Kasem Shocks With Final 'Countdown'

[cyberjudge]

Casey Kasem told his radio listeners to keep their "feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars" for the final time over the weekend, abruptly hanging up his mic after nearly four decades counting down pop hits on 'American Top 20.'

"We began the weekend of July 4, 1970, and after 39 years this will be our final countdown," he said, ABC News reported.

The radio pioneer with the unmistakable voice passed the 'American Top 40' baton over to Ryan Seacrest in 2004, but has been doing a abridged version ever since.

Kasem said in a statement that quitting the countdown show would "free up time I need to focus on a myriad of other projects. His wife Jeannie told ABC that the decision was inevitable.

"I think it was probably a gradual process. Charts are changing, stations are changing, the networks are changing, radio itself is changing, and I think, you know, the pendulum swings back and forth," Jeannie Kasem said." You just have to be willing to jump ship and try something new."

Kasem is reportedly prepping a memoir.

[Tenacious_Peaches]

Lordy, I loved me some Top 40 when I was younger. I remember holding my tape recorder to the radio to record the top 40 songs each week.

Holy crap, I'm old.

[Uncle Joe]

I just liked hearing how he said his own name.

[Ken]

Casey Kasem shocked a couple of people with these Out-Takes . This is hysterical, funnier if you can find it without the voice-overs. To this day, I hear "Snuckles" and I start laughing...... This is the Abridged Version....

[Otokichi]

Reminds me of Johnny Carson's "Deputy John" sketches on TV. (And the quite unavailable "Sword & The Stoning" recording by the early Firesign Theater!)

[skybluesky]

Casey Kasem Facts from Mental Floss