"Mr. Traffic", Kenny Morse and
"The Traffic Guy", Reed Berry, on May 8th.
They were the guests for their weekly program
TRAFFIC JAM
They never did get around to discussing pet peeves when it comes to driving in L.A.'s traffic.
Kenny and Reed had read Shirley and Marty's autobiography the night before, so the conversation
began with a discussion of Shirley's amazing first audition for Rodgers and Hammerstein.
R&H had three shows running on Broadway at that time.
This meant that they were constantly auditioning people on a regular basis to take over chorus parts.
Kenny asked Shirley if she was nervous and did she realize what an
incredibly famous musical writing team she was performing for?
Shirley replied that she knew of their work, but she was not all that nervous.
Marty quipped "She thought they were a famous comedy team".
Marty punctuated many of Shirley's recollections with amusing comments and sounds.
For this occasion he brought along a talk-box with silly things pre-taped.
After the show Reed was admiring it and Marty said "Take it, I have plenty of them".
Kenny
ReedAs the radio station came back from each commercial break, they would play a clip of a song.
"If I Loved You" was their first choice, and it is also Shirley's favorite song.
The next segment was lead in by The Partridge Family theme and the talk turned to
David's audition and the continued success of their almost thirty year old sit-com.
For a funny sound file from "Traffic Jam",
Click on the car.
Shirley was talking about
David Cassidy's audition for The Partridge Family.
Medium size file, but give it a chance to build &
Pardon the interference. This is the best recording I could get
The conversation became serious
when they began to delve into all that happened between
Shirley, Jack Cassidy
and the Cassidy boys. That's Jack with David, and then with Ryan in the 70's
It's all in Shirley and Marty's wonderful book, written in 1989.
It's also available here at the site if you are interested.
Both Shirley and Marty feel that one of the reasons the Cassidy boys have had a hard time
accepting Marty, is that they were never able to resolve their own differences with their
Dad, Jack Cassidy. The boys all loved him very much, but they did not always have the easiest time
communicating with him. The understandable conflicting feeling made it that much more difficult
to open their hearts to Marty. This is where Kenny and Reed asked Shirley and Marty if they had
ever consulted a psychic. Shirley told them that Jack had actually been told by
Edgar Cayce that he would die in a fire. That's pretty spooky! The conversation took a
lighter turn when Marty talked about hiring a pet psychic. They had found Lulu abandoned
and wondered where she had come from and how she had been treated.
Marty said that after the session, he gave the psychic a hundred dollars,
kept the dog and felt pretty silly about hiring the psychic! (they didn't learn much about Lu)
There was a contest to win prizes. The question: "For what film did Shirley win her Academy Award?"
That one seemed easy enough, however the first caller said "The Music Man"
True, she should have won an Oscar for Marian Paroo, but it was, Lulu Bains, "Elmer Gantry".
The last portion of the hour was taken up with talk about Shirley's "Drew Carey" performances,
her busy concert schedule, Shirley and Marty's candy store in Beverly Hills, and the family.
Kenny
wrapped up the show by commenting that Shirley must have a portrait hidden in the attic.
Of course referring to the classic "Portrait of Dorian Gray".
(The man who never ages, but the painting does)
Yes, she did look just beautiful, as always.
"THANK YOU!"Kenny Morse and Reed Berry for your hospitality.