OCALA, FL (352today.com) – If laughs were punctuation, Ryan Dupree’s would be an exclamation point.
And a period.
Come to think of it, also a comma.
Heck, even an ellipse…
At 6 feet 6 inches tall, a shiny bald head and biceps as big as melons, you might expect a hefty, full-diaphragmed guffaw – the kind of boisterous belly laugh that disrupts an entire restaurant.
Instead, it’s a higher-pitched giggle – almost. A charming, boyish sound that belies his physical stature and age. At 40 years young, Dupree’s sonic signature engages you and makes you want to join in.
“I like to laugh. My laugh is the star,” said Dupree (with that aforementioned giggle at the end). “It’s different. It’s always been me.”
“My last two stations… they [listeners] loved my laugh,” chuckled Dupree. “We did things like ‘Make you laugh Monday’ where listeners would tell their best jokes to try to get me to laugh.”
Starting Thursday, Sept. 21, you’ll get to hear the snicker for yourself weekday mornings when Dupree joins Hunter on 92.5/95.5 Wind-FM. The Hunter & Dupree Morning Show will get your day started with a smile from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Dupree replaces Parker who recently left the radio industry to return to Michigan to be closer to family.
For Dupree, joining Wind-FM is a homecoming of sorts. His name, voice and laugh may be familiar to listeners in the 352. He was on-air on Kiss 105.3 in Gainesville from roughly 2007 to 2015.
Originally from Long Island, New York, Dupree moved to the Tampa area when he was 10. His love of music developed through playing rhythm guitar in a band with his two older brothers. He quickly realized they weren’t good enough to make it big and got bit by the broadcasting bug while in high school when he landed an internship at a radio station.
“If I can’t be a famous musician, this is the next best thing,” said Dupree.
For the last few years, he’s been in radio in Nashville – not a country station, a Christian radio network heard coast-to-coast.
A job opportunity in Gainesville for his wife, Jessica, brought them and their two children back to Florida last month and closer to his two children from a previous marriage.
At home, it can be challenging to balance the interests of kids spanning a 13-year spectrum.
Brooke, 15
Evan, 8
Maddux, 3
Nash, 2
“Nash just follows everything big brother is doing. So, if Maddux is jumping on the couch and being crazy, baby brother is going to be doing the same thing,” said Dupree. “I sometimes feel like baby brother needs bubble wrap to keep him safe.”
Add in the family’s 4-year-old Golden Doodle Charley, and… (Dupree makes the sound of an explosion) followed by… you guessed it… his laugh. “The [radio] show will be my escape.”
Adjusting to mornings: Who will need more coffee? Hunter or Dupree?
“It’s going to take time to transition back to mornings,” said Dupree. “I will need more coffee [than Hunter] in this moment. She’s used to doing it.”
For the record, he prefers dark roast java with one Splenda.
“I really enjoy the morning shift. It does take getting used to but once you’re in it, it’s a different lifestyle,” said Dupree. “I liked it because I was able to come home before everyone else. I can get a workout in, get a 30-minute nap in, get a little ‘me time’ before picking the boys up [from daycare].”
What about the iconic rock music of Wind-FM?
“I grew up with this music. On my drive here, I turned it on and I’m hearing Guns N Roses,” said Dupree. “I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ It immediately takes me back to my brothers having arguments about which was the better band – Guns N Roses or Metallica.”
But he admits he has an eclectic music taste – everything from U2 to Tupac Shakur. “More recently, I grew a love of country since living in Nashville.”
Rapid fire Q&A:
Baseball or football?
“I grew up playing baseball… I like watching football a hair better. But baseball is still my love.”
Ice cream or cake?
“Ice cream.” What flavor? “Pre-COVID, was chocolate. But with COVID my taste totally changed, and it became really gross for some reason. I don’t know what happened. So, vanilla has a better flavor to me in this moment. So maybe like a cookies and cream or cookie dough.”
Beach or mountains?
“Oh mountains. I grew up in Florida and around the water. I don’t like the water. I don’t know if it’s a fear of the water. I mean I’ve seen Jaws,” joked Dupree. “Living in Tennessee, I liked the mountains.”
What are you binge watching?
“When the kids aren’t dominating the tv watching Cocomelon on Netflix, one of my favorite shows of all-time is Breaking Bad. Right now, we’re watching Justified.”
Can you drive the Wind-FM van better than Hunter?
“Oh absolutely. There was a brief period where I worked for UPS. I had to drive the box truck to different communities to deliver the packages to the people running them around in golf carts,” reflected Dupree. “They put you through rigorous training – very hard core. In addition to the driving training, I had to iron my uniform and make sure my shoes were polished. And I was just working a seasonal thing. So, yeah, I’m pretty confident in my driving and parking skills.” (giggles)
Last question: Does your wife like your laugh?
(Dupree laughs)
“Probably not anymore. She probably finds it annoying now. I laugh at everything. I guess that’s all I am. I am my laugh.”
We’re ready to laugh with you Dupree. Welcome to the team.
