Bob Shannon (radio)

Bob Shannon (born: September 20, 1942 St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada; was a long time radio personality, best remembered for his numerous stunts and promotions including the staged take over of his popular radio show by teen sensations “The Monkees” of TV fame.

Radio career

Bob began his pursuit of a broadcasting career at the age of 14 when he auditioned for a weekend slot at his hometown radio station WJJL in Niagara Falls, New York. According to Adams; “my voice was so high that about a dozen dogs gathered at the back door of the station and began howling. I was terrible”. At 19 he left New York and landed a job as a page at NBC Television, Burbank. Then it was on to Phoenix where local radio favorite Jim Spero gave him a weekend shot on KXIV (AM) But it wasn’t until Al McCoy, play by play voice of The Phoenix Suns help land him a full time slot at KBLU (AM) Yuma that that his on air radio career swung into full gear. It was at this point in time that Adams began using the name Bob Shannon as a tribute to his favorite hometown DJ Tom Shannon of WKBW (AM) Buffalo. From Yuma it was on to KUTY (AM) in Palmdale, home to another early radio notable Don Imus. Then KDWB (AM) Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota where he worked as both morning host and Program Director, KRUX (AM) Phoenix, WKBW (AM) Buffalo, WKYC (AM) and WIXY (AM) Cleveland, KDKA Pittsburgh, KXOK (AM) St. Louis, KJR (AM) Seattle, KDWB (AM) Minneapolis/St. Paul, KCBQ (AM) San Diego and Los Angeles at: KWIZ (AM/FM), KFI (AM), KHJ, KLAC (AM) and KRTH (FM).

Audience Involvement

One of the many hallmarks of Shannon’s “BS in the morning” show was the daily myriad of real life characters which were either voiced by Shannon or members of his audience. The very realistic sounding characters included: a guilt ridden "Ted Kennedy" a clueless "Jimmy Carter" and a befuddled "Gene Autry" who’d spend hours trying to obtain a quarterback , wide receiver or linebacker for his baseball team. (Autry owned the California Angels). But it was Shannon’s uncanny ability to involve members of his audience that made him unlike other DJs of the time. He’d cleverly utilize his listeners who’d phone in with a variety of looney and screwy reports that always culminated with some sort of corny but hilarious punch line like the drunken Chief Pilot of the President’s plane who when questioned by Shannon if he was really the captain of “Air Force One”, would reply with, “Air Force won?… Oh, that’s great..…who..who’d they play?”.. Then there was the gurgling underwater "Jacques-Yves Cousteau", Shannon’s doting "Jewish Mother", "Hillary Clinton" and a bad tempered foul mouthed "Mickey Mouse" who’d reveal his true personality by unleashing a barrage of filthy language and sexual innuendos toward his girlfriend Mini until realizing he was on the air. The routine of course infuriated the Disney Company.

now, Gas, Hurricanes and Monkee Business

In 1975, Shannon more commonly known as “BS in the Morning”, guaranteed his listeners they would have snow on Christmas morning. Along with his newsman Ed Nix, the innovative DJ spent more than an hour flying over the southern California skies in his Cessna 182, scraping ice from the plane. According to the L.A. Times and Orange County Register, “the stunt was nothing more than a snow job.”

During his stay in the Twin Cities the infamous “BS in The Morning” promised his listeners a natural gas substitute to offset rising gas prices and promptly distributed hundreds of cans of beans in a downtown shopping mall.

In January 1967 gained national attention when he teamed up with the legendary singing group, “The Monkees” and staged a take over of Shannon’s radio show. The episode became part of “The Monkees” season 1 finale entitled, “The Monkees on Tour”.

But, it wasn’t until early November,1975 that Shannon pulled his most notable stunt during the hysteria over women’s rights. Intending to annoy supporters of the feminist movement Shannon began pressuring the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration to institute a policy of equality by naming hurricanes after men. Up until this time hurricane’s had only been named for women. When the gimmick which was only to stir up some local chatter hit the national wire it created a firestorm that rapidly swept the entire country, Amazingly, Shannon's trivial equal rights stunt resulted in the Department of Commerce agreeing to consider naming hurricanes after men. But as the process bogged town, Shannon and his listeners kept the pressure up and in late 1978 NOAA halted the practice of naming hurricanes solely after women and begin including the men as well. The first was David, the name of Shannon’s son which hit the Atlantic coast on August 25th, 1979. Hurricane “Bob” came along on August 19th, 1991.

Film/Television Acting

From 1983 until 2000 Shannon turned his attention to Film/Television acting and under his real name, R.J.Adams landed a variety of roles in such notables as: Rooky IV, The Execution, Murder She Wrote, The Dead Zone, American Dreams, Smith and dozens of other roles. It was also during this time that he established himself as one of L.A.’s best known film acting coaches.

Return to Radio

In 2000 the name Bob Shannon would once again fill the southern California airwaves when he joined the legendary K-EARTH 101 until joining the ranks of talk radio personalities as the host of “Back Stage Live” on KRLA (AM).

Note: Not to be confused with DJ Bob Shannon of WCBS-FM who also worked in Pittsburgh at WKTQ (AM) and in Syracuse WOLF (AM). The New York City Shannon has had an incredible 21 year stay with CBS-FM. He’s one of the Big Apple’s best.

ee also

Tropical Hurricane naming

References

* [http://laradio.com/apparel.htm Los Angeles Radio People, by Don Bennett]

* [http://www.johnrook.com/I%20love%20L.A.%2064%20KFI.htm KFI Music Radio]

* [http://www.noaa.gov/ National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration]

* [http://www.johnrook.com/I%20love%20L.A.%2064%20KFI.htm I Love L.A.]

External links

* [http://www.Reelradio.com Radio airchecks]
* [http://www.LARadio.com Southern California radio people]
* [http://www.californiaaircheck.com Radio personality airchecks]
* [http://www.wixy1260.com The best of Cleveland radio]
* [http://www.440.com The catalogue of top 40 jocks]
* [http://www.wkbwradio.com A Buffalo legend]
* [http://www.rockradioscrapbook.ca Radio’s best]
* [http://www.bobshannon.com Behind the Hits]
* [http://www.historyquests.com Shannon & Company]
* [http://www.theactorsworkshop-la.com Film Acting Classes-Los Angeles]
* [http://www.theactorsworkshop.com Film Acting Training]