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Straight From The Mouth
The Morning Mouth's October Interview with Tommy Sablan
(Reprinted by permission; Copyright © 2003 Talentmasters Inc.)

So you're a San Diego lifer?

Yes, I grew up here. I graduated in 1982, and remember the day well. I was getting ready to ditch school, with my guitar in hand and my high school counselor caught me in the parking lot and said, "Hey, instead of ditching school why don't you listen to this guy talk about getting into radio. He's in the cafeteria right now." So I went in there and listened to him. His name was Jonathan Lang and he was a DJ here in San Diego. He was on the air while I was in school. I fell for his little sales pitch and paid him $600 and took his course and I was the only student he ever had for two years. I've been in radio ever since.

So how did you get from his class to radio?

From his class, it was actually an internship and I had to pay to be an intern. I learned on the spot. Back then I worked from 6am until midnight. I was It was Alta Broadcasting, then it became Sandusky. Everyone loved me. I

was only 18. I learned how to schedule jocks, learned production. Learned how to wind tape onto carts, how to file, where the liquor cabinet was. I learned everything. Were you a radio geek? I was a radio rat. Then one day during the holidays (as a favor), they put me on the air and I may have been the disk jockey with the world's highest voice.

Was this the point where you started asked a lot of questions about the producer's job?

At that time I wanted to be on the radio. I didn't realize at the time how bad I sucked. On occasion, Jeff and Jer play old airchecks of me on the air and make fun of them.

In those few moments of glory, was Tommy Sablan your air name?

No. Tommy Edwards, that is my middle name. At the time I thought I was getting better, but my voice was getting higher and higher. There may have been a helium leak in the studio.

How did you finally connect with Jeff & Jer?

In 1988, Pam Finn who is now Jerry's wife, was the Program Director at Y95. They had just changed the call letters. At the time, I was the kid in the station that was always there doing all the odd jobs. When they went to Y95, the station decided look around for a new morning show. That's when they hired you for the search. I remember the day that Jeff and Jer walked into the studio to take a tour. I was in the production room and Pam said, "Tommy this is Jeff and Jer, we are thinking about hiring them and if we do hire them, would you like to hang out with them and show them how to run the equipment and just make sure they are ok for the first few weeks." I said sure. They eventually hired them. That was 15 years ago and I've been with them ever since.

Did you follow them to each station?

They followed me. I got hired and they just followed me. (laughs) Y-95 was 1988-1990. B-100 90-93, Q-106 93-97. Star 100.7 1997 to current.

Did anyone actually teach you how to be a producer?

No, I was very fortunate to grow up in San Diego and I was part of a pretty well known family in Chula Vista and we were always good athletes and knew everyone in town. I have a big family in San Diego, so what happened is whatever Jeff and Jer started, I would always have a contact. The very first day, they went on the radio, some guy got stuck in the mud and they asked me, Tommy do you know anyone in Chula Vista? And I knew everyone. I just happened to have all the contacts. I just never gave up, when they gave me a little assignment, I just always went for it, from finding a contact for a celebrity to getting that celebrity on, I never knew how to take a no. When they asked me, can you get Tom Cruise on the phone, I never knew that I could take no for an answer. If they wanted Tom Cruise on I would somehow get him on.

When did you realize the show was going to happen?

During our first year at our Halloween party; we gave away free tickets thinking that maybe a couple hundred people would show up. We walked into the ballroom and it was packed. The police was there telling people that they could not come in and we just looked at each other going wow, this thing is gonna work.

What's been your secret to getting through to big names?

Sounding like a real person. They are getting e-mails and phone messages all day long. You need to come across as a real person, rather than Johnny DJ from Toledo wanting an interview. You need to sound like a regular person and that alone will get your foot in the door. I don even use call letters when I leave a message. I just say hey, this is Tommy from San Diego, rather than Tommy from a radio station.

What about the other side i.e. publicist, authors, etc. What's their best way to connect with you?

The same approach, sounding real. When they're calling or when they're on the air we want people who sound real and not just there pitching their book.

I know you're called on by a lot of other producers for advice. In fact, I understand you and your partner Rick Moorten are about to kick off a Producer's Network very shortly. I'm curious if you ever come across things some producers do that surprise you?

Actually, it's what a lot of them don't do... like screening phone calls. Screening phone calls is probably the most important thing you can do. Getting a phone call on the air that sounds awesome is better than getting a huge celebrity on the air. As a matter of fact, if I had the choice between a kick butt phone call or a celebrity, I would choose the phone call. You should not let your interns screen calls. You should be weeding through all of them.

