The Jim Rome Show

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The Jim Rome Show
Genre Sports talk
Running time 3 hours
Starring Jim Rome
Country of origin USA
Home Station Premiere Radio Networks

The Jim Rome Show is a sports radio talk show hosted by Jim Rome. It airs live from Irvine, California for three hours each weekday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Pacific (12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern). The show is syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, the programming arm of Clear Channel Communications, and can be heard on more than 200 affiliate radio stations in the U.S. and Canada, as well as on the Internet from Rome's official website.

Contents

[edit] History of the show

The Jim Rome Show began on XTRA Sports 690 in San Diego as a local, five-hour nighttime program, running from 7:00 p.m. to midnight Pacific. In addition to this show, Rome frequently hosted a Saturday morning show which he nowadays refers to as "Scrub Saturday." At a later time, the popularity of the nightly show prompted a shift to a four-hour daytime slot, running weekdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Pacific.

In 1996, Clear Channel Communications picked up the program for national syndication. Some time after syndication began, the show was shortened by one hour, and the broadcast location was shifted from XTRA Sports 690 to the Premiere Radio Networks studio complex in Los Angeles.

[edit] Show personnel

In addition to Rome, the behind-the-scenes personnel are frequently included in the show's content, although very rarely with speaking roles.

Namer Duties Notes
Jason Stewart
AKA "J-Stew,"
"Mr. Automatic"		 Talent coordinator
(setting up interviews, screening phone calls)		 Outside the show, Stewart is known for having appeared on the reality TV series Blind Date, the ABC sitcom According to Jim (on March 21, 2006), commercials, and for a small role in the USA Network TV movie Murder at the Presidio. Rome made his line from the movie "Heh heh, you always say that" popular with the Clones, so much so that a song was written about him (see Three Day Weekend below). Before he was the show's phone screener, Stewart was a caller to the show while he was a student at Cal State Fullerton, and was known as "Jason in Fullerton." He participated in Smack-Off 1995 with a call that coined the phrase "walking the thin line of blasphemy." His call was considered the worst call ever in the Smack-Off and is an occasional target of ridicule by Rome and the Clones. Rome fires him on air occasionally, also.
Travis Rodgers
AKA "T-Rodge"		 Senior producer,
e-mail screener		 Rodgers reportedly screens over 2,000 e-mails each day (see Travis Rodgers' List below). He has been associated with Rome as a producer for eleven years, and is also a producer on Rome's TV show Jim Rome is Burning.
Alvin Delloro Engineer Delloro handles the technical aspects of the show and runs (hangs up on) bad calls.
Brian Albers Engineer Albers served as engineer before Delloro, and was often nicknamed "Whitey" or "White Man" by Rome, for allegedly being an albino. He abruptly left the show and moved to Germany in 2004. Albers was long know to consider The Jungle to be nothing more than his day job. While in Europe, he hosted a radio music show using the name "DJ Humorless". (also, see the reference to Iafrate in "Legendary Callers" below)
The XR4Ti Crew see above Rome calls Stewart, Rodgers, and Delloro “The XR4Ti Crew," from the brand name of Rome's first car, a Merkur XR4Ti. (see "Rants" subsection in "Soundbites" below)

[edit] Nature of the show

The Jim Rome Show, also known as "The Jungle," consists of Rome's opinions on issues in sports, entertainment, and off-beat news; interviews with athletes and celebrities; and telephone calls and emails from listeners.

The show's most notable attributes are extensive use of "smack" (Rome's term for "gloatful, uninhibited, and unbridled" sports talk, peppered with personal jargon), name-calling, sarcastic humor, and "takes" -- set-piece diatribes delivered by Rome and the "Clones" (loyal listeners).

Rome has stated on numerous occasions that it can be difficult for new listeners to enjoy the show, as there is a steep learning curve before they can fully understand the format and content. He has also compared acquiring a taste for the show to acquiring a taste for beer, and recommends to new listeners: "Give it two weeks. If you still don't like it, give it two more weeks."

[edit] Nicknames

For a list of frequently-used nicknames on the show, see here.

Rome enjoys giving people, places (especially selected affiliate cities), and things unusual and/or humorous nicknames. Rome refers to his loyal fanbase as "The Clones," while he himself is called "Van Smack," "Romey," and "The Pimp in the Box" by acquaintances and the Clones. Dozens of athletes and coaches have been tagged by Rome with nicknames, including Phil Jackson ("Big Chief Triangle" and others), Jeff Van Gundy ("Balki"), Barry Bonds ("Baroid" and others), and soccer players, whom Rome always refers to by mixing the names of several players together, usually Mia Hamm, Landon Donovan, and Brandi Chastain. Affiliate cities that have received nicknames include Cincinnati ("The 'Nati"), Los Angeles ("So-Cal" or "the O.C." (if specifically in Orange County)), Omaha ("Bugaha," "Crapaha," & "Neckaha"), and Washington, DC ("The District").

