How Radio Ads Help You Scale Up Your Startup: An Interview With Radio Host Mark “Munch” Bishop
Note: this is a transcript from our recent AHA interview. If you would like to watch the video, check out our content studio page. This interview is also available as a podcast episode – find it here.
Steve Stack:
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Dive into topics like architecture, industry trends, project plans, historical tools, tricks of the trade, and life lessons from more than six decades of experience in the hardwood lumber business.
Partnerships for Business Growth
Steve Stack:
Hello again, I’m Steve Stack with Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods. We have a very interesting guest today, back here at Studio 3B in Canfield, Ohio. I’m thrilled to welcome back radio host personality, celebrity, and friend Mark “Munch” Bishop.
Mark Bishop:
Thank you. I appreciate that, man. It’s great to be here. Like I said before, I’m home. This is a home away from home. How cool is that?
Steve Stack:
The door’s always open, buddy.
Mark Bishop:
I understand that. It’s always a treat to be here. I’m treated like family and I appreciate that.
Steve Stack:
Well, we’re really excited to have you back. The last time you visited we got off track.
Mark Bishop:
Who? Me? Deviate?
Steve Stack:
We talked about a lot of great stuff like life lessons and our relationship from the beginning until now. Today, we want to go into a couple of different things. We scratched the surface on remodeling ideas and this and that. I know your situation at home. You talk about the three kids and-
Mark Bishop:
Four.
Steve Stack:
The four kids and getting the youngest one through school. Now, mom’s going to take some of those funds and redirect them back to the house.
Mark Bishop:
Steve came out and I’ll put it this way: it’s what you do. It’s what Baird Brothers does. It’s what your business means. You made a visual and gave the wife some ideas. She still has all the notes. Sooner than later, we had some hardwood flooring.
Steve Stack:
It’s funny how that happens.
Mark Bishop:
Isn’t that neat?
Steve Stack:
That’s good.
Mark Bishop:
Because we’re wood floor people. We love it. We’ve been walking around on it for 22 years, so there are areas that are worn out.
Steve Stack:
We don’t have to stop at the wood floor. We can put the doors in, we can change some mouldings out.
Mark Bishop:
Interior doors.
Steve Stack:
Maybe some of those new butcher block countertops here or there.
Mark Bishop:
Yeah. It’s interesting. My oldest son programs microscopes but didn’t know that if you’re chopping something up, you can’t do it on the countertop and need a cutting board. That was a few years ago. That’s all I can say. When it comes to interior doors, I have one line that I came up with. If you have a new house, I understand trying to make things more affordable, but I say, “Interior doors and new homes are like tissue paper with hinges. Get rid of them, come to Baird Brothers and get your doors here.”
Steve Stack:
That’s very achievable. Whether you have a professional contractor come into your house, know someone who’s pretty handy in carpentry, or if you want to take it on yourself.
Mark Bishop:
Brother, I could put up doors. If I can put up a door, anyone can.
Steve Stack:
Whether we’re talking new pre-hung or replacement slabs, that can dramatically change the interior feel of a home.
Mark Bishop:
I’m glad you said “the feel” too. It’s not just the look, but also the sound.
Steve Stack:
Oh yeah.
Mark Bishop:
Yeah. The sound is not echoing all over the home.
Steve Stack:
Yep. There’s a lot of projects like that and I’ll be at the ready, waiting for the phone call from your wife.
Mark Bishop:
You will get it sooner than later, my friend.
How a Radio Hosts’ Skill Set Fit Your Business Strategy
Steve Stack:
In a previous podcast episode, we talked about your background. Today, we want to get into how radio influences our consumers. They’re not only our consumers when you’re advertising for us, but they’re your consumer. You have to pique their interest. You have to give them good information. How do you approach your day-to-day life? What’s your mindset when you start talking about Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods or some of your other sponsors up in the Cleveland area? What mindset do you put yourself in?
Mark Bishop:
The mindset has to be that, number one, you believe in what you’re talking about. If you don’t believe, it’s going to come out wrong no matter how hard you try. You want people to realize that what you’re saying is coming from the heart, but also coming from knowledge. You’re not just playing on their emotions. Play on factual things, too. It’s like drafting a player. Okay, he’s got this much speed. He can do this and that. However, he’s a good character. He’s high quality. So you want to get a reaction from the folks listening via the emotion, believability and passion you have for the product or brand that you’re talking about.
Steve Stack:
And you do that. Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods are thankful that you do that. I’ve lost track of how many visits you’ve made to our 7060 Crory Road location.
