Jim Kovacik

Jim "Jimbo" Kovacik is a twenty-six year radio Icon in the nation’s 4th largest city - Houston. Jimbo is the morning show co-host at Houston’s hip hop hit maker, KBXX 97.9 The Box. The Madd Hatta Morning Show is consistently ranked as the number #1 Morning Drive show in Houston.

A graduate of the University of Houston, Jim started his radio career in the research department at oldies station KFMK. In 1991, KFMK turned into 97.9 the Box.  That's when Jim started working a marathon shift with his own overnight show from 3am to 5:30am. He then produced and was a member of the morning show right after from 5:30 to 10am. He has been an integral part of every morning show since. In 1996, he teamed with then Box Program Director Robert Scorpio to form the Box Morning Playas. And with the Playas, the Box had their first ever #1 morning show. The show was fueled by constant fun, games and the popular Birthday Call, a prank call on a unsuspecting victim on their birthday. All in all, the Playas and Madd Hatta in the afternoon helped the Box become the heritage station it is today.

In 2001, Scorpio went to L.A, to be a big time program director and Jim joined the Madd Hatta Morning Show. Since then, core members Hatta, J-Mac and Jimbo have been going strong with games, bits, thought-provoking topics, top talent interviews, and Jimbo's characters like Bishop Beazy and his rap group, The Atascocita Thugs, spicing things up.

After all these years, Jim has mastered every aspect of radio. With his production skills,  he has produced hundreds of mornings show bits, commercials, and song parodies.  With his on-air skills, he has endorsed many companies including T-Mobile, Mike Calvert Toyota, Auto Insurance Discounters and countless others. He also has hosted his own public affairs program. And, Jim has brought his creative writing talents to pen many station promos, sweepers, weekend promotions and specialty programs for 97.9 the Box.

Jim has been with the Houston listeners through the good times and bad providing news, bits, parodies, information and support during The Houston Rockets back-to-back championships, The Super Bowl 2003, Tropical Storm Allison, and Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Ike and Harvey. He has also covered the world for the station broadcasting from the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia, the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake, Jamaica, St. Maarten's, and the Bahamas to name a few.

Aside from radio, Jim has written over ten solo screenplays. One of his adaptations titled "Scouts," is in pre-production at Dikajada Films and hopes to film in 2018. He has also written many screenplays with friend and screenwriting partner, Joseph Johnson. In 2006, they optioned their project, "The Inconvenience of Drowning." In 2008, they financed their own short "Soul Searching, " which won an award at the Houston International Film Festival, screened opening night at the San Antonio Film Festival and played at the LaFayette Film Fest. Jim has written a television show inspired by his first days of the Box called "Freaks of the Industry," with his former radio co-worker Shelley Wade. In 2007, Jim did a string of videos using a hand drawn animation named "Badimation," for its crude but charming look. Jim is also a songwriter who has written over 50 songs. He has performed and released music with the music group, The Surrealtors. After a long hiatus, the band plans to release a new album and a corresponding documentary in 2018. Jim has also dived into comedy and has recently made some stand-up appearances.

All in all, Jim most enjoys the creative aspect of all of the mediums - the Theater of the Mind – the ability to be a part of people’s lives in an intimate but anonymous way. He is married with four kids and lives in Kingwood, Texas.