Earlier today I announced to our staff some changes to the lineup of KTAR-FM. Tomorrow marks Kid Stevens' last day as a full-time talk show host on KTAR-FM. More about him in a minute. The lineup change will be moving Larry Gaydos to 7-10pm and adding Phil Hendrie to the KTAR-FM lineup from 10pm-1am.
I'll write more in the next few days about Gaydos and Hendrie. Both are talented guys who will be a good team in the evenings for us. Again, more on them in a day or two. Today, I want to make a few comments about Kid.
I hired Kid last Fall. I've only been in the Valley for 16 months. So, I never heard him and Rueben during their decade together as morning show jocks on hip hop stations here. I did know of their success and was interested in talking to Kid when he contacted me asking for a conversation.
Before I meet with any talent I do my homework. I do a LOT of homework. In this case I wanted to learn more about why Kid had been fired from his job at another broadcasting company. The company claimed Kid had made racially inflammatory comments about Hurricane Katrina victims. I looked into those claims.
They were bogus.
I hate it when people don't tell the truth. I hate it when managers don't shoot straight with employees. My experience is most managers don't have enough backbone to tell the truth, when it's unpleasant. Fortunately, or unfortunately, I have always been a blunt communicator. I also like it when others communicate with me that way. Don't waste my time with crap. If I'm not getting the job done, tell me. If I am doing an awesome job, reward me. Just shoot straight.
I wasn't involved in the firing of Kid & Reuben nearly two years ago. I don't have all the details. But, I also know that in a few weeks, when Kid returns to morning radio at another station in another format, I will be cheering for him. He's one of the good guys. He's hungry. He works his tail off. He goes above and beyond. He is a pleasure to work with. He's a class act.
So, while I'm personally disappointed Kid is leaving KTAR-FM, I'm thrilled for his opportunity in music radio. While most radio people and managers would hide details like those I'm sharing, I will instead take the opportunity to heap praise and explain what's happening. If you've read this blog at all you know I think a lot of what happens in this industry is crap. We don't operate that way here. So, Kid will talk on the radio tomorrow about leaving. He'll mention the station he's going to. He'll talk about why he made this decision. He won't simply disappear.
And, in a classy move, his new employer, has agreed to permit him to fill-in on KTAR-FM for vacationing hosts from time to time. We'll be using him.
So, to wrap up, I'm bummed to lose Kid as one of our daily talk show hosts.
But, I'm thrilled his Redemption Day has arrived.
He's back in hip hop and he will soon be causing the station that shoved him out the door two years ago to regret that decision.
And, I'll be cheering.
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