Lazlo (left center) and Afentra (far right)
Who the heck knew?
I guess know, being young and “hip”just isn’t what it’s cracked up to be these days. Or so it would seem. I used to think – naively I suppose – that on air personalities at an alternative rock radio station would be more in tune with the sort of folks that music tends to appeal to.
Generally speaking, somewhat more liberal thinkers with at minimum a vague awareness and understanding of climate change. People who’s cultural and political leanings and sensibilities were arguably hipper and better informed than most. Individuals who were more culturally and artistically inclined.
Not your typical shock rock radio wannabes or morning zoo deejay types.
The ones who pandered to lowest common denominator humor and gleefully traffic in stripper and porn star news and gossip. Because that would go against the grain of the type of listeners an alternative rock station would attract. You know, the sort of folks who prefer Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys and Grouplove over Quiet Riot, Shinedown and Korn.
Little did I suspect.
See, I’ve never as an adult been much for local music radio, the idle chatter, the commercials, you-name-it.
So even though alternative rock is my music of choice, I travel other paths to discover new bands like Operators and Future Islands – a pair of acts I ventured to the wilds of Des Moines, Iowa recently for the express purpose of catching at an intimate club performance there.
Operators
Thus my first reaction to the $1 million judgement against Entercom KC for the careless screwup of its morning show team on The Buzz 96.5 FM was one of surprise…and frankly disappointment.
Was calling on listeners to finger local porn stars for the Buzz to out on the air and the station’s website the sort of practice host Afentra and sidekick Danny Boi considered clever? Funny? Entertaining? Even halfway hip?
None of the above, to my thinking.
So I did some thinking and a bit of research and was reminded of several years back when the station was promoting the band Bare Naked Ladies and Entercom execs trying to enter the station’s conference room one morning were waved off because the Buzz morning show had solicited local women to come in and get naked there during their broadcast.
Classy and hi-larious to boot!
I’m no prude but does the word sophomoric ring any bells?
And that was in the corporate boardroom during office hours.
Johnny Dare
Buzz afternoon drive host and program director Lazlo wanted to be the next Johnny Dare, I was told. Lazlo wanted to push the envelope and upstage Dare.
Hey, who wouldn’t want to find a shortcut to making a well-into- six-figures paycheck? I get that.
What I didn’t apparently get was the correlation between The Rock’s more rough hewn listenership and that of the Buzz.
I will say that my understanding is that the current practices at The Buzz have been dialed back considerably since its legal and financial nightmare unfolded 2 1/2 years back.
And that’s undoubtedly a good thing.
Unfortunately it was several days and a million bucks late in coming.
That said, there’s more to this story than what’s mostly been told, so stay tuned.
The Buzz still takes some chances with their shows and the music that they play. Resurrection Sunday plays great music from the late 60’s through the early 90’s. Sonic Spectrum on Saturday nights plays great new music with a no frills host. The 90’s at Noon is decent ( it used to be great before they fired Jason who was another no frills DJ who came across as someone who really cared about music without having a superior attitude). The local music show on Sunday night is pretty decent as well. The problem is that those shows are a very small part of the overall package that is The Buzz. Afentra and Lazlo come across as mean spirited and petty. The whole attitude of, “Let’s stick it to the man!” is silly considering they are apart of Entercom. The other issue is that both the morning show and the afternoon show get into politics which drives a lot of listeners away. To bring them back they do the typical shock jock type of stuff that is passé at this point. They also seem more obsessed with ratings than any other station in town which makes them sound desperate. Not to mention that when Afentra, Lazlo, and Slimfast moved to Seattle they constantly were belittling Kansas City (while simultaneously broadcasting to Seattle and KC). Why would I want to listen to a bunch of DJ’s who think they are better than their market and yet constantly beg for people to listen?
All net from half-court, Jimmy.
They do play a wee bit of good music, but some of the on-air egos are a turn-off.
Had they been playing music instead of blabbing that day, it would have saved their boss a million clams, though.
Hearne says there’s more to the story, so we’ll see in the next installment.
