Tag: Tom Joyner

TOM JOYNER We don’t save, and that is why we had a weekly feature for the past 25 years just dealing with money, because that is one of the things black people need to be concerned about; our money, our health, our education, everything that we have done on the air, our family, we addressed everything that affects the African American community.[/penci_blockquote]A legend has spoken and we have all listened, and the truth is we have been listening intently for the last 25 years to a true icon. He’s one of the greatest radio personalities of all time. The Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) wraps on December 31, 2019, and radio history has been made.Tom Joyner has not only established himself as one of the most prestigious and recognizable figures in radio, but his legacy transcends the airwaves as a powerful HBCU Foundation advocate and supporter as well as a black community supporter. He used the airwaves to lift the community in a way that has rarely been done.  He went beyond entertainment and focused on educating the community.Tom Joyner has not only been the host to a nationally syndicated show but he’s a savvy entrepreneur. Over the years, Radio Facts has had a lot of fun with Tom, I will admit sometimes I took a bit too far and so I made it a point to attend the last cruise and to personally apologize for anything offensive I’ve written about him over the years. He told me “I have no idea what you are talking about” with a smile. I’m sure that was his way of saying all is forgotten.This is one of the best interviews I’ve ever done with Tom he was very forthcoming and honest about a lot of things I didn’t know that we get to share with you. EnjoyRADIO FACTS: Hello, Tom. How are you?TOM JOYNER: I’m good, you okay?Everything's great. I know you just got through with your show, so I am going to try not to hold you for too long. No, no, no. I am good. I am through with everything with the show. This is the first day to start a vacation, so, yeah, everything is good with me.Does it feel like you're winding down or winding up?No, no, no, no, no. I’m in the final rehearsal, I have been practicing every weekend retiring.But I'm saying after you retire does it feel like you are winding down or winding up?No, I’m winding down definitely.So, are you going to chill after retirement? Or are you going to work on some other projects?No, my thing is going to be the foundation, the foundation only. That is what I am going to be doing. I am going to be trying to sell out this cruise and trying to get all this money that we collect from the cruise in the hands of students at HBCUs with the challenge that these students that I give out scholarships to between now and November will register people to vote.I was going to ask you – and I'm just curious about this – why didn’t you decide to change – I don't know if it was all your decision –  just decide to change the name of the show to the Rickey Smiley Show instead of keeping the brand alive, like calling it “The Tom Joyner Show starring Rickey Smiley,” or something like that?Because Rickey Smiley is a brand unto himself and is part of a rich family of Reach Media brands.So, will you be doing any kind of radio podcasts or will you make appearances?I will make appearances on all the brands to talk about what we are doing with the foundation and promoting these students who get scholarships.Let's talk about the foundation for a minute. I understand that you've done some features on ESPN?Yes. I have not seen them yet. I saw one was our first full-ride scholar, but I have not seen them yet.Tell me about that one you saw?It featured our first full-ride scholar who is now a successful lawyer who, even though she gets big cases and stuff, she does a lot of community work. Her name is Brittany Wilson; we gave her a full ride to Howard.How does that feel? I mean to see, I don't know how many people you've seen reach that level of success, but how do you feel when you see that happen?Oh, man, I feel great, man. It is the best. I don’t cry, but if I did I might tear up before some of these hugs from people who have gotten these scholarships. And Brittany is an exceptional case.Of all the work that you've done over the years in radio…and the foundation, what is the most rewarding?That’s a tough question. When it comes to the foundation, the most rewarding is the cruise because…we get probably 95% of the money that we donate…off the cruise. This is cruise number twenty-one coming up and it's not going to stop until the end.How do you plan on promoting the cruise from this point?We are still promoted on all the brands.You're based in Dallas and Florida, correct?I am now based in Miami; I’ve moved.So, let me ask you, why did you decide to retire? What brought you to that decision? Do you just think that you've done it long enough? Or what were your main reasons?It was money. Every contract was cut in half, cut in half, cut in half to the point that I said, “Okay, I can’t go any lower, so I’ll just quit here and live my life.”Would you think that was attributed to growing networks [podcasting, online] for ad spending?The industry is not what it used to be – oh Lord - it’s not. I was making a lot of money and now not as much. So, it kept getting lower and lower. There wasn’t any interest after the last contract; there wasn’t any interest that would make sense.So, moneywise it just made sense to leave. To get up at 3’oclock in the morning, if it is worth my while, I will do it. So that is why I decided it was time.Were you still having fun?Oh yeah, the most fun in the world ever is when I’m on-air. And then living my best life…because of the fun I have. I have been able to serve AND save and so I can live this lifestyle for the next 30 years. I have got it all planned out.So, let me ask you, through the years you've had some changes on the show. What are some of your fondest memories and some of the memories that you wished would have gone another way?(pauses) Well, we had the chance on a deal a long time ago before Steve went to Premier to host his show, but we couldn’t work that deal out. I wish that we could have and that was many, many years ago. It goes back to when it first went to Premiere. We had the chance to add Steve to the Reach roster. Wow, wouldn’t that have been something?How did you feel about J. Anthony Brown's departure?That I didn’t feel well about, but we worked it out now so starting yesterday I started playing “Best Of” with J. included. It is amazing the stuff that we did and now listening back to it, actually, I am listening to it for the very first time.We would do stuff that was so funny, so phenomenal every quarter-hour. I never repeated stuff. Like everybody repeats a good bit now and then. I never repeated a bit. I never heard it until now. This is the best; I love it.I was told the same thing about old posts on the site and I’m finding that out. Using old bits can be gold. You have the same audience and a new audience for it so there is still interest. Have you considered doing the Best of Tom Joyner ?I have been doing that for the last year. The problem was we didn’t get permission to play J. because he is over there with Steve, and so we just got permission. So all of the bits that we did, we had to surgically cut out J.’s voice, J.’s laugh, J.’s jokes – anything that had Jay’s voice on it we could not play it and still do our show. So, there are all these bits that…I just got permission to play.When you are doing it, you are in the moment, and I never listen back because I have got another quarter-hour that I have to do something. So, I never listen to all this stuff and it is fresh to me. I love it.So, you are saying that even though J. was on your show first, you still had to get permission from Premiere in order to play the stuff that he did even before he went there?Yeah.How did you feel about the Tavis Smiley situation?I didn’t like that. I hated that we did a lot of good things together and when he left it was weird. It was weird when he left; I did not understand why he left. I know that he and Cornel did not like Obama ‘til Obama was out of office after the eight years, and now that Trump is in office about to be impeached, we never heard a word about Tavis criticizing the Trump administration and it is really weird.We did, I don’t know how many years. I think he said that we put together like seven years or something like that, and I remember him saying when we departed, he said: “I've never been with anything or anybody for seven years and you're the first.”He's right. I actually worked with him before you did. We worked together at The Beat in LA when it was a legendary station in the early 90s and they made a decision to get rid of – anybody who was black, who knew black culture, and bring in people who