Rick Dees comes to DC!

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

Here in the Washington DC area, it’s just been announced that Los Angeles DJ Rick Dees will take over the morning shift on one of the DC FM stations (106.7? I haven’t lived here long enough to be certain) beginning this coming Monday, January 29.

Supposedly the show will be live :rolleyes:, despite the fact that LA is… Oh, three hours behind us! The station’s general manager was on a rival station this past week (the hosts called him up, the ballsy bastards!) but wouldn’t give any information about how this would be accomplished. The show’s hosts speculated that the show would be delayed until the final hour, which would be carried live. Or something like that.

Anyway, just curious - does anyone out there listen to this guy? Ok, that’s a rhetorical question. Obviously someone is, or he wouldn’t still be on the air. But for those of you who are in the LA area…

  1. Do you like Rick Dees? Do you find him entertaining or just annoying?

  2. What kind of a show can we Washingtonians expect from Mr. Dees?

  3. Do you think the show Dees presents now in LA will play well in DC? I mean, we are talking about two wildly different cities, aren’t we?

I haven’t heard one show he’s done, but the local DJs here don’t seem to hold him in high regard. What’s your take?

#2

All I can say is Rick ought to thank his lucky stars the Don and Mike are on in the afternoons.

Actually, all I know of Rick Dees is - Disco Duck, the crappy Top Forty program he used to do, and various embarrassing TV appearances. He’ll probably do well, because he seems to know the radio game, but that doesn’t actually make him good, though does it?

#3

It was actually the Don and Mike show where I heard the news! Yeah, he’s way lucky he’s not on opposite them - but then again, the station he’ll be working for in DC probably wouldn’t dare put him against them.

Rick Dees is nothing more than another Shadoe Stevens! But I am curious to hear the show once… We’ll see, maybe I’ll give it a listen. I’m more of an AM guy in the mornings. I’m too groggy to want too much music, so I tune in WTOP and get some news…

#4

Now I’ve gone and done it. I haven’t been able to tune into Don and Mike since I moved out west. I’m all heart-broken over here. (I think they have an affiliate in Sacramento, but I can’t pick it up in SF)

Anyway, you ought to check back to give your impressions of the show once you’ve heard it. And of course to fill us Don-n-Mike-less sorts in on their take on it too.

#5

Oh, Jack, Jack, Jack. And to think of all the respect I had for you.

Don and Mike are exactly what’s wrong with FM radio in this world. I don’t want to send this over to GD or anything, but I must publicly blast Don and Mike for their witless musings. They are NOT funny. Granted, some don’t listen to them because they expect funny, but they are annoying to the n[sup]th[/sup] degree. They repeatedly make stupid crank phone calls. I can’t find humor in making fun of someone’s non-grasp of some situation.

And don’t get me started about that damn hotel-desk-clerk-notice-me bell. If I had my druthers, next time you hear that bell ring it would be quite muffled. :wink:

Don’t worry JB; I haven’t given up hope on you. I think that you are basically a good person; you just got mixed up with the wrong crowd. A bit of “deprogramming” might be in order.

#6

I grew up in LA and managed to only listen to Rick Dees (for more than 5 minutes) once that I can recall, I was being held hostage in somebody else’s car on the way to work, I never carpooled with them again. I never understood his popularity. Of course that was 10 years ago, so maybe he’s improved with age?

I do remember there being a scandal at some point when it came out that he recorded the first half of his show the day before, just so he wouldn’t have to get his butt out of bed at 4:30 in the morning, but it was still billed as a “live” show. It wouldn’t surprise me if he prerecords more of it now. Don’t expect greatness.

#7

To tell the truth, I don’t really like the show, either. There I was, sitting in the parking lot of Sears, thinking hmmmmm I don’t feel like listening to John Thompson’s show, and I don’t feel like hearing the news/weather… hm hm hm… I know! I’ll try FM! And somehow I had programmed my car’s radio to receive their station.

It’s not a horrible show, but there’s nothing that really separates them from other jocks. They were discussing the case of Mark Chmura (of the Green Bay Packers) and were getting calls from Wisconsinites about it. One of the jocks (Don? Mike? Who knows) was talking to the callers in what he thought was a Wisconsin/Illinois/Michigan accent, but what sounded to me like Irish. Really crappy work!

But after listening to them and knowing what other shows on the East Coast are like, I wonder how well the laid-back Dees will fit in… :slight_smile:

#8

Oooooh slackergirl posted while I was previewing and putzing around…

Don and Mike said this too - that he’d tape his show on Friday and run it on Monday in DC. They also suggested maybe the DC station would just have him tape a few voice-overs (“Hello DeesCee! And a happy Monday, if you please!”) and then fill the rest of the program with music. Who knows? Now I’m curious, although trust me, slackergirl, I don’t expect ‘greatness.’ I expect the plasticity of Los Angeles. :slight_smile:

#9

Hey, spritle, we’re all entitled to our guilty pleasures.

You have to realize, I got turned onto D&M in Maine, where the other talk radio fixtures were Imus, Liddy and Doctor Laura. I loved hearing them offending virtually everyone in the afternoon and being absolutely shameless about it. And I loved “Low Budget Trivia” with Mike’s endless impressions.

But that’s not what this thread is about. I think Rick Dees, from what I know about him, will be, as dantheman theorized, quite plastic. What can I say? Pablum seems to go over well with the masses.

#10

Rick Dees - a tired act that’s got to go. :rolleyes:

I grew up in LA and listened to his station (KIIS FM)for several years. I enjoyed his show when I was in junior high, circa 1987.

Unfortunately, it’s basically still the same shtick. Time for some new material, Dees. And if you’ve heard his top 40 show, that’s EXACTLY how his morning show is. I’d flee if I were you. Hell, I’m planning a trip to DC in the spring, and now I’ll know what to avoid!!

While I’m on the KIIS FM subject, I’d just like to drop in 2 cents about a former fellow DJ of Dees’ - the Nastyman. Now living in lovely San Diego, I just discovered Mr. Nasty is on one of the local morning shows. Again, same show, different year. I heard this guy about 5 years ago in LA, and he’s still doing the same “Nastyman and Company” crap. Ugh.

Anyway, sorry for the diversion. Dees is shlocky mainstream radio that panders to everyone and pleases no one. You’d do well to stick with NPR or something instead.

#11

Well, like I said, I don’t expect him to be all that wonderful. What do you think the chances are he’ll just flat-out stink? I mean in this particular market. Obviously if he’s been on the air all these years he must have some decent numbers in LA, but how much of that is simply name recognition? People here know him, of course, but my bet is that they’ll tune in for a week or less and then run away screaming. I mean… Laid back? In Washington? :slight_smile: