Changes at KQRS and 93X, with Brian Zepp among those out
Social media posts from KQRS and impacted personalities say departures have taken place at both stations, including Brian Zepp at KQRS and Andrew Wappel from the 93X Half-Assed Morning Show.
Zepp is leaving The KQ Morning Show, which is hosted by Steve Gorman.
KQRS posted about Zepp's departure on its social media accounts. "We want to thank Zepp for his time with 92 KQRS," the post reads. "We had a helluva a ride over the years and want to thank him for every early morning wakeup call, too many late-night parties, and all the laughs in between."
Wappel announced his departure on Facebook.
"By now most of you have heard the news," he wrote of leaving the station where he worked for more than a dozen years. "I'm no longer with 93X and Cumulus Media. I didn't get fired and didn't do anything wrong. I was let go... Thank you to all the listeners. You are the reason why I did what I did, and for so long."
Cumulus Media has not yet responded to request for comment about the reasons for the layoffs and whether any other staff was impacted by the moves.
Kathryn Brandt, co-host of the Tom Bernard Show podcast, suggested on Twitter that others were let go beyond Zepp.
Fans have been sharing memories of Wappel's time at 93X on Reddit and even began a Change.org petition, hoping to bring him back.
"Like so many loyal listeners... my mornings began with the insightful humor and unique personality of Andrew Wappel, fondly known to us as the 'Muppet,'" the petition reads. "His sudden and unexpected departure has left a glaring void on the show, akin to losing a good friend."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Yahoo
Nearly Three-Quarters of Podcast Audiences Play the Video, Too, for Some Reason
Nearly three-quarters of podcast consumers play the video as they listen along, even though it's pretty mucho just two people sitting at microphones chatting most of the time, according to a survey cited in a Saturday report in the New York Times. Often the videos are minimized on the listeners' screens – and they're not missing much, as they rarely contain any actual visual aids. But only about a quarter listen to the audio only. More from TheWrap Nearly Three-Quarters of Podcast Audiences Play the Video, Too, for Some Reason James Gunn Says It Was 'Terrible' Telling Henry Cavill He Was Recasting Superman: 'It Was Really Unfair to Him' | Video Pete Buttigieg Makes Surprisingly Cheeky Barstool Sports Appearance to Present 'Lib of the Year' Award Jon Stewart on Potential 'Daily Show' Cancellation After Skydance Merger: 'Been Kicked Out of S–ttier Establishments' The research, from an April survey by Cumulus Media and Signal Hill Insights, was the center of a Saturday deep-dive on the behavior by the New York Times, which spoke to several people who gave anecdotal reasons for the habit. About 30% of podcast listeners just have the video playing in the background, or minimized on their device while listening, according to the Signal Hill survey. But that still leaves a significant portion who are watching … talking heads. Signal Hill said the behavior holds across age groups, suggesting it's not just a trend among Gen Z-and-younger, whose taste for video is virtually a pillar of their consumer identity. The survey found another strange anomaly – a paradox, even – among people who consume podcasts on YouTube, where 58 percent listen to audio only, or with the video minimized in the background. YouTube is the largest single platform for podcast intake, though a large majority of consumers use other platforms like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, the Times reported. 'I don't have the ability to watch the entire thing through, but I do my glance-downs if I hear something funny,' 31-year-old Zoë McDermott, a title insurance producer from Pennsylvania, told the Times. 'It's passive a little bit.' Many ad deals require podcasters to have a video component, as consumers have come to expect it, the Times reported. 'It feels a little more personal, like somebody is there with you,' McDermott said. 'I live alone with my two cats and I'm kind of in a rural area in Pennsylvania, so it's just a little bit of company almost.' The post Nearly Three-Quarters of Podcast Audiences Play the Video, Too, for Some Reason appeared first on TheWrap.


