Leslie Shares Her Birthday With The ‘First Lady of Radio’

Today, November 16th, is Leslie's birthday. It turns out, she shares her bday with Mary Margaret McBride, the 'first lady of radio.' Coincidence? I think not.

This is what Wikipedia had to say about this 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 Leslie 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", a kind and witty grandmother......

 

Originally, McBride's character "Martha Deane" was to be a grandmother with six children and many grandchildren-all imaginary. They were all named and described; she was to memorize the details. Her job was to talk colloquially and dispense philosophy. She kept getting all her "grandchildren's" names mixed up and within three weeks she jettisoned the whole tribe on air. She remained Martha Deane, but was no longer a grandmother.

HAHA too funny!

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 an interfere type televisions show.

WOW!!! I love it!! Feel so honored to share my bday with such an amazing women. - Leslie

Read more about her here!