End of an Era

No it's not something wrestling related but I feel like I need to share this. The morning show that I have been listening to for the vast majority of my life had it's final show today. The Mark and Brian radio program was (I hate to use that word in this context) a syndicated morning show based in Los Angeles for 25 years and a few years before that in Birmingham, Alabama. This radio show epitomized what it meant to be a morning radio show.

I remember first hearing the show when I think I was 8. It was on a trip to the orthodontist and these guys were making jokes on something, I don't know. I was pretty much hooked on it despite some of it being questionable for a kid but I stuck with it. These guys helped introduce sketch comedy and showed that you don't have to have costumes or a TV set to put on a show. Back then I loved the Fabio sketches where Mark would call up "Fabio" and Brian would have this impression routine where "Fabio" would list his new breakfast cereals. Or the time when "Arnold" or "George W Bush" would call into the show and talk about whatever they did on the political stage; sometimes at the same time.

One of the best series of sketches where the M&BTV where they would "Watch TV" which featured greats like "2 straight guys talk about _____ (sometimes with electric shocks)", "Dan and a guy who questions Dan with slang terms for self gratification" and "Big City _____." Sure the setup and execution for these were cookie cutter but they made it work. Some of the greatest sketches off all time would have to be the "Delyle", the Old Yeller sketch and "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown." I could go on and on about the sketches but I have so much more to talk about.

I want to talk about the trivia game. Whether it was "You can't win," "I got your answer hanging," or "Play with the Pros with Ted 10 approved." You would play along and swear to everyone that if you got onto the show that you be a day5 winner. Some of the most hilarious trivia segments had to been the ones with the celebrities that would call in and play too. I think that Luke Perry still has the title.

Whether it was the trivia, the interviews, Mark raving about Elvis, the football picks, the sketches, Brian using the phone filter, the scary scary sound effects, THE CHRISTMAS SHOW. Why haven't I talked about that yet? That has to be the only Christmas special that I can tolerate and actually enjoy and look forward too. When can get Ozzy Ozborne to read "Twas the Night before Christmas?" Or William Shatner or even Morrgan Freeman? I remember wanting Christmas to land on a weekday just so I could listen to the show on Christmas morning.

The whole point of this is to show that the radio world witness the end of a legendary duo that revolutionized the morning show. There will never be another duo that had this kind of chemistry or entertainment factor. This is one of the things that is at my very core of who I am as a person. And I don't want to say goodbye. Sure they will have their own podcasts but it won't be the same. I wish Mark and Brian the best of luck.

And be good to you humans.