LOS ANGELES — From January 1990 until Nov. 7, 2019, Kevin & Bean and their antics served two generations of listeners to pioneering Alternative radio station KROQ-FM 106.7.
At the time, Gene “Bean” Baxter exited, opting to return to his native Great Britain, where today he is a PodcastRadio host based in London. That left long-time co-host Kevin Ryder to form a new morning show, branded Kevin in the Morning with Allie and Jensen.
As of Tuesday, Ryder, who with Baxter are 2019 Radio Hall of Fame inductees, is out at KROQ, as are his co-hosts.
Word of Ryder’s dismissal, and that of Allie Mac Kay and Jensen Karp, surfaced on Twitter Wednesday morning.
The hosts were far from bashful in expressing their emotions following their respective exits from KROQ, which saw the exit after 28 years of Kevin Weatherly, SVP/Programming for Entercom/Los Angeles, in late February.
Their exit likely has more to do with Weatherly’s departure than difficult air staff consolidation in reaction to a crashing stock price fueled by investors’ COVID-19 pandemic worries.
Ryder noted via Twitter that KROQ on Tuesday “called every one of us on the morning show and told us we were fired.”
He continued in a post made at 8:15am Pacific, “Why did @kroq fire all of us on the morning show? I assume it’s the ratings, which were down. The economy because it’s down. But it’s a pretty crappy way to treat people. We’re humbled by you spending any time [with] us. THANK YOU. (Going to sleep for about a week 🙂 ).”
Reaction was swift. On Wall Street, ETM plunged 21% by 9:18am Pacific, to $1.58. On Twitter, former KROQ stalwart Doug “Sluggo” Roberts — presently Assistant Program Director for Meruelo Media’s KLOS-FM in Los Angeles — said, “What brilliant timing! Cause, you know, who wants to hear a familiar voice on the radio during a PANDEMIC?!? Idiotic.”
One Twitter follower suggested Ryder host a podcast. Another vowed to stop using Entercom’s Radio.com app.
Mac Kay was humble and forthcoming in her comments regarding her dismissal from KROQ.
“Met some great people, saw some awesome bands, laughed a lot with cool ass coworkers,” she Tweeted, along with a graphic suggesting that Entercom “has decided to permanently ‘social distance’ from our morning show … did I think we would be laid off over the phone during a pandemic? Honestly — you can’t write this stuff!”
She continued, “Is the timing ideal? Not even a little….but I’m lucky. I’ve got amazing people in my corner. Thank you all. Truly.”
Karp, who in 2018 married Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel, joked that he didn’t have to hear Red Hot Chili Peppers anymore. And, he offered Twitter followers a final #KITMRapUp.
From England, former host Bean Tweeted, “I am so sad for my talented wonderful friends at @kevinmornings. Mornings in SoCal are much worse off without them and I can’t wrap my head around it being done by phone during a pandemic. That’s no way to treat a Hall Of Fame show.”
WHAT’S NEXT FOR KROQ?
While KROQ on Wednesday morning aired music and updates from Entercom’s all-News KNX-AM, a change set to occur “in the coming weeks” was announced just before 9am Pacific by Entercom from its Philadelphia headquarters.
Current afternoon drive co-hosts Stryker and Kevin Klein will debut on mornings.
Nicole Alvarez remains in middays, while Megan Holiday will host afternoons.
A search is underway for an evening host; Roq n Beats with Jeremiah Red remains in place in the 11pm hour, while Rubin is in the overnight slot.
“Kevin and Bean set the bar high for mornings on KROQ,” said Mike Kaplan, who programmed iHeartMedia Alternative competitor KYSR-FM “Alt 98-7” in L.A. until moving to New York in May 2018 and assumed Brand Manager responsibilities for KROQ following Weatherly’s exit. “We’re looking forward to this next chapter in the station’s history and think our listeners will enjoy getting to see a different side to Stryker and Klein as they start their day.”
Entercom Regional President Jeff Federman commented on Ryder by saying, “We thank Kevin for his many years of dedication, comedy and entertainment, alongside Bean, that helped build KROQ into the iconic station it is today. Stryker and Klein have an engaged and loyal fanbase and we look forward to ushering in the future of mornings with them on the World Famous KROQ.”
Stryker joined KROQ as an on-air host in 1999. In addition to his role at the station, he currently hosts the syndicated radio show “Out of Order” for Compass Media Networks. He has also served as host of the Grammy Awards for Grammy.com.
Prior to joining KROQ, Klein hosted “Kevin Klein Live” on KITS-FM in San Francisco during its run as “Live 105.” He has also served as on-air host for “The Playboy Morning Show” in Los Angeles.
