Steve Hill, The Men’s Room, Rock 99.9 KISW
The Men’s Room is the afternoon show on Rock 99.9 KISW in Seattle. Long story short, the show started in 2003 at a CBS station in Baltimore. About a year later, they got a call from (then) Entercom Seattle about the opportunity to do mornings at KISW. Somehow, they ended up in the afternoon, and as they say, “The rest is history!” That was twenty years ago. “We find that to be both profoundly insane and very rewarding,” says host Steve Hill.
The show has four members: Hill, Miles Montgomery, Ted Smith, and Producer Mike Hawk. “No one has a ‘role’ per se, as no one is ‘playing a part,’ but we all have very distinct personalities… which is true of anyone,” explains Hill.
“We happen to have the luxury of getting along and that’s what makes this whole thing work. I think that anyone listening probably relates to one of us more than the others and appreciates our point of view on whatever topic might come up. We all had very different upbringings and that informs our opinions of any topic. But everyone is pretty damn funny. The comment we always hear is that we sound like four dudes having stupid debates at a bar. That’s a fair comparison.”
“The major difference in our show is that it’s about the listeners and not our egos. It’s more about hearing what the community has to say than what WE have to say. I think the show stands out because it’s a ‘judgment-free’ forum, and we’re always looking for a laugh without doing any of that hokie ‘radio stunt’ stuff. It’s all about talk. We’ve found that being genuine (for better or worse) resonates with people. We have no ‘target demo’. Anyone who chooses to listen is cool to us.”
Hill says it’s hard to pinpoint their role in the Seattle Community. “After 20 years, we’re just part of the community fabric. There are a few local charities we work with, but overall, it’s just about being available and present at all times. Primarily, we try to bring everyone to the party… all ages, all races, all everything… and it’s worked!”
He insists. “People from six to seventy-eight listen. They listen as families, friends, co-workers… it’s pretty mind-blowing. We’ve ALWAYS maintained that a ‘target demo’ is one of the most idiotic and failure-inducing pursuits in radio. Our approach has always been ‘be entertaining.’ Period. The rest will take care of itself, and you can do that one thing.”
Hill says they used to do ‘big events’ as a show, but now they focus on a bunch of smaller events to make sure they physically show up in as many different communities as possible. “We call it the ‘Men’s Room World Tour’. That’s been the last couple of years for us, and it’s been a success.”
“Our biggest passion project is our involvement with the Fisher House. It’s an amazing charity that provides much-needed relief to the families of wounded service members. It’s very humbling to work with these folks.”
As far as prep goes for the show, it’s a pretty easy strategy. “We have a template for the show for each day of the week and we just fill it in,” says Hill. “The rule is, once we have the parts in place, don’t talk about it until we’re on the air. Keeps the conversations fresh and real. That said, we get here four hours before the show to begin our prep. Preparation is everything!”
I asked Hill if anything had ever happened on the show that had turned it upside down; for legal purposes, he was very vague. “There have been a few of those moments over the last two decades, but nothing compares to a visit from Zakk Wylde years ago. I won’t share the details… and probably shouldn’t, but suffice to say, it was f**king crazy! But Zakk proved to be the ultimate definition of a rock star in the end. It was epic and terrifying all at once. Oh, and a visit from porn star Sunset Thomas. Got in a lot of trouble for that episode but would do it again in a heartbeat!”
I didn’t get the typical answers when asked about the show’s biggest accomplishments over the years. “Our biggest is being relevant on the same station for 20 years. That doesn’t happen much in radio,” he says. “Otherwise, we have two show-branded beers on the market currently and have had a beer for the last 15 years. It’s not a gimmicky thing; it’s a beer in regular rotation, and it sells VERY well. Black Raven Brewing is our partner on that, and they’ve blessed us with several INCREDIBLY good beers. Credit goes to Black Raven. Our name is on the beer, but the product is theirs.”
As for what’s ahead for the show, “I know the company (Audacy) is preparing to put us on YouTube for anyone interested in watching us live,” says Hill. “That has provided us some creative opportunities that I’m excited about… but won’t share just yet. Otherwise, who knows? We just go where the wind blows us.”Follow The Men’s Room on X @mensroomlive and Instagram @mensroomlive.
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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.
