In KMIH 88.9 The Bridge’s world, the Netflix special could humorously be titled, “Docuseries, Where’s My Logo?”
And thanks to general manager Joe Bryant, the Mercer Island High School (MIHS) student-run radio station’s emblem makes a quick appearance in episode three of the hit four-part series, “Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?”
Bryant also gets some screen time at the beginning of the series because his former intern at KISW 99.9 in Seattle, John Leonard, wanted the former radio personality on board to help tell the story of Leonard trying to win that jet in a 1996 Pepsi contest. It didn’t happen, but Bryant and KMIH triumph with their small roles.
“I think it’s awesome, The Bridge there at the school,” Leonard said. “It seems like just this phenomenal program and I couldn’t think of a better person to (appear in the series). I know he is so into it and thinks it’s awesome. I was hoping the program and the station would get some exposure.”
Also a MIHS broadcast media instructor, Bryant delved into Leonard’s story as it was happening while co-hosting the popular Bob Rivers Show back in the day.
“It’s nice to be a part of it. It’s a real flashback. Anybody who came of age in the ’90s would love watching this because it’s a real time capsule of that special time. The music, the commercials and everything will really take you back,” Bryant said.
The Andrew Renzi-directed series premiered on Nov. 17 and digs into the Leonard v. Pepsico, Inc. court case, which transpired when the 21-year-old Leonard teamed up with investors to help amass enough points (seven million) and cash ($700,000) in a Pepsi contest to win the AV-8 Harrier II jet that was listed as a prize in their amusing commercials. Leonard eventually lost the case, and his intriguing story was one that documentarians wanted to bring into the present day.
“I think the show was fun and I think we need more fun in the world,” Leonard said. “The reality of our particular story, ‘Yeah, this knucklehead kid didn’t get a jet,’ but nobody got hurt. It was a kid that was a dreamer and all that sort of stuff, and it was a fun story, light at heart, and I think it captured that.”
Bryant and Leonard hadn’t been in touch since the ’90s and reconnected when the filming crew invaded MIHS in October of 2021 to grab their footage at the radio station. With Leonard nearby, Bryant intros the series and even gives a nod to KISW in his familiar radio articulation.
“When I watched the show and I heard his voice, it touched me,” Leonard said. “One, it just made me happy, but his full voice, he’s always like the voice of reason. He’s such a compassionate, considerate person.”
On being the first one out of the gate to give the series flight, Bryant said, “If I’m only going to get 30 seconds, I think I got a prime 30 seconds.”
Bryant beams with contentment about the KMIH logo hitting the screen at full blast in a series that has captured viewers’ attention all over the globe. More importantly, Bryant wants to convey to his students that anything is possible when they’re part of the award-winning KMIH team of broadcasters and staffers.
“It’s just raising the profile of our community and this little radio station. And I’m also really proud that it’s getting good reviews,” Bryant said.
MIHS junior and KMIH web director Sophie Cartwright’s eyes light up when she discusses watching Bryant pop up in the first episode.
“We see someone like Joe, who we work closely with, and he tells us how we can do all these things, and we see him doing them, too. I think that’s really cool to see,” she said.
Leonard is glad that viewers are interested in the series, which took two years to stitch together. Pepsi points, court case and jet aside, people often ask Leonard if he still drinks Pepsi. He does, but it’s of the diet variety now, he laughed.
“Pepsi didn’t wrong me,” he added. “I don’t feel wronged, I was found not to be right, but that’s a different thing.”
