GAY 105?!?
Thomas
Just when you thought LIVE 105's ratings couldn't get any worse, they
probably have lost at least half of their 1.8 share today because of
their dumb April Fool's Day stunt. It is not a matter of "gay" content,
it is just plain stupid. What a piss-poor idea, which I might add has
been done millions of times throughout the years on April Fool's Day.
Unbelievable...
John Higdon
In article <6fuvi7$rsb$2...@news.ncal.verio.com>, David Kaye
<d...@removeme.wco.com> wrote:
> I like the music, but what's this with the DJs? What's with the bumpers?
> The DJs sound like suburban white trash homophobic idiots. I had
> previously thought they were somewhat hip. I guess I was wrong; the
> simpering high-pitched crap is soooo Stockton it's not even funny. It's
> tragic. I don't think I'll think of KITS in the same way again. One
> would have thought that KITS could handle something gay with at least a
> *little* class.
Huh. I didn't get a chance to hear it, but everyone I talked to said it
was a real kick in the pants. No one expressed the slightest degree of
"offense", and it apparently got lot-o-folks' attention.
How do you "handle something gay with class"? A spoof is a spoof; it is
meant to be outrageous. Sometimes I think people walk around on
hair-triggers just waiting for something at which to be offended.
> So, what, I wonder, do the KITS DJs *really* think of Hibernia Beach?
Do we care?
--
John Higdon | P.O. Box 7648 | +1 408 264 4115 | FAX:
| San Jose, CA 95150 | +1 500 FOR-A-MOO |+1 408 264 4407
postm...@ati.com | http://www.ati.com/ati/
David Kaye
Thomas wrote the quoted material below:
" Just when you thought LIVE 105's ratings couldn't get any worse, they
" probably have lost at least half of their 1.8 share today because of
" their dumb April Fool's Day stunt. It is not a matter of "gay" content,
" it is just plain stupid.
I like the music, but what's this with the DJs? What's with the bumpers?
The DJs sound like suburban white trash homophobic idiots. I had
previously thought they were somewhat hip. I guess I was wrong; the
simpering high-pitched crap is soooo Stockton it's not even funny. It's
tragic. I don't think I'll think of KITS in the same way again. One
would have thought that KITS could handle something gay with at least a
*little* class.
So, what, I wonder, do the KITS DJs *really* think of Hibernia Beach? Are
they simpering and prancing around?
--
(C) 1998 Does your California vehicle meet smog, noise,
David Kaye and safety laws? Call the CHP at 916-657-7261
dk at wco.com
Ken McPherson
>In article <6fuvi7$rsb$2...@news.ncal.verio.com>, David Kaye
><d...@removeme.wco.com> wrote:
>> So, what, I wonder, do the KITS DJs *really* think of Hibernia Beach?
>
>Do we care?
I don't...
Ken McPherson
David Kaye
John Higdon wrote the quoted material below:
" How do you "handle something gay with class"? A spoof is a spoof; it is
" meant to be outrageous. Sometimes I think people walk around on
" hair-triggers just waiting for something at which to be offended.
KITS handling of the K-GAY spoof was to use high-pitched voices and
simpering inflection. This is in exactly the same league as if KITS
played black urban music and did voices like Amos 'n' Andy. Exactly the
same thing.
" Do we care?
Well, KITS positions itself as the hip, urban, white side of KMEL. It has
a gay program, with the in-joke name of "Hibernia Beach", which I assume
is to further solidify its position as being hip and classy. They've now
succeeded in taking what reputation they had and basically trashing it.
Do I personally care? Yeah, I guess I do. Had it been KGO or KSFO I'd
have expected it and probably not even commented on it (largely because I
wouldn't have heard it).
Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-queen. I'm not some A-gay trying
to put up a "respectable" image. But the fact is that they didn't have
any legit queens on the air. They *could* have gotten Joan Jett Blakk, or
some of the many talented people in the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
But no, they did some straight white-trash man's idea of gay.
