Leslie and ‘First Lady of Radio’ Share a Birthday

Today, November 16th, is my birthday. It turns out, I share my special day with Mary Margaret McBride, the first lady of radio. Coincidence? I don;t think so. My coworkers refer to me as Queen.

My 12 anniversary, for doing the morning show on WKDQ, was on September 1 2020. All together, I have been working in radio for 15 years. Each ands every day is a new adventure and no two days are the same.

During the the COVID-19 pandemic, I have come to realize how much I really love what I do. I always wanted to have a job that helped people. One that made them feel better, So many careers point in that direction, but only one of those was truly for me.

Radio, especially the mooning show, allows me to help you get your day started off in the right direction. Everyday, we make a choice to be positive or negative. Hopefully, through humor and information, I can help you choice positive without you ever realizing it. I love make you laugh, but even more importantly, I love to help you see yourself, other people and the world around you in a more fun, empathetic, kind, funny, and caring way though my stories, both on air and in my articles. I figure, if I feel it, wonder about it, laugh at it  or care about it, you will too.

I feel so fortunate to have this career, but none of it would have happened without Ms. Nary Margaret McBride. According to Wikipedia, she was an amazing radio and entertainment pioneer -

....an American radio interview host and writer. Her popular radio shows spanned more than 40 years. In the 1940s the daily audience for her housewife-oriented program numbered from six to eight million listeners. She was called "The First Lady of Radio."

 

She interviewed figures well known in the world of arts and entertainment, and politics, with a style recognized as original to herself. She accepted advertising only for products she was prepared to endorse from her own experience, and turned down all tobacco or alcohol products.

 

Maybe the most interesting and incredible similarity to me, is her on air is this....

 

McBride first worked steadily in radio for WOR in New York City, starting in 1934. This daily women's-advice show, with her persona as "Martha Deane"...kind and witty...her job was to talk colloquially and dispense philosophy.

I have also been known to embellish my stories sometimes. Everything you hear is not necessarily factually true. There are times I will add things for the purpose of humor and to always keep you guessing. You just never know when I'm just full of it and when I'm not. I like to entertain.

I also, never plan anything. Its all improv. Yet another way Mary Margaret and I are are kind of similar. Much like me, you just never knew what you were going to get with her. She even dabbled in TV which is what I originally wanted  to do before theater and radio.

Her NBC show in the 1940s had broad range of guests, from politicians to generals to movie stars; she never announced her guests in advance, so the audience tuned in with no idea what they would get. Beginning during World War II, she began "breaking the color line", mixing in African American guests. McBride was a popular media figure; there is a tea rosenamed for her.

Take a look at a pilot for her television show.

WOW.  I love it. I feel so honored to share my bday with such an amazing women.

Read more about her here!

And, thank you for listening to me on WKDQ. Thank you for bringing me into your car, your workspace and your home. Thank you so much for making me a part of your life every morning,

Enter your number to get our mobile branded app