Excerpt #26 from the long-awaited book that Chuck Blore has almost finished writing ...

www.chuckblore.com

OKAY, OKAY, I WROTE THE BOOK

 I have always had an immense respect for the radio audience, often referring to them, or it, as “A Collective Genius.” I first heard that phrase, ‘collective genius,’ associated with Broadway Shows. Producers would spend a million dollars to put together the best writer, the best composer, the best director, choreographer, set designer, etc., to create a show. But, before they would dare show it to a Broadway audience, they would try it out in Boston, or wherever, showing the collaboration of these best-of-the-best talents to a bunch of tyros whose opinions individually, wouldn’t matter to them a bit. But, when three or four hundred of these amateurs were put together in a darkened theater, their opinions were, collectively, genius. And they were never wrong. A few audible throat clearings or coughs would tell them a scene was not cutting it, and that scene would be changed tomorrow. If the laughter or applause was not what they thought it ought to be, or, not there at all, it could cause entire numbers to be thrown out, or, put in. Whatever those amateurs in that darkened hall communicated collectively, it dictated absolutely to the experts, where and what worked, what didn’t work at all and what needed work.

Same thing with the radio audience. I could listen to any individuals opinion about the programming on my station and if I agreed, fine, and if I didn’t, also fine. It really didn’t matter. But collectively, the thousands of people listening to us at any given time, were never wrong ... they were ... genius. In all my broadcasting days and later in advertising, that great respect for the audience is one thing that never changed. And that radio station in Pasadena, whose trickery I alluded to earlier, was lying to people! I was so outraged by this blatant humbuggery (I've always wanted to use that word somewhere), my little halo almost shorted out. "Lie to the audience will they? Hah! I'll fix them!" If this was the way they were gonna play, I had me an expose'!

After I sent Charles Arlington, to Buffalo, to expose their “Find Perry A___” fraud. We called KXXX to collect the prize and they were dumfounded ... accent on the dum!

Bob Purcell had told the culprits that we would not report their blatant dishonesty on our newscasts. Fine. “But,” Bob could be very righteous in moments like these, “Here is our chance to embarrass and degrade our new competitor almost before they get on the air.” He agreed it would not be a news item. This kind of chicanery was fodder for a full fledged editorial. So, that afternoon, with just the right amount of indignation, Bob Purcell went on the air and explained the whole scam to Southern California.

I've often wondered about the wisdom of that move, which we thought was so hilarious at the time, because we were denigrating and embarrassing the enemy on our own air. But most people had never heard of KXXX till that moment. We were telling our massive audience about this pipsqueak radio station. And even though we were telling people that KXXX's new owners were villains, we did not consider the Golden Rule of PR, "It doesn't matter what they say as long as they spell your name right." At any rate, we demanded the $10,000.00 and got it. Then, in another burst of piety, we went on the air to announce that we were giving the money to the UCLA Music Department. It was also another burst of stupidity, because once again we were telling all of Southern California about that radio station in Pasadena.

To me KXXX always sounded like little kids who needed a bath. They never became the threat we thought they might be.

Another thing they did to piss me off, was to hire Casey Kasem away from our San Francisco station, KEWB, and bring him to L.A. Casey always wanted to be an actor and even though the opportunity to work in Southern California would be the answer to his dream, before accepting their offer, he called to see if it would be okay with me. Great guy ... great deejay ... I wonder whatever happened to him?

I often stop to remember all the great deejays I've worked with over the years. The first one that always comes to mind is Al Jarvis. Al was remarkable ... when we had “mail pull” promotions, the other six guys would average 600 letters or cards a week, Jarvis would get 4,000. I could never figure it out, but he was magnetic. The only other deejays I would ever put in the ‘Great’ category were Robert W. Morgan and Don McKinnon. I once told Morgan he’d have to leave L.A. and go to some small town to learn his trade and “Then come back and see me.” When he came back to L.A., it was not to see me, it was to re-invent morning radio in “The nitty-gritty city.” I was a huge fan.

