That's What She Said, Untimely deaths, The new G98.7 FM

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That’s What She Said, Untimely deaths, The new G98.7 FM

9 November 2011 No Comments

By Darling Nicky

Blame it on the clock roll!

“Crazy week (& it’s only Tuesday). Joe Frazier, Andy Rooney & Heavy D pass away. Toronto radio gets exciting again & Kim’s still an idiot.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

The week ending Nov. 12, 2011 is surely one we will not forget easily. I was so overwhelmed by the amount of headlining events that took place in just the first couple days of the week that I had to nurse my shattered nerves before I could even place my fingers on my keyboard. (Well that, and the fact that I was recovering from an epic birthday weekend, but I digress).

First of all, Dr. Conrad Murray, [insert unfair ethnic description of “Trinidadian-born” so that in true mainstream media style the general public can feel comforted by the knowledge that it wasn’t a white doctor that killed the World’s most celebrated music icon] was found GUILTY for involuntary manslaughter in the death of The King of Pop Michael Jackson by administering a lethal dose of propofol and leaving him unattended, as he died. While this verdict may offer the closure that the Jackson family and MJ fans around the world needed, many would argue that Michael did indeed have a serious addiction to prescription medications and that his self-proclaimed invincibility may have contributed to his death. Either way, a legend is dead, a physician’s career is over, and I still love my MJ discography as much as I ever did. My thoughts – go listen to Man in the Mirror and make that change.

We also lost Undisputed World Heavyweight boxing champion Smokin’ Joe Frazier to cancer on November 7, 2011. Heralded in the 60’s and 70’s for his bobbing and weaving fighting style, he is immortalized in boxing history for defeating Muhammad Ali in 1971’s “Fight of the Century”. I’ve watched old footage of several of his fights, and all that grunting and grizzly face-making would have made me toss my hands up in defeat also. RIP Joe Frazier.

Another biting of the dust was 60 Minute’s Andy Rooney, writer/broadcaster most known for his weekly segment on the show called “A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney”. He was an insightful gentleman who doled out satiric examinations of regular, relatable stuff like consumerism, sports and politics. He was outspoken and although more often than not challenged us to think and grow positively, he was very opinionated and at times ruffled feathers of the usual target groups: gays, minorities and Kurt Cobain fans (LOL!). Andy retired from 60 Minutes on October 2, 2011 when his last broadcast aired, and he died just 4 weeks later. RIP Andy Rooney.

The most recent and personally shocking death of the week was that of Hip-Hop legend Dwight “Heavy D” Myers of Heavy D and The Boyz. Heavy D, originally of Mandeville, Jamaica, had significant impact on the Urban music scene in the late 80’s and 90’s with albums such as Big Tyme, Peaceful Journey and Nuttin’ But Love. His “overweight” stature helped make famous lyrics from his music; “The girls, the girls they love me ‘cuz I’m the overweight lover Heavy D!” BET viewers (like myself) were overjoyed when he appeared on The 2011 Hip-Hop Awards and performed for the first time LIVE in 15 years. He danced the way we remembered and was about to go on tour. Heavy D collapsed outside his home In Beverly Hills and died of respiratory failure. He was only 44 years old. RIP Heavy D – the girls really did love you!

For Toronto music lovers, things got very exciting this week when G 98.7 FM, the new Urban radio station that was in test mode until now and faced many challenges in obtaining approval announced its official launch date of November 14, 2011 and announced its on-air personalities. Among them, a number of familiar faces formerly of the city’s current and previously only Urban-ish radio station Flow 93.5 will be returning to the airwaves at their new home: Mark Strong and Jemini as The Morning Show hosts, Jester as The Drive Time Host, Dr. Jay as the host of a weekly Soca show, and Spex (Hallamanashundae!) as the host of the Reggae show. Many more notables on the team including DJ Riyad as the host of a Chutney segment, Wayne Williams (formerly of Flow 93.5) as Program Director, Roger Dey (well-known announcer) as Music Director and Jai Ojah Maharaj (CHIN Radio) as Director of News. Many people took to social media following the announcements and painted an innuendo-riddled picture that G 98.7 FM just took in all the “old” Flow personnel. My thoughts…

“I don’t look at it as “old Flow” ppl. I look at it as professionals with a new platform. #G987FM” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

Lastly, Kim Kardashian is still an idiot. (and I really don’t feel like wasting one more pixel on my screen writing about her so I won’t).

I did however read that there is a huge spike in pedestrian deaths killed by cars, trucks and vans following the Fall return to Eastern Standard Time. Even though we technically gain an hour by rolling our clocks back that single hour disengaging Daylight Savings Time, people tend to become more discombobulated with the change in time.

“I don’t know what happened this year, but I’m blaming all of the chilling events of this week on the Clock-Roll Jet Lag.” via @darlingnicky999 on Twitter

#thatswhatSHEsaid

Darling Nicky is an entertainment writer, blogger and publicist. Check out her out at www.darlingnicky.ca