Bob and the Showgram
Encyclopedia
Bob and the Showgram is a morning radio show based at WDCG-FM
in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
that airs from 6 am to 10 am weekdays. The current cast consists of radio personalities Host Bob Dumas, Executive Producer Mike Morse, and Co-Host Erica Delong.
in Raleigh, NC. From August 2009 until June 2010, Bob and the Showgram were syndicated to WDCG's sister station in Greensboro, NC, 105.7 Now, the show was dropped in the Greensboro market due to low overall ratings. The show is a production of the Clear Channel Communications
Corporation. The broadcast studio is located in Smoketree Tower in Raleigh, NC.
New episodes of the show are typically aired between 6 am and 10 am on Monday through Friday with a "Best of" from the previous week on Saturday in the same time slot. In addition, between 5am and 6am each day is a "Best of" block from the previous day. There is also a free podcast
available called "Bob and the Showgram On-Demand" on the iTunes Music Store and on the show's website. The Showgram Channel can also be found on the IHeart Radio App that will replay day-of shows and "Best of".
Dumas, Morse, and former co-producer Jon Clark were co-hosts of a Thursday night country-music themed show on WDCG's sister station 106.1 RDUCountry from August 2008-October 2009. Dumas ended this show because of conflicts with his morning show. Soon after Dumas resigned from this show, Clear Channel
, owners of WRDU, announced their intentions to change the format of the station from country to a news/talk format to compete with Curtis Media Group
powerhouse WPTF
. This change took effect January 1, 2010
The show also features a number of broadcast interns who have come and gone over the course of the production. In 1999 Mark Kaye was the producer alongside John "Big Flash" Hartnett. Mark Kaye is now morning-drive host at WAPE
in Jacksonville, Florida
. During the following year the Showgram was known for numerous stunts and on air gimmicks which led them to being the #1 consecutive morning show in the Raleigh market. Kaye left to host a morning show in Washington D.C. and "Big Flash" was let go due to creative changes. Tommy Owen (the original Flash) replaced Kaye after taking a hiatus from the show. After 2 years on the show he left the Showgram to follow a new career path. In 2001, Erica DeLong known on-air as "Erica the Intern" joined the crew, shortly after she was hired as an on-air producer. She was later laid off by the station because of the Early 2000s recession
. In early 2006 there was an on-air competition to find a new intern after "Intern Ben" returned to his native Canada
. One of the more high-profile interns was referred to as "Racist Rodney" for his typical "that's racist!" reaction to statements made on the show, particularly those made by Dumas. During the middle of 2006, another intern, "Fried Rice," joined the show. He was known for believing that he was a member of the African-American race. Racist Rodney, along with several other African-American members of the show's audience, accepted Fried Rice's self-description as an African-American. Racist Rodney and Fried Rice were best known for sticking together and speaking out for the African-American community, because they were occasionally subjected to racist comments from host Bob Dumas. In January 2007, interns Racist Rodney and Fried Rice left the show in hopes of beginning a career in the hip-hop industry. The summer of 2011 saw the development of popular interns "Peanut Butter" and "Jelly". Peanut Butter was also a semi-finalist in the search for a new co-host that same summer.
On July 21, 2011, it was announced on-air that Kentucky Kristin would be departing the show to take a broadcast position in Atlanta. The other hosts simultaneously announced the beginning of a search for a new female member of the broadcast team. In August the listeners decided to bring back Erica DeLong as the new female Co-host.
On September 19, 2011, it was announced that Jon Clark was no longer part of the Showgram for undisclosed reasons. Bob Dumas stated that it was "part of the business" and not a Showgram thing. Bob has said he will not comment about the incident any further. Fans created a Facebook page to "Bring Back Weird Creepy Jon", but to no avail. Brooke "Peanut Butter" Hoover has since taken over the role that Jon Clark held on the show as producer.
These statements caused protests from the local community ,
who successfully lobbied for an official resolution that the capital of the state was friendly to bicyclists
and convinced some local businesses to pull their advertising.
Bob was suspended for two days and station management aired an apology.
Eventually a compromise was reached between the community and station management.
, Fantasia
, of High Point
, such as calling her "ghetto".
ad campaign. Also, co-host Mike Morse asked, "After you guys get married, are you going to have a teepee-warming party?"
