Who the hell cares?
on February 10, 2006.
There are 2 other interviews of note:
From Howard Stern's website
December 6, 2004
Inside the Dump - With Dead Air Dave
How did you get started in radio and how did you end up at K-ROCK?
I was one of those geeks who grew up glued to the radio. Born and raised in NYC, I was lucky enough to attend a high school that allowed me to do an internship for credits in my senior year. That combined with my turning 18 at the right time led to an internship at the old classic-rock 92-3 K-ROCK in 1994.
I did the typical intern BS. Lots of phone-answering, copying, office crap, promotions, but when I was allowed in the air studio to assist the DJs I observed and learned as much as I could. K-ROCK was my school of broadcasting.
I made a fake tape pretending to be on the radio and sent it to about 70 stations. My first gig on the air was in Poughkeepsie NY for 6 months where I lived next door to a very large black drug dealing pimp, then in Wilkes-Barre PA (aka MIDDLE OF NOWHERE) for just over 2 years, then back to NYC in 1997 to be on several failed formats on 105.1FM. At one point for nearly a year they were dumb enough to call the thing 'BIG 105'.
The entire time I was at 105.1 I was sending tapes over to K-ROCK incessantly. Timing was perfect when 105.1 fired my ass in August 1998 and K-ROCK hired me less than a month later.
It's great when you know ahead of time that you're being called in to get fired. The hillbilly Program Director (I think he was from Texas) said "I'm'a haffa letcha go" and I was like "Sounds great!" He turned shades of purple when I had a big S-Eating grin on my face. He was also shocked to find that I had already cleaned out my locker after my last airshift. I think he's programming somewhere in market #374 now.
You worked the overnight shift here. What is that like?
When K-ROCK hired me I realized I would be doing a lot of overnights and actually bought a tiny AM/FM Walkman so I wouldn't miss a minute of Howard on my way home. Isn't it ironic?
Overnights are unique because they are not the focus of management. At times it can turn out to be a lot more fun than a normal airtime. This being New York City, it's not the typical radio 'overnight'. A LOT of people are listening. Granted most are drunk and high, but hey it's all about vibe.
Not to mention there are no salespeople running around acting all creepy and the Program Director is home sleeping. There are fewer commercials, and more room to experiment with stuff you might not put on the air in the middle of the day. It's a great shift to grow on.
Explain how and why you started working the dump button for the Howard Stern Show.
In early 2002, previous K-ROCK Program Director Steve Kingston and our General Manager you know and love, Tom Chiusano, asked me to assist until they would be able to find someone permanent to replace former censor Andre. I was willing to help out in the interim, but insisted that under no circumstances would I accept the position full-time. When they realized I wasn't kidding, a serious offer was made with a good salary in addition to a certain amount of guaranteed airshifts every week. Being a part-time DJ, guaranteed airshifts mean you don't have to get nervous every time the schedule comes out. It's like job security in an industry where that's almost nonexistent. So I counteroffered high, and surprisingly they accepted. I was screwed.
What kind of training were you given prior to working the button?
Tom would sit in Master Control (aka THE BUTTON ROOM) and we would both listen to the show. After a couple of months, I was on my own. Then Janet Jackson showed her stupid aging ornament-clad boob, a month later Clear Channel executes their moronic scapegoat plot and Tom was back with me every morning. The rules had changed again. Unfortunately they keep changing every day, given our current climate. Howard's not kidding when he says the show could disappear at any time; the company is doing everything it can to make sure that doesn't happen.
Besides the obvious, how do you determine what to hit the button on? What is the process after you dump something? Do you have to file any reports or meet with Tom Chiusano?
Whenever the button is hit I transcribe the verbiage. This hated piece of paper goes through Tom, and is emailed to Howard every day. Determining what to hit the button on is not something that can be easily explained, thanks to our friends at the FCC. Most of the thought process is based on previous fines and what we think could get us in trouble given the ridiculous current climate.
Have you ever dumped something you realized later should not have been dumped? What is your worst example of this?
Of course I haven't. You've never screwed up at work, have you? We are all perfect.
How, if at all, has this job impacted your life negatively, both here at work and in your home life?
At work I have been subject to dopey jokes in the hall after certain segments filled with obvious bleeps, like 'how's your finger?' Or 'they're actually making you work today?' Recently I just get looks that one would give to a lost or injured puppy. People see what's going on.
Doing what I do for a living can be amusing in social situations. When I tell someone that I'm a radio personality they are either impressed and think its cool, or laugh and think I'm a circus monkey. Throw in the Howard dump-button and they don't even know how to react. Recently, people just start asking a million questions. If I'm just the right amount drunk it can lead to good conversation. Couple drinks after that I wanna start hitting people and telling them to F off and leave me alone.
