DJ's Marty Riemer, Jodi Brothers fired from 103.7 The Mountain, KMTT-FM

The Marty Riemer Show — 103.7 KMTT-FM's morning show and home of the ":20 Funny" — won't be laughing 'round here no more.

Riemer and co-host Jodi Brothers were fired Friday — not long after Brothers interviewed comic legend Carol Burnett, and a group of school kids finished touring the Entercom-owned station, known as The Mountain.

"Marty's contract came to an end, and we decided not to extend it," said station director Dave Benson. Brothers was let go with Riemer because "it was a show," Benson said. "We decided to make a complete change."

Come Monday morning, a new disc jockey will take over the 5:30 to 9 a.m. slot. Benson hopes to launch "a completely new" morning show in six weeks.

"Radio stations, like thinking people, need to evolve and explore new opportunities," he said. "And we felt like now was a good time to explore new opportunities.

"We wish those guys the very best," he said of Riemer and Brothers, "and The Mountain will continue to move forward."

Benson said he had no plans to end the ":20 Funny" comedy segments that air at 7:20 a.m. and 5:20 p.m.; or the annual ":20 Funny Comedy Festival" that draws top-shelf comedians from around the country and bears Riemer's name.

Riemer had been with The Mountain for 12 years. He started in radio at age 13 with weekend work at KGRG, the Green River Community College station in his native Auburn. He has worked at KZOK, KJR and the late Seattle station KXRX. At "The X," he was the first person to report the death of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain. He had been tipped off by a friend of the dispatcher for an electrical firm hired to do work at Cobain's Lake Washington Boulevard home.

Before joining Riemer on the air in September 2007, Brothers worked at KROK and KNDD.

"The Marty Riemer Show has temporarily relocated to Alki, where Marty and I will be drinking coffee in the morning," she said Friday, adding that listeners can also find her on Facebook.

"The one thing I loved the most about this job was the connection with the listeners," Riemer said. "We had the most phenomenal listeners. Smart, funny. We fed off their energy as much as anything.

"I'm anxious, but I am excited for what is coming next," he added. "That sounds a little Pollyannaish, but feel free to quote me anyway."

Shawn Stewart remains in the 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. slot; and John Fisher is still in the 2 to 7 p.m. slot.

Said Benson: "The radio station has no plans to change anything about its presentation, its commitment to the music and the Seattle area."

Nicole Brodeur: 206-464-2334 or nbrodeur@seattletimes.com.