TALKERS

Managing Editor/West Coast Bureau Chief

 

LOS ANGELES — Viewers of the tremendously cutting-edge sketch comedy/variety series “In Living Color” (1990-1994) will undoubtedly remember Damon Wayans as the obsessively hard-working patriarch of the Hedleys, whose family members held multiple jobs.

 

A number of radio personalities famously possess a similar exemplary trait of annually filing numerous W-2 forms with the IRS.

These conscientious on-air talents have become punch lines to jokes, with perhaps even the most notable – Ryan Seacrest – being supremely self-deprecating about it.

 

Laudable though in each and every case is a stunning display of drive and determination.

 

Included on that elite list of praiseworthy individuals is Mario Lopez, known to dedicated fans as the host of syndicated television’s “Extra” and for overseeing Premiere Radio’s “ON With Mario Lopez,” a nightly, music-intensive program featuring a blend of entertainment stories and celebrity interviews.

 

Playing favorites

That component of Lopez’s radio resume actually debuted nearly four years ago (January 2012) on iHeartMedia Los Angeles hot AC KBIG “My-FM,” before Premiere Networks syndicated it the following April; approximately five-dozen stations now carry “ON With Mario Lopez.”

 

Some 15 months ago (August 2014), iHeartMedia expanded its deal with Lopez, naming him the front person of “iHeartRadio Countdown,” a hot AC-geared weekend feature. “I was approached by someone at iHeartMedia, which at the time was Clear Channel,” Lopez recounts regarding the origin of his iHeartMedia connection. “I have been a huge fan of radio and loved it for many, many years. I briefly did a morning show a while back but I was super busy at the time and it really was not conducive to my schedule.”

 

Single in late-spring 2004 when he was morning drive personality for KHHT, Los Angeles (then “Hot 92 Jamz”),  Lopez exited after an approximately one-year run. “Now that I am married, I am a little more settled. I love everything about radio. To be honest, it is the favorite among all my jobs.”

 

Extra-hectic schedule

Wakeup ritual nowadays for proud father Lopez is having breakfast and spending as much quality time as possible with his two-year-old son Dominic and five year-old daughter Gia.

 

After that, the former host of NBC-TV’s “Name Your Adventure” (1992) makes the drive to Universal StudiosHollywood, actually a misnomer as Universal City is in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley.  “Everything is consolidated,” explains Lopez, who does “ON With …” from a custom-built radio studio alongside the ‘Extra’ facilities on the popular Universal City Walk. “Then I jump right back into ‘Extra.’ Sometimes I go back and finish other stuff with the radio show. That is where we do the [weekly long-form countdown program] as well. I am hopping around doing interviews for ‘Extra.’ It is pretty much a balance back and forth but – for the most part – it is all taking place at Universal.”

 

Occasional mini-trips take him off-campus, as was the case when we caught up with the effervescent Lopez who was about to interview Julia Roberts about her forthcoming movie Secret in Their Eyes, scheduled to be released one week from Friday  (11/20). “Every day is pretty crazy, and hectic – but I manage to make it home in time for dinner,” he notes with his trademark smile. “It is pretty busy all the time, but I will usually start the radio show right away for a good 45 minutes to an hour and then get ready for ‘Extra.’ If I have things to finish for the radio show or countdown, I will do that when I get back.”

 

Customarily, when Lopez interviews someone for “Extra,” that person would also want to do something for the radio show as well. “It gives them a second place for them to promote whatever it is they want to promote,” he remarks.

 

Frequent-flier Lopez is constantly on the go when he wears his “Extra” hat, with New York City as the most common destination. Such requirements though do not interrupt or interfere with his radio responsibilities. “I will either pre-tape the radio show or, many times, I get to do it from iHeartMedia’s New York studios, so it is not too bad,” the genial Lopez reasons. “Most affiliates carry the show starting at 7:00 pm, while some others air it in afternoon drive. It generally takes me about 60 – 90 minutes or so [to voice-track it]. There are times I will go back in the middle of the day to work on it, but it is all pieced together throughout the day.”

 

Inspired by intimacy

Similarities exist in the entertainment news and pop culture content that Lopez covers on “Extra” and his radio show. “The difference is that radio is a much more intimate platform,” he emphasizes. “I am able to tell many more personal stories and anecdotes on radio.”

 

Even though it “takes up a chunk of time,” Lopez carves out a portion of his day to record custom liners and promos for his affiliates because, “I know they are important; I don’t mind doing them. I get to talk to program directors of my affiliate stations to see if they have any suggestions. Fortunately, there has been a lot of positive feedback to the show. I will be asked to help in community-type events and if I can, I will.”

 

Given that he is Los Angeles-based, Lopez has had – on numerous occasions – the chance to visit KBIG ‘My-FM,’ which airs his program weeknights 7:00 pm – 12:00 midnight.

