Proud to be an American...

"...and representing the United States of America in this year's Miss Universe pageant..."

Tomorrow (Wednesday) on the Morning After Show!

Have you ever had a gut feeling turn out to be right on target? When I first heard the story about the dude who fell overboard from a cruise ship (his cabin-mate was a young teenage boy), I knew something was not quite right. According to this story, the "man overboard" went on several cruises with several different young teenage boys. Creepy!

National Recognition!

Has any O-Rock 1059 personality (no, Stern doesn't count) ever graced the pages of People Magazine's website? The answer is now a resounding "HELL YEAH!" Click here to read the article about Drew Garabo's role in breaking Scott Stapp's email to the media.

Scott Stapp Speaks

In case you've missed the latest installment in the drama that seems to follow my friend Scott Stapp, here's a link to today's "Taking Names" blog on the Orlando Sentinel's website. Thanks for the mention, Mr. Maxwell, and keep up the great work!


LINK!

Silent Rob

Okay, Silent Rob is going off the deep end. I know he only reads this blog every once in a while, so I'm gonna take the chance that he won't see this. Yesterday, homeboy put on a BLONDE PARIS HILTON WIG AND A DRESS AND STOOD ON 436 IN ALTAMONTE SPRINGS WITH A SIGN THAT SAID "FREE PARIS"! What the hell is going on with him? Mr. Bob told me and Savannah not to bring up the Paris situation at all on OR off the air around Rob. I don't know what happened to make Captain Dungeon a Paris-lover and apologist...but there are some strange goings-on in the head of Silent Rob right now. Check us out on the show to see what goes down.

What's Going On?

Turn it up! It's Tuesday and you can join me and the Sexy Savannah at Ker's Winghouse on Vine Street in Kissimmee from 5 to 7 this evening. 2-4-1 draft beers and well drinks, O-Rock concert tickets and prizes, and hot Winghouse girls await your arrival. Here's how you find the place.

Tomorrow morning, your name could be read if you've stopped by one of the four Metro PCS locations where you can register for our PROJEKT REVOLUTION trip to Chicago! You can get a chance to be hooked up for free to see Linkin Park, My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, Saosin, and HIM just by stopping by the Metro PCS in the International Diamond Plaza on Sand Lake, Casselton Corners in Winter Park, Hiawassee Plaza on West Colonial, or the Rainbow Plaza in Kissimmee. It's free to register, and while you're there I would recommend that you take advantage of the phenomenal offers that you'll find from Metro PCS!

Tomorrow evening, you really should make it a point to check out Orlando's ORIGINAL Nickel Beer! Big Belly has been off the chain lately, packed with party people! If you want to be where downtown Orlando's best crowd hangs out, make tomorrow night your first night to hang at the Belly. I personally know of a whole bunch of hot teachers whose last day of school was today...they'll be ready to get crazy and blow off some steam. If you're trivia-inclined, get there early and get your hands on a playmaker to compete against me and Silent Rob for some great O-Rock 1059 concert tickets!

American Pie Pizza Company is about to unveil the 29-inch challenge! If you and a buddy can house a huge 29-inch pizza in one sitting, it's gonna be free! Check out the Morning After Show for details and see if me and Savannah really can get through one of these bad boys. American Pie Pizza Company is growing like crazy and we're proud to be a part of their family. Check out the brand-new locations in Sanford near the Town Centre, Oviedo on Red Bug and Mitchell Hammock, Hunter's Creek, and by the Orlando International Airport on 436...but don't forget about my boy Billy at College Park, Don at Altamonte Springs (in the Wal-Mart Plaza), Clermont, and Winter Garden.

Savannah and I have been blown away by the results of one of our newest and dearest clients. Ariel, Shannon, and the staff of Fusion Fitness are running things like onion rings and they have us looking, eating, and feeling great. Savannah looks better than she ever has and I've lost over ten pounds in just a few months thanks to pilates and Ariel's diet recommendations. Pilates is something I knew nothing about, but now that I've been doing them twice a week for a few months...I love it! Give Ariel or Shannon a call at 407-804-6005 and start feeling great about your body.

