My Friend Kirk Minihane Is Staying With Barstool But Announced He's Walking Away From The Kirk Minihane Show
A bittersweet day.
My friend Kirk Minihane announced today that he's ending the six-and-a-half-year run of The Kirk Minihane Show. Today is (was) the last show. He was fittingly joined by longtime KMS staple Blind Mike, along with producers Justin Trudell and Dave Cullinane.
For the last almost three years, I've been lucky to be a tiny part of the show. Kirk welcomed me in when WEEI decided they didn't want me hosting nights for them anymore. He let me promote MutStack.com to his massively loyal audience. I'll miss being a weekly guest on the show and being part of the wild KMS Universe he's built.
And I'll really miss listening to the show. Even when I wasn't on, I was locked in, laughing along with the crew.
Kirk announced he would be taking some time off from the show last weekend. He's been open about his battles with depression, and by doing so has helped a lot of people who listen. A few of them called in to thank him for that on Tuesday, and dozens more have thanked him over the years.
After announcing his break, Kirk has decided to end the show's run rather than return refreshed.
"Six and a half years is a long time," Kirk said Tuesday. "I've built this universe, and it's been great. But I don't really want to do it anymore."
The news came as a surprise to me, and I'd guess it did to most of his listeners on Tuesday morning.
And like them, I'll really miss the show. But I'm very happy for Kirk. He sounded great on the air Tuesday, and when I had the chance to talk with him briefly on the phone before they went live.
There was a very funny moment on Tuesday when 'Menners,' an Australian fan of KMS, called in to rip into Kirk for leaving this very popular show and universe that he's built, saying that Kirk, "Broke a lot of hearts today."
"How about this....It's best for me," Kirk said.
And that's why it's bittersweet. We'll all miss the show, but it's good for Kirk to recognize what's best for him.
And look, he's not going anywhere. He's hard at work on The Case - Season 3. He'll be a co-host with Dave and Whitney on Unnamed, although he and Whit don't seem to be in a good spot right now.
Kirk gets the best out of Dave on Unnamed, so his staying on that show is good for all of us. Kirk said he'll also keep doing Project Greenlight, Barstool events, and host the Golf Gambling Show, but KMS is done.
Klemmer got his foot into the door at Barstool through KMS, and like me, owes his job here to Kirk.
What the hell is Jeff D. Lowe going to listen to now when he's working on The Dozen??? Marty Mush has just started becoming obsessed with the show - tough break for him.
Tuesday was like a normal show, just with the massive news that Kirk was walking away. Is there a chance it wasn't the last show? We'll see, but Kirk seems adamant that this is it.
The KMS Live Show on March 7th in Laconia, NH, is still on, and Kirk called it a "huge KMS send off." Tickets will go on sale on Wednesday, January 14th. My guess is they'll sell out in record time. Being involved in these live shows will be something I'll miss almost as much as the daily show itself.
I did a dance routine with Kirk and a dance troop at the Plymouth, MA live show. Getting my head shaved in Laconia on stage in March was one of the wilder experiences of my life - and I did it to get back on the show after being banned by a contest winner six months earlier. What a world.
Tuesday's show fittingly ended with the guys mocking producer Justin Trudell for crying - it's a safe bet he wasn't the only Minifan doing that with this announcement. The show meant a lot to people, and this was tough news to hear.
"It does mean a lot," Kirk said to end the show on Tuesday. "I think about people who listen to the show every day and made it a part of their day. I can't thank them enough. But that's in the past now. The Kirk Minihane Show is over…We're around, but the show is done. We'll see you down the road."
Can't wait for Laconia.
#ThankYouKirk