3-31-11 - American Idol, Blending Families and Author Ron Hall

In case you missed it...

AMERICAN IDOL AND SOME HINTS AS TO WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN JUNE!
Rosie and the staff started today's broadcast discussing last night's American Idol!  Pete, who is only 30 years old, wasn't familiar with the fact that Elton John is bald and was surprised when they showed old footage of his balding hair.  Rosie thought it was funny that Pete wasn't familiar with Elton John because Pete's so young but thinks Elton has some fantastic hair pieces.  Deirdre likes it that Elton rocks his hairpiece in spite of the fact that everyone knows he's bald.   Bobby said last night's episode reminded him what a great songwriter Elton John is.  Rosie thought Casey Abrams did GREAT but she wished he would have shaved off his beard.  Janette gave Casey a lot of credit for coming back and standing up under the pressure of almost being voted off.  They played audio from the show last night of Casey and James Durbin.  During James' song Rosie realized she's been singing the wrong lyrics her entire life!  They also played Haley Reinhart's performance.  I LOVED IT!  Her voice reminds me of Natasha Bedingfield.  I LOVE her.  Bobby thinks Haley has the best control of her voice but said she could work on her performance.  Pia Toscano and James Durbin are Bobby's favorites.

Rosie admitted she voted for her favorite contestants for the first time last night!  She voted for James, Casey and Haley.  Rosie took a call from a listener who heard Casey and Haley are a couple.  Rosie and the staff were happy for them if it's true!  Rosie talked about the extreme pressure and stress she felt when she did Star Search in 1984.  She then took a call from a listener who she discussed American Idol with, who revealed she once sent in her Partridge Family lunchbox to The Rosie O'Donnell Show in an attempt to get tickets to the show.  The caller never got tickets and Rosie never got the lunchbox.  :(  Rosie encouraged the caller to try again for tickets and come to Chicago when her new show starts on OWN.  The caller asked Rosie if she's sad to be leaving Sirius and Rosie said she was.  Rosie said her time on Sirius has been really great and that she begged them to pay her more money so she could break even with what it costs for her to put on the show.  They would not.  She said it's time for her to do something else because opportunity knocked.  And Rosie said she's pretty sure the radio staff is going to get their thing!  The caller said it would be a shame not to have the show continue in some way.  Rosie agreed and so did Janette!

GETTING ARCHIE A HAIRCUT, DEIRDRE GETS HACKED AND LOTTERY WOES
Rosie said she took Tracy's son Archie to get a haircut yesterday at the Palisades Mall.  Archie has Autistic features and although he's quite verbal, he's quick to have a meltdown.  But he really needed his hair cut so Rosie took him to the man who's been cutting her boys' hair since they were little.  Rosie knew it was going to be a challenge for her to get him to do it because Archie does NOT like haircuts.  Rosie promised to buy him a toy after his haircut and that was all it took to convince him!  Archie was all about the toy.  And he did it!  Rosie said it was a really good day and she really needed that alone time with Archie yesterday.  Rosie talked about the difficulties of blending two already formed families when the parents fall in love with each other.  She talked about how smart Archie is but how limited his diet is.  He recently just added cream cheese to his diet.  Now he eats cream cheese, bananas, peanut butter and carrots.  That's it.  Then she joked about what a horrible cook Tracy is and said she called her the other night while she was making a Cranberry Pasta Sauce that Rosie said sounded disgusting but was probably right up Tracy's alley. 

Last week, Rosie got several strange emails from Deirdre.  At first Rosie thought Deirdre was drunk, then she thought she was on serious drugs and then she picked up the phone to see if she was alright!  Deirdre realized her email was hacked!  And "detective Bobby" figured out how it happened!  In the car the other morning Deirdre told Bobby about a commercial she saw with a miniature (12 inch) giraffe in it.  Deirdre found a website where they're breeding these tiny giraffes and she signed up for one by giving them her email address and password!  Turns out is was a scam. No, really?  Bobby couldn't believe that Deirdre fell for it!  Bobby looked up the website because he got concerned and lo and behold it was a scam.  That was most likely how Deirdre got her email hacked. Rosie said Deirdre is fairly intelligent and it's shocking to her that such a cynical, bitchy, New Yorker could fall for such a scam.  Deirdre's defense was that she once owned sea monkeys!  Janette said the difference here is that sea monkey's are REAL and 12-inch tiny giraffes are NOT REAL.

Amanda shared a story about the group of New Yorkers that recently won $319 million in the Mega Millions.  Turns out this group works together and one of the workers who normally goes in on the lottery tickets decided against participating and that was the week they all won.  A debate began over whether or not the group should give the guy who didn't participate a portion of the winnings.  Everyone had differing opinions. If it were Amanda, she would definitely give the coworker a portion of her winnings because if it was her she would want someone to do the same.  Rosie felt the opposite.  She said because he didn't enter the drawing with the rest of them that was fate speaking and he wasn't supposed to get the money for some reason.  Janette felt the same as Amanda and said she would throw the poor guy some money.  Rosie said she had a friend who was out in Vegas playing the slots when Rosie was performing at Caesar's Palace.  The woman was playing for a while at a certain slot machine and then moved to a different machine.  A man came up to the machine she was playing on earlier, started to play and immediately won the jackpot.  Rosie said that experience almost ruined her friend's life because of the regret she felt.  Rosie said she believes things happen as they're supposed to happen and you can't keep thinking "that should have been mine" for the rest of your life or it will ruin it.  Janette said she believes in teamwork and propping each other up and she would definitely give a coworker some money if they missed out on winning the lottery with the group.  Rosie took several callers with differing opinions.  One listener said a similar situation happened to her father-in-law except he was the one who didn't participate in the lottery drawing at his office the week they won.  None of the winners gave him a penny of their winnings.  The caller said, to this day, when her mother and father-in-law see the people who won around town, there's resentment.  Janette said humanity should come before greed but Rosie still thought if it was meant to be then it was meant to be.

Pete said if he won the lottery he would definitely quit his job, watch TV and learn how to make furniture like he's always wanted to.  Rosie explained to Pete that she did that!  She said she had enough money so she'd never have to work again so she quit her job and for 4 years she did everything she ever wanted to do.  Then she started to say to herself, "Now what?!"  She said having enough money so that you can quit working is not the utopia that you imagine.  Janette agreed and said she needs to work and do what she loves in order to be happy because life needs a forward trajectory.   

LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE DIFFICULT AND COSTELLO'S WORDS FOR TRUMP
Rosie took a call from a listener who went to see the I AM documentary in D.C. recently.  Rosie and the caller talked about what a great film it is.  Rosie said one of the things she loves about the film is that Shadyac presents the subject matter of the film in a consumable and understandable way without being preachy.  Rosie said the film, which she watched with her girlfriend Tracy, had a profound effect on her.  Rosie admitted her relationship with Tracy and all the kids they have between the two of them, has been difficult and they've been working on it.  In Shadyac's movie they discussed how everything we do effects everything in the world  and that is exactly how Tracy lives her life!  Rosie said the film has had a profound effect on her own life too.   

