Then I listened to KRATER96 on Thursday morning.

When did “Hammertime” just become “Time” as I listened to Zip Recruiter ads and Traitor by Oliva Rodrigo.

When did “your pal” become “your memory?”

Where was “Traffic on the 5” as I waited 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 minutes?

Then I understood. There was a mass firing aka workforce reduction of on-air personalities including my longtime favs, Gregg Hammer and Danielle Tucker. A sad day indeed for all those affected by this change and for us, the listeners who spent many years on the Hawaiian roadways with these voices.

Update 01-07-2022: Thanks to Claire for this Star Advertiser article about the layoffs. From my point of view, it did seem like a cost cutting measure with the more experienced (and assumedly higher paid) employees predominantly getting released.

Update #2 01-07-2022. Thanks to Matt for this larger view of the cuts by SummitMedia.

I don’t know the details, and really it’s “noneya.” Suffice it to say, it’s been a great, great run of Hammertime that’s evolved since day 1 and saw the OG trio bond and develop the show’s format. The early day’s staccato is now a harmonious flow. Even with the replayed content, the dialog, transitions, music, and yes, even those teasers, seem effortless and help us morning commuters keep our sanity with the hilarity. Everyday’s broadcast is similar but different, giving us listeners a calming regularity but with an anticipation of that laughable Hammertime moment. Yes, Hammertime will go on just with a new (and very capable) member.

If you want to remember how it all started for Davey, Gregg, and Shawnee, take a look back to October 2013 and listen to Hammertime’s five minute early launch.

Being at an essential standstill, I figured I’d ask Ms. Tucker what’s up with the local area traffic. The Twitterverse being the Twitterverse I never expected any kind of response but then came this online conversation.

Wow. Not only did she respond, she actually acted on my question, looking into the problematic intersection. And then, it was like she was actually watching the situation asking me if I made it through the last light (which coincidentally felt longer allowing more cars to proceed). Was Danielle working some Traffic Management Center magic like a traffic guardian angel? Who knows. All I know is that Danielle Tucker is the best traffic reporter on Oahu.

Oh, and it doesn’t hurt that she can take a joke being the target of Gregg Hammer’s Two Voice Tuesday impersonations.

While the contest is for the most creative, I gotta give it to the duet. Oh, the image I used is from the Lilly Pulitzer line at Target that’s just a time reference.

marshmallow-infused whipped cream and milk chocolate sauce, a creamy blend of graham, coffee, milk and ice, then finished off with more mashmallowy whipped cream and a graham cracker crumble.

Not really a summer memory I can recall in Hawaii. Maybe if Starbucks made a rainbow shave ice inspired drink then I could relate more. But no matter, I’ll try one of these S’mores Frappuccino, especially since the Hammer signal was beaconing this morning. Although it was a bit too early for my radio listening, other Pulpy fans told me about reviewing this drink for one Gregg Hammer.

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Here’s to H4H on April 1st!!

What a way to start Thursday morning! I had just pulled out of my driveway for my morning commute with the radio tuned to KRTR 96.3. Aunty Mildred Kaneakala was kicking off the morning’s Story Time when I heard my name on air. Wait, what was that? Did I hear Gregg Hammer as Aunty just give a shout out to his/her favorite blogger?!? Why yes I did (see the Instagram comments)!

Wait what? Did I hear @the.real.gregg.hammer mention my name this morning on Story Time?

A photo posted by @geewhy on Feb 26, 2015 at 11:14am PST

Sadly, I wasn’t ready to record the audio or fast enough to get the delayed playback on the Tunein app. So no recording, just memories of this special good morning! Thanks Gregg and keep everyone laughing in the mornings.

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Another impetus for this change is the emergence of ALT105.9. The new KPOI plays modern alternative music instead of classic rock. After a short listen, I was hooked. Hit after hit played with nary a pause. I don’t know if this is the longer term format sans deejays but for now the music has me hooked.

