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Author Topic: Jay's blog about Jim Rome  (Read 9592 times)

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Steve in HTown

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Steve in HTown

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Re: Jay's blog about Jim Rome
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2014, 01:04:04 pm »
5-24-14
 
JIM ROME

#mohrriors

Whenever I am having a question and answer session on twitter, one of the most frequently asked question is always, "Are you and Rome still boys?" Was there a fall out between you and Rome?" "Why don't you get Jim Rome on your podcast" and inevitable, "Is it uncomfortable between you and Jim now?"
 
I have never responded to these questions because, being twitter and @jimrome being listed in the tweet itself, I didn't feel it was proper to speak on our relationship publicly where (it is the internet mind you) someone could leave a comment like "f*ck that guy!" or "You f*cking suck! Jim rules!" "Clones!" "Mohrriors!"
 
I first met Jim Rome on an airplane to (if my memory is correct) the All Star game at Coors field in Denver. I recognized him from his ESPN2 show and had been a very, very loyal listener since I had moved to Southern California. I walked over to Jim and introduced myself and he said hello back. This was after Jerry Maguire had gotten me some heat so i'm pretty sure that's why he had any idea who I was at all. We sat together for well over an hour chatting and laughing and it was all very natural. What I noticed most about Jim during that flight was while everyone else was napping or sipping red wine he drank about four cups of coffee and with the exception of the time I took up talking to him the dude was WORKING. Files and files of papers, big envelopes, and notebooks. Jim Rome was very obviously a guy that took no short cuts.
 
On the airplane Jim said, "You should come by radio row tomorrow and do some time on air." Uh, hell yeah I should. This was going to be awesome. I was pretty freaking pumped to be on his show. The appearance went great and after a few more appearances, (call in's and in studio in Los Angeles, I was asked to guest host, THE JUNGLE...
 
One of my first takes I had when I guest hosted Jim Rome's show was making fun of Sugar Ray Leonard for doing infomercials for a plastic, life sized, man shaped target called , "The Slam Man" who's eyes lit up when you punched it correctly. I was very bothered (not really) by a six time world champion doing infomercials. That is where my nick name on Jim's show "slam man" came from.
   
I am now on in the same time slot as Jim. We are in direct competition nationwide for the same beloved male 18-45 demographic, however  I would be a complete asshole and a phony if I didn't state the absolute truth. I owe a lot to Jim Rome and I will never in this lifetime be able to repay him. Those appearances and call in's to THE JUNGLE brought my stand up act a brand new fan base of absolute die hard maniacs. "The clones" as he calls them, would come out to see me do stand up comedy in droves. I have said on my podcast and many times to anyone that would ask, The Jim Rome Show sold as many tickets to my stand up comedy shows as my entire IMDB page combined. That's just the truth. 50% of the audience would be at the theater because of every tv show and movie I ever made, the other 50% were there because they heard me on The Jim Rome Show.
 
I am very grateful to Jim. I was very opportunistic during this time as whenever Jim would do what he called, "A Tour Stop" (doing his radio show from a certain city affiliate) I would book my stand up theater concerts the same time frame and really just tag along. Jim never objected and it was always incredibly fun and very profitable for me. I'm assuming Jim had the cache of having me at his tour stop, but I definitely reaped the bigger reward because I wouldn't have been playing to a sold out theater in that city without riding his coat tails into that city...
   
When Jim had a tour stop in Kansas City, I sold out The Follies Theater. When Jim had a tour stop in Buffalo, I was able to perform in front of 17,000 Jim/Jay fans at Buffalo Bisons Stadium. It was incredible. The fans were nuts and passionate and whenever I return to those cities they keep coming back.
   
The internet is a foul place filled with negative energy and nothing makes any one in cyberspace more happy then when they can hear some good shit talk. In regards to Jim Rome and myself, there simply is none.
 
Jim took a chance on me guest hosting his show (in those days I wasn't exactly known for being very corporate or playing by the rules).
 I don't think people realize how ab-so-f*cking-HUGE Jim Rome was in radio back in the day. He changed sports talk radio for ever. When I was listening to him as a teenager I would do the same thing I used to do with Howard Stern and simply not get out of my car. It was always funny all the time. The callers were funny, the emailers were funny and ( remember this was like 1989) the faxes were funny.
 
Sure he had his critics but to them I would always state, "If he sucks, then why does EVERY athlete line up to talk to him?"
I didn't realize it at the time but I learned a lot from Jim's show. Most importantly and especially, your listeners can provide you with content! What a concept. Jim's listeners would call for the sole purpose to be funnier than the caller prior. Now that I have my own radio show, I cannot even begin to describe how much this can propel a show forward on slow days.
 