 

Moreover, the San Diego native gets a huge personal kick out of popping into iHeartMedia San Diego hot AC KMYI “Star 94.1,” his affiliate in “America’s Finest City.” Recently, Lopez participated in “Meet & Greets” with affiliates in Detroit (iHeartMedia adult contemporary WNIC) and San Antonio (co-owned adult contemporary KQXT).

 

Serendipitous courtship

In fact, it was in San Diego where Lopez faithfully monitored such radio stalwarts as the late Dick Clark and Casey Kasem, as well as “Rick Dees in the Morning” (on Los Angeles CHR KIIS “Kiss-FM”).

 

Not lost on Lopez is the irony that all three of those hall of fame-quality broadcasters voiced weekly radio countdown programs. “They had such a profound effect on me,” Lopez states with genuine reverence. “I still listen to the Sunday night oldies show of the unbelievable Art Laboe [who this past August turned 90]. I listened to Art when I was a little kid and I still do because I love his show.”

 

Parenthetically, “The Art Laboe Connection” is heard in roughly a dozen markets, including Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Bakersfield. In a programming oddity, Lopez was slotted against his longtime radio hero when Laboe’s show ran on iHeartMedia Los Angeles urban-rhythmic oldies KBBT until “The Beat” (the same station where Lopez did morning drive 11 years ago) flipped to urban contemporary KRRL “Real” earlier this year. “The thing I love about radio is that, among all the platforms that I am fortunate enough to work on, it is the one that I get to be most like myself,” Lopez declares. “I get to talk about personal stories and family stories. It is unfiltered and I get to share my life. I really do not have the same chance for that wiggle-room in those other platforms. Radio just seems like the most intimate platform to me; therefore, I am the closest to it.”

 

Over and above the serendipity of having the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of such prominent, iconic countdown luminaries, Lopez will be seen as announcer Vince Fontaine in the updated “Grease” musical that will air in January live on Fox. “Vince is kind of a take on the Dick Clark [‘American Bandstand’] character,” Lopez points out. “It is very exciting and I am looking forward to start rehearsals. To be honest, I have not even received the script yet; I assume we will begin to rehearse next month. I have done Broadway before though so I know what I am getting into with this.”

 

Of far greater magnitude than simply debuting in April 2008 in the revival of “A Chorus Line” (as “Zach”), appearing on Broadway afforded Lopez the opportunity to meet dancer Courtney Mazza (pictured with Lopez at right). Clearly, it was a fortuitous encounter, as the couple will celebrate their third wedding anniversary next month (December), and Courtney co-hosts the weekly countdown show that airs on approximately 20 hot AC outlets.

 

Further amplifying on the approach he takes overseeing his particular hot AC countdown entity, Lopez comments, “I really like to think that I have my own style. Much the same as the nightly radio show, I try to have a similar pace and be excited. Casey used to tell little stories before playing each song: I like to incorporate my own ‘fun facts’ and celebrity interviews during the countdown show.”

 

Dedicated dancer

Gregarious and energetic on camera and behind the microphone, Lopez is extremely cordial off-air yet is almost a bit shy and reluctant to speak of his various noteworthy achievements.

 

The 1991 Chula Vista High School graduate, for instance, was not only a member of that school’s wrestling squad, he placed second in his weight class in the San Diego Section and seventh in the entire state of California (1991).

 

Therefore, it seems only natural that the physically fit Lopez (on the November 2013 cover of Fitness Rx) would transition to his role as an HBO boxing analyst. “I have always gravitated toward individual sports and the more physical ones,” the producer of boxing documentary “CHAMP” reveals. “I respect the martial arts. As far as wrestling is concerned, I loved everything about it and the discipline that was required. Things that you need to succeed have really helped me in my life. I needed an outlet so I transitioned from wrestling to boxing.”

 

Millions witnessed Lopez display his athleticism in fall 2006 when he appeared as a contestant (with professional partner Karina Smirnoff) on the third season of ABC-TV’s “Dancing with the Stars.” Edging them out of the Mirror Ball Trophy were former running back Emmitt Smith (University of Florida, Dallas Cowboys, Arizona Cardinals) and his professional partner Cheryl Burke. “The ‘Dancing with the Stars’ producers asked me to do the show a couple of times,” recalls Lopez, who ran in the 2011 New York City Marathon and is said to aspire to dance at NYC’s Radio City Music Hall. “‘Dancing with the Stars’ is my mom’s favorite show so I finally said ‘yes.’ It worked out very well and it was a great experience. It was definitely a lot of hard work and the show is pretty much what you put into it. It was like going to school to learn a new language each week.”

 

Paging Dr. Dreamy

Without question, the early benchmark break for the now 42-year-old Lopez came in 1989 when he was cast as A.C. Slater on “Saved by the Bell.” The NBC-TV teen-oriented sitcom bowed in August 1989 and remained on the network’s schedule until May 1993, with Lopez reportedly earning $3,500 per episode; he would subsequently also portray A.C. Slater on “Saved by the Bell: The College Years,” Saved by the Bell: The New Class,” and “Robot Chicken.”