could emulate the culture instead. That was a really interesting and very weird situation.I didn’t know Travis then. I knew nothing about Travis until he approached me about doing a segment and I said, “that is a good idea,” and the rest is history, great history.Let me ask you this – when he was on the show and you guys were doing the whole campaign against CompUSA, is there anything that you could tell us that was going on that we didn't know about on the air?I put everything on the air even to the threat of ABC to put me off air. There was nothing behind the scenes. Everything we did we put it on the radio.Was there a time that you thought that maybe that wasn't a good idea?We came on air after that night, after the night that they told me not to do it. I got a call that night that said drop this thing. I said, “no, I’m not doing it.” And I came on the air and I said, “testing, testing, am I on the air? Hello? Anybody out there?” (laughs) And we went on with the show and talked about it.Do you think that that whole situation was part of their demise?CompUSA’s?Yes.I don’t think it helped. I think for CompUSA their time was coming anyway; their expiration date had pretty much come up, I think. Look around, not only do you not see a CompUSA, you don’t see anybody.I know like Circuit City and I really don’t know how Best Buy survived.They kind of came first. It was a bad time; it was a bad time for them.Out of all the shows that you've done, what is the one show, or maybe one or two shows, where you had guests that you said, “I'll never have them on again”? I’ll tell you who it is; he just died. John Witherspoon.Oh wow, really?He cursed so much that the machine we use to edit couldn’t work and a lot of what he said went over the air. But he kept cursing. John was a pro; he had never done this before and we had him hundreds of times, but this time was different.  We decided to put a stage in the studio with the lights like at the Improv or something and set it up like a club.We turned the lights down in the studio and put the spotlight on. It looked just like a club and it obviously felt just like a club. So this little stage - he wasn't feeling well, first of all, he was sick but he's a trooper so he just dug down to what he knew best to do – and he did a routine where he cursed and cursed.We couldn’t get it all out so we had to say we would never have him on again. We never had FCC complaints about it.I know that in doing Radio Facts for 25 years, I know a lot about the industry. You become somewhat of a statistician; you learn some really general things about the community. What do you know for sure about black people at this point that you may not have known before, good and bad?Serving the community is important. That's something I didn't know. And I learned that from the late John H. Johnson (owner of EBONY magazine) in the five years that I worked there, he told me that in our business what you can do, what you [are] going to do to be successful is you have to…just simply serve our community.And so I didn't know the effect that advertisers had on our listeners and viewers because I learned that and – take the cruise for instance. Black people weren’t cruising and we said to the cruise lines, “they'll cruise with you if you just ask them.”If you ask us, we'll do it. And so we started that. Not everybody has a black division.  Carnival goes right after us and so does everybody else. We did that and I’m most proud of that. We showed that if you ask us, we will be loyal to you, and black folks are cruising now.What about things like our financial habits, our psychology, the way we deal with racism, are there some… – I'm asking are there some things that maybe you did you weren't so sure of before that you see a pattern now? Like, for example, how do you think we are with our money as a race in general? We don’t save, and that is why we had a weekly feature for the past 25 years just dealing with money, because that is one of the things black people need to be concerned about; our money, our health, our education, everything that we have done on the air, our family, we addressed everything that affects the African American community.Money is no different. We had  Mellody Hobson every Monday for the past, I don’t know how many years, saying, “save, budget, don't overspend for Christmas, put something away for your kids’ education, get a 401k retirement plan and don’t dip into it no matter what.”And that is the message that we have done over the past 25 years, but you know what? We did not start that. When I first got into radio, black radio was doing that then. I mean all the way back to like 1969.So for many years you were doing “The Fly Radio DJ” and you had worked for other stations, but eventually, you became an entrepreneur.  What was the best thing about being an entrepreneur; what was the upside and the downside?It has been all up. I’m living a great life.Let me ask you this, what would say the key is to be a successful black male entrepreneur?Surround yourself with people who know how to do things that you can’t and who make you look your best. I know a little bit about a lot of things, but I am only good at being on the air. For those things that you need in order to be an entrepreneur, the key is just surrounding yourself with people who can do the things you can’t.And I have been lucky for these many years…to be around some people who really make me look good.I have noticed it.And it is so good. There's really no downside to it because I take all the credit and I have not been blamed for anything and that is because the people that surrounded me have made me look great.Has it always been that way?It pretty much has. I can comfortably say back to when I was with John Johnson at EBONY, if you didn't know me, you would've thought that I was the biggest black DJ in the world because my picture was always in Jet Magazine’s photos of the week almost every week and that was because I convinced him – he didn't want to pay for billboards and commercials. I said you don't have to, you got Jet Magazine…going directly to the south side and west side of Chicago.And so he would run ads in there for WJPC and the numbers went up. At our height  - we were number three in the city and we were a day-timer, all because he kept running these ads and Jet Magazine went everywhere.So, if you looked in Jet Magazine you saw this guy, Tom Joyner , you see he must be the biggest disc Radio DJey in the world when I was just a local DJ.I actually remember when I was in high school seeing you in Jet Magazine when I was in Buffalo.Yes, you didn’t know who I was but could say, “damn he must be big.”What are the most common mistakes you’ve seen other entrepreneurs make?Not having a plan, no real plan. After they fail, they cannot seem to get back up. I have been fortunate to – for everything that I have failed in, I have been able to learn from that and move on. Most people don’t have that luxury. I have always had something to fall back on. Entrepreneurship is not a science, it is an art... You roll the dice and you look at the odds you go for it.And if it was a science, everybody would be doing it and be successful at it. I have been very fortunate in surrounding myself with people who know what they doing, and I didn’t have any trust issues because they were already doing it.I know you won't miss getting up at 3:00 in the morning but what will you miss most about the show?Just going on the air. I have the most fun the four hours that I am on air. It is like when you hear ball players say that they're going through a lot of stress and stuff – people may die, a business may go bad – but when they get on the field or they get on the court,… or performers once they get on stage, everything goes out the window and all they think about is the fun that they're having. That's me.My four hours on the air is the best. I'm not going to lie, I will miss that fun. I laugh every 15 minutes; it is a lot of fun.What do you think of Charlamagne?He is good. Why are you asking?Just curious. What about a Headkrack?He is on the Reach, so yeah.So any parting words?It has been a fantastic ride. It is 25 years of the syndication show, but I think I got into radio in ‘69 and all I have ever done is radio. This is really like 50 years.I'm not getting up ‘til noon. I am going to do some foundational work try to sell some cabins, give some money to students at HBCUs. And I am going to work out and have a real good time doing something or nothing.I am on this beach, my house is complete. I won't be going to bed ‘til like 3 o'clock in the morning.Okay, well Tom, I definitely will still stay in touch and check-in with you every now and then. I greatly appreciate your legacy and your contribution to the industry and you're making history.Thank you, man.

