Ron & Jen’s Great Escape – 8-17-22 – Ron St. Pierre & Jen Brien

by Ron St. Pierre and Jen Brien, commentary

Elvis was a drug addict, too

It’s pretty insane…when you stop and think about all the talent that’s been taken because of drug and alcohol dependency. Countless actors, actresses, musicians, writers, etc., etc…

Today I was reading about Elvis. Unreal. That guy was 42 when he died – and looked 60. His prescription drug addiction was well known among his “Memphis Mafia” back then, and now, we, the public at large, know how brutal it was. 

As someone who fought their way out, I know firsthand what it’s like on the inside. 

For those that don’t get it, let me help you out. It feels like a hopeless pit that is impossible to climb out of. You feel shame and guilt, so you drink or use drugs and because you drank or used drugs you feel shame and guilt. Some days you’re fine without it, most days you count down till it’s “Miller Time”. I  personally hated the smell and taste of booze. It was simply convenient and available. What it did was take me, and obviously so many others, out of the pain that was embedded deep inside. That pain was difficult to articulate but severe enough to not want to be present. 

For those that reached the status they wanted only to find it didn’t cure that  thing” inside of them they were running from, I’m not surprised they didn’t make it out alive. Obviously, fresh on the heels of the Anne Heche tragedy, I’m thinking about all of this. Let me be clear, I didn’t care about her as an actress and haven’t seen one of her films. It’s the insanity of her passing and the use of substances I feel awful about. People who use drugs and alcohol this way are no different than gamblers, porn addicts, food addicts, relationship addicts etc., etc… but rarely do you hear a story about a car being launched in the air and into someone’s house because they were binge eating. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t judge. We all fall short and have demons. Stuff we hide, or fight, and battle with. But for the grace of God go I. No one wants to be unwell. Or die on the toilet, or drown in a bathtub, or go brain dead after an accident. 

Just saying.

Till next week my friends,

Jen

Pig pile on Tidewater

The four democratic challengers for Governor did a Tidewater pig pile on incumbent Dan McKee during a recent radio debate. Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, former Secretary of State Matt Brown, former CVS exec Helena Foulkes and health care activist Luis Daniel Munoz all focused on the Pawtucket Tidewater soccer stadium (to varying degrees) as McKee’s possible Achilles Heel. Brown went so far as to label the project “Tidewater-gate” citing the “deciding vote” McKee cast as chair of the state’s Commerce Corp to give $60 million in state and local subsidies to the developer saying, “this is a case of corruption unfolding in our state as we speak.” Brown citing $7,900 dollars McKee has received in campaign donations and fundraising help received from the principals and lobbyists for the stadium development company Fortuitous Partners. Could Tidewater be McKee’s primary kryptonite? We’ll know September 13^th!

Crushed Tomatoes

Add tomatoes to the list of shortages. Droughts in California might mean a shortage of tomato products on the shelf, and, of course, rising prices. The cost of tomato sauce has jumped 17% since last year with ketchup now 23% more expensive and tomato paste up as much as 80%. The worst drought in 1,200 years (you read that right) is forcing farmers to grapple with a water crisis that’s threatening  all things tomato including canned and jarred spaghetti sauce. Still, that’s not enough to get us to consider Chef Boyardee!

Leave well enough alone

Warner Brothers has given “Black-Ish” creator, Kenya Barris, the green light to write and direct a “modern reimagining” of “Wizard of Oz.” Barris is reportedly keeping the creative details of his version quiet for now, but we guess Oz had better prepare for the WOKE invasion. There are certain movies you just mess with because it’s IMPOSSIBLE to make them BETTER. “Wizard of Oz” is on that list. To quote the great philosopher POPEYE, “I know my stuff and I’m smart enough to leave well enough alone.”

Ron St. Pierre is a veteran broadcaster whose career has spanned over four decades. Ron has programmed, performed on and managed WHJJ, WPRO, WWRX, 790 The Score in Providence, as well as WBZT and WKGR in West Palm Beach and WABC in New York City. Ron also anchored sports on WPRI Ch 12 in Providence. He is a member of both the Rhode Island Radio and Television and the City of Pawtucket Halls of Fame. He was born and raised in Pawtucket.

Jen Brien has over 20 years of radio broadcast experience having hosted shows on WPRO and WHJJ with Ron as well as her own shows on WRKO and WBZ in Boston, WXTK on Cape Cod and WHAM in Rochester, New York. Jen was born and raised in Woonsocket and served six years in the Army MP Canine Unit.

Hazel, Ron’s dog, makes regular appearances.

“Ron and Jen’s Great Escape” podcast, a more lighthearted look at the events happening around us, can be found on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts, with new episodes premiering each Wednesday and listen to Ron and Jen’s Great Escape call in radio show Friday afternoons 2 til 4 on 101.1 FM, 1540 WADK and streaming everywhere on WADK.COM.