[edit] Regular bits

Although the show's content revolves aroung current, topical issues, it also has a number of recurring features, some of which appear almost daily and some which are more infrequent, including:

  • Sarcastic Humor - The program features a lot of deadpan sarcasm, which some callers have complained about and/or misunderstood. When Rome claimed that a man playing basketball on a Michigan poster was Tony Gwynn, a caller rebuked him, saying "I believe it's Glen Rice." After Rome referred to Brian Shaw as "The Pride and Joy of St. Mary's," a caller said that Shaw actually played at UC Santa Barbara. Rome replied with "I know when I'm wrong...I get paid to do this...and Brian Shaw is 'the Pride and Joy of St. Mary's.'" Rome has also referred to Angels manager Mike Scioscia as "Tony Scioscia," which prompted another unsuspecting caller to attempt to correct him. Rome insisted "no, I know who you mean, it's Tony." For new listeners, interpreting when Rome is being sarcastic and when he's serious is part of the show's learning curve. For example: On one occasion, a caller's take seemed to be more of a lame comedy routine. After running the call, Rome said flatly, "Clones, you are not funny...I, on the other hand...am quite amusing." Unsuspecting listeners might take that as Rome being disgustingly conceited, but Clones would consider it merely a clever way to ridicule the caller's completely unfunny bit. Rome will also use words "allegedly" or "reportedly" in a sarcastic fashion when describing a story that is widely perceived to be true, but not journalistically proven. Another way that Rome adds a layer of sarcasm to his takes is by saying what he means to say, then interrupting himself with a loud "ERRRRR!" to say something that is less accusatory or more politically correct. The Clones occasionally do this as well.
  • "War" - Years ago, while on a business trip to New Orleans, Rome became intrigued by the way fans of Auburn, in town for that year's Sugar Bowl and staying in his hotel, chanted the slogan "War Eagle" to each other in order to support their team. It has since become customary for Rome and his callers to recite the phrase "war-" followed by their favorite team, player, or other activity, to show their fondness of it. "Un-war" is used to note something that has fallen out of favor.
  • Jungle Karma - Rome puts his own spin on the concept of karma, maintaining that an athlete's appearance on the show or failure to appear for whatever reason will create (respectively) good or bad "Jungle Karma," improving or diminishing the athlete's performance in an upcoming game. He points to the outcome of games after appearances on his show as "evidence." However unscientific it may be, anecdotal evidence seems to suggest the trend may be true. (The most glaring counter-example was displayed when Rome interviewed Hornets player Bobby Phills on January 9, 2000. Phills died while street racing three days later.) Rome has stated that "the Karma does not discriminate," referring to its effects being dissociated from whether Rome likes or dislikes an athlete.
  • Tongues - Many college football teams reward players for exceptional plays by affixing decals to their helmets. Well-known examples include Ohio State, whose players have buckeye stickers, and Florida State, who rewards players with tomahawk stickers. Rome decided that when he has an exceptional segment of his broadcast, he affixes a tongue sticker to his microphone.
  • Border Wars - Often when leading up to a significant event (such as the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, etc.), fans of the teams will call the show and denigrate the opposing team's city. This usually degenerates into a back-and-forth war between inhabitants of the two cities where nearly every call or email Rome receives is from someone looking to weigh in on the war. One notable border war that flares up occasionally is United States vs. Canada (or "America Junior", as Canada has been termed on the show). It is also quite common for callers in one city to provoke another for virtually no reason other than its existence. One example is a 2005 border war between Huntsville and Knoxville that erupted for no particular reason and lasted around a week.
  • "Freaking" - On occasion, when Rome concludes an interview with a guest who demonstrated tremendous character, or told an amazing story of something they did, he will proclaim they have earned the middle-name title "Freaking." The first such guest was Evel Knievel, who conducted an unforgettable interview, such that Rome from that point on, referred to him as "Evel Freaking Knievel." Others who have been given that name include NASCAR driver Richard Petty, who told Rome a story about how he drove in the 1980 Talladega 500 with a broken neck. Rome's response after the interview was "Richard Freaking Petty." Many athletes have earned this distinction.
  • The Smartest People in the Jungle - Rome has bestowed this honor upon those whom he considers the most intelligent people he's interviewed on the show. Honorees include: Al Michaels, Bob Costas, David Halberstam, Jim Lampley, John Feinstein, and Hubie Brown. Alternates include Joe Buck and George Will. Caller Jeff in Richmond received an honorable mention after stating that he was "born and bred for success and achievement."

[edit] Takes

For a list of Rome's most frequently used takes, see here.

