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KDHX: the station that brought our voice out-of the closet

by Colin Murphy, in the Vital Voice Aug 26-Sep 8, 2005

Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. won't be quite the same with the news of the recent departure of Joy Ovington and Jaime Kelley from the popular gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) radio show, "Living Out Loud." I usually listened to the chirpy duo on the Internet while researching for upcoming articles or ramblings such as this. I'm told you can also listen to archives of the show on something called a Podcast but for the life of me, I don't know what that is.

Jaime and Joy had really hit their stride over the past 39 shows. Their program was both entertaining and insightful, most recently hosting a debate between Charles Stadtlander, president of the Log Cabin Republicans of Greater St. Louis and Gail Elbie, president of the Gateway Stonewall Democrats.

The hosts, who most recently emceed St. Louis PrideFest announced on the air this past Wednesday that the episode would be their last. Apparently Joy will be heading down South to a rather ominous red state for new opportunities and Jaime announced she is pregnant and preparing for the birth of her second child. Ed Reggi, of IMPROV fame, will be stepping in to host Living Out Loud, the most recent incarnation of queer radio in the St. Louis area.

GLBT radio started in the Gateway City when 88.1 KDHX FM, St. Louis Community Radio signed on the air on October 14, 1987 at 12:14 a.m.. Just two years later, in June 1989, "Coming Out of Hiding" made its debut on the same dial. It was primarily a queer music show featuring some interviews and news and ran through December 1998. During much of its run, it was hosted by Denise Hill and friends.

On March 4, 1994, "Out and Open," a queer call-in talk show debuted. It was hosted by Amy Doll with Linda Serafini providing assistance answering the phones. The velvet voiced Serafini soon joined Doll behind the microphone in April 1994 and the two women continued to produce and host the show through December 1999.

"Lavender Limelight" hit the airwaves on January 6, 2000 and was produced by Serafini who co-hosted the show with Neil Greppin. "Limelight" was a talk radio magazine show and regularly featured interviews with local and national guests, announcements about local community events and news. In addition, the show had incorporated recurring spots on health, relationships, youth, pets, commentary from PFLAG's (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) Dean Rosen, and monthly updates from St. Louis Effort For AIDS. Music reviews were heard twice a month and were contributed by Rich Scharf and Felicia Scott.

Serafini and Greppin's last "Lavender Limelight" show aired May 10, 2001. On May 18 of that year they began hosting the "Morning Friday Show" — an eclectic music show during the Friday morning drive time. With that move, they became the first openly gay hosts of a non-gay show on KDHX.

During the interim, Felicia Scott hosted "Limelight" until Thomas Long and Samantha Fenner took over the hosting duties until the show's end on April 25, 2002. Serafini and Greppin's efforts were recognized by the Riverfront Times when the RFT named "Lavender Limelight" as the best non-music radio show in their 2002 Best of St. Louis issue.

In May 2002, 88.1's OUTspoken was launched with Scott Emanuel and Maria Whitter at the mic. The one-hour show celebrated and explored the lives of GLBT people as a community on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. Emanuel went on to solo "OUTspoken" through November 2004 when "Living Out Loud" with Jaime and Joy debuted a day earlier and a half-hour shorter.

Print journalism aside, radio has been the undisputed Grand Dame in the field of communications. For more than a century it has informed and entertained us everywhere from our daily drive home and backyard barbecues to lazy afternoons and jogs in the park. It is a mobile medium with proven staying power, having survived the encroachment of television, cable and even the Internet.

The St. Louis area is better for 88.1 KDHX which has provided quality queer radio for the past 16-plus years. So thanks to Jaime and Joy; best of luck to you, Ed Reggi and kudos to all of the voices from the past.

Now what the hell is a Podcast?

You can e-mail Colin Murphy at colin_murphy@sbcglobal.net.