Are John and Ken Leaving Kfi Again

American talk radio prove

John Kobylt (left) and Ken Chiampou

The John and Ken Bear witness is an American talk radio bear witness, hosted by John Chester Kobylt and Kenneth Robertson Chiampou . The show airs Mon thru Friday, from ii p.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific Time on KFI AM 640, a local Southern California talk radio station.^[1] The programme is one of the most listened to local talk radio programs in the United States. They draw an estimated weekly audience of approximately 1.2 meg listeners each calendar week.^[two]

History [edit]

John Kobylt was born to a working class Catholic family in Paterson, New Bailiwick of jersey. His father, Chester, was born in Poland and, similar many Europeans of his time, was greatly afflicted by the German aggression. He was taken from his family and held in a Nazi labor campsite for five years. He then joined the British armed forces and somewhen immigrated to the U.S., where he married a Smoothen-American woman, Helen. Chester and Helen had 2 sons, John and Richard, and lived a adequately typical working-class life in northern New Bailiwick of jersey. John entered the radio business as a sportswriter afterwards dropping out of Seton Hall Academy.

Ken Chiampou, a native of Brentwood, New York, was a certified public accountant^[3] and had graduated from the University at Buffalo, working in corporate audits for a Big Eight house.^[four] Both worked in the Elmira-Corning market in New York state in the tardily 1980s, Kobylt equally a disc jockey at WENY and Chiampou at the station's cross-town rival WELM.

Kobylt and Chiampou beginning worked together in 1988 for a radio station in Atlantic City, New Bailiwick of jersey. According to Kobylt, the testify was named "The Odd Couple" by a producer who was the "stupidest man on two legs." Kobylt became plan director of WOND.^[5] One of their earliest pranks was while they hosted mornings at 103.vii WMGM. They started a food bulldoze for rival 95.1 WAYV's morning DJ Russ Monroe later he was fired a week before Christmas. The pair, as part of the prank, chosen WAYV alive on the air to solicit a donation, which led to a hang upwards.

In 1990, the pair was offered the afternoon bulldoze slot on the then brand new station New Jersey 101.5 (WKXW-FM) in the state capitol of Trenton, New Jersey. They gained national notoriety for heavily criticizing New Jersey governor Jim Florio for passing the largest country revenue enhancement hike in United States history immediately after taking office. During this period, their ratings quadrupled to 600,000 listeners. Kobylt criticized Florio for reneging on his promise non to raise taxes.^[half-dozen] A caller, postal worker John Budzash, then suggested the idea of Easily Beyond New Jersey, a protest that would symbolically cut the state in half.^[7] When other callers noted that blocking traffic was illegal, the move turned into a rally in front of the State House in Trenton.

A Country Police officeholder told Budzash, who reported to the crowd from onstage, that approximately 65,000 people attended the effect while another 100,000 people were turned away for lack of parking and considering of crowded weather condition. It was the largest rally ever held in New Jersey.^[half-dozen] Kobylt and Chiampou both attended the rally and spoke passionately about Hands Beyond New Jersey, ameliorate regime, and lower taxes and they encouraged people to stand up and fight dorsum for a amend New Bailiwick of jersey. Florio lost reelection and John and Ken's listenership quadrupled during this flow.^[2]

Kobylt and Chiampou also campaigned feverishly for the abolition of tolls on the New Bailiwick of jersey Turnpike claiming that cut authorities excess expenditures could itself fund highway maintenance. They as well lobbied for the opening of HOV lanes to regular traffic.

The pair left WKXW in tardily 1992 to motility to KFI to do their afternoon drive time spot, replacing one-time Los Angeles Law Department main Daryl Gates. The hosts began national syndication in 1997, which displeased management at Cox Communications, and then the owners of the station. At its meridian, 125 stations carried the program. On March xix, 1999, The John and Ken Evidence was taken off the air at KFI, allegedly by a vice president in Atlanta over the syndication consequence, although the spat was referred to every bit a "contract dispute". In addition, the hosts themselves were more comfortable with dealing with country and local problems.^[viii]

Kobylt and Chiampou were replaced past syndicated consumer advocate Clark Howard from 3 pm to 4 pm followed by Karel and Andrew, the showtime openly gay couple in weekday talk radio in the country. Kobylt and Chiampou publicly referred to them as "Siegfried and Roy", and constantly berated the show for its low quality and lower ratings compared with their ain show. On July 1, 1999, The John and Ken Evidence was reborn every bit a morning drive talk show on crosstown competitor KABC. The forenoon show was short-lived as they kept their afternoon testify manner and brought it to the mornings. Kobylt and Chiampou as well had various stunts, ane of which got them in trouble and forced them into attention diversity training, which they later said they resented taking, and disliked the Disney management toning downwards their banter. Due to low ratings and common dissatisfaction between the station and the hosts, KABC dropped the bear witness on Oct xx, 2000.