Rosie said she recently saw a CNN reporter Karen Costello slamming Donald Trump and she thought to herself,  "I hope she knows what she's stepping into!"  Rosie wondered if Trump will retaliate against Costello the way he once did against her.  Janette didn't think so.  She thinks Costello is not a big enough star to grab Trump's attention in the same way and she said he only attacks people when he's looking for publicity.  Rosie just felt like warning Carol in case she doesn't know the storm she's brought against her.  See the video Rosie was talking about below:

RON HALL

Rosie then introduced Ron Hall, the coauthor of Same Kind of Different As Me: A Modern-Day Slave, an International Art Dealer, and the Unlikely Woman Who Bound Them Together who was on the telephone for the interview.  Rosie told Ron she had read his book years ago but a listener to the show called in recently who saw Denver Moore speak and tell the catch and release tale. Rosie said the story has remained so vivid in her mind that she thought she remembered seeing it in a movie!  Ron said they're in talks for a movie deal and he hopes that he'll be able to announce that news soon!  Rosie asked Ron to tell the story of catch and release, and he did.

Ron said his wife had a dream that they should help in a homeless shelter and a premonition from God that Ron should befriend a man there that would change their lives.  So Ron and his wife went to a homeless shelter and that's where they met Denver Moore.  Denver was a very angry man threatening to kill everyone in the shelter.  Ron's wife pointed to Denver and said that was the man she had dreamt about and God wants Ron to be his friend!  Ron said he was reluctant at first but pursued Denver.  After a few months of trying without success, Denver finally asked Ron what he wanted from him.  Ron explained he just wanted to be his friend and Denver told him he'd have to think about it.  Ron couldn't believe that Denver, a homeless man, had to think about being his friend! 

One day Denver asked Ron about the sport of catch and release fishing.  Ron explained the spot of catch and release fishing but Denver didn't understand it.  Denver explained how on the plantation he grew up on they fished for food.  Denver said if Ron was just a white man fishing for a friend and he was just going to catch and release, he had no desire to be his friend.  Ron said those were the wisest words he ever heard on friendship.  Ron promised Denver that he wasn't going to treat his friendship like a catch and release sport.   And they've been friends ever since.

Ron loved his wife very much but she sadly passed away from cancer.   While Ron's wife was dying, Denver would give them the most incredible spiritual messages from God.  Ron said Denver was never wrong about anything he said but the doctors were often wrong.  After Ron's wife died Denver moved in, quit drinking and began working with the homeless.

Rosie said Ron's book is very inspiring and a tale everyone should read.  Ron said cities, high schools and universities have adopted it because it's a great story of hope and forgiveness.   Ron and Denver now travel all over the country speaking and have raised over $70 million for the homeless.  Rosie thanked Ron for calling in and expressed her hopes that the book will soon become a film.  She asked Ron if they get the movie deal, if he would call in and announce it on her show!  Ron promised he would!  Rosie highly recommend the book to all her listeners.   

MIKE HUCKABEE'S REQUIRED READING
Rosie and the staff then wanted to discuss Mike Huckabee's recent comments that every single young person should be forced at gunpoint to listen to every David Barton message because they'd be better for it.  Rosie wanted to know WHO David Barton is!  Pete explained that Barton is a historian with a degree in religious studies who writes books about how the true founding fathers and true meaning of the Constitution was that we should all be Christians and that Christianity should be taught in public schools.  This is what David Barton believes.  

OPEN CALLS
Rosie then opened the phone lines to unscreened phone calls from listeners!  The first caller asked Rosie how she finds time to read as much as she does.  Rosie said she never knows how to answer this question.  She said it's just what she does and that she's rarely awake and not ingesting some form of art.  She couldn't really explain how she does it, she just does.  Rosie recommended the caller read Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.

Rosie took a call from a listener who asked how she should explain being gay to her 9 year old twin boys.  There was a little girl in the neighborhood using the word "gay" in a derogatory way so the mom explained to the kids that gay is not a bad word and that gay is okay.  Then she found out that her son used it as a slur against a bully at school.  Rosie recommended she further explain to the boy that gay is okay and that some people are going to like people of the same gender.  She also recommended the caller teach her son some better comebacks to use against bullies.  Lastly, Rosie recommended the caller explain from her own experience how bullying affected her when she was a child.

Rosie took a call from a listener who asked Rosie if Donald Trump has so much money, why he never got braces for himself or his boys.  Rosie wasn't sure.  She never noticed his teeth because his hair was always too distracting.  

One caller recommended Rosie read The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.  Rosie said she's not really a fan of novels but said she would read it and thanked the caller for the recommendation. 

Rosie took a final call from a listener who is big fan of Jeannie's because she works with special needs children.  She called to remind Rosie that April is National Autism Awareness Month and to thank Rosie for all she does to bring awareness to the disability.  The caller has two boys with Autism ages 15 and 20.  One is non-verbal and one has some language.  The caller's older son lives at a school nearby and she visits him twice a week.  The caller spoke with Rosie about the struggle she went through over trying to make that decision to send him away. Rosie thanked the caller for sharing her story and said she can't imagine how hard it must be to have two kids with Autism.  The caller said they are a gift.  :)   

I wasn't going to post this BUT..... since the caller brought it up!  I made this in honor of Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd.  My son is almost 6 and has Autism.  I hope you enjoy it.  Don't forget to LIGHT IT UP BLUE for Autism on April 1st and 2nd!  xo

and that's what you missed - kw

3-30-11 - Twitter Talk, DWTS, Hair Removal and Judy Gold!!

In case you missed it...

NUCLEAR POWER, TWITTER, AND JANETTE'S MMFC
Rosie and the crew started today's broadcast discussing the weird spring weather.  Deirdre doesn't like the summer so she doesn't mind the fact that it might snow later in the week.  They also discussed the fight they had in the car on the drive to work this morning about whether or not the Hudson River was clean enough to swim in.  Bobby said he would jump in it to prove that it's clean and Rosie didn't want him to! 

They briefly discussed the nuclear crisis in Japan.  Rosie remarked on how brave the workers are to stick around and wondered whether or not they realize the risks.  She said she was a bit freaked out when she heard the newscasters reference Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant which is just outside New York City on the Hudson River.  Pete then explained to the staff how a nuclear power plants produce energy.  Janette and Rosie hope the world learns from this though neither one was certain anything will change.  Pete said nuclear energy is a very clean energy (in comparison) except for these types of events.

Rosie dispelled the Twitter rumor (is that a Twumor?) that Jackie Chan is dead.  She said it is not true and wondered how these rumors get started.  She thought about giving a gift to her 100,000th follower (she's past 100,000 followers since the broadcast, btw) and then decided against it because people wrote to her and said they were just going to unfollow her and refollow her in an attempt to be the 100,000th person.  Deirdre and Bobby commented again on how they don't get Twitter and prefer Facebook and Rosie again said how she doesn't like Facebook and prefers Twitter.  Again.  :)  I'm just going to cut and paste that sentence into my blog everyday.  lol

