A Monster Radio Host Interview: Shaun Omac

This person needs no introduction. He is a true Nut for Jericho.

We all know him and love him. It's Shaun Omac!


1. You are with BlogTalkRadio. How did that start?
Have you always done radio?

Been in talk radio over a decade now..the last few
years I have been doing internet talk radio. Been
with BlogTalk since October of 06..When I was 12 my
best friend and I used to do talk radio shows with our
tape recorders with the mics and all..Each year we
would switch off on who's house we would do our New
Years Eve countdown shows..we did impersonations and
the countdown..Those tapes are out there
somewhere..those tapes coming out would be like my
version of a Paris Hilton sex tape..

Been in the hotel business in Chicago and where I live
now in Las Vegas..also worked for a local pro
wrestling organization..Did a magazine tv show about
legends of wrestling..And created a tv show kind of
like America's Most Wanted that did not sell, John
Daly the former host of RealTV created the pilot and
hosted the show..oh well.


2. How is BlogTalkRadio different from live
broadcast radio?


Different in that its on the internet and that I do
not have a program director telling me what to do my
show about..Talking Jericho would never have worked on
terrestrial radio..only on internet radio/podcast and
maybe satellite would this have worked on.


3. What was your first thought when you heard
Jericho had been cancelled?

I thought that CBS was nuts..pardon the word..I saw it
had a huge following on the internet and enormous
international appeal. I had Carol Barbee on my local
show and it was very popular and then when she was on
my BTR show, the audience numbers shot up..I knew with
all the information I was looking at, that CBS made a
big mistake with cancelling Jericho.

4. Tell us the story of how you became involved in
the Nuts to CBS campaign to save Jericho.

The nuts campaign started the night after the season
finale. I said since Skeet Ulrich as Jake said "nuts"
lets send peanuts to CBS to show support for Jericho..
I had intended the nuts to be those packets you get on
the jets..But then it just took off after CBS did
cancel the show..I emailed Jeff Braverman of
NutsOnline and gave him a heads up and the rest is TV
history.


5. The Jericho campaign seems to have taken on a
life of its' own. It continues, even now, to attract
new viewers and new Rangers. What, in your opinion,
caused all these viewers from all walks of life to
band together and create one of the most successful
renewal movements in television history?

Its is THE most successful renewal movement in
history..The speed of which this thing ramped up was
amazing..Viewers from around the world finally had
enough of the networks just looking at the Nielsens
when gauging the popularity of its tv shows..Jericho
is a show with the most original premise in the
history of television. The premise is grounded in
reality, what happened to the US on Jericho can really
happen anywhere in the world..

The show has a great cast, the writing is top notch
and the production values rival theatrical movies
every week..


6. Many fans want your radio show to be picked up by
CBS. What would it mean to you if that happened?
What could you contribute?

I LOVE Jericho and I hope that comes through loud and
clear.. Would be honored if CBS were to call me and
say "hey lets roll with this on CBS.com." Adding an
audio or better yet a video LIVE internet radio
presence would make the experience of Jericho more
three dimensional. Imagine doing a live show with
someone from the cast and crew before a Jericho
episode airs and then doing another one the night
after an episode airs. Three hours a week of Jericho
two live internet radio shows bookending the actual
episode of the show..calls and emails also giveaways..

Also could see doing brief podcasts with members of
the crew that you don't normally hear from: set
designers, camera men etc..Those could be shorter 30
minute type shows during the week..

Finally, doing live shows from various fan conventions
would be great as well..I could go on but I think my
excitement for that is there..


7. What are some things you'd like to see the fans
do to promote Jericho?

Keep being positive..Also buying the DVD will be
crucial to getting more episodes sooner from
CBS..Remember the DVD sales is what brought Family Guy
back to FOX after it was cancelled..I hope if CBS sees
the strong DVD sales numbers, that they will order a
few more episodes of Jericho to give the second season
some more life.


8. You've gone out to meet some of the cast and crew
twice. What did you learn from that experience?
I am more comfortable with the cast than I was with
the camera crew..I thought it would be the other way
around. Skeet and the rest of the cast could not have
been nicer to me. Carol Barbee and all of the rest of
the producers and writers are all great people.

How was your second visit as compared to your first?

Visiting the set was great..walking around the Green
living room was great. City Hall was very cool to see
in person. Gracies Market, Hawkins house and the rest
were incredible to see in person.


9. What do you think the chances are for a full
second and third season of Jericho?

Not sure about a full second season maybe a few more
episodes for the second season is all we can hope for
but you never know. I would hope that between the
ratings, DVD sales, internet popularity and
international popularity that CBS will give Jericho a
third season of 16-22 episodes.

10. Anything you'd like to add?

We all did our part in this campaign, and its not over
with yet by the way..No matter how big or small the
contribution that each of us made, it all added up
into a historic movement that has changed television
forever..

I was first drawn to Jericho when I saw that Skeet
Ulrich was in it..He had done Miracles and thought if
he was coming back to TV for Jericho, that Jericho had
to be a good quality show. Skeet is the kind of actor
that you dont see on sitcoms or just showing up for
the paycheck..Skeet Ulrich is a man who enjoys the
craft of acting and it truly shows on screen.

Then seeing the story unfold with the great
characters..WOW !! I was hooked after seeing the
pilot. Without a doubt in my mind Jericho is the best
show on TV right now. I was hooked after seeing the
pilot..

CBS should also take a bow for bringing the show
back..CBS cares, rings truer to me than ever before..