Michael Rock’s 20 Best Memories From the Past 20 Years

It was 20 years ago today. I woke up and drove my aqua green, 1995 Chevy Cavalier to my very first day of work here at Fun 107. I was 21-years-old. JR later said I reminded him of Richie Cunningham from Happy Days...only more innocent.

When JR first offered me the job here at Fun 107, I turned it down. My parents wanted me to negotiate for more money. I just wanted to work at a radio station. Honestly, I would have paid THEM to let me work here. After about two days of tossing and turning, I called JR back and accepted the job for $18,000 a year. I was ecstatic...this was my first real job. I figured I'd stay at Fun 107 for about a year or two...then move on to a bigger city.

When I did end up in Boston (first working weekends, then eventually on a morning show), I didn't love it. Ironically, even though I had grown up in Boston, it didn't feel like home. The people didn't feel like family the way they did here at Fun 107. I missed my co-workers and I missed my Fun 107 audience. So, JR was nice enough to welcome me back. And I never left again. I love Fun 107.  It has become my life's work. I have spent more time at the Fun 107 studios on Sconticut Neck than at any other place on the planet. Kind of crazy, right? There are so many memories and life events that have happened to me because of Fun 107. Here is a list of my Top 20 biggest memories from my FIRST 20 years at Fun 107.

20.  The never ending "test drive" of a 1999 Daewoo Leganza from Alden in Fairhaven.  For some reason, Alden thought it would be a good idea to give me a car before I went on summer vacation. I drove to Virginia with the thing. It was POURING...with no end to the rain in sight. So we decided to keep driving until it cleared up. That didn't happen 'til Montreal. I think I ended up putting about 3,200 miles on that car. I was so nervous bringing it back. To this day...NO ONE said anything about it. What was I thinking?!?!?!

19. Fun 107 Morning Show Cruises. Going on vacation with hundreds of our fans. It was so much fun that I didn't care I gained so much weight each trip!

18. The first time I was recognized in public. I couldn't believe they knew it was me. I couldn't believe they even CARED! It was in Building 19 in New Bedford. The cashier recognized my voice. It was the LAST person I'd expect to be a Fun 107 fan. But it's always like that.  I'll run into a tattoo-wearing, swearing, truck driver with a Southern accent....and he'll end up being a big fan of the show. I've never stopped being surprised at how many people really listen to our show. I swear, I feel like no one's listening when we're doing it and that we're just doing a show for the people in our building. It's still so weird to realize that there are really people on the other side of the radio (or Radio Pup...our app).

17.  I've never admitted this in public, but I had an alter ego on the radio at the start of my morning radio career. I was Willie Sherrard...Fun 107's out of control intern back in 1996. I'd dress like a nerd (not a stretch for me), and run around throwing cash in the air in public places. I did it at the Dartmouth Mall, at Shaw's...even on King's Highway. It was probably a little dangerous and definitely a little crazy but it got people talking about Fun 107 and that was all I cared about. Making my prank phone calls in my Willie voice was fun, too. It would ALL be illegal today.

16.  Teaching a media class at Fairhaven High School. Tara Kohler, the amazing principal at FHS, was brave enough to allow me to make an impression on some young minds. Scary, I know. But, it is one of my fondest memories here and something I'd never have been able to do without Fun 107.

15.  The Big Time Rush fiasco. I'll never forget this one. JR and I were asked if we wanted to have this boy band called Big Time Rush come by. We said sure...having NO IDEA how big they were. My kids were still babies and JR had no kids. We didn't watch the TV show on Nickelodeon. We thought we'd bring them to Monster Mini Golf in Fairhaven and the guys could do a little meet and greet and sign some autographs for anyone who wanted to come down. When I showed up that night, the Fairhaven police were there...along with FIVE THOUSAND kids and parents. Ummmm. Oooops. I guess we underestimated their popularity. We sent about 2 or 3 thousand people home right away. When the guys arrived, they literally met 2 thousand people and were posing for pictures and more. Can't believe we got out of that one without being in the center of a riot.

14. The Blizzard of 2015. Being a morning guy on the radio is a requirement regardless of the weather. You just have to drive in snow. That's it. There are no excuses. You just suck it up and get in there. People need you on the radio. It's your job. But I've NEVER driven in a snowstorm like the Blizzard of 2015. We BARELY made it from the Hampton Inn Fairhaven to Fun 107. The roads were literally unpassable. It took Loren, Larry and myself over an hour to walk about half a mile. It was an adventure...but those two kept me laughing the whole way.