Rosie watched the founders of Twitter and Martha Stewart on Piers Morgan last night.  She did a hilarious impersonation of Martha explaining how she uses Twitter for an instant focus groups on her ideas.  Rosie said she doesn't use her Twitter for promotion but said she uses it for fun.  She also loves to block people who say mean things to her!  She said blocking is a feature she thoroughly enjoys!   Rosie admitted she's "abandoned" her blog in favor of Twitter but said her blog/website will be revamped when she launches her show on OWN.  Rosie took a call from a listener who is a new subscriber to Twitter.  The caller enjoys following Rosie and she also said she enjoys following the snake that escaped the Bronx Zoo. (I looked for it but couldn't find it. And not for nothing, but I can't believe they haven't found the snake yet when he's been Twittering where he is every moment!  Yes, I stole that joke from someone else on Twitter.) Rosie said she loves getting to know Kevin Smith better through Twitter but said he tweets far too much.  She said she wants to meet him because she feels a kinship with him.  Kevin is often down on himself over his weight and Rosie can relate.  Rosie said she wants to send out gifts like she did to all the blog followers back in the day.  Pete remembered the debacle of the yellow mouse pads and all the packages that got returned because people had entered fake addresses when they signed up for the blog.  Rosie ordered and sent out (meaning Pete sent out) 250,000 mouse pads!  She loved it because people were so happy to get a gift!  Rosie took a call from a listener in Chicago who was very excited that she will be taping her OWN show there!  He was one of the yellow blog recipients and said it got all gross because he used it for many years but he loved it too.  Rosie asked for his email address so she could take him out for pizza next time she's there.  Rosie took a call from a listener who is a regular commenter on the blog.  He's a frequent caller to the radio show too and said he's sad she's leaving because he'd never have had a chance to talk with her if it weren't for the radio show.  Rosie said she'll miss it too and said she hopes to carry the authenticity she feels doing radio on to her television show.   Rosie said she always wanted to be famous and said she's not sure how it would have been for her if she had the same access to celebrities that people have today.  She said she knows she would have been obsessed!  She talked about the times she used to go see a Broadway show and see the performers come out the stage door.  None of the performers were known until she saw Lucie Arnaz in They're Playing Our Song. Rosie said it was mind boggling to see her in real life.  Rosie wrote to Lucie during her time on Broadway and Lucie wrote her back three times!!!  Rosie remembered seeing the first envelope she ever received from Lucie and how it made her heart stop.

Janette was excited because she got an email from a little boy she really bonded with when she was on her last Medical Missions for Children trip.  He had such a severe deformity she wasn't sure her group was even going to be able to help him.  But they did and Janette and the boy now email each other.  :) 

DANCING WITH THE STARS AND HAIR REMOVAL
Rosie loves the show Dancing With the Stars but said she was upset the reveal show was two hours long.  Rosie thought the guy who got kicked off was very likable but she said he couldn't dance so it made sense he was the next to go.  She's also sick of seeing all the women cry in their montage tapes (though she admits she would never be brave enough to the show and said she would probably cry too).  There was a short discussion about the size of Wendy Williams' breasts and whether or not they are real.  No one in the studio understood why anyone would choose to have boobs that big.  Janette said some women think their entire attractiveness is based on their "knobs."  Rosie said Tracy has recently lost a lot of weight due to stress and she also lost all of her boobs!  Even their daughters have noticed her boobs are gone.  Janette was "flat like a boy" her entire life and loved it, until menopause, that is.  Then she grew huge "B" jugs and a beard.

This launched a great hair removal debate.  Rosie wanted to know what's with the facial hair now that she's in her 50s?!  (meanwhile she's still in her 40s, but that's beside the point) Rosie said she hasn't grown a beard as Janette described it but she has grown Brillo-y, wiry facial hairs.  Deirdre described and recommended her hair removal treatment Lucy Peters.  She said it's like electrolysis but slightly different and is about the same pain as a tattoo.  Pete read from the website and described the technology behind the Lucy Peters Integrated System.  Deirdre said this method totally worked for her!  Janette prefers to shave.   Rosie said she's tried that but Tracy recently noticed she had light blond hairs growing back on her chin and Rosie was embarrassed!  Deirdre heard shaving makes your hair grow back thicker and Janette and Bobby explained how that isn't true.    Janette likes shaving and said the constant exfoliation actually helps you look younger! 
Bobby used to have a friend who did electrolysis before he became a murderer!  He hated shaving the back of his hair so he had laser treatment to remove it.

Rosie said she recently recorded some promos for upfronts where she talked about what her new show is going to be about on OWN.  She said she watched them back and said she couldn't believe how much older she looks on television now.  She really noticed the difference between how she used to look on television and how she looks today.  She wasn't upset about looking older and doesn't want to correct it by plastic surgery, but she did notice it in a big way.  She said she's glad she's not known for her beauty because she could see how that would be upsetting as you age. Rosie mentioned her good friend Sharon Gless who is almost 68 and how fantastic she looks though Sharon never thinks so.  Rosie wondered if all the makeup she had to wear in the promos made her look even older.  Janette said thinking about the fact that she's almost 60 always makes her think about her impending death.   She had a little botox and restalin many years ago and hopes she doesn't have to have any major plastic surgery in her lifetime but said she would if she had to for work related purposes.  

CHRIS BROWN ON DWTS
Rosie and the staff discussed Chris Brown who was on DWTS last night.  Rosie, Bobby and Janette really liked his performance and said they never realized what a great dancer he was.  Bobby said he was able to get past all the drama that surrounds Chris and just enjoy the performance itself.  Janette agreed.  Janette also doesn't refuse to see Mel Gibson's movies since he had those nasty phone-calls leaked to the media.  Rosie admits that certain things celebrities do affects her and whether or not she'll see their work.  She said she can't get past what Woody Allen did so she understands when people feel that way.  Rosie took a call from a listener who cannot get past what Chris Brown did after the interview with Robin Roberts on Good Morning America.  Rosie said they're not trying to justify abuse but they're trying to look at the cultural significance of it.  Rosie then read parts of an article about Rihanna from Rolling Stone Magazine about how she likes rough sex.   

Rosie talked briefly about Chris Brown's upbringing and how when he was 11 years old he told his mom he would go to jail for killing his stepfather who used to physically abuse his mother.  Chris said living with his stepfather made him terrified all the time.  Rosie said violence is never the answer but said she isn't surprised at the whole situation either.  Janette said it's our culture and how we're all so quick to judge others. 
Rosie took another call from a listener who had been a victim of violence.  She passionately asked Rosie WHY does Rihanna liking S&M have anything to do with Chris beating the crap out of her?!  She told Rosie she was blaming the victim by putting those two things together in one breath.  Rosie said she wasn't blaming the victim but saying the situation is more complex than he is the Antichrist and she is an angel.  She said we have to look at the totality of the situation and not just blame and assign roles.  The caller said Rosie is saying Rihanna had it coming and Rosie said that wasn't what she was saying at all.  Rosie said they're both children of abuse, poverty and violence had those backgrounds surely played a part in their relationship.  She said we can't expect them to be different just because they're famous.  Janette said when you enjoy rough sex you create an environment where something can go too far.  The caller was emphatic that violence is never an option and that human beings have to be able to control ourselves.  Rosie said prisons would be empty if everyone everyone could control themselves.  Rosie asked the caller her race (which was Hispanic).  The caller said Brown should have held it together and not victimized the people around him with his uncontrollable anger.  She said he should have done it in private if he had to be violent because it sends a bad message.  Rosie told the caller she could live in a land where everyone is in control of their emotions but said she's not sure all humans are able to do that.  It was a heated discussion!

JUDY GOLD
Rosie then introduced the hilarious Judy Gold!  Judy has been traveling a lot and she talked with Rosie all about the ear pain she's had recently due to flying.  She said her neighbor poured hydrogen peroxide in her ear but now it's worse!  Rosie had her ear drum burst once on a long flight from New York to Los Angeles! 

Rosie and Judy both have teenagers and  are equally frustrated over the fact that everything is a negotiation.  Judy has been sick so she made her oldest put his and her dishes into the dishwasher after dinner.  She promised him he could go play basketball after he did it and then she remembered he still had homework so she said he had to do that first.  He was so furious with her (because she was so unfair) he TOOK HIS DISHES OUT OF THE DISHWASHER!  This story made Rosie so happy because she's going through the same thing with Parker.  They then joked about getting felt up going through the security screening at the airport.  Judy said she got a patdown recently and felt completely violated. 