Mark Bishop:
Oh wow.
Steve Stack:
We have had numerous phone conversations, even just to call and catch up.
Mark Bishop:
If I don’t do that, I’m doing you, me, and the fans of the show a disservice. Because I find something new all the time. And I got to tell you something, Steve Stack is very wise and no, he doesn’t owe me money. In our conversations, it’s like, “Son of a gun, Stack.” And I’ll stop for a second. You go, “What are you doing?” I’m writing that down. You gave me something and you didn’t even realize it. Another little talking point.
Sure, they can look at the place. Sure, they can go on the website. Sure, they can talk to you. But it all adds up to the passion you have for it. And you keep up-to-date. I mean, are you sitting pat all the time? No! There are new things all the time. It’s my responsibility to do that for you and do that for the fans.
Steve Stack:
I’m guilty of it. You’re guilty of it. Together in conversation, we’re guilty of it. But you said something that’s going to take us down a different road. It’s a short road, I promise.
Mark Bishop:
Did I just do this?
Steve Stack:
You did this. We’re going to talk about visits. We had a telephone conversation not too long ago when you were recuperating from your procedure. We’re thankful that you’re doing well.
Mark Bishop:
Thank you.
Steve Stack:
We were trying to get a hold of each other and I flipped a text out to you. I ended the text by saying, “Nothing important, checking in. Just want to chew the fat.”
Mark Bishop:
My dad always used that saying. In fact, my godson who’s now a major in the army always said, “Uncle Munch, do you have time to chew the fat?” That was what my dad would say. I mean, because I’m eating meat. A good steak has to have a little fat on it for taste. I guess when you’re chewing the fat, you’re taking some time, right?
Steve Stack:
I think on your last visit we chewed the fat for about an hour and a half.
Mark Bishop:
We certainly did.
Radio Ads For New Customers and Sustainable Growth
Steve Stack:
You have an understanding of Baird Brothers, and it’s so important in advertising to understand our brand and what we do. You understand the family, the family approach, the employee-family relationship. And you convey that to your audience. From your perspective, why is it important for businesses to utilize radio advertising?
Mark Bishop:
Number one, we are coming off something like we’ve never seen in our lifetimes and it’s lingering. Of course, that’s the pandemic. I mean, it was for real. What we’re finding out, which I am honored and really blessed to be a part of, is that people want someone that they can trust. They want someone that makes them feel better. We’re finding out who we are.
When people look to an influencer or an endorser, they trust the people doing that. And why is that? It doesn’t happen overnight. I’ve cultivated a trust for 43 years and you can look back. I’ve never told anyone to go somewhere, see something or do something that would not be top of the line for them or worth their while. People want people they can trust. They also want people that make them feel better. If you’re listening, there are more and more people back again than just syndication on things. Now I could have a show in three or four cities, but I’m still a person that goes to those cities.
People want more personal contact, even if it is via the airwaves. They want someone to make them feel happy. We found that out by listening to certain people. Of course, I’m with iHeart Media and different surveys said, “Yeah, that guy made me feel better by listening to him. Because I know what he’s going through and he’s sharing his life with us.” Also, you mentioned a word that’s near and dear to me. I mean, I’ve got a passion. My passion is my family, my roots, and the family members like Baird Brothers that I talk about, but I have a passion for radio. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be doing this for 43 and a half years.
Do you remember the old Walkman with cassette tapes? People said, “Radio’s finished. Everybody’s going to have a Walkman.” Okay. But didn’t every Walkman still have a radio tuner on it? Then we went from the Walkman to the Discman. It still always had a radio tuner on it, right? “Oh, it’s all going to be on satellite. Radio’s going to go away.” Well, I’ll be honest with you. I still listen to satellite radio, too. But today, more than anything else, radio is stronger than ever. Radio has more listeners than ever. There is also podcasting, which is very important.
Steve Stack:
Right. It’s one of the ingredients in the recipe.
Mark Bishop:
Yes. iHeart Radio is the top podcast player worldwide. What is the bottom line in all of this? It’s radio. Now, some of it was enhanced by the pandemic and people wanting to have a friend again. They say that we become our parents at one time, then it moves on. Everybody, you’ll find out the youngsters out there.
Steve Stack:
Right.
Mark Bishop:
But have you ever heard the saying that the book is better than the movie?
Steve Stack:
Yeah.
