His local afternoon drive show on "Live 105.3" KLLI-FM was wildly popular in the ratings.

Weeks after The Russ Martin Show was suddenly yanked from the air in a surprise station format change, Russ Martin is speaking publicly for the first time.

Many of you may know that I was an occasional guest on The Russ Martin Show for several years.

The first thing he wants you to know is he was not fired, and that made getting him to talk quite challenging.

Anyone who drives around town in the famous General Lee from the Dukes of Hazzard TV show isn't exactly lying low.

Neither is Russ Martin, though he has repeatedly denied requests for an official interview.

We caught up with Martin as he was preparing for a benefit concert at Coach Joe's Sports Grille in Frisco.

After jokingly walking away from us several times, he agreed to give me a ride in his vintage Charger before answering a few questions.

Russ Martin reigned as Dallas' quick-witted shock jock on Live 105.3 radio for eight years.

More than just a voice on the airwaves, listeners have flocked to the 48-year-old's charity concerts and avidly followed his obsession with Batman. He owns two Batmobiles.

Martin and his cast of colorful colleagues was taken off the air without notice Dec. 8, just as his immensely popular Russ Martin Show was to start.

As station management played college fight songs, Live 105.3 abruptly changed formats to sports radio.

It's a bombshell Martin has managed to take in stride.

"It's not something that you take personally. Stations change formats. Companies make decisions. You've got a bottom line, you have to worry about things like that. So no, I didn't take it personally," said Martin.

Because Martin is still under contract, still being paid a seven-figure salary for two years, he cannot say anything more about what happened at the station that day.

Station management deny that the change had anything to do with Martin's well-publicized arrest for an alleged domestic assault in July.

A grand jury declined to indict Martin on felony charges. Misdemeanor charges are still pending.

Martin's attorney hasn't allowed him to speak publicly about that either.

Though his show has been silenced, his support for families of fallen police and firefighters has not.

He says the Russ Martin Listeners Foundation is still operating.

"That stays intact. The foundation will be there. Any officer that falls in the line of duty. That's not going to stop, on the air or not, the support won't change," he said.

Less than 24 hours after Sr. Cpl. Norman Smith was shot and killed Tuesday night, the Russ Martin Listeners Foundation forwarded $30,000 to the grieving officer's family.

After a rather hair-raising ride in the General Lee, there was one final question he agreed to answer.

What about the fans that he didn't get a chance to say goodbye to?

"All right, bye," he said.

Martin doesn't rule out doing another local radio show.

That's complicated, given that he is still under contract.

He is the restless sort and knows the Russ Martin Listeners Foundation cannot survive without listeners.