Busted Halo Producer and Cleveland Sports Vet Krista LePard, Class of 2012

Busted Halo Producer and Cleveland Sports Vet Krista LePard, Class of 2012

Author: WJPZ September 4, 2023 Duration: 34:01

Today we visit with Krista LePard, Class of 2012.  She's a Cleveland native who loves getting paid to watch sports.  And her and her husband Clay's career paths brough them  back to her hometown.

Krista was more focused on TV when she got to campus, but always looked across the hall and saw how much fun Alex Brewer and the crew were having at WJPZ.  She knew she didn't want to do sports at Z89, she just wanted to have fun. This turned into airshifts and the morning show.

She started dating her now husband Clay just before he graduated in December, and they had to navigate a long distance relationship that included much of the first year of their marriage, as they worked in various markets.

As Fate would have it, Clay, a Massachusetts native, landed a reporter job in Cleveland, so it was time for them to be together in Northeast Ohio.    Krista was able to associate direct Indians/Guardians and Cavaliers games for what is currently Bally Sports Ohio.  She did that before and after their daughter was born.  We spend a few minutes talking about not only the changes to baseball, but the precarious financial situation that these Regional Sports Networks (RSN's) find themselves in currently.

After the pandemic, Krista learned that a show she interned for, Father Dave's Busted Halo show on Sirius XM, was looking for a fully remote producer.   The work-from-home flexibility was ideal for her.  And she was the perfect fit for our most recent WJPZ Hall of Famer - as a former intern and fan of the show.    Krista tells us about the show, and puts some misconceptions about it to bed.   One thing that is true though, is the talent and relatability of Father Dave.

Link to Father Dave's Episode: https://wjpzat50.simplecast.com/episodes/dave-dwyer

Urgent: The University did NOT approve funding for this year's WJPZ sports staff to travel to away games, and they need your help.  You can donate here: just scroll down to WJPZ. https://bit.ly/helpz89sports

The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.

Sign up for email alerts whenever we release a new episode here: jagindetroit.com/WJPZat50

Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag:  jag@jagindetroit.com.

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Want to be on the show? Email JAG at jag@jagpodcastproductions.com

Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/


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For fifty years, the student-run airwaves of Syracuse University's WJPZ at 50 have been more than a radio station; they've been a launchpad. This oral history project captures that legacy not through dry facts, but through the voices that built it. Each episode is a conversation with a different alumnus, from the pioneers of the 1970s to recent graduates, tracing how their hands-on experience in what's called the "world's greatest media classroom" shaped careers in broadcasting and far beyond. You'll hear personal stories of late-night broadcasts, technical mishaps turned into triumphs, and the forging of lifelong bonds that created a unique professional family spanning generations. This podcast digs into the real, often messy, work of learning by doing, revealing how a campus station became an enduring institution. Tune in for a collection of fifty interviews that together form a living archive, celebrating the people, not just the programming, behind five decades of student-led radio.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

WJPZ at 50
Podcast Episodes
Marty D, Class of 2001, Draws Out The Laughs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:07
Links!All of Marty's current work, including podcasts: https://weeklyhumorist.com/Marty's archive of Z Morning Zoo bits, including the full Rick Wright tour of the Ostrom House: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/ascjv18c5…
Hollywood Writer John Beck, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:30
John sent some great 1990's pics from the station. You can view them here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/zxxnn6pconq7p45fvidd1/h?rlkey=ny9i0u512pve0tf915i58xtl3&dl=0John Beck, Class of 1995, has gone on to a prolific wr…
Tony Renda, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:02
As the son of a radio station owner, Tony Renda grew up in broadcasting. His dad, Tony Renda Sr, started with an AM station in East McKeesport, Pennsylvania, before growing the company to many station in several markets.…
Tracey Turner ('00), Lisa Phillips ('03), and Sarah Fox ('02) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:29
Today's guests are three ladies, three years apart, who have formed an enduring frienship via WJPZ that has lasted over 20 years.Tracey (Chilandese) Turner got to the station when Harry and Dena were running a skeleton c…
"Kid" Michael Rock, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:56
"Kid" Michael Rock grew up taping Casey Kasem and trying to talk up the songs himself. So it's not surprising that he applied to Syracuse, and only Syracuse. And he set out to find WJPZ before his parents had finished un…
Play-By-Play Man David Resnick, Class of 2010 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:38
Today's guest is play-by-play man David Resnick, a 2010 WJPZ alum. He reached out to us because he wanted to make sure we recognized the All Star sports department he worked with at Z89 - many who have gone on to great s…
Final Program Update from Jag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13
Hey, it’s Jag. Again, thank you so much for your support of the WJPZ at 50 podcast, which as of today, January 23, 2024, now has almost 13,000 downloads!We’re starting to wind down the series, but wanted to make sure you…
T-Bone! Programmer Mike Tierney, Class of '91 and '93 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:29
Mike "T-Bone" Tierney may have known more classes in JPZ's history than anyone - having worked at Z89 as a high schooler, undergrad, and grad student. So it's no surprise many of his contemporaries consider him one of WJ…