Hey, I'm really looking forward to this week's Weekly Surge. This morning, I got a call on my cell phone just as I was pulling into my insurance agent's office. While I was answering the questions lobbed at me, I was trying to pacify my son Tristan with a pack of fruity snacks.
Before my son could finish off his tasty treats, the interview was over. It was one of the quickest interviews that I have ever done, so it should be a quick read too. Nonetheless, thanks to everyone at Weekly Surge for caring enough to share with their readers what Uncle Banana is up to these days.
The latests edition of Weekly Surge should be on newsstands this Thursday, May 3rd.
Visit www.weeklysurge.com for more.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Spending The Day With A Broadcast Legend
Most folks probably remember John Palmer as news anchor for the Today Show on NBC. He was part of the popular morning program for seven years. As a White House correspondent, he covered presidents Clinton, Bush, Reagan and Carter. He also covered big stories like the 1973 Arab-Israeli War and in 1980 he reported the aborted rescue of the American hostages in Iran. Palmer was also there to share the news of the Space Shuttle tragedy in 1986.
Palmer began his career in Atlanta at WSB-TV in 1960 and joined NBC News in 1962. Today, he's semi-retired. Actually the native of East Tennessee was vactioning and relaxing and writing and fishing, but came out of retirement to help jumpstart a new cable television network called Retirement Living Television.
Over the last two days, Palmer was in the Myrtle Beach area producing a new episode of his show Encore, which can be seen every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on DirecTV Channel 364.
Palmer and Retirement Living Television called on the services of Carolina Film Group to help produce the program. I've been friends with the guys at Carolina Film for years, so they asked me if I'd like to help them out.
As you know, I have a lot of free time on my hands these days, so I got to help out. (I may have had the easiest job there, but I won't get into that.) Those of us involved in the project got to spend about an hour and a half with Palmer on Thursday and about five hours with him today.
Before we started taping today, he shared many a story with the audience at The Grand Strand Senior Center. He talked of vacationing in Myrtle Beach as a boy and fishing in front of the Ocean Forest Hotel.
During lunch, he shared a few war stories with me and others while he thumbed through the latest copy of US News and World Report. It was really a lot of fun.
The coolest thing about the whole experience was that Palmer was so laid back and down-to earth. He's a real classy guy. In fact, he's the same ol' nice guy that many of us have enjoyed for over 40 years on television. He's worthy of being called a broadcast legend.
Palmer began his career in Atlanta at WSB-TV in 1960 and joined NBC News in 1962. Today, he's semi-retired. Actually the native of East Tennessee was vactioning and relaxing and writing and fishing, but came out of retirement to help jumpstart a new cable television network called Retirement Living Television.
Over the last two days, Palmer was in the Myrtle Beach area producing a new episode of his show Encore, which can be seen every Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on DirecTV Channel 364.
Palmer and Retirement Living Television called on the services of Carolina Film Group to help produce the program. I've been friends with the guys at Carolina Film for years, so they asked me if I'd like to help them out.
As you know, I have a lot of free time on my hands these days, so I got to help out. (I may have had the easiest job there, but I won't get into that.) Those of us involved in the project got to spend about an hour and a half with Palmer on Thursday and about five hours with him today.
Before we started taping today, he shared many a story with the audience at The Grand Strand Senior Center. He talked of vacationing in Myrtle Beach as a boy and fishing in front of the Ocean Forest Hotel.
During lunch, he shared a few war stories with me and others while he thumbed through the latest copy of US News and World Report. It was really a lot of fun.
The coolest thing about the whole experience was that Palmer was so laid back and down-to earth. He's a real classy guy. In fact, he's the same ol' nice guy that many of us have enjoyed for over 40 years on television. He's worthy of being called a broadcast legend.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Guess Who's Coming To Carolina People On May 1st?
Next Tuesday morning will be kind of like a homecoming celebration for me. I'll be featured on the television talk show, Carolina People which airs 7:00 a.m. weekdays on WFXB Fox 43 (Cable 7).
It wasn't that long ago that my television show, River Talk aired during that same time slot on that same television station. Interesting, huh? Maybe not. Anyway, there will be plenty of time to talk about River Talk at a later date, but get this, the folks that produce my show (Lucky Dog Television Productions) also produce Carolina People. Man, it's a small world.
So, tune into WFXB Fox 43 next Tuesday, May 1st at 7:00 a.m. and check out Carolina People hosted by Greg Everett. Greg did a great job of getting me to really open up and talk about things like getting fired, the status of local radio and why I don't think I'll ever wake up to an alarm clock again.
For more information, visit www.carolinapeople.com
It wasn't that long ago that my television show, River Talk aired during that same time slot on that same television station. Interesting, huh? Maybe not. Anyway, there will be plenty of time to talk about River Talk at a later date, but get this, the folks that produce my show (Lucky Dog Television Productions) also produce Carolina People. Man, it's a small world.
So, tune into WFXB Fox 43 next Tuesday, May 1st at 7:00 a.m. and check out Carolina People hosted by Greg Everett. Greg did a great job of getting me to really open up and talk about things like getting fired, the status of local radio and why I don't think I'll ever wake up to an alarm clock again.
