The “Roula and Ryan Show” began in January 2003. They have been together for over 18 years and remain the longest-running morning show in KRBE history. And the longest-running ensemble show in Houston.
The main characters are Roula, Ryan, Kevin, and the glue that keeps it all together, Executive Producer Eric Rowe. Eric just had his name officially added to the show, an accomplishment he didn’t ask for, but one that both Roula and Ryan fought to make happen.
In the beginning, Eric was helping remotely from a Dallas station before officially taking the job in Houston. Roula had been on a successful morning show at Q102 in Philly before being recruited to return to her hometown, Houston, for Mix 96.5. She and Ryan both worked at KRBE in the ’90s but just missed each other. Ryan left for Z100 in New York as Roula arrived.
Ryan later co-hosted The Jagger, Ryan, and Julie Show in Dallas, where he and Eric became friends. He then moved to LA to work at KROQ before returning to Houston for a new show on Mix 96.5. In 2005, Mix let the team go, not knowing of their massive fanbase. Before social media, their website still generated 1.3 million views and impressions in just three months. Nine months later, KRBE hired them, while Mix 96.5 has gone through at least 13 different morning shows.
Each character on the show has their dynamic role. The perfect combination that makes them hands down the leader in the market. Roula is “The Heart.” She brings passion, emotion, and an undeniable connection with listeners. She wears her heart on her sleeve and makes the audience feel everything right along with her.
Ryan adds “The Spark.” He’s the one who stirs things up, whether it’s making people laugh, pushing buttons, or saying something that gets a big reaction: good or bad. He keeps things unpredictable and keeps the energy high.
Eric is “The Backbone.” He keeps everything running. He’s organized, creative, and loves to strategize to make sure the team is always evolving while staying true to what makes them great. Special K (Kevin) is “The Wildcard.” He’s the unpredictable, off-the-wall energy that keeps things fresh and fun. Whether it’s pranks, characters, or just saying something completely unexpected, he brings the chaos in the best way possible.
And Sam is literally the controller of the chaos. She runs the board and chimes in on almost every break. She brings a different perspective that balances out the show. Whether she’s jumping into the fun or keeping things grounded, she’s the younger voice that listeners connect with on a personal level.
“Our show plays a key role in supporting the Houston community,” says Eric. “We call ourselves ‘The Heartbeat of Houston’ because, when someone needs help, we step in. From raising money for Texas Children’s Hospital to launching our Houston Heroes campaign, where listeners help each other directly, we’ve made a real impact.”
“We’ve even helped the Houston Fire Department secure their first raise in decades by collecting 60,000 signatures in three days to get Prop B on the ballot. Our commitment to this city runs deep, and we take ‘The Heartbeat of Houston’ moniker seriously.”
“During natural disasters, our show becomes a lifeline for Houston,” adds Roula. “With deep connections in the city, we bring in the best experts and information—often outpacing local news stations. But our biggest strength is our listeners, who act as our eyes and ears, providing real-time updates through calls and texts.”
“Unlike other shows that briefly mention disasters before returning to their usual bits, we go ‘all in,’ prioritizing critical information and support. After 22 years of covering hurricanes, floods, heat waves, and freezes, we know how to keep Houston informed, calm, and connected. While we love making people laugh, our first responsibility is to be there for our community—not just during the crisis, but long after national news moves on. We are always there for them.”
Houston is another one of those unique markets, constantly growing and extremely diversified. It is a HUGE city with the Southern charm (and humidity) of a small town. “While every city has its own pride, Houston takes H-Town pride to another level,” explains Eric. “Coming from Illinois, I was shocked at how much Texas loves Texas. You’ll even find the state on Miller Lite cans and Texas-edition Ford F-150s.”
“Houstonians are incredibly friendly and go out of their way to make visitors feel welcome. The city is also unique because it has no zoning and is the most diverse major city in America—seriously, Google it! Houston isn’t just cowboy hats and people riding horses to work. It’s a perfect example of how diverse communities can thrive together, which makes doing our show even more fun. With listeners from all different backgrounds, every conversation is richer, and every topic sparks a variety of perspectives. That’s what makes Houston special.”
“Houston loves heritage and familiarity but also welcomes you as a new Houstonian with open arms, adds Ryan. “Houston is also the most diverse city in the nation. If there is a cuisine you are seeking from a different country, you are sure to find it here in Houston. There is strong pride in Houston sports teams, but we are also the first to say that we are hypocrites because we jump on the bandwagon when a team that hasn’t been doing well for a while is seeing their moment in the national spotlight.