Axios
18-07-2025
- Axios
Skydance CEO met with FCC chair ahead of canceling "The Late Show"
Skydance CEO David Ellison and his lawyer met with Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr and an FCC lawyer on Tuesday, a new regulatory filing shows. Why it matters: The meeting came two days before CBS abruptly announced that it is canceling"The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" after the next season in May 2026, citing "financial" reasons. Zoom in: Ellison and his lawyer, Matthew A. Brill of Latham & Watkins, met with Carr, his chief of staff Greg Watson and Ben Arden, the FCC's special counsel in the Office of the Bureau Chief of the Media Bureau, according to a letter sent by Brill to the FCC's secretary. They urged the FCC's Media Bureau to "promptly grant" Paramount's applications to transfer control of its broadcast licenses to its new owners, after emphasizing "the public interest benefits" of the deal in the meeting. "[W]e explained the Ellison family and RedBird represent fresh leadership with the vision and experience needed to drive New Paramount's long-term growth in the face of the challenges presented by today's media landscape, all while preserving and enhancing the legacy and broad reach of both the national CBS television network and the company's 28 owned-and-operated local television stations," Ellison's lawyer wrote. "Relatedly, we discussed Skydance's commitment to unbiased journalism and its embrace of diverse viewpoints, principles that will ensure CBS's editorial decision-making reflects the varied ideological perspectives of American viewers," he added. Between the lines: CBS canceled " The Late Show" just days after its parent company, Paramount, agreed to settle a lawsuit with President Trump. That timeline has drawn scrutiny from the creative community like the Writers Guild of America, which represents thousands of Hollywood writers including those at "The Late Show." WGA said it has significant concerns that the cancellation "is a bribe, sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration as the company looks for merger approval," it said in a statement Friday. More than 30 petitions have already been launched on to save the show.


Black America Web
08-07-2025
- Black America Web
Tory Lanez's Dad Claims Rapper Will Be Released Soon Over 'Hatchet Job' Charges, Social Media Not Buying It
Source: Tim Mosenfelder / Getty Tory Lanez isn't scheduled to be released from prison until 2032, but according to his father, he could come home earlier. Lanez's real name is Daystar Peterson, and his father, Sonstar, recently spoke with Power 106 . Although hesitant to reveal an exact release date, he continues to promote his innocence. 'I believe with all of my heart that he will be out and much sooner than a lot of people think,' he said. 'I wouldn't go on record giving a date right now, but what I will say is that there are movements happening in the background. The powers that be can clearly see that this was a hatchet job.' He added, 'There are things happening right now, and, like I said, I believe it's much sooner than a lot of people think, than later. He's coming home.' The elder Peterson says that Tory has kept busy in jail and the two are coauthoring a self-help book, which will drop soon, called The 360 Phenomenon . 'We created this thing whereby we could show people how you can start where you are… and you can literally go through a transformation of your thought process,' said Peterson. 'His book is going to inspire a lot of people. It's going to show that you can go through the hardest storm of your life and come out a star.' The inkling into Lanez possibly getting early release comes two months after he was brutally stabbed in prison and rushed to the hospital after his kidneys collapsed and he couldn't breathe on his own. 'Tory was stabbed 14 times – including 7 wounds to his back, 4 to his torso, 2 to the back of his head, and 1 to the left side of his face,' his team shared on Instagram. 'He is now breathing on his own. Despite being in pain, he is talking normally, in good spirits, and deeply thankful to God that he is pulling through. He also wants to thank everyone for their continued prayers and support.' Just days later, a plea for his release was reignited with a petition signed by fellow rappers including Kanye West, Kodak Black, Popcaan, Joyner Lucas, A Boogie Wit da Hoodie, and even Drake, who posted the link to his Instagram story with the caption 'come home soon.' Social media wasn't happy with the petition then, and is still upset at the idea that he could be freed early after being found guilty of three felonies related to the shooting of Megan Thee Stallion in 2020. See social media's reaction to his father's interview below. Tory Lanez's Dad Claims Rapper Will Be Released Soon Over 'Hatchet Job' Charges, Social Media Not Buying It was originally published on