Straight From The Mouth
The Morning Mouth's March Interview with Michelle McKormick
(Reprinted by permission; Copyright © 2006 Talentmasters Inc.)
Take us from birth to WKRK: Free FM?
Birth? Hmmmmmm. Okay, It was probably difficult for my Mother. Awhile
after that I started radio in Grand Rapids. I had to do a live audition in a
news booth. I was 17. This was when I was at Central Michigan University. Got
the job and stayed there for a really long time. After doing midday,
afternoons and everything else, I finally got to mornings. Did that for
several years. Was let go. Sat out a non-compete. So I went to New Jersey to
work for a really good friend of mine, Jim Davis. After that I returned to
Grand Rapids to do mornings. Then Detroit called and the rest is history.
Did you always want to do talk?
I was getting burnt out doing the kind of show I had been doing. I needed
a change.
You got tired of hittin' the post?
Now wait, I can still hit a post with the best of them.
Describe Free FM?
It is the rock and roll of talk. You won't hear a lot of politics, news,
it's definitely edgy and male. You'll hear a lot of everyday sex talk. A lot
of top-of-mind stuff, a lot of crying, a lot of laughing.
Is this the real future of talk?
I think so. There's a lot of young talented people in our business. And
the ones now doing mornings on FM that are crossing over to talk have a shelf
life -- plus they're young and cute (laughs). There are a lot of them that
are gonna go right into talk... The deal is, people are not going to hang on
to dinosaurs in talk.
Which topics work best?
Definitely more sexual things. For example, I was having kind of an off
day and my boss, Craig Schwalb, called me in said "You need to open up more.
I need to know more about you." Well gee, you know me Don. Me? Open up? So I
got on the air that day and talked about being a "roadie." in my car.
Roadie?
Okay, I actually have a long boring drive between Grand Rapids and Detroit
(she still commutes to Detroit on weekends) so sometimes I tend to "make
myself happy" in my car. You know, pleasure myself. So, this led to getting
towels printed up with Michelle McKormick's Roadie Club. A company called who
sold toys you connect with your lighter, it was great. And this was like two
and half years ago and to this day I get calls from people who want to join
the club.
I would say you definitely opened up. But given today's sensitivity
for FCC fines you still have to walk the line right?
Sure, I've gotten in trouble. I've had a couple of lawsuits. I've said
things I shouldn't have said. I opened my mouth when I shouldn't have.
What's it take to be a successful female talk host?
You've got to have thick, thick skin. I get terrible emails each day, a
some really good ones. I read everyone of them. Nothing really bothers me.
Loaded question: Are expectations different for women
personalities?
Badly. Expectations are different in a bad way. I've talked to women about
this for a long time. They don't expect as much out of you. And when you give
it, they're surprised. Which is good, but I've said this a hundred times, I
don't really blame the industry, I blame women. If you're going to be in a
male industry, you have to be able to take it. I remember at a "Women's
Forum" during Boot Camp some girl said "My partner calls me the news slut, I
hate it." And I said, that's pretty funny. Who cares? I hate a lot of the
"I'm offended" crap. If you quit being offended by everything, they'll start
taking you seriously. If you're an overly sensitive girl in this business,
you'll never be successful.
For over 30 years, I've been told that a lot women don't like to
listen to other women. How is this right or wrong?
That's so wrong. I'd much rather hear what a female has to say about
something I care deeply about. One of my best friends, Jennifer Stevens,
works in Chicago radio. She and I are a lot alike and I call her for her
opinion on a number of things. I seek out women for opinions on most things.
Men are the same way. If they want to talk sports, they talk about it with
men. I don't care for women sportscasters. I think if a guy wants to hear
about sports, they're not to listen to a chick. I don't care how dyky she is.
Do men and women discuss sex differently?
Women are detail-oriented when it comes to story telling. So the mixture
of that and sex, we could go on for hours about one little experience,
whereas I guy would say "Yeah, I nailed this chick..." Women are very
in-depth with ever detail, we have drawings, we do charts, graphs... it's a
completely new meaning to the the term 'spreadsheet.
You mentioned the need for having a tough skin, what other tips do
you have for women who are interested in talk radio?
You've got to be fearless. You've got to quit protecting this self-image
that know one cares about. So many people come over from music radio--I know,
I was one of them--and worry about everything they say, "Oh man, I sound so
crude, like such a pig..." They have this image of who their female audience
perceive them to be and are afraid to go beyond this point. Until you open
yourself up, and it's hard, but until you get past this and open up, you
won't achieve the kind of success you want.
Next, you've got to be able to take criticism. Talk listeners are
extremely active. You'll have people that hate you. You'll get scathing
emails that you never saw at music radio. You just have to be able to suck it
up and move on.
Last year your show went through a change. Something was said on the
air, next thing you know you're off the air for a few days, awhile later
you're back on with a new partner. Did I leave anything out?
We were actually suspended. My partner was let go, we were just starting
to pick up some steam, so now I've got a new partner, Jay Towers. He's great,
things are moving along well.
What did you learn from that experience?
Getting sued is not a cool. Not edgy either. Litigation is not cool, plain
and simple.
What's are your thoughts on breaking in.... I mean, "taking on" new
partner?
Oh boy. Uhhhh, there can't be anything that you don't voice to each other.
I always said that, but never did it. Now I do it. Also, if you're going to
stay with this partner, always be a united front. Don't do this meeting stuff
behind your partner's back.
Do you want to go national?
I don't know that I want to. I know some people who just have to do this.
I've made lots of friends along the way---thanks to Morning Show Boot Camp,
and I mean that. It's true. But I've always been afforded lots of great
opportunities. And right now is a great time for female talkers. I just want
to have fun on the radio, so going national is not something I'm pursuing.
People you want to thank?
Jim Davis. He's down in Florida. Owns some stations, lives on the beach;
happy man. Then there's Jerry St. James (of Jeff and Interview Jer'). He's
always been such a good friend. I have to thank Terry Lieberman. He's the guy
who brought me here to Detroit. He's not here anymore, but he did bring me
in. Also, I need to thank my current PD Craig Schwalb for keeping me grounded
Any guest in the world, who would it be?
I'd say the Pope. Foreign accents are always funny. Love to get the Pope
in.
Read previous Morning Mouth interviews.
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