Judy talked about her recent experience of storytelling at The Moth.  She said it was amazing but she said everyone who tells their story is brilliant and she felt really intimidated.  She told a story about her mother who in grammar school used to go to the synagogue and sit in the boys' Hebrew class when girls weren't allowed to study Hebrew.  She said she talked about how "Jewey" she grew up and how she abandoned her religion for a while.  Then years later when she had her own son she came back to it. 

Judy told a hilarious story of how she had to perform a standup act in the sanctuary of a Jewish Center with children in the audience!  She told a story about her 9 year old picking out men on the subway for their gay nanny.  (I can try to retell these stories but I'd never do them justice) And she talked about her son who can say any word backwards!  Judy said she's trying to figure out best how to exploit his talent to make money from it.  Both Rosie and Judy talked about the frustrations they have over trying to get their boys to take showers.  In order to fix this problem, Rosie pretended to get an email from his teacher saying all fourth graders need to take a shower every night before they can come to school.  He believed her and it worked! Rosie said when she sees people with adorable babies now she points to her eldest and says, "Enjoy it now because this is what your baby is going to turn in to and you're going to hate it."  lol
Rosie closed the show saying Judy Gold will be back!  (next Tuesday possibly?)

and that's what you missed - kw 

3-29-11 - Rosie's Harpo Studio Announcement!

In case you missed it...

DWTS, GAINING WEIGHT, AND AIRPORT BODY SCANNERS
Rosie started today's broadcast discussing last night's Dancing With The Stars!  She loves Kirstie Alley on the show.  Rosie thinks she looks great and thinks she's a great dancer too.  Rosie also enjoys Ralph Macchio.  Rosie likes DWTS in general but said she doesn't always understand the judges critiques, probably because she's never danced ballroom.  No one in the studio thinks Wendy Williams is a very good dancer.  Rosie took a call from a listener who loves Kirstie too and called her "feisty" and "young at heart."  Rosie agreed.    Rosie said she thought there was a lot of flirting going on between Kirstie and her partner and said she wouldn't be surprised if they were "knockin boots" when it's over! 

Rosie was sad to report she gained back five of the pounds she lost while on vacation.  But today she is fully back to her diet and recommitted.  Janette read an article recently about gaining weight that said one of the places people are programmed to gain weight is on vacation so she shouldn't feel bad.  Bobby said he knows performers who will diet before vacation in preparation for the weight they will surely gain when they are on it. 

Rosie said she flew back from Miami on Jet Blue because it's hard to get Tracy to fly American Airlines.  Rosie said Tracy will calculate the difference in the tickets and then tell her how many prosthetic limbs or cleft palates that money could have provided.  During their trip they had to make the choice of whether or not to be scanned or to have a pat-down.  Rosie was selected to go through the full body scanner but chose to opt out.  Just before she left on vacation she read that the TSA may have miscalculated the amount of x-ray radiation they estimated the machine gives out by up to 10 times!   Not to mention after stripping down to almost nothing she said she's just waiting to be in a tabloid article of "celebrities are just like us!"  Because she opted out she received a pat-down.  Rosie and the woman giving her the pat-down were both very uncomfortable.  The woman who patted Tracy down found traces of explosives on her gloves so she had to go have a private search!  Janette warned never go into a private room for a search because you could either get strip-searched or die!  Everyone laughed at Janette's doomsday philosophy and wondered what the heck she was talking about!  Turns out she was referencing to THIS ARTICLE she remembered from 2007.  Rosie said the entire screening process was very anxiety provoking and nerve-wracking.  She took calls from listeners who also shared their own stories.  Rosie took a call from a listener who is a breast cancer survivor who worried about the amount of radiation.  She said when she questioned the TSA about it they told her there was no radiation and didn't provide any other alternatives. Rosie agreed that the TSA needs to be more forthcoming with the risks and the options to opt out and said you cannot even believe you're in America when it's happening to you.  Rosie also questions the need for the scanners because the people insisting we have them at every airport are also the ones profiting from it!  Bobby doesn't see a problem with the scanners and is fully willing to go through them.  Rosie thought we should be fully informed of our rights before we go through and Bobby agreed with that.  Rosie took another call from a listener who was also a breast cancer survivor who had just had reconstructive surgery before she went through a scanning machine at the airport.  She said the TSA personnel couldn't recognize what they had seen on her scan and they pulled her to the side and searched her.  She said she felt humiliated and violated and began to cry.  Rosie thanked her for calling in and sharing her story and congratulated her on beating breast cancer. 

All this talk of radiation, made Rosie think about what's happening in Japan.  She said when the news of the nuclear crisis in Japan hit the news, she began to google the Chernobyl survivors (or if there were any).  Rosie only found one woman who survived the cleanup who is still alive today.  She has illnesses due to radiation poisoning and her message to the cleanup workers was to RUN AWAY as fast as you can.  She said there is no way the government is telling you everything that's going on because they don't even know and they don't want you to know the truth because the nuclear industry is so powerful. 

Rosie took a call from a listener who has son with Autism who had a feeding tube and hates to be touched. She wondered what would happen to her son if he had to go through a scanner or get a pat-down.  Rosie told a story about Blake getting a pat-down after 9/11 when he was very young and still very speech-delayed.  Rosie had to keep telling the TSA personnel that he couldn't understand their directions.  Rosie said she would never let one of her children get scanned.    Rosie then took several more callers on the topic of airport body scanners.

ROSIE WILL TAPE HER NEW SHOW AT HARPO STUDIOS!
Rosie was happy and excited to announce that she will be taping her new show that starts in September 2011 at Harpo Studios in Chicago!  She thinks she'll do it where she will work one week on and then have one week off.  She and Kelli will keep their home base of New York and they will still have joint custody of the kids.  Rosie gets access to Oprah's entire team and the entire studio!!  Rosie is very excited to head out there in July and spend the summer in Chicago.

Rosie said she's been watching Season 25: Oprah Behind the Scenes and loving it (though it makes her a little nervous now knowing she'll be working there).  She mentioned how Oprah had a live tweet-a-thon during the last episode of the show and during Part 1 of her Master Class.  Follow Oprah on Twitter HERE.   Bobby loves all those shows too and said he also loves Lisa Ling's Our America.  Rosie said some of the Oprah staff will stay on and they will also hire some new people. 

Rosie was so excited when she was tweeting with Oprah yesterday about the film I Am!  Oprah then called Rosie last night to ask her what Tom Shadyac was like in person and Rosie told Oprah how amazing he is.  Jeannie was in the studio yesterday and she agreed.  She said Tom beats going to church and said his perspective on the world is fascinating.  Rosie knows the film I Am is "right up Oprah's alley" and follows along with what Oprah tries to do with her own life.  Rosie is hoping Oprah will help get his movie seen by even more people. 

Rosie said June 1st, 2011 will be their last Rosie Radio broadcast.  Janette has been doing Martha Stewart Living Radio and although she loves it, they haven't offered her anything permanent.  She's not sure she fits the Martha Stewart brand, per se but said she would welcome the opportunity if it arises!  If not, she's hopeful she will get something with Sirius but she's also looking elsewhere.  Meanwhile her house fell apart.  She has extensive water damage and also has to do some structural changes to it to the cost of $46,000!  When her father visited that house he told her it was built incorrectly and at the time she was annoyed but now she realizes he was right.  She loves the house though and said she would have bought it anyway. 

Did you listen to Janette on Martha Stewart Living Radio last week?!  Wasn't she awesome?!  Don't forget to join the Facebook page to keep Janette on Sirius and post on Martha Stewart Living's Facebook page to tell them how much you enjoyed Janette!!! 

