The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Jimmy Owen on December 09, 2003, 10:00:08 AM
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According to rronline.com, Casey Kasem, the erstwhile off-camera host of "100%", is stepping down in 2004 as the host of radio's "American Top 40" and will be replaced by Ryan Seacrest ("Wild Animal Games," "Click"). Kasem will continue as host of "American Top 20," the adult contemporary version of the countdown show.
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[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 09:00 AM\']According to rronline.com, Casey Kasem, the erstwhile off-camera host of "100%", is stepping down in 2004 as the host of radio's "American Top 40" and will be replaced by Ryan Seacrest ("Wild Animal Games," "Click"). Kasem will continue as host of "American Top 20," the adult contemporary version of the countdown show.[/quote]
Zoiks! :)
But seriously, I had thought Kasem had left much earlier, to be replaced by Shadoe "Joooooohhhn Davidson!" Stevens (while Kasem wound up doing another countdown show--"Casey's Top 40")--and I wasn't even aware that he had returned (not to mention that AT40 was even still on the air). So, to invoke a lamented GSN original--when did that happen?
Doug -- soon to celebrate 200 posts (the numbers get smaller as the hits get bigger, here on American Top 40)
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[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 10:56 AM\']
But seriously, I had thought Kasem had left much earlier, to be replaced by Shadoe "Joooooohhhn Davidson!" Stevens (while Kasem wound up doing another countdown show--"Casey's Top 40")--and I wasn't even aware that he had returned (not to mention that AT40 was even still on the air). So, to invoke a lamented GSN original--when did that happen?
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Casey, who is in his 60s I suppose, probably realizes how sucky most of the music of the Hot 100 charts is, and decided that the Adult Contemporary chart is more tolerable(even if some crappy stuff winds up on that chart too) to host a format for at his age.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 10:05 AM\'] [quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 10:56 AM\']
But seriously, I had thought Kasem had left much earlier, to be replaced by Shadoe "Joooooohhhn Davidson!" Stevens (while Kasem wound up doing another countdown show--"Casey's Top 40")--and I wasn't even aware that he had returned (not to mention that AT40 was even still on the air). So, to invoke a lamented GSN original--when did that happen?
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Casey, who is in his 60s I suppose, probably realizes how sucky most of the music of the Hot 100 charts is, and decided that the Adult Contemporary chart is more tolerable(even if some crappy stuff winds up on that chart too) to host a format for at his age. [/quote]
Even so, my recollection of Kasem leaving AT40 initially was that it was 1989. Granted, my musical tastes gravitate towards oldies/classic rock rather than the new stuff--so I haven't listened to a top-40 radio countdown in ages (I think the last time I heard Casey on the radio was somewhere around 1995, and I don't believe it was AT40 I was listening to).
So the question still stands.
As an aside, if anyone hasn't heard the Casey Kasem blooper reel--for lack of a better term (". . .every time I do a g***amn death dedication. . ."), it's an absolute classic.
Doug -- soon to celebrate 200 posts (and the hits just keep on coming)
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[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 09:21 AM\'] Even so, my recollection of Kasem leaving AT40 initially was that it was 1989.
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It had to be sooner than that, because they're right about Shadoe taking over. John would mention him as the host when called upon in the latter years of that series when Shadoe was permanently in the lox box.
(Why the hell do they call the bottom center square the "lox box", anyhow?)
(We never got Casey in my radio market, alas, but we did get Dick Clark on Countdown America for some time, and the competing Top 40 station (who ran Dr. Demento) always ran Rick Dees.)
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 10:48 AM\'] It had to be sooner than that, because they're right about Shadoe taking over. John would mention him as the host when called upon in the latter years of that series when Shadoe was permanently in the lox box.
(Why the hell do they call the bottom center square the "lox box", anyhow?)
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I stand corrected. Shadoe took over the week of 8/13/88 (one year earlier). <<TommyFlanagan>>My finger slipped on the keyboard. Yeah, that's it. I was talking to my wife--Pamela Anderson, yeah, that's the ticket--at the time as I was typing.<<endTommyFlanagan>>. :)
As far as the "lox box", Peter Marshall's book talks about it a bit but I can't completely recall the details (and I'm not home right now to retrieve the book). Of course, he may have just referred to it without an explanation as well (I really don't recall). I'll check it out later, or someone with more of a clue will post.
