Robbins, Kinney & Cowan, KPOP-FM Roseville, CA. November 23, 1984 (39:34)

This Exhibit 'SCOPED (18:46)

. . . What about us dorks? Sure, we're covered under Jewish law, they don't eat dorks . . .

[Description by Contributor Jeff March]

Paul Robbins, Paul Kinney and Phil Cowan had been working as a standup comedy team and had picked up a few extra bucks writing and recording commercials when the general manager of KPOP (FM) caught their stage act one evening in 1984 at the Laughs Unlimited comedy nightclub in Sacramento.

On a hunch, the GM asked the trio if they'd like to try their hand at radio — specifically, the morning program on KPOP. Among the three, only Kinney had worked in radio, in Santa Rosa, a small town north of San Francisco. With nothing to lose but maybe a little pride, they accepted the radio gig — and they slid into it with remarkable ease. They obviously enjoyed each other's company, and had terrific chemistry, and the novelty of a live comedy act on the radio every morning drew a lot of listeners to the previously nondescript radio station.

With only 3,000 watts and a tower location in the Placer County town of Roseville, about 18 miles from Sacramento, KPOP lacked the signal oomph of its far more powerful competitors. But word quickly got around, people began tuning in, and the station began making some noise in the market. The newfound prominence of the station was evident in its ability to lure to its lineup Kevin "Boom Boom" Anderson, who previously had made a name for himself at Sacramento album rocker KZAP. Anderson made his KPOP debut on this energetic aircheck, as Robbins, Kinney and Cowan introduced him to the audience. Also heard on this 'check is newscaster Ann Schmidt, who previously was with KROY-FM and subsequently went to news-talk ratings leader KFBK.

In 1987, Kinney left the on-air trio as Robbins and Cowan signed with KFBK's FM affiliate KAER — which later switched call letters to KGBY/Y92. There, as Paul and Phil, they remained at or near the top of the ratings for nearly 20 years.

Be sure to catch the news item about RCA's offer to let people trade in their defunct-format video disc players for a VCR.

Robbins, Kinney, Cowan, KPOP November 23, 1984