Rosie asked Janette if she was nervous about not having a job after June and she said she was.  Everyone on the staff said they were nervous about it.  Rosie asked how the job prospects are today. Pete and Janette said they haven't seen many prospects out there.  Rosie said this next move will be a big transition for everybody.  She said if you would have told her a year ago that this is what would be happening in her own life she never would have believed it.  And she said the only thing that is constant is change.  Janette agreed and said in life we go through the doors that open and sometimes what we do with our lives is based on what's presented to us.  As for me, I put in my resume to become a substitute teacher.  I will miss connecting to you all though, terribly.  But I would rather have had this opportunity and had to say goodbye to it than to never have had this opportunity at all though, right?  That's what I tell myself anyway....

THOUGHTS ON CHRIS BROWN REVISITED
Since yesterday's show, Rosie has been researching Chris Brown's past and his music.  All the research she did on him really made her understand him even more and where he is coming from.  She wanted to make it clear that she never was condoning violence but she's also not going to pretend it doesn't exist.  Rosie said she simply has compassion for Brown and she can't pretend she doesn't.  Janette said we've all become Shirley Jackson's The Lottery waiting for the next person to stone and that's what Chris Brown's story does to us.  Rosie read what Russel Simmons said about it and how we all cannot be defined for the rest of our lives by what we do at such a young age.  He also said in the world Chris Brown grew up in, it was normal to him.  Not that it's right, but it was normal.  Rosie said it's hard (if not impossible) to completely exorcise our past from our lives.  She also enjoyed what Kevin Powell had to say in his open letter to Chris Brown and she read parts of it on the air.  Rosie thought Kevin's take was pretty interesting and said she would love to talk to him.   

THE PRESIDENT'S SPEECH, DONALD TRUMP AND THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE WARS
Rosie and the staff briefly discussed Obama's birth certificate and Donald Trump's display of his own birth certificate in an attempt to cater to the Tea Party.  Turns out it's Trump's birth certificate that is now in question because it doesn't have a seal or signature of the city register.  Also, Donald Trump saying no one knew Obama in Kindergarten is not true.  Rosie wondered why people like Piers Morgan are looking to Donald Trump on his opinion of President Obama's speech!

In regards to Obama's speech, here's the gist: Bobby loved it and Janette hated it.  Rosie said, "surprise, surprise."  Then there was a heated debate between Bobby (ever the Obama supporter) and Janette (ever the naysayer conspiracy theorist) regarding the speech.  Bobby defended that we're not in an actual war and Pete, Rosie and Janette DID think we're in another war.  Janette called it another preemptive war and wished the President would just be honest and say the reason we're in this war is because we're protecting our interests - NOT that we're defending injustices. If we were in the businesses of defending injustices Janette wanted to know why we aren't interfering in places like Congo and Darfur.  Bobby said the instability of the Mideast is a bigger problem for America than Darfur and Congo.  Janette said that's fine, but she just wished the President would be honest about our reasons for going there.

Rosie took several callers with varying opinions about the speech and the "war" with Libya.  Janette read a quote from last night's speech and Rosie compared it to Bush's speech before the war with Iraq.   One caller asked Janette what she would have the President say and Janette said she would prefer for the President to just be honest about our reasons that we're protecting U.S. interests!  Pete said so far our "non-war" with Libya has cost us $550 million in materials alone.  

TRACY'S SON'S SURGERY AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN THE WORKFORCE
Rosie said Tracy's son Wyatt is having open heart surgery next week.  Wyatt is 7 years old and has  Down Syndrome.  Rosie said it's hard for a child so young who doesn't really understand what is happening to him but Tracy is doing her best to prepare him for the hospital.  Rosie wondered if his panic seemed multiplied because he can't articulate what is bothering him.

Last week, Bobby went to a Home Depot in Florida and asked an employee with special needs to direct him to a certain department. The gentleman struggled so hard to answer his question Bobby said he then felt horrible for causing him so much distress.  Bobby knew the man just wanted to be part of the working force and be treated the same as everybody else.  Jeannie said it pleases her so much when she sees special needs kids in the community, making their own money.  She said she just loves it.  

Rosie said she will often ask people with a physical disability what happened to them and though she has always received a positive response from the people she asks, it can make the people she's with very uncomfortable.  But Rosie feels like it's better to just address it.  She took a call from a listener who has a huge birth purple mark over her shoulder and down her arm.  She wishes people would just ask her about it rather than stare.  And she complimented Rosie for doing so.

Rosie closed the show with a "peace out."

and that's what you missed - kw

3-28-2011 - Rosie Radio Back From Break and an Interview with Tom Shadyac!

In case you missed it...

ELIZABETH TAYLOR, BOOKS ROSIE'S READING AND PARKER'S MILITARY HOPES
Rosie started today's program talking about her flight back to New York from Miami yesterday.  A passenger on the flight came up to her to once again tell her how much worse she looks on TV than in real life.  Rosie wondered why people feel the need to say these things to her?!  And she thought perhaps it was because of the absurd amount of makeup that they make her wear on television.  Rosie said she hopes to have the minimum amount of makeup needed when she goes back to television for OWN. 

Rosie mentioned how Elizabeth Taylor died over their break.  Rosie talked about the time she went to Elizabeth Taylor's house and the times she went to dinner with her.  Elizabeth once told Rosie when walking into a crowded restaurant you should place your eyes on the seat where you are going to be seated and walk towards it without making eye contact with anyone.  Elizabeth told her THAT'S how you make an entrance!   Elizabeth then walked into that restaurant that way and every eye was on her.  Rosie talked about the work Elizabeth did with AIDS and giving a human perspective to the face of AIDS.  Meanwhile, Rosie said her teens had no idea of who Elizabeth Taylor was which continues to shock her.  She talked about the time she called Taylor after Roddy McDowall died and said Elizabeth Taylor was a kind, sweet, lovely woman.  Rosie said when anyone famous dies she immediately does the math in her head and figures out how old her children would be if she were to die at that age and whether or not they would be okay.  Jeannie said she does the same thing. 

Rosie mentioned several books she's reading.  She's reading Up from the Blue: A Novel by Susan Henderson.  She likes it but said it's jarring how real the book is to her.  (It's about kids who lose a parent.)  Tracy recommended the book to her but she said it's been traumatizing because of the memories it's bringing back to her.  She also read Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.  Unbroken is the true story of Louis Zamperini.  Rosie said it's a harrowing tale and an interesting book.  Lastly, she mentioned the book Shadows of War: Violence, Power, and International Profiteering in the Twenty-First Century.  Rosie said they're going to have the author, Carolyn Nordstrom, on the show to discuss it!

Rosie then talked about her eldest son Parker who continues to have dreams of entering the Marines.  Rosie said Parker has wanted to go into the military his entire life and even wanted to go to a military academy, though she's never let him.  She said sending Parker away for school would make her too sad!  But she talked about the challenges they've been having recently and how she feels Parker is arguing with her just for the sake of arguing.  Even though Tracy continues to point out to Rosie that it takes two to argue!  Rosie described a fight they had over him not wanting to take a shower and a fight over him not being ready to leave.  Jeannie assured Rosie that it gets better and said her daughter, who gave her such a hard time in her early teens, is now a pleasure to be around!  Jeannie said she and her daughter actually had a great conversation this weekend talking about some of the things that used to cause great stress in their relationship.  Her daughter came up to Jeannie after the discussion and told her how much she enjoyed talking to her and even told her how much she loves her.  Rosie couldn't believe it and took it as a sign that there's hope!