Doug -- soon to celebrate 200 posts (I'm getting closer to my home. . .)
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From this AT40 site: (http://members.core.com/~eswain/athist.html)
Trouble for AT40 began in 1988. Due to contract concerns, Casey Kasem left the show. Casey's last show aired August 6, 1988. Many radio stations and fans were upset. Casey joined the Westwood One radio network and created Casey's Top 40. As a replacement for Casey, ABC Radio Networks hired Shadoe.
Many of the radio stations upset by Casey's departure dropped AT40 in early 1989 when Casey's new show, "Casey's Top 40" debuted. Another blow to AT40 occurred during the early 1990s, when major changes to the Top 40 format took place. Top 40 stations splintered into subformats, including Top 40/Mainstream, Top 40/Adult, and Top 40/Rhythm. Rap and Grunge became quite popular as well. At the same time, Billboard decided to change the way it tabulated the Hot 100. Billboard was now able to track how many copies of a single was sold as well as how many times a song was played on radio stations. On November 30, 1991, the new Hot 100 debuted. Due to the methodology change, more rap and other nontraditional Top 40 music now appeared in the top 40 positions of that chart.
In order to keep a similar pop sound, AT40 switched to an airplay-only chart, the Top 40 Radio Monitor, on November 30, 1991. However, this chart also included the nontraditional Top 40 music. Radio stations continued to drop AT40 and switch to Casey's Top 40 and Rick Dees Weekly Top 40. (Casey's Top 40 was hosted by Casey Kasem and used the Radio and Records Top 40 pop chart, which was an airplay chart.) After 1992, AT40 switched charts again, to the Top 40/Mainstream chart, also an airplay only chart. AT40 used this chart until the end of its run.
Also during this time, AT40 also tried to become more "hip" sounding and changed its jingles and theme. In the last week of June 1992, Shadoe announced some changes would occur next week. On July 5, 1992, the show's 22nd Anniversary, AT40 began with its new theme. However, all of this was not enough. AT40 was no longer heard in the USA after summer 1994, and ended its run on January 28, 1995.
At the end of March 1998, "American Top 40" was revived by AMFM networks, and the show was again hosted by Casey Kasem. In fact, there are now 3 versions of the show. Besides AT40, which is based on the Top 40/Mainstream format, there are 2 "American Top 20"s. One version is based on the Hot Adult Contemporary format (Hot AC), and the other is based on the Adult Contemporary format (AC). These shows use the R&R charts. (From October 2000 to August 2001, the shows used unpublished Mediabase 24/7 charts). Unfortunately there is no official site that shows the entire top 40 from AT40 each week.
Also, I heard that Casey's contract wasn't renewed for AT40, just for AT20.
JOSH
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In addition, when AMFM was acquired by Clear Channel, Casey's shows became distributed by Premiere Radio Networks. Yes, Casey works for the Evil Empire (as does Seacrest, since Clear Channel already owns Star 98.7, the LA station where he does afternoon drive).
And the "lox box" was called that because that's where "Squares" put people who were not believed to be particularly funny. It also happens to be a square that wasn't frequently called on, hence the perfect place for your weaker celebs. Jay Redack probably still wishes he'd put Fred "Rerun" Berry in the lox box the one-and-only week he was on the show and was extremely ineffective--instead he was in the Wally Cox corner.
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[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 12:37 PM\'] And the "lox box" was called that because that's where "Squares" put people who were not believed to be particularly funny. [/quote]
I know that, but I'm still missing something....what does "lox" have to do with that?
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 05:09 PM\'] [quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 12:37 PM\'] And the "lox box" was called that because that's where "Squares" put people who were not believed to be particularly funny. [/quote]
I know that, but I'm still missing something....what does "lox" have to do with that? [/quote]
I happen to have the book [amazingly enough] and here it is:
No jokes were ever written for the bottom center box. We called it the lox box, or the Carol Lynley box.....[cut out description] This spot was also one that didn't get much action, so most of the time the star just sat there for half an hour like a lox, and that's how that particular square got its name.
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[quote name=\'PeterMarshallFan\' date=\'Dec 9 2003, 02:16 PM\']
No jokes were ever written for the bottom center box. We called it the lox box, or the Carol Lynley box.....[cut out description] This spot was also one that didn't get much action, so most of the time the star just sat there for half an hour like a lox, and that's how that particular square got its name.
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Well, there you have it. Thanks, George :)