This time we're joined by Chris Kelly and Chris Demm, the co-hosts of the popular morning radio show "2 Guys Named Chris". With over 25 years of success, Chris and Chris share their journey from initial radio rivalry to teaming up to become a top-rated morning show.

The duo discusses their unique chemistry, supported by producer Josh Ellinger and meteorologist Dave Aiken, and how a special coach helped them refine their craft. They highlight the benefits and challenges of co-hosting, adapting to the evolving media landscape, and the importance of personal anecdotes in connecting with their audience.

Gain valuable insights into handling on-air disagreements, the importance of being genuine and accessible, and the significance of collaboration. This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in mastering the dynamics of a successful multi-mic morning show.

One-Minute Martinizing (by David Martin)

Please help us thank these underwriting supporters

• Musicmaster
• Radio Content Pro
• Morning Show Boot Camp

Return to BRANDwidth on Demand episodes

YES! Send me the SHOW NOTES preview email

Return to BRANDwidth on Demand episodes

Once we started, he put us together and said, let's see if it'll fly.

2

And the first month or so, we were green

and it didn't look like it was gonna fly.

3

VO: Welcome to BRANDwidth on Demand,

your guide to rebooting radio.

4

Chris Demm: Know your role, pick

your spots and be respectful.

5

And take your job seriously,

but not yourself seriously.

6

VO2: BRANDwidth on Demand.

7

Rebooting radio with a different

take on all radio can be.

8

Now, your guides through the

mediamorphosis, David Martin, and author

9

of the book, BRANDwidth on Demand,

media branding coach, Kipper McGee.

10

Dave: This time around we talk with

a morning show duo who create a

11

daily dose of laughter, information,

and whatever other unpredictable

12

adventures they can cook up.

13

Killer content all from

scratch, folks, really.

14

Radio veteran Chris Kelly brings

his smooth voice and years of

15

experience to the table, having

captivated audiences for decades.

16

Comedic partner Chris Demm keeps

things fresh with his sharp wit

17

and off the wall humor, creating a

dynamic duo that's garnered the hearts

18

of listeners across the country.

19

They've received numerous awards and

accolades, including an NAB Marconi.

20

And they were named North Carolina

Broadcasters Morning Show of the Year.

21

The show has achieved consistent number

one ratings in both Nielsen and Eastland.

22

It's now being heard on

stations from coast to coast.

23

BRANDwidth on Demand is proud to

welcome The one and oh, I guess

24

the two in them guys named Chris.

25

Kipper: Welcome.

26

Welcome.

27

Chris Kelly: Those are the nicest

things anybody's ever said about us.

28

Wow.

29

Thank you.

30

That's very kind.

31

Thank you.

32

Kipper: Okay.

33

So with 2 Guys Named Chris, I

got to ask first, which Chris

34

is which just so everybody knows

35

Chris Kelly: I'm Chris

Kelly and I am Chris Demm.

36

Kipper: And just for the record,

what do you guys do in the show?

37

I mean, you're cohosts, but what's the job

description for each of you and anybody

38

else, major part of the playing cast?

39

Chris Kelly: Yeah, we

have, uh, two other guys.

40

We, we really plan a lot of the

show and, uh, you know, I run the

41

board and sort of kick off each

break, but it's very ensemble.

42

We try, I think we have a really

good group that fits together.

43

Well, great chemistry.

44

We have a third, a producer on the show.

45

His name is Josh Ellinger

and everybody just calls him

46

Biggie because he's a big guy.

47

And then we have a, uh, we have a

meteorologist who joined probably almost

48

20 years ago just to start doing weather,

but he, he was really, uh, such a fun

49

and funny personality that he became part

of the show and his name is Dave Aiken.

50

And, um, It just seems to really

flow well with the four of us.

51

Kipper: That's cool.

52

So on the show, and even in writing and

articles and stuff, you often joke about

53

instantly hating each other because you

were at different stations, although

54

digging a little deeper, I found out

you also kind of grew up together.

55

So what's the story there?

56

Chris Demm: The hatred part is

actually a hundred percent accurate.

57

You know, we, I think we both

58

And at that point, at least in our

experience, a lot of radio was very

59

parochial and there was crosstown wars.

60

There was, uh, battles on the street.

61

And so Chris Kelly entered our,

you know, we kind of entered the

62

market, maybe roughly the same time.

63

He was on a top 40 station and I

was on the classic rock station.

64

And through fate, our owner

purchased both stations.

65

So now we were working for the same

company, working for very powerful,

66

very experienced morning hosts.

