SHARING & VENTING

Hey, it's Joe Hipperson. I've got to unload some thoughts and feelings.

HIPP NIGHTS...still only on once a week. Very soon it's going to be bumped out for Cardinal games...so that means it will be on a couple times a month. The reason this bums me out is because I truly don't feel "The Upper Brass" understand how much potential is being buried by keeping me off during the week.

They used to have me on Monday through Friday. 9 til Midnight. Look, I'm not nailing myself to a cross--seriously--I have a full-time job managing an office and I do not mind it...not...one...bit.

What I do mind is getting e-mails, lots of them, daily, from people who listen. I don't hate that they are sharing with me--I hate that I can't give them MORE! When you impact someone and give them something unique that they can come to fall back on or use as an escape from the grind--THAT is why I do the show.

I'm not doing HIPP NIGHTS so I can get on the cover of the RFT. I saw who they put on the cover (in local radio) recently. That pretty much showed me all I needed to see about who/what they gravitate towards. I'm not doing HIPP NIGHTS so I can be one person by day and then change my personality at night and be "edgy" for the sake of good radio. I'm not doing HIPP NIGHTS so my family can FINALLY get our dream home in the Strawberry Ridge subdivision. (although I really wish I could accomplish that dream) I do HIPP NIGHTS so I can embrace what I love and provide something the people of St. Louis can't get anywhere else. A show about nothing where we can AND WILL talk about everything. People still think that I'm the guy who just talks music and movies. That's fine. In fact, it's better than fine. It's perfect. Let the "majority" think I'm just a 'one-trick pony.' That just makes it more special for those that find and really listen to the show. HIPP NIGHTS is about nothing...and we do talk about everything & anything. It's an escape from the regular. What am I getting at?

Here's an e-mail I got today:

Hey Joe,
I'm a 23 year old pizza delivery driver and of course instead of chasing ladies or having a few beers with my friends on the weekends, I'm usually stuck delivering zaa's. I just wanted to tell you that your show is kick ass and helps me get threw those long Saturday nights on the road. You and your crew rock!

James Levendoski

That's one of many that I get every day. I love that I get them. I also hate that I get them. I've already explained why. I still want them to keep coming--because they continue to fuel me and get me ready for the eventual return (full-time) of my REAL show.

TALK RADIO IS BORING.

Don't believe me? Fine. Pick any talk station in St. Louis and turn it on. Right now.

What do you hear?

If it's local I'm going to guess that it is political and boring. If it's not local then it sucks. Seriously. Why, why, WHY is it I'm the only one who understands what needs to be done? St. Louis talk stations need to remember that we are living in an age of satellite radio. HD radio. Podcasts. Hell, you can get radio apps on your damn i-phone. MY POINT IS: If you program a talk radio station then how/why do you put 'out of town/locally unrelated' shows on--when you have so much local talent!?

If people want syndicated, out of town radio they can find it. In fact, they probably are finding it and not listening to your stream of it. So why continue to alienate people that used to listen more frequently?

So what I'm saying is simple.

But nothing will happen.

Some are blaming the economy for the lack of money needed to employ talk-show hosts locally. It's cheaper to use out of town talent or pre-recorded material.

But what about advertisers? What local business is going to benefit from being on a radio station during a broadcast that isn't local? Think about it. When you have LOCAL TALENT you can use that LOCAL TALENT to go to an advertisers location and fully get behind them. An advertiser feeling that much love will not only stick around, but also buck up for more exposure. There's an expression that I've heard and use in my day to day office dealings:

You have to spend money to make money.

Invest locally. Invest in established talent and cater to your market already being familiar with those personalities.

You want to know another expression that I have to remember at my office?

It's a hell of a lot easier (and more lucrative) to play to your existing customers than it is to try and get a new one.

So, putting that logic in play, don't you think it's best to give the listeners what they know? What they like? Someone that can relate to them?

I'm out. Thanks for letting me vent.

THIS WEEK ON HIPP NIGHTS:

1ST ANNUAL LISTENER'S CHOICE SHOW

Hey all, Josh the Engineer Extraordinaire, the Professor of Pop Culture Studies, here to tell you that this week is the inaugural Hipp Listener's Choice Show, where any and all of you can write in your show topics for this weekend, and we'll have to discuss it on the air. No idea is too profound, or too stupid, for us to discuss, and hell, if you want us to talk about the difference between ketchup and catsup, well, we can go there too! It's a no bounds weekend, nothing is off limits, and hey, if you come up with a REALLY good idea, we might even have you on the show.

Hmm.....decisions, decisions.....

The listeners are the producers of this show, so we need your help. FMail us at Hipp Nights on facebook, or email us the old fashioned way at hipp@ktrs.com, and we'll add your topic to the list. Make it as creative as possible, and we'll see you on Saturday.



