Back in the day, the LG Morning Zoo wasn’t just a radio show—it was a full-on circus. We had Dean Hill, our fearless Zoo Keeper; Graham Hatch, the ever-resourceful Assistant Zoo Keeper; Stu McAllister, who doubled as Constable Bob and The Coach; Glen Lamont, our resident comedian; Samantha Howe handling Traffic & Weather—and secretly doubling as our own female Rich Little, with an uncanny ability to mimic just about any voice we threw at her; and Merv Connelly delivering the news. And then there was me—the Producer. Working with this team was one of the most fun times of my life.
Those mornings were a blur of energy, caffeine, and absurdity. The second we signed off, it wasn’t “time to rest”—it was straight into the newsroom and show prep for the next day. We built the program from a wild mix of live moments and carefully crafted pre-recorded bits in my studio. But the crown jewels were always our song parodies. Everyone sang. Everyone wrote. (Though, if we’re keeping score, Graham probably had the most lyric sheets taped to the wall.)
At home, I’d program the drums, play all the necessary instruments, and piece together the “bed tracks.” Then I’d haul them into the studio, where we’d pile on the vocals and try—try—not to crack up. A bit that should have taken thirty seconds to record could easily spiral into a half-hour of uncontrollable laughter. Honestly, we were being paid to have the kind of fun most people only dream about.
And here’s the best part: more than thirty years later, we’re still friends. We still get together, swap stories, and laugh until our faces hurt. The Zoo may have gone off the air, but the crew never really disbanded.