Radio Facts: Chubb Rock and Carol Blackmon at the WUFO Buffalo launch party introducing The Chubb Rock Show as the replacement for...

Originally posted Jan 13, 2016. Remember when J. Anthony Brown quit the Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) on the air?

Sources have informed Radio Facts that comedian J Anthony Brown has exited his longstanding post with the Tom Joyner Morning show. Brown, according to sources is allegedly upset about the pay and another new syndicated host getting a larger salary from Reach Media....

Today J. Anthony Brown surprised Tom Joyner , Sybil Wilkes and the production staff of the Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) with the following:After the end of the first break, at 6:10am CT, the hour the following exchanged occurred -ON AIR - 6:10 am(Tom Joyner taking the show to break)Tom Joyner : Ten, ten past the hourOFF AIRTom Joyner : Player, you feel alright?J. Anthony Brown: Huh?Tom Joyner : You feel alright today?J. Anthony Brown: No, I don’t feel good. Uh, in fact I’m quitting. I’m quitting today. (laughter from Tom and Sybil) You guys can have it, man. I’ve had enough of this, seriously. Bye(more laughter from Tom and Sybil)Sybil Wilkes: (chucking) Bye? What’s the matter?Tom Joyner : I don’t know. Did he just cut the mic? Player?...Player?Off air Tom asked if J. Anthony Brown was alright. J. responded the he was not and that he was “quitting.” Both Tom and Sybil responded with laughter followed by J. Anthony Brown saying he was serious and no further response.After several tries to reconnect with Brown, Tom Joyner attempted to reach out to him in both a personal and professional way ending with all surprised that he had actually left the studio.J. Anthony Brown is currently under contract with Reach Media Inc. and the Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) . There is a plan to discuss today’s events with Brown.Tomorrow on The Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) the Party with a Purpose® continues with weekly co-host Sherri Shepherd, correspondent Don Lemon and guests Marlon Wayans, Affion Crocket, Charlie Murphy and Omari Hardwick; as well as TJMS co-host and daily regulars Sybil Wilkes, Huggy Lowdown and comedian Chris Paul.