Hipp Nights, without you we are nothing, every Saturday night from 6pm-11pm, only on The Big 550, KTRS.

SATURDAY PREVIEW

Thanks for stopping by! Joe Hipperson here. (most of the time it's me...sometimes it's Josh. if you ever read anything offensive it's Dan Keller)

THIS SATURDAY NIGHT I am going to take dead aim at THE ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME. The induction ceremony is on Monday. There are SO many reasons why I hate the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame...but here's one example: RUSH. RUSH have been eligible for years. But I guess the HALL had to make room for THE BEE GEES...and BOBBY DARIN. What!?

HERE IS SOMETHING SCARY...


YES. Bill Clevlen is coming by the show to try and hijack what he can and promote his endevors. Since I love a good train wreck I told him he could stay as long as he wants. LOOK FOR BILL FROM 7 'til 9.

7 - 9? That's only 2 hours...and his trivia show on Sunday is only 2 hours...hmmm...I don't think Clevlen can do 5 hours.

What a tool.

OUTSIDE OF CLEVLEN, THE ASSASSINATION OF THE R & R HALL OF FAME, & MY ANTI-MEMORIAL of COREY HAIM I am also going to give you MY TAKE on...




HIGH SCHOOL LESBIANS!

COREY HAIM? F*CKING LAME!

Corey Haim is dead. Could be drugs. Personally, I don’t give a rat’s ass. Why should I? This bastard was given a free ride. He stars in some of the worst (although kids of the 80’s will swear they’re good) movies of all time and is given the title of “celebrity.”

Celebrity? When was the last time Corey Haim did ANYTHING? Yes…he was in the sequel to CRANK. But that’s the closest he’s come to even getting a whiff of a comeback in over a decade. If I’m being honest…After License To Drive I officially gave up.

Yes…I am admitting it…I liked License To Drive.

Oh, and then there’s

Dream A Little Dream.

Did you know that they made a sequel to that turd? Seriously, they did! It was such a terrible attempt to resurrect a career that it went straight to dvd.

Look—I’m jaded—I mean, as a kid born towards the end of the 70’s, I grew up right behind this guy. I got to see my parents divorce, the brand new house I love ‘evolve’ into a condo, and then my Mom skipped town with husband #2 and left me alone at 17 to live on my own.

Sooooooo, when I see a kid that had

everything handed to him on a silver platter because he was in The Lost Boys—and he decides to throw it away on drugs—I get pissed and I don’t give a rat’s ass that he’s dead.

Besides, his acting sucked anyway. Name me ONE kid actor that has grown up to be an amazing on-screen presence. Name ONE.

Can’t do it?

I can. Leonardo Dicaprio.

That guy is a bad a

ss. And he started out almost exactly like Corey Haim.

The difference? Dicaprio is an ACTOR. Corey Haim is just some dumb-ass kid who got too much attention and praise for roles that any idiot with a bunch of hair spray could have done.

The hell with Corey Haim.

You want to know the worst part? The worst part of all this is now we will be inundated with retarded interviews with the “other Corey” about his loss.

I’m glad he’s dead. One less leach. One less pathetic human being that took all of the great things that came to him and pissed it away on drugs—and I’m not knocking the drug thing. He did go to rehab.

MY PROBLEM?

He went to rehab 15 f*cking times!

I have ZERO sympathy for a degenerate who is that weak.

I hear his mom found the body.

Good. I hope she cries. I hope she chokes on her tears and then follows him and exits stage left sometime this afternoon. Wanna know why? How about this: SHE IS THE ONE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Hope you’re happy. You killed your son. You killed your son by taking away his childhood so YOU could cash his checks.

HIPP Review of ALICE IN WONDERLAND

ALICE IN WONDERLAND. Let’s see…how do I do this right? I mean, I don’t want to sound like a pretentious boob and use huge words linked together in order to make any reader feel dumbed down. So I’ll keep it VERY SIMPLE.

WAS IT A GREAT MOVIE?

No.

OKAY…WAS IT A GOOD MOVIE?

Yes, but not a good 3-D movie. When the 3-D happened it was so distracting that the content of the story was sold short in place of a sight gag. I mean, come one! This is a Tim Burton movie!!! When it was dark it was DARK—but then the 3D nonsense came in and brightened everything up again. So, on a scale of 1-10, I give this movie a 6. And that’s a Tim Burton 6. In MY WORLD Tim Burton movies are graded kinda like this: SLEEPY HOLLOW is an 8.5. ED WOOD is an 8. CHARLIE & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is a 4. PLANET OF THE APES is a 2. SWEENEY TODD? THAT film is ALMOST a 10. It’s a 9.5. It lost half a point for the cheesed CGI opening credit sequence.

JOHNNY DEPP AS THE MAD HATTER?

