Picture this: You're sitting down with a radio icon, discussing the evolution of language, the complexities of identity, and the secret sauce for longevity in the entertainment industry. That's exactly what I, Kelli, had the pleasure of doing with my special guest, Dave Ryan, host of the KDWB, Dave Ryan in the Morning Show. We navigate a sea of topics, from expressive language to personal growth, often hilariously epitomized stories by Dave.
What drives us to stay creative and find purpose amidst personal challenges and burnout? Dave and I share our own experiences, and the conversation gets real. From the highs and lows of a long radio career, managing contracts, and choosing co-hosts, to the fun and banter of our favorite segments and music choices - it's a whirlwind of insights and inspiration. Dave's candid stories about his life, family, and career are sure to keep you hooked.
As we wrap up the episode, we delve into the world of segments, humor, and a shared love for entertainment. Hear Dave's take on balancing opinions without upsetting listeners, and how he's stayed relevant to different generations. Whether you're in for the laughs, the lessons, or just the love of radio, this episode is a treasure trove of engaging stories and thought-provoking discussions. So, get cozy, get ready, and take a peek into the lives, struggles, and triumphs that keep us entertained, and most importantly, keep us human.
Picture this: You're sitting down with a radio icon, discussing the evolution of language, the complexities of identity, and the secret sauce for longevity in the entertainment industry. That's exactly what I, Kelli, had the pleasure of doing with my special guest, Dave Ryan, host of the KDWB, Dave Ryan in the Morning Show. We navigate a sea of topics, from expressive language to personal growth, often hilariously epitomized stories by Dave.
What drives us to stay creative and find purpose amidst personal challenges and burnout? Dave and I share our own experiences, and the conversation gets real. From the highs and lows of a long radio career, managing contracts, and choosing co-hosts, to the fun and banter of our favorite segments and music choices - it's a whirlwind of insights and inspiration. Dave's candid stories about his life, family, and career are sure to keep you hooked.
As we wrap up the episode, we delve into the world of segments, humor, and a shared love for entertainment. Hear Dave's take on balancing opinions without upsetting listeners, and how he's stayed relevant to different generations. Whether you're in for the laughs, the lessons, or just the love of radio, this episode is a treasure trove of engaging stories and thought-provoking discussions. So, get cozy, get ready, and take a peek into the lives, struggles, and triumphs that keep us entertained, and most importantly, keep us human.
Hey, you're listening to another episode of On Our Best Behavior and today you have me, kelly. I'm giving McCoy a break tonight and I have a very special guest to introduce to you. Today I have my true inspiration, an icon to the Twin Cities, host of the KDWB, dave Ryan in the Morning Show podcast, host of the Minnesota. Goodbye and take a shower, show up on time and don't steal anything. Plus, author of the same title. He is also a pilot ukuleleist, member of a men's saw and I am beyond honored and, frankly, over the fucking moon to introduce Dave.
Speaker 1:Ryan.
Speaker 2:Yay, kelly. I did not expect you to say over the fucking moon, which is funny because I asked Kelly before we started. I said you know, I don't have any intention of being like adult and dirty, but I mean, what is your audience? So apparently we can say the F word on this podcast yes, you can. So okay, I was not aware of that. What?
Speaker 1:is a very.
Speaker 2:It's a prevalent word in my vocabulary, so Well, you know, it is so interesting because I'm reading a book right now by Henry Winkler. Do you know who Henry Winkler is?
Speaker 2:No, okay, but I do read a lot Okay, henry Winkler okay, he was the Fonz Fonzie on Happy Days back when I was a kid growing up. So I saw his book at a bookstore and to me when I was 11 years old or 12 years old or whatever, happy Days was the shit. That was the show. It was the first show, besides the Brady Bunch, that I loved and related to and it was like they dealt with sex a little bit and, you know, crime a little bit and whatever, and so the Fonz was the shit for a kid.
Speaker 2:So I saw his book and I'm reading it and he uses the word fuck a lot and I thought, wow, it's just such a common expressive word. And you know, here's Kelly. Kelly is like a, as far as I can tell, a normal mom, a normal parent, a normal person, and you know we love to use the word fuck because it's so expressive. And I know even people who are religious and very faithful, etc. And once in a while they'll bust out the F word and have like yep, because it's perfect sometimes. Yeah.
Speaker 1:When I was a kid, you could never say that. You know, like you could say anything in the world of my grandparents, but you could never. You know, if anyone said that word it was like, oh my gosh, you can't say that in front of grandma. And then, as time evolved, when I was older, like everyone said it, like they were just so used to it by then. So it's kind of interesting to watch how language, along with many other things and topics, have evolved to be. You can talk about it, you can say it.
Speaker 2:Well, no, it's true. And you remind me of a story that my dad never swore. He would never say the S word and we didn't swear around him. My mom swore, but my dad never did. And the only time I ever heard him swore, when I was probably about 10, my sister was driving in the driveway and he said don't stop in the snow or you'll get stuck. And so she stopped and we got stuck and he said God damn it. And I was like whoa. And then, a couple of years before he died he died 20 years ago almost exactly. We were driving along and he's telling me a story and he said the word motherfucker. And he was talking about how. I told this kid you, motherfucker. And I'm like oh, dad.
Speaker 2:So even in my dad's vocabulary very rarely use, so anyway.
Speaker 1:I I swear a lot and I grew up with parents and uncles who swore a lot and when I would meet people and I didn't really change or filter the way I talked around my kids, they would be like, oh my gosh, you know you shouldn't talk like that in front of your kids. And I would just say like I'd rather have them experience life from me versus going out into the real world and then being like shell shocked about how people talk or things that happen. And I also like to be very transparent about talking about like all things that happen in life, whether it's sex or drugs or anything. And I always say if you have a question, just ask, because I'm happy to tell you about it. And I'm never going to sugar coat things, because I remember being younger and going to school and people, kids, talking about stuff and I was like I have no idea what that means, but I'm going to pretend I do.