The John and Ken Bear witness returned to KFI on May 2, 2001, and the hosts regaled listeners with the behind-the-scene issues at KABC before returning to their normal topics. Since and so they have remained as a alive plan; nevertheless, some interviews are pre-recorded and replayed between hours, and at times Kobylt or Chiampou volition broadcast from their home studios.

On January xiv, 2006, a new version of the show entitled John and Ken: Saturdays began. The show has been repeated on the weekend from time to time, nonetheless, J&Grand: Saturdays covers new material that was otherwise omitted during the week. The hosts did not actually show upward to the studio alive on Sat but taped the Saturday edition during the week as time permits. J&Thousand Saturdays was syndicated to other stations. The Saturday prove was cancelled in September 2009 due to an expansion in their weekday fourth dimension slot from the cancellation of Dr. Laura Schlessinger's program. With the hiring of Bill Carroll in February 2010, the program reverted to its 3 p.yard.-7 p.g. slot.

On March iv, 2006, Kobylt and Chiampou won the Radio & Records News/Talk Local Personality of the Yr award, sharing the honor with KGO radio host Ronn Owens. Chiampou, accepting the accolade on behalf of the pair, mischievously thanked Antonio Villaraigosa, Stanley Tookie Williams, David Dreier, L.A. Archbishop Fundamental Roger Mahony, Robert Blake, Michael D. Brown, and Armando Garcia for providing the material that fabricated the program possible.^[nine] They were also nominated for the 2006 National Association of Broadcasters Marconi Award.^[ten]

On September 10, 2009, The John and Ken Show started simulcasting the 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. portion of the show on San Francisco, California's KNEW (AM)-910. In the opening of the three p.m. hour, Kobylt welcomed the new listeners to the evidence, and promised the old listeners that the format would non change, despite the newly expanded audition. In July 2010, the program was replaced with John Gibson.^[11]

On January ii, 2013, John and Ken began hosting on KFI sister station, WOR in New York City, from 9 p.yard. to 11 p.thousand. The first hour, from 9 p.m. to 10 p.thou. was simulcast from the KFI prove, while the 10 p.m. to eleven p.m. hr is live and local for New York Metropolis. In December 2013, as part of a revamp, John and Ken ceased to air on WOR.^[12] The show moved from its traditional 3 p.m. to 7 p.g. time slot to two p.m. to 6 p.m. every bit part of a station revamp.^[13]

Kobylt's wife, Deborah Zara, is a announcer and podcast host, and one-time TV news correspondent. Chiampou is single, with no children.^[2]

Political and social activism [edit]

John Kobylt and his bullhorn – 2005 David Allyn Dokich protest

In 2003, Kobylt and Chiampou were instrumental in the recall of California Governor Gray Davis. Davis, who was derisively called Gumby on the show for his shifting positions on issues, was criticized on a daily basis for the state's budget deficit, signing a neb that would give drivers' licenses to illegal immigrants, increasing the state'due south auto licensing fee, offering large concessions to country employee labor unions, and for his alleged role in creating the California electricity crisis. The hosts regularly had recall petition gatherers on the air and near immediately threw their support to Arnold Schwarzenegger when he announced he would run for governor. On October 6, 2003, equally part of the fallout from Schwarzenegger'southward scandals, the hosts read information from the Los Angeles Superior Courtroom, purporting that one of the cardinal accusers against Schwarzenegger had a long criminal record. In fact, the data retrieved was about an individual who had nothing to do with the scandal, and the pointers to the information were provided by a Schwarzenegger assistant. The hosts apologized on October 8, later on the election.^[fourteen]

Increasingly, after Schwarzenegger's 2006 re-election, Kobylt and Chiampou criticized several of his policies, every bit Schwarzenegger moved to the eye post-obit the election. The tirades culminated with an epitome of Schwarzenegger's head on a sword after the governor signed the largest country tax increase in United states history (eclipsing the New Jersey increase).

