The Regular Guys
Encyclopedia
The Regular Guys is a radio
morning show based out of Atlanta, Georgia
airing on rock
station Rock 100.5 featuring Larry Wachs, Eric Von Haessler, "Southside" Steve Rickman and Tim "Action Plan" Andrews. The show's primary demographic target is men aged 25 to 49. The show also has Mark Owens as board operator and assistant producer.
. They later sent demos of what work they did together to various markets, ultimately landing interest in Los Angeles
. The show originated in its current form in 1995 on the Los Angeles station KLSX 97.1 FM
. However, Wachs and Von Haessler were later fired from KLSX in 1997 after a hilarious on-air meltdown over station management interference with the show, which the station's management failed to see as a bit.
owned Atlanta station WKLS
, which was branded as 96 Rock at the time until just after their second firing in 2006. The new incarnation of the show was voted "Most Likely to Be Fined by the FCC
" in a Creative Loafing Atlanta
survey. However, Wachs and Von Haessler have never been fined by the FCC, in spite of their two firings from Clear Channel.
Wachs and Von Haessler were first fired from WKLS on April 9, 2004 at the height of their Arbitron ratings success when a graphic interview with pornographic film actress Devinn Lane
was accidentally aired over a Honda
commercial. That interview was intended to be played backwards, dodging FCC censorship, in a bit called "backwards smut" when the show returned from that commercial break. The intent was to mock the Federal Communications Commission indecency crackdown at the time which stemmed from the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
. Their sidekick "Southside" Steve Rickman was retained by Clear Channel as he had a different contract.
Wachs and Von Haessler were rehired by Clear Channel in early 2005. They returned to the air on March 21, 2005 on sister station WGST 640 AM
. The news radio format did not fit their narrative style, and so they returned to 96 Rock in May, sans Rickman who was doing the afternoon drive time slot with Tim Rhodes who previously did the mid-day shift on 96 Rock. On September 25, 2006, Rickman began making guest appearances on the show on a nearly daily basis.
On October 23, 2006, Wachs and Von Haessler were dismissed from Clear Channel for the second time due to a lawsuit by then Viva 105.7
morning DJs
Yogi and Panda. Von Haessler's Mad Pundit Radio program which was broadcast Saturday afternoons on WGST, was also dropped. The suit claimed that Wachs recorded Yogi and Panda without their knowledge while having a discussion in separate bathroom stalls. That recording was part of a bit that was played on the show which Wachs said was approved by station management.
In March 2007, the criminal case against Wachs was dismissed by the Fulton County, Georgia
district attorney
for having no merit. Consequently, Clear Channel agreed to settle Wachs' breach of contract
claims against them in an agreement under which terms were not disclosed.
.
In April 2009, it was announced that the show would be also simulcast
on KDBN FM 93.3, a Cumulus station in the Dallas/Fort Worth market. The show was later dropped from the Dallas/Fort Worth station in September 2009 due to a format change. In October 2009, the show was once again simulcast to a second market. This time to Rock 105.5
in Macon, GA. Rock 105.5 is also owned by Cumulus. The Regular Guys Show is also streamed live during the show's broadcast and replayed throughout the day on Ustream with a chat feature. The show is also released each day via podcast in its entirety, split into different segments.
In January 2011, the show was given a 3 year contract extension keeping the show on the Atlanta airwaves through 2014.
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
morning show based out of Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
airing on rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
station Rock 100.5 featuring Larry Wachs, Eric Von Haessler, "Southside" Steve Rickman and Tim "Action Plan" Andrews. The show's primary demographic target is men aged 25 to 49. The show also has Mark Owens as board operator and assistant producer.
Origins
Wachs and Von Haessler met in the late 1980s while doing radio in various capacities in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. They later sent demos of what work they did together to various markets, ultimately landing interest in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. The show originated in its current form in 1995 on the Los Angeles station KLSX 97.1 FM
KLSX
KAMP-FM 97.1 FM, known on-air as 97.1 AMP Radio, is a Rhythmic Contemporary radio station in Los Angeles, California. The station is owned by CBS Radio.The station had long been known as KLSX before the call sign changed on June 30, 2009....
. However, Wachs and Von Haessler were later fired from KLSX in 1997 after a hilarious on-air meltdown over station management interference with the show, which the station's management failed to see as a bit.
Move to Atlanta and the Clear Channel years
In 1998, Wachs and Von Haessler resumed the show on Clear ChannelClear 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...
owned Atlanta station WKLS
WKLS (FM)
WKLS FM 96.1 is a radio station in Atlanta, Georgia broadcasting an Active Rock format.-History:The 96.1 frequency was originally WGAA-FM in Cedartown, Georgia, the FM counterpart to WGAA AM 1340. WKLS' callsign stands for the initials of the founding owners: Don Kennedy, James Lathom, and Arthur...