Hear Audio of J Anthony Brown Quitting.

We will keep all updated as information is received.

COX MEDIA GROUP TO AIR RICKEY SMILEY’S NEW URBAN AC SHOW ON ITS TOP-RATED URBAN AC

Cox Media Group (CMG) has announced that REACH Media, Inc’s nationally syndicated “Rickey Smiley Morning Show” will replace “The Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) ” when Tom Joyner retires at the end of 2019. The Rickey Smiley Morning Show will air weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. on all of CMG’s top rated Urban AC brands in Florida, including the Miami, Orlando and Jacksonville markets.“We are thrilled to continue our long-standing relationship with Reach Media to bring Rickey Smiley’s new show to listeners of CMG’s top rated Urban AC stations in Miami, Orlando, and Jacksonville markets,” said CMG Vice President of Content and Audience, Tim Clarke. “Rickey has been a fantastic partner to Cox Media Group for many years and we are so excited to see him begin this new chapter.”One of the fastest-growing radio programs in the country, the “Rickey Smiley Morning Show” is quick-paced and anchored by one of the nation’s most popular comedians. Easily entertaining a wide variety of listeners, the “can’t miss a minute” morning show perfectly blends music, exclusive comedy and spiritual entertainment with today’s hottest topics in news, entertainment, and sports. The “Rickey Smiley Morning Show” was recognized by the National Association of Broadcasters in 2017 as the recipient of the Marconi award for “Top National/Syndicated Talent.”“We are thrilled that Tom Joyner ’s legacy will be carried on by the multi-talented Rickey Smiley,” said REACH Media, Inc Vice President, Affiliate Relations Melody Talkington. “Over the past 16 years, I have had the privilege to watch this show develop into a Marconi Award winning morning show. What makes this extra exciting is the continuation of our long-standing partnership with the Cox Media Group.”

Put Some Respeck on my Radio Announcer Title!

Originally Posted May 17, 2016, at 20:54The past weekend, I was scrolling through Facebook and saw where a comedian Damon Williams stated that another comedian with a radio show is "an experienced broadcaster." I'm not thinking Damon knew the impact of what he was saying or that he had the negative intention but he's not the first to refer to non-radio pros in this way. As a radio pro, and a true "Experienced Broadcaster" I was insulted by that so I responded....Sorry Damon, no matter how many years you spend on the air, a comedian is never "an experienced broadcaster" he's a comedian with a radio show. "An experienced broadcaster" has a true love for radio, starts in the trenches of radio as a career, pays dues and follows the protocol of a radio pro. He or she can work a board and do a show at the same time and can do any shift. THAT's "an experienced broadcaster." Do you think comedians who have radio shows are "experienced broadcasters?" Wouldn't that be like calling a radio DJ a "Comedian?" just because he hosts a comedy show?To that end, I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT to the comedians, singers and Gospel people who have come into the radio industry and who make more money doing it than many of us could ever dream of...Some of them are pretty good and some of them SUCK but seem to Make it Last Forever.  KUDOS. You came in with something none of us had, national leverage, even with waining careers, you had name recognition. There are not many places Radio DJs (Experienced Broadcasters) can go to work at that level once radio says goodbye to them.

While you are an ENTERTAINER with a radio show please respect our craft. Is that asking too much? That's the LEAST that you can do while you spend the hundreds of thousands that rightfully belong to us.