On April 9, 2008 the cast was suspended and the show was temporarily replaced by music. The show returned on April 14, 2008.
in Raleigh over the issue of illegal immigration
. An assistant producer, Jon Clark, went to the consulate. The initial plan was for him to be posing as an INS agent seeking documentation of citizenship for those who were there that day; however, they then decided to play "What are YOU doing at the Mexican Consulate?"
of Eastern North Carolina. Celebrity spokespersons Ashlee Simpson
and Lifehouse
guitarist Jason Wade
, along with the families of children with life-threatening diseases and the entire Eastern North Carolina community were also involved in this. The show also raised $280,000 for this charity in 2007. Overall, Pennies From Heaven has raised well over $2,000,000 dollars for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
In 2009, Bob and the Showgram raised over $115,000 for the pediatric brain tumor foundation through donations collected through a 12-hour long marathon and an auction. In 2010, Bob and the Showgram raised nearly $200,000 for the PBTF.
WDCG-FM
WDCG, or G105 on 105.1 FM is a Contemporary hit radio station in the Raleigh-Durham radio market. Its studios are located on Smoketree Court in Raleigh's Highwoods Office Park and owned by Clear Channel Worldwide, along with 93.9 KISS-FM, 100.7 the River, and Rush Radio 106.1.- History :WDCG first...
in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
that airs from 6 am to 10 am weekdays. The current cast consists of radio personalities Host Bob Dumas, Executive Producer Mike Morse, and Co-Host Erica Delong.
Broadcast information
Bob and the Showgram is aired on G105WDCG-FM
WDCG, or G105 on 105.1 FM is a Contemporary hit radio station in the Raleigh-Durham radio market. Its studios are located on Smoketree Court in Raleigh's Highwoods Office Park and owned by Clear Channel Worldwide, along with 93.9 KISS-FM, 100.7 the River, and Rush Radio 106.1.- History :WDCG first...
in Raleigh, NC. From August 2009 until June 2010, Bob and the Showgram were syndicated to WDCG's sister station in Greensboro, NC, 105.7 Now, the show was dropped in the Greensboro market due to low overall ratings. The show is a production of the Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
Corporation. The broadcast studio is located in Smoketree Tower in Raleigh, NC.
New episodes of the show are typically aired between 6 am and 10 am on Monday through Friday with a "Best of" from the previous week on Saturday in the same time slot. In addition, between 5am and 6am each day is a "Best of" block from the previous day. There is also a free podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
available called "Bob and the Showgram On-Demand" on the iTunes Music Store and on the show's website. The Showgram Channel can also be found on the IHeart Radio App that will replay day-of shows and "Best of".
Dumas, Morse, and former co-producer Jon Clark were co-hosts of a Thursday night country-music themed show on WDCG's sister station 106.1 RDUCountry from August 2008-October 2009. Dumas ended this show because of conflicts with his morning show. Soon after Dumas resigned from this show, Clear Channel
Clear channel
A clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
, owners of WRDU, announced their intentions to change the format of the station from country to a news/talk format to compete with Curtis Media Group
Curtis Media Group
Curtis Media Group is a broadcast media company based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. The company owns and operates several North Carolina radio stations and four radio networks.-AM:*WPTF 680 AM *WQDR 570 AM...
powerhouse WPTF
WPTF
WPTF, NewsRadio 680, is a talk radio station serving the Triangle area of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The station is owned by Curtis Media Group...
. This change took effect January 1, 2010
Previous hosts and interns
Mike Stiles was the original co-host with Bob Dumas. At the time, the show was called "The Bob and Mike Show." In the mid nineties Mike was replaced with Madison Lane. The show was renamed "The Showgram with Bob and Madison." Madison then left G105 in 2004 for another Raleigh/Clear Channel station, WRSN-FM Sunny 93.9. She reportedly left over creative differences with Bob Dumas. Mike Morse, Amy Bristle, Kristin Klingshirn (aka "Kentucky Kristin"), and Erica DeLong have been all been cohosts since that time.The show also features a number of broadcast interns who have come and gone over the course of the production. In 1999 Mark Kaye was the producer alongside John "Big Flash" Hartnett. Mark Kaye is now morning-drive host at WAPE
WAPE-FM
95.1 WAPE-FM is a Top 40/CHR radio station based in Jacksonville, Florida, USA. The Cox Radio outlet broadcasts at 95.1 MHz with an effective radiated power of 100 kW...
in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. During the following year the Showgram was known for numerous stunts and on air gimmicks which led them to being the #1 consecutive morning show in the Raleigh market. Kaye left to host a morning show in Washington D.C. and "Big Flash" was let go due to creative changes. Tommy Owen (the original Flash) replaced Kaye after taking a hiatus from the show. After 2 years on the show he left the Showgram to follow a new career path. In 2001, Erica DeLong known on-air as "Erica the Intern" joined the crew, shortly after she was hired as an on-air producer. She was later laid off by the station because of the Early 2000s recession
Early 2000s recession
The early 2000s recession was a decline in economic activity which occurred mainly in developed countries. The recession affected the European Union mostly during 2000 and 2001 and the United States mostly in 2002 and 2003. The UK, Canada and Australia avoided the recession for the most part, while...