Back to Gregg Hammer and Hammertime on KRTR 96.3. Gregg, Davey, and Shawnee have their groove going. The team has definitely worked on their show and have polished out the rough edges. It’s no longer a one man show like I originally felt, and the format isn’t so formulated as before. Gregg is given his moments of genius within the framework of the overall show and spots. A slew of local characters now make a daily appearance from Aunty’s Storytime to interruptions from Bubbles. Davey does a much better job setting up Gregg and his impersonations. Then there’s Shawnee offsetting the goofiness of the dudes and bringing a practical viewpoint to the show, but you gotta love Gregg’s impersonations of Shawnee’s ethnic and cultural backgrounds. OMG!

Let me tell you don’t underestimate the traffic report from Danielle Tucker. Simply the best on the morning drive. Descriptive with enough personality mixed in, and she tweets with those stuck in traffic. Traffic on the Five is it and so much more.

So where am I going with all of this? Hammertime on 96.3 continues to flourish, I’m liking the tunes on Alt 105.9, so the odd station out is Island 98.5.

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All-Asian Wayne Anzaki mixed with Austrian-American Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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Perhaps a little controversial, but he was asked and Mr. Hammer produced, mixing Helen Keller and Bubba Smith. Don’t mind the Harley revving its engine in the background

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Say what? I can’t understand what “Oprah Chai” is saying. Maybe Oprah Winfrey and local chef Chai Chaowasaree can translate.

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And what’s with my SoundCloud images for these audio clips? Just playing around with SoundCloud’s integration with Instagram and using some of my recent shots.

If I could, who would I nominate for an embark?

The Ambassador of VH07V

In the footsteps of the original Ambassadors of Aloha, Ed Sugimoto has to be a natural pick. So what if he wasn’t named Top40Under40 by the Pacific Business News, Ed’s an entrepreneur, cultivating and spreading his VH07V brand. I’m not saying Ed should be giving away free VH07V shirts during the embark (well, maybe stickers), just embody aloha while on this amazing tour. And no Ed, Oceanic Cable’s Oahu Wifi ain’t gonna work.

The Digital Artist

From past embarks, there have been countless pictures, movies, and words recounting experiences. But how about original artwork inspired by the magnitude of a Navy vessel? In short, I want to see what Valentino Valdez comes up with – illustrations, posters, shirts, sketches, or even toy mashups.

In Reel Life

Matt Spencer knows his movies. It’s that simple. He watches, critiques, and promotes films all the time and then some. When Matt’s not watching movies, I think he’s reading about them or planning his upcoming viewing schedule. What does movies have to do with a Navy embark? The U.S. Navy in the movies? Surely, you’ve seen a flick or two. From Matt’s point of view, I want to know how realistic the scenes are, which movie has the most accurate portrayal of Naval operations, what actor or character does the ship’s captain remind Matt of? How can Matt relate his experience in terms of films – that’s his reel challenge.

The Inspired

On the surface, Gary Nacapuy looks like a casual Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter denizen. Now go beneath the surface, and you’ll see a growing world of software development. Coding, developing, engineering is where Gary thrives. Combine his passion with the inspiration instilled from a Navy embark, and I’m excited to see what follows.

The Entertainer

Now why would a local celebrity, entertainer, and radio celebrity like Gregg Hammer go on a Navy embark? To broadcast his firsthand experiences with his audience. No, this isn’t a public relations ploy, as a car fix-it guy, Gregg will love visiting the engineering deck, listening to the crew talk in detail about hydraulic fluid, valves, radiators, and arresting cables that catch landing aircraft. Don’t you want to hear Gregg’s tales and adventures during your morning drive in traffic?

My Brother-in-Law

He asked to go after hearing my stories.

