Will she run for Congress? Who cares – it makes good radio for KMBZ 980's conservative Darla Jaye
Darla Jaye doesn't remember hanging up on my dad. But she doesn't doubt that she did.
The spitfire host of KMBZ radio's 980 Live … with Darla Jaye is sitting with me at a Panera Bread in south Johnson County just before Thanksgiving.
Here's how my father tells the story: During last year's presidential campaign, Jaye was talking on-air about how Barack Obama probably wouldn't be able to get a security clearance because of his associations with Bill Ayers and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
"He says he called to 'get in your ass,'" I tell her. "He gets on the air and says, 'Of course Obama has security clearance because he's a senator. All senators have it.' You disagreed."
Jaye laughs.
"So," I continue, "my dad got mad. He says, '[Obama's] not going to be a terrorist, but even if he were, he'd be better than the guy we have in there now.'"
"And I hung up on him?" Jaye asks.
"Yeah."
"That's such a good point to end a call!" she says, unleashing another laugh, a full-throated rat-a-tat that served her well for a decade on morning-zoo radio shows in Cleveland, Grand Rapids, San Francisco and Detroit. "If I'm coming up on a break, a call like that is a great place to stop. Everybody's going to remember that when we come back. They'll be all fired up and call in to comment on it."
I'm not surprised that hanging up on a caller who's trying to argue a point is a good example of radio craft. But it surprised my dad.
"He seemed to think that you would be persuaded by his line of thinking," I told Jaye, a short, middle-aged woman with a wicked smile and gold rings the size of lug nuts. "I said to him, 'Of course she hung up on you. The format of the show is that she's the expert.'"
Jaye nods. "If I were constantly saying 'Oh, you're right,' I wouldn't last. And if I don't make listeners laugh or get pissed or something, they're not going to be entertained."
Lately, being an entertainer with convictions has brought her an unanticipated honor. After Jaye promoted and appeared at local tea-party protests, grassroots conservatives began courting her to make a run for Kansas Democrat Dennis Moore's 3rd Congressional District seat.
Jaye genuinely sounded touched by their efforts when she announced the "draft Darla" drive on the air in October. She promised to seriously consider a run if 2,000 supporters joined the Facebook page dedicated to the cause. So far, 1,200 have.
For a professional talker, pissing off a Democrat like my father is just part of the job. After years of radio stunts such as "Wine Tastings for Winos" and "How Much Would You Pay to Have Sex With Darla?" she swallowed a $75,000 pay cut to switch from morning comedy to conservative talk in the 118th largest market in America: Huntsville, Alabama, at WVNN 770, the same station that gave Sean Hannity his big break. During her first week, the station ran a "Keep Darla/Broom Darla" poll on its Web site.
"At night, I'd go back to the hotel and vote keep her, keep her," Jaye says. "I called my mom, all of my friends, and told them to vote, too. By the third day, I said to my boss, 'Wow, a lot of people are voting to keep me.'
"He said, 'You don't want everybody to love you. Half are going to love you, and the half that hate you are going to keep listening and calling.' So after that, I would vote love, love, hate. Love, love, hate."
Angering half the audience might be good radio, but it doesn't work in politics. Further complicating matters is that Jaye claims to be afflicted with "Minnesota nice," a Midwestern politeness from her Minneapolis upbringing.
After the interview, out in the parking lot, she asks, "Your dad — I didn't upset him, did I?"
The new Entercom building at Shawnee Mission Parkway and Metcalf houses eight radio stations. The KMBZ studio, surrounded by the likes of 98.9 (the Rock), 96.5 (the Buzz), 106.5 (the Wolf), and 610 Sports Radio, is a spacious glassed-in booth overlooking Shawnee Mission Parkway.
As he's leaving, afternoon-show co-host Mike Shanin suggests that Jaye wipe down the microphone before going on. Speaking in his diction-class baritone, just as he does on the radio, he says he might have a sinus infection.
Jaye thanks him and whirls into the studio. She spreads dozens of printouts around her mic, opens Web sites, and positions two cans of La Croix raspberry water. Instead of wiping down the mic, she just squeezes her foam windball over it. The windball is black except for a smeared pinkish circle where her mouth sometimes hits it. Lipstick.
Hygiene matters at Entercom. Three bottles of hand sanitizer sit on this studio's sizable table, along with some disinfectant wipes and — because cleanliness goes deeper than the flesh — a King James Bible.
In the booth, an engineer goes over some show notes: Slim4Life promo at 6:20 p.m., Mizzou "Tiger Talk" at 7. Among other things, the engineer — not her regular guy — screens the calls, typing up a quick explanation for each: "DAVID OLATHE THINKS YOU SHOULD RUN." As her Letterman-style intro music begins, Jaye is still shuffling pages, highlighting text. She says out loud, "Please don't screw up."
Write Your Comment
*indicates required fields. Please enable browser cookies before filling out this form. All reader comments are subject to our Terms of Use. By clicking Add Comment, you acknowledge that you have reviewed and agree to these Terms.
Comments may take a few minutes to process and appear on the site. Please do not click the "Add Comment" button again while your comment is being added.
Music Recommendations
75th Street BreweryKansas City, MO |
McCoy's Public HouseKansas City, MO |
GrindersKansas City, MO |
RecordBarKansas City, MO |
Power & Light DistrictKansas City, MO |
Most Popular Stories
- The Royals' 25 biggest curses
- Missouri's mini Madoff may have struck again
-
What's a Little Marriage Fraud Between Amigos? It's a felony, sure -- but some young illegal immigrants see it as their best path to citizenship.
- A Day in the Right to Life
- Kris Kobach wants to rescue Kansas (and America!) from its worst enemy: illegal immigrants
Steve 01/07/2010 2:32:53 PM
The Pitch is an embarrassment to Kansas City and to legitimate newspapers. Nothing more than a local tabloid for sex offenders and counterculture rejects.