Mark Bishop:
Read a book. There are a few books that I read every couple of years like For Whom The Bells Tolls by Ernest Hemingway. Then you watch the movie and think, “Wow, the book’s much better.” Why? You’re thinking about it. I like to watch sports on TV, but you know what? Listen to it. Listen to a game on the radio, then watch it on TV. They’re both great. They’re both phenomenal. But you know what? The radio’s a little more special. The last couple of summers I’ve gotten together with my sons and daughters and we put the radio on in the backyard and grill out some dogs.
We crank the radio up, crank up Hamilton and Rosenhaus. There’s just something about it. It sounds better on the radio. Yes. You’re saying, “But you still watch?” Sure, I still watch it. But through all these challenges, radio is still there. It’s interesting. What has grown more than anything else? AM radio. Wasn’t AM radio going away a few years ago? “Ah, you’ll never see it again.” But it’s stronger than it’s ever been.
Steve Stack:
You touched on a couple of different things. From a personal standpoint, I’d rather hear Hammy call a home run shot.
Mark Bishop:
Oh, yes!
Steve Stack:
Right?
Mark Bishop:
“Way back!”
Steve Stack:
You’re right. You can’t get to the stadium every game. If you catch one or two a year, you’re fortunate. But his call makes you sit in that seat and your mind’s envisioning where that ball is going and how deep it’s going down, right there-
Mark Bishop:
Tyler Naquin’s in-the-park home run a couple of years ago is a great example.
Steve Stack:
Yeah.
Mark Bishop:
My wife is very good with putting her hands on her hips and giving me the stare whenever I have Hamilton on. When I see him, Hammy always goes, “Did I get you in trouble at all last week, Munch?” Why? Because when I go out to get some carry-out food or something like that, Hammy’s on, it’s the ninth inning, and Cleveland is winning when I pull in the driveway, I’ve got to wait until the last out. Because Hammy always ends the game. “There’s a fly ball to right field. Zimmer’s underneath it. Ball game!” You know Cleveland won and the wife will be in the front window.
Steve Stack:
Waiting on the cold food.
Mark Bishop:
She gives me the look and I’ll tell him, “Hamilton, you got me in trouble again.” He goes, “Turn the darn radio off.” I go, “I can’t.” Because he is spellbound. He hypnotizes you.
Steve Stack:
Oh yeah.
Mark Bishop:
There’s Hamilton and Rosenhaus in Cleveland, but each city has their own. You can go all around the country. I listen to music, too, but that’s our soundtrack of summer.
Steve Stack:
That’s a great analogy.
Mark Bishop:
Just like a Beach Boy song on a nice sunny day, that is our soundtrack of summer. And how does it come to you? On the radio.
Steve Stack:
There was a time when if you wanted to take in a game, it was via the radio. Whether it was in your backyard, or in everybody’s living room, there might not have been a TV, but there was a radio.
Over the years, how much important information was shared over the radio? How did American citizens keep track of the wars?
Mark Bishop:
Via the radio.
Steve Stack:
Right.
Mark Bishop:
Today, radio has been enhanced even more by the apps.
Steve Stack:
Right.
Mark Bishop:
WTAM 1100 covers 38 states and half of Canada. I got a phone call from Phoenix, Arizona. I got one from Costa Mesa, California (I don’t even know where that is!). All from listening on the app. You can listen to your favorite teams in the app. You put in whatever you want to have. So that’s why it is still there for you. It’s stronger than ever.
Steve Stack:
And we just skipped ahead to today.
Mark Bishop:
Modern times. Yeah.
Steve Stack:
It could have been a threat as technology progressed, as you said with your cassette and CD example. Radio has always found its way in. Even today with apps and streaming-
Mark Bishop:
It’s all part of the recipe like you said.
Steve Stack:
Yeah, I have the iHeart Radio app on a couple of my devices.
Mark Bishop:
Good.
Steve Stack:
You’re in Cleveland, Ohio doing your broadcast and somebody out in California is responding to you. That tells me that since we use you as a voice, we’re getting our message out to California.
Mark Bishop:
And there’s bairdbrothers.com to see to it.
Steve Stack:
Right.
Mark Bishop:
It’s great to come to the brick and mortar. I also get people in Cleveland too, though, listing on the app. Remember people at ball games wearing big headphones with the antenna and listening to the radio?
Steve Stack:
Right.
Mark Bishop:
Now, next time you go to a ball game, look at people’s earbuds. What are they connected to? The phone app with WTAM 1100. You’re watching the game, but you still want to get Hammy’s take on what just happened. You still want to hear what’s going on. It’s amazing. It’s gone from the big bulky headphones or even transistor radios before that.
Steve Stack:
Oh yeah.