In the run-upwardly to the 2004 elections, their main issue was fighting what they saw as misguided policies of the federal and California country governments to encourage illegal clearing. They devised a "contest" that they dubbed Political Human Cede, in which v Republican Representatives from California were grilled regarding their stance on illegal immigration. The "winner" would be the Representative whom the show'southward listeners saw as the worst on illegal immigration restriction; Kobylt and Chiampou would endorse his or her opponent in the general election and urge listeners to vote for the opponent. Political Human Sacrifice was conducted in a fashion similar to reality telly series such equally Survivor. U.Southward. Representative David Dreier won the nomination as the "victim" of the "cede." Kobylt and Chiampou also designated a Democratic Congressman, Joe Baca, to exist "sacrificed" in the general election. The comments well-nigh Dreier resulted in a complaint to the Federal Elections Commission existence filed by the National Republican Congressional Committee, which was rejected by the FEC on March 17, 2006. As it turned out, both Dreier and Baca won reelection, only this apparently has not deterred Kobylt and Chiampou from their activism on this issue. Dreier outspent his opponent by thirty to 1 and won with 54% of the vote versus 43% for his opponent, his everyman percentage in 24 years.^[15] On the other manus, Baca appeared to accept been unaffected as he garnered 66.4% of the vote in 2004, exactly the same percentage every bit his 2002 vote.^[16]

On May 2, 2005, KTLA entertainment reporter Sam Rubin made comments alleging that Kobylt employed an illegal immigrant. Kobylt demanded that Rubin apologize on his programme for making this allegation without any basis in fact, and later Kobylt'south wife called in to berate Rubin for making the statements. Rubin later apologized and retracted the statements on the KTLA 5 Morning News, every bit well equally on The John & Ken Show.^[17]

Kobylt and Chiampou oft do various stunts in regards to their topics. When Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said to a group of illegal alien supporters "We make clean your toilets", the duo urged their listeners to send toilet brushes to the mayor's office, of which thousands were received.^[18] Other jokes include taking Cardinal Roger Mahony'southward words of, "And then Disappointed," whenever the duo are talking about illegal clearing.

When Long Beach, California residents protested the presence of several paroled registered sex offenders living in 1 flat complex, Kobylt and Chiampou hosted a remote broadcast near the complex on Feb 19, 2008. Fueled past this story, on March 11, 2008, and approved with a required second vote on March 18, 2008, Long Beach City Council members voted vii–0 to enact 18 ordinances heavily restricting the residency and recreational activeness of all registered sex offenders.^[xix]

In September 2011, Kobylt and Chiampou expressed opposition to the California Dream Human action, a bill that would extend financial aid to immigrants regardless of their legal condition. As part of their opposition, they broadcast the cellular number of a spokesperson for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA). The spokesperson received several hundred phone calls from irate listeners, some of which expressed threats towards the spokesperson.^[twenty] CHIRLA said that the phone number was a individual number, although the number was listed on the press release for the issue. Subsequent to this, CHIRLA has chosen for the cancellation of The John and Ken Show, which KFI has resisted.^[21] Observers such as Gustavo Arellano have said that the show targets Mexicans specifically, in contrast to other KFI hosts such as Beak Handel that brand lite of all races, a accuse the hosts deny.^[22] Kobylt apologized on KMEX-TV to Cabrera for the beliefs of their listeners.^[2]

In Feb 2012, John and Ken were suspended for making disparaging comments in reference to Whitney Houston. While speculating on Clive Davis's reaction to Houston'due south expiry, Kobylt imagined Davis calling her a 'crack ho' and making other derogatory comments on Houston's alleged drug utilise and mental state.^[2] This acquired a stir in media circles and in the African-American community equally racially insensitive reference to the recently dead vocaliser. They were suspended for vii days "for making insensitive and inappropriate comments about the tardily Whitney Houston." John Kobylt later on said, "We fabricated a fault, and we take the station's conclusion. We used language that was inappropriate, and we sincerely apologize to our listeners and to the family unit of Ms. Houston."^[23] Many in the Los Angeles radio marketplace came to John and Ken'south defense including KROQ'due south Kevin and Bean who used an unabridged segment of their February 17, 2012 prove to discuss the duo's interruption and the current overall state of political correctness within talk radio.

The duo was named i of the 100 most influential people in Southern California by the Los Angeles Times in 2006.^[24]

Similarly, Governor Jerry Brown singled out Kobylt and Chiampou, along with Jon Coupal, president of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, taxpayer advocate Grover Norquist, and California Republican Party vice chair Jon Fleischman as a "legion of acceptability" in influencing Republican votes in the California Country Legislature.^{[2] [25]}

Format [edit]

The prove is generally broadcast directly from the studios of KFI, with guests usually appearing on the show via telephone. There are occasional remote broadcasts to the site of news or to various political rallies. Also, KFI news reporters come on the show and aggrandize on stories aired in the newscasts. The five p.m. hour is the about listened to hour of the show and is sometimes themed. The Political Human Sacrifice Hour, Hour of O. J., Michael Jackson 60 minutes, Tookie Must Dice for Murdering Four Innocent People, Tax Revolt, Heads on a Stick, and Waiting for Jerry hour appeared in this fourth dimension slot.

