JOIN US'RJing is one of the greatest jobs'
In a chat with Metrolife, the talented radio jockey from America, speaks about his fascination with India and his experiences on and off air!
During his college days in America, the local radio station was looking for an assistant promotional manager. “My friend suggested I try for the job. I told him I know nothing about radio.” But Kenny tried his luck anyway and got the job. “Later, a company bought over the radio station and got rid of some of the on-air staff. So one night, my manager asked me to go on air and I thought, ‘Why not’. And as they say, the rest is history,” he laughs.
Kenny has worked in some of the best stations across America — Ohio, Nevada and Arizona; and even the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean. But this is his first trip to India. “I had always wanted to visit India. I had heard so much about its hill stations, beaches and greenery.”
When his friends and family got to know he is shifting base to India, they thought he’d be playing Bollywood music! He adds, “My parents thought I was crazy to be shifting to the other side of the globe. But then my dad’s heart surgeon is from Bangalore.”
A typical day for Kenny starts at 5.30 am. “I make my way to the station. The morning crew and I meet at 6 am and check out what’s happening in Bangalore, India and across the world. We come up with a tentative plan and think of good topics that can get the people talking. By 7 am, we are into the mike.”
Kenny loves all kinds of music. “David Guetta, Flo Rida and Daughtry are some of my favourite artistes.” When it comes to Indian music, he loves Swarathma and The Raghu Dixit Project. A big animal lover, Kenny admits to carrying dog biscuits always, to feed stray dogs in the City. “I’d have adopted five or six dogs if I didn’t have three cats already,” he notes.
Ask him about the challenges of being an RJ and he feels there are none! “It’s one of the greatest jobs in the world. I wouldn’t want to trade it with anything. If we sound like we are having a great time, it is because we are having a great time,” he laughs.
So what are his future plans? “I am probably going to have lunch after this call,” he catches you offguard! But on a more serious note, he plans to be a part of various initiatives like going green and save the tiger campaigns. And mainly, he wants to stay connected to people. “I plan to be here as long as people can put up with me,” he jokes as he signs off.