Racist Humor On Your Radio

My early influences when it comes to humor aren't the same as most people's influences. When I was far too young, I stole listens to my dad's comedy record albums from Flip Wilson, George Carlin, Redd Foxx, and Richard Pryor. I can't lie and say that I got every joke, but after hearing the bits so many times I figured out (for the most part) where the comedy was.
From there, I followed the path of offensive humor to each and every edition of "Truly Tasteless Jokes" and "Gross Jokes." I remember getting "The Big Ethnic Joke Book" confiscated in elementary school, which was a true shame at the time because that tome went so far as to designate a separate chapter for each minority. Everybody got a chapter, from Gays to Blacks, Jews to Polacks, and even the handicapped.
When I think about some of those jokes now, I cringe. When I think of some of the things I've said during my 15-year run behind the microphone, I wipe my brow in relief that I still get a paycheck. Now, more than ever, the voice of racial inequality is demanding to be heard. Broadcasters can no longer hide behind characters or bits to make racist "jokes." Don Imus shamelessly calling the Rutgers ladies "nappy headed ho's" was to racial humor what Janet Jackson's boob was to broadcasting indecency as a whole. One chief difference, however, was that Janet Jackson hasn't exactly made her career out of pushing indecency. Imus, from what I know of him and his show, has a history of letting some genuine-sounding prejudice ooze onto his airwaves.
I have to add as a disclaimer that I've only heard Don Imus a handful of times. As a longtime Stern fan, I have only been exposed to him through Howard bashing him and the occasional/accidental channel flip to see his gruesome visage on some NBC derivative. I've read enough news stories to know that he's not the most open-minded individual when it comes to accepting other races and ways of thinking. When I heard his fateful NCAA basketball-related comment, I felt the same way I felt after taking phone calls on the air the day after the Janet Superbowl. I knew a change was a-comin'.
It's here. A prank call to a Chinese restaurant claimed the victim known as the Doghouse with JV and Elvis. Former fellow CBS employees. Another radio guy used the phrase "Jewish Black Guy" to call someone cheap. Goodbye to you. Opie and Anthony, fellow CBS employees, may very well be off XM for good due to a bit they ran that included Condoleeza Rice getting raped.
With the Federal Communications Commission armed with a 250K fine per indecent incident AND Al Sharpton's posse (I can still write that, yeah?) on the hunt for racist jokes, it's not the time to be pushing envelopes. There is more of a burden than ever before for radio hosts to create compelling, funny, and I dare say "edgy" content without putting themselves (or their companies) in harm's way. Despite what you might think or hear radio callers say, this is not a First Amendment Issue. No matter what our job title is, we all have the right to express ourselves freely by speaking or writing. However, when you sign a contract to a corporation and advertising is sold on the radio show you produce...that particular speech isn't exactly protected as "free."
Howard Stern actually said it best on his show today: "You want freedom of speech? Go stand in a closet and talk." His show is on satellite radio and he takes full advantage of the lax indecency standards. I haven't heard his show since he moved it from terrestrial radio, but not a show goes by for which I haven't read the re-cap (kept online by an amazingly-attentive fan). Since the move to satellite, the language and show content has either evolved or descended past the boundaries of taste. Still, he realizes that if he finds himself out of favor with major advertisers...he'll suffer a similar misfortune as the above-mentioned radio dudes.
I'm not about to turn this into a confessional so I can unburden myself of my previous proclivity for racial humor. I wouldn't be so dumb as to even admit to one even slightly-offensive joke, especially with the current state of affairs. I will simply say that even though I may have previously found humor in feeding into stereotypes, I can see why and how the time has come to put an end to the venom, hatred, and sheer ignoranced that has contributed to the racial divide in this country.
Hypocrite? Your momma. The time has come to take necessary steps to bring us closer together as a people. All this brouhaha has forced me to challenge myself and what I find funny. Why should it be funny to make a joke about a black man stealing your wallet or a Jew being cheap? Is there anything funny about being a homosexual in an era where gays are still beaten and killed?
Don't misunderstand me...I think one can make jokes about other types of people without wanting to consciously discriminate against them. I am also not so myopic that I think everyone who makes a "black joke" truly sees them as equals. I will make an occasional joke with my General Manager at work, a stately African-American gentleman who has taught me an indescribable amount professionally and personally. The nature of our humor is good, but I know that there is a line there somewhere. My point is, even when I may have crossed that line I think Earnest can tell that I am more fascinated by our difference in color than bothered by it.
