Bankruptcy averted: don o'neill saves KIRO

The true story is finally known: Don O'Neill, the clodular half of KIRO's Ron & Don (m-f, 3-7p) saved the big station during its darkest days after it went to eff-em a couple of years ago.

(photo: "Why wouldn't I be" Don O'Neill)

And if you don't believe it: You can just ask him. He went on (and on) about it last Friday on the air.

"KIRO's on fire," he said, "It's the no. 1 billing station on the dial."

And Bonneville can thank Don O'Neill. (Not those fancy suits like Rod Arquette, Ryan Hatch and the army of those consultants the company threw at the problem).

We'll let The Big Dope tell it:

"We came from the FM dial, "Early on when we went to the FM dial, we weren't doing well. And all the talent had been on the AM dial, not the FM dial, so hey, I went in one day and challenged some of the managers: 'Hey, what is the KIROFM way? Not the KIRO AM Way, but the KIRO FM Way?' One of those managers, he grabbed that idea and the next thing you know, hey, he made it his own. Then he sat me down to teach me the KIRO FM Way way, and I'm, 'Hey dude, I'M THE ONE THAT GAVE YOU THAT IDEA!'"

And, hey, they didn't even acknowledge the The Big Dumb Shit! "I am looking right now," he said, "at signs in the control room that say, 'The KIRO Way' and hey, that was taken from me… the manager here didn’t say, 'Hey, Don O’Neill had this great idea and he challenged us with it.'" 

No.

But hey: Ron (Upshaw, the alleged brains of the outfit) totally agrees, totally, and he did it with an awesome brag/complaint: “The KIRO manager totally said: 'Hey, you guys have a highly rated show. It’s totally working for you… but hey, that’s not the point. It’s working for us because we came up with it." 

Totally. Gotcha.

(photo: Ron, "the smart one.")

O'Neill identifies with other unsung geniuses like Steve Wozniak or Paul Allen who're waiting for their just recognition for their brilliance. (Perhaps Don will get his posthumously like Gallileo).

He doesn’t care about the money. “No, no, no it’s not the money. It’s not about the billions.” And he gets a "little KUBE93" (read ghetto) on us, saying he just wants "his propers."

“It bothered me a little bit then, it bothers me now. It was taken from me. It was never credited to me." 

(Will someone from management go over and blow some smoke up Don O'Neill's ass, please? Fifteen minutes of drivetime on this whining is really boring radio).

Comments

[Truth]

Hood...April Fool's Day was two weeks ago. R&D is train wreck.

Ron and Don must have compromising photos of the suits at Bonneville. The meaninglessness of their show is downright disturbing. KIRO was once the pillar of news reporting and intelligent discussion of the issues.

We now are subjected to discussions of Lindsay Lohan, jokes about flatulence all in a Jerry Lewis telethon format. Troubling is the fact that Ron and Don brag daily about all their charitable work but the fact remains that they are PAID while doing their call-a-thons. I am all for private philanthropy but don't friggin stand on your pillar promoting how great your charity work is while at the same time drawing a salary.

Ron should get off his ass and tell everyone he's donating his salary this month to Operation Japan. He brags about driving a Mercedes Benz-well Pal why don't you sell it and donate the money.

These guys are bums that would exploit their mothers for ratings.

[Tacoma Listener]

Don - Truly "A legend of epic proportions in his own F****** mind!"

Take one for the team Don! Think about it, you saved Dave Ross, Dori Monson and Frank Shiers jobs!

Bend over and take it like the attention whore you are!

I turn on KIRO FM and John Curley is filling in for Dori!!! I turn to KOMOFM immediately!

[Fremont]

"clodular": another epic Bla'Mism!

[Ryder]

I'm sorry, Truth, but the ratings must be supporting the whole Ron & Don lunacy. Their style is working so well that the entire KIRO 9 AM - & PM line-up has become a variation of the Ron & Don Show. For that I can only blame the listeners who have apparently flocked to support the new programing style.

Like you I get tired of those two blowing their own trumpet to announce all the great deeds they do. However, I am reminded of how Jesus Christ talked about those who do that are now receiving their reward in full. So let them have their glory.

Me, I still like rabbits.

[blathering michael]

Thank-you, Ryder. We there's always the rabbits. They're a consolation prize, but a prize nonetheless. Thanks for mentioning them.

[Andrew]

I don't know why anyone listens to anything, but half of the population is below average intelligence, and they know how to operate a radio, don't bemoan this fact.

[JimF]

Reading O'Neill's personnel file at KIRO (and previous stations) is a very interesting read....

[Radio Queen]

JimF - if you're reading O'Neill's personnel file, then you're either in Human Resources at KIRO, you're in management, or you're breaking confidentiality & ethics rules... which is it?

[Itchy]

Bonneville should rehire program director Tom Clendenning and then re-fire him for being the dumbass who hired these stooges.

[Pete]

Yeah, sure, he went on about it for fifteen minutes, and it was boring radio, but more importantly, it was his idea of how to do boring radio.

[JimF]

@Radio Queen - It's neither and both: I keep on top of Ron and Don's hijinks inside the KIRO newsroom and there's a great deal of documentation to various transgressions. Unfortunately, as I am sure you are well aware being a female (I assume), that broadcasting is the last industry that turns a blind eye and tolerates harrassment in the workplace in exchange for ratings (i.e. revenue).

[Rat_Bastard]

I get furious if I come home and find that there's a radio left on from earlier KIRO listening and I hear Ron and/or especially Don's voice...
Having said that... This sounds just like something that could have actually happened.
Sure, he's ear cancer, but if true...
Having some company suck up suit take his idea and the credit isn't right.
(and happens far too often)

[Mike Barer]

They are a guilty pleasure on the way home. Maybe because you never know if they are intending to be funny or not intending to be funny, but are.

[Bangor Dick]

These guys, as much as I hate them, can make me keep listening. Ron tells long crime stories with all the gory details. It's like looking at a carwreck, but listen I do... but not until the first round of news is over on NPR.

[akaf]

Don, the 'ego man' e-mailed me back once. I was during their chodder if you have KIRO on number one dial on your radio promotion. This promotion started at 3:15 and I stated..wouldn't those be Dori's fans and not yours. The numbnuts, Don, replied back and told me to look at the ratings. Never mind that Dori was advertising the promo for three hours and Don was advertising it for 15 minutes...it was all Don. It's all about Don. Don is nuts...enough with the cycle training, enouth with the bravo and patting yourself on the back; congrats on helping those in the need but stop patting yourself on the back...Ron and Don are both idiots that can't take critizism and disabled their comment section. They are the only radio hosts that don't take comments on their blog; good thing because Rachell drives me nuts. Thankfully I can tune to the classic rock station 102.5 when they are on the air or is if I have the case of the crazies and listen to them until the Rachel eopisode...can you at least lean a little to the right?

[Itchy]

This 'Colorful Spheres' story doesn't pass the smell-test.

I might buy it if some teacher had said let's call it "Holiday Eggs" or "Egg Hunt" but there's no reason to avoid both the word 'Easter' and the word 'Eggs.'

I guess its possible some little high school religious twat called to complain. But I'd also suggest the whole thing was just manufactured in the KIRO/Bonneville so-called 'news' room.

The head honcho at KIRO is Carl Gardner. Someone needs to hold his feet to the fire and insist he clear up this matter and explain their 'sources' for this 'news' story.

No wonder Bonneville decided to discontinue the "newsradio" logo.