Rick reunite) and what to expect from the upcoming companion series "Fear the Walking Dead." We also chatted about the potential of a movie (none on the horizon) and the idea of a foreign companion series (never say never).



Sandra Gonzalez at Mashable attended the panel and wrote up Kirkman's latest hints about the new show, and what he's not telling us about the zombie origins story:

The forthcoming The Walking Dead companion series might be taking place in the early days of the zombie apocalypse, but executive producer Robert Kirkman has no intention of using the show to explain too many details about the zombie virus outbreak.

"[Learning the origins] is not the priority in Walking Dead; that's not the priority in Fear The Walking Dead," Kirkman told a packed panel at the NAB Show in Las Vegas. "Every other story deals with that stuff and we're concerned about the heart."

Which is not to say, of course, that Kirkman doesn't have the origin story worked out; he simply never thought it was the most interesting aspect of the series he wanted to make.

"I know the story, but I've never bothered to write it down," he said. "Let's hope I don't die."

So what will Fear The Walking Dead be?

The show, which debuts this summer and is set in Los Angeles, will take viewers "back to a timid time when the walking dead were more dangerous and more of an ever present threat," according to Kirkman.

Watch excerpts of the panel here:

Kevin & Bean Get Inducted into the NAB Hall of Fame (PICS)

(Photo by Robb Cohen Photography and Video, via KROQ's website)

Kevin Ryder and Gene "Bean" Baxter were inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame on Tuesday, accepting the honor with a mix of humor and emotion. It was a bit of a different side of both DJs: While the K&B team mercilessly mocks each other on the air, at the ceremony the duo had nothing but praise for each other. Kevin credited Bean for being one of the funniest guys he's ever known (Ralph Garman, he added, was the other one), while Bean returned the favor: "He's such a funny guy and makes us better."

Both Kevin and Bean gave great acceptance speeches; here's how Bean ended his:

"You know those two great tastes that taste great together like Reese's Peanut Butter cups? I know [Kevin] wants to be the chocolate and I'll be the Peanut Butter. But we could never have imagined when we met in Phoenix and started working together and cracking each other up, neither of us could have imagined more than 25 years later we'd still be doing this. But he does crack me up as much as anyone as well. And I do thank you for putting up with me for all these years. You've been a great partner.

"A lot of times people will ask for advice for morning shows. Very few morning shows last as long as ours has. And I don't have any. I don't know how to make what has worked for us work for other people. I think e just got lucky to be two people who fit well together on and off the radio. I can count the number of times we've had an argument or fight on one hand over 25 years. We just got lucky. I already feel like I've had such a charmed life. This induction is the cherry on top."

The K&B portion of the luncheon began with a tribute video, featuring Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Carolla, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Psycho Mike Catherwood, Chris Hardwick and others. As a longtime fan of K&B (since moving here in 1996) and an occasional visitor to the studio, I was excited to be there and witness the event. (I was at the NAB moderating a panel for "The Walking Dead," which I'll write about later). It was great to see Ralph Garman, producer Dave "The King of Mexico" Sanchez, associate producer Christine Fung, "Beermug" (aka Johnny Kantrowe), "Chip"(Danielle Lehman) and "Lightning" (Jay Tilles), all washed up and dressed in their best. Well, "great," but also a tad weird to see them so formal. (Beermug promised me that he actually already owned that suit.) I was also happy to meet Bean's wife, Donna, and Kevin's wife, Melissa, and even caught a glimpse of Bean's dad, the famed "Chief."

And yes, both Kevin and Bean choked up toward the end of their speeches. Hey, this was a big deal. Like Bean said in his speech, lasting 25 years in morning radio -- in Los Angeles, of all places -- is a virtual impossibility in radio. These guys are lucky sumbitches.

I took a few pics at the event:


At the cocktail reception beforehand


Dave "The King of Mexico," "Beermug," "Chip"


The NAB luncehon stage


"Lightning" with Dave and Beermug


The group gathers for a pic after


Taken off the big screen


One more off the big screen

The video included a clip from this 1996 ABC7 Eyewitness News live interview with the guys, mocking Rick Dees and Mark & Brian:



This screen grab of Kevin and Bean as Mark & Brian is pretty amazing, by the way: