Published August 25, 2024 at 7:36 PM CDT. Brian Pope, host of Center Stage on WRKF. It is with heavy heart that WRKF announces the passing of our beloved host, Brian Pope, who succumbed to cardiac arrest on Aug. 23, 2024, the eve of his 75th birthday. Brian had hosted and produced "Center Stage," a show about musical theater on WRKF since 1999.