The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show

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The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show

Other names The Free Beer and Hot Wings Morning Show
Genre Humor, Talk Radio
Running time 5:00 - 10:15 EST (in Grand Rapids)
5:00 - 10:00 EST (syndicated stations)[1]
Country Flag of the United States United States
Languages English
Home station WGRD-FM
Starring Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels
Chris "Hot Wings" Michels
Eric Zane
Joe "Producer Joe" Gassmann, Jr.
Air dates 2004-06-14[2] to Present
Website
http://www.freebeerandhotwings.com
 Podcast
Official Podcast

The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show is a syndicated talk radio show based out of WGRD-FM in Grand Rapids, Michigan.[3][4] [5] The show is hosted by Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels and Chris "Hot Wings" Michels[6] with Eric (Zeitunian) Zane and Joe "Producer Joe" Gasman, Jr. The show is currently syndicated to 16 radio stations in the United States by Regent Communications.[7][8]

Contents

History

Daniels, Michels, and Zane all attended Central Michigan University.[9] While there, Daniels and Michels were roommates.[2] After graduating they worked at a radio show in Omaha, Nebraska. Before coming to Grand Rapids, Zane, Daniels, and Michels worked at radio stations in Knoxville, Tennessee. The show began with Daniels and Michels taking on the names "Free Beer" and "Hot Wings," respectively. When Eric Zane got fired from a rival radio station, he was hired as the producer and wasn't allowed to talk, only laugh off-mike. After the radio station wanted to fire Hot Wings, they all decided to quit and moved to Grand Rapids.[10] Eric Zane also worked at WKQZ in Midland, Michigan, on the "Joe & the Poorboy Show" before working in Knoxville. Producer Joe joined the show in March 2005. Gasman said, "...I just started talking to them over the phone and eventually it got to the point where they said, 'Well, we don't have a budget, and we don't know you, so you come work for free on our show — and, if it all works out and we have a budget, then (we'll hire you).'"[11] Over time he became the producer and is now a permanent part of the show. The show was originally contracted for three years and they renewed it for two more years.[12]

What Can Joe Do?

One of the show's most popular segments is called "What Can Joe Do?"

In an article from the Grand Haven Tribune, Gregg Daniels said,

"When he (Producer Joe) first interviewed for the job, we said, 'Hey if you're hired, part of your duties might be...a weekly stunt. Joe was like, 'That's cool.' I mean, hell, he was going to be a skydiving instructor — he's fearless...We kind of came back to 'The Wheel of What Can Joe Do?' idea with stunts. That's when we added the points value and gave him a chance to make some money in addition to it, out of our own pockets. Joe's made the rest."

The wheel has forced Joe into eating a hair sandwich, yelling at restaurant drive-thru intercoms, giving a public "I am not gay" speech, performing a street lounge act, and squirting lime juice in his eyes.[13]

The "Producer Joe Walks Through a Car Wash"[14] stunt was instrumental in the team winning a Michigan broadcasting excellence award for 2006.[15]

Charity Work

The Holiday Break-In

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Every December, the show organizes the Holiday-Break-In, which provide gifts, essentials and Holiday Cheer for a families in need. They make it a point to look for families that might have fallen through the cracks of other charities such as churches, Toys For Tots, the Salvation Army, and other such organizations. They try and find families that may have fallen on hard times recently, or simply wouldn’t think of themselves first.[16]Listeners are asked to nominate a family that they know who fits the description with the caveat that they cannot nominate themselves or their immediate family. After the nomination period is closed, the show hosts review them and select the families who will receive the Break-In in each of the affiliate locations.

They decorate the home, leave presents and essentials (including gift cards for food and other necessities) and depart without leaving any indication of who had left the items. This is a key aspect of the Holiday Break-In: the giving is done completely anonymously. Some of the Break-Ins occur on the air; the majority do not, leaving listeners to guess exactly how many occurred. They occasionally receive feedback from the nominator as to how the family reacted to their unexpected gifts.[citation needed] All items given are donated by local businesses and listeners; the show has also done things like pay lot rent for families having trouble making ends meet.

The A-T Children's Project

In 2006, Zane was approached by a former teacher of one of his children to raise money for the Ataxia-Telangiectasia Children's Project. The teacher has two children who have this disease and told Zane that they needed money for a clinical trial. Zane took the quest to the listeners and the radio show managed to raise $65,000 dollars, more than enough money to cover the trial.[17] Zane also followed through with his part of the deal, running the Detroit Marathon and getting the infamous Mr. 10 tattoo.