Mark Bishop:
They were the size of a big book, right? So you have this transistor radio and your earpiece that is hooked around under your ear.
Steve Stack:
Yeah.
Mark Bishop:
It’s always generated by radio. You find out things via the radio.
Steve Stack:
There are so many media options available for businesses today to get their messages out. That’s the goal. The branding and getting the message out about Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods out here in Canfield, Ohio. Over the years, I’ve been accused of being old school. I’ve always been a proponent of radio and print. I’ve been fortunate to visit tens of thousands of job sites. Going back in the day a little bit, you would walk onto a job site throughout the course of the day and a radio was playing. At break time, the guys would sit around in a room. One might have a radio playing, but there were two or three reading the Plain Dealer.
Mark Bishop:
Hey, you know what? I’m still a print guy. Big time.
Steve Stack:
Right? So some things change, but maybe not.
Mark Bishop:
Radio hasn’t changed. That reminds me of a story. I love riding a bike. Three or so years ago, I went for a little bike ride, had my helmet on and everything, and went to get off the curb. It was about a foot high, and the tire edge caught it. I went down. I looked like Muhammad Ali or Sonny Liston got ahold of me. I broke my nose. My hands were all scraped up. Even though I had a helmet on, there was no visor. If you hit face first, it’s not going to help you.
I went to the emergency room in Avon, Ohio. One of the doctors goes, “We were just listening to you.” My show ended at 6:00. I got on my bike at 6:10. I said, “What do you mean?” He goes, “Yeah. We have you on in the break room.” So whether it’s a hospital, a factory, a plant, a job site, people listen. You know what else, Steve? Nothing drives me crazier than when I have people in the radio business say, “I can’t believe they have me do seven shows this week.” Seven shows? That’s a vacation! Or, and I’m sure you’ve heard this, “The air conditioning is broken in the studio today,” or “the heat’s not working right.”
Think about this. Somebody talks about the heat not working right in the station today and it’s 65 degrees in the studio. Well, I’ve got six guys on a work crew. It’s 20 degrees outside and they’re blasting the station on a radio in their truck. They’re up to their knees in water because the sewer line broke and I’m complaining that it’s hot out.
One summer in Columbus, a few years back, I had an idea. I said, “You know what? There are a lot of jobs out there that are very challenging.” So I said, “Send to the station if you have a job that is just borderline criminal in the summer.”
So, for three months over the summer, I went out every Friday and did a show on different job sites like a roof of a building while they were tarring it. I did one once in 95-degree weather at a sewage plant south of Columbus; and yes, I did smell like sewage for three days. In my opinion, how could somebody complain when you have folks out there doing that? These are not easy jobs.
Radio Ads For Scalability and Growing Business
Steve Stack:
It’s very true. With your experience in radio partnerships, what are the key components of effective radio advertising? Is it frequency? Is it content? What’s the information that your audience needs to hear?
Mark Bishop:
Without a doubt, frequency is important. There were times when I told people, “Why don’t you wait a while before you do this? Because it’s just not going to work.” But content is so important to frequency. Plus, content needs to reach the right audience. Certain times for certain shows. Who do they reach? Who do you want to reach? You don’t want to shoot that shotgun in the woods and hope that you hit something when it’s hunting season, right? I’m going to lock in on what I’m going to get. That’s what I’m going to go after. Frequency and content together, I call it a message. It’s so important. Little personal touch, believability, getting a reaction, and hitting that emotion is key.
Steve Stack:
Those are all very valid points. People use the word “brand.” You just used a very important word, messaging. You do a fantastic job of it. You personify Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods well because you have that understanding. You’re a great ambassador to Baird Brothers across the airwaves. But if I have an ad in a Sunday paper and then something changes on the Saturday prior, that ad is going to run the way it is. But if I’m scheduled to be on air with Mark Bishop on WTAM on Monday afternoon and something happens over the weekend, I just call you on Sunday night and say, “Hey, Munch, can we change that little 15, 30, or 60-second ad?” What are you going to tell me?
Mark Bishop:
It’s changed immediately. Again, I treasure all mediums. Because I’ll be honest with you, radio enhances TV. However, you’re going to have to pull your ad off of there because they’re not going to get that changed immediately. Especially if it’s a live ad, and I do a lot of live ads. I’ve had people call me five minutes before the show. Car dealers are one of them. People are dying to get vehicles. Lots show that inventories are down. It’s like, “I just got two car haulers in.” A car hauler probably has about ten to 15 cars.
Steve Stack:
Right.