Not as crazy as he should have been. He’s crazy on a level that kids won’t understand. One thing kids WILL understand is the way Depp channeled Jack Sparrow throughout the flick. I’m serious. He did a bit of Sparrow’s walk and really did his run. My son, Avery—age:10, said THAT once we got in the car after the screening. “Dad, did you see how he acted like Jack Sparrow?” You know what would hav

e been AMAZING? Do you? I’ll tell you—MICHAEL KEATON. Michael Keaton, in a tribute to Beetlejuice, would have been perfect as the Mad Hatter. Trust me. And Keaton was, at one time, Tim Burton’s “Johnny Depp.” Think about that

one and you’ll get it.

WHAT DIDN’T WORK?

The story. I wasn’t sure if I was watching a remake, a re-imagining, a sequel, or an alternate universe version of the classic tale. That’s no good.

WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF THE FILM?

That is super easy. I never thought I’d say these words, while thinking about super hotness, but ANNE HATHAWAY.

Holy Testicle Tuesday! She plays THE WHITE QUEEN…and if you know ME—you know I have a huge goth fetish. I was captivated by every second she was on the screen. Here’s my proof:

WILL I BUY IT ON DVD?

Yes. But only so I have films I can show my kids in order to dodge the bullet that is known as “Disney Straight to DVD Sequels.”

Feeling Withdrawls...?

MID-WEEK HIPP NIGHTS FIX

Josh the Engineer here, to tell you that it's okay to have DT's, as long as your drug of choice is Hipp Nights. Since we love you all so, so much, we'll provide your methadone with a bit of Hipp Nights here on the web every hump day, to ensure that you stop foaming at the mouth. Here's your first injection:

Over the weekend we discussed the Death of TV, and not one week back into his reign of terror on the Tonight Show, Jay Leno invited Sarah Palin to join him at the desk. Say what you will about their politics, but does it get any LAMER than seeing how far Leno can get up Palin's ass?

Leno, "Palin" comparison to Conan...

Yes it does - in part 2 of the interview, ex-Governor Palin did a stand-up bit - Ugh....if this is what passes for late night TV, consider me a morning person.

Watch the Clip Here

In related news, Lorne Michaels says Conan will "prevail"...

The Oscars are this weekend, and for the first time, TEN films are up for Best Picture - wtf? If it were left up to me, Inglorious Basterds would take the top honors, and mark my words, if Avatar leaves with ANY of the major awards, I'll be swearing off the Oscars forever.

Plus, here's an interesting story about the guy who puts together the "In Memoriam" segment during the show. I don't know about you, but it's going to be a bit tough seeing Dalton up on that screen.

"I thought you'd be bigger..."

In other movie news, Variety reports that a Gilligan's Island movie is in the works, with speculation that Michael Cera will play the title role. Who else could round out the cast? Post your thoughts below.

And to round it out, there's a new casino opening up in St. Louis this weekend. Get a photo preview here to figure out if the place is good enough to blow your paycheck.

Well, that should get you through the rest of the week. Remember, we're just a few days out until we're back in the studio, with another live Hipp Nights, airing every Saturday from 6p-11p, on The Big 550, KTRS.

LISTEN TO HIPP NIGHTS...WHILE YOU STILL CAN

Starting in April the St. Louis Cardinals are going to be back in a big way…and, as always, my radio career will feel the sting from every spanked ball by the bat.

What the hell does that mean!?

Well, it means that HIPP NIGHTS will be bumped off. It means that I will be unable to do my show for you on the Saturday nights that The Cardinals play.

You know what would be AWESOME??? I have this crazy idea…but I doubt anyone would go for it.

You want to hear it?

Okay…I’ll tell you…but only because you begged.

WHAT IF HIPP NIGHTS STREAMED ON-LINE AT KTRS.COM WHENEVER THE CARDINALS PLAYED?!

Think about it…The Cardinal games are not allowed to be streamed via the KTRS website. So, when the Cardinals are on, why not take advantage of the ‘ol world wide web?

How cool would it be to do an exclusive version of the show on-line?! HIPP NIGHTS UNCENSORED???

I’m not saying anything bad about KTRS…but I’ll bet they never do it. Which is kind of a bummer. Think of the potential from a business standpoint. Think of the ad revenue.

Oh well. It’s an idea. And, in my humble opinion, a kick ass idea.

But, since it won’t go down, I’m going to throw you the dates that HIPP NIGHTS will STILL BE ON THE AIR. We get knocked out a lot…but we’ll get right back up. It’s like Rocky says, “It ain’t about how hard you hit…it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving forward.”

So here are the dates I WILL BE ON THE AIR:

APRIL

3^rd, 10^th & 17^th

MAY

1^st, 22^nd & 29^th

JUNE

26^th (seriously)

JULY

3^rd, 17^th & 24^th

AUGUST

14^th (seriously)

SEPTEMBER

11^th (how morbid)