Before I get to my very important blog today I just wanted to give answers to everyone who is emailing us.

Radio is a constantly changing medium, I know changes sometimes upset you as listeners, but, hey, that's life. Change happens.  All you can do is move forward.

Recently our boss made some schedule shifts and yes, Todd is now working on the Bill Carroll Show and we are welcoming Larry to our show. 

This works out for Todd who is a big time movie star now, and has been innundated with movie roles since the debut of his major motion picture Serial Buddies and will enable him to get back into some of the improv stuff he's been wanting to get back into, which has been almost impossible for him to do with the crazy early shift.

All we ask is that you give it a chance.  Thanks!

Now to my blog today....

When Handel does his spots he sometimes says something and I think he's saying something else.

Today, as he was doing a commercial, I knew he said:

"We donated our Volvo to Cars for Causes"

But what I HEARD him say in my mind was:

"We donated our VULVA to Cars for Causes"

Which begs the question, can you donate that?  How do you determine worth?

This makes me happy...

....and reminds me of what Gary did back when Vicente Fox was President of Mexico.  Here is 'Phenomenon'

13 years ago today a voice was silenced and every day since when I come in to work, I have seen the following on my computer.

I lost a co-worker, a mentor and a friend on April 29, 2000.  It was sudden and unexpected.  Here's a link to his obituary from the LA Times

By the time 2000 came around, I had been working for KFI for 7 years, and Mark Denis was a constant presence.  He along with Mike Nolan, was the KFI traffic department for KFI/ KOST and KACE, all of our stations located in the little building in Koreatown.

Not only did he do traffic for KFI, he was THE 'voice' of KFI.  You know, all those top of the hour station ID's with the deep voice, it was a voice you knew instantly, you knew listening to him that you were listening to KFI. It was so authoritative, yet so comforting and sometimes downright fun.  Here's a montage from a CD we put together after his death that shows some of his work.

Mark Denis was one of those people that you sort of can't believe exists.  He was one of the first to introduce himself to me when I was an intern, and told me that I should come by his office anytime to ask questions about the business.

He was kind, generous and funny and always had time for anyone who walked by his little office in the corner that was filled with papers, maps, computers, awards and all sorts of little keepsakes.

And every year, on your birthday, he would call you and leave a message on your voicemail just to say 'Happy Birthday, I hope you have a great day'.  He was one in a million.

He also had a comfy chair.  I'm not talking about the chair he had in front of his board, where he did traffic, but a chair up against the wall behind that where visitors could sit and chat up until the few seconds right before he went on the air when he would politely excuse himself from the conversation he was having with you to turn on that radio voice and do his report.  When done, he'd turn back around with a big smile on his face and say 'now, where were we?'

My husband, Tim, used to do The Tim & Neil Show with Neil Saavedra, and after Mark's death we dedicated the entire show to him, here's one segment where they talked about 'the chair.'

Mark loved radio, I mean he loved it.  He lived and breathed it.  He loved everything about it, and he is the guy that you'd go to release a little frustration and he'd listen and then he'd say, "Now, think about that, think about why you're here, is it really their fault, or can you do this better, are you working up to your potential?" 

He's the guy who could help you put things into perspective and scold you without scolding you. He was 'the dad' of KFI....here's another Tim & Neil segment about that.

He also had everyone, and I mean everyone's, respect and if he was angry at you for something he would tell you straightforward and you'd work it out and move on.  Here's one more Tim & Neil segment about how Mark defined what respect means.

He's also the guy who drilled into my brain that this business is constantly changing and shifting. "A gig's a gig" he would say, meaning if you love it enough you accept that things can change in a moment and you need to just move on to the next thing with a positive attitude, and make your mark.

Well, Mark definitely made his mark.  Especially in my life. I posted his photo on my computer all those years ago after his funeral because I knew I couldn't go over to his office to sit in the comfy chair to talk to him anymore.  However, for many months after his death, his office was empty and stayed pretty much the same, so there were more than a few times I went in there and just sat in that comfy chair for just a few minutes and talked to Mark, it sounds crazy but even those little moments relieved some of the stress of this business.