But can he? Deep down inside, how does it make him feel to hear a white boy who has lived a pretty damn easy life poke fun at the racial stereotypes he's dealt (and still deals) with? Had I been born an African-American, I know I wouldn't want to hear even a playful joke at the expense of my people who were brought here on slave ships. I can't even begin to speak for White America, but I can honestly state that I have heard from far too many people who forget that well into the 1950s there were separate hotels, restaurants, and drinking fountains in the good old U.S. of A. If I had a dime for every "I just wish they'd get over it" that's called me on the radio, I would be set for life.
That's where the root of the controversy is, by the way. The backlash against Imus getting fired stems from a vocal contingent of white people who just don't get it. They feel like they weren't directly responsible for slavery, they don't understand why there's a BET "but if we had White Entertainment Television there would be a riot", and they're not even remotely concerned if a white American broadcaster wants to use his forum to spew ignorant and intolerant rhetoric. Rather than bother to actually think about any points Al Sharpton might have, these people point the finger of racism at him in an attempt to discredit the Reverend.
The Reverend Al Sharpton has indeed made it his life mission, apparently, to be the "voice of the black community." Can you blame him? I sure as hell can't. Sure, he's controversial and brash. He seems to find any media opportunity within a 50-mile radius. He preaches to anyone who'll listen. What the hell is wrong with that? He's doing it all to make sure that people who have been the victims of discrimination can at least have the chance to be heard! I can't say that I fall in line with everything that he says, but at least he's used his position in this life to stand up for what he believes in. Even though my current career landscape has changed due to his crackdown, I have to say that I generally like what Al Sharpton is all about.
I definitely didn't intend for this to read like a case study in sociology. I know that you might read this and think I'm some sort of white apologist trying to unburden myself of some guilt. I'm not. For my first ten years or so, my only exposure to African-Americans was through music, entertainment, or sports. Then we moved down to Orlando a few houses down from Meke (pronounced "Mickey") Smith and his family. We were only a year apart, so we started playing ball together and I would end up at his house talking to his family. I finally got to know someone of a different race and found out that there are many ways in which we as people are alike, yet a few ways in which we couldn't be more different. I would never be so bold as to say I completely grasped what it was like to be Black In America, but the Smith family opened my eyes more than a little.
Fast-forward through the years. No, "some of my best friends" haven't been black, but I can honestly say I never rejected or accepted a friend based on their race. I still find Richard Pryor's old stuff some of the funniest comedy I've ever had the pleasure to hear. Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock carried his legacy and even improved upon it. The "cracker crowd" even has the Blue Collar guys when they want to laugh it up about fishin' and NASCAR. Stern hits the paid-for airwaves on Satellite four days a week and flies his finger in the face of the FCC. A bunch of guys are out of work because they ignored the winds of change when it comes to the current comedy culture in our country.
Is it fair that these guys, most with families to feed, have lost their livelihood? Yeah, actually. As someone who is not offended by humor so much as genuine racist tendencies, I think we've put too many ingredients into the stew of hatred we've been brewing for far too long. Think about the people you know who still make racist jokes or use that "N" word. If they were in a position to hire one candidate or another and race was the defining factor, what do you think would happen? When you say you "Jew" someone down a few bucks, does it even occur to you that you're projecting disdain on a people who has seen millions executed in concentration camps?
Again I run the risk of appearing to try to have my cake and eat it, too. I have been exposed to and immersed in such language and humor for my entire adult life. For the first time, I'm forced to think about why stereotypical humor has been funny to me and others. These ways in which we observe and joke about minorities, domestic violence, whatever...why do we laugh the hardest when the joke is the "wrongest"? Is it our nature as people to laugh at what shocks us?
So many questions. I'll gratefuly close this barrage of verbosity by saying that I don't fear the executioner's blade of employment termination any more or less than I did before the Imus Incident. I wondered aloud on the air today if it was still permissible for me to observe that of all the DHL delivery drivers, as opposed to UPS or FedEx, I don't know that I've ever seen a "caucasian" driver. The phones lit up, Savannah said I was going to get in trouble, and we got some good tongue-in-cheek laughs about the state of racial humor. Earnest seemed to get a good laugh out of it; good times were had by most.
Then, after the show an unnamed-employee tells me that this particular delivery service has more lax hiring standards and doesn't let things like felonies get in the way of a qualified applicant. This causes me to ponder the situation even more deeply than before. Does this mean, then, that white people don't commit as many...ahhhh, forget that. I'm not even going there.

