05.02.08
Farewell XLC!
If you are reading this blog entry then clearly you’ve been paying attention to my website that has been linked up to the XLC website for the last month or so – so BRAVO to you!
Regardless of how you found me you are HERE! So yea! Please be sure to check back because I will continue to blog here at www.rebeccaortiz.com and also continue the HOLLYWOOD FREAKSHOW! Woo hoo!
Well, first things first – you are probably wondering what the hell is going on. In the words of my supervisor, “We are going with a new direction for the morning show” – and it’s not me.
I would be lying if I said I wasn’t totally caught off guard. I will say that I always sucked it up though and put on my game face – and that is something I am proud of. I did work my behind off for the company for over 5 years – but it is what it is.
The host of WKRS, Libby Collins told me before I left that this happens to all the successful radio DJ’s at least once – so it looks like I’m on my way right?! HA!
I do have plans in the works. I am not going to dwell on the fact that I left a little sooner than anticipated from XLC. I am excited about my future. I have no reason to be upset. I gave 1,000 % of myself when I was there, and I have nothing but pride for what I’ve learned, and how far I’ve come.
Everything happens for a reason. I believe that with all my heart. I have no regrets from my time at XLC. It was LITERALLY my whole life during my time there.
I do however wish I would’ve had the chance to say goodbye. I mean it is silly to think that listeners won’t notice that I’m not there anymore – I was there for 4 years! It’s too bad the biz is like that – but that is exactly why I started my website. I hope you all keep in touch and follow me as I conquer the world of radio!
Since I didn’t formally get to say my “Farewell’s” I would like to do that because I really would not be where I am if it weren’t for you:
I would like to thank my co-workers who were there for me in so many ways and were my cheering section during the tough days: Mary O’Connor, Jerry Boothe, Robert Kutzler,Chris Williams, and Lisa Delisi.
Diane Ebert and Jason Cornell – you guys are always ready at the drop of a hat to help and are like the station cheerleaders. I could always count on you to be there with a smile.
My true radio family – Joe Cicero, Monica DiSantis, Tim Vander Tuuk, Frank Wright and Mike Mason – I mean what can I say?! I know how hard you all work and (with the exception of Joe who already escaped and found it) I hope you find happiness and the credit for all you do that goes un-noticed. I can, and do tell you guys everything and know you have my best interest at heart…and a drink too if need be! I talk to you all the time anyways so you know I love you, and that nothing will change…oh yea except for that one thing. 
And last but not least to the Lake County business’ I’ve had the pleasure of working with, and ALL the listeners who call in, e-mail, and have shared their lives with me in any way shape or form. YOU are the reason I got up early every morning and got going even when the world around me was falling apart! I hope you all keep in touch, and know that this was NOT my call to ditch you like that!
Regardless of what management thinks – I think I kicked some morning show butt – not just as a chic – but in general.
Thanks for a great run! Cheers to the future!
Kathleen said,
May 2, 2008 at 10:15 am
Rebecca – I was trying to read the freak show earlier today and it wasn’t loaded yet so I thought I’d try later today and just realized you’re not on the site anymore and I thought omg, my mornings are ruined! oddly, I only started listening for the lake county traffic and in the midst totally fell in love, ok too strong, fell in like? with you and Joe… but I guess chapters do close and new ones do open… I’m really gonna miss you in the morning, I think I’ll revolt and just listen to my CD player for a while… I hope you turn up on some nearby airwaves again soon Kathleen
Joe said,
May 2, 2008 at 11:39 am
I put up a nice song (and some comments) on my blog in celebration of your new career direction! Enjoy. Oh, and Tim is going to be totally out of control now. Who is going to let him out to go pee? They’ll need new carpeting there in a week. Poor Tim! He might not eat for weeks!!
Joe said,
May 2, 2008 at 11:39 am
http://www.joecicero.com Oops forgot the link!
Joe said,
May 2, 2008 at 11:42 am
Now I’m just getting nostalgic…remember this doozy?
http://joecicero.com/media/Happy_Office_Video.wmv
Lauri Duncan said,
May 2, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Rebecca,
Ever since this morning when I didn’t hear your voice. And there was no mention of why you were gone. I checked the Website and saw that any thing that had to do with you was wiped clean from the site. I knew what was up. So…. I switched channels in an instant! I don’t care to listen to XLC anymore. You were the only reason I listened. I’m not trying to BS either.
