1 of 1- RadioActive
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Jerry Agar’s Bizarre Radio Firing Story
I know a lot of people here aren’t fans of CFRB’s Jerry Agar, but one thing I always love is when a radio veteran peels back the curtain on his own career with a story from his past in the business. And Agar launched into a doozy on Wednesday.
He didn’t say where this happened, only that it did. It took place at a rock station, likely in the U.S., where Agar was essentially put on air as a sidekick to what he called “the nicey-nicey host,” a guy that listeners really liked. The chemistry obviously worked, because the show quickly hit #1 in the market.
But then the “nicey-nicey host,” whom Agar suggests really wasn’t as nice off air, discovered that the audience seemed to like Agar more than him. So he arranged to get rid of the potential competition by having him fired. But in order to not blow his good guy cover, the morning man concocted a story that Agar was simply moving on and had quit.
Jerry says he only agreed to go along with that story because the station upped the severance offer considerably for his silence. Not knowing where his next gig was coming from and he already had a family to take care of, he agreed and the truth never came out. Until Wednesday morning.
I’ve heard of jocks sending tapes of a successful competitor on another station to a different market, hoping they’ll be hired away. But I can’t say I’ve heard of someone at the same station trying to get rid of a colleague they see as a threat to their own employment.
Over the years, I worked with a few people I didn’t really like that much, including on air, but I never wanted them fired. Has this scenario ever happened on either end to anyone here? It can’t be a very happy experience and hearing this story, I’m just glad it wasn’t something I ever had to go through.
- zed
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Re: Jerry Agar’s Bizarre Radio Firing Story
It happens in News too.
The News Director of the competing stations thought my morning newscaster was so good he sent an air check of the guy through his corporate channels and sure enough a larger market offered him a job which he took. I heard about what had happened from one of the jocks I knew at at the competing station, so I told the jock to let one of their news guy know I had an opening (obviously). I figured all was fair in the News game. The guy was interested and as a union operation our pay scales were much higher... when word got back to the other station what he was making I never had to look further than across the street for a newscaster or reporter again. Karma.
.
- betaylored
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Re: Jerry Agar’s Bizarre Radio Firing Story
If you're listening to him RadioActive, maybe I'll have to give Jerry another listen too and expand my radio choices.
I tuned in to 640 today by accident, when I wanted to listen to Leafs Lunch on 1050, heard Greg Brady on and I ended up staying for the full segment until he went to break because he was on the ball and full of positive energy... it never hurts to change the station every now and then.
Last edited by betaylored (March 31, 2021 6:58 pm)
- RadioActive
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Re: Jerry Agar’s Bizarre Radio Firing Story
I tune into everything at some point during the day. I heard Brady, too, and I'm especially impressed by his Saturday morning show from 6-9 AM. There's not much else on at that time of day (sorry, Mr. Trafford) that deals with current events, and I've been impressed. (Although I wish he would stop using all the sports metaphors.)
I hear Agar occasionally, as well, and just happened to be listening when that story came on.
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Thread Starter- RadioActive
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Re: Jerry Agar’s Bizarre Radio Firing Story
RadioActive wrote:
I tune into everything at some point during the day. I heard Brady, too, and I'm especially impressed by his Saturday morning show from 6-9 AM. There's not much else on at that time of day (sorry, Mr. Trafford) that deals with current events, and I've been impressed. (Although I wish he would stop using all the sports metaphors.)
I hear Agar occasionally, as well, and just happened to be listening when that story came on.
Do you suppose he could call his Saturday AM shift "Brady In The Morning?"
Nah, it's been done...
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Thread Starter- Chrisphen
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Re: Jerry Agar’s Bizarre Radio Firing Story
Cool story. Wonder if it's true.
- betaylored
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Re: Jerry Agar’s Bizarre Radio Firing Story
I tune into everything at some point during the day. I heard Brady, too, and I'm especially impressed by his Saturday morning show from 6-9 AM. There's not much else on at that time of day (sorry, Mr. Trafford) that deals with current events, and I've been impressed. (Although I wish he would stop using all the sports metaphors.)
I hear Agar occasionally, as well, and just happened to be listening when that story came on.Do you suppose he could call his Saturday AM shift "Brady In The Morning?"
Nah, it's been done...
If Greg had a sidekick or three .... "The Brady Bunch" or a noon show "The Brady Lunch" #Sorry. #NotSorry.
I've been listening to Greg since Leafs Lunch years ago, and make it a point to check out his weekend show. Wish he could get a regular weekday shift on 640, say... middays! 🤞🤫
Last edited by betaylored (March 31, 2021 8:53 pm)
- mace
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Re: Jerry Agar’s Bizarre Radio Firing Story
I wonder if the station Jerry was referring to was WLS. He has mentioned on several occasions that was employed there.
- RadioActive
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Re: Jerry Agar’s Bizarre Radio Firing Story
He also worked for WGN in the Windy City and even did a remote Sunday night show for WABC, just prior to coming back to Canada and landing the gig at CFRB. It was on the latter two stations where I first heard him. At the time, I wasn't even aware he was from Canada.
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