--
(C) 1998 Questions about seafood safety, foods, drugs, and
David Kaye medical devices? Call the FDA at 1-800-332-4010
dk at wco.com
Ken McPherson
On 2 Apr 1998 18:42:33 GMT, David Kaye <d...@removeme.wco.com> wrote:
>John Higdon wrote the quoted material below:
>
>" How do you "handle something gay with class"? A spoof is a spoof; it is
>" meant to be outrageous. Sometimes I think people walk around on
>" hair-triggers just waiting for something at which to be offended.
>
>KITS handling of the K-GAY spoof was to use high-pitched voices and
>simpering inflection. This is in exactly the same league as if KITS
>played black urban music and did voices like Amos 'n' Andy. Exactly the
>same thing.
>
>" Do we care?
>
>Well, KITS positions itself as the hip, urban, white side of KMEL. It has
>a gay program, with the in-joke name of "Hibernia Beach", which I assume
>is to further solidify its position as being hip and classy. They've now
>succeeded in taking what reputation they had and basically trashing it.
David, David, David... first of all the context of John's comment
was:
>> So, what, I wonder, do the KITS DJs *really* think of Hibernia Beach?
>
>Do we care?
Your revision of context makes your response irrelevant. Within the
context of John's remark, I repeat, I don't.
Just like any office in the city, LIVE 105 has a mixed bag of
attitudes regarding sexual orientation. We have many openly gay
employees, all of whom feel the environment is great. While ALL of the
non-gay DJs are quite friendly to those of us who are openly gay, some
of them make stupid/offensive remarks without even realizing it. If
anything, whatever heterosexism occurs is a result of non-gay
employees thinking themselves incapable of such because the think they
"get it". Sometimes they don't.
Second. Hibernia Beach began because of a fight between GLAAD and the
station nine years ago. I named it and was given 100% content control.
When we started we had an audience of 2k. I've built the audience to
over 40K with virtually no promotional expense. It remains on the air
because we bring them a bigger audience and more advertisers than
anything else they've had for a Sunday night. That's why they dumped
the Modern Rock Doc and gave me his slot. And I still have 100%
content control.
I make CBS more money than any other vehicle they are aware of. If
that changes, I'm history.
>Do I personally care? Yeah, I guess I do. Had it been KGO or KSFO I'd
>have expected it and probably not even commented on it (largely because I
>wouldn't have heard it).
It never would have happened on KGO or KSFO. They have no interest in
anyone other than straight white males.
>Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-queen. I'm not some A-gay trying
>to put up a "respectable" image. But the fact is that they didn't have
>any legit queens on the air. They *could* have gotten Joan Jett Blakk, or
>some of the many talented people in the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.
>But no, they did some straight white-trash man's idea of gay.
Too many judgements, too little information. From 10AM-4PM every shift
was run by openly gay DJs. Those "simpering" voices you referred to
were our own, thank you very much. I did the 1-4 slot and had Pussy
Tourette on for an hour. Not only are we ligit queens, unlike your
nominees, we are all broadcast professionals. Perhaps you ought to
re-investigate your own internalized homophobia after all.
Were mistakes made? I think so. The morning drive host was "Damien",
a so-called "gay persona" of Ray Casey's. It pissed me off. Not
because Ray's character was effeminate (he was no more effeminate than
Screaming Queen Lord Martine, the very legit queen who followed at
10AM) but because he said things and reacted in a way that no gay
person on earth would have. It made me wince.
I also knew instinctually that a percentage of the gay community would
take offense because the whole premise was an April Fools joke, with a
sense of mockery almost inherent, even if not intended.
And I expressed this to management very clearly when they sought my
opinion after receiving a small number of complaints.
The feedback I have received so far from the gay community is mixed.
Most gay people seemed to like it, particularly the music. Some were
upset. I remain uncomfortable with the experience and am glad it is
over.
Ken McPherson
John Higdon
In article <6g0m6p$gfb$1...@news.ncal.verio.com>, David Kaye
<d...@removeme.wco.com> wrote:
> Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not anti-queen. I'm not some A-gay trying
> to put up a "respectable" image. But the fact is that they didn't have
> any legit queens on the air.
