Reaction to: "News From Audio Graphics: David Lee Roth, An Exercise In Futility"

Article Abstract:

CBS Radio has a problem. David Lee Roth also has a problem. One is how to get out of a contract that it so vigorously supported less than 90 days ago, the other is how to (gracefully) exit a disaster. Full Story

Reaction:

Whew! I don't disagree with the acid-penned author of "News From Audio Graphics: David Lee Roth, An Exercise In Futility" (3/30/2006) or some of the literate listeners who responded (especially Barbara). But what most loudly spoke to me was not the debate about the ability of David Lee Roth, CBS Radio or anyone else to fill Howard Stern's big, vacated sh*tkickers. Rather, I read the article from a radio host's perspective and took away two key messages, one general and one personal. The first: don't enter the limelight if you can't stand the heat. The second: I need a good producer to provide the standard of listening experience to which I'd like my listeners to become accustomed.

Non Sequitur I- David Lee Roth ("Diamond Dave), Then and Now:

David Lee Roth Then - source : Cover from David Lee Roth's 1986 album Eat'em and Smile, accessed at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lee_Roth

David Lee Roth Now - source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_David_Lee_Roth_Show

Non Sequitur II - Howard Stern, Then and Now:

Howard Stern's never been my cup of tea, but I can't help but feel connected to him. My mother taught English and Espanol at Roosevelt Junior-Senior High School back in the days when she was known as "Mrs. Tolliver," Julius (Dr. J) Erving was taking her junior high English class, and how-do-you-like-Howard-now was getting chased home by bullies. Mom and I wonder if that experience shaped Mr. Stern's perspective. Additionally, a personal note from Mr. Stern to William O'Shaughnessy - President and CEO, Whitney Radio, is posted publicly at the studio that broadcasts my shows.###

TV: Flavor of Love Extras from VH1 - "New York Hospitality"

The President of Sports Cart Media emailed me the following:

---

You should use this on your show:

Extras: New York Hospitality
Check out New York giving Hoopz the business and claiming her
territory. [Click here to access the VSPOT clip.]

---

Here's my take on what you'll see:

The "ladies" in red face off before Flav makes his final selection. New York - who has from the get-go taken both the game and her chances of winning waaaaay too seriously - tells Hoopz:

I wish you the best of luck. Hopefully, you will find someone to grow happy with. But that someone is not Flav. Because Flav is my [unintelligible].

New York's comeback demonstrates she needs both hope and a better oracle:

I don't work on hope. I don't need hope. I work on fate. And fate says to me that you are leaving. You can choose the front or the back. But you're leaving here tonight.

Didn't New York's mother teach her: don't count chickens before they're hatched, and men don't need to buy cows with heifers giving them milk for free?

Hoopz demonstrates her superior grasp of both reality and the future when she warns New York portentously:

You're gonna walk your ass out that door.

At the end of the show, Hoopz' hope is fulfilled and her prediction comes to pass: Flav shows New York the door.

Although Flav put New York out to pasture, she should not cry over spilt milk. I sincerely hope she will find someone to grow happy with. But that someone is not Flav.###

My next radio broadcasts will promote an Apr. 4 Book & Author Luncheon and 100 Hispanic Women's Apr. 7 Women's Leadership Conference

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY - As any scuba diver or broadcaster knows, air time's a precious commodity. Fortunately, we divers and journalists often share "mouthpieces" so we can cover interesting territory in sufficient depth. That's why--even though I'm not hosting SCORE Radio or the Lisa Tolliver Show again until April 12--I can help promote two exciting events that are making waves on April 4 and April 7:

On Tuesday, April 4--a date bookmarked between the open and close of National Library Week (April 2-8) and School Library Media Month (April)--the Westchester Library System is hosting the Fifteenth Annual Book & Author Luncheon at Abigail Kirsch's Tappan Hill in Tarrytown.

• On Friday, April 7 the Westchester Chapter of 100 Hispanic Women, Inc. is hosting the Third Annual Women's Leadership Conference at Pace University Law School in White Plains. The program features two dynamic keynote speakers and four compelling topical tracks.

Learn more when Sobeida Cruz, President of the Westchester Chapter of 100 Hispanic Women, Inc., and I discuss this event on the following shows:

• Good Morning, Westchester! on Wednesday, April 5 at 6:50 a.m., Eastern Time. Good Morning, Westchester! - hosted by Larry Goldstein - broadcasts every Monday through Friday during morning drive time on WVOX-AM and WRTN-FM.
• Fiesta Mexicana on Saturday, April 1. Fiesta Mexicana - hosted by Gabriel Pino - broadcasts every Saturday at 6:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.-2:00 a.m. on WVOX-AM. Stay tuned for the times when Ms. Cruz and I will join GP's on air gala on that day and in the future.