Do you hate being considered an enemy of the show by some? If so, what would you tell all those people out there who hate you for censoring the show?
I think you would have to be somewhat retarded to consider me an enemy of the show. If I was to die, or my finger was to fall off, someone else would be doing the job. It wouldn't simply go away. If you actually hate me for what I do, maybe you should direct that anger towards something that could improve your sad, pathetic life. I think that there are times in everyone's days when there is no choice but to do something they really don't want to do for money. It could be a lot worse. I can't handle manual labor.
What do you want to do career wise in the future?
Obviously I am aware that my work as a censor will conclude a year from now. Fortunately I am also a personality on K-Rock and will continue with my on-air work after Howard leaves. In addition to hosting music shows on Sirius Satellite Radio, I am developing talk/entertainment programming that could be a good fit in the future. I am also seeking representation for voiceover work. Lastly, I would like to offer my services to all soap operas shooting in Manhattan. I can certainly play the evil guy that steals some dude's girlfriend and makes off with her and the baby. I'm in AFTRA, can grow facial hair quickly and I live in Midtown. deadairdave@gmail.com
If you could go back in time, would you still take the job censoring the Howard Stern Show?
Yes.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some Fordham University kid interviewed me in February 2005 for a paper he was doing. He was happy with my answers, and I asked for a copy of his paper when it was done. He never sent it. Here are excerpts from the interview:
What was your educational background? What did you find most useful and least useful for your career?
I was born and raised in the Murray Hill section of New York City, and entered Hunter College Campus Schools at the nursery level. That means I attended classes in the same building from that point until graduating High School. Hunter High is a school for the gifted, so I was lucky to be surrounded by people more book smart than me. At the time I felt like a retard, but I was actually getting a very good education.
Years later what I learned in English classes, Creative writing and Social studies absolutely came in handy. Math and science were not as useful to me, although I’m great with personal money management and can mix a killer Bloody Mary.
As a senior at Hunter I was able to do an internship for school credit. Radio stations generally limit their intern programs to college students only, but I happened to turn 18 at the right time and somehow made it happen. I interned at the old classic rock 92-3 K-Rock, which turned out to be my school of broadcasting.
Why did you become interested in the media?
I grew up glued to the radio. I thought it was the coolest thing to be able to turn on this little box and be so thoroughly entertained. The relatable, human aspect of it certainly was very exciting.
How did you get started in your field?
As a teenager I would call DJs at stations like WPLJ and Z100 and practically interview them. I would ask questions about their work, pay attention to the way they spoke on the air and on the phone, and learn as much as possible. When I interned at K-Rock I was able to watch the DJs in action, interview them in person and observe the mechanics of one of the most successful radio stations in the nation’s largest market.
After several months, I put together a tape pretending to be on the radio. I sent it to about 60 stations. I must have received about 10 form rejection letters, 5 phone calls from program directors impressed with a kid barely out of high school, and ONE actual job offer. So I packed my stuff and moved to Poughkeepsie, NY. My on-air career started in market #149 at WPDH, at the time the Hudson Valley’s #1 Rock station.
What were some jobs you held before your present job? Which did you like the most which did you like the least?
I have worked at radio stations worth half a billion dollars and radio stations where bats fly around at night. Ok, only one station I worked in was a residence for bats. It was in an old castle. Throughout my career I can pick high points from even the worst times.
From 1995-96 I worked at a Top 40 station in Wilkes-Barre, PA. I must have been busting my ass about 60 hours a week for slightly above minimum wage. My station got behind a campaign to build an event arena to bring sporting events and concerts into the area. We couldn’t believe how opposed to this the people were. Northeast PA is not a progressive area. Nevertheless, we promoted the hell out of this “Arena YES” campaign, and years after I left there the thing finally got built. Whether or not we had a small part in that, I’ll certainly take pride in it.
http://www.wachoviaarena.com/
In 1997 when I made it back to NYC I worked at 105.1FM The Buzz. It had just changed formats from Mix 105. The Buzz lasted less than a year, before becoming FM105.1, and then BIG 105. What a disaster.
Luckily I was fired from there and hired less than a month later at K-Rock. Since that time, 105.1 went on to become Jammin’ 105, and has finally found success in hip-hop as Power 105. I know what it’s like to work at stations nobody cares about, and the flagship Howard Stern station. There’s quite a difference!
Did you work for a college radio station during your college years?
There were no college years.
Are there any figures in your industry that you admire or look up to?
Howard Stern, Mel Karmazin, Kid Kelly, Steve Kingston.