The principal portion of the show's content is Rome's takes on topical issues in sports and other odd news stories. Rome begins each show with a monologue consisting of abbreviated takes on the topics he intends to cover over the course of the show. As the show progresses, he will elaborate his take on each topic, adding in new material and also commenting on any phone calls and e-mails that add to or contradict his takes. If new topics are broached, Rome will usually give takes on them as well. Rome's takes are essentially spoken-word editorial columns, and as such are direct and to-the-point, highly opinionated, and often harshly critical and/or blisteringly sarcastic, depending on the topic. This approach is one of the principal facets of his "smack talking" broadcast style, and is what helped him make a name for himself. However, it has also led to some controversy, as one of the most frequent criticisms of both Rome and The Jim Rome Show is the pervasively negative attitude that is displayed toward foolish behavior from athletes and celebrities. In response, Rome has stated that the moment that people stop doing stupid things is the moment he will stop talking about people doing stupid things.

While Rome has countless takes on a variety of topics each day, several have gained notoriety status by Rome and the Clones. These topics are never forgotten, and from time to time, they are "reset" (brought back up) if they are relevant to the day's discussion, or if Rome wants to re-introduce the topics to new listeners. These include the "Celebrity Drunk Bus," Rome's Merkur XR4Ti, and his mocking of Lee 'Hacksaw' Hamilton, boy bands, and ads for male potency drugs. Sports takes which are frequently reset include Rome's loathing of soccer, wrestling, the WNBA, and NCAA college baseball, and his love of NASCAR, which he at one time hated. Takes on "Softball Guy," "degenerate gamblers," "Corvette Guy," and ice cream men are also featured, as well as Rome's dislike of Star Wars, reality television, and Dungeons & Dragons.

[edit] Interviews

A highlight of the program is the daily lineup of interviews that Rome conducts with sports (and occasionally pop culture) personalities. Rome conducts most interviews over the telephone; however, he will sometimes have an in-studio guest, who usually stays for several segments.

Rather than having prescheduled guests for interviews, Rome relies on Jason Stewart to contact potential interviewees, and sometimes does not know who will be on the show until the day before their appearance. This approach sometimes leads to guests not showing up, or losing their calls in the middle of an interview. If an interviewee is expected to call in during a given segment, Rome notifies the Clones that the prospective guest is "on the clock," a reference to a phrase often uttered during the NFL Draft.

There is not a set number of interviews per day, but the show averages about one per hour, per day. Rome records and saves all interviews. The most memorable are often reset in future shows as sound bites, and occasionally are declared as the Huge Call of the Day. Some of the more memorable (and sometimes forgettable) interviews include:

  • Steve Elkington- One of Rome's favorite interviewees, the Australian pro golfer drops in often and shares stories from his experiences on the PGA Tour. These stories include tales about fellow golfer Colin Montgomerie's "sweaty undies," about him and his friends getting "loaded up on froth and bubbles," saying that he "sees cat, mate" at a party in Las Vegas with Brad Penny and others, and a wild night at a bar with John Daly, where Daly got knocked out trying football tackles. When Rome played a clip from Daly's country album, Elkington remarked "you must be pulling my sausage, mate." Other resets are from when he killed a deer from a friend's living room, and his encounter with a profanity-spewing Tommy Smothers. Rome proclaimed that Elkington overtook Mark Grace as "best interview."
  • Mark Grace– During his playing days, the personable MLB first baseman appeared regularly on the show. Grace provided such good interviews that Rome once considered him the best athlete in the Jungle (the distinction now belongs to Elkington). Grace is now remembered primarily for soundbites taken from two interviews. The first describes an encounter with fellow Cub Greg Maddux. Maddux appeared uncomfortable on the mound, leading Grace to think he might have pulled his groin. Grace quickly realized that Maddux was not injured, and instead noticeably aroused. Grace responded: "Dude, you love to pitch, don't you?!" The second derives from when Grace was in the middle of a particularly hot hitting streak, and his teammates were commenting that he must have been getting with a bunch of slumpbusters. Grace explained how baseball players (who are commonly superstitious) would attempt to break a batting slump by going to a bar, seeking out "the gnarliest, ugliest chick," and taking her home to "lay the wood to her."
  • Ron Jeremy- Rome will occasionally play an audio clip where Jeremy can be heard saying "Hi, this is Ron Jeremy, coach of the Miami Heat, and you're watching Jim Rome is Burning." In the clip, Jeremy references Rome's observation that former Miami Heat head coach Stan Van Gundy bears a strong resemblance to Jeremy. Rome has enjoyed this promo so much that he has exempted Jeremy from his usual porn insults.
  • Evel Knievel- During a May 2002 interview with the motorcycle daredevil, Knievel recounted the story of his ill-fated 1974 attempt to jump the Snake River Canyon in Idaho. Knievel, in his trademark tough guy style, went on to publicly lambaste NASA engineer Robert Truax, who had designed the failed Skycycle X-2 rocket, calling him "an egotistical little know-it-all bastard," and even blaming him for the death of Gus Grissom. Rome asked Knievel why he would attempt the jump if there was only a 50/50 chance of surviving. Knievel answered, without hesitation, "Do you know who the hell I am?" Rome has marked this occasion as the only time he has ever been speechless in his life. Knievel also stated during this interview that "all women are prostitutes in their own way." During another interview in 2003, Knievel shared with Rome that he owned a diamond encrusted cane that doubles as a flask for Wild Turkey.
  • Isiah Thomas- During an interview on The Last Word on Fox Sports Net, Rome and NBA player Chucky Brown had a discussion about the differences in per diem between the NBA and the minor league CBA. Brown, who had just returned to the NBA from the CBA, stated that CBA players would get $25 for meal money and go to Denny's or McDonald's, while NBA players would receive $80 and could eat at restaurants like Red Lobster. Rome later interviewed Isiah Thomas on The Last Word. Thomas, who owned the CBA from 1999 to 2001, responded to Rome's greeting with, "My pleasure. I just got back from Red Lobster." This line has become an oft-reset soundbite.
  • John Feinstein- During a telephone interview with Rome, Feinstein's toddler-age daughter Bridget began playing with her brother's toy drums. After Rome mentioned the racket, Feinstein excused himself and stepped away from the phone, but could be heard yelling "Bridget! Bridget!" in an attempt to stop the noise. Feinstein returned and attempted to continue his train of thought, but forever will be teased for that incident.
  • Stewart Elliott- Rome interviewed the jockey by phone, following his unsuccessful bid to ride Smarty Jones to a win at the 2004 Belmont and thus the Triple Crown. The anticipated interview turned unforgettably dull when Rome asked a question regarding the horse's attitude of being a champion. Rome expected it to be a segue for Elliott to elaborate, but instead, Elliott simply answered "That's right." and dead air followed. Jokes by listeners suggested it would have been more interesting to have interviewed the horse. Rome has also stated that while he may not always ask good questions in interviews, he still expects interviewees to elaborate on their answers, per the nature of an interview.
  • Charles Barkley- Rome periodically discusses NBA issues with the ex-player and TNT host. In one interview, Rome noted Barkley's statement that radio talk show hosts know nothing and are merely looking to stir up controversy by saying outrageous things, then asked Barkley why he chose to regularly appear on The Jim Rome Show as a guest. Barkley took the opportunity to bash Rome's own fill-in Skip Bayless as the absolute worst example of this type of host, and contrasting him with the relative straightforwardness of Rome himself. Rome was put off and ended up trying to defend Bayless as a bona fide host whose opinions were genuine and not calculated. Barkley was unconvinced and said so.
  • Ben Mezrich- Rome has interviewed a few times with the author of the book Bringing Down the House, the story of the MIT Blackjack Team. During an interview on September 18, 2006, Mezrick recalled a research trip to Japan in which he saw what were called "Five Minute Clubs," and described how he observed that the Japanese treat sex simply as a "bodily function." The comments earned him the Huge Call of the Day, and prompted heavy e-mail responses. Mezrick has expressed interest in writing a Rome biography.
  • Joe Simpson - In 2004 Rome interviewed the mountain climber and author of Touching the Void, a true-life story about Simpson's disastrous Andes climbing expedition, and the title of a just-released movie based on the book. Rome was blown away not just by Simpson talking about how he escaped certain death while injured in an icy mountain crevasse, but also by Simpson's calm acceptance of his climbing partner abandoning him to his fate -- Simpson told Rome he would have made the same choice in his partner's position. For weeks after the interview, Rome and the Clones were marveling at his toughness, courage, and matter-of-fact attitude.
  • Sheldon Kennedy- Kennedy has been interviewed twice on the show; in both interviews, he spoke about his sexual abuse at the hands of his hockey coach Graham James. In his November 14, 2006 interview, he spoke about his autobiography, Why I Didn't Say Anything - The Sheldon Kennedy Story, and how he coped with his problems after revealing what happened in 1996. He also revealed that Graham James moved to Europe some time after his release from prison, and still coaches youth hockey there. The interview lasted through four show segments, a full hour of air time. Both interviews generated massive response from the Clones.

[edit] Telephone calls

Rome encourages listeners to call the show, and frequently drops the show's phone number, with the caveat that calls will be screened by J-Stew. However, phone calls do not take priority over Rome's own takes and the scheduled interviews, so Rome only fields a handful of calls during any given broadcast. In fact, he is highly critical of radio talk shows which emphasize phone calls, opining: "When some radio jock says 'No one takes more calls than me; this show is about you, the caller,' what that guy is actually saying is 'No one has worked less and has less to say than I do.'" Rome also states that "more of me and less of you is better for the show," although he will sometimes "break format" and take several calls if listeners with a history of good calls are calling the show. Rome frequently describes the segments in which interviews are not scheduled as "wide open" or "open phone."