So, we're doing this contest for "Moms That Rock" where listeners can email us with reasons why their mom rocks in order to win some great stuff from Habana Grill, Bentley's Bouquets, and other great sponsors. We got some really good responses...but none as thorough, hilarious, and disturbing as this one from Kristina in Orlando:

8. Why does your mom rock?: Well first off, my mother is an amazing women. She is a single mom with 2 daughters. (Myself, a junior in college and my sister, 26, who still lives at home -- dealing with her is an accomplishment in itself). Her only reason for living is to make sure my sister and I are happy and successful. She will do any and everything to accomplish that just that. My mother rocks because she is ballsy. Well to begin with, she is probably the oldest women to be kicked out of “The Holy Land Experience” for looking “suspicious”. (I understand this might not sound ‘rockin’ to some but its a great story) My mother is a member of the National Atheist Assoc. and was put on assignment to cover this new theme park that has caused much controversy. So her and a friend drove from Ft. Lauderdale (where we are from) to Orlando in hopes of coming up with a great story. Dressed in her usual all black, with her long black hair and red finger nails, my mother and her friend walked around the park for hours. Seeing as though they stuck out like very sore thumbs, they were followed the entire time by curious security guards asking them “What are you doing here?”, “Who told you to come here?”, “Who sent you?”. So obviously their presence alone was unnerving. Eventually, after chuckling during a recreation of Jesus' crusification, they were asked to leave and escorted out of the park. Needless to say they were able to get a great story of their “Holy Land Experience”. My mother rocks because she is fearless. Another reason my mother rocks is because at the age of 48, she is the only mother I know who was almost arrested for jumping a fence at a Pearl Jam concert in West Palm Beach. My mother is oddly OBSESSED with Pearl Jam. I’m talking has a Pearl Jam lyric book, every single CD/DVD and has been to every since South Florida performance they’ve had since I was born (And more than willing to pay any amount for front row seats.) Growing up in a primarily conservative suburb of Ft. Lauderdale, I was the only 8 year old who could sing every song off of the “Ten” album. Instead of family trips to Disney, we’d go to concert and festivals all around South Florida. One time in particular, my mother (along with about 15 other Pearl Jam fan club members) took a party bus to a concert of theirs in West Palm. Due to insane traffic, this hour drive was taking almost three. Once on the actual site, the lines getting in were insane but everyone was conte nt partying on the bus but my mom. While the bus was stopped in traffic, my mother jumped out of the bus and started making her way to the concert. Once at the gates, my mom realized she had forgotten her ticket on the bus. Being a little on the intoxicated side, she thought it was a great idea to just jump the fence. So after sneaking around to the side of the Coral Sky Ampitheater, her friend hoisted her up. Being at the top of the fence, my mother’s pants got stuck to the wire are ripped on her way down the other side. Mean while, a police officer was watching them and ran towards the fence while my mother was nearly dangling. Thankfully, she was able to regroup herself and ran into the sea of fans to disguise herself. Later on the same officer spotted her and attempted to arrest her but she protested claiming he had the wrong person and was eventually left alone. My mother rocks because she is grateful. To show my mother rocks even more, at that same concert (seeing as though she had left her ticket on the bus) she was able to sneak all the way to the front of the venue and befriended a nice man in the handicap section who let her stay up front the entire show. While on stage, Eddie Veder was blowing up black balloons and throwing them into the crowd. Being so close my mother was able to snag one and then gave it to her new handicap friend to thank him for this kind hospitality. (They still talk to this day) My mother rocks because she rocks! For my first solo concert experience with my mother, I was 15 years old and about to go see Goldfinger in West Palm Beach with some friends. Seeing as though I wasn’t old enough to drive, same goes for my friends, we had no way of getting to the show. Explaining this dilemma to my mother, she explained that she had to work late and was unable to help out. This obviously sucked and I was left with 5 friends, in my Goldfinger shirt and a ticket in my hand...or so I thought. At around 5:00pm, I get a knock on my front door. Being completely and utterly devastated about the concert, I dragged myself to the door and was greeted by a man in a suit. Highly confused he introduced himself as my driver for the night. I then looked in my driveway and saw a stretch limo waiting for my friends and I. My mother had hired a limo driver for the night to take us an hour north to WPB, Denny’s after the concert and then home. Needless to say my first “big girl ” concert without my mom was one to remember forever. Granted, my mother may not seem like your typical mom and stuff she does may seem to some as too extreme but that’s what makes her who she is. She is a free spirit with a heart of gold. She’s the type of person with a contagious smile and laugh that is addicting. If I can grow up and be half the woman she is, I think I’d do alright. And that is why my mom rocks!

