Straight From The Mouth
The Morning Mouth's November Interview with Scott & Todd
(Reprinted by permission; Copyright © 2001 Talentmasters Inc.)
Describe the morning of September 11th, starting just after
8:45.
Scott: We were in a commercial break when we got a call from someone
across the street from the World Trade Center, who told us that there was an
explosion and smoke was coming out of the first tower. Because our traffic
reporter and our weatherman are both on WABC, Channel 7 here in New York, we
have TV monitors in front of us to tell when they are on and when they're
not. So, immediately the Channel 7 chopper was on the scene nearby and we
could see what was going on. We came out of the stop-set at about :47 or :48.
We never returned to commercials or music and we didn't leave the air until 7
o'clock that night.
How did you play it back to listeners?
Scott: We immediately started describing the scene as we could see on
television for the benefit of those who didn't have television. We were
actually on the air when we saw the other plane come around and slowly make
it's way until it hit the other building. At that point you heard Todd say,
'...this is no accident. This is an attack!' We continued to take calls from
people who were witnesses on the scene and even calls from people in the
building, unfortunately some of the people that we talked to didn't make it
out.
Todd: The best word to use is surreal. We were under attack. Our way of
life changed forever. We stayed on the air for 13 hours that first day taking
calls from people looking for loved ones and people who just needed to talk.
We went from incredible sadness to outrage. It's a show I will never forget
as long as I live.
What was going on at the station? How were people reacting?
Scott: The real problem was at that point we didn't know many details. All
we knew was New York was under a terrorist attack. It is pretty common
knowledge that one of the targets could possibly be Penn Station, which is
beneath us. Our broadcast studios are on top of Penn Station and next to
Madison Square Garden. It's a tall building with 25 floors. We're on the
17th. Twice during that day, the building was evacuated, except for our show.
Did anyone come in and suggest you leave?
Scott: Nobody knew we were up here. The station was evacuated, all but us.
As the drama continued to unfold, the saddest part came when we saw the first
building collapse and had to describe that on the air. I mean to see an
entire 110 story building just collapse before your eyes, knowing how many
people were in it. It was pretty frightening and very sad. It got worse, when
the second one came down.
How difficult is it now to drive to work and not see the
Towers?
Scott: Everyday that I come in, I still have to run it through my mind
that those two huge buildings and New York landmarks are gone. It is still
mind boggling to me that it took place.
How helpful was having a TV affiliate?
Scott: That was very valuable because they had local coverage and ABC News
nationally. We mixed in both. We would go to them for like 10 minutes out of
the hour and then we would go back on. Our phones, all 15 lines, were jammed
from 8:48 until we signed off at 7:00. Then you had the report coming in from
the Pentagon that there was an attack and then the other plane had been
hijacked that went down in Pennsylvania. At that point it was just a
difficult story to follow. Obviously, because of the fact we are right here
in New York, there was a lot of panic and concern.
Todd: Our studio was pretty much an active news room. We were using
stories that were coming across the wire. We were watching what the other TV
channels were doing. We never really took a break, other than for five or ten
minutes. No music and no commercials.
Scott, you have always been known for your meticulous planning. What
was it like in a situation where everything was free form?
Scott: We really had no problem with it what so ever. I remember there was
a moment after it happened I looked at Todd and Patty Steele and said, 'You
know something, this is going to be a day that we and our listeners will
remember for the rest of our lives, so we have to do the best we can to
communicate the sequence of events as accurately as possible.'
What did you do after you finally got off the air?
Scott: ...all seven members of our morning show stayed in the city that
night and I'll never forget walking out of this building after broadcasting
for 13 straight hours, describing the most horrific event in American
history, as we walked out the door for the first time that day the smell of
the night air was so powerful, it almost knocked you over. You could smell
the smoke. It was a very strange smelling smoke. There was a horrible cloud
in the air. The streets were just deserted.
Todd: If you ever have been in New York during a blizzard, it becomes a
ghost town. It was like a blizzard without snow. You could walk down the
middle of the street and not a single car would come by.
Scott: No cabs on the streets, no police cars. It was deathly still.
