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Archived content from January 2008 to recent:
Get ready to pitch your product on the show!
They've been talking about it for a long time. And now it will finally happen.
The MJ Morning Show will host a pitch-a-thon event on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at the Ritz in Ybor City, Fla. Pitchmen star Anthony Sullivan - the former pitchman partner of the late Billy Mays - will be on-hand for the inaugural event of its kind. Along with help from Sully's crew and members of the morning show, every person who attends will have a chance to pitch their product in 90 seconds. About 20 to 30 finalists from this event will be selected to appear in the studio with MJ and Sully on the morning of Friday, Nov. 6. During this time, they will come up with one or two people who will probably appear in an episode of the Discovery Channel show with their invention.
Because the show has so much appeal to eager inventors looking for a venue to pitch their products, MJ expects listeners and even people who don't listen to the show from all over the country to fly in to be at this special event. With one-on-one access to Sully and the TV crew, it should make for an interesting "Invention Convention."
Cocaine addiction led to split of MJ & BJ
We now know why the popular morning radio duo of MJ Kelli and BJ Harris were last together on Feb. 7, 2001. It was BJ's cocaine addiction that broke up the successful show.
On Oct. 22, BJ made his first visit to the studio he once worked in after almost nine years. He was even late getting there after his flight from Denver was delayed and he missed his connection in Atlanta to get to Tampa. MJ paid $1,735.09 for a limo to bring BJ and his girlfriend, Lisa, from Atlanta to Tampa (about 600 miles) overnight. BJ stepped up to a microphone in the studio at around 7:55 a.m. Eastern Time, finally sharing his voice on the air with MJ once again. In the following segment of the show, it did not take him long to reveal his major cocaine problem that flourished in the late 1990s. The two started the morning show in 1994, but BJ said the addiction was probably at its worst by late 1999 and early 2000.
He went on to discuss how MJ and management at the radio station did everything in their power to help him overcome the addiction. Both MJ and Dave Reinhart, former executive at Clear Channel-Tampa, even took BJ to the rehab center by themselves, sat in the waiting room, and waited for him to emerge as a new man. The rehab helped some but he quickly relapsed and hit another low point by late 2000. At that point, management at the radio station agreed that BJ would no longer be able to work because paying him to be an employee only fed his drug problem. On the morning of Feb. 7, 2001, BJ got up in the last hour of the show and quit. He was later given job opportunities in Chicago and Cincinnati and finally settled down at KALC-FM in Denver around 2005. That is where he now co-hosts a morning show with crew members Erica and Howie. But it is not a Clear Channel station.
BJ will be on the air again Friday morning for a more traditional show. MJ joked that maybe BJ would take over for him so he could focus entirely on his afternoon Schnitt Show, so maybe we'll hear more about that possibility as time goes on. Or at least we might hear more about some of the old characters on the show show and why the team worked so well together.
The MJ & BJ Show is back...at least for a few days
Longtime listeners of the show remember the MJ & BJ Morning Show fondly. From 1994 to 2001, the radio duo became one of the most-listened-to morning shows in the Tampa Bay area and made national headlines for stunts like the "MJ BJ OJ" billboards and the time they streaked butt-naked in downtown Tampa after the Buccaneers won their first five games in 1997.
In 1998, when Z1077 started syndicating the show, St. Louis listeners were finally exposed to the crazy antics, and the audience in that market caught on quickly.
But when 2001 rolled around, the popular duo split up. BJ left to work in another market, and the program simply became the MJ Morning Show. Many listeners wondered why the two successful hosts broke up a show that had worked so well for years. The main reason for the split that was reported in newspapers at the time was that BJ had been overworked. At one point, he was operations manager of 93.3 FLZ and a co-host on its morning show. He decided to leave the show and focus on a managerial position in radio. He left the Tampa market, spent time in Cincinnati and eventually landed at a station in Denver, where he has been back on the air for a few years as a morning co-host on Alice 105.9 FM.
MJ has rarely discussed why the two went their separate ways. But in his "major announcement" on Monday, Oct. 5, he and BJ both agreed that they will lay everything out for the listeners. BJ will be in the studio on the mornings of Oct. 22 and 23 to talk about what happened and just to enjoy a little MJ & BJ reunion. It should be interesting to hear the two back in action once again and find out what exactly went down during the show's first seven years and what caused the breakup. Plus newer listeners to the show (after 2001) will get to hear MJ & BJ for the first time together on the radio.
The MJ & BJ Morning Show crew in 2000
Left to right - Froggy #1, Fester, MJ, BJ, Dave the Dwarf, Joey B, Hurricane
MJ is now spinning the hits on the show
For years, the MJ Morning Show crew has prided itself on not playing any music, or maybe one song in the first hour of the show to give MJ extra time to map out the show for that morning.
But it appears those days are over - at least for now.
A few years ago, MJ said radio listeners wanted to hear more content. They did not want to hear one song after the next during their drive to work. They wanted to hear personalities talking about current events and doing entertaining bits. Apparently times have changed since then.
According to a new electronic ratings system from Arbitron (called the People Meter), radio listeners now want to hear more music and less talk in the morning. Management at 102.7 KIIS-FM in Los Angeles even told morning show host Ryan Seacrest to stop talking so much and to play a little more music. He balked at the idea but apparently has taken their suggestions to heart.
So MJ decided to give it a whirl with his show. He now plays one or two songs every hour, But the commercial breaks are slightly shorter than they used to be. Before the change, the show consisted of nine total segments, some of which were upwards of 30 minutes long. Now the show is divided into 12 shorter segments with about three commercial breaks an hour and two songs an hour. The songs are current Top 40 hits from artists like Pitbull and Kings of Leon.
Back in the early days of the show and up until about 2000, the MJ & BJ Morning Show played plenty of music every morning. They would routinely play a few songs back-to-back in each hour of the show. Sometimes you'd have to wait 10 or 15 minutes to finally hear the crew back on the air. Once they came back, they would fill the segments with top-notch entertaining talk that really made the show compelling. Maybe MJ will have to restructur some things to give the audience prime-time content throughout the whole show when music and commercials are not running. That is the best way to keep listeners who aren't particularly interested in the music he now plays.
The Taylor Swift Debacle: What's the big deal?
Some may say this website puts MJ on a pedestal. But don't most fan pages of any person or thing do that? I thought so.
Either way, I have to side with MJ on the whole Taylor Swift interview gone bad. Or maybe I should say I have to side with his actions during the interview. There is no reason Taylor should have expected anything else when it came to the radio interviews she did on the Friday following the Kanye West incident five days earlier. If she only wanted to give The View her first and only interview on the situation, why did she even agree to do a radio tour? She had to know - or at least made aware - that people wanted to hear more from her about what happened. And the one of the ways to accomplish that was for her to go on radio stations around the country to talk about it.