In 2007, Zane asked for volunteers to join the A-T Army, which was the radio show’s team in the 2008 Walt Disney World Marathon. Each member was asked to raise money and take part in the A-T Children’s Project’s events that weekend. Over forty people signed up and raised almost $50K. Zane is already organizing the Free Beer and Hot Wings A-T Army for the 2009 race.[18]

Awards

The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show won the Michigan Association of Broadcasters award for Best Morning Broadcast Personality/Radio Team in 2005,[19] 2006,[20] and 2007.[21]

Affiliates

Station Location
WGRD-FM 97.9 GRD Grand Rapids, Michigan[22]
WBUZ-FM 102.9 The Buzz Nashville, Tennessee[23][24]
WCHR-FM 105.7 The Hawk Manahawkin, New Jersey[10][25][26]
WDRK-FM 99.9 The Carp Eau Claire, Wisconsin[27]
WEGE-FM 104.9 The Eagle Lima, Ohio[28]
WEXP-FM 101.5 The Fox Rutland, Vermont
WHXR-FM 106.7/104.7 The Bone Portland, Maine
WQBK-FM 103.5 / 103.9 Q-103 Rensselaer, New York
WLRW-FM Mix 94.5 Champaign, Illinois
WQLZ-FM 92.7 The Rock Station Springfield, Illinois
WSFM-FM Surf 98.3 Wilmington, North Carolina
WWHK-FM 102.3 The Hawk Concord, New Hampshire[29]
WYAV-FM 104.1 Wave Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
WWYY-FM 107.1 The Bone Allentown, Pennsylvania
KZRV-FM REV 96.7 St. Cloud, Minnesota
KERX-FM 95.3 The Rebel Fort Smith, Arkansas

References

  1. ^ Free Beer and Hot Wings Info (April 9, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-09.
  2. ^ a b "June 2004 News and Notes", Michiguide.com, 2004-06-11. 
  3. ^ Gross, Dan. "Radio report", Philadelphia Daily News, 2007-07-19. 
  4. ^ WGRD Main Page (2008-04-08). Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
  5. ^ Epplett, Chris. "'Free Beer & Hot Wings' climbs ratings", Grand Haven Tribune, 2007-12-27. 
  6. ^ Hull, Peter. "96 Wave changes programs", Post and Courier (Charleston, SC), 2007-01-10. 
  7. ^ "Event Brief of Q4 2006 Regent Communications Inc. Earnings Conference Call - Part 1", Fair Disclosure Wire, 2007-03-02. 
  8. ^ "Regent replaces Stern with Free Beer, Hot Wings and new format", The Business News, 2005-12-16. 
  9. ^ Schwartz, Philip. "Stern replacement set; QBK to change format", The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, NY), 2005-12-15. 
  10. ^ a b Fybush, Scott. "WBIX Sold (Again)", NorthEast Radio Watch, 2004-06-14. 
  11. ^ Epplett, Chris. "'Free Beer & Hot Wings' climbs ratings", Grand Haven Tribune, 2007-12-27. 
  12. ^ Regent Communications Inc Homepage (2007-12-02). Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
  13. ^ Epplett, Chris. "'Free Beer & Hot Wings' climbs ratings", Grand Haven Tribune, 2007-12-27. 
  14. ^ FBHW Producer Joe Human Carwash. Retrieved on 2008-04-15.
  15. ^ Michigan Association of Broadcasters. Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
  16. ^ Free Beer and Hot Wings - Holiday Break-In. Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
  17. ^ ACTP Updates November 2006 (pdf). Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
  18. ^ A-T Children's Project. Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
  19. ^ Michigan Association of Broadcasters. Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
  20. ^ Michigan Association of Broadcasters. Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
  21. ^ Michigan Association of Broadcasters. Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
  22. ^ Affiliates Homepage (April 8, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
  23. ^ Slack, Chris. "Red Meat and Boobies", Nashville Scene, 2006-11-24. 
  24. ^ The Buzz Homepage (April 8, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
  25. ^ The Hawk's Free Beer and Hot Wings Page (April 8, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
  26. ^ "From Animation to Streaming Radio, Cable Interconnect to Web, Region's Diamond Specialist Takes to the Airwaves in a New Way for a New Generation", MyWire, 2006-03-03. 
  27. ^ The Carps Show List (April 8, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
  28. ^ Free Beer and Hot Wings Info (April 8, 2008). Retrieved on 2008-04-08.
  29. ^ Asmar, Melanie. "He runs to save children", Concord Monitor, 2007-09-06, p. B01. 

External links