Straight From The Mouth
The Morning Mouth's Interview with Johnson & Johnson
(Reprinted by permission; Copyright © 2005 Talentmasters Inc.)
Quick Bio:
Tommy: Started in Ocean City, MD. Then WXLK, Roanoke, Baltimore, WGTZ,
Dayton. We got together in Pittsburgh, we were together in Charlotte for a
short time and have been here in Utah for 8 years.
Joe: WZKS, Louisville and, a brief time at WBZZ, Pittsburgh before I was
teamed up with a morning show partner who would outlast my marriage, Tommy
Johnson. Twelve years and not one "cross" word.
Who is funnier, Tommy or Joe?
Tommy: Joe. He's a comedy genius. Just ask him.
Okay, Joe, explain your genius?
Joe: I'm the one who has to sweet-talk Tommy into coming into work - since
he still can't believe people continue to listen and call this crappy show we
put on every day.
Who else is on the show?
Tommy: General Gridlock with traffic, Kristi Snow's news and comment and
our socially inept, terminally single super-producer, Scotty.
How have you managed to stay in Salt Lake so long? I hear you get lots
of calls.
Tommy: The calls we've been lucky enough to get were flattering and a few
were very "close." As it turns out, the stars haven't aligned yet. We didn't
get to this point alone. Thanks to people like Jaye Albright, Bob Glasco, Joe
Armao, Gerry McCracken, Buddy Scott, Scott Mahalik, Lorna Ozmon and Geof -
who all helped us out along the way. Here in Salt Lake City, we've got a
great team with Citadel: Ed Hill, Eric Hauenstein, Farid Suleman and Judy
Ellis. It's not fair to mention any suitor specifically because it wouldn't
be right to brag about something that may never happen.
Joe: What Tommy means is... our contract isn't up yet.
Tommy: It's been our experience -- when talking to some prospective
employers -- that they all want a dynamic, effective, successful morning
show... but they never want to do what is required to have one. I don't mean
money, I mean -- things like sending us to Boot Camp every year. We have to
go... if for no other reason, because our competition is going.
Joe: I think we've been here so long because no one else will do this gig
for the money they're paying.
Which shows do you envy?
Tommy: Jeff & Jer, Gene & Julie, Rick & Bubba, Ichabod Cane, Kidd Kraddick
and Mark & Mercedes.
What's unique about your show?
Tommy: It took us 8 years to become the "go to" show in town. If something
big is going on, listeners will "go to" us because they know if we're talking
about it, a lot of times - we'll get lucky and someone close to the situation
will call in with scoop.
Joe: And that comes from being extremely local. We have adapted our show
to Utah. Around here, it seems like the smaller you are, the bigger you
become. A lot of competing morning shows have come and gone and that's the
one aspect they can never imitate. they're not in touch with the town. You
can't fake it.
Tommy: The two of us have very different and distinct personalities, so
it's not hard to keep our roles defined. We are what we are on the radio. If
someone's bike gets stolen, we get them a new one. If a military wife needs
help putting up Christmas lights, we're the ones on the radio finding someone
to help. When the soldiers come home, we're the ones throwing them a party. I
am the 40ish guy, married with kids - which is for the most part, "everyone's
husband..."
Joe: And since I'm the 30ish, divorced, single guy looking to prove
something... I'm "everyone's mistake."
Tommy: One more: If it happens at our houses, we take it to yours. Joe
always has stories of his dates that went horribly wrong and my wife, Marie,
is on about twice a week because I killed one of her plants or my 7-year-old
got a trophy in her dance class.
Joe: Marie has sort of evolved into our third wheel on the show and we get
the most response from the stuff she says. I swear, we could have George W.
Bush on -- saying he sent troops to Iraq because he lost a bet -- and the
only comment we'd get from callers would be: Did Marie ever get Tommy to hang
that pot rack in the kitchen?
Which past moments on your show stand out most in your
memory?
Tommy: We've learned that it's not laughing that endears you to your
listeners - it's crying. If you touch them that way, you've found a listener
for life. We got a call from a soldier in Baghdad, Iraq. He said he wanted to
say happy birthday to his 8-year-old daughter in Pleasant Grove, Utah. We
conferenced the father and his daughter together on the phone. The dad
couldn't get through "Happy Birthday" without breaking down and crying on the
radio. It's the little secret we call the "Cry Rule."
Joe: The "Cry Rule" was Tommy's law. When we're answering phones -- if
someone's crying -- they go on immediately.
Tommy: Can you blame me? Oprah, The Notebook and Finding Nemo have made
millions of dollars by making people cry. It works.
Favorite all-time bits?
Tommy: The Big Snore. We had wives call up our special "snore hotline" so
that after the beep, they could leave the sound of their husband snoring. At
the end of the week, the snore that moved our VU meters the most, won a king
sized Sleep Comfort bed.
Joe: "Would you eat a dollar bill for Rascal Flatts concert tickets?" was
my favorite.
Tommy: Here's one. "Dads In the Doghouse." All dads have done dumb things,
I'm one of them. We let the dad's call and confess what they did, forgot or
were late for - and we give them a family prize to take home to the family.
Time you'd like to forget?
Tommy: A few years ago, during our "Huntsman Cancer Institute Radiothon,"
the space shuttle was flying home and burned up on re-entry over Texas.
Joe: Yeah. After 8 hours, we collected exactly $2.75.
Celeb you can't get on?
Joe: Let's put it this way, last week we talked to Caroline Freakin'
Kennedy about some book she was hocking. But we've tried for the past year
and can't even get an interview with John Heder, the guy who played Napoleon
Dynamite and a Mormon from Utah! John, if you're reading this... check your
voicemail.
Explain the success of Country radio?
Tommy: Country finally figured it out. It's not just the music at
concerts, it's also the total entertainment package. Country shows are not
just fans in cowboy hats and belt buckles anymore, you'd be amazed at what
kind of people are going to these shows. They rock just as hard and have just
as much high energy as any rock n' rolls show. If you don't believe me, go to
one.
Favorite celebrity interview question?
Tommy: It's become one of our trademarks. At the end of every interview,
we always ask, "What'd you have for dinner last night?" I was in a
Blockbuster Video the other night and some guy pointed at me and said, "Hey,
you're the 'what'd you have for dinner last night' guy?"
Joe: And if we're talking to a country singer, we begin every interview
with the question, "Name one person who has no business being in Nashville
right now?" That wakes 'em up. Oh, and usually the answer is, "... Me."
Guest horror stories?
Tommy: We interviewed a cute 7-year-old girl named Jessica Dubroff,
excited over attempting to become the youngest person to fly cross-country.
She was bubbly and nice and even promised to call us when she'd accomplished
her mission.
Joe: The next day, we had listeners calling us in tears, saying that
little girl we'd talked to, had died. Her plane had crashed during take off.
It was a tough show to get through.
Biggest Misconceptions about Utah?
Tommy: You can drink in Utah and polygamy was outlawed a hundred years
ago.
Joe: He's right and he should know. Tommy's only good at making one woman
miserable at at time.
Radio now compared to 10 years ago?
Tommy: Better opportunities are popping up as we're moving away from
syndication. A lot of syndicated shows are sagging and not focused on their
home market.
Tommy: It cannot be a Crook & Chase show. It won't work unless it's an
entertainment-based show. Nothing against Crook & Chase but the show should
not limit itself to just "Country" or what people's perception of "Country"
is.
In the radio business, whom would most like to spend a day
with?
Tommy: I'd like to smoke a cigar and talk football on the golf course with
Rush.
Joe: Howard Stern... to be around all those women!
Read previous Morning Mouth interviews.
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