Radio: Nicholson set for Dees' Monday debut

Gary Lycan reports the latest radio news.

Rick Dees says he can't wait to get "Movin'" Monday morning when his 5-10 a.m. weekday show debuts on KMVN/95.9 FM with special guest Jack Nicholson.

"This is a work in progress. It's a great opportunity to create from scratch an entirely new show. Patti 'Longlegs' Lopez is my sidekick. She's six-foot-one, grew up in Inglewood, and she is 100 percent bilingual."

Dees has not been on morning radio for two years but has been active in other ventures – more on that next week. He will also do an original show for Saturday mornings, and his popular "Weekly Top 40" will air 8 a.m.-noon Sundays starting Oct. 1.

The Dees show will feature the station's new rhythmic pop contemporary music with such artists as Black Eyed Peas, Beyoncé, Usherand Gwen Stefani. But Dees looks forward to creating new comedy bits and characters. Dees' wife Julie also will return to do impersonations and other material.

"I look around and everyone here is under 30. This is really exciting to me," said the fiftysomething Dees. "Actually, I am 39.95," he remarked in a phone interview.

Asked to comment on the demise of country KZLA, Dees said, "The first day I can, I will bring on the Dixie Chicks and let them get it off their chests. Peter Tilden is a close friend of mine, and I would be honored to have him come on the show with me.

"But here is some good news for country fans. In addition to the HD channel feed of country by 95.9, I am going to stream 24/7 two free country-music channels at my own Web site – www.rick.com.

"I know nothing happens overnight in Los Angeles radio. It will take time. But I'm hopeful people will tune in and like what they hear," he said.