Speaker 2:Right and yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Our generation. We didn't have Google to just look things up, so we didn't have that access at our fingertips.
Speaker 2:That's so funny. Yeah, that's so interesting. My parents were a little bit more protective about things like that Probably a generational thing, but good for you For talking to McCoy and your other son about.
Speaker 1:AJ.
Speaker 2:Yeah, about things Good for you.
Speaker 1:All right. So you know I already pretty much told my audience who you are, but I want to know in your own words who you are, what you do, what you like, who you love.
Speaker 2:Wow, there's a lot there. You know. I will be honest with you. I think a lot of the time we're still trying to figure out who we are. I think that you know you'd be surprised. I used to think, by the time I was like a senior in high school, I would have figured out who I was. So here I was, a freshman in high school going. I don't know who I am, I'm insecure, I'm shy, but by the time I'm a senior, I'm going to own this school. I'm going to, I will get it. People will like me, girls will want me, guys will want to be me, and and I, of course, it didn't work out that way. And so all these years later, I think we're still kind of trying to figure out who we are. But I think, at the same time, you know, you kind of know.
Speaker 2:So who am I? I am a dad, I think. Probably first of all, that is probably my favorite thing that I do. But I also am a radio person, because that really gave me my identity. I was one of those people in school who wasn't really. I wasn't good at sports, I didn't play sports, I wasn't good in band, I wasn't a good student. But when I found radio and broadcasting, that was the thing that I was good at, the first thing that I was really good at. I was never a great Boy Scout. I was never a great, I don't know. I was a good friend, I think. But. But radio gave me my identity and it gave me my credibility and it gave me a purpose and it gave me something that I never had back when I was in school and that was kind of attention and meaningfulness. And so it's really weird for me still to, like when I walk through, like when I was going through the, the boobash a couple of weeks ago, and people would stop and say I just want to tell you, I listen to you every day and it means so much and you guys and blah, blah, blah, and I just it's such an honor to meet you. It's kind of hard to reconcile that with the person that I kind of still feel like deep inside and that is kind of like, you know, the person who's struggling to be somebody. But you know, I'm quite comfortable with, with all that. I've been doing it for a long time and I am proud of what I do. I'm proud of what I've been able to do Usually being on the radio is my favorite part of the day, but at the same time I don't come home and act like anything special.
Speaker 2:I come home and, like I said a while ago, I was sitting on the couch reading my book. I'm probably going to get on the elliptical a little bit later on. I've been meaning to play a new game on my Nintendo Switch that I haven't gotten a lot of time for, and tonight we're probably going to, you know, watch suits. So when I get away from you know doing the radio thing, I come home. I'm just a very average, moderately dull kind of a person and and I'm okay with that.
Speaker 2:You know, I think that there are some people in radio who they are so and I won't name any but they're so caught up in who they are to their public or their fans that they really cannot escape that Even at home they are about being that person and and I just have never been that way I would never get away with that. Susan would kill me. It's just never been in my nature. So I am most of the time happy and I always have something that I want to do. For example, you might have heard about this on the radio, kelly, I said next summer I want to climb Pike's Peak. It's 13.2 miles, it's 14,115 feet. I've climbed down it but I've never climbed up it. But that is. It's like there's always something that I want to do. There's always something I never sit around and go. Oh, there's always something I want to do.
Speaker 1:That's so exciting and I love that about you Listening to you and you know, even when you talk about you know everyone asks like oh, when are you going to retire? And you're like I don't think I can ever quit, like I'm not the kind of person who just wants to lay on my couch and watch TV, like you're such a go-getter and that's very inspirational.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think I don't know where that came from, because I was not a go-getter when I was a kid. But I think success kind of builds on itself and you are if you're successful in something, you go, wow, I actually can do that. So then you want to go do more. Just in the same way, Like if you fail at something, whether it's a relationship or a business or whatever you might go, I don't want to fall in love again because love sucks. So I think it takes some success to build on success.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. Have you ever guested on a podcast before?
Speaker 2:I have. I've been on a couple of friends podcast. We were talking about this earlier. I admire Kelly, you and McCoy for doing two years worth of podcasts, because I read some stats somewhere that the average number of episodes in a podcast is one. Oh really.
Speaker 1:In other words people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, people will do one episode and go. Eh, nobody listened to it, it wasn't much fun, it didn't go very well and they'll never do another one. So you have beaten the average by a long way. But I have not been on a lot of podcasts maybe three or four. And to be honest, I remember one was my friend, eric, who was a cop and he had me on his podcast. And if I've been on another podcast, I was on one for Jordan High School and I don't remember what it was about. It was two students, they did a great job, but it was just, you know, kind of a standard, tell us about yourself kind of a podcast. But I haven't been on that many but I love doing it. So thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:So you know, I feel like most people know you from radio. That don't know you know you right, but we feel like we do. Was it always radio for you? You said like in high school you didn't really have anything and then once you like found radio, that was it, so was. And I mean back then. You know how long have you been doing this? Over 25 years, 30 years.
Speaker 2:Oh, longer than that. Longer than that. Yeah, we didn't have.
Speaker 1:We didn't have the resources that we have now, like there wasn't the internet, there wasn't all these you know channels to get yourself out there. So I feel like back then it was even harder to get where you are today. You can't just say like I'm going to be the morning host of a radio, of a really popular radio show, so how did, how did you get here?
Speaker 2:I could take the long route, but it won't bore you. I will only say that you're absolutely right when I tell you and you you repeat it back that I really didn't have any other like skills, or I wasn't a great musician, I was never a great student. I was not going to go to college, I went to a community college and I purposely tested into the radio department. So you would take this test and it was on a very primitive computer modem and it would give you a test and some of the questions were like do you like working indoors or outdoors? And I would match every answer up to working on the radio. So, oh, that would be endorsed. Okay, do you want to work alone or with other people? Radio alone, alone. So and I wish I could remember all the questions, I can't but it but I tailored my answers to Radio DJ and Radio DJ was my number one career choice, according to this computer program.
