Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Sir Duke

WEEKEND EDITION: Sept. 7, 2003

Duke Morgan, the afternoon disc jockey at KJUL 104.3-FM, has the kind of deep, baritone voice to rattle the innards.

Which is why the 47-year-old is in radio in the first place. Born and raised in Toronto, Morgan (who opted not to give his real name for privacy concerns), originally became involved in radio while in high school. By the early 1970s he worked as an on-air newsman for radio stations outside of Toronto.

Later, after working as a full-time disc jockey, Morgan was hired as the television network voice for CanWest Global Television across Canada -- essentially our Northern Neighbor's "third network," as he put it.

For 18 years Morgan read promos for TV shows such as "Seinfeld" and "X-Files" before he and his wife grew tired of the bleak winters and opted to move to a warmer climate and, ultimately, Las Vegas.

He returned to radio five years ago on KJUL, where he has since developed quite a following. According to the most recent Arbitron ratings, Morgan has one of the higher-rated (third overall) afternoon drive-time shows in Las Vegas. This on a "classic adult" station -- ranging from Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby to Celine Dion and Barry Manilow -- that skews the 35-to-80 age group.

While in the middle of his on-air shift, the Las Vegas Sun recently talked to Morgan about his return to radio after an 18-year hiatus, his opinion of Howard Stern, and if he has ever had a stalker, a la "Play Misty For Me."

Las Vegas Sun: Taking so much time off from radio, was it difficult coming back?

Duke Morgan: I didn't even know if I could do the job because it had been so long since I'd been on the air as a personality. But I think it took about three months before I felt comfortable. It was a new environment, there were new people. It was also American radio, it wasn't Canadian radio.

Sun: How is that different?

DM: Well, just from the geography and little things that you don't really know, and rules and regulations with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) and CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission) and that kind of thing. And, of course, frame of reference in what you're talking about. And here there's so many different people that come from states, provinces and countries. So this is really a melting pot.

Sun: What are your thoughts on Howard Stern?

DM: Howard Stern is a guy that I admire and don't admire. I don't like what he does because I think it's tasteless. The reason why I admire him is he actually rose to power and he is above management. He controls management, which is very rare for a talent these days. And that's why I respect the guy. But the way he's done it, I don't care for his brand. But he makes $24 million a year and he has nude women in his studio, and many times I've said on the air, "What am I doing wrong?"

Sun: It's interesting that you would have such high ratings on a station that skews a primarily older audience.

DM: It doesn't reflect in our demographics, but I get an awful lot of calls from young people who are 25 years of age. I know this because they call me and they win contests sometimes. These people are just not exposed to Bobby Darin and the various songs that Bobby Darin performed when he was alive and some of the tunes that Sinatra has done. Because it's a specialized field now, you can't get this kind of music anywhere. When young people do listen, they're hearing songs and ballads sometimes that they've never heard before. And some of them have commented that they think it's absolutely wonderful.

Sun: On the radio you act as if you're speaking to a friend. What's been the response?

DM: You wouldn't believe how many listeners call me and want to speak to me about their problems. I could have been a bartender. It actually got to the point a little while ago where I had to block the phones because I had so many people calling me. They feel that I'm such a nice guy and they've been listening to me for five years now that they can actually call me and talk to me about their problems. And they do. I had a lady call me about her traffic accident and about the trouble she was having with lawyers. I had another lady call me about her boyfriend and how he was getting drunk and what should she do.

Sun: What do you do? Do you give out advice?

DM: If I have the time and I'm not too rushed I will talk with them because what they're looking for is someone to speak to. If they're calling me it means they're at their wit's end. It means they really don't have anyone else to talk to that actually cares. Society has become very lonely ... with the computers, people don't get together like they used to, families are disintegrated, and sometimes all they have is a friendly voice on the radio. And they feel so close to that voice on the radio that they take a chance and they call. And if they do take that chance I cannot be rude to them. I don't want to lead them in a certain direction, but I try to just give them a little bit of help that I think I can.

Sun: Have you ever had a "Play Misty For Me" incident?

DM: I had a couple where a couple of ladies used to follow me around to my on-location remotes. It was a little scary. My wife knows about it and the people around the station know about it. You worry a little bit because you wonder, "Could it get violent at some time?" And they dressed really strangely, too. But they seemed to have gone away. I don't see them anymore, which is OK.

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