In the meantime, click the appropriate links above to access event details and registration information. ###

3/22 "Lisa Tolliver Show" Roundup: Success Strategies for Businesswomen Conference, Count-Me-In, Emergency Preparedness Tip #3, & word of the day

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY - Today's Lisa Tolliver Show broadcast wrapped up our Women's History Month celebration. If you missed it all's not lost; you can get the gist here. One thing you won't get, however, is why one of today's guests can aptly be called a "swinger." If you're curious about that, phone me on-air April 12 when I host SCORE Radio at 1:00 pm, Eastern Time and the Lisa Tolliver Show at 1:30 pm and I will " 'splain you," to quote the late Ricky Ricardo. Read on for details about how to tune in and phone in.

Today's guests: Click here to learn about my phenomenal guests (Lynn Connelly - Director of Sponsorships and Alliances at Home Depot, and Nell Merlino - President and CEO of Count-Me-In for Women's Economic Independence), and the upcoming Office Depot Success Strategies for Businesswomen Conference that they're partnering to offer in Florida from March 26-28. Unfortunately, neither this blog nor the above-referenced show promo can aptly capture Lynn and Nell's dynamic energy. Stay tuned...I'll be featuring many of the conference speakers in upcoming shows and other exciting initiatives driven by Office Depot, Count-Me-In and their partners. Thank you Lauren Garvey of JKG Group for booking these top notch guests! You really know how it gets done!

Emergency Preparedness Tip # 3 from the Westchester Emergency Volunteer Reserves-Medical Reserve Corps--FIRE SAFETY: Simple fire prevention practices will go far in reducing the likelihood of fires in the home or office. First, locate potential sources of ignition. They may include electrical hazards, natural gas hazards, and flammable or combustible liquids. Then do what you can to reduce or eliminate these fire hazards. Our WEVR-MRC tip for today involves ways to reduce Electrical Hazards. Click here to access it.

The word for today is "suffrage." The term does NOT refer to labor pains, child rearing or housework (often inaccurately referred to by knuckle draggers who don't help out as "women's work"). "Suffrage" is the right to vote or the exercise of that right.

A key focus each March (Women's History Month) is heroes and heroines who fought for equal rights for women, including women's suffrage. Some prominent women suffragists (a.k.a. "suffragettes" or more recently, "voting rights activists") who led the early 20th century movement to secure women's right to vote in the United States included Susan B. Anthony, Emmeline Pankhurst, Kate Sheppard, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Harriet Tubman. They and many others contributed substantially to the passage of the the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was ratified in 1920 to guarantee all American women the right to vote.

However, that victory was partial. As described in a Department of Justice article, the 1965 Voting Rights Act was made necessary because:

"Concerted efforts to break the grip of state disfranchisement of black Americans had been under way for some time, but had achieved only modest success overall and in some areas had proved almost entirely ineffectual. The murder of voting-rights activists in Philadelphia, Mississippi, gained national attention, along with numerous other acts of violence and terrorism. Finally, the unprovoked attack on March 7, 1965, by state troopers on peaceful marchers crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, en route to the state capitol in Montgomery, persuaded the President and Congress to overcome Southern legislators' resistance to effective voting rights legislation. President Johnson issued a call for a strong voting rights law and hearings began soon thereafter on the bill that would become the Voting Rights Act.

Violet Liuzzo - one of the many modern-day suffragists who risked life and limb to help pass the 1965 Voting Rights Act - was the only white woman documented to have been martyred in the Civil Rights movement. Her story is told in a film that I reviewed this weekend and highly recommend. Click the following link to read: " 'Home of the Brave:' A must-watch for Women's History Month and the tail-end of '365 Days of African American History'."

On a different beat: I met jazz drummer/composer/bandleader T. S. Monk (Thelonious Sphere Monk, Jr.) at the radio station today! Mr. Monk had appeared on Air-Worthies with Mike Macagnone, and was sitting in his Benz when I parked near Mike's car. Mike couldn't believe I'd missed the show (neither could I!), and he offered to introduce me. Mr. Monk, who'd been digging a mellow jazz instrumental on his car stereo (I couldn't catch what tune), chuckled when I warned that I had no qualms about poaching from Mike's guest list and invited me to call. (Of course, I will.) MIKE: Here's a huge thank you for making the introduction to one of my musical heroes. LISTENERS: I'll give advance notice of Mr. Monk's "Lisa Tolliver Show" appearance. Not too soon, though....gotta give the WVOX audience time to miss him.

