A DAY AT 105.7 THE POINT By Kayleigh Luther
Bear Facts Staff Writer - Ursiline Academy
When you think famous radio personalities, some big names undoubtedly spring to mind. Howard Stern… Bob Edwards… Thom West and Jeff Burton? Yes, believe it or not, the city of St. Louis is home to two lovable oddballs who currently hold claim to the number one, most-listened-to afternoon radio program: The Thom and Jeff Show. It’s no wonder they hold this honor with their witty and often irreverent conversations and audience interaction; they’re probably the most accessible and down-to-earth DJs in the business. However, despite their easygoing attitudes, they do actually work. And on Wednesday January 9, I experienced the whirlwind of the live-radio world firsthand.
To truly understand the dynamic of the show, you first have to understand the DJs themselves. To put it simply, these men are seemingly polar opposites. Jeff Burton is a married father of two girls, attended Eureka, Lindbergh and Vianney high schools, and likes nothing better than watching his daughters play soccer. Thom West is not married, nor does he have children, attended Parkway West high school and loves nothing more than a good party. It is said that it’s the differences in a friendship that bring friends closer together; however, neither Thom nor Jeff claim to be friends…which I have some doubts about. From the second I set foot in the studio, the two men’s, shall we say, kinship was apparent.
The studio itself is one small room, set up with a complex microphone system, three computers, a small TV set to CNN, another complex bit of machinery used for mixing the show segments, the infamous sound board and a single long table set with stools around for well…us. A bit of a tight squeeze! After situating myself at the end of the table, Jeff offered to show me around the office portion of the 105.7 The Point studios before the show…and to get some coffee. Now, one might figure that radio isn’t exactly a sit down at a desk, 9-to-5 job…right? That’s where she would be wrong - there are plenty of people working hard behind the scenes, organizing the Point’s events, finances, etc. That day in particular was delivery day, and most of the interns and the DJs were ogling a new shipment of laptops. However, we didn’t have time to stand around and admire the new technology for long because the show was set to begin in a few minutes.
From the get go, Thom and Jeff’s show can best be described as, well, irreverent, or at the very least slightly crude. They manage to pass themselves off as a couple of slackers who love to party and make fun of just about anything. Don’t believe it for a second. They’re not just kicking back with their coffees during the song and commercial breaks - they’re constantly researching, answering emails, checking the texter and looking for other things they could use for the next day’s show content. However, they’re not all work and no play; they do rock out to the song playing, singing along or poking fun at the artist if they feel the need to. Jeff tends to take care of answering the emails and checking the texter, while Thom works the soundboard, keeping everything on the show running smoothly and on time. They also constantly check their MySpace pages and Craigslist.com, while talking about their personal lives. Thom spoke of a desire to purchase a new car and another friend’s entertainment system while Jeff spoke nearly endlessly about his daughters.
Sticking with the station’s motto of “Everything Alternative”, Thom and Jeff have found a way to distance themselves from the other afternoon stations by actually taking requests. Haven’t you noticed lately that more and more radio stations are going to a digital version of themselves that leaves little room for audience interaction? This show is a breath of fresh air; they not only listen to their audience’s calls and texts, they incorporate them into the show. One conversation led to a near day-long conversation on Wal-mart, a conversation many listeners had a lot to say about. They also have their own comment line set up; however, the comment line itself is used mostly to poke fun at the show, or the DJ’s themselves. Thom, being the master mixer that he is, takes those rude comments, edits them, and in turn pokes fun at all involved, especially the commenter herself. Also, the station set up a text line with help from Maryville University. While incredibly convenient, don’t expect to get your text read on the on air or even to receive a response: the duo gets about 4-5 texts per minute and can’t possibly respond to every single one and still do their jobs properly.
Overall, my experience at the Point can honestly be said to have been a good one. Seeing how radio shows work has opened my eyes to just how difficult it is to run a program, especially when you yourself are the producer. That’s right - Thom and Jeff are their own producers and thus have taken on an even higher workload than most other DJ’s. Thankfully, Thom has experience working as a producer as he did that job for the Howard Stern show after the first incarnation of The Thom and Jeff Show, (The Thom, Jeff and Trish show, with UA alum Trish Gazall) fell through. Thankfully, he and Jeff got back together when Stern left for digital radio and have been happily working together ever since. So for anyone who thinks a typical radio DJ is just another slacker, think again. These two gentlemen will show you once and for all just how hard “pushing buttons” can be.
