Bob and Brian is a talk radio show broadcast from WHQG in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Topics of discussion include politics, celebrity gossip, and sports, along with the random daily events.
The show broadcasts weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and repeats as a week-in-review show on Saturday mornings.
Longtime friends who grew up in Union Grove, Wisconsin, Bob Madden and Brian Nelson went to high school and technical college together before teaming up to work in radio in January 1981. They had brief stints for stations in Florida, Missouri, Michigan, and Toledo, Ohio, before moving to Milwaukee's "Lazer 103", WLZR on July 20, 1987 (WLZR has since become WHQG).[1]
"Who’s The Stiff?" (7:00) — A game show pitting two phone-in contestants against each other, with up to five randomly drawn questions. The loser of each round, and the game, is "The Stiff". Daily prizes are awarded and winners are entered into a drawing for a getaway vacation.
"Sports (8:10) — with Tim Murray" ('It’s Raining Men' by The Weather Girls)
"This Day in History" (9:20) — Brian recaps the significant events, births, and deaths of that particular day in history.[3]
"One Question Line" (9:45) — Viewers are allowed to ask a single question. Callers are reminded not to say "Can you tell me ?" "DO you know ? "I was wondering" or "My question is" [3]
Weekly
Gary Graff/ Rabbi of Rock (Music Report on Fridays)
Occasional guests
The Boogie Men — local Milwaukee band
Fireman Jim (Theme From Medical Center) — fire safety expert and Star Wars enthusiast[3]
A. J. Christopher — much-traveled veteran disc jockey[3]
Vern Cunningham aka "Vern the Carny" — hard of hearing carnie who talks about life at the fair[3]
Santana Dotson ("Atomic Dog" by George Clinton) — interviewed each Monday, with repeats on Tuesday, during the National Football League season to give his insights
Jimmy "Masterlock" Dugan ('Viva Las Vegas' by Elvis Presley) — gambling "expert". Calls in on Fridays during football season to give his picks[3]
Seth Grunlode ("Shambala" by Three Dog Night) — Lost expert[3]
Matt Kenseth ("Dirt Track Date" by Southern Culture on the Skids) — interviewed each Thursday during NASCAR racing season
Kirk Rocker — shock jock who talks about "the Man"[3]
Joe Panos aka "Mr. Halloween" ("Dance For Halloween" by Chris McKhool) — former offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills in the NFL; unofficial goodwill ambassador for the Halloween season[3]
Mike Toomey ("Batman Theme" from TV series) — comedian and master impersonator[3]
Mark Metcalf ("Shama Lama Ding Dong" by Lloyd Williams) — actor who discusses movie news and reviews[3] (was a weekly segment through May 2013)
Occasional segments
Fan Letters — Listeners are given the opportunity to send in stories on various themes throughout the year. The debut series involved boat launch disasters. Letters are eligible for a grand prize.[4]
A list of themes is below:
All my Packers
Bad Breakups
Bad Camping
Bad First Dates
Bad Job Interview Stories
Bad Roommates
Boat Launch Stories
Bureaucracy
Father Knows Least
First Car
Football Tales
Great Outdoors
Gym Class Stories
Holiday Horror Stories
Home Destruction
Hunting
Lawn Care Disasters
Meals Gone Wrong
Shortest Job
Smashed In The Face
Tee’d Off Golfing
Vacation Disasters
We're Thinking of a Brewer
Wedding Disasters
Worst Jobs
Wreck The Halls
Where you goin', What you takin' — B&B along with Carrie take calls from listeners, usually around major holidays, and simply ask "Where you goin', what you takin'".[3]
Charitable contributions
B&B event logos
28 Hour Radiothon — During the second week in April, B&B host the 28-hour Radiothon for the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MACC Fund). The Radiothon includes guest interviews with those in the sports and entertainment industry.[5]
Gutter Bowl — On the last Friday of February, Bob and Brian host a bowling tournament to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Wisconsin. During the event, items are given out and contests are held.
HOG For Hunger — November around Thanksgiving, the Bob & Brian crew, along with the other rock jocks at the station, have a three-day remote broadcast where they seek food donations for the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee.[6]
OPEN Golf Outing — Wisconsin’s largest charity golf tournament, held annually on the last Friday in July. Money is raised by purchasing golfing spots.
Plane Pull — Hosted every October, the Midwest Airlines-sponsored event features 30 teams of 12 attempting to pull a Midwest Airlines aircraft 15 feet across a tarmac in less than 10 seconds. Teams compete for the top prize of roundtrip travel to any Midwest Airlines destination. Money raised goes to the Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer (MACC) Fund.[7][8]
Compilation albums
Bob and Brian annually release albums containing highlights of the broadcasting year. The cover artwork is illustrated by local Milwaukeean Matt Zumbo.[9] Proceeds from the album sales go to the Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee and the MACC Fund.[10]
Bob And Brian CD covers from 2011, 2010, 2009, & 2008