Speaker 2:So I went to school for radio and TV production, or radio and TV broadcasting, when I was a senior in high school. So it was a community college, but I would leave. I would do one class at high school, go to the community college and then take radio and TV broadcasting, then come back home and then take the school bus home. So I, the first week or so, I was busy screwing around because some of my friends got into the same class, not because they wanted to be in broadcasting, but because they didn't know what else to choose. So here I am in the back of the class being a little shit, chatting with my friends, and the instructor kept us after class and I wish Kelly, I remembered exactly what he said. But he basically put into my mind something along the lines of this is the real world. This means something. This will change your life if you take it seriously. This ain't high school anymore. You got to take it seriously and quit dicking around. And I wish I could remember what he said, because in three minutes he changed my total mindset and I then took it seriously and I was the number one student in that class.
Speaker 2:I did everything. I'm not bragging, but I did everything better than anybody else in that class, mostly because I worked hard and everybody else was kind of like, oh, that assignments do today. Well, you know, maybe I'll get to it, maybe. And I had mine done like three days earlier and I got straight A's and so they recommended me for a radio job. I got a radio job and another radio job and another radio job and then I didn't realize I wanted to do mornings until I was about 20 years old and our morning guy was so funny and so amazing and I like I want to be him. So I got a job at 21 years old, working at a big station in Las Vegas. And it gets funny, kelly, because Las Vegas is a pretty decent sized town and I was 21 with no morning experience yet. They hired me and I did a really good job out there.
Speaker 2:And I look back at that kid who was 21 and I had no, I have no idea how I did it, because I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't know that I would fail, that I could even fail. It wasn't even a possibility. I knew I would win and I think that mindset really helped me because I didn't know, I was so ignorant to know that I was in way over my head. But I did it anyway. And I look back at that 21 year old kid and I go I don't know how he did it, I could not do that. Now it's, it amazes me. And then I got promoted to another station than another station, and then I got fired from two stations and then I got hired here.
Speaker 1:So you never needed a plan B, you did it.
Speaker 2:No well, I really thought that by the time I was going to be about 38 or so, the whole radio thing would kind of, you know, peter out and die off. And I thought, god, I wonder if you're too old to join the military at 38 years old, because I really thought at 38 years old that was going to be my backup plan. And 38, kim, and went and so did 48 and does some other ages, and still here I am.
Speaker 1:So was your dad in the military.
Speaker 2:He was. Yeah, he was much older than me. He was 46, almost 47 when he had me. He was in World War Two and and I will give credit to my dad, for my mom gets credit for giving me a sense of humor, my dad gets credit for giving me a work ethic, because that was what dad did. He made us work, and so I think that was one of the things that helped me was a little bit a lot of works to me seem like a little bit to me, so I mean a lot of work to anybody else.
Speaker 2:Let's put it that way a lot of work to anybody else would seem like a little bit of work to me. So I didn't mind doing extra work because it didn't seem like that much compared to growing up on the chicken farm.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he had a lot of. He put a lot of expectations on on you guys. That sounded on you kids Like you did a lot of work, yep.
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:If he caught us laying around watching TV during the daytime, he would find something for us to do. Even it was made up take that pile of wood and move it to another pile over there, or go paint those. Go paint that barn that it was already painted like last month, or, you know, go clean out the chicken house. So he did not like to see us sitting around, and so we purposely would not do a lot of sitting around. We would, I don't know, stay busy doing something I don't know what reading or being gone, or something I don't know.
Speaker 1:It'd be like oh shit, here comes dad look busy, so he doesn't have to work. Absolutely yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's. Exactly it, kelly. Yeah, absolutely here comes dad. Oh shit.
Speaker 1:So even having a parent in the military, you were still interested in going. It didn't scare you like knowing everything your dad had been through, especially World War Two.
Speaker 2:In interested in what.
Speaker 1:The going into the military.
Speaker 2:Oh, oh, yeah. Well, I didn't want to fight. I was like, you know, I would have joined the Air Force, where you know we used to joke about if you're in the Air Force, your job is to play golf. And you know, like, if you're in the army or the Marines, you're, you know you're in a trench and you're dodging, you know bullets. But in the Air Force it's like, well, you load a plane and then you go to the golf course.
Speaker 1:Okay, so yeah, I don't know how much you got it. Just, yeah, it sounds scary to me, but that was our joke, yeah, yeah. All right. So you do a live show and a podcast every day of the week, every weekday. That is a lot of content creation. Do you ever get like a writer's block or burnout Like how do you come up with so much content every single day for years?
Speaker 2:It's a curse, it is I don't know. I mean it's it. There are two answers. Sometimes we don't come up with great ideas and other times I cannot keep track of all my ideas and I don't know where that came from.
Speaker 2:But I think it's a combination of growing up watching a lot of TV, watching the sitcoms, watching the movies, watching the game shows, watching the talk shows and and kind of like that built a foundation in my head of like, what can we do to be entertaining and be funny? And you know, growing up around my mom, who is funny, and I was like you know, I thought it was the funny one growing up and reading a lot, and so it's kind of like I kind of compare it to a creative pantry and this is one of my favorite analogies. If you want to be creative, let's say if you want, if you want to, you're in the kitchen and you and you only have flour and sugar and eggs and water and baking soda. There's not a lot you can make. But if you go out and you buy a bunch of spices and you buy some oh I don't know yeast and you buy some breadcrumbs and you buy some whatever, and now you got all this stuff in your pantry, now you can make a whole lot more.
Speaker 2:And I think creativity is the same way, where, if you go out and have a lot of experiences and watch a lot of shows and do a lot of things and ride a motorcycle and fly airplanes and play the ukulele and do magic tricks, it all comes together to give you ingredients for creativity. And so that's one of the reasons why I like to do so many different things, like from, like I said, play my Nintendo Switch to go to the gym, to I ran a 5k the other day and and they all kind of go together to give you ingredients for creativity. And I think that's been something that I kind of stumbled upon, and I think that might be why a lot of people who don't do a lot say well, I'm not creative. Well, you're not giving yourself enough ingredients to be creative.