13.  Jason Derulo at the Dartmouth Mall. We had agreed to have him come in JUST before "Whatcha Say" really hit it big. Weeks later, when it was time for the show, thousands of fans crammed into the mall to watch the free performance. Derulo now gets about a quarter million a night.

12.  Universal Studios broadcasts. The first time I've ever been treated like a VIP, I mean a REAL VIP, was at Universal in Orlando back in 1996. We were escorted to the front of the line for EVERY attraction. Free food, free stuff, they'd put us in the shows, we'd get front row seats on every ride, you name it. It was A--MAZING. That's why we went back about 5 more times.

11. Covering the Boston Marathon Bombing.  A moment I'll NEVER forget was the moment we realized the bomber was a student at UMass Dartmouth and that he was still at large. The Fun Morning Show stayed on the air until 10 o'clock that night until he was captured. Fun 107 was so critical that day in keeping the public informed. I've never been prouder of a broadcast.

10.  Interviewing Rihanna when she visited Fun 107. She was new on the music scene, but it was OBVIOUS she was going to be a superstar. She told me her dream was to be "big...like Beyonce". Mission accomplished.

9. Christine Fox was one of the first faces I saw on my first day at Fun 107. We were instant friends. I remember our daily lunches at Skewer's in Fairhaven and crashing at her nearby apartment after partying at Fun 107 club nights at the Jukebox. She'd make me nachos for breakfast every morning. We became such close friends that she was in my wedding! No one makes me laugh harder than Christine. If it weren't for Fun 107, I'd never have met one of my very best friends.

8.  Eating for free. If there's one perk we get here at Fun 107...it's free food. It's sometimes hard to pay for a meal. I remember there was this Chinese place that I really liked going to...a lot. But they'd NEVER let me pay. I loved it so much that I eventually had to stop going. I didn't want them to think I was only going for the free chicken fried rice.

7.  The day Sharon died. The first time I ever cried on the radio. I still can't believe she's gone. I can still hear her laugh.

6.  The McDonald's rooftop. Back in 1999, the Buttonwood Park Zoo was in the process of raising money for a renovation. I had the bright idea to go up onto the McDonald's rooftop on Hathaway Road in New Bedford until I raised $10,000. An epic heatwave descended upon New Bedford during this campaign. It was 95 degrees on the ground and about 115 degrees on that tar rooftop. Thanks to the most generous listeners in America, we raised the money!

5.  JR's last show. Emotional?  Yeah, a little. For only the second time in my career, I cried right on the air. I had never known a day at Fun 107 without him. He was my boss, but also one of my very best friends. You'd better believe I miss him every day.

4.  Going into the Red Sox clubhouse and sitting in the dugout interviewing Red Sox legends like Pedro, Manny, and all of the champions on that 2004 World Series team. Boyhood dreams came true that year.

3. Meeting Tom Brady in the Patriots locker room. I don't often get star struck by music stars, but meeting the athletes turns me into a 12-year-old kid again. I think my love for TB12 is well-documented.

2.  Hanging out with Taylor Swift. The perks that give me the most joy are the ones that I can give to the people I love. Having the privilege of meeting with T-Swift every time she comes to town is amazing. My fondest memory, however, is after our first meeting with Taylor. While my daughter and I were talking to her, it was mentioned that her birthday was coming up. A few weeks later, a hand written birthday card, personalized for my daughter, talking about the time we spent together, showed up in the mail. From Miss Taylor Swift herself! It still hangs in my daughter's room along with a picture of Taylor whispering the name of that night's opening song into my daughter's ear. She autographed that picture the next time we saw her, writing, "Reagan and I will NEVER tell...Love, TS".

1.  I met the love of my life because of Fun 107. I was doing a live broadcast from the Jukebox, when I saw the hottest girl I have ever laid eyes on. She looked like a supermodel as she walked right across the street and talked to my co-worker. I couldn't believe he knew her. She was SO HOT! "Know her?  That's my SISTER," he said. Talk about 'open mouth, insert foot'. That co-worker is now my brother in law, Brian. I am now lucky enough to call that supermodel my wife. I complain about Cyndi all of the time on the morning show, but it is really because I love her so much. If it weren't for Fun 107, I would never have met my wife...and my kids would never have been born. No bigs.