When the namesake of Mad Dog Radio is off-air for a week, you’d expect the SiriusXM channel to wait for his return before trying anything too creative. Instead, Mad Dog Radio, Steve Cohen, Steve Torre and all of the SiriusXM bosses used Christopher Russo’s absence as an opportunity to grow their morning show.

Dubbed “FALifornia,” with Russo out, SiriusXM sent Morning Men hosts, Evan Cohen and Mike Babchik to their new Los Angeles studios for the week, where they took over Nick Wright’s usual timeslot. Wright, meanwhile,  filled in for Russo’s Mad Dog Unleashed.

“I’m a dorky old school radio guy and conceptually what SiriusXM did in saying ‘let’s not look at Dog being out as a disadvantage, but how do way take advantage of it?’ Again it involves us, so maybe I’m a little biased, but I think it’s really smart,” Morning Men co-host Evan Cohen said while speaking to BSM.

They’re a growing brand on the platform, but as a national show airing from 6 – 10am ET, it’s hard to expect a big West Coast following for Evan and Babs when they regularly hit the airwaves at 3am PT. Still, the reaction to Morning Men heading to the West Coast was filled with excitement. 

Further, when Evan and Babs announced they would broadcast Friday in-front of a studio audience, there was a big response from West Coast’s most loyal listeners, dubbed “the FALS,” who wanted to be there, a testament to the job SiriusXM does in promoting the show.

“Our show is on from 3am – 7am Pacific Time and it goes to show that SiriusXM has done such a good job with the app and on-demand product for people to listen to it when it’s not live,” Cohen said when speaking of their West Coast listeners.

To make their trip happen, Evan and Babs also needed a willingness from other hosts on the channel to work around an adjusted schedule. SiriusXM personalities Lisa Ann and Rick Kamla helped out during mornings on Mad Dog Radio. And with Wright taking over Russo’s Mad Dog Unleashed, normally Patrick Meagher moves from his 8 – 11pm show into the 6 – 8pm timeslot, but he had no problem reneging. 

“Patrick is a big fan of ours and we’re a big fan of his,” Cohen said. “We’ve developed a really good friendship with him, and his being egoless in knowing he could move up to a different timeslot for the week, but instead saying ‘those are my friends it’s a big opportunity for them, I’m giving them that slot’ is amazing.”

For Morning Men, the evening timeslot allowed them to connect with West Coast listeners, but they also had to adjust to a condensed show for the week. Half the time with double the guests. 

Taking advantage of being on the West Coast, Evan and Babs welcomed L.A. related guests throughout the week that included SiriusXM mainstays Covino and Rich, ESPN host Jorge Sedano, actors Tom Arnold, Ian Ziering, J.B. Smoove, R&B singer Joe, and entertainment star Joel McHale among others.

“Do we do guests, or do we interact with the audience?” Cohen said they debated regarding their live show last Friday to conclude their FALifornia week. 

A live studio audience is something radio shows don’t get a lot of opportunities to have. Some hosts are better in front of a live audience, they feed off the crowd to create natural entertainment. Mike Babchik happens to be one of those hosts, who’s unfiltered style resonates with a crowd. Evan and Babs chose to let the audience be part of their Friday broadcast, focusing on their FALs, more than guests. 

“It was a calculated smart risk by SiriusXM,” Cohen said of the company’s decision to send them to Los Angeles. “In terms of the creativity in the lineup, the buzz it created, exposing our show to the West Coast, giving other people opportunities in other slots and making something out of nothing in many ways – they deserve a lot of credit.”