Next broadcast: Join me on New York Radio WVOX AM 1460 and www.wvox.com on April 12. At 1:00-1:30, Eastern Time I'll be hosting SCORE Radio: Counselors to America's Small Business followed at 1:30-2:00 pm, Eastern Time by the Lisa Tolliver Show. You can also hear and share, from anywhere, via call-in line at (01) 914.636.0110. If you're listening, I'm listening. Talk with me! ###

Emergency Preparedness Tip # 3 from the Westchester Emergency Volunteer Reserves-Medical Reserve Corps - FIRE SAFETY

Lisa Tolliver and Westchester Emergency Volunteer Reserves-Medical Reserve Corps (WEVR-MRC) have partnered to broadcast regular Emergency Preparedness tips. The following Emergency Preparedness Tip aired on the "Lisa Tolliver Show" on March 22, 2006.

Emergency Preparedness Tip # 3 - FIRE SAFETY

Simple fire prevention practices will go far in reducing the likelihood of fires in the home or office. First, locate potential sources of ignition. They may include electrical hazards, natural gas hazards, and flammable or combustible liquids. Then do what you can to reduce or eliminate these fire hazards. Our WEVR-MRC tip for today involves ways to reduce Electrical Hazards. Click here to access it. ###

"Madea's Family Reunion" - laugh a lot, enjoy the view & seriously, uplift your consciousness

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY - I knew that "Home of the Brave" would be serious, right from the get-go, and watched it on Sunday afternoon because I was in the market for a quality show to celebrate Women's History Month and the tail end of "365 Days of African American History." (Click here to read my review.) But on Friday night I was in the mood to laugh. So I convinced my date to see "Madea's Family Reunion" rather than one the action flick he was lobbying for. (Click here to view the "Madea's Family Reunion" movie trailer.) We'd both seen the stage version of this and all of Tyler Perry's other shows on DVD and knew the film would be fun. But we didn't anticipate the degree to which Mr. Perry and his pistol packin' grandma alter ego, Mabel "Madea" Simmons (one of three characters he plays in the film), would load so many dead-serious and inspirational messages into this scenic gem.

The ethnically diverse audience at the cinema where we saw the film seemed to concur. We all gasped and guffawed, oohed and aahed at the appropriate moments (except one, which I'll address later), and stayed to watch the outtakes and extra treats rolled alongside the credits. Mr. Perry knows his audience...he kept us enraptured, in the palm of his hand, until Madea broke the spell broke the spell and directed, “You can go home now.”

The film's script, music (which writer, producer, actor, director Perry had a hand in), cinematography, casting and wardrobe pleased my senses, with one major exception that profoundly disappointed me. Not everyone seemed to agree; I was surprised (and red faced) to be the only one in the theater to react audibly to the rendering of the "Springtime in Paris" wedding theme pulled together by wedding planner Milay Jenay Lori (played by Jenifer Davis). When I saw it, I couldn't help but blurt out, "That's awful!" Everyone else in the theater was silent. They were probably either wishing I'd pipe down or wondering, as I was, why--given the movie's ample budget, the beauty of some scenes and realistic homeliness of others--the bridal set had to be so goldarn tacky. But that's a minor matter, like a ding in the fender of a top-of-the-line sports car, or the fact that fine-as-wine and manly-but-artistic Frankie (played by Boris Kodjoe) was not as wealthy as the equally fine, "love you to death," Carlos (played by Blair Underwood).

"Madea's Family Reunion" is not just a gem. This blockbuster's also a cash cow. According to Wikipedia, "On opening weekend, February 24, 2006 Mr. Perry's movie version of Madea's Family Reunion opened at number one with $30 million, more than triple the amount it cost to make." Furthermore, as IMDb reports, "After the first week record-breaking release of the first "Madea" film by Perry, Tyler, Lions Gate Home Entertainment acquired a seven-picture deal of the remaining Madea films." In addition to his commercial and critical success, Mr. Perry's website reports that he is currently celebrating being the first playwright of this genre to be sponsored by a major pharmaceutical company, Glaxo Wellcome.