Rosie took some calls from listeners.  One caller was also very worried when her son started to show interest in joining the military but said it turned out to be the best thing he's ever done for himself.  Rosie said Parker has been interested in the military since he was a young boy even after Rosie has tried to show him documentaries and films that depict the realities of war.  Janette recommended Rosie let him go to a military academy or summer camp to learn more about it before he decides to enlist.  Jeannie said Rosie needs to remember that it's only when we follow our passion that we can be truly successful. Rosie took another call from female Marine whose parents tried to talk her out of enlisting.  But today she's still in the military and loves it.  Rosie said she has tremendous respect for the armed forces and thanked all the listeners for calling in. Rosie took a final call from a listener whose daughter was hanging around the wrong crowd and then joined the Navy.  The caller said her daughter learned so much about respect and hard work and the military did her a world of good.

NURSE JACKIE, CELEBRITY APPRENTICE AND TWITTER FEVER
Rosie said she was excited that Nurse Jackie returns tonight!  And she missed last night's Celebrity Apprentice so she had Bobby fill her in.  Rosie was happy to hear Dionne Warwick was fired.  She discussed the Twitter-feud she got into with Star Jones.  Rosie said she couldn't believe Star's behavior on the program and then Twittered her to tell her.  Star emailed Rosie and asked to call her personally if she ever has a problem with her instead of publicly Tweeting her.  Rosie promised she would and they've since made up. 

Rosie's a little worried about her new love for Twitter.  She said she checks it too much and worried she's addicted.  She called it "fast food for your brain."  She said the good part about Twitter is she gets to get back in touch with other celebrities that she rarely sees like Emilio Estevez, for example.    Rosie said she and Emilio had such a great time when they filmed a movie together.  They would get themselves laughing so hard they had to stop filming at sometimes!  And now they've reconnected because of Twitter and Rosie loves that.  Jeannie asked Rosie if she even got her birthday messages Jeannie posted for her on Facebook! She was pretty upset Rosie didn't respond and both Bobby and Jeannie could not understand why Rosie doesn't like it.  Rosie said Facebook felt intrusive to her and she admitted she's forgotten her password for it.  She asked Pete to delete her Facebook account but he doesn't know her password either!  

CHRIS BROWN'S TANTRUM
Rosie then wanted to talk about the latest Chris Brown incident where he threw a chair at a window after an interview with ABC's Robin Roberts. Rosie said that Chris did a horrible thing two years ago (when he beat Rihanna) but he's since apologized, done his time and admitted his wrongdoings.  She said even the judge in the case commended Chris on how well he accepted his responsibility for what he had done.   Rosie said Chris probably chose to do the interview with Robin Roberts because he had had a successful interview with her in the past and he probably trusted her.  But in the interview Robin repeatedly asks Chris about the Rihanna incident even after he addresses it.  Rosie played the audio from the interview below and counted how many times Roberts brings up the topic.   



Rosie counted 6 times that Robin mentions it to him.  She asked at what point is it considered badgering! Rosie felt as if Brown had addressed this issue, had done his time and feels he should be allowed to move on.  She also didn't know what Roberts' agenda was for asking him so many times about the incident.  Rosie said it was the same thing for her after The View incident and after the Donald Trump feud.  She said in every interview, all anyone wanted to do was ask her about were those topics.  The call screener Amanda really doesn't like Chris Brown, and said she will never forget the pictures of Rihanna's face after he beat her.  Rosie said she wasn't minimizing the incident or what he did but said since then he's done the right thing since then he should be allowed to move on from it.  Janette wondered if it could be racially related or because Chris is a rapper.  She wondered if black rappers are held to a different standard.  Rosie thought that might be why.  She said as a rapper, you are either an angel or a thug.  Rosie joked that part of her wanted to throw a chair through a window that day on The View!  (but she didn't because they were in the basement and there were no windows!)

Rosie took a call from a listener who agreed that Robin Roberts pressed Chris Brown too much in the interview.  But she also felt Chris needs anger management.  Rosie read an email she received from Tracy during the discussion.  Tracy felt completely the opposite of Rosie so Rosie invited Tracy to call in and express her opinion.  And she did!  Tracy then called in and said even the way Chris was sitting in the interview made him look like a pouting toddler.  She said if Chris  Brown had just answered Roberts' questions and addressed the subject head on she would have moved on.  Tracy said after you've been convicted of Domestic Violence having a tantrum about it doesn't help your cause. Tracy also said Brown's biggest problem in the interview was that he wasn't taking responsibility for what he had done, he was too contrite and he should have sat up straight because he looked disrespectful.  So there!  :)

Rosie took a call from a listener who said Rosie is giving Chris way too much leeway.  He said for him to damage the window the way he did he must have used a lot of force.  He also said Chris should know how to control himself better.  Rosie thought Brown was professional because he finished his interview and performance and she didn't think throwing the chair was as horrific as other people think (though she admitted she could be wrong).

Rosie briefly mentioned how Geraldine Ferraro died.  Rosie called Ferraro a lovely woman who did so much for women in politics.  Pete said Ferraro once had dinner at his house in Korea!  She also briefly mentioned George Lopez comparing Kirstie Alley on Dancing With the Stars to a pig. (see video below)  Rosie said Kirstie's forgiven Lopez but Rosie has not.

VIDEO REMOVED

Rosie said Tracy has been battling a horrible flu bug and while they were in Miami she asked her to sleep in another bedroom.  Then when Tracy said that was mean to make her sleep in another room Rosie built a wall full of pillows between them in bed so she wouldn't catch it.  Rosie asked if this was mean.  Tracy called Rosie "emotionally Autistic" because she also didn't bring Tracy anything when she was sick, like Gatorade. Rosie said she sent Parker over but she told him to leave it on the steps so he wouldn't catch it either!

TOM SHADYAC

Rosie then introduced I Am filmmaker Tom Shadyac who was in the studio for the interview. Rosie congratulated Tom on what a great job he did on the documentary considering the difficult subject matter.  Tom and Rosie discussed his former life of fame and excess and how he was making millions of dollars on a stream of very successful movies.  Then everything changed after Tom fell off his bike and suffered post-concussion syndrome.  Tom said he had to put up blackout curtains and live in a closet because the less stimuli he allowed in, the better he felt.  As he recovered from the accident he also was waking up to hypocrisies of his own life. When he looked at his moral life, Tom said he wasn't who he was trying to be in this world.  During his journey of self-discovery he realized how the natural world never takes more than it needs. If it does, it's called a cancer and it dies.  And he was taking everything he could and much more.  Tom felt we were not being told everything about humanity and he set out to find answers.  What he found was a much more positive story about humanity than we have previously heard. 

Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images North America

Tom said science can now prove basic theories like "everything we do effects everything in the world."  Tom and Rosie discussed the yogurt culture as an example of this.  In the film they put "meters" into a yogurt culture and then mentioned to Tom something that would cause an emotional reaction.  His emotional state effected the realities of the bacteria in front of him that he wasn't even connected to.  He said that experiment proves that we effect our surroundings and sayings like "laughter is contagious" and how "when we talk to our plants they thrive."  Rosie and Tom also discussed the innate democracy in nature and how it's part of our DNA to positively respond to things being fair.  

Today Tom follows a principle to live simply.  He said when the walls came down and he invited his neighbors and his community into his life, his happiness increased.  Tom said one assumes societal/financial success is equated to happiness but in reality that's untrue.  He said after we've met our basic needs more money doesn't increase your happiness.  Only being able to make and share art has ever made him happier. 