Mark Bishop:
By the time the show ends, all those cars are sold. But we were able to change it, which is cool. Say something happens after my show and I’m not on again until the next day, but you have to change something. For radio, it’s no different. I choose what I can do. Just call one of the producers who are at the station. Just say, whoever it may be, “Hey, roll this on the recorder, on the computer, I’m going to record a new 15 or a new 30 for Baird Brothers.” Then we can put that right in the system and take the other one out.
Steve Stack:
We’ve experienced it together at bairdbrothers.com on the left-hand menu bar. There’s a little tab there for the bargain tree.
Mark Bishop:
Bargain tree is my favorite. It’s the best bargain you ever had.
Steve Stack:
Yep. So if we want to add or subtract an item from the bargain tree, there’s a little jumping through hoops to do it.
Mark Bishop:
Right.
Steve Stack:
If I want to make you aware of a change, it’s a phone call or a text. Now, all of a sudden, it’s in your content. You’re throwing it out there an hour or two hours later.
Mark Bishop:
That’s it.
Steve Stack:
Right?
Mark Bishop:
Radio is immediacy. It’s reaching people. Do you know what else we’re seeing? I just got a new Chevrolet Trax. I went to make sure 1100 was on the radio, press it. I look around and notice something missing; there’s no CD slot anymore. But again, just to go back to what I was saying, weren’t discs going to ruin radio? There’s a radio in that car, a brand new 2022, but there’s no place to play a CD any longer. So we have overcome and we’re still there.
The Big Picture: Radio is More Than Just Salespeople
Steve Stack:
You mentioned the spontaneousness of information on the radio and you made me flashback to the day the planes flew into the towers.
Mark Bishop:
I’ll get very emotional.
Steve Stack:
I was driving on the highway. I was on my way to Cleveland listening to a co-industry professional like yourself by the name of Howie Chizek out of Akron, Ohio.
Mark Bishop:
Bless Howie. I would’ve listened to him, too, if I had a chance.
Steve Stack:
Right? I heard it from Howie Chizek immediately. By the time I made a couple of phone calls, turned around, and got back home, they were still trying to get it on TV. But I heard it first on the radio.
Mark Bishop:
I still think about it. I was on WMJI Majic 105.7 with Lanigan and Malone at the time. Now, every radio studio still has monitors in it. We had a little TV set on top of a rack of speakers or something. Well, we were on the air that day starting at 5:30 a. m. We were on the air that day until 2:00-2:30 in the afternoon. We didn’t go anywhere.
I was able to track down a friend who worked for Sirius XM. Their building was in view of the twin towers. I was able to track down another buddy who got a cell shot. They were far enough away, but were still close enough to have a visual and be on the air describing what it looked like. They were in tears. They were barely audible. That showed you the emotion there. But like you just said, what brought that emotion to you? What locked you in on that? Radio.
Steve Stack:
Exactly. On that particular day, I was an outside sales representative for Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods. That brings me to audiences. You have a lot of sports-oriented content, but it’s not just sports people that listen to you. There may be a contractor or DIY-er who wants to catch a game. It could be a designer or an architect who wants to hear your take on why Cleveland lost in the ninth inning. So your radio touches a lot of different consumer bases, right?
Mark Bishop:
Right. But you still want to service those people. I call my show “Munch On Sports And Munch, Munch More.” If you notice, once a week Marc Bona from the Cleveland Plain Dealer (cleveland.com) comes on the show. He writes about new restaurants, new bars, new this, new that, concerts coming to town because you want to know what’s going on.
Sure, I’ll do a rundown on the Browns season but also, I have the head of the FBI in Cleveland booked to come on to talk about carjackings. What not to do, what to do, what to look for. It has been a plague lately in Cleveland and other big cities. So we will bring you things that are lifestyle, too. We will bring you other things that are a part of your world. I always joke that when I come to the studio, I’m wearing saran wrap. That’s how transparent I am. People call about different things and I hope I can address them too.
Advice for New Businesses in the Early Stage of Advertising
Steve Stack:
Fortunately, there’s a long-term relationship between the Bairds and yourself. Any advice if I’m a new small business owner or entrepreneur and want to get my message out? How do I go about getting my message on the radio? What’s the advantage? What’s the avenue I have to take?
Mark Bishop:
Well, I would look for influencers and endorsers for the reasons I gave before. Whether it’s me, Bobby Bones, or somebody of that nature, it’s proof that we’re trustworthy. We’re not going to tell you something that’s not good. Have someone that could relate to the product and cater to your audience.
