Michael Berry: The Czar of Talk Radio

 The Czar of Talk Radio

[*Author’s note:  as he wrapped up the past year sitting in the EIB chair, talking into the golden microphone that Clay Travis and Buck Sexton inherited from the great Rush Limbaugh, Houston radio personality Michael Berry was introduced to the largest talk-radio audience in the country, acting as the "substitute-teacher" guest-host for two dudes who are trying to fill the biggest shoes of the medium, upon Rush’s death earlier in 2021. This is a profile of Michael Berry for any loyal Rush listener tuning-in this past week, wondering who he was? I’ve been listening to him long enough, he seems like a brother to me, so here I go… all mistakes in fact and wild opinions are mine, Mr. Berry would not invite me to come to their new studio and had no comments for my article; any quotes are from on-air material.]

The Four L's of the High School Reunion

Opening Night of the Class of 1983

I never thought I would be blogging “real-time” from my 30^th reunion, but after attending the first night's festivities, I was overwhelmed with positive feedback, so I will try again.

[Note:  we'll see how many people really follow-up with a view at this installment; now that we’ve all come here to Dallas to celebrate our 30^th reunion. The build-up is over, the event has kicked-off!

The comments on Facebook© this morning speak to a lot of this; it was funny how so many drank a little too much, and thought the music was too loud?!]

I was blown away. For a group pushing 50, everyone looked very good. Too busy living life to focus on this reunion as much as the two previous reunions; I perceived the Thursday night group was as pure as I can expect for a group of Highland Parkers. Maybe it was the lack of spouses at the event last night, but it got real in a hurry.

My impression was that raising your kids in Highland Park was not as big a priority as the last time we met. In 2003, it seemed a badge of honor to afford, live, and send your kids to Highland Park schools.

This time, it seemed that people were just glad to be in attendance; notwithstanding the neighborhood in which they lived. Much of the conversation was going back to the points together in school, just as much as what we do in the present day.

The fact that so many people thanked me personally for writing what I thought about the approach to this 30th reunion shows me that the space between our lives is smaller than we think. This is a breakthrough weekend.

On the drive into Dallas, the satellite radio “oldies channel” prepared me for the thoughts I had tonight. The period music took me back to the places where it played as a soundtrack to high school. The time in the presence of my old friends did the same thing.

Quick thoughts about “expectations” for those who are coming in today:

Just hug your friends, everyone deserves a good hug. It’s been too long

Listen for those dramatic turning points in their story where life turned on a dime

Tell your story in a few words, respecting the difficulties that brought your friends to this place; they are just as important facts as yours

Parents love to talk about their kids! Listen to the “child stories” and re-live the joy of mothers and fathers; so many have watched their babies grow up and leave the nest

Acknowledge the pain, and the joy that your friend endured or celebrated in order to arrive at this place tonight

I want to specifically remember something about another person and our time together in school, thirty years ago; especially so I can thank them for what they did to make it so fun back in the 70s and 80s. The world was such a different place and the culture dealt with fewer deep issues, in my opinion.

Listen. Laugh. Love. Live. Those four L’s are the touch-points of this reunion.

See you tonight at the P.

©Mark H. Pillsbury

TIME Magazine Cover: Are You Mom Enough? - May 21, 2012 - Parenting - Mother - Babies - Children - U.S.

TIME Magazine Cover: Are You Mom Enough? - May 21, 2012 - Parenting - Mother - Babies - Children - U.S.:

'via Blog this'

Theater of the Absurd:

On the worst week in stock performance so far in 2012, from Wall Street, Washington, New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, even Houston; mainstream sources of media have been pouring out a pipeline of strange, abnormal, and disturbing information that got so thick and nasty this week that I finally noticed the absurdity of it all and turned it off. I am sick of being immersed in the strange but true stories blasting off of the screen, or talking to me on the radio as I drive. Have you heard or seen this stuff?

• A writer for the Houston Chronicle was fired because she makes money on the side for being a nude (exotic) dancer.
• Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin renounced his U.S. citizenship in order to avoid paying a huge income tax bill when the social network site goes public later this month.
• Graphic image of a mother breast feeding on the cover of TIME magazine (see link above via Blogger)
• Chief Justice of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in California, had sexually explicit material on a personal website, reported by the LA Times. 
• A popular gun website selling Trayvon Martin-inspired paper targets depicting a hooded sweatshirt similar to the Florida shooting victim
• The Philadelphia Inquirer ran the front-page story of a former priest transferred eight (8) times in 25 years amid a trail of complaints about his infatuation and misconduct with teen boys. He is finally being prosecuted for sexual abuse.
• Three iconic figures of entertainment, sports, and politics are currently on trial in United States federal court: John Travolta of TV and movie fame since the 70s, Roger Clemens baseball star since the 80s, and Senator John Edwards a major political figure since the 90s. All on trial for nefarious misconduct, lying, or fraud. (innocent until proven guilty)
• Jennifer Lopez fondled and groped during a dance routine on FOX’s American Idol, where she is singing about making love to young male dancers, during one of the highest watched shows among young people on the market
• President Obama decides to change his position on traditional marriage, apparently worried about his chances at re-election; pandering to the farthest left political wing of his base.
• The trailer for a new film-noir crime thriller set in Mesquite or Garland, Texas which looks to be one of the most graphic movies since The Exorcist: http://youtu.be/W16OlLoB5Fw

The quality of discourse in our culture matters. It's what dominates the national psyche, dictates the conversations and patterns of thought of viewers and listeners. The media business is so saturated and competitive, that the battle for our consideration turned ugly. Whatever is the most absurd, peculiar, salacious, prurient, violent, negative, controversial, adversarial, provocative, different, and even naughty; has the best chance at catching the attention of the audience with deliberate placement of striking, noticeable material at the lead of the broadcast or the cover of the publication.

I'd suggest what Eugene Peterson once said in The Message; that viewers and listeners would do best by filling their minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. This might sum up what I am trying to get my mind around as I look at this week’s news. Turn it off. Enjoy some time with your mother this weekend.

©Mark H. Pillsbury