The YJKOBT Curse... An Open letter to 107.9 The Link

Everyone has heard about the Sports Illustrated curse and the Curse of the Bambino. I am here to offer a new curse to add to the list. The YJKOBT curse. This curse struck while I was away in New York. You will remember back just a week or two ago to this post detailing my 'Best of" list for 2009. In this list I had high praise for the very topical and funny Candy and Potter Show on 107.9 the link in Charlotte, NC. I praised it for being the best of the three main shows they offer there. I like Bob and Sheri and The Matt and Ramona show on this same station, (previously praising them on this blog) but in my estimation in the past year the Candy and Potter show really stepped up their game including a late year admission that they were expecting their first child in May of 2010.
Late last week while I was in NY this show was cancelled by 107.9 The Link with a simple statement saying that they were "moving in different direction."In response to that I decided to give this new show a listen to see what that direction was. Apparently that new direction involves pretty much just music. The new host Kelley McKay gives abrupt one liners and little quips in between endless back to back songs. She asks for calls but takes very few. (possibly because it didn't take people long to figure out it's not worth calling) and the ones she does take are brief and ended awkwardly. This does not follow the mantra stated by Greater Media's Bill White who thinks that, "Her style is fun and interactive which enables our listeners to be the "co-host" of the show." Also this new direction lasts an extra hour (10 am - 3 pm) taking an hour away from Matt and Ramona (admittedly this was their original start time).
Basically what The Link and their parent company Greater Media have done is tell the public that music and drive by commentary are more important than a pair of folks who not only moved to Charlotte to take a job but at the same time really dove in and immersed themselves in this city. Candy and Potter dedication to the area and their community involvement wasn't just done as a part of their contract. You can tell that they did these things because they enjoyed them and felt a sense of dedication to charities and those less fortunate in this area. Apparently to Greater Media, not the same company that originally owned the station when they were hired community involvement is not what matters. I suggest that this decision is wrong and that the other shows will suffer because they cancelled Candy and Potter.
Like I previously stated I like both Bob and Sheri and Matt and Ramona but I don't listen to the radio during work days for music. I listen to be informed and entertained and I can certainly find that elsewhere from 10 -3. I just hope that I can remember to change the channel back unless I like really like what I find somewhere else. Now I know that this blog is not the most wide read thing on the web but I can almost guarantee that every time I mention one of the radio shows that someone (probably Angela) from 107.9 the link will read it. Please pass on to Neal Sharpe, Bill White, or whoever is in charge now that there has been a change in management. At least this member of the music advisory panel is not happy with this decision. I am not one who makes ultimatums because who knows what the future holds, but your station's listeners have certainly be hurt by this decision and by extension your advertisers as well. I will certainly be listening less.
Oh and let's hope this YJKOBT curse doesn't continue because I also said recently that I like the Jay Leno show... Oh Whoops!

-Doc

Your regularly scheduled YJKOBT snarkiness will return tomorrow.

The Best of 2009

2009 brought us some some bright superlatives. Every year I reflect back on the year that was and make a "Best of" list of sorts. This year I thought I would share with you guys.

-Best song I heard for the first time in 2009. Katy Perry - Waking up in Vegas. This one was tough because there were a bunch. Pink's Please don't leave me was good as well as The Black Eyed Peas I've got a feeling. Jimmy Buffett's "Wings" might have been the pick but I am not exactly sure that I didn't hear it for the first time in 09 so I went with the Katy Perry tune.

-Best new time waster/trend - Twitter. Yes I joined the Twitter revolution in 2009 because I like to be connected and in a lot of ways my Twitter friends (you guys) got me missing blogging and brought me back to the fold so to speak. (because sometimes 140 characters just ain't enough)


-Best Concert - Billy Joel and Elton John Face to Face. Not only the best of the year but one of the best of all time. This show was great. Three and a half hours of all the hits from both superstars. My only regret is that I believed the ticket stub that no cameras were allowed and left mine at home. It would have been great to have a few snapshots to keep.

-Biggest news Story - The Death of Michael Jackson. This was not just a huge news story but it just so happened that I was home sick from work the few days following his death so I was even more deluged with coverage than many. Sad story but almost seems like the man died the same way that he lived, Bigger than life.


-Best New Book read - The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown. For all it's hype this story lived up to it. It's not Shakespeare but Brown doesn't sell it as such. This book takes Brown's protagonist Robert Langdon on a harrowing search across Washington DC for the secret to enlightenment that has been held for centuries by the Masons. If you haven't read it's worth picking up. It's better than the DaVinci Code but not quite as good as Angels and Demons.

-Best Movie - Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. How could it possibly be anything else? This movie should have come out in November of 2008 but was held by the company because of the Twilight movie so the two wouldn't come out the same weekend. Instead I had to wait until July for this movie to come out. It was worth the wait. I bought a ticket online (for the first time) and left work for a half day to be among the first to see it. Harry Potter is quite addicting and I can almost bet that 2010's best movie will probably be part 1 of Deathly Hallows.


-Best New TV Show - Leverage on TNT - I discovered this hidden gem by accident this past summer. What a great show. The premise is that a group of 5 talented con-people play Robin Hood and steal from the rich and powerful when they step on little people. The cast is great and includes Timothy Hutton. A new season kicks back in during January and Jeri Ryan gets added to the group. If you haven't seen it give it a look or at least set your TiVo to record a few episodes.

-Best Sporting Event - Florida State at North Carolina on Thursday Night Football - What a great night! I was given free tickets and a parking pass by a friend of my wife's and my buddy Wyatt (a huge NC fan) and I went to the game together. The Seminoles put on a furious second half comeback to stun the overly cocky Tarheel fans who just knew they had the 'Noles beat. I walked out a happy camper that night!


-Best Radio Show - The Candy and Potter Show on 107.9 The Link - Once again the 10am - 2pm show which features a husband and wife team came up with innovative and funny ways to keep current and entertain me at work in 2009. Candy and Potter are not only great on air but do a lot to give back to the community as well. In the coming year things should get even more interesting as the couple recently announced that they are expecting their first child in May.

-Best New Discovery that other people already knew about - TIE between Jimmy John's sandwiches and Crocs. - The Crocs have been well documented here on YJKOBT but I need to take a second to extol the virtues of the best sandwiches around in Jimmy Johns. They are not only fantastic but are not too huge to eat the whole thing. I suggest the #9 (with no mayo and extra tomato) if you like a classic Italian sub. As a matter of fact I plan on having one today for lunch.

So share some of yours with us. What was your favorite new song of the year? TV show? Book? Sporting Event? How about something you discovered that everyone else already knew about? What was your Best of 2009? Speak up and let us know.

-Doc