Special X
Encyclopedia
Special X was a channel on XM Satellite Radio
that played random music with a "weirdness" theme. In its early days, the channel was hosted by a character named Generalissimo Stacio Ortega, a creation of station programmer Lou Brutus. Some of its featured content included "Parrot Training Records," "Wax My Woody" (surf music), "Polka Party," "Wabbit Trax" (cartoon music), along with syndicated content such as Dr. Demento
. During certain holidays such as St. Patrick's Day and Halloween, Special X would change its programming to feature related music. The channel would temporarily change its name to "Special XMas" during the Christmas season
and play nonstop offbeat holiday music and programming, from songs like "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer
" to shorts like "A Very (Charlton) Heston Christmas".
In January 2004 at the Consumer Electronics Show
(CES), XM announced that four channels would be eliminated to make way for new programming. To the surprise of many, Special X was announced as a discontinued channel that would end programming on February 1. During the final few weeks of broadcast, station host Generalissimo Stacio Ortega was featured in vignette
s that satire
d the decision to discontinue the station by the "figurehead
s" and made reference to the message board campaigns that fans were raising to convince XM not to eliminate Special X.
On the final night of air, a six-hour special was played featuring a compilation of the best of programming from Special X. In-between songs, The Generalissimo would update listeners on the war involving his final stand against the "enemy" who was trying to yank him from the air. The "enemy" made their way into the bunker and Generalissimo was finally killed in Tony Montana
fashion, only to wake up and realizing it was all a dream (now parodying The Wizard of Oz
.) The final segment involved the Generalissimo promising that the "army of weirdness" would rise again. Following the conclusion, Special X left the air and was replaced with The Blend
on XM 25. Program Director Lou Brutus would go on to program for Fungus
on XM 53, one of the new stations announced at CES.
Following the demise of Special X, some of its featured content was moved to other channels. "Wax My Woody" was moved to 60s on 6 while Dr. Demento was moved to Deep Tracks. "Special XMas" continued to appear annually in the XM lineup during the Christmas season as it had when Special X was broadcasted.
Later that year, Special X would return as an online-exclusive channel to XM's new online streaming service. However, the channel lacked the hosts and special programming that it had during its satellite days and only played its music and programming on auto-pilot. On April 17, 2006, Special X moved from XMRO 30 to XMRO 154 in order to make room for XM Hitlist
. It continued to be heard on XMRO 154 and on DirecTV
channel 848.
In mid-July 2008, all XM online-only channels were terminated during the XM/Sirius merger, and Special X was included in this purging. The "Special XMas" channel was also omitted from the satellite lineup that year.
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
that played random music with a "weirdness" theme. In its early days, the channel was hosted by a character named Generalissimo Stacio Ortega, a creation of station programmer Lou Brutus. Some of its featured content included "Parrot Training Records," "Wax My Woody" (surf music), "Polka Party," "Wabbit Trax" (cartoon music), along with syndicated content such as Dr. Demento
Dr. Demento
Barret Eugene Hansen , better known as Dr. Demento, is a radio broadcaster and record collector specializing in novelty songs, comedy, and strange or unusual recordings dating from the early days of phonograph records to the present....
. During certain holidays such as St. Patrick's Day and Halloween, Special X would change its programming to feature related music. The channel would temporarily change its name to "Special XMas" during the Christmas season
Christmas season
Christmastide is one of the seasons of the liturgical year of most Christian churches. It tends to be defined as the period from Christmas Eve to the evening of 5 January, the day before Epiphany...
and play nonstop offbeat holiday music and programming, from songs like "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" is a novelty Christmas song, which led to the creation of an animated movie with the same title.Written by Randy Brooks, the song was originally performed by the husband and wife duo of Elmo and Patsy Trigg Shropshire in 1979...
" to shorts like "A Very (Charlton) Heston Christmas".
In January 2004 at the Consumer Electronics Show
Consumer Electronics Show
The International Consumer Electronics Show is a major technology-related trade show held each January in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new...
(CES), XM announced that four channels would be eliminated to make way for new programming. To the surprise of many, Special X was announced as a discontinued channel that would end programming on February 1. During the final few weeks of broadcast, station host Generalissimo Stacio Ortega was featured in vignette
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
s that satire
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
d the decision to discontinue the station by the "figurehead
Figurehead
A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration found at the prow of ships largely made between the 16th and 19th century.-History:Although earlier ships had often had some form of bow ornamentation A figurehead is a carved wooden decoration found at the prow of ships largely made between the 16th and...
s" and made reference to the message board campaigns that fans were raising to convince XM not to eliminate Special X.
On the final night of air, a six-hour special was played featuring a compilation of the best of programming from Special X. In-between songs, The Generalissimo would update listeners on the war involving his final stand against the "enemy" who was trying to yank him from the air. The "enemy" made their way into the bunker and Generalissimo was finally killed in Tony Montana
Tony Montana
Antonio Raimundo "Tony" Montana is a fictional character from the 1983 film Scarface. He is portrayed by Al Pacino in the movie, and is voiced by André Sogliuzzo in the 2006 video game Scarface: The World Is Yours. Tony Montana has become a cultural icon and is one of the most famous movie...
fashion, only to wake up and realizing it was all a dream (now parodying The Wizard of Oz
The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)
The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was directed primarily by Victor Fleming. Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf received credit for the screenplay, but there were uncredited contributions by others. The lyrics for the songs...
.) The final segment involved the Generalissimo promising that the "army of weirdness" would rise again. Following the conclusion, Special X left the air and was replaced with The Blend
The Blend (XM)
The Blend is a mixed music channel on Sirius XM Satellite Radio, broadcasting on XM channel 16 , Sirius channel 16 and Dish Network 6002...
on XM 25. Program Director Lou Brutus would go on to program for Fungus
Fungus (XM)
Fungus, branded on air as Fungus 53, was a punk/hardcore/ska radio station on XM Satellite Radio, launched in early 2004. The channel was one of nine on XM that is marked with an xL, indicating frequent explicit language. The channel was programmed by Lou Brutus, who is also host of the nationally...
on XM 53, one of the new stations announced at CES.
Following the demise of Special X, some of its featured content was moved to other channels. "Wax My Woody" was moved to 60s on 6 while Dr. Demento was moved to Deep Tracks. "Special XMas" continued to appear annually in the XM lineup during the Christmas season as it had when Special X was broadcasted.
Later that year, Special X would return as an online-exclusive channel to XM's new online streaming service. However, the channel lacked the hosts and special programming that it had during its satellite days and only played its music and programming on auto-pilot. On April 17, 2006, Special X moved from XMRO 30 to XMRO 154 in order to make room for XM Hitlist
XM Hitlist
Pop2K is a commercial-free all-2000s radio station that is broadcast on Sirius XM Radio. It is located on channel 14 , though only on SiriusXM internet radio on the Sirius platform, and plays a range of top 40 hits in the 21st Century...
. It continued to be heard on XMRO 154 and on DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
channel 848.
In mid-July 2008, all XM online-only channels were terminated during the XM/Sirius merger, and Special X was included in this purging. The "Special XMas" channel was also omitted from the satellite lineup that year.