Ryan continued, “We have so many different communities in H-TOWN. Fun fact: Houston is also home to the second largest theater district in the US. With so many different walks of life listening to our show, we handle topics and themes that reach every type of Houstonian.”
It’s not a secret that Eric is one of THE best Producers in the country. Everyone in the industry knows and loves him. And having his name added to the show was “unprecedented.” And it wasn’t even his idea.
“Throughout the years, Eric became more and more of a presence on air,” explains Ryan. “Funny enough, in the producer interview process at the beginning of this show, Roula initially was leaning towards a different producer. She was unfamiliar with Eric’s work, but I knew it had to be him. Ironically, Roula and Eric are now basically family. He married her sister’s high school best friend. They are two peas in a pod. They are one voice. It was simply time to acknowledge that it is not just the ‘Roula & Ryan Show.’ There are three main voices. It made no sense to exclude him. He has certainly earned it!”
“I’m incredibly excited—and to be honest, a little nervous,” says Eric. “Because when you have a brand as strong as ours for all these years, you don’t want to mess with what works. In radio, a healthy ego is important, but I never pushed for this. Roula and Ryan genuinely wanted to do it, and Roula even said she wished it had happened years ago.”
“From day one, I’ve always felt like we each owned 33.3% of the show and made decisions together, both on and off the air. Even without my name in the title, I knew I was an equal part of what we built. So, while the name change doesn’t affect how we operate on-air, it does feel special to have my role officially recognized.”
As for what works for the show, “There’s not really much I hide from my personal life,” says Roula. “People have grown up with me in Houston and remember me as a single girl starting the show out fresh and new. The audience definitely went on the crazy dating journey that I had to navigate. Then I went on a blind date and met ‘the one.’ I got married, had my children -some literally on the radio- lost a parent, went through the highs and lows of life, all mostly on the air. Our audience really knows my life story because I have shared everything with them. They are my second family.”
“I would say I share about 90% of my life on air,” adds Ryan. “It has sometimes gotten me in trouble with loved ones. I signed up for this and they did not. That being said, I am extremely protective of them. I spend about three hours a day editing various projects, constantly writing, and never really stop living life like a show. I am pretty much the same person on and off the air.”
“I’ve seen shows that keep their team at the station until 1 p.m., and I think that’s nuts,” insists Eric. “Especially in 2025 when you can work from anywhere with a phone or iPad. My approach is simple: once the necessary work is done, I tell the team to get out of the station and go live their lives. You have to experience life to be interesting on the air.
“When it comes to sharing personal stories, we have a rule—if you don’t want it on air, you better start the conversation with, ‘This isn’t for on-air.’ We all respect each other’s boundaries and know what buttons to push (and what to avoid).”
“Ultimately, I believe in sharing personal stories that are relatable and entertaining for our listeners. If it doesn’t serve a purpose beyond just talking about us, it doesn’t belong on the show. It’s about making connections, not just oversharing for the sake of it.”
“The Roula & Ryan show with Eric” pretty much just rolls with the punches. That’s what makes it work. “From bad celebrities behaving terribly in Studio that we had to dismiss, to me going into labor with my second child in the middle of a major benchmark break,” says Roula. “We’ve had a lot of stuff happen that was unplanned, but the beauty of our show is we roll with it pretty flawlessly. I’m super proud of that.”
“Yea! That was one of the craziest moments on our show when Roula went into labor—live on air!” Exclaims Eric. “It was around 7:20 a.m. when she suddenly announced, ‘It’s happening—the baby is coming!’ Special K and I jumped into action, rushing her home so her husband could take her to the hospital, all while broadcasting everything in real time.”
“As she was on the way, she kept calling in with updates, and the whole city was along for the ride. Thankfully, she made it to the hospital just in time to deliver safely. But for a while there, we were terrified she’d have the baby right then and there! It was pure, unscripted radio drama, and to this day, listeners still bring up the time Roula almost had her second baby live on the show.”
Follow members of “The Roula & Ryan Show with Eric” @radioroula, @radioryanchase, @producereric, @radiospeicalK, and @slamgiven
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Charese Fruge’ is an award-winning Content, Broadcast, and Marketing executive with over 20 years of experience in markets like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, San Diego, and Las Vegas. As the owner of MC Media, she works with radio brands and individual talent, especially young women, helping them grow their brands and negotiate on their own behalf. She is also a Voice Actor and Voice Over Talent as well as a Freelance Writer for International Broadcast Outlets. Find her at @MCMediaOnline or www.mcmediaonline.com.
