Thursday morning was Gene “Bean” Baxter’s last day on KROQ’s The Kevin & Bean Show.
Bean signed off on The Kevin & Bean Show, which aired on Thursday (November 7) from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., after 30 years on the KROQ airwaves in Los Angeles. He said goodbye to millions of L.A. commuters who listen to his morning show, which he co-hosted with Kevin Ryder.
Well-wishes began pouring in on social media from fans, friends, and colleagues, ahead of his last time of co-hosting The Kevin & Bean Show with Ryder on KROQ-FM.
Many fans shared their morning show memories with Bean on the show’s official Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram pages, and on his personal social media pages on Twitter and Instagram.
Colleagues who took to social media to wish Bean good luck included morning show co-hosts Allie Mac Kay and Jensen Karp, and former morning show producer Richard Cheese.
Others were fellow current and former KROQ DJs, such as Nicole Alvarez, Megan Holiday, Kate Corbett, and Stryker. The wrote about their experiences working with Bean at KROQ over the years.
Bean expressed surprise about the deluge of messages he received.
“The most surprising thing about the hundreds of emails that I’ve gotten in the last few weeks is how many people have been listening for all 30 years,” he said, according to Los Angeles Times. “It’s extremely humbling and extremely gratifying. And it makes leaving hard — hard for them and hard for me to give up that relationship.”
Today is Bean’s last day on Kevin and Bean and I’m honestly so sad I’ve here listening to @kevinandbean since I was little and when I started driving I made a point to listen every time I was up before 10am. #RIPBean thank you for everything. ?
— Caterina Cilluffo (@cjcilluffo) November 7, 2019
Me listening to Ralph, Kevin, and Bean together on the radio one last time. A bittersweet surprise #RIPBean pic.twitter.com/S8Fzpd3zbN
— pauLA (@MissPJG) November 7, 2019
End of an era. It's @clydetombaugh 's last day on the Kevin and Bean show on KROQ! Getting emotional. I've listened since almost day 1. Met the cast many times. Everyone has been unbelievable. I'm getting a little emotional. Here's a pic of Bean signing my "No Toys for OJ" tape pic.twitter.com/BloBCetiIb
— Darth Kimchi (@DarthKimchi) November 7, 2019
I’m listening to Bean’s final show on @kevinandbean. They were my companions during my LA commute for 16 years!!! Radio is powerful and the hosts integrate themselves into the fabric of our life. I got to meet Kevin this year and was so excited! Going to miss these guys. #ripbean pic.twitter.com/KdwVgPJ1fa
— Natasha Bishop (@NatashaBishop) November 7, 2019
If you are near a radio right now. Bean from Kevin & Bean is about to give his final goodbye to the show on Kroq. I have listened since 1990 to this show and today's show was so moving. Goodbye, Bean! You will be really missed. ❤ @kroq @kevinandbean
— Tim David Kelly (@timdavidkelly) November 7, 2019
I've listened to @kroq's Kevin and Bean nearly every morning of my life since 1993. Jr high, high school, college and now on my commute to my professional life. #ripbean
— BadBilly1979 ? (@BBilly1959) November 7, 2019
Listening to KROQ, and it’s just hard to believe it’s Bean’s last day on the Kevin & Bean show. Lots of memories listening to those guys over the years. Salute. @kroq @clydetombaugh
— Thomas Contreras (@toemas_) November 7, 2019
@clydetombaugh I’m 30 yrs old and have been listening to you and Kevin since I was in 6th grade. Every morning getting ready for school and every morning driving to work. We’re going to miss you Bean, thanks for being apart of my life. Enjoy England ya creep!
— Katie (@katiepetty666) November 7, 2019
Bean, who is about to turn 60, had announced he was leaving KROQ and moving to England to pursue fresh career opportunities earlier in the year.
Bean and Kevin have co-hosted The Kevin & Bean Show on KROQ since New Year’s Eve in 1989, according to L.A. Times. It was their first time hosting a radio morning show, but after overcoming teething troubles, the show rose slowly over the years, and by 2003, it was ranked among the top morning radio shows in the country.
Big names who have worked with them in the past at KROQ include the TV host and producer Jimmy Kimmel, stand-up comedian Chris Hardwick, radio personality Lisa Kennedy Montgomery, who hosts Kennedy on the Fox Business Network, and the podcaster Adam Carolla.
The Kevin & Bean Show has also hosted top rock bands and rock stars, such as Foo Fighters, Billie Eilish, U2, Arcade Fire, Jack White, and Tori Amos.
What millions of fans of the show might not know is that although he said goodbye to Los Angeles fans on November 7, Bean actually left L.A. back in the ’90s. Bean has been doing the show remotely from various locations, such as Seattle, Las Vegas, and New Orleans.