 

Earlier this year on “The Tonight Show” (February 2015), Lopez joined fellow cast-mates Elizabeth Berkley, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Dennis Haskins, and Tiffani Thieseen for a “Saved by the Bell” reunion sketch. “I am surprised that the show is still on in reruns, but I have nothing but fond memories of it,” stresses Lopez, who was among those auditioning in 2007 to replace Bob Barker as the front person on CBS-TV’s “Price Is Right” – the job won by Drew Carey. “It was great to do the ‘Saved by the Bell’ reunion on ‘The Tonight Show.’ Jimmy Fallon has been wanting to do it for quite a while, so we finally managed to get it all together and it was a good time.”

 

For his starring role as Olympic diver and fellow San Diegan Greg Louganis in “Breaking the Surface,” Lopez was nominated for a 1997 American Latino Media Arts (ALMA) Award for Outstanding Individual Performance in a Made-For-Television Movie or Mini-Series in a Crossover Role. “It was an honor to play him,” Lopez acknowledges. “Greg was on-set quite a bit, which made it a little bit different but he was happy with the way it turned out, so that was the most important thing.”

 

Albeit that his tenure lasted a brief amount of time, Lopez in early-2006 joined the cast of CBS-TV’s long-running daytime soap opera “The Bold and the Beautiful,” where he portrayed Dr. Christian Ramirez. “I think I was only there for a year,” he reflects. “It was a lot of work and you have to memorize a considerable amount of dialogue. It was like having a lot of homework every night. There are many good actors and very good folks connected with that show; I liked that experience.”

 

Another memorable, gratifying career highlight for Lopez eventuated in 2012 as co-host (with Khloe Kardashian) of the second season of the USA-version of “The X-Factor.” The following year, he hosted the Simon Cowell-created competition program solo. “I had a great time on the show, and it was a wonderful experience,” asserts Lopez. “Simon Cowell is a very nice guy and was a lot of fun to work for. I certainly wish that we could have had a longer run, but there were many shows of that type in the marketplace. Unfortunately, some have to suffer for it, but we put out some good acts.”

 

In it for the long haul

Proof-positive that the media/entertainment talents of Lopez are boundary-free, he has (as outlined here) excelled in radio and television; possesses film credits; and has appeared on Broadway. If that were not impressive enough, Lopez is the author of several books, including Mario Lopez Knockout Fitness (with Jeff O’Connell, 2008); Extra Lean (a 2008 cookbook); Extra Lean Family(2012); and Mario and Baby Gia (2011). Godmother of Burbank-born and (now) five-year-old Gia is Eva Longoria. “Obviously, I like having that kind of complete creative liberty,” grants Lopez, who co-penned a children’s book, Mud Tacos, with his sister Marissa. “Writing is something I enjoy and I hope to do more of it.”

 

Notwithstanding that Lopez’s nightly radio show predominantly airs on hot AC and adult contemporary properties, he is a partisan of many musical genres. “I love dance music that gets you moving, as well as music that gets you fired up so you can work out,” the host of “America’s Best Dance Crew” and “Top Pop Group” underscores. “I enjoy everything from classic rock to R&B and I have a deep appreciation for all of it.”

 

Whether it entails a radio show, a television show, or even a barbecue at home for his friends, Mario Lopez is a natural host, who enjoys people and is genuinely inquisitive, an essential quality for a master interviewer. “When I get to meet and talk to all of these fascinating people, it is probably the best part of the day,” he beams. “Over the years, I have been quite fortunate to be able to talk with just about every big ‘star,’ and I have become friendly with quite a few of them.”

 

Rare moments when he can unwind usually mean Lopez is with his family. “I enjoy entertaining friends and getting to play a lot of bocce ball at the house. It is also a lot of fun when I am able to get away with my wife.” The VH1 reality show starring Mario & Courtney Lopez, “Saved by the Baby,” premiered five years ago (November 2010.)

 

Family is a fiercely integral component to his life. As far as Lopez’s professional career is concerned, the drumming enthusiast, co-executive producer of Sí TV’s “Dating Factory” insists that he would “love” to keep doing the radio shows; what he is doing with “Extra”; and possibly add a talk show or primetime show so, “I can continue to keep busy. Perhaps I can do something in the world of producing. This makes all the sense in the world to me now, but when I was growing up, I did not envision this happening to me. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to do everything now and I would not trade this for anything. I really do enjoy what I get to do so I hope I am able to do it for a long time. If I could write my own script, I would love to keep doing this as long as Mr. Clark did it.”

 

Contact RadioInfo managing editor Mike Kinosian at Kinosian@RadioInfo.com.

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