Speaker 1:So I don't really there.
Speaker 2:There are days when we sit there and go what are we going to do tomorrow? We're like, ok, we got this seven o'clock, eight o'clock and nine 15 break open. What are we going to do?
Speaker 2:Like I don't know, what are we going to do? I don't know. But other days it's like, oh well, what about the idea where we had this and what about the idea where we had that? And let's do that. And the funny thing is, kelly, you're also going to give yourself permission to suck and a lot of people and like we've done some bits that were just disasters and so I don't want to, you know, call any out right now. But you know, I mean.
Speaker 1:And I heard you say that on the radio like, oh, you know, yeah, we did that. It didn't go the way we wanted to. But you know, there's only one way to find out right Trialing error.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's true, and I would say, you know, maybe it's like 60, 40 success to 40% failure, and sometimes we go, well, let's never do that one again. Or sometimes you actually feel it bombing as you do it and you're like this is not working.
Speaker 1:That's the worst feeling, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but you know, you know, like I said, you got to keep trying new things. But then I joke about, like you know, you got to keep trying things and not do the same thing over and over again, like war of the roses for 20 years. God.
Speaker 1:Right, oh, everyone hates that, yeah, I know right. So bad days. You have bad days. Something terrible happens in your life and it consumes you and it's all you can think about. How do you shut that off and stay on for your show?
Speaker 2:I find that actually kind of easy. I, if I have a bad day, the radio show totally distracts me from it. So, for example, let's say I, I don't know, I don't want to put something out into the universe, but let's say Carson broke his leg, and now I'm worried because Carson broke his leg and but when I come into work it is the best distraction, it's the best therapy. You know, I've gone through some really bad stuff. About 10 years ago there was like a really, really bad time in my life and the radio was the best part. It really, you know it's part being. You know it's like if you have a surgeon, you know you have a good surgeon, she's going to forget that she's really stressed and somebody stole her identity while she's taking out your gallbladder. You would not want the surgeon who's like oh shit, give me, give me the scalpel, hurry up. Oh whoops, oh shit.
Speaker 1:You want like, hey, I'm pissed and I get to cut somebody open today?
Speaker 2:Yeah, Right, but you want the surgeon who is going to be able to put that aside, because even surgeons are going to have bad days and stress, and their kid broke their leg and somebody stole their car, so it's just a matter of putting it to the side. You do the same thing at your work. You know when you have a bad day you can't go in and, like you know, throw shit around and slam doors, and you know. You just do your thing. Or maybe you do. Kelly's laughing. That's a good point.
Speaker 1:We're in my heart, on my sleeve a little bit. Most people who know me will be like oh yeah, Kelly, you should take notice. Do you ever get burnt out? How do you deal with that? I?
Speaker 2:mean over the years, oh, absolutely. Yeah, yeah, it's the same kind of thing.
Speaker 1:You're just one foot in front of the other and Yep, yeah, it really is.
Speaker 2:There have been a couple of times. We talked about this on the radio on the podcast, the Minnesota Goodbye Week or so ago, and I talked about how, back in the mid to late 90s, I was so burnt out doing what I was doing. I was like I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to, and so I read books about changing careers. I went to a career counselor and they gave me a test to find out what my good aptitudes would be, and I think I misspoke. On the podcast I said chemical engineer and it wasn't chemical engineer, because you have to be brilliant to be an engineer.
Speaker 1:Well, you are a member of Mensa.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but I'm not a math or chemical or you know whatever. I'm not that guy.
Speaker 2:I think it was like a chemical, something. I don't know. Maybe I drove a chemical truck, I don't know. But I got back into it and I still have, like anybody. You know, there are days when I walk out of there going I don't want to do this anymore. Anybody who says they don't have those days is lying. I think even the most talented, successful surgeon, architect, dentist, investor is going to say, oh, I don't want to do this anymore, but I don't know what else I would do. So it takes a while and I get back into it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I think we go through different phases, right, and our mind can play tricks on us. And every once in a while, and don't you think too, like this helps me a lot, like sometimes I'll go on vacation for a week. We just went to Kentucky and we do this annual, like it's called a relaxation vacation. We just go somewhere in the middle of nowhere, where it's beautiful, and do like a hard brain reset and focus on the things that you know we love, like our family and in nature and whatever. But then at the end of that trip I'm always I miss my real life, like I'm, like I'm ready to go back to where.
Speaker 1:I'm ready to just I love my life, Like I'm good with what I got going on. But sometimes, when you are doing that every single day, you lose sight of what is truly important to you because it just becomes so routine and normal and boring. But then if you kind of take that away for a little bit and go back to it, you know it brings back what's important. So I think that helps everybody right, that's great advice.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've never really done that. I mean, you know vacations are important. I've never really thought about it that way, but that's really good advice. You just go away and learn to appreciate. You know what it is that you do and what you have.
Speaker 1:Yeah, when did you realize you made it big? I saw that question in the email you sent me and I don't know that there's one moment where I said I've made it big and I know like you're so like good at being like a real person and down to earth and, like we had talked about earlier, like your ego doesn't get in the way and you're not cocky, but there's got to be a time when you like see your face on a billboard or people are recognizing you or you know what was it.
