“The Kimmer” needs no introduction to those of you reading this from the Atlanta/North Georgia area. For those outside of the region, let me give you a little background on “The Kimmer” and why this interview is special to me.
The Kim Peterson Show used to air on a local Atlanta radio station from 3-7 p.m. The show was your typical AM afternoon drive time show–only better and much funnier. It focused on local Atlanta area politics and news stories, national politics, cultural topics, and even some sports. Two areas set this show apart from all other AM local talk shows: the cast, and their comedic talents. In short, it was wonderful blend of actual news and humor. It more than did its job of getting people through Atlanta’s nightmarish rushhour drives.
The show was important to me because my Father is responsible for tuning me into “The Kimmer,” so we’re bonded by that. The show can also be credited, in part, for inspiring me to create The Conservative Beacon.
“The Kimmer” would often talk on the air about how talk radio, especially local talk radio, becomes almost like a family. It sounds crazy but it’s true. I spent the last three years of high school and most of my college years listening to “The Kimmer” on a daily basis. There were many days that my radio never moved from that particular station (for what it’s worth, I haven’t listened to it since “The Kimmer” left). The show became part of my daily routine. I used to listen to it while I studied or worked on calculus homework. While I might not have been able to count on certain evens occurring, or on certain people, I could always count on The Kim Peterson Show. So it was a staple of my routine–a part of my life.
To give you an example of the bond you can develop with a really good talk show, let me tell this story. The long-time traffic reporter for the station that the show was on passed away one morning. The news spread throughout the station all morning and to The Kimmer’s show in the afternoon. Kimmer opened his phone lines to the callers to share their condolences and any stories they might have of how the traffic reporter impacted their lives.
A father of a little girl called in and said that on the day of his daughter’s first dance recital he got help up in a meeting, forcing him to leave work later than he wanted. He knew traffic would be horrible, including alternate routes. Well it just so happens that Atlanta didn’t have just a traffic reporter, it had the best traffic reporter. This guy knew every possible route, and if he didn’t, he found it. The father of the little girl tuned in for the traffic update and heard of an alternate he hadn’t even thought of. Because of The Kimmer Show and the traffic reporter he made it to his daughter’s recital on time. The father couldn’t get through sharing that story on the air without crying. The Kimmer was crying. I was crying.
There are many more stories like that, but the point is that the show and its listeners had a bond. It was like a family–a family that gotten broken up due to corporate political correctness.
So I ask my national readers to indulge me with this interview a bit. I think you’ll enjoy it even though it isn’t very topical. He’s one of us. He’s a strong, unabashed conservative.
(I hope you Atlanta area readers enjoy this as much as I did!)
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