I try my best to teach urban radio Radio DJs that WE have name recognition too if we are willing to work, doing something else, in the same market. Even today, many urban radio Radio DJs can't get the break that many of you do except to work for you by producing and pushing all the buttons for your show. If I was a PD today, this would be unacceptable, you would have to work the board and be able to host the show with no help in the studio. Guess that's why I'm not a PD today.While you are an ENTERTAINER with a radio show please respect our craft. Is that asking too much? That's the LEAST that you can do while you spend the hundreds of thousands that rightfully belong to us. In all fairness, its not your fault. Here's a brief urban radio history lesson for you. Radio consultants destroyed the urban radio Radio DJ several years ago before you came along because they didn't want us to be stars. We were making too much money and we were too successful, we were on our way to being... well to being YOU so radio consultants convinced owners to strip us of our power and ability to connect with listeners. They wanted the RADIO station to be the star. Well obviously that didn't work which is why YOU have a job today but for those of us who had to keep working in radio, it was too late, the consultants destroyed our chances for major success. Which is why I wear my "Just Kick a Radio Consultant's Ass" T-shirt wherever I go. Most of them have died off but there are a few left. There are those of us who got around the consultants like Wendy Williams, Tom Joyner and Charlemagne and MOST New York Radio DJs but many of us got caught up in it.I can tell a great dirty joke and have the people in the room cracking up but I would never call myself a "Comedian" because of it. I haven't paid the dues or been in the trenches, I have not EARNED that title. So please return the favor by not calling yourself "Experienced Broadcasters."Allow me to state what an "Experienced Broadcaster" is:If I walk into a room with Wendy Williams, Doc Wynter, Tom Joyner and Colby Colb I am amongst industry brethren who speak a language that the average person would not understand unless they have traveled the same path. Steve Harvey would say "Wit CHALL Talkin' Bot" if he was there. Do you see what I mean? We would all have war stories to tell about how we started in the industry as "Experienced Broadcasters" and we would all know that money or salvaging a crippled career was not a priority when we hit the airwaves, we were lucky to eat at all. We did it for the PASSION and the LOVE of radio at a very HIGH cost and risk in the beginning. BTW, I have the greatest respect for Harvey's all around hustle and it's evident that he used radio as a foundation to build his career but I see a LOT of comedians who want to get into the radio game to be like him. Trust me when I tell you, there are not enough spaces on the air to make that happen but I can see the attraction. Nevertheless, when you walk into an arena that belongs to someone else, know the truth and have respect for those who built the radio industry.

• "Experienced Broadcasters" have at least one story in common about how we got food stamps while working on the air (the listeners were making more than they were) or we had a car that we had to park (or push) around the corner from events because we were too embarrassed to let the listeners know what we were driving, or we had to move around from city to city and state to state living out of a suitcase in the beginning of our careers to move up the ladder and to work a new shift or how we got fired a week after moving to another city or we had to work multiple positions to the point of exhaustion at the station.
• "Experienced Broadcasters" are great voice actors and are so damn good at what we do that we can think about what we are going to say to get a scripted message across and then circle back and act it out making you believe that we are talking to you in a regular tone and not sound like we are reading or selling something.
• "Experienced Broadcasters" would never announce the wrong winner for a contest, and on the rare occasion that we did, we would manipulate the situation in such a skilled way and announce the actual winner in the process that you would probably not know that a mistake was made.
• "Experienced Broadcasters" can walk into a studio and OWN IT. We can do an entire show or shift ALONE and make it sound like we have a bunch of people helping us.
• "Experienced Broadcasters" use headphones as a tool so that we can monitor ourselves and our ability to communicate by making sure we sound our best, we're not too loud or too low and there is no feedback. We don't use them as toys or fashion statements.
• An "Experienced Broadcaster" can do a show without headphones if necessary.
• An "Experienced Broadcaster" worked his or her way up the ladder shift to shift.
• An "Experienced Broadcaster" has probably been passed over for a position he or she was waiting for at the station
• An "Experienced Broadcaster" struggled to make ends meet early on while committing to the craft.
• An "Experienced Broadcaster" has worked and can work more than one position at the station simultaneously.
• An "Experienced Broadcaster" gave up his or her holidays to spend with family because they had to work on the air.

The list goes on and on but the MOST important part is... we are often under-appreciated, under-valued and under-paid but can't be under-represented. WE HAVE PAID THE DUES and WE HAVE EARNED THE TITLE. WE are the "Experienced Broadcasters" with or without money, syndication or major success...YETCOMEDIAN WANDA SMITH RATHER HARSH ON ALCOHOLIC NEWS ANCHORAt the end of the day, most people probably don't care but WE do. The title of Comedian, Singer or Church people belong to you, because you get to use radio to rebuild your presence as a comedian, Singer or Church person, that's actually pretty brilliant and nobody can blame you for that but Radio is our CAREER, therefore the title "Experienced Broadcaster" belongs to those of us who actually are "Experienced Broadcasters."

Rickey Smiley, D.L. Hughley and HeadKrack Celebrate Landmark Changes for 2020 in Nationally Syndicated RadioWednesday night, November 13th, was a night to remember as Urban One celebrated their radio talent and the transformative changes coming to their nationally syndicated personality network platform in 2020. Urban One, Radio One, and Reach Media hosted “A Toast toThe Talent” featuring Rickey Smiley, D.L. Hughley, and HeadKrack from the all-new show The Morning Hustle.At ...

Radio Facts: Superadio Networks announced today that The Chubb Rock Show with SiMan Baby will be available 6am-10am ET Monday-Friday beginning January 6, 2020....

 

Tom Joyner ’s Ultimate Party with a Purpose® supporting students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities sets sail from Ft. Lauderdale March 28 – April 5, 2020 with stops at St. Maarten, St. Kitts and San Juan, PR. 