Bonus: The Rainbow Warriors

As far as Navy exercises go, the Rim of the Pacific aka RIMPAC is as international as it gets. Similar is the international makeup of the University of Hawaii men’s basketball team. Of course, this will never happen since I’m sure there’s some NCAA infraction or regulation standing in the way, but it’s fun to dream. Imagine seven-footer Davis Rozitis cramped for a COD launch. Can Isaac Fotu get his hair into a safety helmet? Heck, imagine any of the Rainbow Warriors walking the onboard passageways ducking through every hatch. Although it would be cool if the team had a shoot around with service members inside the hangar. Just make sure the ball stays inbounds, the Pacific Ocean is very unforgiving to errant passes.

And there’s my list of fictional nominees. Of course, this list has no significance, but as I’m grateful that my embark was the result of others’ nominations, I have a duty to pay it forward.

I don’t know why, but the entire parade stopped in place for at least 5 minutes. During this dead air time, Gregg and Davey entertained the crowd telling jokes, poking fun at their sister station’s blown out sound system, and encouraging parade watchers to do the wave. As Mr. Hammer talked to the crowd, he noticed me filming and taking pics.

Meeting Gregg Hammer from Gee Why on Vimeo.

Talk about honored! Even in the dim lights of the parade, Gregg was able to spot and recognize me standing over on the sidewalk. He acknowledged me as “the blogger” and came over to shake my hand. Awestruck! We chatted a bit and took this pic (otherwise it never happened, right?).

Thanks Gregg! What an amazingly memorable way to meet in real life. No bah humbug here.

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This prank call segment has some potential though I do feel bad for those getting punked aka hammer’d. One of these days, the person getting hammer’d won’t be able to take a joke and is bound to go off.

I know this is just the very beginning with rough spots expected, but from my limited sampling, here is Pulpconnection’s analysis and breakdown.

But before that, if you missed the launch of HammerTime, listen in to the first two minutes of HammerTime. So what if they started about 5 minutes early?

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The Name

Just nitpicking here, but the name HammerTime is appropriate but small kine confusing. Thanks to MC Hammer, HammerTime is part of our vernacular. Gregg Hammer is a marquee draw and since two of the three members of HammerTime are Hammers, the name fits. But there’s Davey D who seems like the team’s radio lead but gets unequal billing. No, I’m not trying to disrupt the team, just pointing out an observation.

The Music

KRATER 96 plays adult contemporary music, and at my age, I don’t mind this music since it’s all familiar. Rihanna is as hip hop as it gets around here. There’s a good mix of 90’s and newer music. Trivia fact: if you listen to the launch of HammerTime, the first official song played is Natalie Imbruglia’s Torn from 1997.

The Traffic

Fortunately, KRTR has the best traffic reporter assigned to their station with Danielle Tucker and Traffic on the Fives. Danielle’s reports are thorough and tweaked just enough so they don’t sound like she’s repetitively reading the same report for several stations.

The Jocks

Davey D is a name I’ve heard before, but I’m not familiar with his style. I’m guessing his role is the experienced point man/facilitator of the program. The problem I have is telling the difference between the voices of Davey D and Gregg. When Hammer is in caricature-mode, it’s easy to discern, but in straight up regular dialog, I can’t immediately tell. Their voices have similar qualities unlike the former pairing of Gregg and Rory Wild.

Now, the main show, Gregg Hammer. Yes, I am a fan and believe Gregg belongs on the airwaves as one of the most talented entertainers. His range is wide and his speed of improvisation is unparalleled. But… these are new times, a new station, and a new team.

The Team

At times, it feels like Gregg is a one-man show. He goes into character but has to play all the parts. Listen in.

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While he can pull this off, the effect is more compelling when the team complements or augments the stories and jokes. Yes, the team is still adjusting to one another and will get better over time; I understand that. I’m not sure if Gregg’s team knows how to react to his skits or can’t keep up or can’t lead him to the next segment. Again, Rory Wild was the master of this. With a few, well-placed comments, questions, or even a sigh, Rory would be directing the discourse giving Gregg a new path for hilarity. The team just needs more time, more repetitions, more exchanges before everything comes together. My basis for comparison is Gregg’s time with the Wake-Up Crew that spanned years. Seemingly he’s known Rory even longer. So it’s with this bias and expectations, I listen to HammerTime.

