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Earlier this week the venerable Kemal Amin Kasem, better known to radio listeners as Casey Kasem, announced that he was stepping down from his weekly countdown show. The Detroit native has done a lot of other voiceover work in addition to small acting roles in his 77 years, but he’ll no doubt always be remembered as the voice of American Top 40. Here are 10 quick Casey facts everyone should know, countdown-style:
10. Casey’s relationship with Scooby-Doo (and Why he Left the Franchise!)
Believe it or not, Casey had provided the voice of “Shaggy” on Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? from the show’s inception in 1969 but left the series in 1995 after a beef over a Burger King commercial. Kasem had become a vegan and could not in good conscience promote the consumption of hamburgers. He came back to the fold in 2002 when producers made the Shaggy character a strict vegetarian.
9. What band’s popularity did Casey woefully misjudge?
When introducing “Pride (In the Name of Love),” U2’s first U.S. top 40 single, Casey began reading a lengthy introduction/explanation: “That’s the letter ‘U’ and the numeral two….The four-man band features Adam Clayton on bass, Larry Mullen on drums, Dave Evans, nicknamed ‘The Edge’, on… this is bull—-! Nobody cares! These guys are from England, who gives a (bad word)?!” For the record: The band actually hails from Ireland, and they did go on to sell a few million records in the years to come.
8. Have any Casey mistakes made it to the actual American Top 40 broadcast?
A couple. For example, during the first hour of a January 1976 broadcast, Casey mentioned that Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sounds of Silence” was the number one song exactly 10 years ago. Then, during the second hour of the show he said the same thing about the Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out.” He also related a back-story about Paul Revere and the Raiders’ “Indian Reservation” that later turned out to be a complete fabrication made up by the song’s composer, John D. Loudermilk.
7. When did AT40 debut?
Casey first counted ‘em down on July 4, 1970. The show was broadcast on only a handful of stations at the time, and listeners had to wait an anxious three hours before finding out that the number one hit in the nation that week was “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” by Three Dog Night.
6. What was the first Long Distance Dedication?
The LDD debuted in August 1978. A man wrote Casey requesting a special song for his girlfriend, Desiree, who was moving to Germany to live with her family on an Air Force Base. The bereft boyfriend’s song request? “Desiree” by Neil Diamond, natch.
5. What is Casey’s connection to The Price is Right?
Casey and his wife Jean (you may remember her as squeaky-voiced “Loretta Tortelli” on Cheers) are the co-owners of the Little Miss Liberty Round Crib Company. Their designer baby cribs (named after their daughter Liberty) frequently pop up as prizes on America’s favorite game show. If you never manage to get into a Showcase Showdown but still have a hankering for a $700 baby bed, Little Miss Liberty Cribs are available in retail shops as well.
4. What song made it to number one without Casey ever mentioning its title during its ascent up the chart?
That honor goes to George Michael’s 1987 hit “I Want Your Sex.” Even though he was very liberal in his politics, Casey was conservative when it came to AT40 and he just couldn’t bring himself to articulate this title over the air. Instead he simply announced something along the lines of “here’s the latest hit by George Michael” each week the tune remained in the Top 40. (Luckily Shadoe Stevens was hosting the show by the time 2 Live Crew’s “Me So Horny” hit the charts.)
3. Wait a minute – Casey wouldn’t say “I Want Your Sex”? Isn’t this the same guy who cussed out U2?
Yes, but he didn’t do that over the air. That little tirade was an outtake that somehow leaked out of the studio. And whatever his objections may have been to the title of George Michael’s song, he still dutifully announced Rod Stewart’s “Ain’t Love a Bitch” during the late Spring of 1979.
2. How did radio stations around the world get AT40 – was it via satellite feed or what?
During the Casey era, each installment of AT40 was pressed on to vinyl LP records (usually four per show) and mass-mailed to subscribing radio stations. Every now and then listeners in certain markets would hear a “skip” during the show caused by a scratch in the record.
1. What’s the deal with the infamous “Snuggles” rant?
During the September 14, 1985, countdown the Pointer Sisters lively hit “Dare Me” had just finished playing when Casey began reading a Long Distance Dedication. A listener had written a poignant story about the death of his dog, Snuggles, and had requested that Casey play the Henry Gross song “Shannon” in tribute. What listeners didn’t know was that it took several “takes” to get that segment recorded properly, because Casey had trouble getting into the properly somber mood after an up-tempo song. The tape was still rolling when he launched into a profanity-laced tirade directed at his engineer and producer. That rant didn’t make it on the air until years later when it became a staple of morning radio drive-time shows looking for a laugh. You can hear it here, but be forewarned – the language is not suitable for the workplace, young children, grandma or family pets.
If you can type while keeping your feet on the ground and reaching for the stars, we’d love to hear your own Casey memories.
Comments (17)
Comment
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I still get to listen to the “classic” AT40’s from way back when on Sunday mornings on an oldies station here….co-hosted by one “Mike Kasem” which just doesn’t sound right! To me, Casey’s voice has never changed over all these years and his enthusiasm never wanted either! I couldn’t even tell you who does the AT40 now…..to me it will always be Casey’s.
