D/FW Radio: Fed Judge Gag Order Mutes Dan & Jake's Podcast

A federal judge has ordered Dan McDowell and Jake Kemp, former co-hosts on The Ticket, to cease posting new episodes of their podcast.

The Dallas Morning News reports Susquehanna Radio, a subsidiary of Cumulus Media, the parent company of 96.7 FM/1310 The Ticket, filed the suit on Aug. 4 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. The suit says McDowell and Kemp violated noncompete agreements they signed in 2018.

In February 2020, McDowell and Kemp became co-hosts of The Hang Zone on The Ticket after McDowell’s previous co-host, Bob Sturm, moved to late afternoons. The Hang Zone was a talk show covering general news with an emphasis on Dallas- and Texas-area sports teams.

McDowell and Kemp resigned from The Ticket on July 14 after contract negotiations fell through. They moved on to co-host a podcast called The Dumb Zone on the platform Patreon and on YouTube.

In the order, U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer ordered McDowell and Kemp to stop uploading any podcast, audio program or other audio media available to the public on any platform.

Podcasts or programs already posted on Patreon or YouTube can remain, but they must not promote or discuss The Dumb Zone podcasts.

In addition, McDowell and Kemp were ordered to stop commenting on social media about the lawsuit and its plaintiffs and defendants.

According to the court order, Susquehanna Radio and McDowell and Kemp agreed to mediation for Tuesday but requested it be rescheduled to Aug. 29.

In the lawsuit, Susquehanna Radio alleges McDowell and Kemp created their podcast while still employed by The Ticket. Susquehanna also accuses the two of taking over social media accounts previously belonging to The Hang Zone and repurposing them for their new podcast.

Susquehanna asked for a temporary injunction and restraining order against McDowell and Kemp and their new show, as well as unspecified monetary damages.