During the past 14 months, the "Ron and Allen" show on KBER (FM-101.1) has probably pulled off more outrageous stunts and likely used more R-rated dialogue than any other Utah morning radio show.
These "bad boys" of Utah radio have you wondering what comes next in their "shock jock" style.Before I visited KBER's morning show one morning, a detailed discussion with a listener about penile implants had just taken place, but Ron Harrison, the anchor DJ at KBER since February 1991, was not on the air. I quickly learned why.
He had quit just two days prior over a salary dispute with station management and was there that particular morning cleaning out his desk.
This came as a shock, since Harrison had taken temporary leave in early June for his honeymoon after his June 5 marriage. But after several days back, he said he quit after believing he wasn't going to get the increase in salary he felt he deserved.
Harrison had no future employment lined up either. However, he and his employer were soon able to reach an agreement and he returned to KBER: The "Ron and Allen Show" was back on the air this week.
Despite Harrison's wild on-air reputation, he said he's a mild guy.
"When I go home I'm a normal guy. I've got a wife, I've got a life, you just do whatever it takes. I mean, if I worked at FM 100 I'd be a mellow guy."
He started his broadcasting career with Evan Lake at the old "Power 99" and did character voices for various stations before coming to KBER.
Harrison was raised in Detroit and likes hiking and mountain biking.
Meanwhile, Allen Handy, the other half of the morning team and also known as "the Handy Man," said he's a family guy, too, married 21/2 years and with two kids - one from his wife's previous marriage.
He's also a talented musician and was the lead vocalist for several Salt Lake bands.
"I'm really into music. I like the music," Handy said.
Handy joined KBER's morning team in April 1992, about the same time Skye Blue, the sports man, arrived.
Other regular members of the KBER morning show include "Helmet Von Schmidt" and "Mister Obvious" (Mike Hayes).
During my visit, the KBER personalities were all wearing shorts in their studio that overlooked 200 South in downtown Salt Lake City.
But shorts were OK, because several weeks earlier, the KBER morning team was broadcasting naked to help fulfill a bet with a Seattle radio station over the outcome of the Seattle Supersonics series with the Utah Jazz - and they had photographs to prove this stunt actually happened.
KBER also had photographic proof that Harrison was actually punched in the face by a man who threatened the DJ and his family at the conclusion of the KBER morning team's billboard sitting stunt this past spring.
"You've got to do crazy things," Handy said, explaining nothing is staged on their show. "It's real or nothing."
Skye Blue said many people didn't realize Ron and Allen had to sit on the billboard only 16 hours a day as part of their bet, nor that the disc jockeys had various other promotions they were also committed to attend during that time.
KBER has always been music-intensive, and this has at times been at conflict with the station's talk-oriented morning show that may play only five songs an hour.
But "Ron and Allen" have increased from a 6.1 share in the morning audience ratings in the 18-34 age group to a 10.7 share in 14 months - good enough for third in the market.
The KBER personalities also plan to continue their tradition of doing various fund-raisers for charity, such as for the Muscular Dystrophy Association on Labor Day.
The KBER morning team is also listener-oriented and responds to every message left on their answering machine.
"Wheels of Torture" and "Push It" are just two of the morning team's game shows it lets listeners play.
How do you know when you've succeeded in morning radio?
Handy said it's when other morning shows start talking about you, and KBER has had plenty of that recently.
- KSL (AM-1160) - It's truckin' time on "Newsradio KSL." The station has become part of the "Road Gang Coast to Coast Network," airing from midnight until 5 a.m. seven days a week.
This show is not only geared to the 2- to 3-million truck drivers in the United States, but also for other overnight travelers listening to the five-station network.
The show originates from WWL in New Orleans, offering weather, trucker information and music (meaning songs have returned to KSL, even if it's only overnight for the time being). Dave Nemo is the show's host.
While Rod Arquette, KSL program director, admits this new show sounds a bit unusual for Newsradio, the network show is a national trend on the biggest AM stations in the country and is a big revenue generator.