Trailblazing radio host and philanthropist Tom Joyner  announced global entertainment icons as the first major talent for the highly anticipated 2020 Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage®. Headliners including Usher, Jill Scott and more have been announced as headliners, and just added to the lineup are Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, Chante Moore, Brandy and more! Guests can look forward to surprise performances, nightly concerts and 2am shows…R&B, classic hip hop music, funk, comedy and the ultimate late-night experience – the Kings of Crunk featuring YoungBloodZ, The Ying Yang Twins, Bone Crusher, Trillville, The East Side Boyz, D4L, Dem Franchise Boyz, DJ Unk and The Shop Boyz. The Fantastic Voyage sold out this year, and is now nearing capacity for its March 2020 sailing! https://fantasticvoyage.blackamericaweb.com/(See talent below - we request you use the graphic attached or below when you refer to the talent.)  Joyner continues as the captain of the Fantastic Voyage, which was created as a fundraiser to support students in school at Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Sybil Wilkes Prepares for a New Radio Journey

Sybil Wilkes has inspired, informed and brought the laughter to the Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) for 25 years.  Tom is hanging up the microphone at the end of the year but Sybil will keep bringing that Black Girl Magic to a new show and is just getting started. She chopped it up with Radio Facts’ TV and radio personality Jazmyn Summers (This podcast interview has been edited for this post)JASMYN SUMMERS: Tell us about your new project "Sybil Wilkes What You Need To Know?"SYBIL WILKES: Oh, my goodness. I am just so blessed and excited to be doing this. I'm lucky to be working with my best friend again. She and I met when Tom brought us all together to do the Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) more than 25 years ago. Yolanda Starks White. We became best friends. She's coming back out of her so-called retirement in another business to be my executive producer. It really is going to be about, Black Girl Magic, about women doing it for ourselves. This will be done with the help of David Kantor, CEO, Radio Division & Reach Media, and all the other good folks at Radio One and the Radio One properties. I'm going to be delivering news and political updates, as I have been doing for Tom Joyner . But we'll be doing it for the other syndicated programs that we have. That's really my passion. I'm very excited and a little nervous, but excited about what the year 2020 and the elections are going to bring. Whatever your political makeup is, whatever your leanings are, I just want people to be involved. And that includes getting people to register to vote I know we said it before, but this is really the most critical election of our lifetime. What are the top three types of news stories that you’ll be focusing on?The most important one is I want to get people registered [to vote] because part of the problem is that there is a real effort on the part of the other party [Republicans] to dismiss people from voting and to have them purged. And so we have to do everything we possibly can to make sure that this does not happen. If this purging had not taken place in Georgia. We would have a black woman governor there right now. When you look at the margins of victory around the country particularly where Black folks are strong, all they have to do is peel off a small percentage.  And that’s what the voter suppression does. It impacts Blacks, elderly folks, young people, all the folks who tend to vote Democratic.  Yeah we got our kids who are in college and they're taking away the voting polls from the college campuses, especially from the historically black colleges and universities. You have people who have been going to the same place and suddenly finding it gone. My parents are both deceased. But I know that the same school across the street where I grew up, going with my mom to vote, just overnight, they could change that. So voter registration and doing away with the horrible efforts to stop people from voting and combating voter suppression is probably the most important thing in terms of voting. You are like a fighter for democracy. You go, girl. I really am. I’ll also be doing a newsletter and developing programs that we're going to take around the country. It's about helping and supporting black women physically and mentally. My best friend and I, we have a yoga studio in Fort Worth. So when you come to Dallas, People in the studio look like you and me. That's really important. JS:  You've been with Tom Joyner for 25 years. What’s the secret to that longevity?SW:  Mortgage payments? (lol).  Seriously, my mother used to say; where else could I get paid for what I used to get in trouble for? And, you know, in my graduation addresses, I tell students if you can find something you love, you'll never work a day in your life. And I've been blessed to do something that I love. And despite the hours, you know, and getting up at one o'clock and two o'clock and three o'clock in the morning, I really couldn't imagine doing anything else. JS:  You always rock those big words like lagniappe (extra gift or bonus) that helped us all front like we were super smart (lol).  Will that continue? SW:  I love the power of words. And that's why I love radio. I don't want to do television.  I just love radio. And I love giving people information and also encouraging them to expand their vocabulary and to do great things, helping us grow, helping us grow mind, body, soul. JS:  What was the most embarrassing moment with Tom? SW:  I don't know if Tom remembers this, but back in the day before he started wearing all the expensive suits and doing all that, he was just like a real regular guy.  In the summertime, when we would do live shows he would wear shorts and his shirt or whatever and he was going commando.  But here's the other thing. Tom drinks a lot of water, and he sweats profusely, which is a good thing for your body. But when you're in the middle of a Sky Show and he's got these light-colored shorts on and he comes out from behind the stage for another hour of the show ... somebody pointed out "Oh, my God! Tom peed on himself!" And we were like, oh, no, no, no, no, no, we had to go and quickly pull him off the set and get him a change of clothes and just get him out of the way. You can’t have the Fly Radio DJ looking like he peed on himself.JS:  Because you're funny and can do everything from gossip to news, people don't realize you are also one deep sister. You've got some doctorate degrees going on. You have a bachelor of science in political science and communications studies. I mean, you are the all-around, gorgeous, smart, funny, exciting boss chick.  Does that make dating difficult? We rarely hear about your love life. You keep that on the low – so spill the tea –are you booed up? SW:   No, I'm not. And it's very difficult when you get up in the middle of the night to go to work. First of all, because you can't stay out and play all night. Here’s the other thing, guys who hear you on the radio think that they want to be a part of the crew. You know, back in the day when it was Tom, J, Myra, Miss. Dupri, me and George Wallace ... that's what they really want. They want to hang with the crew. And so you have to be very discriminating in terms of 'are they there for the crew?' 'Are they there for you?' And it makes you very wary in terms of relationships. And because I talk for a living. I don't need to come home and talk for the rest of the day either. But when you are dating in another city it's even better because when he starts to get bored with me, I'm like, I got to go. (lol)JS:  I can't imagine anybody getting bored with you, but you probably can't online date because you're a public figure. SW:   I've not tried it. And you know what? A lot of my friends are still recommending it. I have friends who have met their mates for life online. So I’m open. JS:  OK, Well thank you for chopping it up with us.  Check out Sybil Wilkes What you need to know on Radio One. You don't want to miss it. You will stay informed. You'll stay laughing. You'll stay inspired and it'll keep you healthy. Mind, body, soul. Thanks, SybilSW: Thank you Jasmyne.[caption id="attachment_244314" align="alignnone" width="96"] Jazmyne Summers[/caption]

