It was April Fool’s Day of 2004 that the name “Just Bob” was first heard on the air in Flint.  I was starting my new night shift at the Top 40 station in town, when five minutes before I went on the air the question was asked, “What’s his name gonna be on the air?”

We decided to let the listeners name the new night DJ, and put a poll on the station’s website.  I recall that most of the options were absolutely horrendous, and I hated just about all of them. Then my new boss asked what I would be called until a name was selected.

I said, “What about Bob?”

He asked, “Bob what?”

I said, “Just Bob!”

Confused, he looked at me and said, “So… just… Bob?” to which I replied in a very Leslie Nielsen manner, “No, no… Just Bob!”

He gave me a half-smile and said “Whatever… it’s just for a few days!”

By Wednesday night, the votes were flooding in.  Of all the names listed, the one I hated most was in the lead.  Romeo!  Ugh!!  I did not want to be known as Romeo, let alone have to say “I’m Romeo” for the rest of my life.  Thankfully, a listener asked why Just Bob wasn’t one of the options on the voting list.  By the end of Wednesday night, we added my last-minute identifier.

To my absolute surprise, by Thursday night, Just Bob was in second place, and by the start of the show on Friday there was no question that I had found my new radio alias. I still enjoy telling people that my real name is Justin Roberts, and I go by Just Bob for short.  You’d be surprised how many people believed me when I told them that!

That whole “Just Bob & The Nite Party” era was one of my favorites!  The people that came together to make that show happen were phenomenal!  The theater of the mind that we pulled off is to this day some of my finest radio work.  For example, listen to one of my absolute favorite Just Bob moments as we harass PGA golfer Tiger Woods!

The big question is… did that REALLY happen? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!