Peach Buzz: Spiff, Fred oust Imus from 106.7

Former Fox oldies morning man Spiff Carner and his latest on-air partner Fred Brooks have knocked the considerably more controversial syndicated morning man Don Imus off the air at True Oldies 106.7. The pair has been moved up from afternoons.

“We can now officially say you are getting out of bed with Spiff and Fred!” Fred joked with listeners at the start of Monday’s broadcast.

Added Spiff: “We are open for business!”

The pair also took some congratulatory calls from fans and from some former Imus listeners, confused about the transition.

Cracked one caller: “Archaeologists are waking up and having to find that old fossil Imus.”

Replied Brooks: “They have to dig somewhere else.”

“I’ve been listening to him for 30 years,” the caller added. “He was spot on. But the last few years, he’s been going downhill. I’m glad you changed, and I hope you do well.”

“Fossils? We’re getting there,” Brooks said.

“I thought he was talking about us!” Spiff added.

Imus listeners, take note: The politically incorrect veteran morning mouth can now be found locally on WCFO-AM (1160).

Veteran Atlanta oldies fans now have a tough decision to make each morning.

Spiff’s former Fox Oldies partner Randy Cook, you see, now competes against him over at WGST-AM (640).

Kennesaw State gets ‘Crank’y?

Kennesaw State University students, staffers and alums were delighted with Monday’s “Crankshaft” comic strip published in the AJC. In the first panel, one of the ‘toon’s characters was sporting a black and gold sweatshirt with KSU emblazoned across the front.

Kennesaw’s Center for University Learning director Linda Lyons e-mailed Buzz Central, curious about the potential product placement. We immediately put AJC comics editor Frank Rizzo on the case. Rizzo, who possesses a scary amount of knowledge about the history of newspaper comic strips, theorizes that, alas, the panel was probably a “happy coincidence.”

“Cartoonist Tom Batiuk —- who creates and draws two comic strips, ‘Funky Winkerbean’ and ‘Crankshaft’ (the latter with Chuck Ayers) —- was born in Akron, Ohio, and still lives in the Cleveland area. Both comic strips are set in that area.

“More to the point, Batiuk graduated from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, near Akron. The official school colors, however, are navy blue and gold.”

So how did Kennesaw’s colors get inserted into the strip?

Rizzo explains that the daily strips are not colored by the artist. The AJC has its daily comics paginated and colored by a company in Kansas City, Mo. The local KSU school there? Kansas State University. Its school color: royal purple.

Psst, Kennesaw folks. Just go ahead and take credit. We’ll never tell …

Hawks fans to get some gratitude

Are you on the Atlanta Hawks playoff bandwagon yet? Maybe this will help those of you with pesky long-term memories.

Buzz Central got word Monday that the team is throwing a fan appreciation night tonight at Phillips Arena before the Hawks take on the Miami Heat.

Team reps tell us that highlights will include the presentation of the Kia Fan Favorite Award at the conclusion of the game. One winner has been chosen to participate in the ceremony recognizing the fans’ favorite Hawks player as determined through an online and Hawks retail store vote.

After the awards presentation, Hawks players and coaches will be on hand to present lucky fans with their game-worn jerseys or an autographed basketball.

A season-long highlights video also will be unveiled to pump up the fans. Doors open at 6 tonight. Visit www.hawks.com for more details.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Country singer Loretta Lynn (below) is 74. Actress Julie Christie is 69. Actor Brad Garrett (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) is 49. Singer-guitarist John Bell of Widespread Panic is 47. Actor Anthony Michael Hall is 41. Actor Adrien Brody (“The Pianist”) is 36. Singer David Miller of Il Divo is 36. Rapper Da Brat is 35. Actor Antwon Tanner (“One Tree Hill”) is 34. Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar is 32. Actress Abigail Breslin (“Little Miss Sunshine”) is 13.

Contributing: Rodney Ho and news services

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