The Casey Streak Is Over

[Timo]

After an amazing 85 weeks, Casey's streak with no substitute hosts is over, as Charlie Tuna counts 'em down this weekend (October 8--9).

[Radioman]

That's what I call a Radio Legend ! One Legend is guesthosting for another !
I believe it's the second best thing they have done in many years. The best thing was dropping the massive guest host appearances recently.
If anybody is listening to this weekends shows, you'll know what's the difference to Ed McMann or Ryan Seacrest, the previous 2 guesthosts on Casey's shows.

[mstgator]

I just woke up to American Top 20, and what a pleasant surprise... I haven't heard Charlie Tuna in years, and he sounds like a total natural doing this show.

[Timo]

The beginning of the AT20 show was strange, though. There was some extended theme music before Charlie did his introduction.

Charlie is of course a great substitute, but I still can't help feeling a little saddened by the fact that another major continuum has now come to an end.

[Deleted]

WHOA!!! CHARLIE TUNA!!!!!!! I'm down with recording both shows this weekend!

[BrettVW]

I get AT10 on Saturday and AT20 on Sunday...so i'll have to listen for that extended theme music tomorrow. I noticed that the opening billboard for AT10 was done by someone different, that sounded familiar, and as the countdown shout was going on i'm like...was that?? could it be?? Then I was welcomed to American Top 10 by Charlie Tuna!

Two things:

1) Congratulations to Casey!! He shattered his old record and counted down the hits for 85 straight weeks!!! Quite an accomplishment, and it was needed after years and years of what seemed like as many as 10 guest hosts per year.

2) Charlie Tuna sounds great!! When the discussion began the last day or so ago on the "AT10 Format" thread, there was a bit of a hint that there would be a guest host this weekend. I just assumed it would be Ryan Seacrest or Ed McMann. This one totally took me by surprise. Now I see why Scott needs this show recorded!!

A historical week for AT20 and AT10, with the end of the longest running Casey streak combined with Charlie guest hosting. Great show Charlie!

[BrettVW]

Also of note: this is the first guest hosted edition of American Top 10. When Ed last filled in on Feb 14/15, 2004...the AC show was in its final weeks of AT20 AC.

[Timo]

And one more quite important note: there's no long distance dedication this week.

[BrettVW]

Which I am all for. Ever since I have listened to the shows, I have always felt a little bad for the people who took the time to write to Casey, only to have a guest host read their letter. Nothing against the guest hosts, many of them did a stellar job. It's just, if I wrote a letter and it made the air, I would want Casey to be the one to read it.

[Timo]

Couldn't agree more with you, Brett. Interesting though--lots of very wise decisions all of a sudden.

[Scott Lakefield]

Hi gang...well, here we are on Saturday afternoon on the east coast, and the cat is now finally out of the bag. Well, the BIG cat is out of the bag...there's one other one which I will get to in a sec.

Yes, after his longest streak of counting 'em down ever, Casey is off this weekend. However, he did not take a vacation week. He came down with a bad cold, and when it got to Thursday last week (the shows are usually done on Wednesdays) and Casey still wasn't able to do the shows, Charlie was brought in. So, were it not for a bad cold, this streak would not even be over now.

Charlie Tuna, as you know, is a broadcast legend, and hands-down is the best guest host since Mark Elliot last did the shows for Casey in March of 1993. I'd suggested him a while back, and while I by no means take credit for Charlie actually being used, it's nice to see someone so immensely qualified doing the shows.

Anyway, now here's the other cat being let out of the bag...

While Charlie is sitting in for Casey this weekend on the national shows, that will NOT be the case tomorrow morning in New York City on WLTW. That's right. Casey DID do the customized show for WLTW that airs tomorrow morning at 6 locally. Casey was well enough by earlier this past week to take care of that.

I'm at my girlfriend's this weekend, and we need to go get a new FM antenna for her stereo at Best Buy later today, but my hope is that I will get this show recorded tomorrow morning.

Not sure if WLTW streams, but check their website at www.wltw.com.

[BrettVW]

Well, if this means we will hear a guest host on average of every 85 weeks or so, I think that will be quite the accomplishment. Although, with Charlie's performance, I could easily listen to a show done by him on occasion.

[Deleted]

I have a feeling if Casey started taking vacations as much as he used to, people would get tired of hearing Charlie Tuna also.

[BrettVW]

Most likely. But 3 or 4 shows a year would be fine by me.

[BrettVW]

Well, the big Charlie Tuna weekend is all but over. For the first time in a while, I listened to AT10 in its entirety, and listened to all of AT20 as usual. Hopefully everyone toasted to 85 weeks of excellence. Quite the accomplishment.

One thing I have noticed though - and I never noticed this during the once a month Ed McMann days. Even though Charlie did a phenominal job with the shows - I feel like I forgot to do something this weekend. Between college homecoming weekend and the guest hosted show - I never got the chance to listen to any old shows this weekend. The only Casey I heard this weekend was during the station liners during AT20. (which was another first for me - hearing a guest hosted show on a station that uses custom Casey station liners and legal ID's - I never got used to hearing "This is Casey, and now back to the countdown..." only not to hear Casey)

I definately "missed" Casey this weekend since it's just been so long since I haven't heard him on the weekly shows. I feel like I 'forgot' to do something during the weekend routine. I heard all the chart stars and got all the chart action - but there's just something not there. When it was once a month with Ed McMann, it was just a normal listening routine. "Oh, it's an Ed week." But this weekend was more bittersweet.

One one end, I must give it up for Charlie Tuna for doing a knock-out job of hosting the shows. I would gladly take more Charlie Tuna guest hosted shows in the future. But on the other end, I truly did miss Casey this weekend - more than in the past with guest hosts. It was an amazing run, and I am excited for his return next week.