WTKK'S "JIM & MARGERY" OVER THE TOP!

“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36)

Yesterday afternoon, I received an e-mail from my friend Jennie Maroney.  It was a copy of an e-mail she’d sent Jim Braude and Margery Egan, WTKK’s midday hosts.  (Jennie Maroney had also forwarded her e-mail to the WTKK Program Director.)  Jennie’s letter was highly critical of yesterday’s Jim Braude and Margery Egan program.  Jennie stated she’d found it insulting that they’d spoken so disparagingly of Christians and in such mocking tones as they’ve also done on many previous occasions.  Jennie Maroney cited the example of Don Imus’ firing for making negative remarks about Black people and essentially said they should be fired.  Jennie Maroney suggested I might also want to send off a similar e-mail.  I did, although I now regret it JUST A LITTLE BIT.  

The e-mail I sent stated I “agreed with what Jennie Maroney wrote”.  I actually at least 90% agree with it, but I don’t actually want Jim Braude and Margery Egan FIRED.  This reminds me of a situation in my life that happened a couple of weeks ago.  The driver of a commercial van sped past me as I drove southbound on Concord St./Route 126 in the “Junction” section of Framingham, and then cut in front of me.  The company’s website was displayed on the van.  I quickly drove home as I live only five minutes from that location, and I e-mailed a complaint to the company about the way the guy was driving.  Later in the day I got an e-mail from the company telling me the guy was being called in and that there was a strong possibility he’d be FIRED!  I actually felt kind of guilty.  I wanted the guy reprimanded.  I even wanted the guy threatened and put on some kind of probation, but I really didn’t want the guy fired.  WAS the man fired? I don’t know.  I never sent any follow-up e-mails to the company.

Jennie Maroney may want Jim Braude and Margery Egan fired.  Although I wrote that I was in agreement with her,  I don’t want them fired, but I DO want them to THINK about what they say and do.  I also agree with the spirit of Jennie Maroney’s letter which essentially said they had no class and were not in the same league as the other hosts at the station.  I believe in free speech.  I believe people have the right, for instance, to burn the American flag as a protest, to flip the bird to the President, etc. even though I find that sort of think ABHORRENT and DISGUSTING...but I do agree with free speech.  I did not hear all of Jim and Margery’s show on Tuesday.  It was my day off and I spent the bulk of the day doing yard work.  My mower died part way through doing my lawn and I had to finish the lawn with a weekwhacker, so I admit it wasn’t a “jolly holiday” kind of a day for me. I did catch Jim and Margery as I was in the car on an errand. They WERE yucking it up about people who believe in angels, and the number of so-called “believers” who really doubt God’s existence.  They also were laughing about people who believe in “creation” rather than “evolution”  (for the record, I believe in “creation”) and were rejoicing that Massachusetts has one of the lowest percentages of devout Christians in America.  This just SURE wasn’t their finest hour!

I actually have little surprise with the fact that Jim (though Jewish) and Margery (though Catholic) are not big “God people” and are essentially agnostic.  I have no real problem with them stating that on the air.  But there’s a WAY to do it!  Gene Burns hosted a very intelligent and very classy talk show on WRKO in the late 1980s and early 1990s.  Gene has a very high I.Q.  He’s well read and well spoken.  Gene Burns boldly proclaimed his agnosticism over the airwaves, but through the years he had many very fine people of faith make presentations on his program and he never was disrespectful to them.  That’s also true of the late David Brudnoy.  David was born a Jew.  He happens to be the cousin of Bob Dylan (real name Robert Zimmermann) who was born a Jew and is now a “born again Christian”.  David was pretty much an agnostic who leaned toward atheism. but he also loved to discuss religion.  In 1988 and 1989 David Brudnoy did a “Religions in America” series in which he invited clergy and spokespeople from various religious groups onto his program to discuss their faith with him and his callers.  I was on the air (in studio) for two hours with David Brudnoy in February of 1989.  It was one of the highlights of my life.  On and off air he could not have been more classy and more gracious.  

I wish Jim and Margery could be more like Gene Burns or David Brudnoy.  I’d love to see them have people of faith on their show and have classy, respectful conversations with them.  Maybe they’d learn something.

And, I’d love to see them send a short apology e-mail to Jennie Maroney.  Jennie is a controversial person.  I don’t even always agree with her, but she has a huge heart for people and for God, and a huge heart to see good, truth and justice prevail.  Jim and Margery could learn quite a bit about class from Jennie Maroney.  

That’s my “2 cents” on the subject!