KSAS-FM afternoon/evening/overnight/morning/midday jock-of-all-shifts Keke Luv is in the home stretch - with less than 21 hours left until he reaches the 175 hour mark.
His story has been pretty hard to miss - with splashy profiles by both of the Valley’s news organizations — KTVB did a Sunday night feature, as well as shorter stories on Friday and Monday. The Idaho Statesman featured Luv (aka Steve Kicklighter) in today’s edition as well. Oh yeah… and Fox News Channel spent 3:30 interviewing Luv and talking about the charity he’s rooting for - Idaho’s Heart (video below).
I can’t tell you how many random people have been asking me questions about the stunt… and it’s a serious water-cooler topic around town. I have seen nothing like it in my five years covering the local industry.
The buzz continues to build, and with each passing hour, the radio gets a little better. At one point, Luv couldn’t remember what floor of the Peak building the studio was on. (It’s the first floor…) Hooker later said he “almost peed his pants” at the question.
Other notes:
- Listeners are invited to show up in the Peak Broadcasting parking lot to help support KeKe through the home stretch. He’ll be outside starting with hour 174 at 4pm tomorrow
- Get this: Luv will have one day to sleep before getting on A PLANE Friday… He’ll fly to the midwest for his sister’s wedding - where he’ll give her away. Then he will drive to Memphis - and from Memphis to Boise.
- Luv says he plans to keep his usual engagement at Hannah’s tomorrow…
- In the past week - Luv has sat through Miley Cirus’ See You Again at least 86 times. This doesn’t include a promo for Live for 175 that uses that same song as a music bed.
- The Idaho Daily Statesman thinks Peak Boise SVP Kevin Godwin’s name is Steve I guess. It’s not like the guy’s been in the news lately or anything…
(He) intends to continue the celebration of the station’s effort to call attention to child abuse prevention, said Steve Godwin, senior vice president of the station, part of Peak Broadcasting.
on Apr 9th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
So when are you going to look into the dark side of this and quit acting like a prom date. This is supposed to be Idaho Radio News, not PEAK Support Website.
Questions that should be asked,
“Why didn’t the paperwork get filled out for the records”
Is he going to get the manditory drug test that would have come with being a part of the records anyway?
Why the first week of the book and not out of the book like Citadel.
What is going to be done for continued follow up or is this just a stunt for publicity.
Sorry but Keke needs to be tested for substances. He doesn’t sound or look like someone who has been up for 150+ hours.
I’ve dealt with people who havn’t slept like that and after 4 days your motor function is shot, 5 days you start to see and imagine and see things. Check for yourself. What he is doing is impossible without either cheating on the sleep or doing illegal drugs.
Now be a radio news site and act like it or change the name because you aren’t doing news you are getting caught up in the emotion.
Editor’s note: Really?
on Apr 9th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Absolutely un-freakin’-beleivable.
on Apr 9th, 2008 at 9:21 pm
To Peabody,
It’s spelled out in the Idaho Statesman. He’s been taking breaks every 8 hours for 15 minute periods and was allowed to take ‘cat naps’ during those breaks if he wished- therefore it wasn’t really the World Record. But, the point was - awareness was raised.
As for the comment about doing it during the book - Child Abuse Awareness month is April. So, kicking it off at the beginning of the month only makes sense, right? Regardless, the entire month is part of the book so it would not have mattered if he started the feat on tax day.
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Wow Peabody, way to crap over everything. what KeKe did was awesome…no matter what people like you say
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Yeah Peabody…REALLY? What the hell is your credential for making your idiotic claims? Doing lines and shots backstage does not constitute “working” with people who haven’t slept for many days… Are you a physician? MSW, CSW or LSW with credentials in SA disciplines? Are you a CADC or even an ISAS? Put up or shut the hell up. Who gives a damn if he filed the paperwork? He made it clear that it wasn’t about him. I don’t even listen to KISS but my son had me listening in and I’ll tell you… Keke did it and it appears he did it clean. KTVB just reported that Peak opted not to register the record but the follow up story about child abuse is what Keke was wanting to accomplish. Great job Keke! Mr Peabody… go lick yourself!
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
I agree with Stephanie… Jeez! Every radio station must generate listenership, duh. So if you’re going to stunt and you can help the helpless at the same time, everyone wins. It doesn’t nullify the great accomplishment of raising awareness to child abuse. Most radio-thon’s designed to raise money for charity are ratings killers (I’ve had to facilitate quite a few, so I know)… so if Kiss kept their listeners and grabbed some new ones while raising money, its a homerun.
And I strongly disagree about this not being news. If it wasn’t news Fox, KTVB, the local newspaper, and others wouldn’t have mentioned it. I’m with Don on this that I haven’t seen something create this much buzz in a long time. Great coverage, Don. I was one of those 1,000 watching the final moments online.
I’ve never met KeKe, but add me to the list of well wishers… well done man.
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Thank you, Jim! For your information, Peabody, I can say, being that I WORK there and all, who cares WHEN he did this? As Jim stated, this was not about any record. Drug test? He intended on doing that without regard to making an OFFICIAL record. There was staff with him AROUND THE CLOCK! Between airstaff from KISS and promotion folks, he was never left alone. There was a webcam tracking him at all times. I am there anywhere from 10-12 hours a day and he never slept while I was there… He drank no caffiene, with exception of 1 Dr. Pepper on Wednesday, a few hours before the end of the shift, which was ordered by a doctor. He was being monitored by a doctor and other medical staff several times a day. And you will NEVER see him take any drugs… He eats extreamly healthy, and has a regular workout regimen.
