One of the things about the technology we have today is I’m able to enjoy radio stations across the United States, in particular, Real Radio 104.1 out of Orlando.
This station has followed me over the years as I have been able to hear it in many ways. Sometimes it was only when I was driving through Florida and was able to pick up the station’s signal, but now I can get it everyday.
Back in the 1990’s when I was working in the Fort Myers-Cape Coral part of Florida, I found a station that combined news and comedy, well, mostly comedy, but my sense was these were smart people and ones that kept up with the latest national and international news as well as state news, but they also had a sense of humor that brought something to my airwaves I really hadn’t heard before,
I could rattle off the names of the shows with ease listening to, at first, the Monsters of the Midday, later to become Monsters in the Morning, the Philips Phile, and later added on the News Junkie and now the Jim Colbert Show and the Tom and Dan Show.
It has been 25 years of listening to this station through one way or another and the cast of characters has stretched from each show Russ Rollins, leader of the Monsters, Dirty Jim, Carlos (aka Blackbean), Savannah, Soul Brother Kevin, Tuddle, Jeff Howell, Bubba “Whoopass” Wilson, Daniel, Drunky the Bear, Angel, Ryan Holmes, Angelique the Dancing Queen and multiple others who have crossed the Monsters’ microphones.
The show morphed and changed with cast members coming and going and was the first radio show I attended a live remote when the Monsters came to Fort Myers. The show leaned on comedy and radio “bits” but has, and rightly show shifted to spotlighting on the talents of it’s cast members giving each a segment or portion of the show to show their abilities.
The Philips Phile was created by Jim Philips a former reporter and news director and he was joined throughout the years with Jack Bradshaw, Moira, Jana Banana, Oddo, Jack Bradshaw and others. Philips retired in 2018 and the show became the Jim Colbert Show where Dirty Jim, Jim Colbert, took on another role as a host rather than sidekick on the Monsters.
To be honest, Jim Colbert has always been one of my favorites on the station and his “put his head through the drywall” attitude has always been fun for me. Jim is now joined by Deb Roberts, Rauce Padgett, and yes, that’s Rauce as in sauce and Jack Bradshaw. The Colbert Show has quickly become a favorite of mine and Colbert did an excellent job in assembling his cast so that the mesh between topics and comedy are seamless. But, Rauce, dude, you gotta let Jim read the scripts before Theatre Thursday!
The News Junkie has come on strong with his approach to radio and better yet, the joining of Shawn Wasson, Sabrina and C-Lane has become something of a must-listen during office hours as long as the sound is kind of turned down since it can become a little racy. Love it. C-Lane drops so many great ad libs I laugh out loud often.
The Tom and Dan Show which started as a podcast, still is really, but it again showed why Real Radio has blossomed over the years because these two guys, left the station, started their own gig and the station brought them back on board for the evening shift with some very mature and witty topics.
I bring this all up because after 25 years it seems they should get some publicity outside of Orlando and now that we have the technology, I would love for everyone to give them a shot on the IHeart app on your phone.
Thanks Real Radio 104.1. Come on folks, listen in!
If you see me say, “Hey!”
Dee McLelland is Publisher of the Coastal Courier and the Bryan County News.