GHOSTS ON I-4!!!

Channel 6 did a great story about a "dead zone" on our very own I-4. Click here for the photo slideshow that accompanies the story we talked about this morning on The Morning After Show!

The 69 With Henry Rollins!

Legendary punk-rocker and icon Henry Rollins will be kicking off The 69 tomorrow (Thursday) morning! In addition to being a great interview/storyteller and human being, Henry actually responds to his email and has managed to stay relevant well into his 40s. If you haven't caught The 69 yet, it's 60 minutes, 9 songs, all 90s. We've busted out some gems thus far in our first week of giving you music to enjoy at work or home, including the Fugees, Big Audio Dynamite 2, and Third Eye Blind.

In keeping with our marketing strategy (myspace or nothing at all), I'd like to encourage as many of you as possible to create a myspace profile for The 69. All you have to do is include our catchphrase (60 minutes, 9 songs, all 90s) and put whatever pictures myspace will allow. If you want to highlight some of the bands, memories of the 1990s, movies, Savannah, or whatever....please feel free. I know, you're thinking "what will I win for my effort?"

You shameless bum. How dare you! In all seriousness, we have been given a ton of really cool stuff from April and Andy in Promotions lately...and American Pie Pizza Company gave me a TON of free pizza cards. So...ask yourself: is it worth a potential free delicious pizza pie to spend a few stolen minutes at work to create a myspace profile for The 69? Clearly, the answer is yes. Email drew@orock1059.com when you're done and let me know where we can find your piece of online art. Thanks as always for listening!

Rich Eisen, guest on the Morning After Show!

From TMZ.com, Rich Eisen of the NFL network has found himself in the middle of a brouhaha. A super-hot news anchor in Philly sent 7 bikini photos to him...but she didn't know that Rich shares the email account with his wife. Oops. Here's what all 3 of them look like. If you were Rich, would you upgrade to wife v2.0?

Mom Jeans!

So, this morning on the show we were discussing the epidemic of "mom jeans." 42% of people responding to a survey said they are dissatisfied with the way their butt looks! Here is a link to a youtube gem about "mom jeans." Enjoy!