Post by bossradio93 on Nov 7, 2003 4:12:32 GMT -5
The Night Miss America and Rod Roddy
Tangled at KLIF’s Triangle Point in Dallas[/b]
(November 6, 2003) When I arrived in Dallas as national program director for the McLendon Corporation in 1968, a young, fiery redheaded Michael O’Shea was working afternoons at KLIF. He went on to an incredible career, including station ownership and national pd for Golden West, which brought him to KMPC. Michael recently launched the All Comedy Radio Network and is nestled in a funky Hollywood building next to the Roxy. The new network is heard on KLSX during weekend evenings.
Michael crossed paths with Rod Roddy, who recently passed away. Michael shared a wonderful story about Rod at Larry Shannon’s RadioDailyNews.com and we thought you would enjoy Michael’s story.
I was program director and on-air personality for KLIF, which had just been sold by Gordon McLendon to Fairchild Industries (a previously non-radio company). The new company produced Viet Nam-era helicopters and weaponry, and was very vigilant of government relations. The year was 1971 or 1972.
Rod Roddy was hosting a 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly talk show ("Hot", before the term "Hottalk" was invented).
Rod's guest one evening was a former Miss America (name long forgotten). She was appearing as a representative for the AMWAY corporation at their annual international convention in Ft. Worth.
Rod was aggressively critical of most "Americana" type events and "beauty pageants" were squarely in his gun sights. Rod made it clear at the beginning of the live talk show that the former Miss America was there courtesy of AMWAY, and he thanked the AMWAY people for making her available for the show, gave a quick little plug for the AMWAY products and then announced that they were there specifically to talk about the "insanity of mothers parading their little daughters in beauty pageants" and the former Miss America chose to present the contrasting viewpoint.
Well, she kept working AMWAY plugs into her discussions and each time Rod would ask her to keep to the subject and that he had properly thanked AMWAY for her appearance. Well, after about the 5th or 6th time she plugged AMWAY, with Rod becoming increasingly agitated, he declared the interview over after about 30 min and asked her to leave his studio, mid interview. Seems that this beauty had never been "kicked out" of anything and she responded by throwing her scalding hot cup of coffee all over Rod at his microphone.
A wet and embarrassed Rod became intensely angry...shouting about what a "slut" Miss America was and ordering his producer to throw her and her entourage out of the building immediately, continuing to pound the desk and rage at what a "slut" his guest was.
In mid-rage, with Rod reaching new elevations of verbal intensity, he suddenly gasped, attempting to draw breath...and then collapsed onto his mic and broadcast desk. Dead air. More dead air. Then sounds of studio confusion and off microphone scurrying to bring him aid. Then complete dead air, before joining some kind of bumper music.
About 30 ambulances converged on Commerce Street, with listeners calling aid units. Rod was transported, in semi consciousness, to Baylor University Medical Center, just a few miles away. Rod was resuscitated, with strong vital signs and a diagnosis of only severe hyperventilation.
At about midnight Rod returned to the KLIF studios, took to the air to finish his show, primarily to assure his listeners he was recovering and there were no serious medical worries. In this final hour of his show, which consistently carried a 30-plus Arbitron and Pulse share, he chose to continue to berate his Miss America guest for her disrespectful actions. Unfortunately Rod chose to further announce (post midnight) her hotel location and room number, encouraging listeners to call her to tell her was a "slut" she was.
The very next day the AMWAY corporation filed a harassment complaint with the FCC, the station was notified of a $5,000 impending fine and the new owners of KLIF made the decision to terminate Rod from his duties immediately.
Rod left Dallas to pursue a fledgling career as Los Angeles voiceover announcer and eventual game-show celebrity. RIP, Buddy, you were Jerry Springer in high school.[/i]
Source: Los Angeles Radio People/L.A. Radio.com
Tangled at KLIF’s Triangle Point in Dallas[/b]
(November 6, 2003) When I arrived in Dallas as national program director for the McLendon Corporation in 1968, a young, fiery redheaded Michael O’Shea was working afternoons at KLIF. He went on to an incredible career, including station ownership and national pd for Golden West, which brought him to KMPC. Michael recently launched the All Comedy Radio Network and is nestled in a funky Hollywood building next to the Roxy. The new network is heard on KLSX during weekend evenings.
Michael crossed paths with Rod Roddy, who recently passed away. Michael shared a wonderful story about Rod at Larry Shannon’s RadioDailyNews.com and we thought you would enjoy Michael’s story.
I was program director and on-air personality for KLIF, which had just been sold by Gordon McLendon to Fairchild Industries (a previously non-radio company). The new company produced Viet Nam-era helicopters and weaponry, and was very vigilant of government relations. The year was 1971 or 1972.
Rod Roddy was hosting a 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly talk show ("Hot", before the term "Hottalk" was invented).
Rod's guest one evening was a former Miss America (name long forgotten). She was appearing as a representative for the AMWAY corporation at their annual international convention in Ft. Worth.
Rod was aggressively critical of most "Americana" type events and "beauty pageants" were squarely in his gun sights. Rod made it clear at the beginning of the live talk show that the former Miss America was there courtesy of AMWAY, and he thanked the AMWAY people for making her available for the show, gave a quick little plug for the AMWAY products and then announced that they were there specifically to talk about the "insanity of mothers parading their little daughters in beauty pageants" and the former Miss America chose to present the contrasting viewpoint.
Well, she kept working AMWAY plugs into her discussions and each time Rod would ask her to keep to the subject and that he had properly thanked AMWAY for her appearance. Well, after about the 5th or 6th time she plugged AMWAY, with Rod becoming increasingly agitated, he declared the interview over after about 30 min and asked her to leave his studio, mid interview. Seems that this beauty had never been "kicked out" of anything and she responded by throwing her scalding hot cup of coffee all over Rod at his microphone.
A wet and embarrassed Rod became intensely angry...shouting about what a "slut" Miss America was and ordering his producer to throw her and her entourage out of the building immediately, continuing to pound the desk and rage at what a "slut" his guest was.
In mid-rage, with Rod reaching new elevations of verbal intensity, he suddenly gasped, attempting to draw breath...and then collapsed onto his mic and broadcast desk. Dead air. More dead air. Then sounds of studio confusion and off microphone scurrying to bring him aid. Then complete dead air, before joining some kind of bumper music.
About 30 ambulances converged on Commerce Street, with listeners calling aid units. Rod was transported, in semi consciousness, to Baylor University Medical Center, just a few miles away. Rod was resuscitated, with strong vital signs and a diagnosis of only severe hyperventilation.
At about midnight Rod returned to the KLIF studios, took to the air to finish his show, primarily to assure his listeners he was recovering and there were no serious medical worries. In this final hour of his show, which consistently carried a 30-plus Arbitron and Pulse share, he chose to continue to berate his Miss America guest for her disrespectful actions. Unfortunately Rod chose to further announce (post midnight) her hotel location and room number, encouraging listeners to call her to tell her was a "slut" she was.
The very next day the AMWAY corporation filed a harassment complaint with the FCC, the station was notified of a $5,000 impending fine and the new owners of KLIF made the decision to terminate Rod from his duties immediately.
Rod left Dallas to pursue a fledgling career as Los Angeles voiceover announcer and eventual game-show celebrity. RIP, Buddy, you were Jerry Springer in high school.[/i]
Source: Los Angeles Radio People/L.A. Radio.com