Rosie had a similar experience after she left her television show in 2002.  She said she felt scorned for turning down offers of millions of dollars to remain on television, but for her, she felt the need to return to the essence of what inspired her to create art to begin with.  Tom agreed.  He said we become artists because we want something more and then when we achieve success we hover above it and our art can stymie and stagnate.  Rosie said she aimed to be famous as if there was some place to reach and in the end she became disillusioned.  Tom said we have to rethink that theory of success and understand there is no destination to try to achieve. He said Rosie had the power to make changes all along and she didn't need to reach a certain level of fame in order to do that.  He said all the listeners can effect change right now and that sometimes the tiniest act is the most memorable act.     

I Am (trailer)

Tom said they're releasing the film I Am city by city.  CLICK HERE to find a time when it's showing at a theater near you!  Rosie said I Am is a film everyone should see.  She said it will make you reevaluate everything you are in the world. 

Tom and Rosie briefly discussed the Chris Brown incident and how we as a culture think we are separate from violence when really we all hold responsibility for it.  Tom said it's true that we are our brother's keeper.

Rosie recommended all her listeners go see the film I Am and promised Tom was going to stay for a second part of an interview that will be aired later this week.  Rosie closed the show.

and that's what you missed - kw

Happy 49th Birthday Rosie!

Post your birthday message to Rosie here and I'll give her a heads up that she has birthday greetings here too. No character limit! lol

xo

Kelly W.

Rosie Radio on vacay until March 28th.

But come back for Rosie's birthday on March 21st and we can all post our birthday messages to her here!  Remember, she's almost 50!  :)

XOXO

PS. And don't forget to listen to Janette on Martha Stewart Living Radio from 2-4pm M-Th and 1-4pm on Fridays!  Sirius 112, XM 157

-Kelly W.

3-15-11 - Tear-Jerkers, Janette's Story of Peas and RoPardy!

In case you missed it...

MURDER, SPRING BREAK AND TEARJERKER MOVIES
Rosie and the staff started today's broadcast briefly discussing the Ides of March and what it means to cross the Rubicon (what the sayings mean and where they come from).  Rosie then asked Shoshana about the article she read that claims Joran Van Der Sloot is going to plead temporary insanity in the murder of Stephany Flores.  Joran was the main suspect in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway.  Van Der Sloot is hoping to plead "violent emotion" in order to have his sentence reduced to only 20 months in prison.  Rosie and Shoshana discussed how absurd it was that he might only serve 20 months for murder.  The staff then discussed the difference between murder, premeditated murder, manslaughter and murder because of violent emotion. Janette used to be pro-death penalty until she saw the movie Dead Man Walking which totally changed her opinion.  Rosie asked if the plea of temporary insanity has ever worked to get a murderer suspect off?  Pete said the guy that killed Harvey Milk successfully got off with an insanity defense.  Shoshana doesn't want Van Der Sloot walking away in only 20 months behind bars!  And Rosie didn't think she had to worry.

Rosie and the staff discussed how the disappearance of Natalee Holloway changed American parents' minds about letting their kids go on Spring Break.  Rosie thinks it's a natural reaction but said it's a ridiculous fear because it could have happened anywhere.  However, Rosie said she doesn't think she'd ever allow her kids go on a Spring Break vacation with friends.  Bobby got really hurt skiing on a Spring Break vacation with friends and almost died!  He also said if you live in Florida during the Spring Break months, you loathe that time of year.   

Rosie and the staff discussed an article about the top tear-jerking moments in film and each then listed the movies that made them cry the most.  Rosie listed The Champ which was the first time she remembers crying at a movie and couldn't control her crying.  Then she said Trip to Bountiful which she said devastated her so badly she couldn't move from the theater until she recomposed herself.  Her final movie she listed was Schindler's List.  Shoshana listed Bogus, Selena and P.S. I Love You.  Bobby said The Diary of Anne Frank and Sybil.  Janette said The Killing Fields and Missing.  Pete first said Field of Dreams.  Rosie interrupted and said she HATED that movie.  She called it a boy movie and said she thought it was unrealistic and dumb.  Pete's second choice was Dead Poets Society.  My picks for tear-jerkers would be Terms of Endearment, Sophie's Choice and Steel Magnolias.  Here's the Steel Magnolia's scene that gets me every time!  What are yours?

Bobby admitted that he even cries at happy things!  Both Bobby and Rosie cry during musicals all the time.  They discussed the special on the 25th anniversary of Les Miserables and Rosie mentioned a funny video she loves that two of the actors from the musical did.  She said she loves British people in general except for Piers Morgan, lol.  Rosie and Piers "twitter-banter" each other back and forth.   Rosie said she's going to do Piers Morgan's show in September before her show premieres on OWN!   

FACEBOOK SUICIDE PREVENTION AND ASSISTED SUICIDE
Rosie and the staff discussed an article about how Facebook is teaming up with Samaritans to help prevent suicide.  Facebook users can alert the site if someone has posted that they are suicidal and this service will  answer that cry for help and contact the authorities.  Janette said she's a strong believer in a person's right to die and said even though she'd never do it, if she posted she was going to kill herself she'd be very upset if someone interfered by calling the police!  Rosie said she recently saw a documentary entitled How To Die In Oregon which she called beautiful and riveting. In How to Die in Oregon, the filmmaker "gently enters the lives of the terminally ill as they consider whether—and when—to end their lives by lethal overdose. What emerges is a life-affirming, staggeringly powerful portrait of what it means to die with dignity."  [source:imdb] Rosie said the film is coming to HBO this year.   Rosie said she's in in favor of assisted suicide when someone is terminally ill though she was always conflicted over it until she saw that documentary.   Janette remembered when her father was dying and how saddened she was that she couldn't help him go peacefully, as she could with her cat.  Janette's father suffered and died with two broken hips and was in a good amount of pain when he passed.  Rosie and Bobby have both been there when their friends have been dying of AIDS and the doctor comes in and gives a friend a good deal of morphine to assist in a peaceful death. Shoshana believes in the right to commit suicide but said there's a difference between physical illness and emotional distress. She doesn't think someone who is in emotional distress should be encouraged to die because they can recover from that.  Janette said she thinks suicide is horribly sad but said she believes in your right to die no matter what.  Rosie remembered the time she was in a very bad place emotionally (before she had kids) and Janette told her of her 3 month rule.  Janette's 3 month rule is "when you want to kill yourself, you must want to kill yourself at peak intensity for 3 months.  If you feel good for even a minute one day, you have to start your 3 month count over again."  That rule has helped her through some difficult times in her life. 

About How To Die In Oregon

TIME CAPSULES AND JANETTE'S CAN OF PEAS STORY

Rosie and the staff recalled the times they used to create and bury time capsules.  Rosie said she used to do it a lot but she's since forgotten where she's buried them!  They're somewhere in her old backyard.  Janette then told a hilarious story about a can of peas.  There is no way I will do this story justice but here goes.  Janette and her father once buried a can of field peas in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  It all started when her father had this can of field peas and held onto it for over 10 years!  He was tormented by the peas but didn't know what to do with them because they were now too old to eat.  But he didn't want to throw them away.  So he, Janette and her sister decided to bring the peas back to their homeland of Virginia.  Somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains they pulled over and went into a cave in the woods and buried them.  Her father even created a map of where they were buried (in case they ever need them again) and hid their footprints so no one could trace their steps.  So then, 10 years go by and her father still wonders about the peas so he used his old map, went back to Virginia and dug up the peas!  They found them!  The can had rusted and burst but they found it and in its place they buried a jar of raisins and a walnut woman.  Janette said someday she'll go back to find that too.  Then there was silence in the studio.  Rosie said the story of the peas is the most absurd story Janette's ever told and there have been some doozies over the years!  She told Janette she worries about her.