So, when you get to your new gig, please let us all know!
Your better off not being where your not appreciated! Those Ba**ards!
Time for celebration drinks!!
Good Luck
Lauri Duncan
john dattolo said,
May 3, 2008 at 3:09 am
this is why i am not a chicago fan . there is no loyalty it is very sad i am a listener of of the joe and rebecca and rebecca show i will not listen to that station ever again. keep your fans posted of where you might do radio next. i agree with you 100%
big dog said,
May 3, 2008 at 4:13 am
It was you and Joe that I listened to everyday for 4 years and now you both are gone . So guess what I am too, I will not listen to XLC ever again!
john dattolo said,
May 3, 2008 at 4:13 am
thanks for your time on the radio and thankyou for taking the time for this blog. if you are ever in elk grove village my company will give a free oil change. just wanted to say thanks
Brooke said,
May 4, 2008 at 1:46 am
Hey Rebecca –
I can’t believe it. I loved listening to you in the morning. You’ve been awesome. I vow to never listen to them again. I thought maybe you were just sick or something…I never in a million years thought that this would happen. You’ve been working your ass off!
I have Sirius Satellite radio but still listened to you in the morning…It’s really sad that this happened. But you are right all things happen for a reason. I hope I hear you on the radio again soon. I’m going in for open heart surgery on May 19th…I’m only 32…but again all things happen for a reason. I was looking forward to listening to you while I was recuperating.
Take care of yourself and I’ll say a little prayer for you!
Brooke Lannert
Gurnee, IL
Sarah Potts said,
May 4, 2008 at 9:35 am
Rebecca,
I just wanted to tell you that I just read your blog and I’m heartbroken, I listened to you EVERY morning for the last 4 years. I don’t know what I’m going to do in the mornings while I drive my son to daycare and then to work myself, I even listened to you in the office. Just know that you did kick ass as a DJ and please post about where you are headed next so that I can follow you there!!!!
Keep your chin up!!!! And know you will be missed GREATLY!!!!!
Thanks for all the years of dedication and incredible work…………
A HUGE FAN
Sarah
JD said,
May 4, 2008 at 10:21 am
Rebecca,
It has been great listening to you for the last 4 years. Thanks for all the great shows and appearances in Lake County. You will be missed. Best of luck to you and hope to hear you again soon!
JD
Kelly said,
May 5, 2008 at 12:27 am
I just wanted to say that you’ve come along way over the last few months. You should be proud of yourself and the great strides that you’ve made. My husband and I listen to you every morning on our way to work and you will be missed. Good luck with your future endeavors.
christin said,
May 5, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Rebecca – Wow. this is total bullshit! Sorry – my sister and I have been fans of yours & Joe’s for awhile now – she especially was a dedicated listener & caller! She immediately called me this morning, confused, bewildered, angry, lonely… (ha) because she had no idea what was going on when she didn’t hear you this morning. “That station” has done this over and over – ever since I’ve known them, they’ll have a morning show, decide they don’t like it, and totally revamp it without saying anything. I thought they were finally changing when they had the big goodbye for Joe – and kept you on by yourself – I thought, maybe they’re really giving their listeners credit and staying loyal. WRONG! At any rate, we’re so sorry to see you go, we’ll definitely tune into you on B96…and I have a feeling this ‘new’ morning show they’ve got (wasn’t Jimmy on the air like, 15 years ago??? I think he was on when I was in HIGH SCHOOL) won’t last long, and they’ll be up a creek, and wish they had you back.
All the best to you, you seem like a great person. Don’t lose your sincerity & heart just because people are jerks! You can hear that in your voice through our radios and it’s what keeps us tuning in…don’t lose it!
Sarah said,
May 5, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Rebecca!!! I woke up this morning, turned on my radio and heard strangers!!! I thought maybe I was still asleep?!??
I cannot believe those jerkfaces let you go. I’m just so upset. First Joe and now you! I was really liking Rebecca,Tim and Monica in the morning.