Speaker 2:when you're like oh my gosh, like this I don't know, kelly, that I actually have a moment like that. I don't think I ever had a moment where I said I've made it big. I've had moments that surprised me maybe, where, like I could say something like I would go to like one of our Katie with you, katie with the KDWB appearances, and the doorman would stop me and go I need to see an ID, and I'd be like, oh, I'm Dave from KDWB. He's like, oh yeah, come on in. So that's kind of cool. I don't know, kelly, honestly, and I did think about it, was there a moment where I said I've made it? And I think that's maybe part of the thing is, I don't know that I've ever had a moment where I said I've made it, because I think when you say you've made it, then you kind of stop pushing and trying and you slow down a little bit and I've never consciously made that decision to not recognize that moment. There have been a lot of moments where I said, wow, I'll tell you one that maybe makes me think of that a little bit. We were at Treasure Island doing a Gary Spivey show, the Psychic. Okay, so Gary is this world renowned psychic and he goes to this casino and he sells it out. There's like 3,000 people in this showroom and we are part of the show. So it was me, steve, probably Lena, could have been Fallon, I'm not sure. Probably Chrisco, intern John, and we're all like getting on stage and doing some fun stuff and we're back in the green room and it occurred to me at that moment that I was in charge of all these people and how they trusted me to do a great job and make sure everybody knew what they were doing and make sure everybody knew where to stand and how to act and what to do and where to be. And at that moment it occurred to me wow, I never expected to be in charge of something like this. Yet here I am and everybody likes me and everybody trusts me, and that felt really good. It wasn't a moment of like I've made it maybe a little bit, but more a moment of like wow, this feels really good, but I don't know that there's ever been a moment. I'll give you one other funny kind of example, and this happened in 2013.
Speaker 2:My contract ran out and usually in radio, if you're doing well, they start to work on your contract a year or six months before it runs out. So let's say you and I have a contract. Let's say you're on my radio show and your contract is going to run out on March 1st of 2024. I'm like, oh shoot, kelly's contract is going to run out pretty soon. I got to talk to Kelly soon and get you know, talk about a raise or new contract. But if I don't want you around, I just let your contract run out and then on March 1st I go bye, see you, kelly, thanks for being here.
Speaker 2:And so my contract ran out on, I think, march 31st of 2013, and they never approached me to ask me you know, let's, let's re-sign your contract. And I mean our ratings were good, we were doing great, and they just didn't get around to it. And so it really really hurt and I was pissed and worried and like I know they want me there, but they care so little about me that they haven't offered to renew my contract. So I was free to look for another job. So I a station, coincidentally in Miami called and offered me a job.
Speaker 2:They flew, susan and I, down there. They put us up in the Hotel Fontainebleau, which is like a really toyty-toity hotel on Miami Beach. They took us to a beautiful, expensive steakhouse with their whole crew and they wind and dine us. They gave us a big fruit basket and a bottle of champagne in the hotel room. They drove Susan around to look at homes and they offered me the morning show for about 50% more than what I was making at KWB. I came back and I said I'm leaving, I'm going to Miami, and they said why? And I said because you dickheads haven't renewed my contract. A day or two later one of the I Heart Radio bigwigs flew into town, took me to lunch at Crave, sat me down and said what do you want to make? And I threw out a. Had they just forgotten about you?
Speaker 1:Did they just like not realize?
Speaker 2:Something like that, yeah, which really hurt, because it became like forgetting your birthday. It's like.
Speaker 1:Kelly, oh yeah, it's your birthday, my favorite holiday, right, yeah, it's Kelly Day.
Speaker 2:So he took me out to lunch at Crave and I remember he said what do you want to make? And I threw out a number, thinking they're never going to go for this, because you know when you negotiate you don't accept their offer. You always come in with a different number. I threw out a ridiculous number and he said done, wow. Yay, and that might have been a moment where I said I've made it, yes, yes. At that moment, though, I remember thinking oh, I should have gone higher.
Speaker 2:Right, always I should have gone higher, but it was a. Really it was great. And they somebody fucked up and I don't know who and nobody's ever said who.
Speaker 1:Well, maybe it was a good thing yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and I think it might have been a matter of I thought you were taking care of it. I thought you were taking care of it. Oh, I thought you were taking care of it type of thing.
Speaker 1:So that was a good thought. However, this time of year, this time of year.
Speaker 2:you probably wish you were in Miami because it's so cold. Oh, I know, do you like the cold? Kelly?
Speaker 1:No, I hate it. I don't. I mean I tolerate it, but I hate it.
Speaker 2:Do you do anything outdoors to tolerate it better Skiing or snowboarding or ice fishing or skating?
Speaker 1:No, because I hate it.
Speaker 2:Okay. I don't, I don't blame you.
Speaker 1:I try to be active in the winter and I fell quite a few times and I was like I'm done, I don't want to get hurt. So it's just not for me. I'm not very athletic.
Speaker 2:Valid, valid.
Speaker 1:Totally valid.
Speaker 2:I just try to, I just try to get through it.
Speaker 1:You know, let's be real.
Speaker 2:You're like me, I do. I do cross country skiing. I used to do snowboarding. I don't really like snowboarding as much anymore because I don't like to fall. Yeah, you know, because I'm not as young as I used to be and it hurts more to fall. And if I go with Carson he wants to go on the blue and black runs and I don't really like the blue and black runs and I I hate to fall. So I do cross country skiing. I tried ice fishing. That was not for me. I am not an ice fissure person, I'm not an angler, so I'm kind of like you. You know I tolerate it. I try my best to just get through it. Look at the calendar and go okay, it's going to be 20 today, woo.
Speaker 2:Heat wave Exactly right.
Speaker 1:Oh shoot, I forgot where my brain was going with that, but anyway, all right. So next question I'm going to ask you is you know, I one of my favorite memories of being in junior high was listening to you on the school bus and it was like, oh, you had a really cool school bus driver. If they listen, let you listen to KWB, because, as you know, even now, like you'll be like, okay, you know, at this hour, if you have kids in the car, shut it off, because we're going to talk about X, y and Z. And so when I was younger, I always wondered what it was like for your kids especially Allison, because she's a young girl and my age like, oh, my gosh, like what is it like to have Dave Ryan be your dad? Are you mortified? Are you proud? Do people use you? Do what I don't know, you know? And like parody songs about Allison and Carson, and how did they deal with that? Or was there ever times when they would be like dad? No, probably.
Speaker 2:I think that you would almost have to ask them about the things that you were doing and you would almost have to ask them. But I think that I've helped them handle it well. I know that they don't like it when somebody comes up to us in public and wants to say hi or wants a picture. They don't like it but they've gotten used to it and they're polite about it, like you know. Like last night at the Vikings game somebody said Dave Ryan.