Maybe the reason people are upset with MJ is because they thought Taylor should have been coddled following the nightmare she had to endure at the MTV Video Music Awards. Showing more compassion for her might have been the appropriate thing to do. But as a celebrity or anyone in the public eye, you have to be able to answer the tough questions. Other celebrities do it. Athletes do it. It takes time to learn the ropes, and maybe Taylor is just naive at 19 years old. Hopefully she will learn how to handle hardball interviews better as she matures, even though MJ's was hardly that. A simple "no comment" to any of his questions could have sufficed.
Finally, what was the big deal with Taylor walking away from the phone? This interview was one of a dozen on that one day, and it is amazing how much press it got. The interview probably would have gotten even more press had she answered the questions she was asked. And it would have made for good publicity for both sides instead of the way it's been portrayed.
MJ and crew planning to team up with Sully on Pitchmen
The groundwork is starting to be laid for a potential deal for the MJ Morning Show to be involved in the upcoming season of Pitchmen. The Discovery Channel show, which was based on inventors pitching product ideas to the late Billy Mays and Anthony Sullivan, is expected to start taping its second season very soon. MJ came up with the idea to do a Radio Pitch-a-thon. If it works out, listeners will be able to call in and pitch a product. MJ will decide which people have the best ideas, and he will invite them into the studio. Sully will then be involved by hearing the top "pitchers" tell him their ideas and possibly demonstrate their products in front of him in the studio.
Sully said he really likes the idea and hopes his producers will also go for it. MJ thinks listeners from all markets and even people who don't listen to the show will want to be involved since it will be a prime opportunity for any inventors to get the word out about their products.
In other Sully news, Meredith finally admitted that she went out to dinner with him - but only once. Sully jokingly said that Meredith stood him up for a second date. Between the two of them, who knows what really happened.
MJ's vacation adventures in the Windy City
This summer, MJ went on a week-and-a-half vacation to Colorado and stopped over in Chicago for a quick visit. The story of the trip had nothing to do with the Centennial State - it was all about the Windy City.
While taking in the sights and sounds of northern Illinois, MJ took the family to Cortino's italian restaurant - a place recommended by the concierge at his hotel. Chloe had to go to the bathroom during dinner, so MJ took her upstairs to go. He sat down at an empty table about 12 feet from the bathroom to wait. He pulled out his Blackberry and checked some e-mail to pass the time, not realizing that the way he was holding it up almost looked as if the camera lens on it was aimed directly at the women's bathroom door. A guy came out of the men's room, saw what MJ was doing and started yelling at him. He called him a pervert and said he was going to tell the restaurant manager about what he thought MJ was doing. He even said he would tell MJ's wife about it. MJ told the guy to shut up and threatened to throw him down the stairs. When MJ stood up, the guy ran away. He said he was a scrawny guy and could easily defend himself against this moron. He couldn't believe that simply looking at his Blackberry screen a certain way would make someone think he was taking pictures of people in the bathroom or coming out of it.
MJ also visited the Tribune Tower with Julian, while Michelle took Chloe to the American Girl store. This building houses the Chicago Tribune and WGN radio. He saw some old friends he used to work with in Tampa and they showed him around the place. He went down to the "bunker room" seven stories underground. The only way to get to this private area is on an elevator, and there is no other way to get back up if the elevator is down.
Once again, MJ had another eventful vacation. We'll have to see what happens next time when he takes a few days off after Labor Day in early September.
On another note, MJ mentioned that he would love to live in Chicago and even insinuated that there could be some kind of deal brewing to potentially move him there.
How do Froggy, fishing and boating go together?
It's no secret that Froggy is a self-proclaimed lazy guy. He talks about how he likes to sit around in his underwear, drink beer and play Xbox 360 whenever he's home. A few years ago, he created the "Live Lazy" bracelets (a play on Lance Armstrong's "Live Strong" bracelets). Since Fester lost some weight, it seems like Froggy has taken on the title of being the laziest guy on the show that Fester used to be. In some ways, it's amazing that he is actually a married man.
So why in the heck would Froggy be interested in fishing and boating?
In the last year or so, Froggy has talked about how he and Big Lou find ponds all around the Tampa area to fish in. One time, some teenagers spotted the two fishing and called Froggy names because of how lame it looked for him to be fishing in what MJ described as a retention pond. Not long ago, a police officer came up to him and told him that he was trespassing when he was fishing in a lake. Froggy even talks about how he keeps up with national fishing tournaments and watches fishing shows on TV.
To fish, you have to have patience. It might take a few hours before you ever catch anything. Can you picture Froggy standing outside with a rod hoping to reel in a fish? Maybe it's like making a prank call. You have to make multiple attempts before you get someone to "bite" on your prank, just like with fishing.
As for boating, maintaining a boat requires even more work and patience. Froggy has talked about buying a boat for a while now. But in order to use it, you have to know the ins and outs of boating, you have to spend a lot on upkeep and even navigating a watercraft isn't too easy.
Maybe we are seeing the evolution of Froggy. Since he will be 30 years old later this year, maybe this is the beginning of a new Froggy - a guy who actually has more patience and isn't like the rebellious guy we've grown to love.
Laura has become an unlikely radio star
A personal trainer named Laura probably thought she would never get any recognition for her singing abilities - or, at least, she thought she could sing. On a whim, she sent a CD with two tracks of her singing on it to the Clear Channel offices in Tampa. The tracks were recorded three years ago, making the whole thing even more obscure. Little did she know, MJ would bring her into the studio in a limo, have her on the show, and help her produce a music video for one of the songs on the CD.
One afternoon a few weeks ago, Tommy Chuck was listening to the CD in his office. MJ heard it and asked what it was. He said it was just one of the many CD's sent in by listeners hoping that they might cut through the clutter and get some airplay on the radio. So MJ took the disc and began playing the songs last week. He would roll snippets of them here and there every morning, poking fun at how off-key some of her notes were. He even said she should stick to personal training and forget singing.
The crew's multiple attempts to contact her were unsuccessful until she finally answered the phone one morning. They had her on the show and MJ was very honest with her, which didn't really help matters. He then offered her the chance to come in one morning so they could talk to her. When she agreed and came in, he made the offer for her to star in a music video to one of her songs - "Villains" - just to have some fun. It took some coaxing but she ultimately said yes.
The ironic thing about all this is that Laura had never even heard of the MJ Morning Show. Now she has become somewhat of a star on the radio with a chance to become noticed on the Internet as well. William Hung and Susan Boyle surprised everyone, so could Laura be the next sensation?