Bobby said he once buried a Cher album in a time capsule.  He said he used to go into the record stores and if he saw one of Cher's albums in the sale bin for only .99 cents he would buy it so Cher would never come into a store and see one of her albums on clearance.  Then he buried the album so the future would have her music!  Janette said she would bury a CD of her cat talking in a time capsule.  Shoshana said she would bury cash and a credit card because she's sure money is going to be going away and in the future we will only pay for things electronically.  

TANNING BEDS
There was then a brief discussion on tanning beds.  Rosie asked the staff members if they had ever been to a tanning booth and what it's like.  James goes tanning once or twice a week so he described it for Rosie.  Bobby only ever went tanning once in a tanning bed and said he got burned in straight lines from the bulbs!  Rosie was reading that doctors want to make tanning beds illegal for those who are underage because they're so dangerous.  James described a typical tanning session and what a tanning booth looks like to Rosie.  Rosie's never been to a tanning bed but said she thinks she would be too afraid she'd get third degree burns.  Pete thought the mere concept of Rosie considering going to a tanning bed sounded more ridiculous than Janette's pea story.  He said hiding peas sounds like a fun adventure but tanning in an electronic coffin is crazier. 

RO-PARDY
Jeannie, Janette and Rosie played Ro-pardy (Jeopardy style) with Pete acting as Alex Trebek.  The categories were: Triples, Oprah, Amanda, Glee and Current Events!  Each player chose a category and an amount (same as Jeopardy) and Pete provided them with the answer.  The player had to guess the question.  Janette won the first round, Rosie came in second and Jeannie came in third.

In Double Jeopardy, the categories were Health, Dog, Movies, Changes and Guest Trivia.  All the questions had to do with radio show topics or staff members at Rosie Radio.  At the end of the second round Jeannie had -850, Rosie had 6600 and Janette had 8800! 

During Final Jeopardy, each player wrote down a wager after hearing the category which was: Brendan McDonald.  The Final Jeopardy answer was:  Brendan is expecting his first child in this month.  Jeannie wagered 2000 points and guessed April.  That was incorrect!  Rosie wagered 6600 and answered June. That was incorrect! And Janette wagered 8000 and guessed May which was correct! 

JANETTE WAS THE WINNER!!!

All the plays won "shit that Pete doesn't want to move."  Jeannie won a Celtic cross carved from Cork (from the county of Cork).  Rosie got a topper to a soda cup from a zoo shaped like a white Siberian tiger (and she then proceeded to immediately throw it away)!  And Janette won a collection of superheros stamps!

TWO LIES AND ONE TRUTH
During this game each player read three statements about themselves.  The other players had to guess which statement was true.   

Pete: 1. He has been to Italy. 2. He has been on a submarine. 3. He has been to Mount Rushmore.  The true statement was he had been to Mount Rushmore. 
Janette: 1. She makes a to-do list for the next day before she goes to sleep every night. 2. She wears dirty underwear every now and then. 3. She doesn't floss.  The true statement was she doesn't floss! 
Jeannie: 1. She pooped on the delivery table when giving birth.  2. She doesn't do regular self-breast exams. 3. She slept with a guy in college whose name she didn't know.  The true statement was she doesn't do regular self-breast exams!  Both other statements were lies and no one guessed hers correctly! 
Bobby: 1. He didn't vote in the last election. 2. He once had a car accident involving a police car. 3. He was a high school archery champion. The true statement was he once had an accident involving a police car!  And Rosie guessed it!
Rosie: 1. She can hold her breath for 3.5 minutes under water.  Jeannie yelled out, "YOU CAN NOT, you can't walk up the steps without panting!"  Everyone laughed so Rosie threw that one away and tried again.  She then said she loves cottage cheese.  Janette immediately knew that was a lie too!  Rosie couldn't play this game because everyone knows everything about her.  The truth she had written down was that she likes artichokes which everyone knew.  Rosie said she sucks at this game and they moved on. 
James: 1. He never ate vegetables until he was 25 years old. 2. He once fell in pool at 3 years old and nearly drowned.  3. In 1988 he sent a letter to Whitney Houston and she sent him a picture that still hangs in his office to this day.  The true statement was that he never ate vegetables until he was 25!  Jeannie guessed it.
Lou: 1. He was in a rap video with Jay-Z. 2. He was serenaded by John Mayer. 3. He did the twist with Chubby Checker.  The true statement was he was once serenaded by John Mayer.  Lou said he interviewed John for a Jim Breuer segment and John found out he loved Pearl Jam so he started to sing some of his songs to him.  Lou said he was so embarrassed he hid under his desk. 
Shoshana: 1. She didn't get her drivers license until she was 22 years old. 2. She performed to Opposites Attract at a talent show once.  3. She had her foot ran over by a truck on the street.  The truth was that she once performed to Opposites Attract and Jeannie guessed it! 

#STUFFNOBODYSAYS
Rosie said she recently learned about hashtags on Twitter.  "The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was created organically by Twitter users as a way to categorize messages." [source: Twitter.com] Rosie said she clicked on a hashtag #stuffnobodysays and thought some of the answers were really funny!  So, she asked some of the staff members to think up their own.
 
Bobby: read off many!  A few of his funny ones were "Snooki for President. #stuffnobodysays"  "These seats in coach are so roomy. #stuffnobodysays" and "I wish they would bring back rotary dial phones. #stuffnobodysays"
Shoshana: "I hope this traffic jam never ends. #stuffnobodysays" "Weekends are too long. #stuffnobodysays" and "Yes, please tell me every detail of your last dream, it's fascinating. #stuffnobodysays"
Janette: "I'm in the mood to amputate. #stuffnobodysays" "She smokes cigarettes for lung health. #stuffnobodysays" and "Medical insurance, don't bother. #stuffnobodysays"
Pete: said "I really miss the sound of that baby crying. #stuffnobodysays" and "I sleep a lot better with kids in the bed. #stuffnobodysays"

HOW MUCH SLEEP EACH STAFF MEMBER NEEDS
Pete's sleep comment then sparked an in-depth conversation about bedtime, what time everyone goes to bed, how much sleep they all need, who likes to wake up early in the morning, who stays up late, etc.  Rosie thinks as she gets older she needs less sleep and said she sometimes stays up very late.  Janette cannot stay up late because it knocks her out the next day.  Pete and Bobby love staying up late and have to make themselves go to bed.  Shoshana, on the other hand, loves to go to bed early. Rosie thinks it's harder for her to go to sleep now and said she's even getting up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night which she never had to do.   Janette uses Proease, Procalm and Prosoma to sleep and she explained her regimen to the listening audience.  James is up and out of bed when his alarm goes off while Janette doesn't even need to set an alarm.  She can just "think" about what time she needs to wake up and she will!  

Rosie said she's going to see Celine Dion in Las Vegas tonight!  She and Tracy are going together and they're going to play blackjack!  Rosie wondered if it will be a star-studded press event.  Bobby assured her that it will be and she better dress nicely and wear makeup! 

Rosie closed the show letting listeners know Rosie Radio will be off until March 28th!  And don't forget Rosie's 49th birthday is on March 21st!!!

This week they'll be doing BEST OF ROSIE RADIO shows and don't forget to listen to Janette on Living Today on Martha Stewart Radio from 2-4 pm EST today through Thursday and 1-4 pm EST on Fridays this week and next week!  Sirius 112 and XM 157. 

and that's what you missed - kw