Daniels & Henry?

Right from the get-go, I want to address a couple of issues sent my way via the reader’s comments and email.

I know the “Darnell” segments were syndicated, or whatever they called it back in the day when the shock jocks were paid to shock.

And I was in no way suggesting that John Webster is, or was, a racist. My point was, with Webster headed to the talk radio format, it would not shock me in the least if the subject of racism came up on WILK, and a caller then tried to paint Webster as a racist by hanging that Darnell bit around his neck.

With that said, I turned my radio on this morning to find Cathy Donnelly filling in for Sue Henry. And according to two of my imaginary sources, we might expect it to be announced very soon that Rock 107 will be soon unveiling the Daniels & Henry Show.

Or the Daniels & Lynn Show?

I dunno.

Even though I doubt he’d remember me, I once spent an entire day with John Webster, as well as his sidekick Jay Daniels, many moons ago, during one of those ARC-sponsored “Taste of the Valley” events that used to be held at the Kingston Armory.

I was representing my company, Franklin’s Family Restaurants, and handing out free samples of our signature dessert, freshly-made strawberry pie. And he and Daniels were situated right next door at the Rock 107 booth, handing out free beers supplied by an NEPA-based beer distributorship. And my three kids were also there, ranging far and wide collecting goodies and pigging out. This had to be circa 1988 or so.

The way the things shook down, the Rock 107 booth was very popular with the guys, while handing out free beers and all. And our booth was immensely popular with the women, dishing out the best pies ever produced in these here demented parts of ours.

And I remember three incidents in particular. One lady approached us and went on and on and on at length about how she absolutely adored, absolutely lived for our strawberry pie. She was excitedly gushing. It was that good, the pie.

So Webster leaned on over towards our booth and told the overly excited woman, “Lady, get a freaking grip.”

I cracked up, big time.

And when my first-born, Peace, arrived back at our booth proudly showing off that a face-painter had delivered to her face the Paul Stanley star-around-the-eye and the rest of the trademark greasepaint look, John Webster said something to Jay Daniels about how they may be permanently scarring the youth of the area by playing so much KISS on Rock 107.

Funny stuff, for sure.

And then there was this lady wide enough to block the Straight of Gibraltar doing much the same thing--gushing over the thought of yet another slice of strawberry pie--when in swooped John Webster with a verbal jab about how maybe she had had enough of our legendary slices of pie.

I giggled at first, but I quickly caught myself being that I was standing there eye-to-eye with one of my semi-regular customers who was just insulted by what used to be called a “shock jock.”

Anyway, reign in those email attacks, will you? I have nothing against John Webster, nor did I call him a racist. And much unlike the anonymous folks sending incendiary and inflammatory comments all over the Internet, I have actually met John Webster and found him to be quick-witted, engaging, funny as all hell and quite amiable.

If you ask me, John Webster and WILK will turn out to be the perfect marriage. And truth be told, I am looking forward to his April 12th debut.

It’ll sure beat the sophomoric, one-sided, close-minded efforts of that other short-tempered, name-calling guy…old what’s his name.

Later