Billy Mays, a friend of the show, has died
Celebrity deaths just won't seem to stop. Hollywood lost three big names - Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson - just last week. Although he wasn't a major Hollywood celebrity, Billy Mays was still known to Americans as the top TV pitchman of today. Mays was found dead in his Tampa, Fla. home on Sunday, June 28 around 7:45 a.m. He was 50 years old.
For years, MJ had always wanted to have Billy on the show. He heard a rumor that Billy did not like him because Michelle had some problems with OxiClean that MJ talked about on the air. But the two finally made a connection in 2009 when Billy called in to the show one morning. They would later have he and Anthony Sullivan, Billy's business partner, in the studio as well as Billy III, his 22-year-old son. And of course they had Billy star in a video shot at a McDonald's restaurant in which the pitchman ordered breakfast in his classic voice.
Billy and Sullivan were also involved in the "Pitchmen" TV show, which chronicled how a product is developed and eventually advertised. The morning show crew attended the premiere party for the Discovery Channel show, which was picked up for a second season and was scheduled to begin in the fall. MJ even pitched an idea to Billy about doing something where the morning show could be featured on one of the episodes by having listeners send in their ideas for products to be pitched.
Just think of how many more products Billy could have pitched in his lifetime. Maybe he could have landed roles in movies at some point. He seemed like he was a genuinely nice guy from hearing him on the radio and watching his show. Billy Mays will be missed.
Congratulations to our winner: Amber Tardino of Highland, Illinois!
Amber listens to the show on Z107.7 in St. Louis. She correctly answered 14 of the 15 questions.
Thanks to everyone who entered. There were more entrants this time around, so I appreciate everyone for taking the time to enter, and I may do another one of these later in the year.
Here are the correct answers:
1. In the “Hurt Nurse” fake radio shows, what is the name Froggy uses for the radio host?: Jose Castillos
2. How old does Dementia Don claim to be in his phone calls?: 97
3. What ended up being in the Mystery Safe when the crew finally opened it?: Nothing
4. What is the name of the contest MJ planned to do for women with great bodies but not great faces?: Butter Face (or But-a-Face)
5. What is the name of Fester’s Chihuahua?: Bailey
6. Which young actor does Froggy claim he was friends with in high school?: Channing Tatum
7. What invention idea has Froggy always talked about getting a patent for and even pitched to Billy Mays?: Tube socks on a roll
8. What company does Meredith’s step-dad work for?: Wachovia (Wells Fargo)
9. Which minor league baseball team did Dave the Dwarf recently play for?: York Revolution
10. What is the name of Fester’s barbecue sauce?: Tony Fatso's Everything Sauce
11. In what year did Fester and his wife get married?: 2001
12. What is MJ’s brother’s occupation?: Plastic surgeon
13. January 20 was President Obama’s first day in office and the last day for which crew member on the show?: Joey B
14. What sport did MJ beat President Obama’s low score in?: Bowling
15. Unitard and which female intern supposedly hooked up?: Jub Jub
Jub Jub gets caught, and Meredith was there
This past weekend, the show's flagship radio station 93.3 FLZ held its annual Memorial Day Weekend party at Shephard's, a tiki bar/restaurant/hotel complex on the beach in Clearwater, Fla. Meredith was one of several station staffers who was on the air broadcasting live from the event. Her shift was from 4-7 p.m. on Sunday. She got her own room to get ready for the live broadcast. About an hour before going on the air, Jub Jub the Intern came to Meredith's room at the hotel where Meredith and her friend Sue from Jacksonville were hanging out. Jub Jub said she had a "surprise" to show them. She opened her purse, pulled out a bag of marijuana and started smoking it. Meredith claimed that she and her friend did not partake in the smoking. A security guard then knocked on the door and said he smelled something coming from their room. They admitted to having pot in the room, and he told Jub Jub to flush it down the toilet and no further questions would be asked. She complied with his request.
Because of this incident, MJ said that Jub Jub has lost her internship with the show yet again. Last summer, she shoplifted a sweater from a Dillard's store at a local mall. MJ fired her for doing that but later agreed to give her another chance as an intern. Since she came back, the crew has been trying to help her lose weight with its "Biggest Loser" bit. So far she has lost over 20 pounds.
But MJ is also wondering whether he should fire Meredith for her involvement in the ordeal because she did not tell Jub Jub to leave or get rid of the drugs at the party, which was sponsored by the radio station. He claims that she put the station and morning show in a bad position by allowing Jub Jub to stay in the room and use drugs right in front of her when all three girls could have been arrested and charged with misdemeanor drug possession.
UPDATE FROM 5/27 SHOW: MJ said he is going to make Meredith do 100 hours of community service for her involvement in the situation. He wants her to work with some kind of anti-drug group that warns teens against the dangers of using drugs. As for Jub Jub, he fired her a second time on Wednesday's show after telling her she was fired the day before. She wasn't too happy about his insult to injury.
UPDATE FROM 5/29 SHOW: Froggy went up to Meredith and pulled out a chunk of her hair. Click here to listen to her reaction. He insinuated that he'll probably have the hair tested to see if it reveals anything related to the whole situation.
Show can now be heard on iHeart Radio
Maybe you've heard MJ talk about how the morning show is now available on iHeart Radio, but you weren't sure what exactly he was talking about. Well, with the advent of "smart phones" such as the iPhone in recent years, these devices can connect to the Internet almost anywhere you have one. They are also capable of connecting to streaming audio. Most radio stations stream their audio so you can listen to them online around the world, and now you can listen to stations right on your phone. The quality of the audio is pretty decent, too.
The MJ Morning Show now has its own streaming station on this application. All you have to do is download the iHeart Radio application, which can be installed on the iPhone and the Blackberry. When you run the application, there will be an option to select from various Clear Channel stations around the country, which you can listen to live. There is a menu titled "Personalities" that includes several morning shows. Go to that menu and you should see the MJ Morning Show listed. Each 4-hour show becomes available shortly after it ends every morning, and the shows are replayed throughout the day. So if you miss a show from a Tuesday morning, you can listen to it over and over later on Tuesday afternoon and at night. On the weekends, the channel will replay shows from the previous week. So get the application and try it out!
Maniac Marty Calls the Stoner Guy
Listen to one of Froggy's recent calls to the Stoner Guy at the record store. He posed as Maniac Marty - a radio show host who was doing a contest to give away a ton of money.
Dave the Dwarf digs the long ball
Read a story from the York Daily Record about how a minor-league baseball club in Pennsylvania hired Dave the Dwarf. And he's not just a mascot or entertainer in the stands - he's actually playing on the team!
Dana the Intern is living the high life
It can't be too often that a young woman is approached by a wealthy businessman who offers to wine and dine her around the country, plus pay for other luxuries like lip augmentation.