Tom Joyner spoke to Tyler Perry about his new studio launch, TV shows…. Tom asked him if he knows the lineup for the Tom Joyner Foundation Fantastic Voyage (at about the five-minute mark of the audio) Tells in the cruise line up lineup of Usher, Jill Scott, Alicia Keys and then says “just take off one day to be there…”Tyler thinking says “I'll be there,” ….” (Though not confirmed). Tyler says he's seen Jill Scott…” “And have seen her get nasty with that microphone…”After the big celebration of Tyler Perry’s new studio, he says he’s “still trying to put into words what happened.” Tom and Sybil call the experience “amazing.” Sybil described it as “being at the Obama White House meets the Oscars.”In addition to the movie sets, Perry is building a facility on that same lot for trafficked girls and boys, LGBTQ youth and youth who’ve aged out of foster care, and battered women. “I want it to be beautiful,” he says everyone will have their own apartment, and he plans to teach them and train them to be self-sufficient in society.The celebration doesn’t stop with his new studio! Perry also has two brand new shows airing on BET shows this Wednesday; “The Oval” and “Sistas.” He describes “The Oval” as “The Haves and the Have Nots” but “on steroids.” And “Sistas,” is the “Black Sex In The City!”[audio mp3="https://radiofacts-16b06.kxcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/102119-MON-INT-607-TYLER-PERRY-STAYS-AROUND-A-BIT-LONGER-TO-TALK-ABOUT-HIS-TWO-NEW-TV-PROJECTS-IN-THAT-BEGIN-THIS-WEDNESDAY-603.mp3"][/audio]

[caption id="attachment_243281" align="alignnone" width="608"] Sybil Wilkes with show producer Yolanda Starks and Radio Facts CEO Kevin Ross[/caption]

KUDOS to Sybil Wilkes on one of her new gigs with Reach Media

Sybil Wilkes will be Executive Director and Talent and will be joined by 2 new additions to the Reach staff on Tuesday, October 15th: Yolanda Starks White who has been hired as Executive Producer and Chika Odilichika as Senior Producer”.In her new role as Executive Producer, Yolanda will oversee all aspects of the product. Yolanda started her radio career with The Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) as a Publicist and later as Executive Producer. After TJMS, she went on to produce several nationally syndicated radio shows, television, award shows, stage plays and live events. She has authored 3 fiction and 5 nonfiction books. Yolanda graduated from Texas Christian University where she received a degree in Journalism.As Senior Producer, Chicka will ensure that content is delivered on time, accurately and is entertaining. Chicka has over 10 years of experience in media, broadcasting and digital content and will be relocating to Dallas from Atlanta where most recently she was the Promotions Director with Davis Broadcasting. She graduated from Georgia State University with a B.A. in Journalism.

[caption id="attachment_239907" align="alignnone" width="640"] Sybil Wilkes with Yolanda Starks and Radio Facts CEO Kevin Ross at the Radio Show in Dallas, TX. Photo credit Kevin Ross[/caption]Radio Facts has just learned the industry vet Sybil Wilkes has a new appointment after the Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) Ends at the end of December. She will be the Executive Director for Black America Web (https://blackamericaweb.com). She will provide content and update the site and brand with interesting news, features and more. Congrats Sybil

