Dale Connelly
Encyclopedia
Dale Connelly was co-host (with Tom Keith
, aka Jim Ed Poole) of The Morning Show
on Minnesota Public Radio
. The program was carried on KCMP
89.3 "The Current" in the Twin Cities and live on MPR's classical music network in outstate Minnesota. Connelly took over for Garrison Keillor
, who was the original host along with Tom Keith. The show aired for more than 30 years. On October 15, 2008, Tom Keith
announced his intention to retire on December 11. The Morning Show
was discontinued after a final live performance at the Fitzgerald Theater
in St. Paul that morning.
After Poole/Keith's retirement, Connelly began hosting, directing, and producing a show in a similar genre on an Internet broadcast and HD Radio
called "Radio Heartland." He also hosted Saturday evening broadcasts of recorded performances on the Minnesota News service of Minnesota Public Radio
. Those programs were canceled by MPR on June 4, 2010, and Connelly was laid off effective June 30, 2010.
Connelly was the author of many scripts for "advertisements," skit
s, and soap opera
s performed on The Morning Show. Among his notable creations were "The Sherpa
from Intimida, A Mighty Big Car", an SUV
that is so large it affected the weather, and Genway, "the supermarket for genetically engineered foods." Genway produced things like the Bullwinkle
Salmon ("part salmon, part moose") and Chameleon Pears.
Other Connelly creations included the "Bowserbed" vibrating sleeping mattress for dogs, "Yes, I Am Wireless," Found Snacks ("makers of low-fat neutrinos. There's nothing to them! No fat, no cholesterol, no calories—no substance and no mass!"), and reporters Brick Walters, Bud Buck, and The Morning Show's "living and loving correspondent," B. Marty Barry. Connelly also created a regular cast of characters, including Nephew Thomas (the radio daredevil), Captain Billy and the crew of the Muskellunge and Dr. Harley Clumsy (the animal identifier).
In 1999 and 2000, Connelly wrote Dale Connelly Reporting, a satirical
news
show for Minnesota Public Radio that included features like "Antiques Road Show
," "Shouting Down School," and features on "Police and Courtroom Portrait Artists," "Low-Speed Internet Access," and "Lutheran Olympics
."
Some of Connelly's satires have appeared on the op-ed pages of the Star Tribune
. One of them was the analysis of the State of the Union
speech by Oscar Standerfer, an ovation consultant and applause coach.
Since leaving MPR, Connelly has been writing a blog titled, Trail Baboon. On the blog, he continues his work of creating characters and engaging readers with his observations.
In June 2011, Connelly became news director for Minneapolis community radio station KFAI
, where he had been a part-time producer. Press Release
Tom Keith
Thomas Alan Keith was a radio personality who worked for Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was the engineer for Garrison Keillor when he began his early morning radio show from the St. John's University Collegeville studio...
, aka Jim Ed Poole) of The Morning Show
The Morning Show (Minnesota Public Radio)
The Morning Show was a morning drive-time radio program produced in St. Paul, Minnesota and broadcast on Minnesota Public Radio's KCMP and other stations of the MPR network....
on Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...
. The program was carried on KCMP
KCMP
-WCAL:The station began with physics experiments in 1918 when five students and a professor built a small radio transmitter at St. Olaf College. Using a wire antenna strung between the campus chapel and the college's "Old Main" , signals from these experiments were picked up as far away as New...
89.3 "The Current" in the Twin Cities and live on MPR's classical music network in outstate Minnesota. Connelly took over for Garrison Keillor
Garrison Keillor
Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality. He is known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (born August 7, 1942) is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio...
, who was the original host along with Tom Keith. The show aired for more than 30 years. On October 15, 2008, Tom Keith
Tom Keith
Thomas Alan Keith was a radio personality who worked for Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was the engineer for Garrison Keillor when he began his early morning radio show from the St. John's University Collegeville studio...
announced his intention to retire on December 11. The Morning Show
The Morning Show
-Australia:* The Morning Show, the top rating morning talk show hosted by Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies on Channel Seven.* The Morning Show, the original title for the chat show Good Morning Australia, which later became 9am with David and Kim...
was discontinued after a final live performance at the Fitzgerald Theater
Fitzgerald Theater
The Fitzgerald Theater is the oldest existing stage venue in the city of Saint Paul, Minnesota, and the home of American Public Media's A Prairie Home Companion. It was one of many theaters built by the Shubert Theatre Corporation, and was initially named the Sam S. Shubert Theater...
in St. Paul that morning.
After Poole/Keith's retirement, Connelly began hosting, directing, and producing a show in a similar genre on an Internet broadcast and HD Radio
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
called "Radio Heartland." He also hosted Saturday evening broadcasts of recorded performances on the Minnesota News service of Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio
Minnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...
. Those programs were canceled by MPR on June 4, 2010, and Connelly was laid off effective June 30, 2010.
Connelly was the author of many scripts for "advertisements," skit
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
s, and soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
s performed on The Morning Show. Among his notable creations were "The Sherpa
Sherpa people
The Sherpa are an ethnic group from the most mountainous region of Nepal, high in the Himalayas. Sherpas migrated from the Kham region in eastern Tibet to Nepal within the last 300–400 years.The initial mountainous migration from Tibet was a search for beyul...
from Intimida, A Mighty Big Car", an SUV
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
that is so large it affected the weather, and Genway, "the supermarket for genetically engineered foods." Genway produced things like the Bullwinkle
Bullwinkle J. Moose
Bullwinkle J. Moose is a fictional character in the 1959–1964 animated television series Rocky and His Friends and The Bullwinkle Show, often collectively referred to as Rocky and Bullwinkle, produced by Jay Ward and Bill Scott...
Salmon ("part salmon, part moose") and Chameleon Pears.
Other Connelly creations included the "Bowserbed" vibrating sleeping mattress for dogs, "Yes, I Am Wireless," Found Snacks ("makers of low-fat neutrinos. There's nothing to them! No fat, no cholesterol, no calories—no substance and no mass!"), and reporters Brick Walters, Bud Buck, and The Morning Show's "living and loving correspondent," B. Marty Barry. Connelly also created a regular cast of characters, including Nephew Thomas (the radio daredevil), Captain Billy and the crew of the Muskellunge and Dr. Harley Clumsy (the animal identifier).
In 1999 and 2000, Connelly wrote Dale Connelly Reporting, a satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
show for Minnesota Public Radio that included features like "Antiques Road Show
Antiques Roadshow
Antiques Roadshow is a British television show in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom to appraise antiques brought in by local people. It has been running since 1979...
," "Shouting Down School," and features on "Police and Courtroom Portrait Artists," "Low-Speed Internet Access," and "Lutheran Olympics
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
."
Some of Connelly's satires have appeared on the op-ed pages of the Star Tribune
Star Tribune
The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The...
. One of them was the analysis of the State of the Union
State Of The Union
"State Of The Union" is the debut single from British singer-songwriter David Ford. It had previously been featured as a demo on his official website, before appearing as a track on a CD entitled "Apology Demos EP," only on sale at live shows....
speech by Oscar Standerfer, an ovation consultant and applause coach.
Since leaving MPR, Connelly has been writing a blog titled, Trail Baboon. On the blog, he continues his work of creating characters and engaging readers with his observations.
In June 2011, Connelly became news director for Minneapolis community radio station KFAI
KFAI
KFAI is a community radio station in Minnesota. The station broadcasts a wide variety of music, and also airs programming catering to many of the diverse ethnic groups of the region...
, where he had been a part-time producer. Press Release