67

And so we realized we had the

same job, but our job was to knock

68

the other guy off the podium.

69

And so we really disliked each other in a

way that only insecure radio people can.

70

Chris Kelly: Right.

71

Kipper: Okay.

72

And so then.

73

How'd they get you together?

74

Chris Kelly: Well, then, you know,

Chris Demm is such a nice guy.

75

Uh, all of a sudden we were at

events together and things like that.

76

And then we started playing

basketball together and they teamed

77

us up to do things in the company,

like a plan company, Christmas

78

party skits and things like that.

79

And, you know, I just, Chris Demm is the

funniest person I know, and it's hard

80

not to like him after a while because,

uh, he just is a funny, good guy.

81

And so we became friends and did

things like hang out with other people

82

that we played basketball and sports.

83

And so when there was an

opportunity to put us together,

84

Chris Demm: We had similar interests

for probably, you know, four

85

or five years, well, before we

even thought about doing a show.

86

And as Chris Kelly said, Once we

realized we were working basically

87

the same job, you know, number two

microphones with very powerful hosts,

88

we kind of commiserate over that.

89

And we realized we had a lot of similar

interests and we had zero social life.

90

And so, but we instantly had chemistry.

91

We laughed at the same things.

92

We thought the same movies were funny.

93

The same movies were not funny.

94

And I think we were joking about it

one night after a game of basketball

95

nine o'clock at night, it was

summertime, the sun was still out.

96

And we would often say, wouldn't it

be kind of cool to do a show together?

97

Never dreaming it would happen.

98

But then, uh, it's a long story about

how our company had a syndicated

99

morning program in place and through

no decision of our companies, that

100

syndicated show never happened.

101

Left leaving our WKRR with a

gaping morning show opening.

102

And so we, Chris Kelly lobbied our

boss and said, give us a chance.

103

And stunningly he did.

104

Chris Kelly: He did.

105

Dave: Well, you guys have had this

incredible 25 year run of success.

106

What are some of the unique benefits and

challenges of co hosting a morning show?

107

Chris Kelly: The benefits was we knew each

other for a long time before we started.

108

And once we started, as Chris Tim was

saying about our boss, um, he put us

109

together and said, let's see if it'll fly

in the first month or so we were green and

110

it didn't look like it was going to fly.

111

And we really went through the wars

of trying to improve the show and our

112

boss at the time, we thought he was

going to cancel us because it just

113

wasn't going well in the first 6 weeks.

114

But then he hooked us up with a guy named

Randy Lane, a pretty legendary consultant.

115

And he helped us, that

was the benefit we had.

116

He helped us immeasurably in year one.

117

And then after that, I think, I know

we have the mantra of, you know, we

118

might not be the funniest or best

ever, but we can work the hardest.

119

And so I think we put a lot

of hard work into it early.

120

And the more we did it, I just feel

like it just keeps falling into place

121

more and more chemistry and it gets

just, I won't say easier and easier.

122

I think we'd still try to keep it

fresh and, uh, and come up with

123

more and more things and more and

more topics and stories to do.

124

But learning from Randy Lane early

really helped us propel into some success

125

Chris Demm: as far as

benefits and challenges.

126

You know, I think.

127

I don't want to, I think I

can speak for Chris Kelly.

128

I think we both are doing what

we've always wanted to do.

129

And for that, you can't

even put a value on that.

130

The challenges of course, are,

you know, the radio advertising

131

marketing has changed everybody and

there are more and more podcasts

132

there's there's, you know, people can

listen to content wherever you are.

133

So the challenge is.

134

Making people want to

continue to seek you out.

135

Chris Kelly: What a difference between

now and when we started as far as, I

136

mean, it was us versus 20 other FM signals

here, and now it's West versus a million,

137

everything and streaming and podcasting

and all of that is a amazing challenge.

138

Kipper: Many of which though are yours.

139

I mean, you got your own stream,

you got your shows out, your

140

podcast, your feature bits.

141

Chris Kelly: Well, I think you have to.

142

Kipper: No, absolutely not.

143

I think you're absolutely right.

144

So obviously you agree on a lot of stuff.

145

You laugh at the same things, you get

the same sense of humor, that kind

146

of stuff, which is very helpful, but.

147

Every show invariably will have

some differences here and there.

148

And, one person wants to talk

about the, SAG awards and the

149

other one doesn't or whatever.

150

So can you give us an example of

something you disagreed about and how

151

you resolved it...in real time, then?