I'm thrilled at Mr. Perry's success. Like single-mother Whoopi and motherless-at-an-early-age Madonna, the N'Awlins native and adult survivor of child abuse has joined the ranks of wildly popular self-made millionaires who have overcome substantial personal tribulations, taken odd jobs to finance their dreams, and even spent time homeless. Mr. Perry began writing stage plays at age 18, and so far has conquered stage and screen. Next on the horizon: his first novel, Don't Make a Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries on Love and Life. I can't wait to get between those sheets!

Learn more about Tyler Perry at his official website: www.TylerPerry.com. ###

"Home of the Brave:" A must-watch for Women's History Month and the tail-end of "365 Days of African American History"

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY - "Home of the Brave" was created and narrated by women about a woman, a movement and a national outrage. I watched this informative, moving film on Court TV this afternoon and highly recommend it. It was especially timely on this lazy Sunday afternoon at the tail end of "365 Days of African American History" and week three of Women's History Month.

Filmmaker Paola di Florio and "Home of the Brave" have earned well-deserved critical acclaim for this story of Viola Liuzzo--described by EmergingPictures.com as "the only white woman murdered in the Civil Rights movement in America"--and expose' of the sordid reasons why we don't know who she is. "Told through the eyes of her children, the film follows the ongoing struggle of an American family to survive the consequences of their mother’s heroism and the mystery behind her killing."

According to relatives, the 39 year-old Detroit Teamster’s wife, coal miner's daughter and mother of five was inspired by the March 7, 1965 "Bloody Sunday" in Selma (when Alabama police so brutally assaulted Civil Rights marchers crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge that ABC television interrupted airing of the war crimes documentary, "Judgment in Nuremberg," to broadcast the attack), and her personal convictions that all people deserved the right to vote. As her son told a journalist, "She wanted equal rights for everyone, no matter what the cost." Mrs. Liuzzo soon thereafter joined thousands of people converging in Selma, Alabama to participate in the march on Montgomery led by Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and paid the ultimate price for her convictions. As EmergingPictures.com describes, "Shortly after the historic Voting Rights March had ended," Mrs. Liuzzo was fatally shot in the head "by a car full of Klansmen, while driving on a lone highway."

Although "Home of the Brave" zooms in on the heroine and her family, the film also sets its sights on the bigger picture, bringing to the forefront several important back stories. These include the important roles that whites played in the Civil Rights movement (and the dangers and defamation braved by some and perpetrated by others), President Johnson's efforts to pass the Voting Rights Act, America's involvement in the Viet Nam "conflict," the confession of a journalist that he was less fearful of the violence and danger he faced in Viet Nam War than he was covering the Civil Rights movement in the American South, reminders about the numerous unnamed heroes who contributed to the Civil Rights movement--in some cases risking their life, livelihood, limbs and liberty, and the efforts of bigots such as J. Edgar Hoover and his g-minions to discredit those whom they feared and/or despised. Filmmaker di Florio's story peeks under the rock that was Hoover's FBI, exposing their slimy acts of domestic terrorism, such as tracking of Mrs. Liuzzo's teamster husband, planting an informant to ride with the Klan members who shot Viola (who might also be the triggerman), launching a smear campaign to assassinate the late Mrs. Liuzzo's character--alleging promiscuity and drug abuse and in the process, amassing an FBI file that was thicker than the Klan's, intimidating into silence the black man who rode in the "shotgun" (passenger) seat of the car she was martyred in, and stonewalling the murder investigation.

It's impossible to watch this film dispassionately. It takes the viewer on an emotional roller coaster ride and rips off painful scabs in America's conscience.

Worthwhile related films recommended by Bullfrog Films:

• The Long Walk To Freedom: A story of 12 ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things in the Civil Rights movement.
• Counting on Democracy: An examination of the fiasco in Florida in the context of the history of voting rights violations.
• this black soil: Chronicles the successful struggle of Bayview, VA, to pursue a new vision of prosperity.
• After Silence: Examines the treatment of Japanese-Americans during WW II, and its relevance to post 9/11 America. ###

March 22 "Lisa Tolliver Show" features Office Depot Success Strategies for Business Women Conference & Count-Me-In for Women's Economic Independence

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY - The March 22 "Lisa Tolliver Show" on New York Radio WVOX AM 1460 and www.wvox.com will feature the 2006 Office Depot Success Strategies for Businesswomen Conference and an exciting organization: Count-Me-In for Women's Economic Independence. Join my guests, Lynn Connelly - Director of Strategic Alliances for Office Depot, and Nell Merlino - President and CEO of Count-Me-In at 1:30-2:00 pm, Eastern Time by radio (at AM 1460), online (visit www.wvox.com) or via call-in line (dial 01-914-636-0110 to hear and share from anywhere). The "Lisa Tolliver Show" airs every 2nd and 4th Wednesday at 1:30-2:00 pm, Eastern Time. Its "four-eyed" mission is to inform, instruct, intrigue and inspire listeners about what's happening in the world of non-profits, philanthropy and current affairs."

