Want to know what KJHK DJs are like when they are off air? Off the Mic is a weekly interview that occurs
between Ethan Graham and a random DJ at the station.
Off the Mic
Becca Huerter KJHK
DJ Shift: Monday Local Block from 6pm -7pm
Major: Film & Media Studies
Minor: Theater
Notable KJHK Contributions: Multimedia Producer, DJ for Fall 2015 and Breakfast For Beatlovers,
Summer 2015, Arts & Culture Staff, Music Staff
Favorite Color: Turquoise & Purple
Favorite Actor: Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson, and Tina Fey
Favorite Band: Father John Misty, Tina Turner, Michael Buble, Death Cab and Nora Jones.
Hobbies: writing scripts, quoting Ilana Glazer, stand-up comedy, amateur yogist, and all activities
involving rollerblades
Ethan Graham: I guess the first question should be, “What is your favorite color and why?”
Becca Huerter: Purple/ Lavender, when I came home from the hospital, my mom wrapped me in a
lavender blanket with a purple buggy on it. It was my favorite thing besides my wiener dog until middle
school; then I discovered Gene Simmons and my interest took a dramatic shift.
EG: Respectable, as I just recently decided that I also like the color purple hence my purple shoes.
BH: Ah, I love your purple vans. I’m wearing vans too, nice. We’re in the cool kids club.
EG: Yes, the cool kids club. What is your quest?
BH: What is my quest? Like my journey, my ten year plan?
EG: Yeah, I mean it’s technically a quote from Monty Python, but do with it what you will.
BH: My quest is probably one day to eat my weight in Hawaiian pizza. Nah…kidding.
EG: Well, that’s cool too.
BH: I guess to live a life I’m proud of, not really acquire capital, or that 401k that everybody’s after, but I
would like to make an impact on people and I want to help people. I want to impact other people’s lives
and change their quest for the better.
EG: Well, I was kind of hoping for “to seek the Holy Grail,” but okay.
BH: That’s second on the list.
EG: When did you first figure out that you liked music? Or the first time when you tried to find what youliked in music?
BH: So when I was a kid I was super nosy and always looking through my parents
stuff. One day I was looking underneath my dad’s chifforobe, and I found this box full of cassettes. And I
picked up Tina Turner’s, “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” She was wearing a little black dress with a lot
of exposed leg. I carried it around in my little tape deck everywhere. There was a Nirvana tape in there,
the one where the baby is reaching for the dollar, and I was like, “Oh, what is this? Cover art?” The
whole idea of an artist putting their music and art together to create something you can physically hold
and hear made me really excited and happy as if I got to hold on to a piece of them. That was when I
first fell in love with music and art as a combined entity.
EG: That’s good, that goes nicely with the next question, “What album has an emotional connection to
you or to a memory?”
BH: Oh gosh, a whole album?
EG: It doesn’t have to be a whole album, it could just be a song. It could be a soundtrack as you’re a film
major.
BH: Can I talk about two?
EG: Uh, yeah. It’s your interview. I’m only in charge in regards to asking questions and directing the
conversation. Besides those responsibilities, it’s all you.
BH: An album that I have an emotional connection to would be “It’s Time” by Michael Buble because
before I entered into middle school I reconnected with a relative, a second cousin, more of a grandma
figure really, and she introduced me to Michael Buble. The song, “Home,” just brings tears to my eyes.
His voice is so good, he’s like a modern day Frank Sinatra. My first big concert was Michael Buble at the
Sprint Center. I was in high school and went with friends. Everyone was like 30 or 40 and we’re 15-16
and it was just the greatest night ever. Another album I’d like to talk about that has a pretty big impact
on me is a movie soundtrack, it’s “Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist” and if you haven’t heard it than you
definitely need to check it out. The Bishop Allen track is probably my favorite on there. And it’s a great
film, Andy Samberg makes a cameo and the part about the dog is top notch.
EG: Okay, so first album you bought with your own money? Or even the first album your parents bought
you. It’s all up to you.
BH: I think it might have been the Jack Johnson one, the yellow one. Was that “Banana Pancakes?” Ithad Banana Pancakes on it.
EG: Yeah, I remember that one. I borrowed it from a friend in high school, but I can’t remember what it
was, something about dreams.
BH: “In Between Dreams.”
EG: See, I told it had dreams in it.
BH: So yeah, the first album I bought with my own money was Jack Johnson’s “In between Dreams.”
EG: Very nice, and what was the reason? Did you like it? Did you love it?
BH: Oh, I loved it. Now back to the first album my parents bought me…it was weird. I got two in my
stocking at Christmas, it was “Elvis’ Greatest Hits” and “The Nutcracker” soundtrack. If i’m being honest
with myself, I like “The Nutcracker” soundtrack more. I really wanted to be a ballerina.
EG: Since you’re a local DJ, you host a Local Block. What would be one of the best local shows you’ve
seen recently?
BH: I’m real big fan of Rev Gusto, Real Adults and Arc Flash. I recently saw Rev Gusto and Real Adults at a
house show at the Shawnee Manor, it had sweet basement setup and it was really casual, people could
bring their own beverages and other goodies. I also really like Toughies and they also played at the
Manor show. So definitely those four bands because of how personable they are and how much they
appreciate their fans.
EG: My next few questions move away from music and into more of who you are. What is your favorite
childhood cartoon?
BH: Probably “Hey Arnold.” I really like the Helga—Arnold dynamic and how she pines for his affection
even though she puts on a hard-ass front. And how Arnold was just the chillest dude ever. He lived in
that boarding house. When his grandma and him broke into that aquarium to save the sea turtle…that
made me care about sea turtles. I still care about sea turtles. We shouldn’t litter and we should donate
to the Sea Turtle Rescue Fund. But yeah, “Hey Arnold” is my favorite childhood cartoon and because of
“Hey Arnold,” I care about the environment more.
EG: Great, now one of my favorite questions, “Favorite superhero and why?”
BH: Definitely Wonder Woman, probably because she was always getting tied up, and I remember as I
kid I had a weird thing about being tied up and kidnapped. I thought it would be a bigger threat in my
everyday life. I was always trying to escape through cat doors. I’d have my sisters tie me up and I would
say, “Okay, I need you to leave me here in the woods so I can escape on my own. If I don’t get back in an
hour I need you to come get me.” Wonder Women was super stealthy; always getting tied up, escaping
and she’s just really kickass. Her costume was great and there’s not too many female superheroes.
We’re strong and resilient and that side of women isn’t showcased very often.
EG: So yeah, why were you so obsessed with being kidnapped?
BH: I think because in a lot of movies and kids shows there are always people getting kidnapped. There
were lot of bad people who want to snatch kids. My mom was always like, “Never get in the car with a
stranger.” I was always thinking of how I would get away if I was kidnapped. Like when I heard about
Mike Tyson biting off an ear, I was like, “I can use that as a defense mechanism.” I guess I just wanted to
be savvy enough to get away, if it ever happened.
EG: And do you think you’re savvy enough now?
BH: Oh definitely. I’ll be ready for them.