. In early 2006 there was an on-air competition to find a new intern after "Intern Ben" returned to his native Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. One of the more high-profile interns was referred to as "Racist Rodney" for his typical "that's racist!" reaction to statements made on the show, particularly those made by Dumas. During the middle of 2006, another intern, "Fried Rice," joined the show. He was known for believing that he was a member of the African-American race. Racist Rodney, along with several other African-American members of the show's audience, accepted Fried Rice's self-description as an African-American. Racist Rodney and Fried Rice were best known for sticking together and speaking out for the African-American community, because they were occasionally subjected to racist comments from host Bob Dumas. In January 2007, interns Racist Rodney and Fried Rice left the show in hopes of beginning a career in the hip-hop industry. The summer of 2011 saw the development of popular interns "Peanut Butter" and "Jelly". Peanut Butter was also a semi-finalist in the search for a new co-host that same summer.
On July 21, 2011, it was announced on-air that Kentucky Kristin would be departing the show to take a broadcast position in Atlanta. The other hosts simultaneously announced the beginning of a search for a new female member of the broadcast team. In August the listeners decided to bring back Erica DeLong as the new female Co-host.
On September 19, 2011, it was announced that Jon Clark was no longer part of the Showgram for undisclosed reasons. Bob Dumas stated that it was "part of the business" and not a Showgram thing. Bob has said he will not comment about the incident any further. Fans created a Facebook page to "Bring Back Weird Creepy Jon", but to no avail. Brooke "Peanut Butter" Hoover has since taken over the role that Jon Clark held on the show as producer.
Controversies
"Bob and the Showgram" has a history of controversial broadcasts and subsequent disciplinary actions. Bob Dumas is a self-proclaimed "redneck" and often makes statements which take on an inflammatory note.Encouraging drivers to terrorize bicyclists
On September 22 and 23 of 2003, Dumas encouraged listeners to call in and relate stories about how they terrorized bicyclists. In the course of that show, he said that he kept empty bottles in his vehicle so that he could throw them at cyclists.These statements caused protests from the local community ,
who successfully lobbied for an official resolution that the capital of the state was friendly to bicyclists
Bicycle-friendly
The term bicycle-friendly describes policies and practices which may help some people feel more comfortable about traveling by bicycle with other traffic...
and convinced some local businesses to pull their advertising.
Bob was suspended for two days and station management aired an apology.
Eventually a compromise was reached between the community and station management.
American Idol
Bob Dumas and previous host Amy Bristle were suspended from the station after causing national controversy by making offensive statements, characterized by some as racist, about the 2004 winner of American IdolAmerican Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
, Fantasia
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...
, of High Point
High Point, North Carolina
High Point is a city located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina. As of 2010 the city had a total population of 104,371, according to the US Census Bureau. High Point is currently the eighth-largest municipality in North Carolina....
, such as calling her "ghetto".
American Indians
Dumas also asked if the groom's grandfather would stand on the side of the road with "a single tear," a reference to the well known 1971 "Crying Indian" TV and print ads which were part of a Keep America BeautifulKeep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful is a U.S. based nonprofit organization founded in 1953. It is the largest community improvement organization in the United States, with approximately 589 affiliate organizations and more than 1,000 community organizations that participate in their programs.Keep America...
ad campaign. Also, co-host Mike Morse asked, "After you guys get married, are you going to have a teepee-warming party?"
On April 9, 2008 the cast was suspended and the show was temporarily replaced by music. The show returned on April 14, 2008.
Mexican Americans
On April 2, 2008, just one day removed from the Native American flap, Bob Dumas criticized the Mexican ConsulateDiplomatic missions of Mexico
This is a list of diplomatic missions of Mexico, excluding honorary consulates. Mexico's foreign service started in 1822, the year after the signing of the Treaty of Cordoba which marked the beginning of Mexico's independence...
in Raleigh over the issue of illegal immigration
Illegal immigration
Illegal immigration is the migration into a nation in violation of the immigration laws of that jurisdiction. Illegal immigration raises many political, economical and social issues and has become a source of major controversy in developed countries and the more successful developing countries.In...
