What is former morning show host Nikki Reed doing nowadays?

Virginia Beach reader Giorgio C. Valentini wrote in asking what former WAFX-FM The Fox morning show co-host Nikki Reed is doing since being laid off.

"Just doing voice work with Studio Center for now and getting a lot of sleep," she said. "Getting my youngest off to school in the morning, cleaning my house and feeling like a real mom is novel for me.

"Prior to the layoff, I sort of knew one job had to go sooner or later. Getting 4-1/2 hours of sleep a night was pretty tough."

The lady is a vamp

What happens when you compose a tune for a B-grade horror flick and the producers turn it down? If you're Norfolk's Bill Gaunce, you turn it into a campy music video of your very own.

A few weeks ago Gaunce, who is also an independent filmmaker, wrote "Vampire Girl." Musically, it resembles Eric Clapton's version of "Willie and the Hand Jive." When it didn't make the final movie cut, he used some low-resolution, public domain, vampire movie footage and nicely edited it into a fun music video, which he posted at www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzrEoJmokMA.

(Caution to viewers: Some of the vampire girls are topless.)

"I just quickly threw it together Saturday afternoon so I could post something goofy for Halloween," Gaunce said.

Beyond the coastline

Norfolk folk song and sea chantey artist Bob Zentz is on the road this week for what he describes as a "rare musical journey into the mystical Midwest" for a series of concerts and live radio performances. Among his radio appearances was last Saturday 's broadcast of "Folk Stage" on Chicago's WFMT-FM.

Zentz's tour concludes Oct. 29 with a concert at Weatherbury Farm in Avella, Pa.

Radio maneuvering

Local talent? Who needs it?

Beginning Thursday, the nationally syndicated "On Air With Ryan Seacrest" permanently replaced Jenna Kehoe as the midday show between noon and 3 weekdays on WPTE-FM The Point.

Kehoe has been moved to sister station 2WD as morning show co-host with Mark McCarthy.

With advertising revenues declining nationwide, radio stations are seeking ways to reduce expenses. The Point and 2WD are part of the Entercom Norfolk cluster, the highest Arbitron-rated group in the Hampton Roads market.

Jeff Maisey, (757) 222-3934, jmaisey@pilotonline.com