The Regular Guys
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2010) |
| Running time | 240 min. |
|---|---|
| Country of origin |  United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| Home station | WNNX |
| Syndicates | WROK |
| Starring | Larry Wachs Eric von Haessler Steve Rickman Sebastian Daskawicz-Davis Tim Andrews |
| Produced by | Tim Andrews (executive) Mark Owens (assistant |
| Recording studio | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Original release | 1998 – date |
| Website | http://www.regularguys.com/ |
The Regular Guys (Larry Wachs, Eric Von Haessler, "Southside" Steve Rickman, and Campbell's Chunky Tim Andrews) is a morning show based out of Atlanta, Georgia radio station Rock 100.5. Its demographic targets are men aged 25 to 49.
The show originated in 1995 on the Los Angeles station KLSX (97.1 FM). Larry and Eric were fired in 1997 after having a meltdown on the air over drug use on their show. In fact, the "meltdown" was just a bit, but management failed to see it that way.
Later in 1998, Wachs and Von Haessler resumed the show on Atlanta station WKLS (96 Rock). The new incarnation of the show was voted "Most Likely to Be Fined by the FCC" in an Atlanta Creative Loafing survey[citation needed]. Wachs and Haessler have never been fined by the FCC, in spite of their two firings.
Wachs and Von Haessler were first fired from WKLS on April 9, 2004 at the height of their ratings success when a graphic interview with pornographic film actress Devin Lane was accidentally aired over a Honda commercial. That interview was intended to be played backwards when the show returned from that commercial break, mocking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) indecency crackdown at the time. Their sidekick "Southside" Steve Rickman was retained by Clear Channel as he had a different contract.
Wachs and Von Haessler were rehired by Clear Channel in early 2005. They returned to the air on March 21, 2005 on sister station WGST Newsradio (640 AM). The news radio format did not fit their narrative style, and so they returned to 96 Rock in May, sans Rickman who was doing the afternoon drive time slot with Tim Rhodes who previously did the mid-day shift on 96 Rock. On September 25, 2006, Rickman began making guest appearances on the show on a nearly daily basis.
On October 23, 2006, Wachs and von Haessler were dismissed from Clear Channel for the second time due to a lawsuit by Viva 105.7 morning DJs Yogi and Panda. Von Haessler's Mad Pundit Radio program which was broadcast Saturday afternoons on WGST, was also dropped. The suit claimed that Wachs recorded Yogi and Panda without their knowledge while having a discussion in separate bathroom stalls. That recording was part of a bit that was played on the show which Wachs said was approved by station management.[citation needed]
In March 2007, the criminal case against Wachs was dismissed by the Fulton County, Georgia district attorney for having no merit. Consequently, Clear Channel agreed to settle Wachs's breach of contract claims against them in an agreement under which terms were not disclosed.[citation needed]
The show returned to Atlanta airwaves on January 28, 2008, on a new rock station (100.5 FM, which is not owned by Clear Channel but by Cumulus Media).
In April 2009, it was announced that the show will be also simulcast on KDBN FM 93.3, a Cumulus station in the Dallas/Fort Worth market.[1] The show was dropped from the Dallas/Fort Worth station in September 2009 due to a format change. In October 2009 the show is once again simulcast to a second market, to WROK-FM in Macon, GA. WROK-FM is also owned by Cumulus.