What is the test for a "legit queen"? I have a problem with the notion
that it takes a bonafide homosexual to assume a particular affectation.
Maybe we should publish a list of allowable impressions and impersonations
by folks who are not carrying cards certifying membership in the class
targeted by the satire.
Maybe old age is finally taking its toll. I no longer have the mental
horsepower to keep track of who is permitted to camp it up, or the time or
inclination to check the sexuality credentials of anyone engaged in
performance satire.
If it is good, I enjoy it. If it sucks (even if it "sucks less") then I am
not interested.
Tim Pozar
Thomas <cal...@lodi.net> wrote:
> Just when you thought LIVE 105's ratings couldn't get any worse, they
> probably have lost at least half of their 1.8 share today because of
> their dumb April Fool's Day stunt. It is not a matter of "gay" content,
> been done millions of times throughout the years on April Fool's Day.
> Unbelievable...
I thought it was a blast. I remember KYLD did the disco thing a couple
of years ago. I don't remember KITS doing it.
Tim
John Higdon
In article <3523f62...@enews.newsguy.com>, KMc (Ken McPherson) wrote:
> The feedback I have received so far from the gay community is mixed.
> Most gay people seemed to like it, particularly the music. Some were
> upset. I remain uncomfortable with the experience and am glad it is
> over.
I didn't hear it, but folks whose opinions I respect (all gay) did and
liked it a lot. As an individual, I have long since moved on from being
offended by what people SAY when it comes to members of the gay community,
much less what entertainers may put forth as performance material.
I find it annoying that there are still some groups who consider
themselves exempt and immune from any form of joshing, satire, or humor in
any form. Unfortunately, it would appear that the gay community remains on
that list.
Greg Skinner
In article <6g153o$o8i$1...@news.archive.org>,
Tim Pozar <po...@news.archive.org> wrote:
>I thought it was a blast. I remember KYLD did the disco thing a couple
>of years ago. I don't remember KITS doing it.
I liked the music, but I could've done without the overhyping of the
gay theme. For me, the music is able to stand by itself.
--gregbo
gds at best.com
John Higdon
In article <6g16rq$jvn$1...@shell5.ba.best.com>, g...@nospam.best.com (Greg
Skinner) wrote:
> I liked the music, but I could've done without the overhyping of the
> gay theme. For me, the music is able to stand by itself.
Is this a consensus shaping? Once again, when all is said and done, what
really counts on the radio is the music. That observations appears to
cross all format lines.
Eric Weaver
Ken McPherson wrote:
>
> Were mistakes made? I think so. The morning drive host was "Damien",
> a so-called "gay persona" of Ray Casey's. It pissed me off. Not
> because Ray's character was effeminate (he was no more effeminate than
> Screaming Queen Lord Martine, the very legit queen who followed at
> 10AM) but because he said things and reacted in a way that no gay
> person on earth would have. It made me wince.
>
I'm not sure who thought up using Ray for that; nice guy as Ray
is, he has neither the familiarity nor brilliance necessary to
pull off that kind of stunt. Would've been MUCH better to put
Lord Martine on the morning, even if it required some serious
rehersal beforehand.
Playing the standard "Modern Rock Report" was also a baddie -
Would've been much better had a "Disco report" been subbed.
Anything else that still had the "Live 105" logo similarly.
Never heard the legal IDs, but I hope they were a very
fast "KITSSanFrancisco".
On the whole it was very well done and a hoot and a half.
It also lasted ALL DAY as opposed to many other of the station's
April Fools jokes - "Groovy Oldies 105" was paid off before 9 AM,
for heaven's sake.
Kudos to all who put it together and made it run!
David Kaye
Ken McPherson wrote the quoted material below:
" Second. Hibernia Beach began because of a fight between GLAAD and the
" station nine years ago. I named it and was given 100% content control.
And as I've written previously in the various gay newsgroups, I think it's
excellent. I don't have a chance to listen very often anymore, because
Sunday is the night I go out and see live music, but I have listened to it
quite a bit over the years and have always liked it.