How do you answer phones and do all your other jobs at the same time?

It's my job to go through the calls. I would say screening calls is more important than editing a promo.

What is the key to screening phone calls effectively?

Practicing with the people longer than they are actually on the air.

Your show is actually is now one of a few that's rebroadcast in the evening, correct?

Yes it is called Jeff and Jer prime time and it airs from 7-11. We just edit out all the weather, traffic and time.

Do you ever stay awake to listen?

Yes. It is kinda cool to hear the show air at night.

Now much mic time do you get?

I'm on a little squawk box. I can be on all the time or very rarely. It depends on what is going on. Everyone's mic is open. It's not just Jeff and Jer. There are about five us on now.

What are some things you used to do on the show that you don't any longer?

Before Princess Di died, everyone was running around trying to get celebrities, calling them at home, knocking on their doors, chasing them through golf courses. Then when she passed, the paparrazi got a bad rap and ever since, we kind of stayed away from that kind of stuff. Also with all the reality shows and stunts, dropping a pumpkin off a roof top isn't really exciting anymore. With "Fear Factor" and TV the way it is now, you have to be like that or top it, you have to have a helicopter and try and drop it over Madonna's swimming pool or something. You have to think much, much bigger now.

Are you the "Executive" producer?

Officially, I'm the producer, who has a couple of assistants. I think it would better to say longtime producer rather than executive.

Is part of your job to let Jeff or Jer know when something is tanking?

Absolutely. That is my job. My job isn't just to get the guests and put them on the radio. My role is to make Jeff and Jer aware of how something feels on the air, how listeners are reacting, when to get out of a bit. That is the role of a producer. As a producer you need to put yourself on the same level as the talent.

How do you communicate that a bit or interview is going nowhere?

I have an IFB. I can talk into their headsets and tell them hey, this blows, or try and take it in this direction.

Is making the hosts look good the primary job of a good producer?

Absolutely. That is the attitude that they should have. But at the same time, they should take control of that show. It should be their show, their baby. The Jeff and Jer show is my baby. It's their show, but I care about it every bit as much as they do. You have to have that attitude. Your job is to get that interview and as the interview is happening say to yourself, how do I make it better? How do get the good phone calls, and avoid the bad ones? How do you get Jeff and Jer to ask the right questions? How do you make the guests feel comfortable?

Do you personally prep each guest?

Do you have a system or regiment you that you follow. In other words, is their a regular routine you always follow? Yes.

Pretend I'm a celebrity guest. What are you going to tell me before going on the Jeff and Jer show?

The very basics, because these guys are doing interviews themselves all day long. The first thing I say is that you are on in San Diego, it is the Jeff and Jer show. If you were in the studio Jeff is on the right and Jer is on the left. There is a girl talking and her name is Laura. Just have fun, and that is it.

If you were in a room with the top fifty publicists in the country, what would you tell them?

I would tell them to give radio the respect it deserves. Also that if you want to make your client successful and get your message across you should do every morning show across the country first and TV second. After we've had an author on, we'll often monitor Amazon and the sales of the book. It is a trip to get an author on and an hour or to later see their book go from 1096 to 22, and have it happen during your show.

Who in the biz do you look up to?

I look up to and respect our General Manager, Tracy Johnson. He is just as much a part of the show as we all are! AND being with Jeff and Jer for over 15 years, I actually love them both like brothers! I love what they do on the air and I actually respect them a lot more for what they do off the air as well. Jeff and Jer are probably my biggest influences in life and in radio and I think that's probably enough brown nosing, but I am serious!

What about the other members of the Showgram?

Everyone is a huge part of the team! From Laura Cain, to Randy Hoag. Rick Moorten is a wizard at production, and we have Jennifer Markham who is like our morning show publicist. Everyone one of us works our butts off and we all or 5 hours, but after that, we all go home and work on the show! We're all addicted to e-mails and we call each other all day long!

How many names are in your black book?

That black book is actually called The Football, just like the President's. That book is really an oversized briefcase and it has every single phone number I have ever taken down, heard, read, gave, received, found, searched, stolen, bought, traded, etc. for over 15 years. It's actually in my will. If I die, I'm giving The Football to either Bill Michaels of Dwyer and Michaels or Jeff's son Cabot Detrow who is just getting into radio.

Read previous Morning Mouth interviews.

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