Rome responds to greetings, questions, and compliments, but otherwise offers free rein for callers to give their takes. However, he is notorious for "running" callers who perform poorly. These calls are interrupted with a loud buzzer and immediately ceased; the caller will often be ridiculed by Rome and the Clones. Callers are often run when they are unenthusiastic, incoherent, obviously reading their takes, or extremely offensive. Although Rome is said to run calls, it is actually the show engineer, Alvin, who performs the task. Occasionally, Alvin will run a call that Rome does not feel merited being run. If this happens, Rome lets the caller know that Alvin was responsible.

Ultimately, a call may end in one of four ways:

  1. Poor-quality, pre-recorded or offensive calls, or calls that seem to ramble on endlessly, are "run", as described above.
  2. Calls that make a point Rome wishes to expand upon are interrupted by Rome without the buzzer.
  3. Calls that are okay but end up encroaching on a commercial break are also interrupted by Rome. Sometimes Rome will let an overrunning call continue if he thinks it is good and will finish within a reasonable timeframe.
  4. Good calls are finished by the caller on their own terms. If it is particularly good, Rome will ask that the call be "racked", or recorded for potential playback as the Huge Call of the Day (see next section).

Callers are sometimes on hold for long periods of time, sometimes more than two and a half hours, before they make it on air. Callers are expected to be patient and prepared when their turn comes up (often unexpectedly), and Rome has no patience if they are not. Due to a seven-second delay, the callers must listen to the show through their telephone with their radio turned off. Otherwise, when Rome puts them on-air, they will miss their cue, and be subject to ridicule. Rome often comments on how if he can hear his voice through the phone (due to the delay), the caller is not paying attention. In addition, callers who complain about how long they have been on hold are usually run, with Rome ridiculing them for wasting their own time. Callers are also expected to pay attention to the show and generally stay on-topic. This was exemplified once when Rome reset his "gambling degenerates" take. Mistakingly thinking he heard the name "Ellen DeGeneres" over the radio, a caller started defending the actress, and was immediately run.

Although the enforcement in recent times has been lenient for new affiliate cities, Rome has a rule against callers stating their names. Whenever Rome goes to callers, he announces their names and where they are from. If callers begin by repeating this information, they will immediately be run, and Rome will ridicule them for telling him something he and the listeners already know. Nick in Green Bay was run for this; although he also tried to use a nickname (see below), Rome stated that his introducing himself was what got him run. Rome also has an unofficial ban against callers singing (whether actual songs or poorly written parodies), on the grounds that callers who attempt to sing typically have no business doing so. Two exceptions to this rule include an opera singer who used to call the show, and after Smack-Off 2005, when callers made pitiful attempts to complete Terrence in Sierra Madre's song, "Hey, Mister J-Stew" (also, see Willie in KC below). Rome also dislikes calls in which the caller attempts to make his take into a poem, with clever haikus being the sole exception.

Rome also prohibits callers from using "nicknames." Sometimes, J-Stew will direct the caller to state his nickname to Rome, in an attempt to get the caller run. Such was the case with the caller Ray in Huntsville. When Rome greeted him, Ray responded with "Thanks for the vine, Jim, but my name is actually RayDog." Rome simply said, "RayDog, what's up?" and the buzzer immediately followed. Occasionally, callers will avoid J-Stew's trap, mention the baiting on-air, and subject J-Stew to ridicule from Rome and the Clones for the rest of the day.

Rome has a particular fondness for calls from members of law enforcement, especially those on-duty. At the end of their call, Rome requests that they "prove" they are on-duty by turning on their siren.

Calls from Clones frequently include derogatory smack directed at other Clones. Rome refers to this as "Clone-on-Clone violence" and has a somewhat dim opinion of it, as it detracts from time that could be used for sports takes, although he does not discourage it. These calls are usually the most memorable, especially when the smack is powerful and/or over-the-top. This type of call is most frequently seen in the Smack-Off and the weeks preceding a Smack-Off as Clones vie for invitations.

Rome's self-proclaimed rules for Clones calling the show: "Have a take, don't suck, or you will get run." Occasionally, Rome will declare a Friday show as a "Zero Tolerance Friday;" on these Fridays the rules for callers are more strictly enforced.

[edit] Huge Call of the Day

If Rome especially enjoys a call, he will announce "Rack him!" or "Rack her!"; this is a signal to Alvin to save the recording of the call. At the end of the show, the best overall call is dubbed The Huge Call of the Day and replayed with much fanfare. There are no set criteria for what earns a call Huge Call status. Most Huge Calls feature exceptionally insightful and/or pointed commentary, and/or a great deal of smack that is not only articulate but inventive and humorous. On rare occasions, an extremely odd call will be named as the Huge Call. Sometimes a Huge Call from a previous show or a notable Smack-Off call will be replayed if no calls get racked. Rome will also use segments of an interview as the Huge Call if he feels it is appropriate. Notable instances include interviews conducted during the broadcasts on Radio Row during the week before the Super Bowl (when Rome takes few if any calls) and a 2006 interview with Jeff Gordon. If content in the show’s last segment runs over the time needed to play the Huge Call, it will be played in part or not at all.