Or can it?
Either way, that is exactly what has happened to Dana the Intern (or Dumbass Dana, according to Froggy). Some guy named Todd (ironically MJ's real name) runs a public relations company out of New York. Donald Trump is apparently one of his clients, so we can assume his pockets are pretty deep. He first met Dana at a Super Bowl party in Tampa back in February. The two hit it off, and they've been seeing each other ever since. Todd was supposed to fly Dana out to see the Grammy Awards in L.A., but that never happened. What has happened is he has named her "vice president" of his PR company. She now carries business cards with her name and new title on them. He has also flown her to New York a few times and the two went to Las Vegas. (Maybe he's just a little obsessed with her?)
Most recently, Dana got lip augmentation that Todd paid for. MJ noticed her plumpy lips and thought she was bitten by a bunch of bees. She was hesitant to reveal what actually happened but finally spilled the beans that it was Todd who made her face more plumpified. Dana is also hoping to get a tummy tuck and especially a new boob job - something she has wanted ever since she got botched implants a while back. She is hoping Todd might shell out money for the new rack as well.
Find out more about Dana (and maybe some insight into her escapades with this guy) on her MySpace page. She does list herself as being "in a relationship."
The Famous Robert from the STL
Listen to the audio of MJ and the crew talking about Robert, our famous friend from St. Louis. They kind of called him a "stalker" because he has sent flowers to Meredith and has made websites about her. (audio coming soon!)
Meredith has been center stage recently
The MJ Morning Show's Meredith has been the subject of plenty of attention lately. And it hasn't really involved her seemingly lack of knowlege about pop culture or current events. Although she doesn't say too much during the course of a given show, several bits in the last week or so have put her on center stage because of her looks. She was recently named as one of the top 50 hottest women in radio - but by a website that almost nobody has heard of before. She came in at #12 on the list and was beat out by Lisa Paige, a girl who used to do middays at 93.3 FLZ in Tampa. She was also contacted by a representative from Playboy magazine - so she thought to potentially do a photo spread for one of its issues, which may have come from the fact that she made the top 50 list. But it turned out that this was a hoax and Meredith was duped.
Meredith has talked about a getting breast augmentation to enhance her body since she says it would really help her potential career and could lead to other opportunities outside of radio.
So my question is: Based on pictures you have seen of Meredith on the website since she has been on the show, do you think she is hot? Be honest.
OTHER POLL QUESTION
On the morning of Monday, February 7, 1994 at 6 a.m. Eastern Time, the MJ & BJ Morning Show was born on WFLZ-FM in Tampa. The crew included MJ, BJ, Mike, Jason the Buffoon Boy, and Hurricane. Fifteen years later, the show has a slightly different name, is heard on more radio stations, and probably sounds a bit different than it did on day one. especially with how much music was played on the show back then. But two of the show's original members still remain - MJ and Hurricane.
So Happy 15th Anniversary, MJ and crew!
Joey B becomes victim of layoffs
The economic crisis has finally hit close to home for MJ Morning Show listeners. Joey B, the show's executive producer for the last three years, was laid off by Clear Channel on Jan. 20. The media company announced that it was laying off over 1,800 employees that day - about 9 percent of all employees. Joey just happened to be one of the unfortunate victims. The entire media industry has undergone significant cutbacks in the last few years, especially with Clear Channel and radio in general.
Joey worked on the MJ & BJ Morning Show from 1998-2001 and then came back five years later to rejoin MJ after stints at stations in Miami and Philadelphia. Joey brought Flunkie with him the second time, and the two were roommates for a while until Flunkie decided to move back up north. Joey has been living by himself since and has also been dealing with his ailing elderly mother who lives in New Jersey. Losing his job is probably the last thing he needed to happen to him.
Media coverage of the Clear Channel layoffs included a story on a St. Petersburg Times blog. Joey told the Times: “It’s just business, not a personal thing," he said. "“When is a good day for somebody to lose their job? Is there ever a good day for that?" He also said he hopes to find another job in Tampa.
Because Joey was laid off and not fired, he probably will not be replaced any time soon, unless someone wants to come in and work for a significantly lower amount of money than what Joey was making. That means the executive producer duties will likely be dispersed among the rest of the crew - at least for now.
Listen to the audio of MJ talking about Joey B getting laid off.
Froggy 1, who some may remember as simply Froggy, started on the MJ & BJ show in the mid-1990s as an intern, a buffoon and later ran the audio and sound effects. He left in the summer of 2002 to work on the morning show on Miami's Y-100 FM. The current Froggy took Froggy 1's name and job on the show when the first Froggy left.
Click here to check out a feature piece on the old Froggy that recently ran in the Miami Herald. It includes some quotes from Hurricane.
Flunkie makes an appearance on the show
After Flunkie supposedly strong-armed Clear Channel management in March 2007 by demanding more money or quitting his job on the show - and then picking up and leaving - many people thought it would be the end of the Flunkster, and MJ would want no part of him anymore. But that turned out not to be case. MJ has made quick mentions of him since his departure, including playing his famous "Go West" theme song. He even had him on the air again for the first show of 2009. During the show's holiday break, Joey B was out and spotted him in town where he was working as a DJ for a private party. The two former roommates didn't talk very long, but Joey said he was "mesmerized" by something about Flunkie - his hair. When he was on the show, Flunkie would always wear a hat to try to hide the fact that his hair was thinning. Now, according to Joey, he has a full head of hair and looks like a new man. But he's still fat.
Listen to the phone call where MJ confronts Flunkie about his new hair and how he got it.
Fester said these four days will always stand out in his life:
#1 - The day he got married
Many listeners thought Fester would always be a single man, mainly because of how lazy he was. But he finally settled down and tied the knot in 2001 with a girl named Allison. Seven years later, he and his wife now co-own a Planet Beach tanning salon franchise in South Tampa. I once asked Fester if he and Allison would ever have kids, and he said taking care of his chihuahua was enough work for him.
#2 - The day he weighed in at over 400 pounds
The "Fester 400" was a "race" that Fester did by himself. It had nothing to do with running and burning calories - rather, it was the opposite of that. Fester always weighed around 380 pounds, sometimes more and sometimes less. So as a bit, MJ decided to make him finally reach the 400-lb. mark. He shoved his face with as much food as he could round up, mainly pizza. Once all was said and done, he and former general manager Dave Reinhart went to a truck stop. They did a weigh-in, and the scale read 402 lbs. Fester later had the lap band procedure done and has dropped over 150 lbs. in the years since this day because his stomach is "tied up" to be smaller and thus hold less.