, which was branded as 96 Rock at the time until just after their second firing in 2006. The new incarnation of the show was voted "Most Likely to Be Fined by the FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
" in a Creative Loafing Atlanta
Creative Loafing Atlanta
Creative Loafing is a U.S. city newsweekly serving the Atlanta metropolitan area covering local news, politics, arts, entertainment, food, music and events. Its weekly print circulation is 100,000, and its cumulative readership over a four-week period is 608,636 according to the Dec. 2009...
survey. However, Wachs and Von Haessler have never been fined by the FCC, in spite of their two firings from Clear Channel.
Wachs and Von Haessler were first fired from WKLS on April 9, 2004 at the height of their Arbitron ratings success when a graphic interview with pornographic film actress Devinn Lane
Devinn Lane
Devinn Lane is an inactive adult model, pornographic actress, writer, director and producer. She is sometimes credited as Devin Lane or Devon Lane. She was chosen Penthouse Pet of the Month October 1999.- Biography :Lane became pregnant at 16 and began stripping to support herself and her child in...
was accidentally aired over a Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
commercial. That interview was intended to be played backwards, dodging FCC censorship, in a bit called "backwards smut" when the show returned from that commercial break. The intent was to mock the Federal Communications Commission indecency crackdown at the time which stemmed from the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy
Super Bowl XXXVIII, which was broadcast live on February 1, 2004 from Houston, Texas on the CBS television network in the United States, was noted for a controversial halftime show in which Janet Jackson's breast, adorned with a nipple shield, was exposed by Justin Timberlake for about half a...
. Their sidekick "Southside" Steve Rickman was retained by Clear Channel as he had a different contract.
Wachs and Von Haessler were rehired by Clear Channel in early 2005. They returned to the air on March 21, 2005 on sister station WGST 640 AM
WGST (AM)
WGST AM 640 is a radio station licensed in the city of Atlanta, Georgia operating at a frequency of 640 kHz with 50,000 watts of power during the daytime, and 1,000 watts of power during nighttime hours...
. The news radio format did not fit their narrative style, and so they returned to 96 Rock in May, sans Rickman who was doing the afternoon drive time slot with Tim Rhodes who previously did the mid-day shift on 96 Rock. On September 25, 2006, Rickman began making guest appearances on the show on a nearly daily basis.
On October 23, 2006, Wachs and Von Haessler were dismissed from Clear Channel for the second time due to a lawsuit by then Viva 105.7
WWVA-FM
WWVA-FM is an Atlanta radio station broadcasting a Rhythmic contemporary radio format which features R&B, Pop and Dance hits. It is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is licensed to serve Canton, Georgia...
morning DJs
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
Yogi and Panda. Von Haessler's Mad Pundit Radio program which was broadcast Saturday afternoons on WGST, was also dropped. The suit claimed that Wachs recorded Yogi and Panda without their knowledge while having a discussion in separate bathroom stalls. That recording was part of a bit that was played on the show which Wachs said was approved by station management.
In March 2007, the criminal case against Wachs was dismissed by the Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County, Georgia
Fulton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat is Atlanta, the state capital since 1868 and the principal county of the Atlanta metropolitan area...
district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
for having no merit. Consequently, Clear Channel agreed to settle Wachs' breach of contract
Breach of contract
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....
claims against them in an agreement under which terms were not disclosed.
The present
The show returned to Atlanta airwaves on January 28, 2008, on a new rock station Rock 100.5 which is not owned by Clear Channel, but by Cumulus MediaCumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
.
In April 2009, it was announced that the show would be also simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
on KDBN FM 93.3, a Cumulus station in the Dallas/Fort Worth market. The show was later dropped from the Dallas/Fort Worth station in September 2009 due to a format change. In October 2009, the show was once again simulcast to a second market. This time to Rock 105.5
WROK-FM
WROK-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Macon, Georgia.-History:On 3 September 2009, WIFN, then at 105.5 FM, began playing all TV show themes. An announcement was played in between the themes to "tune in" at 1:05 on 4 September for a big announcement...
in Macon, GA. Rock 105.5 is also owned by Cumulus. The Regular Guys Show is also streamed live during the show's broadcast and replayed throughout the day on Ustream with a chat feature. The show is also released each day via podcast in its entirety, split into different segments.
In January 2011, the show was given a 3 year contract extension keeping the show on the Atlanta airwaves through 2014.