Dale Connelly

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Dale Connelly is co-host (with Tom Keith, aka Jim Ed Poole) of The Morning Show on Minnesota Public Radio. The program is carried on KCMP 89.3 "The Current" in the Twin Cities, live on the KPCC 89.3-3 Pasadena City College (California) HD Radio 3rd channel, and on MPR's classical music network in outstate Minnesota. Connelly took over for Garrison Keillor, who was the original host along with Tom Keith. The show has now aired for more than 30 years.

Connelly, born in Yonkers, New York and a graduate of Macon (Illinois) High School and Southern Illinois University, is the author of many scripts for "advertisements," skits, and soap operas performed on The Morning Show. Among his notable creations are "The Sherpa from Intimida, A Mighty Big Car", an SUV that is so large it affects the weather, and Genway, "the supermarket for genetically engineered foods." Genway produces things like the Bullwinkle Salmon ("part salmon, part moose") and Chameleon Pears.

Other Connelly creations include the "Bowserbed" vibrating sleeping mattress for dogs, "Yes, I Am Wireless," Found Snacks ("makers of low-fat Neutrinos. There's nothing to them! No fat, no cholesterol, no calories—no substance and no mass!"), and reporters Brick Walters, Bud Buck, and The Morning Show's "living and loving correspondent," B. Marty Barry. Connelly also created a regular cast of characters, including Nephew Thomas (the radio daredevil), Captain Billy and the crew of the Muskellunge and Dr. Harley Clumsy (the animal identifier).

In 1999 and 2000, Connelly wrote Dale Connelly Reporting, a satirical news show for Minnesota Public Radio that included features like "Antiques Road Show," "Shouting Down School," and features on "Police and Courtroom Portrait Artists," "Low-Speed Internet Access," and "Lutheran Olympics."

Some of Connelly's satires appear on the op-ed pages of the Star Tribune. One of them was the analysis of the State of the Union speech by Oscar Standerfer, an ovation consultant and applause coach. Another was his new set of lyrics for "Gee, Officer Krupke" (originally from West Side Story).

Gee Jesse the Body, this candidate thing.

It was a big surprise to see your hat in the ring.

It wasn't the ring that you know most about,

Where you can throw opponents out.

(Ow, they're out!)