Speaker 1:Oh my god, Last night I was there too.
Speaker 2:Oh really, we'll talk about that in a second. Okay, and they wanted a picture and I'm never, ever going to be rude and say I'm with my family, because if they care enough to recognize me, then they're a big enough fan of the show. I'm going to recognize them and their time and chat a little bit. And Carson Susan's fine, she's an adult. Carson is 22 and 11-year-old Carson might have thought it was cool, 15-year-old would have been annoyed, but 22-year-old Carson is polite and smiles.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he's kind of in the entertainment industry now too.
Speaker 2:He is yeah. He gets it right. Yeah, he kind of gets it, and they've grown up to it, they've gotten kind of used to it. I, oh, there was something I was going to say and now I can't remember what it was.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm glad it's not just me.
Speaker 2:No, I do it all the time, but if I keep talking maybe it'll come to me. So they've gotten used to it, they really don't mind it. And there was something else I was going to say. Oh, I know what it was. Here's what it was. So when Carson went to Chanhassen High School, you know, word got out oh, that's Carson, that's Dave Ryan's kid. So when he was a freshman at Chanhassen High School, there's an entire page of his yearbook dedicated to Carson and how he is my kid. And I didn't like that. I mean, I was flattered but I didn't like it because it wasn't about Carson, it was about Dad. And I really don't like Carson to ever have to look at me and compare himself to me or be Dave Ryan's kid. And I know the kids at the yearbook, I mean God love them. They were kids and you know what. It was kind of cool, I guess. But I didn't like that for Carson because I think he was kind of embarrassed. He just wanted to be his own kid, he wanted to be Colin's buddy.
Speaker 2:He wanted to be the drummer in the jazz band and he wanted to be, like you know, a kid who was good at chemistry. He didn't want to be Dave Ryan's kid, but at the same time he kind of got it. So, allison, if she struggled with it, I don't know that she did, but she may have, I don't know. But Chase and Beth, they grew up somewhere else, so they didn't care.
Speaker 1:Isn't Chase on the news.
Speaker 2:He is on the news. He is on KPHX Channel 12 in Phoenix. Chase go lightly and people think that's a made up last name. It's like no, that's his real last name.
Speaker 1:I thought that Go lightly, yeah.
Speaker 2:And then I saw they're having a baby and I saw like baby go lightly coming.
Speaker 1:I'm like, oh, it's for real His last name, that's cool.
Speaker 2:It really is. Yeah, it's a crazy like great last name. And then somebody on Instagram I posted something a couple of weeks ago and so he said great stage name Sounds kind of fake and I'm like it's real, it's his real name.
Speaker 1:It's real. Yeah, you're the baby of your family. How many siblings do you have?
Speaker 2:I got four older sisters and an older brother.
Speaker 1:Okay, six. I was thinking there was only five of you, yep, so you're the youngest Yep. Okay, do you think you're the most successful of your family?
Speaker 2:Financially, yes, but you know, it kind of depends on how you define success. My dad, my dad, my brother is probably a better person than me. My sister, vivian, is probably a better person than me. Sharon probably has more friends than me. Don is more outgoing than me. So it depends on what you call success. I mean career wise, probably, but you know my brother is much more loved than me. He's just a warm hearted, very old fat fuck and everybody loves him.
Speaker 1:So Do you guys get together ever Now that your parents are gone?
Speaker 2:You know it's funny because when your parents die that gathering point kind of goes away. I'm fortunate that I have three sisters that still live in Colorado Spring, so I saw them. You know, in the last couple of months we went to dinner and we got together and there was a graduation not too long ago so we got together for that. But you know, I haven't seen my brother in I don't know five years. He came here for work and another sister I haven't seen her in ten years. So you know, it's like. You know you're scattered around the country so you don't get together like you used to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I lost my parents a couple of years ago and I feel like they're definitely the glue that held us together. So it's much different now without them.
Speaker 2:So but yeah, it really is because they become the gathering point and the focal point and they're the ones who call and say hey, come over for Thanksgiving, or you know that they and it is. It is a challenge to, especially if you're not close to begin with. It's a challenge to stay connected after mom and dad are gone.
Speaker 1:Okay, you have been the Dave Ryan in the morning show for 20, over 25 years you have. I think it is so cool that you have adapted so well to changes in the world, staying relevant to such a range of generations and you know you, you've gone through different co-hosts and you've just made it seem so seamless. Has it been as seamless as you make it look or sound?
Speaker 2:Sometimes, sometimes, you know, we try to be really careful. I know what kind of people that I work best with and I work best with people who are team players and have a big personality, and that's kind of been the common denominator of my show. The big personality and a team player and easy to get along with kind of goes hand in hand with team player. And I tell people that I work with when they're new I say do not hold back, do not hold back. I would much rather have you ask you to back it off a little bit than to be like, hey, come on, bring me some stuff to the table. So people feel really, really encouraged and welcome to be themselves and to bring that to the show.
Speaker 2:So if they got an idea or something they want to say, they don't go. Can I just, is it okay if I? I want to chime in? No, they're like bitch. I want to tell you what I think. That's what I like, because that is a big personality and so no, I kind of find those people in advance. And what's funny, kelly, is that there are so many people who think they can do what Fallon does and what Jenny does and what Lena and Corey and Angie and Lee Volsvik and Patty Burson, steve oh and Intern John and Chris Go they think, everybody thinks they can do that.
Speaker 2:And then it's a skill and some people are more natural at it than others. But it's just like when you watch somebody play golf well, they make it look easy because they're so good on TV. But if you're playing golf, you know it's not an easy sport, you know you're going to whiff and suck and hit it into the woods, but they make it look easy. So you know, somebody who doesn't know any better could watch golf and go. Oh, I could do that. So I think there is definitely a skill set. It comes more naturally to some people and we try to hire people who are naturally good or have a lot of potential to be really good, and that makes my job a whole lot easier. So I give a lot of credit to the people on my show. Because it was just me, it would be really difficult, it would be really boring.