#3 - The day MJ kissed his ass
In 2000, Fester made a bet with MJ that he could book Arnold Schwarzennegger to be a guest on the show. If was able to pull it off, MJ would have to kiss his ass. Fester did it, they had Arnold on the show, and MJ's lips met Fester's rump for a historic smooch. They even took pictures of the kiss and sold copies to listeners at various locations around town. The crew occasionally references this moment as one of the most significant days in the show's history.
#4 - The day he set off a turkey fryer fire
Fester finally got redemption on this one. A failed attempt to create a fire from a turkey fryer in 2006 gave Fester motivation to try it again two years later. On November 26, 2008, he was successful. He used regular cooking oil instead of peanut oil and set off a blaze in the station's parking lot as the frozen turkey met the scalding hot oil in the fryer.
Future looking brighter for the MJ Morning Show
There has been plenty of speculation here on this website among listeners who are wondering what the future holds for the MJ Morning Show. MJ's last Clear Channel contract expired on Aug. 31, and he even said on the air that he might give up the show soon to focus on his afternoon Schnitt Show, which is starting to build up a nice list of affiliates around the country.
But we now know for sure that MJ will continue to host the morning show for the foreseeable future. Although we don't know the specific details of the latest contract he signed, MJ said the show will go on in 2009 and he will be picking up at least two new affiliates for the morning show in January. That could bump the show's network up to at least eight stations. MJ will embark on his 15th year hosting the show on Feb. 7, 2009. And from the looks of it, he may just add another year or more to that number, which is already a pretty big accomplishment for a show to last that long and be a consistently top-rated show in one market.
There are also a few other indications that the show will remain on the air for some time. MJ said he wants to have a new logo designed. The current one has been used since 2002 when he held a contest to see who could come up with the best logo. He also said he may be taking the morning show website off-premeses to a site that would not be owned and operated by Clear Channel. This would give him more freedom to put things on it that the company might otherwise restrict him from doing.
Jub Jub is back for the third time
MJ has brought back many former members of the show, including Froggy 2, Joey B, and Jabberjaw. The same deal now holds true for Jub Jub the Intern, also known by her real name, Elena. She was originally on the show for several months before leaving to take a job with what turned out to be a shady operation in a foreign country. That didn't work out, so she came back and MJ let her back onto the show as an intern. She then was arrested this past June for shoplifting a $69 sweater from a Dillard's store at a local mall. After a dramatic phone conversation with her on the air, MJ felt that this crime was too much for her to remain on the show, so he let her go in late July.
Obviously time has healed this "wound" for MJ and he's had a change of heart about her. When Meredith mentioned that Jub Jub would be taking her to the dentist to have her wisdom teeth pulled, MJ decided to get her on the phone and talk to her. He then had her in the studio and ultimately gave her an intern position on the show for the third time. Is the third time always the charm? Hopefully it will be for Jub Jub. Expect fewer fat jokes and more about her being a thief.
MJ gets some big political names
Some people might think a radio show that is broadcast out of Tampa, Florida wouldn't have as many big-name guests on it compared to shows in markets like New York City, Chicago, or Los Angeles. But MJ has been able to snag a few well-known guests during presidential races over the years. And to the surprise of some, they haven't all been Republicans.
In 2000, MJ & BJ interviewed Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore in the closing days of that year's election. They learned that Mr. Gore is actually from the same area of Tennessee where BJ grew up. Four years later during the Bush-Kerry race of 2004, MJ interviewed John Kerry's younger daughter, Vanessa, in what turned out to be a somewhat heated but solid exchange. This year, MJ has had on three different people involved in the race. He first interviewed John McCain on his afternoon Schnitt Show for over 10 minutes. He then had Senator Joe Lieberman, who is stepping outside of his party to back McCain, live in the morning show studio. Then Sarah Palin called in to the morning show just one week before election day. To wrap it all up, he had McCain on again - this time on the morning show - the day before the election.
The Rays and the MJ Morning Show
You may not think a radio show like MJ's would be associated with a Major League Baseball team. But there have been some connections between the MJ Morning Show and the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays. In 1999, Dave the Dwarf was a fixture at Tropicana Field, riding around the stadium in a scooter and entertaining the crowd. Also, on June 19, 2005, MJ threw out the first pitch at the Trop when the Rays ironically hosted the St. Louis Cardinals. As expected, the Cards handed Tampa Bay an 8-5 loss that day in one of only a few meetings the two teams have had. And the show has given out several World Series tickets this year to see the Rays play the Philadelphia Phillies. Even though MJ has never been a big fan of the team and says he is still bitter about the 1994 MLB strike, he is still supporting his hometown team during the unprecedented magical run this season.
Listen to MJ's World Series prediction he made in 2004 - a year in which the team won only 70 games. It sounded ridiculous back then and probably even earlier this year. But in 2008, his prediction has come true.
The Jabberjaw Story As We Know It
According to MJ, this is the REAL story about what went down with Jabberjaw. You can believe what you want:
On Sept. 24, Jabberjaw wanted a personal day off from the show to go to a Barack Obama rally. She told Joey B and Tommy Chuck (the station's program director). Joey didn't tell MJ that she wanted the day off, nor did Jab tell him. When Jab didn't show up for work that morning, Joey made up a story that she had a migraine. He was going to spring a "bit" on MJ the next day that she really didn't have a migraine and instead went to the Obama rally, knowing how much MJ is against Obama. MJ then called Jab's house to find out if she was really sick with a headache. He talked to her mother and found out that she went to the rally. He said he would've been OK with that if she had let him know she was going or if she had simply asked him for a personal day. MJ said the two had a recent conversation in which he told Jab to let her know what she was doing. After talking to her mother, he finally got ahold of her on the phone and said "you're fired." But he said firing her was a joke.
"I fire everyone on this show. She wasn't fired. It was a joke on the air," he said. (This is actually pretty accurate because Froggy, Fester, and others have been "fired" many times before but eventually end up returning to the show, possibly after a probationary period)
According to MJ, Jab came in the following morning (Thursday) after the show to discuss the situation with him. MJ claimed they had "patched up" the problem at that particular meeting, which lasted between 30 and 45 minutes. MJ told her at the meeting that he was working toward getting her a full-time job and more money right away. He said she left the meeting with a smile on her face and told the crew she would see them the next morning. But on Friday morning, she didn't show up for work. She instead chose to go on a competing radio station and stabbed MJ and the crew in the back by spreading what MJ called "lies and slander" about him and the show.It also came out that somehow, MJ's request lines at the station were forwarded to Jab's home, so her mother was receiving calls from listeners that would normally be going to the radio station. He said it was an accident and Joey may have been responsible for accidentally pressing a certain key combination on a phone in the studio that forwarded the lines to her home number.
