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WKRP in Cincinnati (1978): 15 Weird Facts You Didn't Know

Remember When

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#rememberwhen WKRP in Cincinnati gave us the turkey drop, radio DJs, and more plaid than an entire Sears catalog. Behind the scenes? Even weirder. From real rock tracks to secret jokes hiding in plain sight, this countdown digs up 15 bizarre facts about one of the most beloved sitcoms of the late '70s.

Howard Hesseman, Loni Anderson, Tim Reid, Gary Sandy, and the rest of the WKRP crew made Cincinnati's least functional AM station feel like home. But what really happened behind the mic, and why did reruns sound so... off?

WKRP in Cincinnati (1978): 15 Weird Facts You Didn't Know

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:46 - #15: WKRP’s Memorable Theme Songs — Steve Carlisle
04:32 - #14: A Schedule Too Wild to Follow — Gary Sandy
06:31 - #13: The Secret Behind the Station’s Name — Hugh Wilson
08:22 - #12: The Music That Made and Broke the Show
10:42 - #11: Choosing the Perfect City
12:34 - #10: Real-Life People Behind the Characters — Howard Hesseman
15:23 - #9: A Set Built by the Audience — Richard Sanders
17:21 - #8: A Role That Was Never Meant to Last — Loni Anderson
19:42 - #7: When a Sitcom Got Serious — Tim Reid
21:15 - #6: The Show That Deserved More Trophies — Andy Ackerman
23:31 - #5: A Character Who Redefined Cool
26:15 - #4: A Warning About the Industry — Carol Bruce
28:38 - #3: The Most Unhinged Scene Ever
30:45 - #2: A Revival with Familiar Faces — Gordon Jump
33:39 - #1: The Scene That Made WKRP a Legend

Watch more retro TV chaos here:
👉 TV Show Deep Dives

#WKRP #HowardHesseman #LoniAnderson #TimReid #WKRPInCincinnati #ClassicTV #70sSitcoms #TVTrivia #RadioHistory #SitcomLegends #RememberWhen #TVNostalgia

20 Comments

@user-kt9ir6bo8z 9 months ago (edited)

I went to broadcasting school, got my FCC license, and became a DJ because of this show.

@pamelamays4186 9 months ago

Gordon Jump was the lonely Maytag repairman for many years.

@pamelamays4186 9 months ago

WKRP In Cincinnati was to radio what Barney Miller was to police stations

@nikkidrake9579 9 months ago

Les Nessman' s "walls and door" and his mispronounciation of golfer Chi-Chi Rodriguez's name 😂

@unclesam1789 9 months ago

The Drinking DJs scene was comedic gold.

@OfficialLIoydPye 9 months ago

I've worked in radio for the past 33 years, and every time WKRP is brought up we're always making comparisons of the characters in the show to our real-life radio co-workers.

@catserver8577 9 months ago

First thing I think of is Andy unrolling the KISS poster. I was a kid, I was a KISS fan, I was sold.

@twigstudios 9 months ago (edited)

Loni Anderson was a blonde goddess but Jan Smithers was my unspoken crush. I loved this show growing up!

@yvetteharris4063 9 months ago

I still remember Venus explaining the atom to the gang member.

@cynthia3976 9 months ago

My favorite WKRP moment was when Venus explained how a cell worked to a young street gang member. He used language the kid could understand, taught him some science, and helped the kid see he could learn.

@jimhart1959 9 months ago

I’m in a band and every once in a while we’ll end a set with the opening theme. It’s really a smartly written song.

@robertcringle4865 9 months ago

Turkey Drop was hilarious while The Who Concert was brilliantly must see television.

@carlrood4457 9 months ago

One of my favorite Jennifer lines is when she said, "To be fair, a lot of turkeys don't survive Thanksgiving." She said it so matter of fact and it works because of the outrageous situation going on around her, but she stay straight.

@craigfazekas3923 9 months ago

I met Gordon Jump at a Flyers game in Philly, about 25 years ago. He was doing promo work for Maytag at a booth & standing there alone. I took about 15 mins. with him, recapping his many appearances on my fave shows from back then- Brady Bunch, WKRP, Diff'rent Strokes....
He was very amiable & smooth to talk to !!
🚬😎👍

@ptorq 9 months ago

The FIRST moment that's stuck in my head is either "DOCTOR Johnny Fever, and I am burning UP in here!", "your fifty thousand watt intensive care unit", or "I almost forgot, fellow babies ... booger!" There are many other moments later, but those were when I knew this was going to be a show worth watching, and they all occur within about 30 seconds.