"Is there beef between you and Jim?" I have nothing but respect and gratitude for the guy but I can see how it can be perceived that way. When Jim went to CBS Radio and left Clear Channel, Clear Channel had me fill in the last week of Jim's contract. It was a little awkward but someone had to do it so why not let the new guy get comfortable in the chair. Things that I know people perceive as me taking shots at Jim: When I first started my show on January 2nd 2013, I told the listeners that the days of "Less of you and more of me" were dead. The quote was something I'm would say to listeners whenever they would get out of line and he would go full days (or two) with out taking a single phone call)... That was his business and it was all cool with me but now I had MY show and I needed to express to the listeners that I NEEDED THEM. I couldn't possibly launch a show by not taking calls or emails. I was brand new. I was learning on the fly. Whenever you take a call you can engage in a conversation after that call and it was something I needed. Jim, at his level of broadcasting didn't ever need callers. Ever. I did. I am stating here for the absolute record that me saying that the "Less of you, more of me" days were over was not a shot at Jim. It was me basically asking for help without having to say the words, "I need your help, please call and be involved in my show".
 
Whenever I do an impression of Jim on jay Mohr Sports, people (again, the internet loves the smell of shit) quickly assume that I am mocking him. False. It's an impression. When I do Christopher Walken I doubt people reach out to him and say, "Jay Mohr was taking shots at you this morning." I am an impressionist. I can do an impression of Jim. Period.
   
There was never a falling out between Jim and I. In all honesty we probably hadn't spoken on the phone for about two years before I took over his time slot. We did exchange emails and I can assure you that ALL of those emails were me apologizing to Jim for crossing the line while guest hosting. Several times I would say something on air while guest hosting that was way over the line and corporate would come down on Jim. I can remember a long bit I did during Ronald Reagan's funeral about the Secret Service making Nancy Reagan walk too much for such an old woman during the proceedings. Sounds innocuous enough here on this blog but trust me it went way over the line and I would never, ever, EVER even dream about saying it these days on my show. I can remember Jim taking heat from the suits after I said that Maria Sharipova's boyfriend should wear her like a hat. Again, way, way, way over the line.
 
After all of these instances, Jim stuck with me. We never really spoke much at all so in regards to having a "falling out" there was really never much to fall out from..
"When will Jim be on the Mohr Stories Podcast". The answer to that one is simple. Whenever the hell he wants. As I said earlier about Jim putting in work on that airplane ride to Denver, he works probably three times as hard now that he has his cable tv show.
 
I am writing this blog because I wasn't sure how to put to bed and to rest the questions (all very fair questions) you guys have had for me regarding Jim.
 
It does need to be noted that I did not take Jim's job. Jim left to go to another company and if I didn't take the gig, you would be listening to someone for three hours every day.
 
I am forever grateful to JIm for letting me host his show again and again. I am forever grateful to Jim for unleashing the clones on me. As I said (wow, I am actually about to quote myself -- Yikes!) in Jerry Maguire, "It's not show friends, it's show business.  Now that him and I are competitors, (and I mean direct competitors- same time slot in the same cities) I wish for my show to curb stomp his show whenever the ratings books come out. I would expect him to feel the same way.
 
No hard feelings on this end whatsoever. Eternally grateful. If he hadn't given me the shot I absolutely would not have a radio career now. All love Romey. jj #
 

DavidInAlief

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Re: Jay's blog about Jim Rome
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2014, 02:09:59 pm »
That was a great read. I hope Jim eventually does do a Mohr Stories. He just did a Sklarbro Country Friday so I know he wouldn't be opposed to doing one.

Carlaroo75

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Re: Jay's blog about Jim Rome
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2014, 02:12:24 pm »
Awesome Blog JJ!!!!  Much Love!!  Keep Banging the Monkey!!  ;D

bjax420

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Re: Jay's blog about Jim Rome
« Reply #4 on: May 27, 2014, 10:01:07 pm »
JJ is such a class act.......That's why I'm a Mohrrior 4 LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

frankinhouston

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Re: Jay's blog about Jim Rome
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2014, 08:43:05 pm »
cool jay jay, maybe steef could spend more time monitoring his own site, saying.


Max Cady

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Re: Jay's blog about Jim Rome
« Reply #6 on: May 31, 2014, 09:37:15 pm »
Good for Jay, getting off his chest something that he felt needed saying on his own terms when he wanted to. I love both the shows. Sucks they can't be on different time slots.

Also, have any of the other people who Jim helped along the way that are in similar positions reached out anywhere in public and issued this kind of statement/thanks??

BuryCats

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Re: Jay's blog about Jim Rome
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2014, 04:33:59 pm »
T-Rodge thanks Romie at least once a week on his show. "Somebody... That I used to know."

Bookemdano

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Re: Jay's blog about Jim Rome
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2014, 10:10:03 am »
Also, have any of the other people who Jim helped along the way that are in similar positions reached out anywhere in public and issued this kind of statement/thanks??

The Sklars had Rome on their podcast 2 weeks ago, and had nothing but praise for the man.

cmgww

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Re: Jay's blog about Jim Rome
« Reply #9 on: June 05, 2014, 11:43:45 pm »
J Stew called in today...JJ did his Rome impression and had Stew laughing. Good listen

norman in norman

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Re: Jay's blog about Jim Rome
« Reply #10 on: June 18, 2014, 07:15:15 pm »
Will read again!