Every morning I come in and see the above photo and this one...

....and consider WWMDD? What Would Mark Denis Do? and I remember these things Mark taught me:

• Don't get overwhelmed, a gig's a gig.  If it's not this one it'll be another
• Do the job to the best of your ability
• Be nice to everyone, you never know when you might need someone's help...or...a job
  
• Love what you do, if you don't, find something else to do

Not a day since I got that call 13 years ago, have I not thought about Mark Denis.  Not a day goes by that I don't miss his friendship and guidance.  Not a day goes by that I don't miss his voice. 

I remember his funeral and how the church was overflowing with family, friends, co-workers and even listeners.  While the event was incredibly sad, at the end of it his family said he didn't want people to be sad and they played this song.  Listener Jim reminded me of the song...it's called "De Colores"...here it is... I've put the English lyrics at the end of this entry.

By the end, as you were leaving the church, the song made you smile and know that even though he was gone from this earth, he would never be gone from our hearts....and that's true.

Mark taught me so much, not only about the world of radio, but just how to be a better person. 

I miss you.

De Colores (copyright: Cursillo  National  Organization)

The colors!  The colors!

The fields love to dress in all colors in springtime.

The colors.  The colors.

The birds have their clothing that comes every season,

The colors.  The colors.

The rainbow is vested across the blue sky.

Chorus:

The colors! and so must all love be of every bright color to make my heart cry. (repeat)

Sings the rooster, sings the rooster with his, "Quiri, quiri, quiri, quiri-quiri."

And the cluck-hen, the cluck-hen with her, "Cara, cara, cara, cara-cara."

And the babe-chicks, and the babe chicks with their, "Pio, pio, pio, pio-pio."

(Chorus)

Joyfully, joyfully, we will live in God's grace for we know that is what can be done.

We will ease our thirst for the King that never, ever dies.

Joyfully, joyfully to Christ we will bring one soul and thousands more.

Spreading the light to enlighten the Lord's grace divine, our greatest ideal.

This photo of a man's evacuation from the Boston bombing site in a wheelchair with help from a man in a cowboy hat was broadcast globally, and graphic images of his destroyed legs were circulated online.

That man was Jeffrey Bauman Jr. and he works for a Costco in New Hampshire.  Here's a story from the local newspaper and photo of some of his co-workers expressing their support.

I found this out a few days ago because my hubby works at Coscto and word has been circulating among the warehouses that he needed help. 

Jeff is the man who, as soon as he regained consciousness in the hospital, told someone to get the police quick because he saw a man drop a backpack before the explosions and could provide a description.

That description enabled police to comb through images from the event and find the bombers in photos that were then distributed to the public.

Both of Jeff's legs were amputated below the knee. Several news sources said that Jeff did not have medical insurance, but we confirmed that he DOES have medical insurance through Coscto, however we don't know the details of the plan or how much it covers, so it's safe to say with the extent of his injuries that he will still need assistance with medical bills.

An online fund to help with his medical expenses has been set up to try to raise $1 million.  So far it has collected over $600,000.  If you can help click here

Click here for information on One Fund Boston the charity that was formed to help the people most affected by the tragic events that occurred in Boston.

On Friday, I was lucky to go to the Bon Jovi concert at Staples Center....and I have one word....OMG!!!!!

I love Bon Jovi, I love them so much it hurts.  I've been a fan since 1984 when the song Runaway hit the airwaves. Then, of course, they hit huge worldwide success with the Slippery When Wet album in 1986. 

With 12 studio albums, a greatest hits album a few live albums, not to mention several solo albums, these guys are just the freakin' best and they put on an awesome show.

Their concerts are nothing short of amazing, for 2 1/2 - 3 hours you're treated to classic Bon Jovi, new songs and by the end of it you've probably lost a few pounds from jumping up a down, screaming and raising your hands.  It's a freakin' workout.

