50 years later, `The Car Show' keeps rolling
My first car — and the car I learned to drive in — was a 1974 Chevrolet Vega GT Hatchback, bought new by my sister's college roommate, Roxanne.
I use that story for perspective. The Vega would have been 49 years old now, and it long ago bit the dust. (The Camaro was stolen, so keep an eye out for it.)
On the other hand, a radio program about cars that launched the year before is still on the air: KPFK's (90.7 FM) “The Car Show” celebrated its 50th birthday in February.
It all started in the fall of 1972 when John Retsek and Jack Kirkpatrick were asked to talk about cars on KPFK's “Helpful Hints” consumer-oriented program. The two had so much fun with their occasional appearances that then-station programmer Ruth Hirschmann proposed that Retsek host a car-oriented show weekly. So in February 1973, “The Car Show” was born. Much has changed since then … Hirschmann became Ruth Seymour, moving on to become general manager of KCRW (89.9 FM) in 1978 and creating one of the most prestigious public radio stations in the country. Carburetors became obsolete, replaced by fuel injection of various forms. Unleaded gas became the norm. FM radios started showing up more and more, as did in-dash tape players, then CDs, then smartphone connections and Bluetooth. Fuel mileage increased. Maintenance needs decreased. Safety and cost went way up.
But “The Car Show” held on and is now the longestrunning automotive program, predating National Public Radio's “Car Talk” by four years “and obviously outlasting it,” says current co-host Dave Kunz. Now, in addition to hearing it live over the KPFK airwaves from 1-2 p.m. Saturdays, you can find it in podcast form on various apps and sites including Spotify and TuneIn.
Described as “everything about the automotive world including listener call-ins, event calender, industry news, racing news, new products, vehicle road tests, classic and collector vehicles, in-studio and callin guests on all automotive and related subjects,” the program is now hosted by Kunz and Autoweek magazine journalist Mark Vaughn.
Explains Kunz: “The show has been through numerous hosts over the years. Retsek was at the helm until 2010, when he retired. Art Gould took over, with me moving from fill-in to regular co-host. When Gould passed away in 2019, I sort of inherited the program, and that is when I was joined by Vaughn.”
Through the years the program has remained true to its purpose: talking about cars, the technology involved, new and exciting trends in the industry … and fun. That translates to some longtime listeners, according to Kunz. “I have heard from listeners who've been fans for decades,” he says. “One listener recently called to tell he's been listening since the beginning!” That's dedication.
So raise a glass to the show that originated on a station that, when the show debuted, couldn't even be heard in most of the cars on the road due to the then-dominance of AM radio. Happy birthday, “The Car Show”!
Old tech
As I was driving into work this week — due to the rain, I couldn't ride my bike — and listening to Alt 98.7's “The Woody Show,” as I usually do, it struck me: Here is a show that embraces old technology, at least to an extent. Many of the contests, bits and listener participation segments on the popular program involved people calling in on the telephone.
Yes, the telephone, something that so many seem to have forgotten exists in the era of text messaging and Instagram posts. Yet that banter with listeners is one of the things that makes “The Woody Show” so entertaining.
It also creates a conduit for personalization, as callers who participate and win contests can be promoted on the air, unlike with generic “text this number to win” contests that not only don't really do anything to drive listenership, they don't give the rest of us a chance to hear someone else win.
Something to think about … maybe “Woody” proves the past is the future. Perhaps these are the Days of Future Passed. Or like sand through an hourglass, these are the Days of Our Lives. Showing my age again … .
Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist. Email rwagoner@ socalradiowaves.com