We have stations like WTAM 1100 that everyone listens to. We have stations that the moms taking their kids to school listen to. We have stations that people driving back from their job listen to and think, “It’s been a long week, I don’t want to cook tonight. We’ll order a pizza.” Find the station that best serves your audience, but make sure you can get that frequency and make sure you use everything that’s in their “recipe.” Is there some streaming involved now? Is there a podcast sponsorship, too? Because there are a lot more elements now. As you called it, there are ingredients to the recipe. I really endorse having an influencer or endorser also hitting the people. The stations that will serve you properly.
Steve Stack:
Yeah. Over the years, you’ve witnessed the changes in radio and in business relationships. We’ve all experienced ups and downs. But with the positive attitude that you bring across the airwaves, one thing’s obvious. You love what you’ve done for the last 43 years.
Mark Bishop:
Yes.
Mentors and Memorable Radio Moments
Steve Stack:
What is your most memorable radio moment? And what are some of the things you love about your job? Because it’s obvious that you love your job.
Mark Bishop:
I am, as you can tell, a little scattered, okay? I’m everywhere. Some people love a punch at a clock. “This is what I have to do today.” Punch a clock and done, it stays there. I actually treasure every day being different. You don’t understand, it happens more than you would think. I may be in the studio or sitting at home and I’ll get a call, “So and so just got traded.” Sadly, for years with the Browns, it seemed like only my show. I was doing a 6:00 p. m. to 9:00 p. m. show. A lot of times teams would wait until Friday night at 6:15 to release something via the press when somebody got in trouble. Because they figure, “Okay, everybody’s at happy hour.” And I was on during that timeframe. It’s like, “Dang it. So and so got arrested again.” I won’t give any names, okay?
Steve Stack:
Right.
Mark Bishop:
“So and so is in trouble again?” Every day is something different. Every day, I can get a call — and I treasure that too. We always make fun of him, so I’ll give a positive note. Our big boss at WTAM 1100 is Ray Davis. We get at him when things aren’t working, but he’s the guy. I love it when Ray calls me and goes, “What are you doing this afternoon?” I’ve always said to him, “What do you need me to be doing?” “Well, this is going on.” “I’ll be right there.” Or, “Could you jump on a couple of hours early? We’re going to bump this because this just happened. They just traded for this guy, this is the new manager.”
I love the unknown. I like change. People don’t like change, but it’s not always bad. People like the steady path on the line, but I’m kind of a wild and crazy guy. Although, I pride myself on being the squarest dude in northeast Ohio. But this is my craziness, my zaniness. I love that every day is something different. You talked about something changing last minute for your ad. I treasure getting a text from you before I go on air. It can happen as you’re doing a show. I’ll bet you that more than half the shows a year, I’m all prepped up. I got my stack of stuff to talk about, then five minutes into the show I hear, “Guess what just happened.” Bang, it’s changed. I love that aspect of it.
Steve Stack:
With your celebrated career in radio, you might have ten, but what are your top one or two memorable moments? Either in your radio career or on the airways.
Mark Bishop:
Wow. There’s been a lot, which I’m glad I could say. If I picked just one or two, do you know what the number one has to be? Because it’s something that doesn’t happen every day. It was the Cavaliers championship.
Steve Stack:
Yes.
Mark Bishop:
Whether you’re a basketball, football, baseball, hockey, soccer, lacrosse, whatever it may be, that championship-
Steve Stack:
The city that you call home got its reward.
Mark Bishop:
I was on the air and stayed on the air. I actually volunteered to go out on the streets. I said, “There won’t be any trouble. Everybody’s just celebrating.” I did that and then got about an hour and a half of sleep. I slept in some uncomfortable chair in the lobby of the station. I was back on the air from 4:00 a. m. to 10:00 a. m. after being on the air until 2:30 a. m.
Another memorable moment, even though they didn’t win (but it was a close one), was witnessing and talking about Rajai Davis’ home run in the 2016 World Series. All the Cavaliers were in one of the boxes, going nuts, jumping up and down. I’m in the press box. It’s funny, we’re from northeast Ohio, so we don’t know anything, right? I’m sitting with a couple of writers from Chicago. There’s a guy there from New York City. Rajai Davis comes up to bat. If you remember, he choked up on the bat. One of the guys said to me, “What does he think this is, little league?” And I’m biting my tongue.
