The Talking It Up Show celebrates 18 years on the radio
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – One of Augusta’s prominent radio shows is celebrating a major milestone. The Talking Up Show is celebrating 18 years on the radio waves, and they want to share this special moment with the community that continues to embrace them.
Thank you for joining us here on Celebrating Black Excellence. Congratulations on the 18th Anniversary of The Talking It Up show. How does that make you feel?
When we did the show and we started it, we never fathomed that we would be here talking about 18 years. We enjoyed what we were doing, and we enjoyed the people that we came in contact with because we had the pleasure of interviewing some many people. So yeah, it’s surreal that it’s been 18 years. It doesn’t feel like it, but the reality is that it’s been 18 years.
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So, Tommy, how does that feel for you?
I saw some pictures and some videos of 18 years ago when we first started, and I didn’t have this grey. It’s like I had a whole different face. (Laughs) It’s a good thing. Augusta, Burke County, and the whole CSRA has been we’re good to us, and because of that, we want you to celebrate with us and the 18th anniversary of The Talking Up Show.
For those who may not have seen the previous interview, can you give us the brief origin story of how The Talking It Up Show began?
Oh, wow. The Talking It Up Show got started reluctantly. I was given an invitation and to start a show by the late great Garfield Turner. He says, “Why don’t you think about doing the talk show?” I’m like, “Oh, no. I don’t want to do that”. I’m fresh here from New Orleans. September 15th, 2005 is when I arrived here, and he was talking to me then about doing the show post-Katrina. I said, “I just want to be depressed. I don’t want to deal with anything. I’m still trying to process what happened and rebuild our lives.” He bothered me, he called me, he pinched me, and he nudged me just about every week. I said, “Oh, okay, okay, okay. I’ll do what I can to help you.” And I meant, to shut you up. (Laughs) He wouldn’t shut up. So, he didn’t need help at the station, so I couldn’t use that as an excuse. I said, “Well, you know, I don’t have any sponsors.” He says, “Well, you can’t get sponsors until you have a show.” I was like, “That didn’t work.” I said, “Okay, I’ll do it, but I don’t have a name.” He said, “God will give you a name,” and that very night, I went to sleep. God gave me the name, The Talking It Up Show. February 3rd, 2006 was the first broadcast, and also, they didn’t have a clue that I didn’t know what I was doing. (Laughs)
So, Tommy, how does it for you knowing the impact that you all have had over the last 18 years?
Well, you know, a lot of times, people can’t see your face on the radio, but we’ve been at different places like the mall or Lowe’s, and you’re talking to different people. They say, “I know you from somewhere. Oh, yeah. I heard on you on the radio on The Talking It Up Show.” So, you know, people have embraced us well. Like I said, Augusta, Waynesboro, Aiken, etc. have been great to us. They have some great people, and we call them family. So, we appreciate every single last one of y’all, and we’re looking forward for them to be a part of us again on the 18th year anniversary of The Talking It Up Show.
So, as we mentioned, you have 18th anniversary coming up on Saturday, February 3rd. What can we expect at the Talking It Up 18th Anniversary show?
Oh, my God. If you’re fortunate enough – and I’m not being arrogant – to get a VIP ticket, it’s a taste of New Orleans: Creole gumbo, Creole red beans and rice, and blackened chicken. King cakes are coming in; pralines are coming in. That’s for VIP; thre is limited seating for VIP because we want it to be an intimate setting where you and I can reminisce about the things that we’ve experienced over the 18 years. The door opens for general admissions is at 4:00. Blessed – they’re calling these young ladies The Dream Girls of gospel, and they’re every bit of that. We’ve been connected 18 years. Then, Warren Brown and Sean Brown, Y.A.N.K. Nation – those are my grandsons; they’re coming in from Orlando, Florida and Charlotte. Then, I have granddaughters coming in from Atlanta: The Family; we have people coming in from Sandersville to dance and to mime. It’s a celebration. Do you know we got the name, The Noisy Crew?
How?
I’m glad that you asked. (Laughs) We were coming in to the station to get ready for the show, and Helen Blocker-Adams says, “Oh, wow. Here comes the noisy crew.” So, we used it. Now, we’re known as The Noisy Crew because, you know, we’re high energy. So, we embraced it. We didn’t see as anything derogatory. The way that I do the show because I didn’t know what I was doing, the late great Mary Kingconnon said, “If you mess up, just laugh.” So, there were people that gave directions and helped shape and mold us, and that got us to this point.
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What advice would you give to someone who may want to get into broadcasting or just wants to make a difference in this world?
Well, you hit the key: wanting to make a difference, and that’s key. You have to want to make a difference and feel it and feel what other people feel. You have to have been there, done that. With my experience with being a Katrina evacuee, I used it as therapy for me, and the people that listen that it doesn’t matter if you lose everything. It doesn’t matter if you can’t go back to a place that is called home, and you can dust yourself off and start over. When you dust yourself off and start over, give back.
That’s the best advice that I would give to anybody. If you want to do this to be a star, it’s not going to work for you.
If you make it about yourself, it’ll never work. You have to make it about the community and the people. If you make it about yourself, it’s not going to work.
If people want more information or if they want to get tickets, how can they do so?
You can pay at the door if you don’t want to go through all the rigmarole of Eventbrite or having somebody meet you to get tickets. You can pay at the door at Transforming Lives Bible Church, 2439 Peach Orchard Road in Augusta. VIP is at 3 PM; doors open for general audience at 4 PM and it starts at 5 PM.
If people want to know more information about The Talking It Up Show, how can they get that?
They can call this number (706) 250-1579 or email talkingitupshow@gmail.com.
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