As you likely know by now, The Randi Rhodes Show is ending in a few weeks. I’m guest hosting for her for one final week – beginning today. Then she’ll return Monday to finish off her last two weeks.
I sent the following out to my email list this morning. (Scroll down for the form to subscribe to our emails).
Radio’s Goddess Retiring
Sorry it’s been so long since my last email update. I try not to send too many of these, but if ever there was a time to check in, it’s now.
The Randi Rhodes Show is ending on May 16. There will be huge hole in our days from 3-6PM ET, and I hope Randi decides to somehow voice her opinions and speak out on issues of importance.
I first guest hosted Randi’s show on Nov. 4, 2009. I remember this quite clearly as it was my 50th birthday. I had been fired from Clear Channel’s then-progressive talk station in Miami (WINZ) just three months earlier, as they were preparing to change the format to become the fourth sports talk station in South Florida (just what we needed, or not!).
In the almost five years since then, I hosted my own show on Air America, only to have the network go under, and then moved it online to RadioOrNot.com, where it continues today.
During all that time, I’ve had the honor of being Randi’s primary guest host and will enjoy that honor one last time, this week, as Randi and her family not only enjoy time together in Costa Rica, but prepare the house for an extended stay, starting in a few weeks.
Although I’ll have the opportunity to thank Randi and pay tribute to her on her show, I wanted to do it here as well. Randi Rhodes has blazed radio trails that many of us are privileged to be able to follow. She was dubbed “The Goddess” by South Florida radio legend Neil Rogers for good reason! She has informed and entertained us for decades.
On a personal level, Randi has quietly and privately come through, in big ways, for me at times when I really needed help- for which I can’t thank her enough.
Her generosity and caring ways are kindnesses traditionally reserved for the best of friends. Many listeners to both of our shows think that we are old friends. In reality, Randi and I have only met in person once – at a radio conference a few years ago. Yet I cherish her as a dear, dear friend.
While I’m guest hosting Randi’s show this week, Jacob Dean of Filter Free Radio will fill in for me Monday through Wednesday. I’ll do double duty on Thursday, and finish up my guest hosting run on Friday. Randi will return for her final two weeks beginning next Monday.
I’ll do my best to continue Randi’s legacy on my show – her regular practice of speaking truth to power, presenting facts, and giving you the tools to do your own homework while imploring you to not believe anything you hear from the media (including me), but to do some research on your own. And to vote, be involved and active…
We’re making some improvements to the Radio or Not site, with a new message boardto pick up where the Randi Rhodes Message Board will leave off, a chat room for use during the show (or anytime at all), and more to come.
As the old saying goes: when one door closes, another one opens. We’ll keep the door open.
Thanks for listening!
Nicole Sandler