Speaker 2:And I think one of the things when you talk about relating to different audiences, that's like how do I say this? There's different people that that relate to different people. So, for example, on the cast of friends, if everybody was as goofy as Phoebe, it wouldn't have been as good show. A good show If everybody was neurotic as Monica, it wouldn't have been as good of a show If everybody was as nerdy as Ross or as stupid as Joey. It wouldn't have been as good a show.
Speaker 2:So they said okay, when they created the show, they said we need a goofy one, we need a neurotic one, we need a smart one, we need a normal one. And that's kind of how it is on our show. We've got Drake, who's a goof and a space cadet, and we got Jenny, who's like I don't know kind of a mother hen and a former party girl, and then we got me, who's like kind of the smart ass and you know, act like I don't care and like you know, what are they going to do, fire me, kind of an attitude. So it takes all different kinds, but I think we're really good at blending those kinds together.
Speaker 1:Yeah, just kind of having a little bit of everything helps out a lot. Do you worry about upsetting people? Like sometimes this is a funny story I have for you. I came home a while this is it was the beginning of summer because it was your opinion on the early state fair and I am a huge state fair lover and I was listening to the Minnesota goodbye and you're like I love the state fair because it happens at the end of August every year. I don't want the state fair every fucking month of the summer because that makes it not special anymore.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I was like I came home and I'm like I'm mad at Dave today. Justin's like what happened? I'm like this is what he said about the state fair and then, whatever day of the week that was, I come home the next day and I'm like, oh, today Dave was talking about blah, blah, blah. He's like I thought you're mad at him. I'm like I'm not mad at him, I'm like, we all have our own opinions. I just don't agree with that one.
Speaker 2:Well, that's a mild one. You know, if that's the most upset I've ever got you, kelly, then I've done pretty good. But there are people who you know will say something. And I'm trying to think of something. Okay, for example, if I went on the air and said you know, cheerleading is not a sport, that would really piss some people off. And I'm not going to do that because, whether I believe it or not, I'm not here to piss people off. I want people to like us. If I work at Target, I want you to want to come into Target. I don't want you to go, fuck Target. I'm going to Walmart, I'm going to Coles. So my job is to not piss you off. It might be to titillate you a little bit. Yeah, trying to think of something that I see, and usually what happens when we titillate Kelly is there are people who go. Yeah, I totally agree.
Speaker 2:For example, if I say something like you know what you and I really believe you should be able to recline your seat on an airplane. You paid for the seat. The button is on your seat, it only reclines about that much. It doesn't hit you in the knees. If you ever look at an airline seat, it doesn't move around your knees. People are just little bitches and they're like I don't want your, you should. You're reclining. You're offending me. You know what? No bitch, I paid for this seat. The button is on my seat. If you're in front of me, you can recline too. I might not love it, but it only reclines two inches Right and people would say well, why do you need to?
Speaker 2:recline it, then if it only reclines two inches, because two inches is better than none. So I don't mind titillating people that way, because who is going to not like somebody because of whether they recline their seat or not? So do I worry about making people angry? No, because we try not to make people angry. We'll push some buttons once in a while, but I would never want to make people angry.
Speaker 1:It's good to make people think right, it's okay to make them think, but not upset them.
Speaker 2:And here's the funny thing is when you, when you make people think like that, there are always the people who go. Yeah, I'm glad somebody finally said that, right, yeah.
Speaker 1:Except you and the State Fair. I'm over it. I'm not really mad at you, I'm like, well you know, not everyone loves the fair as much as I do. It's okay.
Speaker 2:I love the fair. I just you know it's like it's two weeks. It doesn't need to be more than two weeks, just like Christmas only needs to happen once a year.
Speaker 1:Well, now people are putting up their Christmas tree in Halloween.
Speaker 2:I know it's crazy, it's so true.
Speaker 1:But to each their own right.
Speaker 2:Right.
Speaker 1:Do you have a most memorable radio moment?
Speaker 2:I saw that on your list of questions and I tried to think and I've probably been asked that question before and off the top of my head I can't think of any one particular radio moment, but I can give you a couple that were pretty cool. We went to the American Music Awards because we were on the radio in 1996. And we got to hang out backstage and we got to meet some of the artists and. But I remember sitting in the audience and we were on the end, on the left-hand side, where the stars would go backstage to make a speech or backstage to perform, and then they would come back out on that same side.
Speaker 2:And so Garth Brooks walked by and I said, garth hi, garth, because you know I was a groupie and like everybody else is like Garth hi and so he walks past me and I'm like, oh, he walked past me. Then I feel this tap on my shoulder and I turn around and there's Garth Brooks, face like three inches from mine, he's wearing a cowboy hat and he's like, hey, man, how are you? And I'm like, holy fuck, I'm good.
Speaker 2:I mean I didn't say that, but I mean, that's not that's not a defining moment, but it's just one of the things that it would never happen if I had not been on the radio, if I never had this opportunity. You know, I got to fly with the Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds, which was really, really cool. I got to be there when a stranger had a baby, because we adopted her, because her baby daddy was like out of the picture. So we went to the classes with her and, and there's all kinds of things that you might say well, is that the most? I can't really think of one experience that made me say, wow, that was the pinnacle. But here's the thing as soon as we hang up, I'm going to go.
Speaker 1:Ah, I should have thought of that one. I'll text you. Ok. So I have some listener questions for you, and somebody wants to know whatever happened to Tony Fly.
Speaker 2:There are some people that I choose not to talk about, to be honest with you, and that's really all I'll say I choose. It's kind of like you choose people to that you will associate with. You choose your friends, you choose who you want to hang out with, and there are people that I choose not to talk about.
Speaker 1:Christmas wish. Do you ever get any follow up of what happens to those people?
