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Ron & Jen’s Great Escape, July 19, 2023 – Ron St. Pierre and Jen Brien
by Ron St. Pierre and Jen Brien, commentary
LOOK AT ME I’M SANDRA DEE!
Why are people obsessed with themselves? Can someone PLEASE explain this to me? Never in my existence on this planet have I seen so MANY PEOPLE so self-absorbed. Selfie after selfie after selfie after selfie. Many pics on social media are fun and interesting, but so many others are just void of anything outside a person’s personal space. Look at ME! SEE ME! LOOK AT ME! SEE ME!
I think the thing I find really interesting is that so many people who are not particularly Brad Pitt or J LO (pretty or handsome) think they are , and also think the world NEEDS TO SEE THEM. You’re not supposed to say that because this generation can’t be told they are dumb, or ugly, or wrong, or not welcome or stupid, or misguided, etc., etc., etc… They have meltdowns.
I really get KODAK MOMENTS, but why am I watching you scream in pain after a miscarriage, why am I seeing you in a Johnny with your leg cut wide open in a hospital, why do you think I want to see a video of you HIGH as hell lip-synching in your car to some profanity laced song… Is it ME? Cause I really don’t get it. Sometimes, I see things on-line that literally make me cover my face for the person in embarrassment. This is true…
Somewhere along the way we have shifted from beautiful pictures that capture awesome memories in time, to taking selfies because people think they’re commodities that others can’t live without seeing… ever.
I hate social media, but I use it for work. It’s the worst. Next time you take a picture of yourself in the mirror make sure you don’t get the toilet in the background like I did. When I turned 50, I took a toilet selfie. Awful. I was ripped to shreds and I guess my commode needed some AJAX that day.
Never again.
Pride comes before the fall, friends. I learned that lesson the hard way.
Till next week,
Jen
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DONNING THE MAYOR’S MUZZLE
Providence Mayor Brett Smiley has put a muzzle on his Police Chief. In a major policy turn, Smiley’s administration is cracking down on media access directly to the Chief of Police. For at least the last two decades, the media was encouraged to directly call the police chief with questions, but Smiley has hit the brakes on that. When you call Chief Oscar Perez now, he texts back asking you to please call the mayor’s office. Media calls must go through the mayor’s office now, or the public information officer, for the public safety department. By the way, THAT individual takes direction from the Mayor’s office so basically all inquiries go through Smiley now. So, what’s the deal? A lack of confidence in Perez ability to communicate properly? No other city or town in the Ocean State has such a muzzle on its chiefs, and right now the position of Public Safety Comish in the cap city remains unfilled. Just this past week a 17-year-old was killed, and Chief Perez reportedly refused to respond to questions. Quite the slippery slope.
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TOO SOON… TOO SOON
It’s not even August yet and pumpkin spice is rearing its tasty head. The term “pumpkin creep” refers to the way pumpkin spice products seem to show up earlier and earlier every year. Starting August 1st, two major beer brands, DOGFISH HEAD and SAM ADAMS, are releasing their seasonal beers for the fall.
Speaking of too soon, Ron & Jen have a bet as to when Halloween candy will first appear on shelves. Jen says the first week of August while Ron says the second week of August. The bet? Just like the Mortimer and Randolph Duke in TRADING PLACES… one dollar!
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LEGENDS HOME RUN DERBY
It started with an “I can do that moment” uttered by Ken Griffey Jr during the MLB ALL STAR GAME. With the likes of Barry Bonds, Albert Pujols, Jim Thome, and David Ortiz supporting the idea, a LEGENDS OF HOME RUN DERBY is gaining steam. The dreadfully long current Derby format wouldn’t work with these guys as they’d drain the tank early. The original format of everything that isn’t a homer is an out could. Two innings then the top two performers slug it out for the win. I can see it now… VIAGRA PRESENTS THE LEGENDS HOME RUN DERBY!
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Read all of Ron & Jen’s columns, here:https://rinewstoday.com/ron-st-pierre-jen-brien/
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 on NewsRadio 920 and 104-7 FM, Saturday morning, 7am!