Themes of the testify include the devastation of California by labor unions, illegal immigration, corruption by politicians, increased taxes, and the criminal justice system. Celebrity gossip and weird news stories are besides used to make full upwards the hour.^[2] Different other programs where the hosts may contrast each other, they by and large agree on about bug. Kobylt tends to be more than bombastic while Chiampou passively feeds Kobylt'southward acrimony.^[ii] In a profile in the Atlantic Monthly about fellow talk evidence host John Ziegler, David Foster Wallace called Kobylt's voice "consistently snarling, bitchy, [with a] fed-up quality—a perfect aural counterpart to the way drivers' faces look in jammed traffic", and ended that Kobylt's rage was a "demagoguery of the about classic and unabashed sort."^[26]

Recurring features of the show include Chiampou'south Friday movie review, where he grades one pic released that week on a 1-x scale, with 10 being highest;^[27] the "Moist Line", which plays edited listener comments on a vocalization mail line;^[28] and Hack in a Dumpster which is a homage to 2022 Ukraine revolution in metaphorically disposing of a public figure which the hosts disagree with.^[29] Other features include The John & Ken Health and Science Desk, covering medical news;^[30] Execution Desk, covering news on the decease punishment;^[31] and Naked Desk-bound, with news stories involving people who are nude.^[32]

Ane regular segment that does accept significant caller participation is The Hour of Rage, where callers bluster either virtually a topic selected by the host or do freeform rants. Even so, it is common for an entire bear witness to pass without a call being taken from a listener.

Some of their most outrageous antics take taken place during high-contour criminal trials. Targets of their bombast have included O. J. Simpson, Scott Peterson, Robert Blake, and Michael Jackson. Kobylt became nationally known when he stood in front of Scott Peterson's house with a bullhorn, demanding that Peterson give an interview. For several months the pair ran a 5 p.m. bear witness called the "Tookie Must Die for Murdering Four Innocent People Hour," culminating on December 12, 2005, when they circulate live outside of San Quentin Prison earlier the execution of Stanley Tookie Williams.

Kobylt and Chiampou were active during David Westerfield'southward trial for the Murder of Danielle van Dam. Kobylt shouted, "Hey, Westerfield, are yous in there? Did yous kill Danielle?". Kobylt also tossed broccoli at "vegetable head" jurors, who were not convicting Westerfield swiftly enough in his opinion.^[33] They also interviewed Danielle's parents, Damon and Brenda van Dam.

Every nighttime at 6:15 and 6:forty pm, they did a regular segment called "Driving It Abode with John and Ken". In this segment, they talk with KTLA'due south Micah Ohlman (or a different ballast if Ohlman's non present) almost that solar day's hot topic or watercooler stories. The 6:fifteen pm version is live on Television set just, while the half-dozen:40 pm version is live on both radio and Television set. These segments were discontinued later on the Whitney Houston incident.

Political views [edit]

The hosts eschew any party labels or loyalties, and were not politically involved prior to their experience in New Jersey. Kobylt has indicated that his part is "to identify who the bad guy is and what the bad human activity is so that people feel information technology viscerally... pointing out how they were screwed in some manner."^[two]

Mostly fiscally conservative on issues like taxes, they besides frequently lean bourgeois with regard to crime.^[34] They are staunch opponents of illegal immigration and government employee labor unions. They support strong sentences for child molesters and murderers, the death penalty, Megan's Law and Jessica'southward Constabulary. They also oppose driver'due south licenses for illegal immigrants. They are libertarian in other aspects, such as being pro-choice, supporting gays in the military^[35] and gay wedlock, opposing the influence of the Religious Right on American politics, opposing the Iraq War, opposing funds for public transportation, and opposing tax increases. "Big regime" positions they take include further construction of freeways, funding for embryonic stem cell enquiry, an enhanced federal role in emergency preparedness for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), increased federal law enforcement on the edge. They tend to be moderate to liberal on the utilize of marijuana. Kobylt came under fire for comments regarding the fashion manufacture, suggesting that gay men, who Kobylt proclaimed 'control the manufacture', "similar bodies that remind them of a 14-year-old male child".^[36] They opposed Proposition 187 when it first came out, later coming to an anti-illegal clearing viewpoint later on continued prodding from listeners.^[2]

In the 2006 elections in California, they endorsed vi Republicans and one Democrat in statewide races. [ane] In 2007, Kobylt appeared at a fundraiser for Republican presidential contender Rudy Giuliani.^[37] In 2008, they opposed Proffer 8, which banned gay marriage inside California.