" Too many judgements, too little information. From 10AM-4PM every shift
" was run by openly gay DJs. Those "simpering" voices you referred to
" were our own, thank you very much. I did the 1-4 slot and had Pussy
" Tourette on for an hour.
I judged KITS by a brief listen in the morning and a listen again at
around 5pm after I had run out of CDs to play at the office. So,
unfortunately I missed what I guess was the best part of the day. Sorry.
" Perhaps you ought to
" re-investigate your own internalized homophobia after all.
Ken, you know nothing about me. I've spent more than half my life as an
out, up-front gay activist, beginning in high school about 4 months before
Stonewall (at Moreau, a Catholic high school in Hayward, no less).
" Screaming Queen Lord Martine, the very legit queen who followed at
" 10AM) but because he said things and reacted in a way that no gay
" person on earth would have. It made me wince.
THAT's EXACTLY the kind of thing I'm talking about. The two samples I
heard were much that way. And, like most people who listen to radio, I
base/based my judgment on what I hear when I tune in. Obviously, this was
in error; I should have listened longer, but what I'd heard was painful.
" The feedback I have received so far from the gay community is mixed.
" Most gay people seemed to like it, particularly the music. Some were
" upset. I remain uncomfortable with the experience and am glad it is
" over.
I may not have made clear that it wasn't that it was "K-GAY" or the
disco, or identifying disco as gay music, but the over-the-top flouncing,
which came across to me as Milton Berle circa 1954. That's all.
--
(C) 1998 The California Bureau of Automotive Repair handles
David Kaye car repair complaints at 1-800-952-5210
dk at wco.com
Blake Lawrence
On Wed, 01 Apr 1998 16:36:20 -0800, Thomas <cal...@lodi.net> wrote:
>Just when you thought LIVE 105's ratings couldn't get any worse, they
>probably have lost at least half of their 1.8 share today because of
>their dumb April Fool's Day stunt.
I'm just sorry that it took me until 5pm Wednesday to find out about
it. Got about 2 hours of it on tape, too, and that tape's a keeper.
Offensive? Maybe, to people without a shred of a sense of humor.
This gay man was laughing his a** off.
But when was the last time you heard an air staff having that much fun
doing ANYthing? I enjoyed it purely for the fun vibe it brought back
to the radio.
And the "format" isn't all that far-fetched.....
Brian Harper
On Thu, 02 Apr 1998 21:20:31 GMT, KMc (Ken McPherson) wrote:
>I make CBS more money than any other vehicle they are aware of. If
>that changes, I'm history.
>
More money than Howard Stern?
David Kaye
Mike Sphar wrote the quoted material below:
" Forgive me for being dense, but I don't get the in joke. Of course, that's
" not too surprising since I'm not in, but still...could someone take pity
" and fill me in? I've always wondered about that name.
At the corner of 18th and Castro is a bank. Now it's BofA, but it used to
be Hibernia Bank, a bank started largely by Irish immigrant investors.
Before the remodeling, there was a little space in front of the bank where
gay men would lounge around as if at the beach. It's still called
Hibernia Beach by some people.
Ken McPherson
Surprisingly, Howard has little interest in a Sunday night 11PM-2AM
slot.
Ken McPherson
Brian Harper
Sorry. I missed the time slot qualifier on that statement.
Brian Harper
>Ken McPherson
>
Tim Pozar
Mike Sphar <mi...@matches.com> wrote:
> Did Ancient Astronauts named David Kaye <d...@removeme.wco.com> once write
> the following? Read the book:
> >Well, KITS positions itself as the hip, urban, white side of KMEL. It has
> >a gay program, with the in-joke name of "Hibernia Beach", which I assume
> >is to further solidify its position as being hip and classy.
"Hibernia Beach" was the area just in front of the old Hibernia Bank (now
BofA) on Castro where folks in the summer could strut their stuff.
Tim Pozar
Ken McPherson
On 3 Apr 1998 02:28:27 GMT, David Kaye <d...@removeme.wco.com> wrote:
>Ken McPherson wrote the quoted material below:
>
>" Second. Hibernia Beach began because of a fight between GLAAD and the
>" station nine years ago. I named it and was given 100% content control.
