Listening to Ron & Don for the past 25 years, it has been a pleasure to hear them evolve. They began as brash, misogynistic shock jocks. They became thoughtful, sober (in Don’s case), middle-aged men looking for clarity in trying times, while doing their best to include mindfulness and gratitude in their lives. It is a journey remarkably similar to my own. And if you’re here reading this, it’s probably similar to yours, too.
Voyage of Discovery
Don’s “Voyage of Discovery,” in which he has decided to live life alcohol-free, has played a significant role in his evolution. Don’s honesty about his experience gave me the courage to look at the role alcohol played in my own life. This ultimately leading to my decision to stop drinking. Listening to him openly admit his mistakes and struggles validates my own experience as I navigate life without alcohol.
A History in Radio
The Ron and Don Show first hit the Seattle airwaves in 1997, running adjacent to the chauvinistic Tom Leykis Show. Their lunkhead attitude and crass humor were a hit with the audience. After stints in New Orleans (where they survived Hurricane Katrina), Dallas, and San Francisco they returned to Seattle. They went on to rule afternoon drive radio on KIRO for 13 years.
After being unceremoniously dumped by a new management team in January 2019, they were devastated. They licked their wounds for a few months before embarking on real estate careers with the local real estate giant, Windermere.
A Podcast is Born
Missing the connection with their hundreds of thousands of listeners (known as “The Ron and Don Nation”), and no doubt looking for a way to tap into that audience for potential real estate clients, they decided to return to broadcasting via podcast. Episode 1 recounts the details of their firing from KIRO, the personal impact it had on them, and how they came to the decision to create a podcast modeled after their radio show.
Initially slated as a weekly podcast, the guys were quick to acquire Les Schwab as a sponsor. This enables them to record three episodes a week. Episodes drop on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, and range from 30 minutes to an hour in length.
All About the Human Condition
With a primary audience of women 40+, the podcast focuses on issues relating to the human condition. They frequently discuss their effort to live more mindful lives. They openly talk about their ongoing therapy, their struggles with relationships and parenting, and the efforts to embrace diversity. To that end, they facilitate difficult conversations about racial injustice.
Don speaks openly and honestly about living life alcohol-free. It’s a decision he made when he saw the effect his drinking was having on his relationships and his ability to be a good parent. All of this is sprinkled with a generous amount of talk about the local real estate market, which they present in an informative manner.
Podcast Pros
With over 200 episodes under their belts, these podcast pros have re-created the format that made them so successful on terrestrial radio. Their appeal is their humanity.
The podcasts, just like real life, range from:
- Thought-provoking – Episode 126: Nobody in the Bible is White…Take All the Time You Need With That; Episode 64: Why Has America Thrown Away Their Dinner Table
- Inspirational – Episode 69: G-Force Attempts to Swim With the Turtles; Episode #206: Here’s What Don Does When He Struggles
- Hilarious –Episode #4: What Happens When 11 French Nurses Spend the Night at Don’s House; Episode 10: Did Ron Just Get One of “Those” Massages?
Having the Difficult Conversations
Regular guests include Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer and Recruiting Officer Nolan Washington, who discuss police relations and the role race plays in law enforcement. They do not shy away from difficult discussions. It is refreshing to hear a couple guys who don’t think they have all the answers but are willing to share their journey as they strive to be moral, just, loving, and mindful.
Cause Radio In a Podcast
As veterans of “Cause Radio” at KIRO, Ron and Don raised millions of dollars for charities like “Charlie’s Dinosaur” and “Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation.” They stepped up at the beginning of the pandemic and partnered with the Refugee Artisan Initiative. They funded and delivered thousands of masks to local healthcare facilities. Their listeners are quick to fund the causes featured on the podcast.
Calm Voices in Stormy Water
Early in the pandemic, when so much was unknown and everything was scary, Ron and Don shared our isolation and offered a calm voice as we all sheltered in place. They provided the latest information in an unbiased manner. This gave listeners level-headed advice to help keep them safe and sane.
I looked forward to hearing their familiar voices help me navigate the new normal. Bringing their listeners together to support a mask-making effort for first responders helped us to feel less helpless as the terrible virus shut down our world as we knew it. “Be a part of something bigger than yourself” is their motto, and it’s something they practice as well as preach.
G-Force and Charlie
G-Force (Gunner) is Don’s 10-year-old son, and he does the introductions to the podcasts. They’re quite charming, and it’s great to hear him improve over the episodes. Charlie is G-Force’s Goldendoodle puppy, and he frequently appears as the table-eating, pen-chewing comic relief in early episodes.
Why Listen?
The episodes are recorded in the Les Schwab recording studio. The studio moves from Ron’s to Don’s house over the course of the episodes. As radio professionals, they produce a high-quality podcast with awesome bumper music, a theme song, and excellent audio quality.
If you are looking for a current relevant conversation about life, including politics (neutral), sports (these guys used to cover the Oakland Raiders, and they love football), and real estate thrown in for spice, I think you’ll really enjoy The Ron and Don Show.
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