The other ‘great’ DJ was Don McKinnon, who worked for me first at KEWB in San Francisco and later at KF in L.A. To McKinnon radio was an off the cuff party to which everyone was invited, every morning. And every morning was better than the one the day before.

I used to sit with a large yellow pad once a week listening to, and then beating up on
the Crowell-Collier deejays. I remember one week after being particularly cruel to people like Mitch Reed and Bill Ballance, I was listening to Don's morning love affair with San Francisco. When it was over, I looked at my giant yellow pad and under McKinnon. I had written ... "Great ... fabulous ... Love it." I had never done that before and I thought maybe Don would like to see it. I sent it to him with a congratulatory note on this singular achievement. He sent it back after scribbling, "Asshole! Before the 7AM break I forgot to tease what was coming up after the news. At 8:20, I segued from record to commercial and back to record because I was taking a dump. Segueing is something your policy book prohibits and I am certain that if I ever read the damn thing all the way through, it’ll be while I’m taking a dump. I’ll probably find you also prohibited taking a dump." That may not be the exact language but it's damn close.

Another thing I remember is when KFWB went out on strike. Don was the first of all the jox to call and say, "Hey man. If you need me down there, I'll be on the next plane." Pretty gutsy when you consider it probably would have gotten him kicked out of the union, which would have meant out of a job in any major market. And then he did something which affected the whole industry for years to come. I got a tape from him along with a note saying, “Chuck, seems to me you ought to tell your audience where the hell the regular jox are. You sure ain’t gonna tell them your beloved staff is on strike, so my little girl and I figured out that someone has stolen all the (kfw)... BEES. And the jox are out looking for the missing “Bees.” Listen to the enclosed tape. My daughter, Dianne, is really cute, but I warn you, she’s not in the union. But then, you’re on strike anyway so who gives a s—.” On the tape was a little scene with Don and his five year old daughter, Diane. As I recall it was something like ...
DIANE: Where are all the regular deejays, Daddy?

DON: Gee, hon. Someone stole all of our B's and I think the deejays are out trying to find them.

DIANE: They stole your B's?

DON: Yep. Now we have to say ... KFW uh! 'cause we don't have any B's.

DIANE: And you're gonna help em find their B’s, right?

DON: If they want me to I am.

DIANE: Okay den, by the powder invested in me, I declare you to be one of them
KFW uh! Good Guys!

I fell in love with little Diane and "the powder invested in me." I called Don and asked him to record a couple of Public Service (?) spots declaring the replacement jocks to be "one of them KFWB Good Guys." Which of course he did, and we started calling the replacement air staff, “The Good Guys.” By the way, The Good Guys were all management people, the KF, KE, and KDWB Program Directors, my assistant, Bill Angel, and me. The PS spots Don and little Diane did were things like this:

DIANE: When you go driving around you always come to a complete stop and look all around before you go again, dontcha?

DON: Yes, I sure do.

DIANE: And you always carry flares in your car for ‘just in case,” dontcha?

DON: Yes. I promise. I do.

DIANE: Okay den, by the powder invested in me, I declare you to be one of them
KFWB Good Guys!

So, that's where the "Good Guys" thing was born, which was very quickly ripped off by WMCA in New York, and subsequently by every other non-thinking PD in the country. For several years, "The ---- Good Guys" became part of Top Forty radio everywhere.

To this day, that kind of dim-witted copy-cat thievery is an abomination to me. I swear it’s responsible for the bland sameness of radio all across the country today. Market to market they all sound the same. Exactly. From Color Radio, to Boss Radio all the way up to now ... and if you don’t know what it is today, then you don’t know Jack.

Other than his amazing energy, his immense talent, and his huge love of life, that's about all that comes to my mind about Don McKinnon right now. I know I loved the man and was constantly bowled over by his inherent greatness.

The greatest ever, I think.

(...to be continued)