Jack E. Jett
Story by Renee Baker, Edge Publications, Sept. 25, 2008.
When Jack E. Jett was younger, his mother told him showbiz was a dirty business. So today, he wears The Glove for protection. It is latex. It is yellow. It is his trademark. Last weekend, The Glove and Jett appeared at JR’s Bar and Grill in Oak Lawn for the debut of his Dallas Rational Radio program – The Jack E. Jett Show.
Rational Radio is AM’s alternative to conservative political radio. With a 50,000 Watt maximum “blowtorch of truth” station, they took over the unsung liberal airwaves on July 1st. According to Jack Bishop, manager at AM 1360 KMNY, “We are the progressive and liberal answer to the five other conservative stations in Dallas.”
“With Jack E. Jett,” says Rational Radio sales manager Tony Migura, “we are trying to bring all communities together, not just the races, but the human race”. It sounds like a lofty goal, but with a potential of six to eight million viewers in National syndication and Jett’s television celebrity status, they may just do that. Regardless of their national success, if a high energy, irreverent version of Jon Stewart of the Daily Show is your cup of tea, then you better tune in because it looks like Jett will be leaving liberal contrails all over the sky.
Jett’s debut show started out big with singer Belinda Carlisle of the Go-Go’s and firebrand comic Sandra Bernhard. Bernhard has a soft spot for Jett and made no bones about how Dallas needs him on the air. “You have a unique and wonderful voice and it should always reach the masses.”
Jett promises to be bizarre and humorous and definitely not shy about his views on politicians. On Sarah Palin, Vice Presidential running mate of Republican John McCain, he said, “If there is anything we need for our President is a moose wrestler.” Jett’s partner, John Gennusa, pointed out, “John McCain has had four melanomas and if he gets one more, Palin could be our President.”
Watching the show produced kept the JR’s audience on pins and needles as everything is timed and choreographed to a T. From a radio listener’s perspective, everything went off with no major hitches, excepting perhaps some volume adjustments from call-in guests and a bit of audio feedback.
JR patrons seemed to really click with Jett. Gina Cammarata said, “We are from Austin. We understand the importance of what Jett is doing. We definitely need this radio here…Dallas is a true testing ground.” Mark Sanford said, “He is fabulous! He’s injecting a much needed truth balanced with humor in Dallas radio.”
Jett said television is more organized than radio. This was his first time doing live radio and it was in front of a club audience. He is used to teleprompters and more media direction. But Jett is loving it. He said, “Radio is fun. I don’t have to wear makeup. No wardrobe. I don’t have to worry about being fat and I can tell everyone I look like Brad Pitt.”
If you dare listen to the Jack E. Jett show, tune in to AM 1360 on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. Learn more about the madcap radio and TV personality on his website at http://www.jackejett.com.
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