Wow, well said. Great take.
I love the music they play, but if I wanted to listen to dumbasses talk about politics I would switch over to 98.1. Johnny Dare is so good because he knows the rules, just like the old school rules parents USED to teach their children; In mixed company don’t talk politics, religion, about money. Because you don’t know if someone will not agree and ruin the relationship.
That is what they do 99% of the time, I pretty much know that because I lean more conservative in my beliefs that to them…I am nothing but a racist, baby hating Nazi. So, I listen to my Alternative iTunes radio station.
Jason, the old afternoon guy was the best DJ they had, he was honestly great at making you feel the mood in the music. But, when you are married to the program director….well you know.
“The whole attitude of, “Let’s stick it to the man!” is silly considering they are apart of Entercom.”
My favorite part of their hypocrisy is when the KC Star did a feature on them and they bitched and moaned about how bad Johnson County was because it was conservative white people. Come to find out, they live in Overland Park because it is safe and the schools.
Interesting takes, Jimmy…
Some of which I’ve heard before. Having liberal politics is one thing and does I think work well with a good percentage of the alternative or modern rock music listener crowd.
The childish, raunchy banter is another matter. I know that the crossover listenership between The Rock and The Buzz is significant though and I’m sure that you’re correct about them wanting every ratings point they can get.
As I recall, poor ratings was the reason they got bounced from The Buzz the first time
1.station probably didn’t pay…I’m sure they have an insurance policy…errors
and ommissions.
2. I imagine everyone will be dialing back on the comments…I’m no
lawyer but this verdict seemed to defy all others I read about concerning
freedom of speech.
3. maybe whinery can give us some insight…I don’t get this one..buut
entercom and the insurance company probably felt it wascheaper to
pay and move on than appeal. Whinery…whats the law on this?
Of course Entercom has an insurance policy, Harley. Duh.
However with maybe a $20,000 or so deductible, depending on how much their rates may have gone up after taking a $4.25 million payola hit in late 2006. Insurance companies frown on those kind of losses.
As for freedom of speech, there is such a body as the FCC and based upon my early reporting no of the reports about how this all went down have come close to explaining why the jury awarded three quarter million dollars in punitive damages.
I’ll get to that shortly
for the fields….its lunch money….these are big big money…
20k is one half day of ads on the rock.
I’m sure entercom will be fine hearne……..
She was smug and unapologetic on 41
Hearne –
That isn’t Lazlo in the first picture.
This!
You know it was so fuzzy, but he did look skinny.
I’ll add separate pics.
To all the bitcher’s…..it’s FREE….don’t like what is FREE…pay for something that’s better there are plenty of choices.
Talk about a face for radio…….
crude remark wislun. you’re not Leonardo dicapria or George Clooney yourself!!!!!!!!!! hahahahahah!
you have a face for edge of hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry, Jr., couldn’t make it past your opening 3 rambling paragraphs. Z-z-z-z-z.
My favorite part is where you crowbar in the part about going to see a club show in Des Moines to prove how hip you are!
So alternative!!
Well, your CD collection looks shiny and costly,
how much did you pay for your bad Fiat 500?
And how much did you spend on your black leather jacket?
Is it you, or your parents, in this income tax bracket?
Now, tickets to concerts and drinking at clubs
sometimes for music that you haven’t even heard of.
And how much did you pay for your rock and roll t-shirt
that proves you were there, that you heard of them first?
Now how do you afford your rock and roll lifestyle?
How do you afford your rock and roll lifestyle?
How do you afford your rock and roll lifestyle…
Ohhhh tell me
Don’t delete posts Hearne! You have no idea what kids want you are 65 ! You are the shock jocks of internet rags only no one comes here. Look at your staff. Jesus you’re an old bag of wind and still a hypocrite. No wonder you can’t keep a job. Keep blowing the comedy guy.
Hey man, don’t rock my bj boat!!
hahahahaha…
funny …but true…
and he loves his shoes…stillettos…..he’s a sexy kind of guy from missie b.
whose that in the pic? Afentra’s bastard kid?