Bangalore has one English language radio station and one fantastic American DJ. Kenny Jones and Radio Indigo are keeping me sane. When India’s eccentricities and messiness sometimes loose their charm I have my rides to work with Kenny to cleanse the pallet.(Photo from the Hindu)
Most days, I ride into work with a friend, Krithika, and we spend much of those rides laughing at Kenny, or at the absurdity that is Bangalore during rush hour.
Kenny Jones is a former PE teacher from Orlando turned Indian DJ and he has revolutionized Bangalore radio. With his sidekick, Sriram, Kenny has given Bangalore a level of interaction on the airwaves Americans apparently take for granted.
Hearing local folks call in and interact with Kenny is priceless. Most callers are generally pretty awkward on-air and fall over their words when given the opportunity to speak with him. The calls are gold. His signature line, “love, ya,” is apparently a crowd pleaser but I could hug the guy for simply being American and giving me a taste of home.
For a little more on Kenny, American’s unofficial ambassador to Bangalore, check out a great profile on him in the Hindu.
And finally, I owe Krithika a big thank you. She has gotten way more America than she bargained for when she agreed to carpool with me. She is a trooper and done her best not to completely tune me out when I go on about the Redskins, missing Jessie or craving a juicy burger. So, thanks, you certainly earned it.