Allstate and Tom Joyner Announce 17th Annual Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion Celebrating Families and the African-American CommunityThe popular event, with live performances from Charlie Wilson, Brandy, Robin Thicke, Rickey Smiley, Erica Campbell, Tye Tribbett, Keke Wyatt and more, continues Joyner’s celebration of his 25-year broadcasting career and end-of-year retirementDallas, TX, August 2019 – Tom Joyner , host of the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) , and Allstate today announced the star-studded lineup for the 17th annual Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion. Featuring performances and appearances from Charlie Wilson, The Bonfyre, Brandy, Robin Thicke, Guy Torry, Erica Campbell, Rickey Smiley, Donald Lawrence, Keke Wyatt, Kierra Sheard, Sir The Baptist, Tye Tribbett, DJ Standout, Lonnie Hunter, Shanice Wilson, Ollie Gabriel, Brownstone, Erica Campbell, Bebe Winans, Isaac Carree, DJ Kool, DJ Kev-Ski, DJ Flemingo and more. The event will be held at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center in Kissimmee, Florida on Labor Day weekend, Aug. 29–Sept. 2.The 2019 Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion welcomes families from all over the country for a weekend filled with concerts, celebrity interactions, enlightening seminars, and one of the largest family-themed expos for the African-American community. The free Fam-Fest Expo – focused on education, health and beauty, arts and culture, entertainment, shopping and more – is open to the public and features a daily schedule with offerings for family members of all ages. For the first time this year, attendees will have the opportunity to win $10,000 in cash prizes throughout the weekend.“I am so proud of the fun, entertainment-filled atmosphere that we created all those years ago to truly celebrate Black families and what we love,” said Joyner. “We gladly continue this tradition, and I know it will be our best year yet.”The title sponsor of the event for the 14th year, Allstate has supported Tom Joyner in furthering initiatives dedicated to education, family and community service. This year, Allstate invited listeners of the Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) to share their Stories of Strength for a chance to win a family package to the event. Allstate’s Stories of Strength contest recognizes everyday individuals doing extraordinary things in their communities. At the Allstate booth, guests can learn about financial planning and career opportunities at Allstate while participating in a variety of activities.This year’s Family Reunion is part of Joyner’s year-long celebration of his 25-year career. Joyner, who announced he will retire from broadcasting in December, revolutionized radio with his daily, African American-targeted music show featuring news, interviews and live performances. The host remains a mainstay with multiple brand extensions that include annual events, engaging digital platforms and a dedication to serving, empowering and educating his listeners.Here are some of the highlights of the lineup for the 2019 Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion:Friday, Aug. 29The Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) Sky Show® LIVEDJ Kool, DJ Kev-Ski and DJ FlemingoThe Free Allstate Family Fun ExpoShanice Wilson, Ollie Gabriel & Rickey Smiley“The Tom Joyner One More Time Experience” ConcertBrandy, Robin Thicke & Guy TorrySaturday, Aug. 30The Free Allstate Family Fun ExpoBrownstone and Rickey Smiley“The Tom Joyner One More Time Experience” ConcertCharlie Wilson and The BonfyreSunday, Aug. 31:The Free Allstate Family Fun ExpoErica Campbell, BeBe Winans and Isaac CarreeRickey SmileyMcDonald’s Black & Positively Golden™ presents the 13th annual Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour withDonald Lawrence, Keke Wyatt, Kierra Sheard, Sir the Baptist, Tye Tribbett, DJ Standout and host Lonnie HunterThe Tom Joyner Sky Show will broadcast the nationally syndicated show LIVE, Friday, from this year’s event as part of a weekend filled with live performances including Shanice and Ollie Gabriel from NBC’s Songland. Along with radio affiliate Star 94.5, DJ Kool, DJ Kev-Ski, and DJ Flemingo will set the stage for the “Old School” dance contest for audience members to win a chance at the Family Reunion Money Machine.For more information about the 2019 Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion and to see a full schedule of events, visit BlackAmericaWeb.com. Join the conversation on the Family Reunion Facebook and by tagging @TJMShow on Twitter using the hashtag #AllstateTomJoynerFamilyReunion.About the Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) The nation’s leading syndicated urban morning show has distinguished itself over the years by continuously giving back to its audience with quality programming, highly popular promotions, special events, and philanthropy.In his 25 years as a leader in the industry, Tom Joyner ’s impact and influence have never wavered. His morning “Party with a Purpose” revolutionized radio when it became the first morning show with music in syndication. Known widely as “The Hardest Working Man in Radio,” Joyner has made a career of doing the extraordinary in order to serve his audience: flying round-trip between Dallas and Chicago five days a week for seven years hosting morning drive and afternoons in two different cities; raising money to support students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities with The Tom Joyner Foundation; producing and hosting a celebration of black families and communities, the Allstate Tom Joyner Family Reunion; galvanizing his listeners to provide relief funds for survivors of natural disasters. The Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) is heard as a guide to the future of communications in the African-American community, consistently promoting relevant issues and social causes that need attention and action.

Tom Joyner and Sybil talk about how the Tom Joyner Morning Show (TJMS) has been done many years with many listeners not aware that the show was done from many differnt locations. Joyner is retiring at the end of this year.

We've gotten MANY emails and questions about Sybil Wilkes' future after the Tom Joyner show. I've actually known about the changes for several months and I asked Sybil on the Fantastic Voyage cruise what her future plans were. At the time things were still up in the air.  The main question has been, will she get her own show. We have asked around and it appears there is certainly some interest in her doing a nationally syndicated show. She certainly could pull it off. Do you think Chris and Huggy could be on the show with her? Comment below.