This tour was dubbed 'Because We Can' and after no opening act, 3 hours and 2 encores at Staples Center I was exhausted. Even without Richie Sambora (Phil X filled in for him) it was amazing...

You can see why from the set list below.

1. That's What the Water Made Me
2. You Give Love a Bad Name
3. Born to Be My Baby
4. Raise Your Hands
5. Lost Highway
6. Whole Lot of Leavin'
7. It's My Life
8. Because We Can
9. What About Now
10. Work for the Working Man
11. We Got It Goin' On
12. Keep the Faith
13. (You Want to) Make a Memory
14. Bed of Roses
15. I'll Be There for You
16. Have a Nice Day
17. We Weren't Born to Follow
18. Who Says You Can't Go Home
19. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
20. Bad Medicine

ENCORE

1. Dry County
2. Wanted Dead or Alive
3. Livin' on a Prayer

SECOND ENCORE

1. Someday I'll Be Saturday Night
2. Always
3. Treat Her Right (Roy Head cover)

Lentil, a 9-week-old French bulldog rescue puppy with a severe cleft palate and lip, is making humans from Taiwan to Germany drool, but it's Philadelphia that he calls home.

His Facebook fan page, called "My name is Lentil," has more than 48,000 likes, and people the world over look forward to the daily video and photo posts from Lentil's "foster mom," Lindsay Condefer, of Fishtown.

Video of Lentil as a baby:

Lentil has been featured on German television, BuzzFeed and the Huffington Post, but his greatest work may yet be ahead of him.

Condefer and area doctors hope that Lentil can usher in a visitation program between patients at the University of Pennsylvania's Veterinary School of Medicine and those at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Condefer also plans to have Lentil work with the Children's Craniofacial Association to bring a greater understanding of those with facial deformities.

Lentil was one of a litter of four French bulldog puppies, all of whom had facial deformities, born to a breeder in New Jersey at the beginning of February.

Two of the pups died at birth, and the other two were turned over to the French Bulldog Rescue Network, which is now raising money for Lentil's treatment. The president of the network called Condefer, a volunteer, and asked if she'd be interested in two "tube feeders." The pups could not eat on their own because the absence of a soft palate to protect their trachea pushed the milk into their lungs when they fed.  Read more at Philly.com

This baby loves Bon Jovi as much as I do.

One woman commenter about the video says...this is how she ends up at a Bon Jovi concert, topless and in her underwear!

I want people to follow us on Twitter @billhandelshow

A year ago, I think we had maybe 5,000 fans.  Now we're hovering just below 7,000, well actually we made it over 7,000 but apparently some people were utterly appalled by Gary's masturbation song that they stopped following us.  If you haven't heard the song, here it is

I think there are very good reasons for people to follow us on Twitter @billhandelshow .  Here are some great examples of the Tweets we provide on a daily basis: (To be fair, I used to make Bill tweet, but he used to tweet with one finger in ALL CAPS and he gets annoyed easily so now it's up to me to tweet, which I think is better because I can tell you all about his behavior during the show)

8:12 "national hair" he meant national health care

Break out the WTF monkey! Teacher in Idaho being 'investigated' 4 using the word 'vagina' in 10th grade biology class!

Handel just picked a winner

Handel said "Let's turn off the windows', knowing him as long as I do, I knew he meant 'lights' #handelspeak

Exclusive look inside the Handel show! At precisely 4:50 each morning, after the 1st Diet Coke, Handel belches extremely loud.

Sooooo... we think Handel made a factual statement that actually came from the Book of Mormon plot.

Handel wants to see Obama have a press conference with a bunch of crying 5 year olds holding empty Easter baskets....

Can I still say 'God Bless You' 2 Handel if he dsn't believe in God, but he's obsessed w/ the Catholic church? Or a waste of the blessing?

Handel just described, in detail, how he made his chicken fried chicken that's not actually fried, but baked & I'm not sure it's chicken

Assignment from Handel...send email to Kim Jong Il re: nuke strike. I shall send email to 'theunandonly@gmail.com'