Sometimes Rome will award Huge Call winners with a prize, typically provided by a show sponsor. These prizes have included the Slingbox and gift cards from J.C. Penney.

[edit] Callers

For lists of noteworthy callers, see here.

There are a number of Clones whose history of solid calls to the show have earned them "legendary" status. Some of the most well-known of these callers include Sean "the Cablinasian" in Houston, "Iafrate", Silk in Huntington Beach, Jeff in Richmond, and Greg in Vegas. There have also been a number of callers whose calls have become "infamous" on the show due to their poor quality; these calls are frequently reset for mocking and/or comedic effect. These callers include Alex in Louisville, Willie in K.C. (the only caller to date to be permanently banned from the show), Fabian (often referred to as "Flamian"), Iggy in Springfield, T.J. in Jacksonville, and Tommy in Detroit.

[edit] E-mails

For a list of commonly used references in emails on the show, see here.

Rome frequently reads emails on-air, usually around ad breaks. Some emails are simple statements of satisfaction about the show or comments on interviews. However, many emailers write their messages in the voice of athletes, public figures, or even the aforementioned "infamous callers," responding with a comment that reflects one of that person's most embarrassing public moments. These particular emails almost always relate to whatever topic(s) were just discussed on the show, usually in a sarcastic and/or ironic fashion.

In addition to writing in the voice of a famous person, some emails are written in the voice of an inanimate object. The most creative and obscure personified items are the most popular, and are often read on-air. Occasionally emailers will sign their contributions from "Rome's Dad," "Rome's Sister," etc. Rome will always mention that it is funny when his "family" emails the show, yet do not know their own name. Rome also mentions that it would be miraculous to receive an email from his father, who is deceased. A large portion of the audience listens from work, and is presumably sitting in front of a computer either in their office or cubicle. Whenever something extremely funny happens on the show, many emailers claim they laughed so hard they spit coffee, soda, or even food all over their monitor or keyboard, some jokingly suggesting that it is now ruined.

On occasion, emailers like to add postscripts, such as "war-" (see "War" reference above), smack about other emailers, or qualifications. Emailer Dave in St. Louis began the custom of using qualifications with "non-hunter," a veiled reference to a press release by PETA that suggested male hunters have small genitalia. Sexual preference, ethnicity, or marital status are also used as qualifications.

If Rome dislikes an email's content, he will often heckle the author, then discard it by crumpling the printout in front of the microphone (or activating a paper-crumple sound effect). Allegedly to stave off floods of these kinds of emails, he will warn listeners of jokes and references that he does not want to see. Offensive emails can also lead to other Clones writing in and calling to criticize the email's author. A prime example came on May 22, 2006, when Julian in D.C. suggested that Elmer's and Alpo were ready to welcome Barbaro to work for them after breaking down in the Preakness Stakes.

Rome likes to ridicule emailers for poor spelling and grammar. While he understands that most emails are written quickly and are not proofread, he will often mention extremely bad cases on-air.

During the last half-hour of the show, Rome will announce the Huge Email Contest, in which he reads a handful of emails which were especially funny and/or interesting. Sometimes he will declare a winner, but this is not held to the same level of prestige as the Huge Call of the Day. More often than not, there will not be a contest, due to a lack of quality emails.

Some Clones have achieved "legendary" status in the Jungle for the frequency and/or content of their emails. Mike T in C-Town, Frances in Glendale, and Dark Gable are three well-known email Clones.

Back in the early days of the show, before the public ubiquity of Internet email, Rome accepted faxes from the Clones and ran a Huge Fax Contest on the show. The customs surrounding email contests and on-air reading of emails are thought to have evolved from this beginning.

According to Rome, Travis Rodgers maintains a bulletin board which features the best or oddest emails which have been received on the show. Occasionally Rome will received an email which he feels merits inclusion on the bulletin board, and will ask Rodgers if it is worth adding to the board.

[edit] Classic soundbites

For a list of soundbites used on the show, see here.

Rome has a large archive of soundbites from celebrities and regular people who said or did something embarrassing or unusual within range of a microphone, and he loves to mine this archive for on-air ridicule. A clip is usually only played when a take, either from Rome or a caller, makes reference to it. In July 2006, in the wake of the Manual Buzzer take (see below), show engineer Alvin Delloro created a medley called "Alvin's Mix," consisting of dozens of classic soundbites used since the show's inception. Alvin continues to add more soundbites to the mix, and it was last updated on October 31, 2006. Rome has described "Alvin's Mix" as sixteen years of radio rolled into a little over three minutes.