For more information, visit www.carolinapeople.com
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Banana Jack Featured As Myrtle Beach Herald's Subscriber of The Week
Just a couple of days after the official announcement that my radio show was leaving the airwaves, The Myrtle Beach Herald honored me in print for the week of April 19th - April 27th. Steve Porter, a journalist for the paper and a longtime broadcast veteran went the extra mile to get this story in before the print deadline. (Thanks Steve!) It was quite an honor to be chosen and the timing for the article couldn't have been better. If you didn't pick up a copy at newsstands, you can still view the Herald Subscriber profile for me and others online at www.myrtlebeachherald.com.
Cut and Paste the following link to access the article:
http://www.myrtlebeachherald.com/link.asp?smenu=95&sdetail=5717&wpage=1
Cut and Paste the following link to access the article:
http://www.myrtlebeachherald.com/link.asp?smenu=95&sdetail=5717&wpage=1
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
It All Started 18 Years Ago in Myrtle Beach, SC
Dear Friends,
The Banana Jack Murphy Show premiered on WKZQ, 101.7 FM on Monday, April 24, 1989. My morning radio show remained at that dial position until Monday, September 17, 2001 when I found a new home at WYAV, Wave 104.1 FM. My first couple of days at Wave 104 were rough because I had replaced a popular syndicated morning show based out of New York. (He's the guy on satellite radio now.)
Nonetheless, it was a real victory for me and local radio too. It didn't take long for the audience to accept my unique style. I believe that I bonded with my listeners at Wave. Perhaps as I had grown older, I'd grown wiser too. The elements of my show started changing. I just started doing things differently on the air and it was working. The listeners could relate to me and another important element was credibility. I always tried to be honest with my radio audience. I didn't talk just to say something and I wasn't afraid to play a little music on my show either. I just figured since I was a one-man show, the less I talked the better. For me and the listeners. It appeared to be working, but the powers that be, who shall remain nameless, had other ideas.
I would continue waking up the Grand Strand until last Tuesday, April 17, 2007. (One week shy of 18 years and it was also Tax Day, yuck!) I was informed last Monday, just one day before my final broadcast that I would be replaced by a syndicated morning show based out of Michigan. (Free Beer & Hot Wings?????) It was a day I'll never forget. For the record, and I hate to admit it, but I really did lose it at the end of the show and yes, those were real tears. It was an emotional day and I cried like a little girl. Pathetic!
Looking back on my many years as host of The Banana Jack Murphy Show, I can honestly tell you that it was an incredible ride. I was truly blessed to have remained on the air for so long. Although the announcement to pull the plug on my show came suddenly and unexpectedly, I consider myself very fortunate to have been able host my farewell broadcast last Tuesday morning. Usually, when you're handed your walking papers, there's no opportunity to say goodbye to your audience, but did I really say goodbye? Not really!
Today, a new chapter begins. I felt it only appropriate to launch this blog on what would have been the 18th anniversary of my first day on the air in Myrtle Beach.
I welcome your comments and opinions. In fact, I look forward to hearing from so many of you that weren't able to either listen in or to take part in my final broadcast......on Wave 104.1.
So, what am I going to be doing in the immediate future? What are my long-term plans? Will I return to morning radio? Hhhhmmmm....Stay Tuned!
-Banana Jack
The Banana Jack Murphy Show premiered on WKZQ, 101.7 FM on Monday, April 24, 1989. My morning radio show remained at that dial position until Monday, September 17, 2001 when I found a new home at WYAV, Wave 104.1 FM. My first couple of days at Wave 104 were rough because I had replaced a popular syndicated morning show based out of New York. (He's the guy on satellite radio now.)
Nonetheless, it was a real victory for me and local radio too. It didn't take long for the audience to accept my unique style. I believe that I bonded with my listeners at Wave. Perhaps as I had grown older, I'd grown wiser too. The elements of my show started changing. I just started doing things differently on the air and it was working. The listeners could relate to me and another important element was credibility. I always tried to be honest with my radio audience. I didn't talk just to say something and I wasn't afraid to play a little music on my show either. I just figured since I was a one-man show, the less I talked the better. For me and the listeners. It appeared to be working, but the powers that be, who shall remain nameless, had other ideas.
I would continue waking up the Grand Strand until last Tuesday, April 17, 2007. (One week shy of 18 years and it was also Tax Day, yuck!) I was informed last Monday, just one day before my final broadcast that I would be replaced by a syndicated morning show based out of Michigan. (Free Beer & Hot Wings?????) It was a day I'll never forget. For the record, and I hate to admit it, but I really did lose it at the end of the show and yes, those were real tears. It was an emotional day and I cried like a little girl. Pathetic!
Looking back on my many years as host of The Banana Jack Murphy Show, I can honestly tell you that it was an incredible ride. I was truly blessed to have remained on the air for so long. Although the announcement to pull the plug on my show came suddenly and unexpectedly, I consider myself very fortunate to have been able host my farewell broadcast last Tuesday morning. Usually, when you're handed your walking papers, there's no opportunity to say goodbye to your audience, but did I really say goodbye? Not really!
Today, a new chapter begins. I felt it only appropriate to launch this blog on what would have been the 18th anniversary of my first day on the air in Myrtle Beach.
I welcome your comments and opinions. In fact, I look forward to hearing from so many of you that weren't able to either listen in or to take part in my final broadcast......on Wave 104.1.
So, what am I going to be doing in the immediate future? What are my long-term plans? Will I return to morning radio? Hhhhmmmm....Stay Tuned!
-Banana Jack
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