>
>And as I've written previously in the various gay newsgroups, I think it's
>excellent. I don't have a chance to listen very often anymore, because
>Sunday is the night I go out and see live music, but I have listened to it
>quite a bit over the years and have always liked it.
My point was not regarding your opinion of HBL, it was to state that
management has virtually zero input on what we do and how we do it.
Thanks for your kind words. When I listen to tapes of the show, often
I can't stand myself; I tend to be hyper self-critical.
>" Too many judgements, too little information. From 10AM-4PM every shift
>" was run by openly gay DJs. Those "simpering" voices you referred to
>" were our own, thank you very much. I did the 1-4 slot and had Pussy
>" Tourette on for an hour.
>
>I judged KITS by a brief listen in the morning and a listen again at
>around 5pm after I had run out of CDs to play at the office. So,
>unfortunately I missed what I guess was the best part of the day. Sorry.
Coincidentally, those were the only two shifts not run by gay DJs.
>" Perhaps you ought to
>" re-investigate your own internalized homophobia after all.
>
>Ken, you know nothing about me. I've spent more than half my life as an
>out, up-front gay activist, beginning in high school about 4 months before
>Stonewall (at Moreau, a Catholic high school in Hayward, no less).
OK, OK... so I should have put a "smiley face" after that comment (I
hate damn emoticons)! I am well aware that was a cheap shot (and
untrue), but geez David... you just implied publicly that I wasn't a
legitimate queen. Them's fightin words!!! (smiley face).
By the way David, sometimes I think I know everything about you. Want
to talk about your old radio days in Seattle? How about your
flirtations with bisexuality? How you feel about the group Regular
Guys? Perhaps your work with Gay Geeks?
You are a veritable institution to those of us who have followed
ba.broadcast and ba.motss over the years.
>" Screaming Queen Lord Martine, the very legit queen who followed at
>" 10AM) but because he said things and reacted in a way that no gay
>" person on earth would have. It made me wince.
>
>THAT's EXACTLY the kind of thing I'm talking about. The two samples I
>heard were much that way. And, like most people who listen to radio, I
>base/based my judgment on what I hear when I tune in. Obviously, this was
>in error; I should have listened longer, but what I'd heard was painful.
I agree.
>" The feedback I have received so far from the gay community is mixed.
>" Most gay people seemed to like it, particularly the music. Some were
>" upset. I remain uncomfortable with the experience and am glad it is
>" over.
>
>I may not have made clear that it wasn't that it was "K-GAY" or the
>disco, or identifying disco as gay music, but the over-the-top flouncing,
>which came across to me as Milton Berle circa 1954. That's all.
I understand that. My criticism was based only on your slamming the
whole day based on two spot checks.
Ken McPherson
David Kaye
Ken McPherson wrote the quoted material below:
" Thanks for your kind words. When I listen to tapes of the show, often
" I can't stand myself; I tend to be hyper self-critical.
When began in broadcasting while in high school, I couldn't stand my voice
at the time. I couldn't listen to audition tapes or airchecks. Later I
went to CSM, and my announcing teacher told me I sounded too nasal and
should probably think of doing something behind the scenes, which was
fine, because I was more a techie than an announcer anyhow.
But, just for the heck of it I switched to another announcing class, this
one taught by Gene Nelson, formerly of KSFO. He gave me encouragement.
He told me my style would eventually come and to concentrate on being
interesting.
Still, hanging around the techies and being into electronics pushed the
talent part to the back. I did lots of DJ stints, but I kept thinking
about that nasal voice.
Finally, I *did* find my voice. One night about midnight I was driving
across the San Mateo bridge and was listening to the (at that time)
heavily-Draked KFRC. The big booming voices, the fast, clear delivery. I
experimented and it suddenly hit. This big voice came out of me. I was
shocked. I could actually do it by talking from my abdomen, not from my
throat, the same method good singers use to sing.
Now, it's many years later (more than I care to count) and y'know what? I
*still* can't stand to listen to my voice much of the time. I played a
couple airchecks from when I did talkradio some years back, and I had to
turn the volume way down so I could barely hear it. There was nobody else
in the room, but I was still embarrassed.