152

Chris Kelly: Well, I mean, there have

been times that we've disagreed on the

153

air, but I think for us, there's such a

respect and friendship and long standing

154

chemistry that, you know, you do it on

the air and it's a friendly disagreement.

155

Generally, I don't think

anybody takes it to the next 15

156

minutes or break or whatever.

157

And I know that neither one

of us are really comfortable.

158

I don't think talking about like politics.

159

Sometimes we get into that and

I don't think Chris Dim likes

160

to talk about it very much.

161

And, you know, we'll disagree and

come at it from different sides.

162

And then we usually resolve just

to, I think we're very good at, um,

163

resolving those issues by saying,

okay, we don't want to talk about

164

it, but we have to, because it's

a big enough item in the news.

165

We try to keep everything really light

and funny, but some days, of course,

166

if you've got a school shooting or

something, I hate talking about that

167

kind of stuff, but it dominates the

news so much and he's really good.

168

I'm saying, you know, this really

needs to be addressed and then we

169

try to figure out a way to address

it in a way that fits with our show

170

Chris Demm: and before, uh, Kipper,to

your question about conflicts.

171

I mean.

172

What stands out in my mind was for many

years, it was just Kelly and me, and

173

we didn't even have a phone screener.

174

Kelly would answer the

phone calls live on the air.

175

You know, it was literally

radio without a net.

176

And we did that for five years.

177

And so I think we had some, and

to Randy Lane's credit, he said,

178

you two need to play up your

differences and play your characters.

179

You know, which is an

exaggerated version of yourself.

180

And in my mind, I think we had this,

the lead up to the Gulf War, you

181

know, and that was kind of, we kind

of butted heads on that on the air,

182

but I don't think, to Chris Kelly's

point, we did not take it personally,

183

you know, we knew we just had to do it.

184

Chris Kelly: We're different in

that I, uh Would rather eat at

185

Chick fil a or McDonald's and he'd

rather eat a fine meal and have

186

wine and I'd rather drink Diet Coke.

187

And, and so we play that up to the hilt.

188

And then I would say bring as much,

I do a lot of talking about my body.

189

Family, my son, funny little things

that happened to me throughout the day.

190

I mean, give as much as you can

about yourself because that's

191

what people talk to me about.

192

And we do so many stories about the

news or whatever, but all people talk

193

to me about are the personal things.

194

Uh, you know, two things I can think of.

195

I play pickleball and we talk about it

and that's all anybody talks to me about.

196

And a couple of years ago.

197

I had something happen to me.

198

I got scammed in a, uh, pine straw scam.

199

But guys came by my house and tried

to sell me pine straw and I wound

200

up Making a huge mistake and, uh,

spending a lot of money on pine straw

201

and people remember those things.

202

That's the stuff people really remember.

203

So I would just say, those are the

two things I would say is exaggerate

204

your own character and give as much

as you can about your personal life.

205

Chris Demm: Yeah.

206

And my advice would

be, be a good listener.

207

Um, you know, use, use your time

as wide as you can, because we

208

have incredible phone callers.

209

As Chris Kelly said, we have two other.

210

major players on the show.

211

Everybody has equal

access to microphone time.

212

So listen and you know, remain

in your character and you

213

know, know what your job is.

214

Like Chris Kelly will tell stories

about himself and he leaves himself

215

open for a punchline, which is kind

of an opening for myself or Biggie,

216

uh, our phone screener producer who

has a background in standup comedy.

217

He knows how to come in

with just the right line.

218

You know, it's just sometimes

it's a simple line and then you

219

can take that on a two minute.

220

Comedic tangent talking about anything,

you know, about, you know, how husbands

221

and wives get together or how parents

and children relate to one another.

222

So, you know, know your role and

pick your spots and be respectful and

223

take, take your job seriously, but not

yourself seriously, but that's some

224

of the best advice I've ever heard.

225

Chris Kelly: Great, great way to say that.

226

I mean, I, I feel like, and I think this

is probably Randy Lane that told us this,

227

the more vulnerability you can have, I

don't mind being vulnerable and leaving

228

myself open for jokes because it's.

229

I hear so many hosts say something that's

like, uh, leaves themselves open and

230

vulnerable and the other hosts start to

make, the other co hosts start to make

231

fun of them or joke around and they'll

say, Oh, no, no, no, and try to fight it.

232

I don't do that because I feel like

the comedy is just there for that.

233

I don't mind taking those hits.

234

I think in

235

Chris Demm: comedy, they

call that going with the bit.

236

And Chris Kelly is, you know, A

plus for, for going with the bit.

