Kim Peterson

Kim Peterson (known as "The Kimmer") is a US television and radio journalist. From 1992 through 2006, he hosted a radio talk show on WGST-AM in Atlanta, GA. A former United States Marine, he served in the Vietnam War. Before becoming a radio host, Peterson was a television anchor in Chicago and New Orleans.Peterson was on rival news-talk station WSB before he he came to WGST. After his firing from WSB Peterson would refer to his former employer as WSOB and WBS.

Peterson is a donor for the Marine's Toys for Tots Christmas drive, and from 1997-2005, he produced a comedy bits CD, donating all the proceeds to the drive. In addition, he hosted an annual charity golf tournament. Peterson is an avid motorcycle enthusiast.

From December 2005 to May 5, 2006, WGST began firing Peterson's support team. Jim Gossett, a celebrity impersonator who did the voices of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Johnny Carson among others, quit in December of 2005. Two months later, WGST-AM's Sports Director Pete Davis was fired for reasons not disclosed by WGST-AM. The last firing was on May 5 when Peterson's producer, Wayne Kitchens, was terminated. Kitchens told an online media outlet (Buzz) that management was upset when he didn’t bleep out an anti-Muslim statement Peterson said on the air the week prior to his firing. Kitchens has speculated that the firings were an attempt to force Peterson to quit.

Peterson's final broadcast for WGST was on November 20, 2006, the station announcing the next day that he was no longer on the air.

"The Kimmer Show"

The Kimmer Show was the afternoon talk host on Atlanta's WGST. Referred to himself as "The Stain" after being called that by an angry listener named Rick. Known for giving other hosts nicknames, such as: Tom Hughes ("The King." Fellow broadcaster who hosted AM-Atlanta on WGST), Sam Memmolo ("Shadetree Mechanic," host of a weekend radio show on WGST, Stu Klitenic ("The Bank Robber," baseball radio pre-game and post-game announcer for the Atlanta Braves), Mark Lemke ("The Lemmer," former Second baseman for the Atlanta Braves who is now pre-game and post-game radio announcer for the baseball club.), Dave McBride ("Mac the Mechanic", works with Memmolo on his weekend radio program.), Gene Henssler ("Dr. Gene, The Money Machine," Chair of the Henssler Group, a financial consulting firm in the metro Atlanta area.). He has been married and divorced twice, most recently from Elizabeth, an attorney whom he referred to on air as "the Fantasy Goddess". Kim also referred to former morning show host Sean Hannity as "Hannie-pie" and "The Tin Man."

WGST and Kim Peterson produced a "best-of" highlights audio CD of his show, every year from 1996 to 2005, called the Kimmer Komedy Klassics. These featured the funniest spots, advertisements, commentaries and newsmaker line calls for that year. One year, the CD included an additional DVD of the Kimmer roast event. The final CD released in December 2005, included a bonus disc which contained all 10 years of Kimmer Komedy Klassics in mp3 format. All CD sales profits were donated to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots program as part of the WGST yearly Christmas fund drive.

Kim Peterson also had his regular listeners that called in frequently to his show. The group ranged from an outspoken, liberal caller he referred to as "Commie Dave" who was eventually given 60 seconds per week to rant, to Helper John and the police and truck drivers that called in just to say hello. Kim Peterson's regular staff included producer Wayne Kitchens, No Offense now works for Eagle 106.7 FM, the late Keith Kalland (1951-2002) and now Art "Madman" Merrhing with the traffic reports, and Pete "Snake" Davis at 5:15 with his daily sport segment which Kim Peterson referred to as the "Holy Crap It's Sports" segment.

One popular feature of Peterson's program was known as "Flush The Lines". He would tell listeners to call en masse and would put everyone who called onto the air for just a few seconds to make a (usually comedic) remark.

As of about noon November 21, 2006 Kimmer's page on the WGST.com website was taken down, and at 3 PM it was announced that The Dave Ramsey Show (originating from flagship 99.7 FM WWTN Nashville) will air live from 3-7pm in the Atlanta market from now on. Kimmer, along with the last remaining vestiges of local talent on WGST, Denny Schaffer and Tom Hughes, were fired on November 21 as part of the nationwide restructuring of ClearChannel's radio properties. [http://www.radioandrecords.com/radiomonitor/news/format/talk/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003410716]

On March 13, 2007 it was posted on an Atlanta radio blog that Peterson had refused an unnamed offer and would retire from radio. The blog writer, Rodney Ho, confirmed this with Peterson.

According to the Atlanta Radio Blog by Rodney Ho, Kim Peterson left Atlanta for good in late June 2007. He bought a place with his older brother Gene in western Massachusetts in the Berkshire mountains, where Peterson can play golf and ride his Harley. Peterson also purchased a place in Palm Beach, Fla. to play golf in the winter.

References

* [http://hotbikeweb.com/features/0505hb_smalls Kimmer's motorcycle from Earl Smalls' Harley-Davidson Buell in Marietta, GA.]
* [http://www.accessatlanta.com/entertainment/content/custom/blogs/radiotalk/index.html "Atlanta Journal-Constitution" blog site on Atlanta's radio stations.]