It's been over a month. How long did it take your show to get back
to some semblance of normal?
Scott: We are still not back to normal. There are still 4000 people at the
bottom of that pit. There are funeral services every single day. We lost 323
fire fighters, numerous police officers. All of us, everyone in the morning
show and at the radio station knows somebody who died in that tragedy or have
close ties to people who's fathers or husbands or wives died. We became
almost one big therapy session. The second day was really more emotional than
the first day, because we had time to reflect on it and watch television that
night. The next day we were on from 5 am until 3 pm. At that time there were
many hospitals in the New York Metropolitan area who had received injured and
unidentified victims. So, there was the assumption that many of the people
who had loved ones who had not returned home the evening of the 11th; their
hope was that they were in the hospital unconscious. What happened was that
we put at least a hundred calls on the air from people who wanted to describe
their husbands, their fathers, wives, where they were, what they looked like.
Day two was probably harder to do and sadder than day one. Most of the people
had trouble getting through the calls without crying, just like we did.
During coverage, a lot of TV reporters struggled to maintain their
composure. Given the amount of hours you spent hearing these stories, how did
you manage your own?
Scott: It just ripped you apart inside. I played golf with a fellow by the
name of Frankie McGuiin and his brother Eddie, that Sunday afternoon,
September 9th. It was Frankie's last round of golf ever. He went to work
Tuesday morning and never came home. Just about everybody in the show had
terrible losses either at their churches, in their neighborhood, or at their
kids' schools. It was just pervasive all through the communities. You have
suburbs and little towns that lost 20 and 30 people.
Being a entertainment show, at what point did you decide it was
time to start interjecting lighter news, jokes, etc.?
Scott: We kind of eased into it was after about a week and a half. We have
always been very capable of finding humor in just about any situation, no
matter how bizarre or sad it was. There is always an angle that lends itself
to a smile or a little comedy. We talked about the Mayor's posse and the
people who followed him around. We noticed that the same people were always
standing behind him and they would get their faces up in the air so you could
see them on TV. One morning we were talking about the irony that America was
dropping bombs and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Todd would say, 'Bomb,
bomb, bomb, peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb, peanut
butter and jelly sandwich.' We just hope they could figure out which one was
coming down next.
In looking back over the events of that day, what are some memories
that will never leave you?
Scott: I was proud of our entire staff because we handled it like human
beings and no one was afraid to show their emotions. They were a part of the
comforting process for people who called in who really and desperately needed
people to talk to. It was just done in a very professional and sensitive
manner. I remember we received one call from a guy who worked in an office
building across the street. And he said, 'Oh my God, there are people jumping
out of the building.' Then there was just dead silence on the air. There was
nothing we could say.
Todd: We spoke to a man who was trapped on the 85th floor of Tower 2
behind a firewall with another co-worker. He was calm and trying to let
rescue workers know they were there and couldn't get out. 13 minutes later
the Tower collapsed. His voice remains a part of my life.
Scott: As long as I live, I will never ever forget looking up at that
television screen and seeing those towers crumble and thinking of all the
people inside of them.
It's been about six years since we featured your show in the Mouth,
the industry has changed quite a bit since then. Being a longtime part of the
business, what do you like least and most about our industry today?
Scott: The thing I like most is that I was lucky enough to get into the
business when it was an art and not just a business. I'm so thankful that I
got in before the Age of Consolidation. I understand and accept the new royal
order and who moved the cheese, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it.
I accept it and I am willing to operate in new realm, but no matter what
anyone says, radio has been dehumanized to a certain extent. You'd have to be
blind, stupid or crazy not to see that radio is more sales-oriented now than
it is program oriented. The emphasis at almost every radio station has been
placed on sales, value added, promotions and revenue. That cart comes now
comes before the horse rather than what is right for the listeners.
If you ran a group today would you utilize voice tracking?
Scott: I think in many small markets, it's become the prudent, economical
thing to do. In certain day parts I think it's perhaps a necessity.
If you could sit down with a group of radio's most powerful
operators what would you tell them?
