Hi Guys,

Wow! 35 years ... so many memories, I just wish I could remember a few. Strangely enough, yesterday (Saturday) I ran into the guy who played a major role in my getting hired in Dallas. His name is Jeff Kamen, who knew Guy Gibson from WCAR. I had met Jeff at WNEW in New York, while I was hanging out there and going to City College. Jeff told Guy about me, and Guy called out of the blue.

I started at WFAA in July of '73. I'm sure Ira and John Dew were planning the format switch, but I didn't know anything about it when I moved to Big (and very hot) D. I arrived at Love Field in mid July, walked across the tarmac and thought, "What the hell have I gotten myself into."

Shortly after the ZOO went on the air, I feared my career had come to a screeching halt. We used to run overnight newscasts, which I would record and leave for Mark to play during his show. One day there was a line that I just couldn't get out right, and went through a pile of carts. Shortly after 3 am, Mark called and said, "I can't believe what you just said on the air." He played the cart, which had something to the effect of, "the state power commission says ... Oh sh*t!" Of course, I had placed the wrong cart in the studio. So, my dilemma was: do I tell John Dew what I did and get fired; or do I not tell John Dew, who would probably find out anyway, and still get fired. The next morning, I told John, who surprised me with a laugh, saying "that's what makes radio fun."

Well, John was wrong in one sense. It was the people who made radio fun and you guys were -- and still are -- the best.

I'm still with AP Radio and still working nights after 24 years. And there's no shortage of news.

Jamie Friar
ZOO News Director