I want you to know that I called all morning long and those losers never even asnwered the phone. Of course I was going to say something like, “Where is Rebecca? and who the H are you tools?!?!?” I really don’t even feel like listening in the morning anymore, but I still love Tim (who by the way the “accidently” called “Ed” this morning) and Monica….. it just won’t be the same without you! I wish you the best of luck in whatever you do though
Betty said,
May 5, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Hey Rebecca – - I didn’t hear you Friday morning and thought you just took that day off. Then on Friday afternoon I hear this commercial for the Jimmy & Jen show starting Monday morning!?!?! What the heck??? Just like I freaked out when Joe left us – - I began panicking and praying to God they’d say something about you! But you couldn’t have said it better yourself – - you need to be where you are appreciated – above all else. To have worked as hard as you have all these years to have it end like this is just the kind of corporate b.s. this world could do without. So it took a while but I FINALLY found you and after reading your blog – - I’m sad for us\Lake County but not for you. I have no doubt you will continue to do great things and be treated like the superstar that you are!!
Good luck Rebecca – you will most definitely be missed and I wish you all the best!
Michelle said,
May 5, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Hi Rebecca,
I tuned in on Friday and you weren’t there and I thought maybe you had the day off. This morning I tuned in (as always in the morning) and it was Jimmy & Jenny and I was sooo confused. I looked up Joe’s blog which is where I found out about you.
I am truly sad that you are gone. Joe & Rebecca have been in my mornings everyday for the last 4 years. When Joe left I was sad but happy that you were still around. And now you are gone. I will be honest, the show this morning was horrible and I will now be finding a new station in the morning. I am not really sure what reason behind the “change” was but if XLC wanted to lose listeners they have succeded. I am not sure how they would even think that this was a good business decision. Good luck to you! You are great person and a pleasure to listen to. You will do just fine!
Laura said,
May 6, 2008 at 2:38 am
I was off work last week, so I missed my typical morning commute. When I turned on the radio today, I was lost. THAT was not how to make a change that affects so many people’s morning!
I immediately switched my station and will NOT switch back, which is a sad thing to do considering there are other good people there.
Best of luck to you from myself and the kids (I haven’t told them yet…they’re still getting over Joe)
Laura
Jenni said,
May 6, 2008 at 4:05 am
I will miss you in the morning!
p.s the new show sucks!
Stephanie K said,
May 6, 2008 at 9:38 am
Hey Rebecca,
It was really bugging me that you disappeared completely from the xlc site and these new people were just talking this morning as if they have always been there, so I googled your name and found this blog.
I missed you Friday but thought you must be sick… then I checked the website over the weekend and couldn’t believe it. I imagined they must have used that ‘new direction’ speech with you… I know it hurts but you are fabulous and will do great. Just wanted you to know you are missed… now both my favs are gone! Guess it’s gonna be cd’s for me in the morning… poor Monica and Tim…. anyway… take care and thanks for reading my random babblings. Stef
Jessica said,
May 7, 2008 at 9:06 am
Hi Rebecca,
Last Friday I went on the XLC website to catch up on the new installment of the Hollywood Freak show but something was different, there was no link for freakshow, morning show, or blogs. At first, I thought that maybe something was wrong with the website but this morning I heard a new voice on the radio. I was really upset that because I did not see this coming.
I
started listening to you and Joe during the fall of 2005, when I started college at CLC. While I am not a morning person, I enjoyed waking up and getting ready while listening to you two. I always knew the weather and traffic conditions, but the birthday battle and the arguments you, Monica, Tim and Joe had were the best. Then on January of this year I transferred to UIC and the morning show also began to go through changes. First Joe and now you, the mornings will not be same.
I wish you the best, I know you will do great things, just don’t forget about us little people.
Thanks!
Tina said,
May 17, 2008 at 11:29 am
Hi Rebecca,
lol like so many others I miss you on the radio too! First Joe then you! I was so confused for a while when weren’t on monday morning, and then you still weren’t on! Well hopefully you get a way better gig, and by the way the new guys totaly do the birthday battle wronge! It hurts to listen! lol
Good luck in the future!
Elizabeth Medina said,
May 20, 2008 at 1:04 pm
WOW! I was wondering what happened. Now I know.