" untrue), but geez David... you just implied publicly that I wasn't a
" legitimate queen. Them's fightin words!!! (smiley face).
Nope. I had no idea you were even on the air. The two samples I'd heard
didn't sound like (1) you, or (2) anybody gay.
" By the way David, sometimes I think I know everything about you. Want
" to talk about your old radio days in Seattle? How about your
" flirtations with bisexuality? How you feel about the group Regular
" Guys? Perhaps your work with Gay Geeks?
Well, it was Portland, a lovely town with an inferiority complex. I
emailed you at hbeach about some help I'd like for the Pacific Center
anniversary. As to gay/bi-talk, I try to save that for ba.motss and other
forums (though to read the content of some of these posts, one would
wonder how true that is.)
" You are a veritable institution to those of us who have followed
" ba.broadcast and ba.motss over the years.
Thanks, I guess. I don't think of myself as one; I'd prefer to think of
myself as someone who hasn't quite decided on what to do with his life
yet. I like to do lots of things.
--
(C) 1998 Vehicular safety questions, recall notices,
David Kaye and complaints go to the National Highway Traffic
dk at wco.com Safety Administration, 1-800-424-9393
Ross Archer
Ken McPherson wrote:
>
> On Wed, 01 Apr 1998 21:27:41 -0800, postm...@bovine.ati.com (John
> Higdon) wrote:
>
> ><d...@removeme.wco.com> wrote:
>
> >> So, what, I wonder, do the KITS DJs *really* think of Hibernia Beach?
> >
> >Do we care?
>
>
> Ken McPherson
It takes a sense of proportion and perspective to be able to laugh
(or at least not get defensive) when somebody pokes fun
at you. Determining intent is all-important, which is why we allow
X'es to tell vile X jokes without challenge, but if a non-X tells the
same joke in the same manner, we pillory and villify him for being an
"anti-X bigot." This "us versus them" attitude, and the assumption of
bigotry no longer serves a useful purpose. In fact, it does harm by
driving a wedge between hip and sympathetic straights and defensive
gays who impute motives to strangers without evidence.
Honestly, the two hours I heard KGAY the show did harp on some gay
stereotypes and was clumsy at times (and also funny at times.)
But I suspect that there was nothing more sinister here than a DJ
trying to be funny about something he had no experience with.
Ultimately, being offended by every clumsy or insensitive remark
without regard to the speaker's intent just ends up squandering
emotional energy beating up on thoughtless or clueless people that
could better be directed against all the *deliberately malicious*
people out there. Better to pick our battles and fight real
homophobia, like the denial of equal access to the institutions of
society, than get bent out of shape over something as trivial as an
April Fools' prank.
It was all in jest. Isn't being able to laugh at
ourselves a part of being fully human and aware that we all
are imperfect? Must we all check our senses of humor at the door
in service of hypersensitivity?
Radioman27
Whats this?Gay 105?A radio station making fun of PEOPLE!I am not gay ,but I
must say that that station has some nerve touching a touchy subject!The point
is ;Why not make a joke as saying SPIC 105 nothing but techno and dance
music?Now we are poking fun at all Spanish people!We are upseting a group and
thats really not too funny.Today's big radio stations that are run by money
overpowering scumbags have a lot to learn about life and radio in the 90s ,let
me tell ya!ITS REALLY SO UNPROFESSIONAL!
An all john denver show or something like that is funny,but a gay bashing
station is POOR TASTE .I am surprised the gay people havent knocked the tower
down...
Michael Bender
Radioman27 (radio...@aol.com) wrote:
: Whats this?Gay 105?A radio station making fun of PEOPLE!I am not gay ,but I
With current attitudes like this, I don't think that the Duck's Breath
Mystery Theatre or Dr. Demento would ever be allowed on the air today.
mike
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Bender ben...@eng.sun.com
Sun Microsystems Laboratories, Inc. Tel: 650-336-2955
901 San Antonio Road
Palo Alto, CA 94303-4900
Mailstop: MTV29-172
----------------------------------------------------------------------------