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KC’s alternative radio station is switching to sports. What about ‘The Church of Lazlo’?

joseph hernandez
·4 min read

Listeners of “The Church of Lazlo” will have a new radio destination next week.

The drive-time show, long hosted primarily by radio personalities Lazlo and Slimfast, is moving when the alternative music station Alt 96.5 becomes 96.5 The Fan, Kansas City’ first full-time FM sports radio station.

The change was announced in a news release Thursday from Philadelphia-based radio broadcast company Audacy.

The station, once prominent in the new alternative rock music industry and for years known as 96.5 The Buzz, signs off at 6 p.m. Wednesday. It switches to sports full-time at 6 a.m. Aug. 15.

Where can you listen to ‘The Church of Lazlo?’

As for where fans can find “The Church of Lazlo,” it will be simulcast on 96.5 and 98.9 The Rock from 2 to 6 p.m. every weekday before moving to 98.9 full-time on Aug. 15.

Many listeners of the radio station shared thoughts on the change on social media.

“Damn, R.I.P. 96.5 the buzz. The only station I listened to for years,” said one user on Facebook.

“Working for the Buzz was one of the most fun parts of my eleven years in radio! I will miss it! RIP 96.5 THE BUZZ!,” Cassie Duncan said on the social media platform.

“I never listened to it, but I know 96.5 The Buzz was a huge station when I was growing up and Lazlo may have been the best known radio personality in the KC radio market,” said a user on X, formerly known as Twitter. “It’s downfall (and now apparently being wiped off the face of the earth) is staggering.”

“Hurts my soul a little bit on a different level. It’s been some time but I was grateful for my time with 96.5 The Buzz and all the memories made and musicians I met through working for them,” Rachel McMillan said.

“That is very sad seeing the news of 96.5 the buzz is coming to an end. Lots and lots of core memories listening to @churchoflazlo@slimfast965 @lazlothebuzz on my way home from school or hanging out with friends listening. Their concerts were always a blast,” said another user on X.

96.5 was the home for alternative music for many Kansas Citians for over two decades. It was called The Buzz from 2000-2020 before being renamed to Alt. 96.5. Notable shows included “Afentra’s Big Fat Morning Buzz,” “Danny and Mark in the Morning,” and “Mornings with Jordin Silver and Friends.”

When it was called 96.5 The Buzz, they hosted Buzz Beach Ball, a music festival that brought different musical acts to the Kansas City area, such as:

  • Snoop Dogg

  • Foster The People

  • Weezer

  • blink-182

  • Glass Animals

  • Phoenix

  • The 1975

  • Arctic Monkeys

  • Bleachers

They would also host events, like “Kegs and Eggs” and “The Night The Buzz Stole Christmas,” bringing up-and-coming bands to smaller venues in the Kansas City area.

What shows will air on FM radio station 96.5 ?

When it switches to 96.5 The Fan, Royals games will air starting Aug. 15, although select games will be only on the AM station. That’s because 96.5 The Fan also will be the flagship station for Chiefs games, although those contests also will be simulcast on 106.5 The Wolf (WDAF-FM) for the 2024 season.

Broadcast teams for the Royals (Denny Matthews, Jake Eisenberg) and Chiefs (Mitch Holthus, Danan Hughes, Josh Klinger) will remain the same.

“We have enjoyed a strong partnership with Audacy over the past few years and are excited for them to launch 96.5 The Fan heading into the 2024 football season,” Kim Hobbs, the Chiefs’ Vice President of Partnership Strategy and Development said in a news release. “In addition to being the new home of the Chiefs and the flagship station of the Chiefs Radio Network, 96.5 The Fan is going to take a strong lineup and offer exciting and entertaining sports content throughout the year through the power of the FM dial.”

Kansas State and Missouri men’s basketball and football games will be broadcast on 96.5 The Fan, too.

On weekdays, the schedule of shows on 96.5 The Fan will look familiar to regular listeners of KCSP (610 AM):

  • 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.: “Fescoe and Dusty” with Bob Fescoe and Dusty Likins

  • 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: “Cody and Gold” with Cody Tapp and Alex Gold

  • 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.: “The Drive” with Carrington Harrison