In November 2010, Mark Bolger and Kimberly Kay were fired from the morning show at 93.3 FM. The duo had been doing their thing — gently poking fun at each other while reporting on the news of the day — for seven years. “They told me: ‘We are going in a different direction,’ ” says Kay. While Bolger landed a gig at Mix 97.7 FM just three months later, Kay ultimately returned to her acting roots, popping up in local theater productions as well as in several national TV commercials. “I’m in a Nissan one, and in one for an incontinence drug. When you think of incontinence, I want you to think of me,” she says.
And then, lo and behold, earlier this year 97.7 was bought by Townsquare Media, and the new suits decided Mark needed a sidekick. Suddenly this perfect pair was back in business. Hudson Valley recently caught up with the reunited radio hosts.
So was it love at first sight with you two?
Mark Bolger: My first impression? I thought she was weird. That hasn’t really changed.
Kimberly Kay: It’s hard to say why chemistry happens. I don’t know what the magic thing is between Mark and me — but we’ve got it. We also have it outside of the radio.
Do you hang out together?
MB: Rarely. We’re separated by the river; she lives in Woodstock and I live in Dutchess County.
KK: But he did cross the river to come to my wedding in September.
Congratulations!
MB: It was spectacular, it was in her friend’s garden in Woodstock. It’s funny, because she always said she’d never get married again.
KK: Yes, it was my third marriage. I’m a little like Kim Kardashian. I love getting married, I just don’t like being married. One of my weddings was at Center Court at the Poughkeepsie Galleria. It was a huge wedding, but the marriage only lasted four months. Of course, as a bride that’s a wonderful staircase to come down.
MB: And you still get the 20 percent off at the Galleria, right?
Are you a real Woodstock gal?
KK: God no. My husband is — he’s an old hippie. I’m the opposite. We joke that we’re like the old show Green Acres. He often sings, “Farm living is the life for me.” I’m like Zsa Zsa Gabor singing “Park Avenue is the place for me.”
You must have been thrilled to get back on the radio.
KK: Well, I had to think about whether or not I wanted to get up at four a.m. again. I love reality TV, so I stay up way too late. But I nap all the time. I can nap anywhere. I nap in my car sometimes.
MB: I think you nap on the show sometimes.
So what do you guys do when you’re not riffing on each other?
KK: Theater is my passion; I’ll go anywhere to see it: Woodstock, Rhinebeck, Rosendale, the County Players down in Wappingers. The level of culture here never fails to impress me.
MB: Well, I have three kids, so I keep busy. But I’m a nature boy, I do a lot of hiking. I took my kids to the Great Swamp recently.
KK: That about sums it up: I hang out with rock stars on the weekends, Mark is at the swamp.