So this marks the end of Jabberjaw's second stint on the show. She started out as an intern in the summer of 2005, worked her way up to a assistant producer role, and then left for an internship at a local TV station. After not liking that, she came begging to have her job back. MJ surprisingly brought her back in April 2007 to fill in for Rachel the Flying Tomato who lost her mother. Rachel moved on to another show, and Jab got her gig back. She had to endure her fair share of abuse from Froggy, so maybe she's at least glad that stuff appears to be over.
MJ plans to replace Jabberjaw's part-time position on the show while also doing some rearranging with the crew. He hopes to bring in Big Lou, Froggy's good friend who has tried out for the show in the past, to run the show's audio and sound effects. Since that is normally Meredith's job, he may give her a similar role to what Jab had with gathering Hollywood dirt while also having her continue to do some of the tasks she still does, like pulling audio for the show. She just wouldn't be running the board as much anymore, which is something MJ has constantly complained about to her.
Froggy's Date of Fate on the Show is:
Thursday, October 9, 2008
That is when MJ will make a decision about Froggy's future on the show. Since he has acted out and done some stupid things, including putting dog poop in one of Jabberjaw's Coach purses, MJ is giving him a 30-day "trial" period to get his act together and really prove that he can be on the show, be funny and entertaining, and not misbehave like a child, which he has been doing more often than not in the last few months.
MJ's Clear Channel Contract
Expires On:
August 31, 2008
The contract is for both the MJ Morning Show and the Schnitt Show, which was picked up by Jones Radio Networks, a radio syndication company that has already syndicated the show to stations around the country.
MY PREDICTION: MJ will sign a new contract with Clear Channel through at least the end of the year, possibly for one more year (through Aug. 2009). After that, I think he'll focus on the afternoon show full-time and may even move to another radio company or to a bigger market if he can make more money. In doing so, he would keep the afternoon show on in the markets it's always been on in (Tampa, Miami, etc.) while continuing to build up his affiliate base via Jones Radio. In the end, I hope loyal morning show listeners will be able to follow his radio career no matter what happens.
UPDATE: The update is that there really is nothing to report on MJ's contract. I haven't heard him mention anything about it, so we can assume that he did sign some kind of deal to remain with Clear Channel for the forseeable future. However, since he is an "independent contractor" and isn't technically employed by the company, we don't know for sure what the situation is behind the scenes.
Froggy vs. Jabberjaw: Is the battle finally over?
Froggy and Jabberjaw have never really gotten along. Some of the tension between them can be traced back to bits like "Froggy's Bag of Intrigue" where he scared Jab with different items that he made her grab out of a bag, like dog poop. Since then, the tension has mounted even more. Several months ago, Froggy destroyed one of Jab's expensive purses by lighting it on fire.
Recently, Froggy morphed into a character he called "FrogFreak" and went on another destruction rampage by using fireworks to destroy Jabberjaw's favorite boots. He was then suspended for several days following this incident and other instances where he wasn't getting along with the crew. To get back at him, Jab decided to aim for something close to his heart - his video games. She found Froggy's keys in the morning show office, went to his house and took his beloved Xbox 360, and brought it back to the station to have it destroyed. The twist was that she wasn't going to do the destruction herself. She made him do it. MJ gave him a sledgehammer and told him to bash the "mystery item" that was tripple-wrapped in paper bags. Initially he thought it was something of value to someone at the station and refused to do it. But when he was finally coaxed into doing it and smashed it all up, he opened it up and saw the remaining pieces, soon realizing he was looking at pieces and shards of material that once made up his Xbox console.
Froggy stormed out of the studio after the retaliation that Jabberjaw got at him. The next morning, the two made up after Froggy read a statement declaring a truce in the battle. MJ thinks Froggy is now a new man who has turned over a leaf and learned a valuable lesson.
So is this tension between Froggy and Jab finally over? Let's hope so.
Jub Jub steals sweater and gets let go from show
Jub Jub the Intern has done her fair share of bits for the show over the last year or two. But she will no longer be doing any more. On the morning of Thursday, July 24, someone tipped off MJ about something Elena (her real name) did on her 22nd birthday back in June. She swiped a $69 sweater off the shelf at a Dillard's store, made her way into a dressing room and a bathroom, and eventually found an exit she thought would be safe to go out. Little did ehe know, mall security was standing by and nabbed her as she and her friend were walking to their car in the parking lot. She was ultimately arrested and charged with shoplifting and now has to do community service after going to court. MJ confronted her on the phone about the incident that morning, and she admitted to being a thief, although she said it was a stupid mistake. She said the reason she did it is because her parents didn't buy her a new cell phone she really wanted for her birthday, and it was a way to get back at them. The next morning, MJ made the decision to let her go from her intern position on the show because he could not have someone work there who he didn't trust and it would not have been morally right to keep her around.
This was actually Jub Jub's second stint as an intern. She left earlier in the year to go work for what turned out to be a shady operation in a foreign country. She came back wanting her gig back, and she was granted it. During her time back, she got to talk to American Idol judge Paula Abdul about becoming her personal assistant. Paula would probably have second thoughts on that now if she knew what happened. Unfortunately Jub Jub made the wrong move by committing a crime that MJ felt was enough to say goodbye to her for most likely the final time. It also means we won't get to hear her cute little giggle in the background that has become a staple of the show since she's been on it. And no more fat jokes about her, either.
Joey B talking over commercials
Joey B didn't realize his microphone was on during a commercial break on a recent show. Listen to how it sounded and what he said. When they came back on the air, MJ said the conversation was about retired NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer joining ESPN as an analyst. He was glad Joey didn't drop any F-bombs.
Vacation recap: condoms, a watermelon, and a mountain
MJ and his family took the vacation of a lifetime when they traveled across the globe to the earth's largest continent - Asia. Usually MJ will take three full weeks off during the summer months and split them up, like two in July and another in September. But this time he took the full vacation all at once, meaning the crew will be live until Christmas vacation rolls around in December.
Their summer trip started out a little rough with a quick jump to Atlanta in order to catch a direct flight from there to Seoul, South Korea. They stayed overnight in a hotel, and Chloe and Julian found condoms (that they thought were balloons) right next to the Bible in the hotel room. The hotel gave them the room free for the trouble.
While in South Korea, MJ attended the wedding of a friend's son who was getting married. He also stopped by the DMZ and got a brief look at North Korea. Plus he saw a square watermelon on sale at a market for what amounted to $210 in American money.
In Japan, where Michelle lived as a child with her father who was stationed there, the family climbed Mount Fuji - the country's highest mountain standing over 12,000 ft. high. It took them parts of two days to get to the top, and they even stayed in a small shack and slept in sleeping bags with other people around several thousand feet up. According to people who work there, MJ's son Julian (who was just shy of 4 years old on that day) may have been the youngest person to successfully climb to the top of the mountain.