My dad taught me something growing up, but I won’t do it. He was a Marine and a factory worker. He said, “If somebody ever aggravates you real bad, scratch your nose with your middle finger. If they say, ‘Are you flipping me off?’ You go, ‘Absolutely not, my nose itches.’” So the guy from New York is making fun of him for choking up the bat and the two Chicago guys are laughing. And they finally look at me. They go, “Are you going to answer us?” I go, “Yeah.” I mean, I can picture the reliever now, he went to the Yankees after that. He was throwing 105 miles an hour. I said, “No, he’s trying to get around on his fastball because all he’s going to throw him are pitches over a hundred miles an hour.”
Steve, when you learned how to play baseball, didn’t you learn to choke up a little bit and go back in the box to get around on the fastball? They’re making fun of that, too. What does Rajai Davis do? Cranks the home run. And guess what? Yeah, I scratched my nose with my middle finger. Those guys didn’t talk to me for the rest of the game because I knew and they didn’t. So that was a big moment, too. I remember the little things like that. But LeBron James and that team winning it all was special.
I have another memorable moment: when Kevin Costner came to town to film the movie Draft Day. I was told that he was doing a charity concert at the House of Blues. He’s a big blues musician. If you plug his concert, he’ll come on. Because he’s a huge baseball fan, too. He’ll come on with you, he’ll do a show, but he has to record it. I was doing mornings at the time and they filmed until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning. So I was going to record with him about 11:00 a. m., which I thought was still early for a guy who’s on set that late. Well, I was recording it myself, little things you learn to do when nobody’s around the station. Then I see the hotline ring. So I pressed it on a little speaker box. Everything was set to go.
On the speakerphone, I hear this voice saying, “Hey, is Munch there?” It’s Kevin Costner. Now I know people are just people, and I’ve learned that at a good age. I mean, I’ve had Springsteen call the station years ago. But I’m speechless. He goes, “Are you okay? Is Munch there?” And I go, “This is Munch, Kevin.” He goes, “Are you okay?” I said, “I’m just a little shocked it’s you. I figured your people would call and then hand you the phone.” I’m thinking, “This is really a regular guy deep inside.” He goes, “Dude, I’m my people.” He goes, “From what I’ve heard, you’d have your people answering the phone for me.” We talked for about 45 minutes just like we’re doing here.
I used it for three different segments. He was the most genuine guy. We had talked about my wife being a cancer survivor and she was still fighting then. At the end, he says to me, “I heard about your wife. If you’d like to come to the concert tonight, I have a couple of really nice plush, easy chairs off to the side. You and your wife could sit in them. I’ll send a car to come and get you guys.” I asked her and she said, “I just can’t do it.” So I told him and said, “But thank you for that.”
But you know what touched me? He asked me, “Out of all my movies, which ones do you like?” I said, “Well, Field of Dreams, first. For Love of The Game, second.” I said, “And I want to thank you for making a couple of bad movies.” He goes, “What do you mean?” I go, “What’s the one? The Postman? Or Waterworld.” He goes, “But if you ever watch those late at night, they’ll put you to sleep.” So he was so comfortable. He knew they were bad movies, too.
Steve Stack:
Right. Oh yeah.
Mark Bishop:
But guess what he said to me about Field of Dreams. He goes, “This has never come up. I’m going to give it to you now on your program.” He goes, “The first four or five times my agent sent me the script, I threw it away.” He said, “Who’s going to believe these guys coming out of a cornfield and a voice up above going ‘Build it. They will come.’ This is stupid. This is ridiculous.” He goes, “I’m going to put you through a final test here. There was a line that I kept coming back to that got me emotional.” Because he’s always been a big baseball fan. He asked, “What line was that, Munch?” I said, “I’ve seen the movie a hundred times and I get teary-eyed every time I hear the line, ‘Hey dad, have a catch?’” And he goes, “That was the line.” How cool is that? Here’s Kevin Costner, box office gold whether you love him or not, right? He’s giving me a scoop on my show.
Steve Stack:
Yeah. How cool is that?
Mark Bishop:
That he thought it was ridiculous. Guys coming out of a cornfield, voices from heaven. He said he did it because “That will tug on people’s heartstrings and be emotional.” It’s just like how we talk about emotion when we do commercials. If it doesn’t get an emotional response, it doesn’t work.
Steve Stack:
That’s a great story for any father that’s ever played catch with their son or daughter.
Mark Bishop:
That’s what it’s about.
Steve Stack:
Was that a hook or was that a hook?
Mark Bishop:
Yes.
Steve Stack:
Right?
Mark Bishop:
This is sad. I still play catch but I have to wait until spring, doctor’s orders. He said, “I’m not worried about the arm. What if you miss a ball and get hit in the chest?” So I’m thinking, “No.” It still hurts when I laugh, cough or sneeze. So I agreed with the doctor on that. I budged on a couple of things, but not that.
