2 MAR 03: "SIEMPRE EN DOMINGO"
My Sunday schedule was filled with three-letter words. "TAX" for working on my taxes. "CUT" for my hair. "SEW" for buttons falling off shirts. "BRO" for calling my brother. And of course, "GAS" - because Rush Limbaugh just might be right about an Iraqi war starting.
I arose this morning to a big surprise - as AM radio's "Sports Monster" [WMLF 1270 AM] was broadcasting in Spanish. I knew ESPN Radio's Dan Le Betard liked salsa music, but THIS much?!
It turns out the sports-talk station is now presenting Spanish programs eight hours a weekend - as "Ritmo Latino Radio." At least they did one thing to satisfy the sports fans - by having someone yell, "GOOOOOOOOL!" at the top of their lungs.
Ever the journalist, I called Ritmo Latino Radio to get the scoop for you blog readers. The man at the other end said it's on from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Saturday and Sunday - with hopes of expanding the hours soon. If I were the home-spun Coach B.R. Johnson who normally is on at noon, I'd be a little nervous....
(Ritmo Latino Radio IS a local show in Spanish -- which no doubt will scare all the conservatives in town, if they stumble on to it.)
Personally, I have no problem with radio stations broadcasting in Spanish. The music usually is nice and dancible. I understand the language well enough to keep up with some of the conversation. And I don't know the dirty words, to be offended by nasty stuff.
Some people have trouble with Spanish, of course. There's a TV ad in town, for instance, encouraging people to dine in non-smoking restaurants - and the announcer says at the end with no inflection at all, "Se habla Español." When I hear it said like that, I like to respond: "OK - Habla Español."
BLOG UPDATE: I promised to tell you more about the self-admitted "crazy man on the corner" who called the TV station the other night. (27 Feb) The caller's name was Michael, and he said he's a retired Army Sergeant with an "honorable discharge." Without my even asking, he defined "honorable" as, "to die for a cause." I wonder how many "honorable mentions" on sports teams would define it that way.
Michael offered a scattershot of thoughts -- including criticism of the weather announcer on NBC-38 (NOT my station) for "insulting children." I never had an opportunity to ask what the comment was. Did he encourage youngsters to jump in a rain puddle or something?
Michael says instead of going after Iraq, the U.S. should "clean up our own house" first - for instance, by taking shows such as Jerry Springer and "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here" off the air. He'll he pleased to know the Celebrity show is only on 15 nights in a row. It just seems like months.
Michael called shortly before air time - so as he continued his diatribe at 5:56 a.m., I mentioned I was four minutes from the news. "You know what four means to me? Abraham Lincoln," he replied. Inflation HAS hit the nickel and the five-dollar bill, hasn't it?
But no, that's NOT what the caller meant. The Lincoln Memorial has four sides, he explained - while the Jefferson Memorial is round. I guess I was supposed to find some deep significance in that. Was Thomas Jefferson more well-rounded as a President?!
I tried to seek clarification on several points -- but was called a "smart**s" when I did. After all, we're told the customer IS always right. Get two customers with different opinions together, though, and they might forget that point.
By the way, not even I was immune from Michael's criticism. My first name "Richard" meant to him, "white man." Only too late did I think of Detroit Pistons basketball star Richard Hamilton....
E-MAIL UPDATE: A friend of ours in town offers this reply to what the morning Videographer said about the death of Mr. Rogers:
My daughter Olivia can top that.... We were watching the Obit on Peter Jennings, who was showing a clip of Mr. Rogers. Liv quipped, "That's right; he finished the show and died...." Not exactly honey.
Too bad it didn't happen that way -- with him getting one last word.