Overall, MJ said he had a great time and really enjoyed interacting with the people who live there.
Congratulations to our winner, Amber Tardino! Amber wins a $40 gift certificate from Amazon.com for answering 14 of the 17 questions correctly. She definitely knows her MJ Morning Show well!
Thought the challenge was too hard? Weren't impressed with the prize being offered? Send me some feedback and let me know your thoughts on it. I'd like to do more of these in the future, but I didn't get much of a response.
Here are the correct answers to the questions:
1. What is Jub-Jub the Intern's real first name?
Elena2. What is Joey B's favorite college football team?
Nebraska Cornhuskers
3. Unscramble this show member's name: ADURITN HET TIENRN
Unitard the Intern4. Kiss 95.1 FM began syndicating the MJ Morning Show in what year?
20075. Instead of Tony Fatso, what name did the crew use for the image of a black-looking Fester on his barbecue sauce t-shirt?
Tony Fatbro6. What is Joey B's favorite (specific) brand of beer?
Bud Light7. From which game show is the theme music for "Guest or No Guest"?
The $10,000 Pyramid or Family Feud8. Which TV court show did members of the morning show tape an episode for that never actually aired?
Judge Joe Brown9. What radio station did MJ work at in Los Angeles?
KQLZ, Pirate Radio10. Which celebrity does Jub-Jub the Intern want to be a personal assistant for?
Paula Abdul11. What is the name of the company in Tampa where the Jesus Door was discovered?
Bay City Plywood12. What basketball player is mentioned in the "Chloe's Mom" song?
Hakeem Olajuwon13. Listen to this Pick Your Plastic jingle here. What song is it a parody of?
Pretty Ricky - "Your Body"14. Where did Meredith go to college?
University of North Florida15. MJ owns land in what mountainous state?
Colorado16. What was the name that Joey B gave to a lizard that got into his house?
Lester17. In this photo, who is the former intern all the way to the right?
Taniya the Intern
Jabberjaw and Meredith Interview
Check out this video interview Jabberjaw and Meredith did with Tampa Bay Media Talk. They interviewed the girls about everything from what it's like working on the show to what their plans were for Valentine's Day.
Froggy 2 - POOFIE
Listen to Froggy's song about MJ's "poof" - when his hair starts to puff out from the top of his head. It's a parody of Aretha Franklin's "RESPECT."
(Note: Better audio quality than previous file)
R.I.P. Noelia the Intern
Our condolences go out to the family of a former MJ Morning Show intern. Noelia, who worked on the show a few years ago, passed away at 26 years of age on May 16, 2008. She had a twin sister, and obviously she and her family are having to deal with this terrible loss. Rest in peace, Noelia, and I hope the family will be able to move forward together.
MJ ponders future of the morning show
MJ created what he called a "firestorm" when he made some comments about his plans for the rest of his career in radio recently. His afternoon Schnitt Show was picked up by Jones Radio Networks, which will syndicate it to stations around the country. He said he hopes to build up a few dozen affiliate stations over the next few years. With that said, it leaves his plans for continuing to do the MJ Morning Show up in the air. With his Clear Channel contract expiring on August 31, 2008, he said he is not sure whether he will continue to pull double-duty every day by doing both shows, or if he will give up the morning show.
MJ has been doing the morning show since 1994 and the afternoon show since 2001. That means he has gotten up at the crack of dawn for over 14 years while doing two shows a day (seven hours of original programming) for almost seven years. You have to wonder how long he wants to continue with that grueling schedule that most radio hosts would probably never take on for more than a few years. He said his long-term plan is to host the afternoon show until he is ready to retire.
So that leaves us with the question: how long will the MJ Morning Show as we know it be on the air? MJ said he could give up his morning gig when the contract expires, or he might continue to do the show after it expires in order to give the station ample time to bring in a new host. He also said that the rest of the crew would probably stay intact, and the only thing that might change is adding a new crew member. Fester said he'd be willing to step up to the main microphone and host the show with a new co-host. Whatever happens, it sounds like someone else would join the program if MJ were to depart any time soon.
I'm guessing that MJ will give up the morning show at some point in the next two years or so. That could mean that he walks away from it at the end of August or he signs on for a little more time until ultimately focusing all of his attention on the afternoon show. I still think he has the drive and work ethic to do more than only three hours of broadcasting a day, which he would be doing if he only did the afternoon show. That would be a dramatic decrease in his work schedule, but maybe it would make the Schnitt Show that much better. We'll have to wait and see what he decides in the end, and that decision shouldn't take too much longer to make.
Froggy - Imagine A Morning
Download the song about Froggy imagining a morning when MJ is nice. Does he actually sound better than John Lennon? You decide.
Jesus Door tour is underway
The MJ Morning Show's tour of the Jesus Door will begin this week. The Jesus Door was discovered at a warehouse when a guy noticed that it looked like an image of Jesus appeared on a door there. In fact, someone who touched the door won a $9-million lottery jackpot shortly afterward, making some believe the door will bring riches (or at least good luck) to people who touch it. The guy who discovered it also said he experienced a warm feeling when he touched the handle. That is why MJ will send out various crew members, probably Froggy and Fester, on a tour with the door and drive it around to listening areas. It will be taken to locations in the Tampa Bay area and around the state of Florida, but MJ did mention that he wanted to take it to St. Louis at some point as well. The crew has collected several religious-looking artifacts over the years, including a Jesus Pipe found on a listener's roof in Spring Hill, Florida in the late 1990s that they also showed off around the area at Crotchety CD signings. Plus MJ found a chicken nugget that looked like the Virgin Mary in a hot food vending machine at the radio station.
Tour stops:
April 15 - Brandon, FL
April 17 - Pinellas Park, FL
April 18 - Tampa, FL
April 23 - Jacksonville, FL
April 24 - Melbourne and Vero Beach, FL
May 1 - Maryland Heights, MO
May 2 - Belleville, IL
May 6 - Port Charlotte, FL
MJ's afternoon show picked up by big radio network
(Courtesy of Radioink.com)
Todd Schnitt Joins JRN Lineup
DENVER -- March 14, 2008: Jones Radio Networks has added "The Todd Schnitt Show" to its afternoon lineup.
"The time has come for Talk radio to get the 25-44 demographic," said JRN VP/Talk Programming Amy Bolton. "JRN will do that with Todd Schnitt. Finally, we have Talk radio with a Rock radio edge."
JRN will handle afffiliate sales for the show, while ad sales will be covered by Jones MediaAmerica.
Schnitt -- who also hosts mornings on WFLZ/Tampa, as MJ Kelli -- said, "This is a fantastic opportunity to deliver my style of an exciting, fast-paced, and unpredictable form of Talk radio. Unlike some shows, I've tossed the obligatory checklist out the window. What's my take on the day's hottest issues? Don't assume, listen!"
