4-30-10

In case you missed it...

SPIDEY TALK, JAMES WEIGHS IN, TANNING POOLSIDE AND SUMMERTIME
They began the show talking about the spider infestation in the Rosie Radio studio. James said he walks through spider webs every day when walking through doorways in the studio. James talked a little with Rosie about how he came to be the call screener for the program. He has been a producer and an executive producer before for Sirius radio shows but never a call screener. Joining the Rosie Radio show allowed him to work for Sirius full-time instead of only part-time. James even helped with the Mike Huckabee interview and contributes to the show by suggesting topics that he finds of interest and that he thinks the listeners would find relevant.

Rosie talked about the summer months and how her friend Jackie was going to win the summer tan challenge because she gets 2 extra peak sunning hours between 10 and 12 to lay out. She thinks she has an unfair advantage. She told the staff they are welcome to lay out at her pool from 12-2 everyday this summer. Deirdre said her goal is to get tan this summer. Rosie said she thinks laying in the sun is the most relaxing thing to do in the world. Janette reminded everyone that her boyfriend Barry is always getting pre-cancerous moles removed and Rosie called her a curmudgeon.

EDIE & THEA: A VERY LONG ENGAGEMENT

Edie from the documentary Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement was in the studio to talk with Rosie. "After 42 years, feisty and delightful lesbian couple Edie and Thea are finally getting married. Edie and Thea is a love story of two remarkable women whose commitment to each other is an inspiration to us all." [Source IMDb]

Edie talked with Rosie about how she met the documentary producers and decided to be married in Canada after being with her partner for over 40 years of her life. She told Rosie she wondered what could possibly be interesting about them enough to make a documentary about their lives.

Edie talked with Rosie about her life and about her realization that she was gay. She went to Harvard and moved to the west side of NYC. She said she first knew she was gay in her 20s and she ended her marriage with a man because she knew she'd never get the desire to be with a woman out of her mind. She told her husband that he deserved more and that he deserved to be the most important person to someone. She said he was very understanding. She never told her mother that she was a lesbian but her mother loved Thea very much. Thea and Edie were together for 44 years and they got married after 42 years of being together. Rosie called the documentary a "beautiful movie."

When Edie's partner Thea was diagnosed with MS and was told that she only had a year left to live the next day Thea asked Edie if she'd like to get married. Edie said YES! Edie said that the symbolism of being married felt different, even after 42 years. She and her partner never had children because they were told by society at the time that it would damage the child to not have a mother and a father. Now, of course, she doesn't believe that.

Edie is 81 years young now and Rosie commented how strikingly beautiful she is. Edie talked with Rosie about how she came out slowly and explained that she was not completely out until she met Thea. She said she didn't look like many of the lesbians she knew and the first time she went to a gay bar nobody talked to her and she left! She said Thea, on the other hand, was always with someone.

Edie told Rosie that eventually she was looking for a man with children who needed a mother because she thought "these lesbians are never going to get me." She thought there was no way lesbians were ever going to accept her. Then she heard Thea was finally not seeing anyone and she asked to come to the Hamptons for the weekend with the intent of seeing Thea again. Edie told Rosie she saw Thea that weekend and asked her if her dance card was filled and Thea said, "It is now." Awwwwwwwwwww.

Rosie told Edie that the movie is a great example of a gay relationship that stayed together for a long time. She told her how important her story is for the history of gay people. Rosie said that the love between them made her cry and she had so wished she had gotten to know Thea. Rosie asked Edie how she liked living with a shrink? Edie said that Thea once said to her, "I don't want to know anything about you that you don't tell me about you." Wow, that's my favorite quote.

Edie's wife Thea passed away about a year and a half ago and she said she's doing pretty well considering. She talked with Rosie about the day that Thea died and how lucky she feels that she was able to get to experience that kind of love. Rosie thanked Edie so much for coming in. It was a great interview!

The Trailer

Reel to Reel on Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement

Follow the group on Facebook leading up to its premiere on the Sundance Channel in June.

TALKING TO A FRIEND ABOUT WEIGHT AND PICKING YOURSELF UP AGAIN
Rosie asked the studio what to do when a good friend of yours has gained weight and the friend is in denial about it. She said she doesn't want to hurt the person's feelings but she also doesn't want to be complicit in the denial. Bobby said he feels like if they're obviously lying about it then they're not ready to tell the truth. Otherwise, she's at risk for calling them out for something they're not ready to say. Janette thinks telling someone that they've gained weight can backfire and the person probably knows they've gained weight and they're lying to protect themselves. She said pointing it out can can make them lie even more. Jeannie said it's like the alcoholic and the person has to be ready to face it. Janette asked Rosie if anyone ever mentioning her weight to her has helped her and Rosie said No. Janette also said No. Rosie talked about how she struggled to lose weight when she was asked to do so for movie roles.

Bobby said that Rosie brought up his weight gain to him in the most beautiful way by saying "I love you and I don't want you to die." Rosie said that many of Bobby's friends had called her and mentioned their concern for his weight.

Tracy has pointed out to Rosie that she drinks more when the kids are gone. Janette said she often has to remind herself that we have a choice with how we react to negative situations in our lives and we can choose to look at the positives. Deirdre said she gives herself a certain amount of time to feel sorry for herself and then picks herself up and moves on. She said we need the right to grieve whatever has happened but then we need to move on. Rosie talked about after going through the breakup with Kelli how she needed to make a choice to begin again in 2010.