Some of the most frequently used soundbites include Carl Lewis's mangling of "The Star-Spangled Banner", Peyton Manning and Danica Patrick calling people "idiots," Mike Tyson's various vicious remarks, a number of clips from Tiger Woods, Rafael Palmeiro's testimony before Congress on steroid use, and Allen Iverson's response to questioning his missed practice sessions. A number of shorter soundbites are played over and over again occasionally for comedic effect. These include Mel Gibson's line "Gimme back my son!!!" from the 1996 movie Ransom, "The Laugh," Tommy in Detroit's "walrus," and Ozzie Guillen's "Psshht...please!" Rome also makes use of the "Manual Buzzer" (his imitation of the show's horn buzzer) and Michael Jackson's "Adult Early Warning Detector."

[edit] Music and sound effects

As is the case with other radio talk shows, The Jim Rome Show has distinctive bumper music and sound effects integrated into its format. At six minutes after each hour, the show opens with the song "Lust for Life" by Iggy Pop (in the first hour, three rings of a bell, such as those used in boxing matches, precede the song). At the bottom of each hour, the show opens with "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses, referring to the show's nickname. The final segment of the show is opened by the song "Up All Night" by The Boomtown Rats, which was used in Rome's original late night show in San Diego. Other songs used as bumper music for commercial breaks include "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & the Gang, "Righteous" by Eric Johnson, "The Breaks" by Kurtis Blow, "So Whatcha Sayin'?" by EPMD, "Happy?" by Mudvayne, "Got the Life" and "B.B.K." by KoЯn, "Styrofoam" by Fugazi, "American Idiot" by Green Day, "The Rock Show" by blink-182, and "Romeo Delight" by Van Halen. After the Huge Call of the Day is played back, the bell rings three times again, a quick sound drop is played, and "Lust for Life" is played again to close the show. Sound drops used include:

  • "That's whack" - Ex-Lakers head coach Del Harris attempting to say a line from Shaq's rap album.
  • "Ohhh, unbeebable" - A quote by golfer Jumbo Ozaki, when asked about Tiger Woods.
  • "I think what I'm supposed to say is 'thank you, I'm out'" - taken from a call by an elderly lady who surpassed all expectations, delivering an impressive smack-filled call.
  • "Yes! And it counts!" - A trademark call by Marv Albert, which he uses during basketball games.
  • "That's-When-You-Know-What-The-Answer-To-That-Question-Is" - Boxing referee Mills Lane during his Tyson/Holyfield post-fight press conference.
  • "Without the nicks and cuts of a blade" - J-Stew in a Norelco commercial.
  • Denny Neagle imitating a steam whistle.
  • A clip of Rome saying "HU-HU-HU-HU-HUUUUUGE!" (possibly digitally altered to achieve the effect)

[edit] Special shows

[edit] Smack-off

Main article: Smack-Off

Every spring, Rome holds a "Smack-Off," when previous Smack-off winners and the greatest callers from the previous year (often winners of the Huge Call) are brought back for a full day of smack talk. The winner of the Smack-Off is crowned for an entire year. This show does not follow the normal show format, in that it features neither Rome's takes or interviews.

[edit] Year in review

In late December, Rome reserves a few days for a special program called the "Year in Review." This was originally a one-day affair but has extended to three days as of 2005. Going month by month, he recounts the good, the bad, and the ugly of the year that was in sports. He also mixes in the best that was in off-beat news. Rome schedules no guests; he also takes far fewer phone calls, preferring e-mail responses.

[edit] Tour stops

Main article: Jim Rome Tour Stops

A Tour Stop is a limited access show, often held in an arena or other large venues, and featuring sports-related guests, activities and surprises. A few times throughout the year, Rome will reward a syndication city with a Tour Stop.

[edit] Radio row

During Super Bowl week, Rome typically takes the show on the road, and broadcasts live from Radio Row on-location at the game's host city. Since there are many celebrities that peruse Radio Row, Rome's format is slightly changed as a more interview-oriented program, and he is able to conduct many impromptu interviews with passers-by. As a result far fewer calls are taken and fewer emails are read.

[edit] Guest hosts

Rome's contract with Premiere Radio Networks stipulates copious paid vacation time. At length he preannounces when he is going to be "in the basement" (on vacation) and for how long. He justifies his frequent absences to the Clones by proclaiming "I take a lot of vacation because I get a lot of vacation" (a parody of a comment made by Patrick Ewing during the 1998 NBA lockout). To ensure live content on days when Rome is absent, The Jim Rome Show is hosted by a rotating stable of guest hosts, including:

  • Boxing/Olympic analyst Jim Lampley. Rome sometimes resets a rant made by Lampley while guest hosting, ridiculing the "media-driven hype" surrounding the year 2000, and how it was erroneously referred to as the new millennium. Lampley also has been known to blast emailers for poor grammar and overall stupidity.
  • Sportswriter Skip Bayless. When Bayless hosts, the show generally has a recurring theme, as he resets his belief that the Ohio State Buckeyes stole the 2003 BCS Championship, his self-proclaimed addiction to Diet Mountain Dew, and his obsession with the volleyball scene in Top Gun (which Rome shares). Bayless is an extremely polarizing and unpopular guest host, and will often get into heated arguments with callers, as opposed to Rome who rarely interacts with callers. Many Clones often call him "Skip Clueless". Rome, for his part, has no problem with Bayless and occasionally needles the Clones with the news that Bayless will be guest hosting.
  • Author and columnist John Feinstein, whose passive style represents a true change of the show's pace on days when he guest hosts. Feinstein's appearances are usually dominated by interviews. Feinstein also appears frequently on the show as the subject of a Rome interview.
  • Former ESPN anchor and current NFL Network personality Rich Eisen. Eisen once commented that he had always thought the show's email address was "rome@habitate.com" until he guest-hosted. The actual address is rome@haveatake.com, but Rome tends to say "haveatake" quickly.
  • Roger Lodge, host of Blind Date. Lodge arranged for show contributor Jason Stewart to appear on the reality show (see Blind Date above). Lodge is also a frequent panel guest on Rome's ESPN program Jim Rome is Burning.
  • Fox Sports Radio personality Andrew Siciliano (from Gametime Live). On May 12, 2006, while Siciliano was guest-hosting, a caller coined the term "teammateship" (referencing Barry Bonds as an example of bad "teammateship"). This highly amused Siciliano, who remarked that the term should be entered on the Wikipedia article about The Jim Rome Show. Shortly thereafter, a caller stated that he had done so, prompting Siciliano to wonder "where these Wikipedia people come from." Siciliano has quickly gained favor with Rome, and he is usually the one to substitute if Rome leaves on short notice.
  • Pop culturists Randy & Jason Sklar (of the ESPN Classic program Cheap Seats), whose subject matters are rather random.

Former guest hosts of the show include:

  • Fox Sports Radio personality Steve Czaban (no longer guest hosts, although he hosted several days in a row in 2001 when Rome's son Jake was born).
  • Comedian Jay Mohr (nicknamed "Slam man"). Premiere Radio Networks has virtually banned Mohr from further guest-hosting following a controversial 2004 appearance in which Mohr made vulgar references to the recently-deceased Ronald Reagan and toward Muhammad Ali's battle with Parkinson's disease. Listeners and affiliates alike called Premiere to complain about Mohr's comments, and in turn, he was asked to refrain from accepting the offer to guest host the show in the future. Mohr spontaneously called the show on October 11, 2006, with no apparent objection from Rome, to defend the city of Detroit after an insulting e-mail take.

Many callers and emailers have less than favorable opinions about the show's guest hosts, opining that none can compare to Rome himself. On August 21, 2006, after a two-week vacation by Rome, caller Kim in Houston expressed her dissatisfaction to Rome, referring to the substitutes respectively as "Jim Buffoon" (Lampley), "Skip Balloon" (Bayless), and the "Two Bazzoons, the Bizarre Sklar Brothers."

[edit] Holidays

On holidays (Christmas, Thanksgiving, Independence Day, Labor Day, etc.), a pre-recorded Best of the Jim Rome Show is aired, hosted by producer Travis Rodgers.

[edit] Rome reports

The Jim Rome Show offers a 60-second teaser called The Rome Report for affiliates to air daily. The Rome Report usually offers a brief synopsis of one of Rome's takes from that day's program. The reports serve as commercials for the program, and are often broadcast during afternoon drive time.

[edit] Future of the show

Since its inception, The Jim Rome Show has always been offered on terrestrial radio, and has not been offered on satellite radio. The show is, however, offered on streaming and podcast through the official web site. On May 6, 2003, Rome made a return to TV with Rome is Burning (later Jim Rome is Burning) on ESPN, and occasionally hinted about switching the radio program to satellite, or abandoning the radio program altogether, in favor of television full-time.

Rome is often quite vocal about his frequent displeasures with affiliates, specifically those who do not carry the entire three hours, air the show on tape delay, or frequently pre-empt the broadcast. Rome has openly admitted that he is intrigued by the idea of satellite radio and broadcasting the program free of affiliates' interference. However, he is also aware of some listeners' problems with paying for satellite radio, and has received numerous phone calls and e-mails from terrestrial radio listeners who have said that the humor of the show has brought them through difficult times or keeps them entertained at work.

On April 27, 2006, Rome stated that he will keep the radio program going, but initially made no commitment to satellite or terrestrial. During the program on July 11, 2006, Rome announced that he signed a multi-year deal wih Premiere Radio Networks to keep the show on terrestrial radio. In addition, he stated that the show may be simulcast on satellite radio in the future.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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