The Format

Ugh, okay, this has got to be the worst aspect of the show. It’s no fault to any HammerTime member, just the format of KRTR. But I really hate it. It’s the whole “right after this…” teasing. What celebrity was arrested last night? Find out right after this. Where “this” is typically one or two songs and a commercial. Then there’s some banter followed by another song, news, or traffic report. Then another teaser. Now follow this format for hours. There’s just no flow. Staccato is a rhythm but not a desired flow for this morning show.

Unshackle the Hammer. When things start getting good, the format kicks in, stifling the creativity of Gregg Hammer. Remember the days of the Wake-Up Crew when they would talk for minutes, not playing any music, just doing the obligatory bill paying commercials. The dialog would carry and engage the listeners. I would stay through the commercials so I wouldn’t miss out when the conversation picked up. The current show format doesn’t allow for this, letting me leave knowing I won’t hear from Davey, Shawnee, or Gregg for some time. And when I do hear from them, it’ll be for a scant few minutes before another mandatory music interruption.

It’s the beginning, and I’ll keep listening to HammerTime. You just never know when Gregg will talk about his Instagram selfie.

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Oh, one last thing. Develop characters. Gregg needs to redefine and develop characters. Gone are the days of Tufi Claus, Robert Crazymero, Manyo the Janitor, Bubba Fujimoto, the old Japanese couple, Officer Sherman Botello, and others. Gregg needs a new cast and fast. I’m not sure if Bubbles is it though.

What’s with Gregg’s return? Who knows, but it has to be an all business affair. I hoped the return of the Hammer would be with his partner-in-crime and point man, Rory Wild. The world is a better place with Rory and Gregg on the air waves, but it’s not to be as Rory is still leading the revamped Wake-Up Crew on Island 98.5. So yes, both will be broadcasting at the same time on different stations. Doesn’t that pain you too?

Also, if you’re not a KRTR listener, morning deejays Dave Lancaster and Sister Sherry have been gone for about two weeks. Again, another business matter to seemingly open a time slot for Hammer’s return.

I don’t know Davey D’s style and haven’t heard from Shawnee since becoming Mrs. Hammer, so I don’t know what to expect. Tune in tomorrow to catch the return of Gregg Hammer!

Hammer returning to the airwaves after leaving? Yes, please!

I’m wondering if this is related to that under construction commercial I keep hearing on 96.3. Seems like Dave Lancaster and Sister Sherry are gone from the morning. Just have to be patient and keep monitoring the radio waves for the return of Hammer.

If you recall, back in 2009, actor Gilles Marini’s wardrobe on Dancing with the Stars was a bit too shapely. If you’re not sure what a moose knuckle is, the Wake-Up Crew on I-94 had a lesson back in 2008. Of course, this lesson was led by the famously funny Gregg Hammer.

Speaking of things you learn or hear on the radio, today’s discussion on Da Bomb 102.7 was about golden showers, and one caller was descriptively enthused about this activity. And no, this topic wasn’t about the golden showers fireworks.

Confess. You’ve thought about it. Cook a few packages of Sapporo Ichiban and sizzle up some May’s beef patties, and marvel at your own homemade ramen burger. Or even better, prepare real ramen noodles, form them into bun shapes, and make your own hamburger patties.

But upon your first bite, you’ll realize it’s just not that simple. While you can mimic the appearance of the noodle bun around a burger, you can’t replicate the taste of the ramen burger. It’s best to leave that to the experts.

Whatever it is, don’t try to make your own ramen burger at home without being ready to infuse it with some flavor and soul. And while going to New York to sample the real ramen burger is out of the picture, you can get a ramen burger locally from Tanaka Saimin. I hear it’s quite tasty.