Scott: I would say at a time when there are more choices, it appears as if
we are deliberately doing things to run listeners off. If you had to put
together a check list of things to do to discourage people from listening to
radio, I think number one would be, run more commercials; two, run more
needless sale's promotions; three, market and advertise less. What is radio
doing across the board right now? Running more commercials, running more
needless promotions and spending less on marketing and promotion. Instead of
making radio more attractive for listeners, we are making it less attractive
at a time where there are more distractions and alternatives becoming
available.
Do you consider Satellite radio as one of those distractions or
alternatives?
Scott: I'm not a believer in satellite radio.
Why is that?
Scott: I just don't think that it's going to be a threat for quite some
time.
As a personality, how have you changed most?
Scott: It's quite a bit different. I always ran a Top 40 DJ morning show
with some talk. Now the show has become more of a Top 40 talk show with some
music.
When did you make the change?
Scott: Once I realized the wide range of skills that Todd could bring to
the table, I was able to widen the appeal of the show. We still play two to
four records a show, but obviously, what's takes place between songs has
changed considerably.
Is there any accomplishment that escapes you?
Scott: I don't really think so. My success has wildly exceeded any
expectations that I've ever had. I never wanted to be an actor. I never
wanted to be a TV star. I never wanted to be a General Manager. My goals and
aspirations were pretty modest. I just wanted to be a deejay that had a job,
and station to broadcast on.
Who else is on the show?
Scott: Patty Steele, who has been with us for just under three years.
Executive producer Bruce Goldberg, who has been with us for two years. We
have two assistant producers, Joe Pardivilla and Diana Ferrito. We have Joe
Nolan, our traffic reporter. Bill Evans who handles the weather and has a
pretty extensive radio background and Y107 in Dallas. And then there's our
production engineer, Louis Diaz.
Do you ever drive through small towns, or places where you began and
visit stations?
Scott: Yes, I've been known to do that. I have been spotted several times
while away on vacation while traveling. If I see a tower, I'll stop in. I've
done it numerous times...
Todd: Take that as a warning for all broadcast facilities.
Do people come out immediately and ask you to go on the air?
Scott: No, I usually ask them before they offer. The problem in the small
markets, I can't operate the equipment. It's all computerized.
Do you still find live personalities?
Scott: It's funny. A friend of mine, Terry Meiners, does afternoons on
WHAS in Louisville and they'r part of a Clear Channel cluster. Last year, we
just finished a round of golf on a Saturday afternoon and Terry suggested we
go by and check out the new Clear Channel broadcast center. When we finished
the tour--about seven stations--I realized there were only about two live
people in the building. I walked out, shaking my head.
Is there someone in radio that you would like to spend some time
with, pick their brain, go golfing?
Scott: I would have liked to spend more time talking to Bill Drake. I have
always considered him my mentor. I had to learn from afar. I talked to him
about twice in my life, but never in-depth.
Is there anything about you that people would be surprised to
know?
Scott: Well, I'm a very shy person. I don't like big crowds.
Todd, what about you?
Todd: I'm the acting President of The Martha Raye Memorial Fan Club. We
currently have three members, but the hunt for new members is underway.
Is there anything else about Scott that people would be surprised
to learn?
Todd: That he has two functioning penises.
A few months ago Scott McKenzie of WOMX Orlando was talking with me
about golf. He said that he had played a couple of rounds with you. I
couldn't help but to ask what you shot. He said, 'In the words of Scott
Shannon, somewhere around 80.'
Scott: That's definitely a misquote. Sometimes it's somewhere in the 80's!
Of all the things you have done in your career, is there one thing
you are most proud of?
Scott: I have to say that I am most proud of the fact that after 30 years
in broadcasting, I still feel like I am making a viable contribution to the
business. I started in 1969 and here it is 2001 and I still look forward to
getting up in the morning and going to the radio station. I've got a
wonderful wife (Trish), a beautiful daughter (Kathleen) and a job on the air
in New York City. And they pay me to do a radio show in New York City. It
doesn't get better than this.
Read previous Morning Mouth interviews.
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