You're probably no stranger to the Morning Zoo if you were in your teens or twenties in the 1980's. Developed after the death of disco left Top 40 stations with a big hole to fill, the Morning Zoo revitalized early morning radio with a fast-paced improvisational style that for the first time broke down barriers between news and entertainment.
Co-hosts Scott Shannon and Cleveland Wheeler sent ratings off the charts at Q-105 in Tampa as the two co-hosts ripped through hours of gags, pranks, games and contests that included listeners in on the fun. And, there was no turning back once Shannon and Wheeler brought the fervor to New York City. The Morning Zoo was born.
While few could do it like Shannon, lots of stations around the country, including in Connecticut, tried to replicate their success by incorporating the best of the Zoo format into their shows. Anybody remember New Haven's Smith and Barber? How about Hartford's Picozzi and the Horn? How about the NPR Zoo Crew? What do mean you don't remember them?
Today, guest host Mark Oppenheimer revisits the Zoo with the zookeepers.
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Mark Oppenheimer hosted today's show. Chion Wolf was the technical producer.
GUESTS:
- Bruce Barber is the former co-host for 18 years on the “Smith & Barber Morning Show” on WPLR in New Haven and currently an independent producer for WNPR
- Dan Hayden was a program director and on-air personality for 9 years on WHCN in Hartford and currently the president of Pathfinder Consulting and Research and a partner at Misty Radio, an online jazz station.
- Ed Sabatino has held just about every position in radio since he was 16. He also co-hosted mornings with Glenn Beck where they experimented with the ZOO format.
- Kim Zachary is the former sidekick to Jerry Kristafer on WDRC in Hartford and former co-host for 17 years on “The Dan & Kim Morning Show” on WHYN in Springfield
