The Next Generation

What’s next for the popular G105 morning show “The Showgram”

With Bob Dumas out after nearly 30 years at “The Showgram” at G105, listeners have a front row seat as Raleigh newcomer Danny Meyers, teaming up with longtime cohost Erica DeLong, takes the reins of the Triangle’s No. 1 hit morning radio show. Last month, Raleigh Magazine sat down for an exclusive chat with DeLong and Meyers—who, as of the time of the interview, had been on the job together for just three days—to find out how they intend to replicate the success that the show has maintained all these years.

“The Showgram” at G105 has kept us entertained on our morning commutes since 1992. Known for his shock jock brand of humor that could at times be crass, or even offensive, Bob Dumas helmed this hugely successful show until his sudden departure from the station in September. Even so, iHeartMedia Raleigh’s “The Showgram” has long been at the top of the morning show game in our region, and DeLong and Meyers intend to keep it that way. 

Growing up in a music-loving household, Meyers had dreams of working as a radio personality since he was a toddler, when he received a beginners DJ Kit from Sears as a gift. Instead of losing interest in pretending to make small talk with a nonexistent audience, Meyers held firm to his aspirations and landed his first real gig at age 12, deejaying and delivering news for the St. Lawrence University radio program in Canton, New York. He never looked back, he says.

Meyers has been an integral part of the on-air radio scene nationally, working for the better part of two decades in New York City, Roanoke/Lynchburg, Virginia and, most recently, Norfolk, Virginia. But “The Showgram” has been on Meyers’ radar for a long time. “Bob was one of my heroes in radio,” Meyers says, and he says he often listened to the program from afar, aspiring to one day be a part of the G105 team. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime for me, an ‘end game’ so to speak,” says Meyers. “I am thrilled to be here and excited to call “The Showgram” my new home.”

For Erica DeLong, the sting of losing her cohost could have taken a toll, she says, but the relationships she forged with her other cohosts on “The Showgram,” Ben and Ashleyh, as well as the close bond that she continues to share with Dumas, have helped her stay positive. 

“I have always been a ‘glass half full’ type of person, so when this all went down, we (cohosts) held on tight to one another until the storm passed and hoped that the chips would fall in a good place,” DeLong says. “And I think they did.” DeLong, much like Meyers, knew she wanted her voice to be heard since she was young. As a sophomore at Peace College, DeLong started interning at G105 and quickly landed a job there as assistant producer of “The Showgram.”

After graduating, DeLong headed to New York City and Detroit, but it wasn’t long before she was asked to come back “home,” where she has been cohost of “The Showgram” for more than a decade. Listeners find her cheerful and quirky demeanor refreshing and, especially for young fans and young women listening over the airwaves, DeLong’s grit and fortitude in a male dominated business is inspiring.

So what does the future entail for our favorite morning show? As with any new relationship, the team is getting acquainted and DeLong and Meyers say they are excited about the prospect of not only forming an enduring professional partnership but building a close-knit family unit. “Being a part of morning radio, we bond with our listeners more than we would any other part of the day,” Meyers says. “We help set the tone for their day, and we want that tone to be light and enthusiastic.” 

Sure, they’d like to continue to push the envelope as “The Showgram” has typically done but they hope to make the move from edgy to relatable, striving to make their listeners feel like they’re part of the family.

“We still want to be silly and have people start their days off with laughter, but we feel like that can be done without being offensive,” DeLong says. 

Listeners can expect a similarly light-hearted format with popular games such as American Idiots and Shazam. The duo also wants to make more appearances and get out to meet people in hopes of fostering real connections with their listeners. One of Meyers’ favorite radio segments is prank calls, in which people write in and ask the hosts to play a practical joke on a loved one.

“Things that might get their blood pressure up, but nothing mean-spirited,” Meyers says. 

The pair plans to continue to advocate for organizations like Cause for Paws—pet rescues are important to them both. And we can look forward to witnessing DeLong’s and Meyers’ competitive natures take hold as they try to set some records. Meyers is the current record-holder for singing the most Christmas carols in one minute and he says he can think of at least one fun challenge he and DeLong might attempt in their early days together: the most animal noises a duo can make in thirty seconds.

Will they do it? Tune in to G105 weekday mornings starting at 5 a.m. to find out.

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This or That?

**Cheerwine or Pepsi?**
Both: Pepsi

**Eastern or Western Style BBQ?**
Both: Eastern

**Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts?**
Erica: Krispy Kreme
Danny: Dunkin Donuts

**Sweet Tea or Unsweetened Tea?**
Erica: Prefers sweet, but typically goes for unsweetened
Danny: Unsweetened

**Bojangles or Biscuitville?**
It’s a tie!

**Favorite Celebrity Encounter**
Erica: Meeting President Barack Obama in the studio
Danny: Olivia Newton John (“She’s an angel”)

**Dream Celeb Encounter?**
Erica: Oprah Winfrey
Danny: Jennifer Aniston

**Wolfpack, Tarheels or Blue Devils?**
Erica: Blue Devils (She’s from Durham)
Danny: He’s quickly joined the Wolfpack fan club