BUDDHISM, MEDITATION, SHOWERS VS. BATHS AND MORTGAGES
Janette shared with the group that years ago she was a chanting buddhist. She chanted for a little bit for everyone. She talked about her own struggle with spirituality but said her life transformed when she practiced it. She said if you are regiment in any spiritual practice you can transform your life in any way. Deirdre shared that she meditates every day and has been doing it since the age of 5! She said without meditation she'd go crazy. Bobby said he can't meditate because random thoughts enter his head and distract him from the practice. Janette recommended meditating with a mantra. Deirdre recommended doing it under water in the bath. Janette said she hates bath. Rosie and Deirdre LOVE the bath. Janette said she doesn't like hot water and baths make her feel tired and sweaty. Rosie called her a curmudgeon again! lol Jeannie bought her house specifically for the bathtub and Bobby loves the shower. Janette said she loves a steam room and a sauna but not to sit in the water. She said it makes her feel like soup. LOL, I just read this paragraph over and it sounds so ridiculous. But this was the conversation they were having!

Then they had a long conversation about balloon mortgage payments and bad loans. I missed most of this conversation but they talked about refinancing, paying down loans, and Bobby being pressured by his mortgage company to borrow more money when he was trying to pay it off. They all agreed that the mortgage crisis is not over, that it's only just the beginning. Rosie wondered whether Goldman Sachs are the bad guys because she said that's where all her money is invested.

PEGGY BROXTERMAN
Peggy Broxterman was on the phone to talk to Rosie. Peggy lost her 42 year old son Paul Gregory Beatty Broxterman 15 years ago in the Oklahoma City bombing. Paul was a federal officer with Housing and Urban Development and was on the 5th floor of the building just above the nursery at the the bombing. He had only been on the job for 3 days and had just been transferred there from Arizona. She didn't even know yet what building he was working in. Peggy said that her other son called her that morning and told her about the bombing and that he thought it was the building Paul was working in. Peggy said she didn't believe it and battled with denial over his death for a long time.

Paul was the oldest of 3 boys and he had 4 children of his own that ranged in age from 15 to 7 at the time of his death. Rosie and Peggy talked about the unique bond a parent often shares with their oldest child and what a special relationship it is.

Rosie asked Peggy what it felt like to witness the execution of Timothy McVeigh. Peggy said, "It was marvelous." She said she wanted to "see that Son of a Bitch die." Peggy said there were hundreds in the lottery to witness the execution and she was called to be one of the few that could witness it. She said she was "thrilled to death" when she found out she was chosen. Rosie asked if she had any fear over witnessing the execution and she said she did not. Peggy said she wanted to see this happen. Peggy went with a friend whose brother was killed in the bombing and described walking into the room and being seated. She said that Timothy mainly looked at his family and she said it was hard to control the urge to stomp on him or strangle him herself. Peggy said she put a picture of her son Paul up against the glass and she said aloud "You son of a bitch" and someone behind her said "Amen." She said his death itself appeared easy and he just closed his eyes and "went to sleep."

She said the group of witnesses were happy afterward and they had counselors, ministers, and Rabbis available to them but no one needed them. Peggy sort of apologized for her glee to Rosie and Rosie said that she was entitled to any feelings she has. She told Peggy not to feel badly and explained that she had no judgment.

Peggy said that she followed the Terry Nichols trial and was very disappointed when he only got life in prison and not the death penalty too. Peggy befriended Terry's wife after she apologized to her outside the courthouse for what her husband had done. She said she had compassion for Terry Nichols son who was in trouble with the law and Peggy wrote a letter to the court on his behalf. Rosie was impressed that Peggy felt such compassion for the son of the man that participated in the killing of her son - the boy that had to live with the fact that his father was a mass murderer and an American Terrorist.

Rosie asked Peggy how her grandchildren (Paul's children) are doing and she said fine and then corrected herself and said well, not fine. She said they didn't take advantage of the situation as they should have. She said her daughter-in-law got remarried 9 months after Paul's death and she said her grandchildren were completely neglected. She said they had their college paid for by the government but didn't take advantage of it. She said she often thinks about how life would have been different if Paul had lived.

Peggy said she's now 79 years old and could have never fathomed that her life would take this turn. Peggy's first husband was killed at the age of 28 in a car accident and she always had a feeling that Paul would never reach old age. She said her son Paul lived a good, full life and described him as adventuresome and trustworthy. She said he got his degree in Criminal Justice and became a Mormon as an adult but "wouldn't give up his beer though." She said when she visits Paul's grave she will take a bottle of beer and pour it on his grave.

Peggy ended the conversation with Rosie by telling her how much she admired her and her documentary All Aboard. She said that they all have something in common and she understands that feeling Rosie and the other gay families have on the cruise amongst people that understand the struggles that they face because she feels the same way when she goes to memorials to be with others who have lost someone in the bombing.

Rosie thanked Peggy for calling in and sharing her story and told her she'd love to have a beer with her one day.

CALLERS
Rosie spoke to a caller about Glee and Oprah's Sirius program. She gave her a Glee prize pack and $50 gift card to Proflowers.com. The caller asked about the puppy she was going to buy Vivi but Rosie said that Vivi has decided that she wants a hamster, not a puppy. The caller suggested that Rosie look into buying her a Shih Tzu because she said they are hearty and like a teddy bear.

Rosie spoke to another caller who recommended she go to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The caller said that Rehoboth is very gay and family friendly. She told him to write her through askro and send her a link to it and she'd email him back and they could talk about it.

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Rosie closed the show.

and that's what you missed - kw