Kick-Ass Audio Breaks

With the passing this week of my very good friend, Dave McKay, from Dave and Veronica, WQYK, Tampa, I wanted to honor him with our weekly audio post of an all-time favorite.  I loved Dave because he had the biggest heart and always (!) put everyone of us in the team over himself.  Dave was an immensely hard worker, very creative, and never adverse to getting stuff done.  The number of contacts he had in his cell always astounded me – we’d come up with an idea for a local celebrity and Dave would make the call to make it happen.  There are a slew of segments I could post to celebrate Dave, but this is one of my all-time favorites.  Not only for its creativity, but for the sheer balls it took to pull off.  We hatched an idea to get a local mayor to do the Vincent Price poem at the end of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as a Halloween bit.  Dave shows up unannounced at a Meet the Mayor Town Hall and convinces a handler to let him ask his question last.  What happens is one of the most fun things we ever did – it’s edge of your seat silliness as listeners wait to hear how the mayor will react and if Dave will get thrown out.  I’ve included other breaks Dave did which I believe are fun, innovative, and memorable so you can hear his genius and the talent of his team (Pen of the Day, interview with Garth Brooks,and his mom’s outgoing voicemail).  Dave McKay had one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever known – to his listeners, coworkers, teammates, and his community.  There was never a time after we stopped working together when we talked that he didn’t thank me for all I did for him.  I always thanked him back, because he made me a better person and a better talent coach.  I’ll miss that dude.  Hope you enjoy these.

There are few stations and shows that can openly make fun of Donald Trump without retribution from its audience or Trump’s loudest supporters. The Cruz Show, Power 106, Los Angeles is one.  With its intensely loyal Hispanic base, the show can consistently go there, with the audience identifying with their point-of-view all the way.  Once laughter is included, and we figure out how to entertain around the topic, it makes it even better.  They asked the audience the simple question, “I’d rather (blank) than see Donald Trump become president.”  This works because it’s a Hot Topic with an interesting take – every answer is different so the bit doesn’t become stagnant.  The execution was even better – with them culling answers from people on the street and on the phones – two approaches to make it sparkle.