237

Try.

238

Dave: These guys are amazing

and they're named Chris.

239

That's something else.

240

Somebody you'd love to hear from.

241

We'd love to hear your suggestions.

242

Just email show at brandwithondemand.

243

com or reach out to us on social.

244

Brandwith Plus on Insta,

Facebook, and Twitter.

245

And that, that's X or whatever it is.

246

That's Brandwith P L U S.

247

Brandwith Plus.

248

So should we make that Brandwith

249

Kipper: P L U X?

250

Dave: No.

251

Kipper: So if you're new to the

podcast, we just want to say welcome

252

and please be sure to hit the follow

button wherever you get podcasts.

253

And if you've been with us for

a while, even better, be sure

254

to tell a friend if you would.

255

And We'd appreciate a five star

rating wherever you get your podcast.

256

Dave: Coming up, 2 Guys Named Chris

reveal something they know now that they

257

really wish they knew way back then.

258

Spot1: Here at Musicmaster, we can

help with a lot of things because

259

we've heard a lot of things.

260

Have you ever heard this?

261

Of course you have.

262

It's dead air.

263

Or how about this?

264

Yeesh, what's known as

the trainwreck segue.

265

Or maybe your PD just heard

two of the same artists back to

266

back, and it's not even Tuesday.

267

At Music Master, we know a thing or two,

because, well, we've heard a thing or two.

268

We are Music Master.

269

Perfect the sound of

your radio station today.

270

Check out Musicmaster.

271

com.

272

Spot2: Imagine having your own prep

team working nonstop, a producer

273

picking the best content, a copywriter

making every story hit home, and a

274

marketer finding new ways to grow your

audience, all while a digital team

275

keeps your feeds fresh with the latest.

276

Posts, updates, and videos.

277

What if these pros were available

24 seven market exclusive and

278

affordable for your radio station?

279

Power up your content before the

competition does with radio content pro.

280

Pro.

281

See the demo in action.

282

Just scroll down the show

notes or visit radio content

283

pro dot com slash BRANDwidth.

284

VO2: The stuff we know now.

285

We wish we'd known then.

286

BRANDwidth

287

Dave: on Demand.

288

We're with 2 Guys Named Chris.

289

No, really.

290

They are 2 Guys Named Chris.

291

Guys, what do you know now?

292

You really wish you'd known

way back in the beginning.

293

Chris Kelly: I think I would say, I wish

I had known then that our hard work would

294

pay off in the, in the way that listeners

would trust us and believe in us and laugh

295

at what we were doing without us trying

to reinvent the wheel, as we mentioned.

296

Uh, without us trying to do things that

really weren't in our comfort zone, that

297

what we had was working and, uh, would

work and that it would all pay off.

298

I just, I just wish I had trusted

my, I wish I had trusted what we

299

do now, 25 years ago, because it

took a while to get to that point.

300

Chris Demm: That's a, it's an amazingly

tough question off the top of my head.

301

I would say, you know, be, be accessible

to all the members of your team.

302

I mean, you know, a radio station

is an immense undertaking.

303

We have people who work part time.

304

We have people on our promo team, our

sales team, you know, Kelly and I have

305

always prided ourselves on trying to be.

306

Available and accessible to our

sales team because they're the

307

ones who get us the endorsements.

308

They're the ones who, you know,

keep the ad revenue coming in.

309

So be known and be available in

the building to everybody on the

310

team, because you're all really

essentially working for the same goal.

311

You know, you don't have the same job,

but you're, the goals are the same.

312

Dave: Our thanks to 2 Guys Named

Chris links for their archive

313

shows, podcasts, feature bits,

and more all in the show notes.

314

Just scroll down on your phone.

315

Kipper: As always our thanks to Exec

Producer, Cindy Huber and to Associate

316

Producer, Hannah B for booking.

317

And coming up next.

318

Molly: Hi, it's Molly Cruz,

brand manager of B96 in Chicago.

319

And next time on BRANDwidth on Demand,

I'll share with you the best advice I

320

ever got and how I get through my days.

321

Of being a brand manager in the

third largest market in the U.

322

S.

323

And, uh, and being a mom, all in one day.

324

Dave: That's a wrap, Kipper.

325

Level up with a goal and a plan.

326

That's this time in

One Minute Martinizing.

327

Find it in the show notes

at brandwithondemand.

328

com.

329

I'm Dave Martin.

330

Kipper: And I'm Kipper McGee.

331

May all your BRANDwidth on Demand be wide.