JLew in for JRo on The Morning Wave

This week started the exact same way many, maybe hundreds, no, thousands have over the years….early! Alarm blaring at 2:15 a.m. to get up for work. Only this time I didn’t have to be dressed in my television regalia. I try to never be sloppy though. I wear make-up, attempt to fix my hair and sport something somewhat fashionable. Oh, and I never don flats. I hate them. I do wear them to work out, but tennis shoes don’t count in my mind. Then, out the door with a protein shake and off to play the role of fill-in on the Morning Wave. JLew in for JRo. Jennifer Roberts has been a fixture on morning radio as long as I have. We are both long in the tooth in this biz and she’s a good lady. Spring break calls for her this week, so her lovely co-host, Paul Richardson is stuck with muah. Paul is a local radio legend in Hampton Roads. He has been on the air here for 40 plus years. His voice is smooth and kind and so is he. I got to know him a little better this week and what a pleasure it has been. More on that in a minute…

Morning radio is much different than any other “daypart”. It moves faster, there are more elements, listeners want to be informed and entertained. However, they also want music, for the hosts to talk not too much, but just enough, to be witty, but not annoying. Sound about right? Well, we sure try to be all of the above and more. I do love the challenge. I also enjoy the banter with a co-host, someone to bounce ideas off of and someone to sip coffee with between songs. Paul is not a coffee man in the morning though. He prefers a caffeinated soda. That works too. He is incredibly pleasant considering the five hours of sleep he gets a night.

Now, more about Paul. Gentleman. That’s the word to describe him best. He is a consummate gentleman. Mind you, I have only spent 25 hours in the studio with him this week, but this is my takeaway. He asks your opinion and genuinely wants to know what you think. He does not mind sharing the mic, in other words, he lets his co-host talk. Paul listens and shares, but never speaks out of turn. Oh, and I didn’t hear the man cuss one time! Now, I’m trying to think back if I did – hope not. My other takeaway is how much he adores his wife, Kathy. You know the heart eyed emoji? That’s Paul. He says they’ve been married for a bizallion years and you can see he is still over the moon for her. ADORBS!

I’ll be back to my normal 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m./midday/workday show next week and grateful for the extra zzzzzs. However, being JLew in for JRo for 5 days was both fun and enlightening. I have only been  on 92.9 The Wave for a month and a half and so far, it’s a cool ride. The studio, though, is super bizarre! Inside, sits a leather arm chair, refrigerator, toaster oven, Keurig, paper towels and house plants. The walls are colored in painter’s tape blue and covered in pictures of waves (makes sense), staff pics (also makes sense) and one framed print of a goose wearing pearls. I believe a make-over is in the works. Stay tuned!

 

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