A Great New Radio Station

If you know me, you know that I'm not a big fan of listening to music on the radio. If you were to sneak into my car and see what I was listening to last, there's about a 75% chance of hearing some movie soundtrack or other instrumental music. The other 25% is going to be dependent upon the time of year - during football season, it'll be about 15% sports radio and 10% talk radio; otherwise, it's just nerdy news and talk. Thus, it was quite an epiphany when a co-worker of mine suggested I check out a new FM radio station that recently came on in Kansas City that is a complete departure from my usual listening habits.

Okay, it's not a music FM station, per se, but it isn't news or sports, either, so that pretty much counts, doesn't it? So what is the wondrous new station? It's 102.5, the new KC affiliate of 24/7 Comedy Radio.

And it's hysterical.

It's basically the best bits of comedy routines from dozens (probably hundreds, now that I think about it) of comics from all over the world. Most are American, but I've heard a couple Australians, comics from several European countries, numerous comics of Middle Eastern descent, and Larry the Cable Guy. Most are only a minute or two long, just enough to hit a single topic, maybe two if they're really on a roll, with only a couple of commercial breaks each hour. So, if you're looking for some quick laughs, a pick-me-up on a crappy day, or just want some sheer audacious entertainment, this is a great station to check out. The only downside is that the "DJ's" who pop on to announce the station name and numbers are complete morons. Ignore them and they'll go away in a few seconds.

Fair warning: some of it could be considered inappropriate for certain ears. As comics are wont to do, there are frequent bits on such controversial subjects as race and religion (though it's usually fine due to the self-deprecating nature of most comics who are the race or religion they're mocking), drugs and alcohol, crudeness, relationships, and sex in all its forms and flavors. They bleep out actual swear words, but children who are old enough to catch innuendos may catch things you don't want them to. If you've ever watched The Last Comic Standing on TV, this is pretty equivalent to that, so listen accordingly. I've always thought that it's easy to take the crude or crass way out in comedy, but it takes some real talent to be genuinely funny while staying clean. Some of these people are the former, but there are a lot of the latter, and that's something I appreciate. This station isn't necessarily for little ears or hypersensitive ears, but for everyone who can take and enjoy a joke, this station is terrific!

I've only been listening a few days, but I've already heard comics from all walks of life and levels of notoriety, from big names like Bill Cosby, Jerry Seinfeld, Ray Romano, and Chris Rock to loads of people I've never heard of before. The one thing that's consistent is that (other than some bits that are simply a matter of personal preference) they're all really, really funny. This station definitely earned a top 5 spot on my preset list.

One of my new favorites is Maria Bamford, a woman who can change voices more effectively than anyone else I've ever heard. I found a YouTube clip of her doing the perfect campaign speech, so I felt it entirely appropriate to post it here:

Listen live here...and don't take a big drink anytime soon.