Murray in the Morning

This article is about the former Sporting News Radio program. For the show hosted by Ken Murray, see KQMS (AM).

Murray in the Morning was a radio program that aired on Sporting News Radio from 2002 to August 12, 2005. Hosted by Bruce Murray, T. J. Shanoff, Tanyette Colon (later replaced by Elizabeth Hess), and Kevin Fleming (who left the show shortly into the second year), it was known for its comedic features, eccentric "borts", and extremely informal discussion of sports. After an ignomious contract dispute, the SNR morning block was revamped with limited success. MITM was replaced by The Opposites, a short lived "Odd Couple" pairing of Scott Wetzel and Matt Spiegel, and a more recent pairing of Spiegel and Bill Lekas aptly titled, "The Morning Show," then a short-lived move of Dave Smith's show to morning drive, and now only replays of the overnight show air in the time slot.

The program also aired on XM Satellite Radio.

Format

MITM brought a morning zoo format to sports talk radio, but with a more sophisticated wit and certainly a more talented group. Bruce Murray filled the role of "sports guy," with Kevin Fleming and T.J. Shanoff as the comedians, while Tanyette Colon was the proverbial sports babe. The show was created with the intention of recreating a conversation friends might have at a bar after a night on the town. Topics ranged from sports, to pop culture, to music, to women, to interviews with celebrity guests, and back to sports again. Throughout the show, comedic bits, weekly segments, and listener phone calls gave the show a variety unmatched on sports radio then or today.

Line-up Changes

The show went through two major line-up changes as Tanyette Colon and Kevin Fleming both left the show for varied reasons. Colon became pregnant, took a leave of absence and later moved to New York when a new sports radio gig opened up there. After several women auditioned, the role of sports babe was given to Elizabeth Hess. Fleming, who never quite gelled with the format, left the show to pursue other opportunities, but a source close to the show stated that Fleming and Shannoff invariably stepped on each other's timing as two comedians battling for the "next funny spot." While Shanoff worked in the famed Second City comedy troupe, Fleming was from the lesser known improv group, Comedy Sports. Without the connections, nor the talent of Shanoff, management decided to let Fleming go, and did not seek a replacement. Elizabeth Hess stayed on the show until its cancellation in 2005.

Blackout

The show's hot talk content prompted at least one station, WNSA in Buffalo, New York, to ban the program from its airwaves, even on days when WNSA could not air a local show (in which case taped programming would air instead). WNSA's target audience was self-described as "PG-rated" and this program's content, which would likely be considered "PG-13," was deemed inappropriate.

End of the Show

While MITM was a profitable and well known entity for the network, SNR management approached Murray telling him to move the show to 6 am to make room for Tony Bruno, a well known sports host of LA. Murray balked at the time change, while Shanoff, Hess, and Producer Rob stood behind Murray in solidarity. With contracts nearing renegotiation, Sporting News Radio management decided to cancel the show to the outrage of MITM's loyal fanbase.

Comedic bits

The show featured bits such as ... Minutia Minute, A-Murray-can Idol, Black History Minute, Crime Contest, Guess My Gig, Idiot of the Year, Play It Against Sam, Music News with Production Dave, Q's ShowBiz News, and Turkey Olympics.

Book Club

It also featured "Bill Lekas Book Club"; each week, Lekas endorsed a specific book or other example of literature and read an excerpt from it. Featured items included:

• Moby-Dick, by Herman Melville
• The System, by Roy Valentine
• A Brief Illustrated Guide to Understanding Islam, by I. A. Ibraham
• The Zombie Survival Guide, by Max Brooks
• Guide to Picking Up Girls, by Gabe Fischbarg
• Predicting the Penis, by Anne Louis and Joyce Bandler
• The Self Destruction Handbook, by Adam Wasson and Jessica Stamen
• What it Takes, by Amy Henry
• The list of ingredients on a can of Campbell's Chunky Soup

Dead This Year...

Another bit called "Dead This Year, Dead Career, or Allegedly Queer" was a game played with callers. The caller was given the names of three celebrities, usually athletes. The object of the game was to categorize each celebrity as having died, having a career that is commonly viewed as depressed, or being the subject of rumors about the celebrity's sexuality. If the caller correctly sorted all three names, he or she won a prize.

See You in Hell!

The bit "See You in Hell!" gave listeners the chance to complain about a public figure each Friday. The following example is from the official site of Murray in the Morning:

"Hey Murray in the Morning... I'm really sick of George Steinbrenner spending so much money on free agents... blah, blah, blah... George, I hope the Yankees never win another World Series and I'll see you in Hell!"

Each complaint had to end with the words "... and I'll see you in Hell!".

A-Murray-can Idol

Several members of the show and Sporting News Radio staff competed in this spoof of Fox's popular TV show "American Idol."

External links

• Official site