One notable disagreement between the two was in the 2008 presidential election, where Kobylt voted for John McCain while Chiampou voted for Barack Obama. The two and then discussed the merits of their candidates and defended their choices. Kobylt spoke about McCain'southward history of opposing wasteful spending while Chiampou stated how he felt that Obama was best suited to bring meaningful reform afterwards what both agreed was a need to break away from the shortcomings of the Bush years.

References [edit]

1. ^ KFI AM 640 More Stimulating Talk Radio Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j} "All the Rage - Features". Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 2012-08-06.
3. ^ "NYS Professions - Online Verifications".
4. ^ http://www.radioguide.com/djprofile/jkprofile.html
5. ^ Parisi, Albert J. "His Trounce Is the Urban center's Pulse" New York Times, July 10, 1988, Page 12NJ.
6. ^ ^{a b} Russakoff, Dale. "The Gov Whose Time Has Come, The Washington Post, Apr 12, 1993, Folio B1.
7. ^ Easily Beyond New Jersey Archived 2008-03-06 at the Wayback Machine
8. ^ Perebinossoff, Phillippe, et al. Programming for TV, Radio, and the Internet, Page 60.
9. ^ R&R – Radio & Records, Inc Archived 2007-10-14 at the Wayback Motorcar
10. ^ "National Association of Broadcasters | 2006 Major Market place Personality of the Year Winner: Scott Slade, WSB-AM". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2019-04-09 .
11. ^ KNEW Replaces John And Ken With John Gibson | AllAccess.com
12. ^ http://www.insideradio.com/Commodity.asp?id=2733025&spid=32061#.UzJQsvldUrU ^{[ permanent expressionless link ]}
13. ^ "KFI Debuts New Schedule".
14. ^ LA Weekly – Full general – Arnold's True Lie – Nikki Finke – The Essential Online Resource for Los Angeles
15. ^ "Dreier race illustrates cautionary tale on immigration policy". The San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on February xix, 2006. Retrieved December six, 2005.
16. ^ Baca's 2004 votes.Baca's 2002 votes.
17. ^ Ron Fineman's ON THE RECORD
18. ^ "Sam Rubin, KTLA Gadfly (sound/wmx)". Archived from the original on May eighteen, 2006. Retrieved Dec 6, 2005.
19. ^ "LBReport.com". Council Approves LB Muni Code Amendments Calculation Sexual activity Offender Residency/Loitering Restrictions.
20. ^ Rainey, James (October 5, 2011). "John and Ken vs. the Dream Human activity". Los Angeles Times.
21. ^ Esquivel, Paloma (September 30, 2011). "Groups desire 'John and Ken' prove off the air". Los Angeles Times.
22. ^ [https://web.archive.org/web/20111003144726/http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2011/10/john_and_ken_show_boycott.php Archived 2011-x-03 at the Wayback Machine [Updte: Jesus Christ Responds!] KFI's John and Ken Show Face Cold-shoulder by Latino Groups – Orange County News – Navel Gazing]
23. ^ "Whitney Houston: John And Ken Suspended For Insensitive Whitney Houston Comments On KFI AM 640 Radio Show (Sound)". Huffington Mail. February 16, 2012.
24. ^ "Our list of the most powerful people in Southern California". Los Angeles Times West Mag, August 13, 2006. Page 16.
25. ^ "Jerry Brown says "Legion of Acceptability" controls CA GOP". The San Francisco Chronicle.
26. ^ "Host". The Atlantic.
27. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-ten-18. Retrieved 2012-07-27 . {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived re-create as title (link)
28. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-22. Retrieved 2012-07-27 . {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy every bit title (link)
29. ^ "Find KFI AM 640's Friday Live On-Air Schedule".
30. ^ "KFI AM 640 - More than Stimulating Talk and News from Los Angeles".
31. ^ "KFI AM 640 - More Stimulating Talk and News from Los Angeles".
32. ^ "KFI AM 640 - More Stimulating Talk and News from Los Angeles".
33. ^ https://www.theatlantic.com/static/coma/html/200504-wallace/64e.html
34. ^ Bailey, Eric. Country upkeep talks marked past secrecy. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles, Calif.: Feb xi, 2009. pg. B.iii
35. ^ Shuster, Fred. "Lifting of Military's Gay Ban Dominates Radio Air Waves." Daily News of Los Angeles, February 2, 1993. Page L19
36. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-xx. Retrieved 2012-02-18 . {{cite spider web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
37. ^ Jubal:"OC Blog"

External links [edit]

• Official website

smithforneve.blogspot.com

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_John_and_Ken_Show

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