Speaker 2:Oh, a lot yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, a lot, yeah, a lot of the time people will remember. You know like, oh, you made a wish for my mom back in 2012 and she just passed away. Or, yeah, you made a wish for my dad and he lived two weeks later before he died and you made a wish for us back in 2014 and it really turned our world around. We were in an all time low and that really gave us hope and made us people know that people thought of. So, yeah, we do. We don't hear back from everybody and I don't expect to hear back from everybody. That's not part of the conditions. You know, part of the conditions is not for you to call me back or email me back and tell me how wonderful we are. That's not part of the conditions, that's not part of the agreement. But some people do, most people don't, but I figure that's OK.
Speaker 2:You know what? They got other stuff going on.
Speaker 1:I think we just always wonder, like, where are they now? You know some people that you hear their stories or their situations, or you know even these were the roses people, who are somebody who wanted me to ask you are there really that many crazy people that you can do? That many were of the roses.
Speaker 2:Well, apparently so. Yes, I mean apparently so yes.
Speaker 1:I can answer that for you. It's yes.
Speaker 2:Yes, I think there are apparently so.
Speaker 1:Do you guys do any fake bits? Anything made up?
Speaker 2:We have before, but I can't think of anything in part to. Oh, I'll give you an example. Here's one that I've never told anybody about. There was this was a 10 or 12 years ago, I don't know how I got the idea. But again, you know, the creative pantry was at work and I'm pulling ingredients from here and from here and from here and stirring up this creative soup and I said let's have a woman call in complaining because I said I'm starving. And she called in and it was all set up. We had a friend of ours pretend to be this woman who was upset because I said I'm starving and she said Dave, you cannot say I'm starving, you are not starving, you are hungry. There are actual people who are starving and it is wrong for you to claim you're starving. You wouldn't say I'm handicapped. You wouldn't say I lost an arm, I'm blind. Don't say you're starving. And we did that just to get people set off and go shut up. Lady, it's a figure of speech, it's harmless. So that was fake, but it was fun.
Speaker 2:But harmlessly fake yeah.
Speaker 2:And then there was one that we did this about 20 years ago and I told a story on the radio about how I was coming out of Ridgedale and I saw a woman getting into her car and her purse was on top of her car and I said, hey, excuse me, excuse me, excuse me. And she flipped me off, got into her car and drove off and her purse fell off the roof of the car and I didn't know what to do because you know, here was this woman who was rude. I was trying to help her and you know she flipped me off and she was rude and I've got her purse and I've got her driver's license inside, but I haven't opened the purse yet, but I imagine her driver's license inside. And so I told this story for a couple of days what should I do with the purse? And people were like throw it away.
Speaker 2:Man, she was a bitch, throw it away, throw it away, or, dave, you got to give it back. So I said I'm going to look inside the purse right now. I'm opening up the purse. Oh, my gosh, what? Oh, look what's in the purse. It's a bunch of baloney, just like this story. And people are like Dave, that was you got me or whatever, and Another people were like that was BS, because you totally had me going. So that was made up to.
Speaker 1:So that was a good show.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean, sometimes there is yeah it's called entertainment right.
Speaker 1:Friends is not real right, seinfeld is not real golden girls.
Speaker 2:It's not real. Suits is not real, so I do love suits. Yeah, we'll probably want some of it tonight.
Speaker 1:What's your favorite genre of music? You were. You know you work in top 40, but do you actually listen to top 40 on your days off?
Speaker 2:I, I listen, like everybody else. I listen to the stuff that I grew up with yeah, you know that's the, that's what is implanted in our brains. So I listen to the stuff that I grew up with. I do like some of the modern, some of the modern contemporary stuff. But yeah, I like some of the stuff we play on KTVB. But I Would say, you know, just like whatever you. You grew up in the 90s so you probably love you know 90s music 80s music. What year were you born? You're 41?.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 82.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you like 80s music, so yeah, whatever you grew up with it.
Speaker 1:I like all of it too. Yeah, 80s, 90s, today everything.
Speaker 2:Yeah right.
Speaker 1:All right. So I know you listen to every single episode of honor best behavior and we always end our episodes with a would you rather? And a funny joke. So, that's what we're gonna do, and then I'm gonna let you go watch suits. Oh, would you rather Lick a homeless man's toe or chew a piece of gum you found sticking to the underside of a table?
Speaker 2:God. Now the obvious answer is like neither one.
Speaker 1:But you can't say neither one and you don't have to do it. So that's, that's the positive. No, and I don't okay.
Speaker 2:So let me ask a qualified qualifying question. Do I just have to do one lick, yeah, on the pad of the toe? I don't have to put the toe in my mouth and suck don't have to suck it no how long do I have to chew the gum?
Speaker 1:One chomp. I'm doing the toe, I'm doing the toe, yeah, yeah, there's a really less bacteria on one toe than a piece of gum that God knows how many people have touched and what it's.
Speaker 2:It's a horrible question, kelly. It's a horrible question, but I would say the toe and then I have a really funny joke for you.
Speaker 1:I'll be the judge of that. Okay, okay, I mean I, you know I, I am like you. I think I'm really funny. However, most people agree that you are funny, don't agree. Say that about me. They think I'm just think I'm funnier than I am. Then I'll okay. Here it is ready. Where does Phil Collins record his songs?
Speaker 2:Do you? Give up don't know, kelly in the stew stew studio. Ha, ha ha, and you're funny. Look at you being funny. That was funny.
Speaker 1:You're adorable. I was super nervous and a little starstruck when we first connected, but you made this so easy.
Speaker 2:We could sit and have coffee and talk for hours.
Speaker 1:Yes, so this has been such a great opportunity to have you on the podcast. I'm so appreciative and thankful for your time. You're so down to earth and transparent and just raw, and I love that about you, and this is a dream come true for me. So thank you so much and start dart lick, dart lick. Thank you inside joke, inside joke and if you ever need to fill in on your show, I'm here.
Speaker 2:I appreciate that, kelly, I appreciate that so much and and uh, thanks for having me. It has been a lot of fun. It's really fun to meet somebody who, like, has listened to the show and knows a lot of the history of the show and gets things like dart lick. I really appreciate that so thank you, kelly.
Speaker 1:It's been a lot of fun. Thank you, have a lovely night, dave you too.