Face it, Peabody, you stepped in a huge pile of doo doo, and have absolutely no basis for your statements. Admit it, it’s a case of scoreboard! He pulled it off, and you are jealous.
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
“This is supposed to be Idaho Radio News, not PEAK Support Website.”
Peak is the only broadcasting company in town actively trying to make a difference. They are the example of what radio can be and should be (not including the Mix 106 stolen car incident).
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… Boise radio has been mediocre for far too long. Congrats to Peak for having some balls and challenging the low standards of Boise radio. Complacency and mediocrity should not pass as unacceptable. Yet, from what I can see, Peak is the only broadcast company in town willing to change that. Until someone else steps up, Peak should continue to be praised for making a difference.
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
I meant to say… “Complacency and mediocrity should not pass as acceptable.”
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
I was one of those crazy web viewers. I was so intrigued that I slept with my laptop in bed and watched the video stream. Unless something slipped pass me, everything I saw was legit and validated. (Except for Byl, he got a little crazy and twisted with his early morning infomercials! Just kidding!) Detractors be damned. On a side note, I don’t live in Boise nor am I in KISS’s demographics, but I rediscovered CHR radio again, listening to Keke. I haven’t listened to CHR in probably 20 years but I enjoyed the imaging and music mix. For the most part it was a good mainstream mix, proving that not only is Keke a great humanitarian, but a good programmer too! Congrats Keke!
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Lest we all forget how active stations such as the River, with all of their community minded activities and charitable actions, or even Kissin ‘92, with their charities such as Keep Kids Warm, bring to the table.
Seriously, what Keke did was great, and it brought a lot of awareness to the grave matter of child abuse, which is exactly what this “stunt” was meant to do. Congratulations are indeed in order.
But Adam, to stand on your soap box and claim that Peak is the only company making a difference, is indeed one of the most ignorant claims you could make. I could sit here laud all the great accomplishments that Journal makes that surpasses your stations, but in the end, that’s only because I work for them, and am just looking at the view from the inside, which is exactly what you are doing.
Anytime any company, station, or jock does anything to raise awareness and make a cultural impact it should be applauded, no matter who you are, or where you work.
As for your comment “Complacency and mediocrity should not pass as acceptable” you are right. And although what has been accomplished on KSAS is an amazing feat, and definitely not one to look at disparagingly, to meet your criteria they would need to either continue to bring such notable acts on a regular basis, or they would have just been a brief shining spark in the darkness of Boise’s “mediocre” radio market.
Long story short, Adam, when your company officially and note worthily backs up the claims you make, then, and only then, will I truly believe you guys are the only ones making a difference.
So stop being a glory whore.
Oh, and Peabody, they’re right. You kind of missed the point.
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Hey Ian.
et tu Brutae?
At the risk of repeating myself “un-freakin’-beleivable”.
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
In retrospect, I think we should give Peabody the benefit of the doubt. How about we all meet on the soundstage they filmed the moon landing on and discuss this?
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Okay, we can’t officially call it a Peak support website. But if you listened to anyone else but peak, you might have some news on other stations. There’s so much going on right now and all I’ve heard is about 2 stations.
And Ian is right. So many stations do so much to make a difference (in and out of the book) and it’s often overlooked here. And they don’t care. They do it to make a difference, not for publicity and 15 different stories about it on this website.
As for Adam, if you think peak are the only ones who do any community service around here, you’re obviously new to the area. Or listen to one station (and never watch the news) all day.
It’s going on all the time, and the fact that no one talks about it shows how subjective a blogging website can be.
Either way, this was a book promotion and successful I would say? I just hope they continue to support the cause after this is over. It would be interesting to see if they do (or any cause for that matter).
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I wasn’t saying that KSAS (or Peak for that matter) is the only station that makes a difference in the community. Prior to this promotion, I couldn’t even name a single thing they’ve done involving the community. Hopefully, that’s more because I don’t listen to the station rather than their lack of involvement. And I’m sure it is.
Other stations in town do great things. The River has the “Concert for Cause” every year. The X does the annual school supply drive. K-Hits is involved with the Race for the Cure. KIZN does the keep kids warm coat drive or whatever it’s called. KIVI does the community baby shower. KTSY probably does more for the community than any other station. There are lots of stations in Boise that make a difference… many more than I’ve listed here in both radio and TV, undoubtedly. But that’s not my point.
I was simply stating that Boise radio has become “set in its ways”. Stations here rarely “push the envelope”. I’ve been in Boise radio for four years. Yet, to my recollection this is the biggest and most talked about story during that time. To me, that is the sad part. Why has it taken four years for Boise radio to get some national attention? (Not including the attention Citadel got with the Bob & Tom boob billboard.) Why has it taken so long? That was the point I was trying to make… Why has it taken so long?
Radio is an extremely powerful medium. It has the potential to impact a vast amount of people. Why has it taken so long? If you want a soapbox, there it is. Why has it taken so long?
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I’ll note that I’ve checked with several sources at Journal because I feel out of balance on coverage of that group - and have several posts ready in the next few days. I also post LOTS of the great stuff done by ALL the groups.
I’m trying…
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
To be fair, I wasn’t trying to play the whole “equal attention” card.
I just wanted to rant about something.
on Apr 10th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
Same here.