The 2006 Office Depot Success Strategies for Businesswomen Conference will be held March 26-28 at The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood, Florida. This year's theme is Connecting for Growth, Innovation and Inspiration. Click here for details.

Count-Me-In --the first online microlender--champions the cause for women's economic independence by providing access to business loans, consultation and education. In addition to using a unique women-friendly credit scoring system to make loans of $500 to $10,000 available to women across the United States who have nowhere to turn for that all-important first business loan, the organization provides access to networks that expand contacts, markets, skills and confidence. Click here to visit the Count-Me-In Website.

UPCOMING BROADCASTS: I'm next hosting the following shows on New York Radio WVOX AM 1460 and http://www.wvox.com/. Please join me!

Wednesday, April 12:

• "SCORE Radio" at 1:00-1:30 pm, Eastern Time
• The "Lisa Tolliver Show' at 1:30-2:00 pm, Eastern Time

Wednesday, April 26:

• "The Lisa Tolliver Show" at 1:30-2:00 pm, Eastern Time with guests Flavor Flav and playwright Ray Aydelott###

March 17 is Saint Patrick's Day and March is Irish-American Heritage Month

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY - Top of the marnin'! Some say we're all Irish on March 17. That's when we commemorate the life and works of Saint Patrick (affectionately known as "St. Patty"), the patron saint of Ireland and one of Christianity's most widely known figures. Whether or not their lineage is Irish, so many people celebrate Irish heritage and contributions that March was designated Irish-American Heritage Month.

According to the March 10, 2006 U.S. Census publication, "Facts for Features: Irish-American Heritage Month (March)and St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) 2006":

Although not an official “federal” holiday in the United States, St. Patrick’s Day has a long history of being celebrated with parades and general goodwill for all things Irish. The day commemorates St. Patrick, believed to have died on March 17, who introduced Christianity to Ireland in the fifth century. Because many Americans celebrate their Irish lineage on St. Patrick’s Day, March was picked as Irish-American Heritage Month. The month was first proclaimed in 1995 by Congress. Each year, the U.S. president also issues an Irish-American Heritage Month proclamation.Irish-American Heritage Month (March)and St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) 2006.

Visit these links to learn about Irish-American Heritage Month, Saint Patrick and Saint Patrick's Day:

• Irish-American Heritage.com - The American Foundation for Irish Heritage Website honors "the glorious contributions the Irish in America have made to the growth and development of the United States of America."
• Irish-American Heritage Month - This google search yields almost 7 million (!) Web pages where you can learn more.
• St. Patrick's Day -- Customs and History
  It's a bit o' the Irish. The traditions, customs, and history of St. Patrick's Day are explored. There's also a fun game for the lads and lasses!
• The History Channel - The History of St. Patrick's Day
  Tells about the holiday and the man behind it. Also provides general information on Ireland and its people.
• www.St-Patricks-Day.com provides global information on Ireland and all things Irish.
• More sites

My special wishes to readers today are encapsulated in the the prayers and toastsaccessible at Irish Toasts.###

Purim (The Festival of Lots) begins at sundown on March 13, 2006

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY - According to Wikipedia:

Purim (Hebrew: פורים Pûrîm "Lots", from Akkadian pūru) is a joyous Jewish holiday that commemorates the deliverance of Persian Jews from the plot of the evil Haman to exterminate them, as recorded in the biblical Book of Esther. It is characterized by public recitation of the Book of Esther, giving mutual gifts of food and drink, giving charity to the poor, and a celebratory meal (Esther 9:22); other customs include drinking alcohol, wearing of masks and costumes, and public celebration.
Purim is celebrated annually on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Adar. (In cities that were walled in the time of Joshua, including Jerusalem, Purim is celebrated on the 15th of the month, known as Shushan Purim). As with all Jewish holidays, Purim begins at sundown on the previous secular day.

• More resources: Click here to access other sites that address Purim.
• Image attribution: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purim. Caption: Purim gragger, also called "ra'ashan" (noisemaker), used when Haman's name is mentioned during the reading of the Megillah, as tradition dictates, to blot out the name of evil.###