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Steve Stack:
Before I let you go, we value you as one of the most genuine people that we are associated with.
Mark Bishop:
Thank you, man. I’m humbled by that.
Steve Stack:
You’ve witnessed the transformation of a pole barn to something that now houses Studio 3B, our workshop, and our projects there. What do you think?
Mark Bishop:
It’s unbelievable. This is like how over the new year’s weekend, the Sci-fi channel had Twilight Zone reruns playing. This is the Twilight Zone, like walking into a pole barn. When I first walked in, I thought maybe it was the wrong building because it’s unbelievable. It’s a tribute to what Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods is. You took a pole barn and you made it into a state-of-the-art studio, but you kept the heritage. You kept everything that Baird Brothers stands for. It’s amazing what is here, whether it’s the shelving or the antique tools. That’s what you made. This is unbelievable. Is there a couch bed in here? I can see myself spending a few nights.
Steve Stack:
Well, we haven’t gotten to that point yet. But you touched on something so very important. Like the cornfield in Field of Dreams–
Mark Bishop:
This is a Field of Dreams for hardwood, for fine hardwood products. Wow.
Steve Stack:
We have an adjacent family farm and there’s a cornfield.
Mark Bishop:
Think about that.
Steve Stack:
You talk about the players walking out of the cornfield. There’s a photograph over on the wall of the cast from This Old House in a cornfield. You didn’t even know you were making that analogy, did you?
Mark Bishop:
This is the ball diamond here! We’re in the ball diamond.
Steve Stack:
We’re on the pitcher’s mound, buddy.
Mark Bishop:
Oh my gosh. How crazy is that? That reminds me. Even with the stuff I just went through, when the doctor said to me, “You’re looking pretty good and feeling pretty good. I figure life-wise, you’re between second and third base.” This is the international cardiologist. I said to him, “Doc, I’m just stepping into the freaking batter’s box, okay? That’s how I feel.” But that’s what we’re doing here. We’re either teeing the rubber getting ready to throw the first pitch or stepping into the batter’s box. Because knowing you and knowing Baird Brothers, this is just the tip of the iceberg of stuff that you’re going to be doing.
Steve Stack:
We appreciate that. There is a plan and we’ve got our lineup card.
Mark Bishop:
I love it. Am I in the lineup?
Steve Stack:
You’re batting fourth, buddy.
Mark Bishop:
I don’t know about the power, but if you need me to…
Steve Stack:
You’re going to move runners for me.
Mark Bishop:
If you bat me third, I’ll hit 300. You bat me fourth, I would only hit about 260, but I’ll hit the long ball.
Steve Stack:
That’s a deal.
Mark Bishop:
Okay.
Steve Stack:
That’s a deal. We are so thankful to have been able to spend some of the best quality time here.
Mark Bishop:
Well, I feel that way. I hope you are too. I hope the great people here feel that way, too.
Steve Stack:
We’ve spent years with our trusted partner, Mark Bishop, known around the United States as the infamous “Munch”.
Mark Bishop:
Thank you so much.
Steve Stack:
I like your little tagline.
Mark Bishop:
Yeah. “Munch on Sports, and Munch, Munch More.”
Steve Stack:
It’s so befitting of you. Guys, don’t only follow Baird Brothers, keep track of this guy. He’s not only going to be informational. You can follow him on social media and some of the iHeart channels.
Mark Bishop:
On Twitter @MunchCleveland. Facebook is simply, “Munch Bishop.”
Steve Stack:
There you go. You’ve got some gigs lined up over at TAM.
Mark Bishop:
A lot of gigs, a lot of mornings. The weekends are mine. When the Guardians start, I’ll be doing your pre-game and post-game shows. You can catch me there, too.
Steve Stack:
There you go. Folks, stay tuned. We’ve got more great stuff coming up with characters like this. We’re going to have you back because this conversation isn’t over.
Mark Bishop:
Let’s keep going, brother. I’m honored and humbled to be here, my friend.
Steve Stack:
Thank you. We wish you continued good health.
Mark Bishop:
Thank you, I appreciate it. Same to you. And again, Baird Brothers is family. Be a part of it.
Steve Stack:
See you next time. For all you folks listening, thanks for talking shop with Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods. If you’ve enjoyed this episode and wanted to stay up-to-date with the American Hardwood Advisor podcast series, give us a like and subscribe. For more tips, projects, and inspiration, check us out on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, or visit bairdbrothers.com. Until next time.
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