. An assistant producer, Jon Clark, went to the consulate. The initial plan was for him to be posing as an INS agent seeking documentation of citizenship for those who were there that day; however, they then decided to play "What are YOU doing at the Mexican Consulate?"
Capitol Broadcasting
On July 27, 2011 Bob was taken off the air after threatening to publicly humiliate Capital Broadcasting CEO Jim Goodmon and instructed him to stop blocking interviews from his station and particularly his 14 year old daughter, who was scheduled to interview American Idol winner Scotty McCreery that same day.Pennies From Heaven
In November 2007, the Showgram raised over USD $280,000 for the Make-A-Wish FoundationMake-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization founded in the United States that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.The president & CEO of this...
of Eastern North Carolina. Celebrity spokespersons Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Simpson
Ashlee Nicole Simpson is an American singer and actress. In 2004, she rose to prominence with the success of her number-one debut album Autobiography and the reality series, The Ashlee Simpson Show. In October 2005, following a North American concert tour and a film appearance, Simpson released...
and Lifehouse
Lifehouse (band)
Lifehouse is an American rock band from Los Angeles. The band came to mainstream prominence in 2001 with the hit single "Hanging by a Moment" from their debut studio album, No Name Face. The single won a Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year, beating out Janet Jackson and Alicia...
guitarist Jason Wade
Jason Wade
Jason Michael Wade is the lead vocalist, main songwriter, and guitarist of the American alternative rock band Lifehouse.-Biography:...
, along with the families of children with life-threatening diseases and the entire Eastern North Carolina community were also involved in this. The show also raised $280,000 for this charity in 2007. Overall, Pennies From Heaven has raised well over $2,000,000 dollars for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Bob's Buddies
- November 2008, Bob and the show hosted the first "Bob's Buddies" charity event to benefit "The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation". The Event was LIVE at Crabtree Valley Mall the day after Thanksgiving raising nearly $100,000. This year Dumas change the Showgram's charity from "Make-a-Wish" to The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation this year due to his tumor surgery in 2007.
In 2009, Bob and the Showgram raised over $115,000 for the pediatric brain tumor foundation through donations collected through a 12-hour long marathon and an auction. In 2010, Bob and the Showgram raised nearly $200,000 for the PBTF.
Assistance to local law enforcement
- A show segment Bob The Bounty Hunter has been successful at spreading the word about wanted criminals in five North Carolina counties. The local community has stepped up to call in tips about fugitives after hearing their descriptions on the show, however, Dumas ended this segment in August 2009 after the Showgram had been syndicated to the Greensboro, NC market. As of June 2010, no station in the Greensboro market carries the Showgram, so it is currently unknown at this time if Dumas will re-introduce this segment.
- In 2004 the show participated in G105's "Operation Teddy Bear", a program designed to collect teddy bears from the community and provide those to children when law enforcement officials responded to a call where kids would be involved.
Disaster relief
- In 2005 the show hosted a Hurricane KatrinaHurricane KatrinaHurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
Relief effort entitled Bob & The Showgram’s Bus to the Bayou which collected 11 tractor trailers full of supplies from the community and Dumas himself helped deliver them to communities affected by the hurricane in Mississippi and Louisiana. - On April 18, 2011, Bob and the Showgram hosted a relief effort for the series of tornadoes that swept across North Carolina two days prior. They were the first group to donate to the cause, donating seven pallets of water, food, and other goods to the local Food Bank. In addition, they raised money for Red Cross Disaster Relief and, partnered with Harris TeeterHarris TeeterHarris Teeter is a chain of supermarkets based in Matthews, North Carolina, just outside Charlotte. , the chain operates 207 stores in eight Southern states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.Harris Teeter is a...
, handed out bags of ice to families without power.
Other charity involvement
- In April 2008 the cast of the show was active in the "Angels Among Us" charity event, participating as "Team Larry".
External links
- The show's official website.
- Producer Mike Morse's website.
- The show's Facebook official fan-page.
In the news
- USA Today Article in USA TodayUSA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
about Bob criticizing Fantasia BarrinoFantasia BarrinoFantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which... - 2004 Pennies from Heaven
- "Radio Host Infuriates Cyclists"
- Hetero Pride Parade