The new trucker show means "When Radio Was" is now gone, along with "Costas Coast to Coast" and "CBS News Up to the Minute." KSL is also planning on phasing out "First Light" with Dirk Van.
Despite some rumors, Arquette said that KSL is not planning any afternoon radio changes in the near future, nor is it trying to get the Rush Limbaugh show, currently airing on KALL-AM.
- KMXB (alias "The Mix," FM-107.5) - Tom Bock, previous afternoon personality on the station for more than two years, recently switched to mornings and is now teamed up with Robin Morales.
This new morning show is still doing its usual features, such as "The Game Show," "Hump Day Lunch" and "Flash and Trash" features. Danny Jessop, the previous morning co-host, can now devote more time to his duties as operations manager for both KMXB and KUMT.
John St. Clair has replaced Bock on the afternoon shift, and if you've wondered what happened to Tim Hughes, previous morning co-host on KSL, he's now at KMXB as a weekend personality.
- KMXB is also the sponsor of this weekend's hot-air balloon races at Provo's American Freedom Festival.
In addition, the station will provide pre-fireworks entertainment on July 5 with music and prizes.
- KRCL (FM-90.9, except FM-89.9 in the Moab area) and the Wasatch Soul Alliance will present "Liberty Jam 93," Saturday, July 3, noon until 7 p.m. in the northeast corner of Liberty Park, 700 East and 900 South.
This is a community event, complete with a disc jockey dunking booth, food, music and face painting.
- FOURTH OF JULY RADIO DRAMA - KRCL will present "Craven Street," a historical miniseries about Benjamin Franklin, beginning Monday, July 5, at noon.
The five-hour series will continue each day next week at noon, one hour daily, and will involve Franklin's experiences as a colonial agent in London.
Presented by the American Dialogues Foundation, "Craven Street" stars George Grizzard and Elizabeth Montgomery. The series was three years in the making.
- KSFI (alias "FM-100") - Every Friday from 5-8 p.m., station personality Lyle Morris will broadcast live from the FM-100 motor home on the plaza outside Symphony Hall.
"PlazaFest," a related event, will be from 6-8 p.m. and has food and live entertainment so that a ticket to the Utah Symphony is not needed.
KSFI will give away tickets to lucky listeners, and this week's PlazaFest will feature String Fever, a bluegrass band.
- The station will present the annual City Parks Golf Tournament later this year at Bonneville and WingPoint.
- KDYL (AM-1280) - Morning personalities "Mark and Danny" will attend the PlazaFest each week, being sponsored by sister station KSFI.
- KRSP (FM-103.5) is offering listeners a chance to win trips to see the Moody Blues and Van Halen, along with CD libraries. Listen to "Rock 103" for more details on this "The Summer of Rock" promotion.
- KUTM (alias "The Mountain," FM-105.7) is the media sponsor of this weekend's Snowbird Wolcott Optical Outdoor Sports Festival. The event will feature wall climbing, volleyball and bicycle competitions. KUMT will have a booth at the festival from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on July 3 and 4.
- KLZX (alias "Z-93" FM) - Ticket sales for the station's Livestock '93 event are going twice as fast as expected, according to Tricia Griffith, station programming director. The concert is July 31 at the Utah State Fairpark. Tickets are $10 in advance, or $12 on the day of the show.
- KUER (FM-90.1) - "Living on Earth," the weekly 30-minute environmental program by National Public Radio, will go on the road in July to produce programs on the Great Lakes and the Midwest.
The program is heard locally each Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
- The "Star Wars" radio series continues Sunday, July 4, at 6 p.m., with episode four, "While Giants Mark Time."
- The comedy troupe Capitol Steps will attempt to keep up with with President Clinton's first 100 days in office with a special "Politics Takes a Holiday" broadcast Sunday, July 4, 7:30-8 p.m.
- KBYU (FM-89.1) will air a special holiday program by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Air Force Heartland Band at 2 p.m. Sunday, July 4.