Sports Babe Plays Fewer Minutes In The Radio Game
We live in a world that runs on irony. This can be entertaining.
The Jim Bakker debacle proved that.
So what could be more ironic than featuring a woman as host of a radio show dedicated to the testosterone-heavy world of sports?
I’ve been listening to KTRW (AM 970), Spokane’s mostly sports-talk radio station, since November’s ice storm. During that time I’ve grown accustomed to hearing the Fabulous Sports Babe every morning.
The Babe, known in real life as Nanci Donnellan, is the first woman to host a nationally syndicated sports-talk show.
And whatever else you may think of her, there are at least a couple of things about the Babe that are undeniable. One, she gets the best guests. If you want to know something specific about the day’s hottest sports topics, the Babe will contact somebody IN THE KNOW.
Two, the Babe refuses to give in to anyone else’s view of what a woman should do and say.
She can hold her own whether talking about hockey or horse-racing, baseball or boxing. But she’s not above vamping - playing the sex card in a way that charms men as much as it disarms women - to get what she wants.
It is sad, therefore, to know that KTRW has cut the Babe back and plans to run her show just two hours a day - from 9 to 11 a.m. New York shock jock Don Imus can now be heard from 5 to 9 a.m.
KTRW station manager Brian Paul says the decision to cut the Babe’s air time was made by ABC radio, the network that owns her show. As for why the station is filling the time with Imus, Paul cites the reason as “It’s guy talk. It’s a guy show, let’s face it.”
Opting for a non-sports guy over a sports-minded woman: there’s some irony there somewhere.
Essential stuff:
Following in the belief that traditional ways can provide us knowledge about this experience we call modern living, the Mosaic Multicultural Foundation is sponsoring “Passion & Compassion,” a retreat for women and men, to be held Oct. 17-19 on Vashon Island.
Led by Michael Meade and Jack Kornfield, the three-day event is designed to “follow the paths of passion and compassion, of inner intensity and outer service.” Participants will take part in meditation, stories and discussion, chants, songs and ritual practices.
For further information, call (206) 463-9387, fax at (206) 463-9236.
, DataTimes MEMO: Common Ground is written on alternating weeks by Dan Webster and Rebecca Nappi. Write to them in care The Spokesman-Review, Features Department, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210-1615. Or fax, 459-5098.