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So now that MJ's afternoon show appears to be going nationwide (probably a few dozen affiliate stations around the country), you can't help but wonder what will happen to the MJ Morning Show. MJ's contract with Clear Channel expires this year on August 31. He mentioned before the two-week Christmas break about "changes" being on the horizon in terms of his career. Plus he has been doing both shows now for over six years, and you have to wonder if he is starting to get tired of the grueling routine. I'm not saying the morning show will end soon, but I think this deal that was just announced might say something about what he is really committed to doing in the long run. Whatever happens, I think it's safe to say that MJ will be on the radio for many years to come in one way or another.
MJ gets tossed out of ice cream shop
All he wanted was some nice cold ice cream to enjoy with his daughter. Instead he found himself going home empty-handed after getting thrown out of the shop. MJ and Chloe were recently at an ice cream shop in hopes of chowing down on some dessert after dining at a sushi restaurant. They went to a place that MJ has been going to for 14 years, and they both ordered their favorite frozen treats. MJ noticed that the guy preparing the desserts was taking money from customers and not washing his hands or even using gloves to handle the food. He called him out on it because he was crumbling a cookie with his bare hands into some ice cream that MJ ordered. The guy got angry with MJ and eventually threw him out of the store because he didn't want to deal with him anymore. MJ does not plan to return to this particular business after the incident, and many listeners who work in the food industry flooded the phone lines in agreement with his observation. The guy claimed to be a "Certified Food Handler," but the way he was handling MJ's food did not demonstrate his title at all.
The Elevator Crotchety Call
This classic Crotchety call is from MJ & BJ's Crotchety Christmas II CD and the Nothing But Crotchety CD. Did Milton Fludgecow survive a scare in which he was trapped in an elevator? Listen to find out.
The Meredith Curse?
Is there a black cloud hanging over the MJ Morning Show? Ever since Meredith joined the show in November, more negative things have been happening in the lives of the show's members. Froggy thinks Meredith is responsible for putting a "curse" on the show, and he is worried about what might happen next. Here are just a few things that have happened to prove his point:
1) Froggy has had a terrible bout with kidney stones that made him miss work for almost 15 days and caused him to have surgery that took hours. He took 140 Vicodin pills during his bout, and he later experienced a "detox" period for a whole weekend when coming off the medication.
2) MJ's hand was harpooned by a palm tree in his yard. He had to have surgery to remove whatever goop was in there, making it the first time in his life that he was knocked out by anesthesia for surgery and preventing him from being able to style the poof on his head, so he had to wear a baseball hat to work. (Joey thought his injury was only a boo-boo)
3) Fester got punched at a local night parade in Tampa by a drunk pirate. He was driving slowly in his truck on the parade route and almost ran the guy over in order to get away from him.4) Meredith broke her finger for the first time right after moving to town to work on the show.
5) Julian has left the water running twice in a bathroom sink at the Schnitt house. MJ thinks it was running for up to a few days straight, and he is concerned about getting his next water bill, expecting it to exceed $1,000.
6) Jabberjaw bought a DVD at Wal-Mart for her young niece's birthday. But to her sister's surprise, there was nothing in the case when she opened it to watch it while the entire family was gathered around the TV one night.
Dave the Dwarf on "Tyra Banks"
Watch Dave the Dwarf and his girlfriend, Jessica, on "The Tyra Banks Show" from February 7th. They appeared as one of the "unlikely couples" mainly because of their differences in age and height. Dave said Tyra wasn't very friendly and would sit backstage away from the guests during the commercial breaks.
Joey B announces the end of his drinking days
He has always been known as a heavy drinker. MJ constantly asks him, "Are you drunk?" if he says something that doesn't make sense. He even had Bud Light logos embroidered onto the seats inside his 1994 Toyota Tercel. But after all of this stuff about drinking, are Joey B's days of boozing it up finally over? That is what he announced to the MJ Morning Show audience on Monday, Feb. 11. MJ thinks it is just another song and dance he has done before where he says he will stop drinking and goes right back to it as fast as he can get his hands on a can of beer. It certainly would help his health if he put down the bottle for good. He went to the doctor awhile back and said he recommended that Joey cut back significantly on his alcohol consumption. Plus, who knows what his liver looks like now. He has said he will ask MJ if he ever needs a liver transplant since he thinks MJ can pull strings and get things done that the average person could never do. But maybe if he stops now, he won't need a new liver in the future.
SIGN THIS PETITION if you are in support of Joey B's decision to stop drinking. Let's try and give him as much support from the fans as possible. (Thanks to Robert in St. Louis for setting it up)
Our condolences go out to Fester and his family
Everyone here at the MJ Fan Page and those who post on the forum are thinking about and praying for Fester and his family. His mother recently passed away. She suffered a stroke a few months ago that had left her incapacitated. This is already the second member of the show to lose their mother in the last year. Rachel the Flying Tomato and her mother were in a serious car accident last April, and her mother did not survive, which was a terrible loss for Rachel because of how close she was to her mother. Fester is undoubtedly in a similar situation, and I hope that he will be able to get through the tough times and return to the show when he feels it is appropriate. Visit the forum and look for the sticky thread titled "Fester" at the very top if you would like to post a message for him.
POLL QUESTION
Hillary Clinton on Idol
Listen to Hillary Clinton's "appearance" on American Idol,
and find out what the judges think of her.
MJ's picking on Froggy is starting to get old
It always seems like MJ has an issue with Froggy these days. At the beginning of most shows, he will ask Froggy whether or not he has something to contribute to the show that day. Sometimes Froggy says he does. Other times he says he will kick back and let the rest of the crew do something for once. Whenever he doesn't have an idea, or he has an idea that MJ isn't particularly fond of, MJ will pick on him, berate him, or remind him that he is part of the Millenials generation that has the reputation of not being motivated and expects everything to be handed to them. He also gets upset if Froggy is out of the studio for just a few minutes. Meanwhile, he is in the production room working on something for the show, or is in the bathroom suffering from IBS.
I think Froggy is a pretty funny guy, and I will stand up for him when it comes to this constant picking that MJ does on him. I'm not a fan of every song, crank call, or bit he comes up with. But he seems to contribute a fair amount of material overall, and he comes up with funny quips here and there that other members of the crew rarely do. MJ's picking on Froggy is starting to get old. It may be a bit or it could all be real. Either way, I hope MJ finds someone else to pick on once in awhile other than the guy who does quite a bit for the show on a fairly regular basis.
NOTE: This website is designed and maintaned by a fan of the MJ Morning Show, Greg Lindberg.