Wonderful article BTW!
posted by MrsPurrbottom on 7-11-2009 at 9:07 am
Ooops, that should be his enthusiasm never WANED, sorry………
posted by MrsPurrbottom on 7-11-2009 at 9:08 am
I don’t understand the big deal of him “stepping down”–according to this article, Shadoe Stevens was hosting even 20 years ago, and from what I understand, Casey has only been doing a top 20 lately.
Hasn’t the most worthless shill of all time, Ryan Seacrest, been hosting lately anyway?
Yet another reason not to bother listening to commercial radio…
posted by Wayne on 7-11-2009 at 9:53 am
he did the voices for ‘battle of the planets’ too!
posted by alicat on 7-11-2009 at 10:30 am
The only time my family ever listened to AT40 was when we were on vacation. I always thought it was funny because it was so against everything my dad listened to.
:o)
posted by Lindsey on 7-11-2009 at 4:02 pm
I never knew they neutered (to put it politely) Shaggy like that. Another fun piece of my childhood ruined by the dillholes in Hollywood.
Thanks Casey. Loser.
posted by Hurricane on 7-11-2009 at 4:09 pm
Casey Kasem was also a voice actor on the original Transformers cartoon, but left the show because of what he felt was ill treatment of Middle Eastern peoples (look it up, you wouldn’t blame him).
posted by Dantheman on 7-11-2009 at 4:28 pm
I actually have one of the “America’s Top 40″ shows. I think I won it in some sort of radio call-in show back in the 70’s. It’s 3 records. I may even play it sometime this weekend, in memoriam.
-Ralphie
posted by Ralphie on 7-11-2009 at 4:52 pm
Casey Kasem also lobbied to have he Rankin and Bass claymation “Little Drummer Boy” barred from being played during the Christmas season as he felt the depiction of Arabs in the beginning of the show was offensive.
posted by bzzyb on 7-12-2009 at 12:37 pm
I don’t know how old the author of this article is. While I find it interesting, it seems a bit hostile, just a bit. I am tired of this whole \pull back the curtain\ society we live in. I bet that there are some aweful outtakes from just about anyone in broadcasting. I can say that that transition from an up-tempo song into a \dead dog story\ would have me irritated at my producer as well. Let’s just leave the \king of the countdowns\ be just that. There is no need to get to the truth with any of the behind the mic things that may have occurred. Just my opinion.
posted by Kevan Seal on 7-12-2009 at 7:35 pm
\the pull back the curtiain\ trend isn’t such a bad thing- sure you get to know all the gorey details about things you might not have wanted to know…but in the end, the truth is better than cover up after cover up.
and no one made you read an article titled \ten fact salute to casey kasem\- what else were you expecting?
posted by emmiline on 7-13-2009 at 3:53 am
Uh, Kevin, the article is about Casey Kasem. What did you want?
posted by Shannon O'Connell on 7-13-2009 at 12:08 pm
Casey Kasem once had a man sent to prison for impersonating him.
Stand-up comic Brian Evans would call business and impersonate Mr. Kasem to get himself free credit. Eventually he was spent a year behind bars at Casey Kasem’s insistence (who made a personal court appearance to tell the judge that Evans was a menace to society.) You can read about it by clicking on my name.
The court ordered Evans to never perform his Kasem impersonation again. In a radio interview 12 years after his release from prison, he was still refusing to do the impersonation for fear that Mr. Kasem would push for prosecution.
posted by n2y2 on 7-13-2009 at 1:26 pm
The Bob & Tom Show did a spoof of Casey’s rant a while ago. It was with their frequent ‘radio show personality’ Mr. Obvious. It’s very funny.
“And where’s my orange smoothie!? Goddamit I asked for an orange smoothie like 20 minutes ago!”
You might be able to find it on their website.
posted by crocostimpy on 7-13-2009 at 1:28 pm
To n2y2, I actually don’t blame Casey for putting that guy in jail. It’s called fraud! It’s one thing to use a really good impression at parties for laughs or even being a stand-up comic, in his act on stage. But to take it so far as to get free goods? Gallagher is essentially suing his own brother (don’t know what the current status is) because he is going around impersonating his act.
posted by Mavis on 7-13-2009 at 2:31 pm
Mavis,
Good points all. But, Kasem actually went to court and asked that the guy be put away for the maximum because he was such a danger. When was the last time you heard someone going to jail for a year after the non-violent theft of a few thousand dollars on a first offense? Usually restitution and fines would be sufficient.
On top of that, Mr. Kasem had him legally banned from doing the impression for life? Seems a bit overboard to me.
posted by n2y2 on 7-13-2009 at 3:00 pm
to n2y2
I’m w/ Mavis here. This guy not only committed fraud, but he did it in Kasem’s name. This is not about getting some free goods, this is about ruining Kasem’s credit and reputation. It’s called identity theft now.
As for banning him from doing it again? If this guy stole my ID, I wouldn’t want him earning a living off me by continuing to do impressions of me and get paid for it.
posted by Jonny on 7-13-2009 at 5:22 pm