Ron & Jen’s Great Escape, June 7, 2023 – Ron St. Pierre and Jen Brien

by Ron St. Pierre & Jen Brien, commentary

MY PAL FROM CANADA

At various times in all the seasons of our lives, we have people that come across our paths via DIVINE INTERVENTION to help us along. I had wonderful camp friends who showed me the ropes and cared for me as a kid, and I had teachers I looked up to, kind neighbors who would let me sit on their stoop and just talk to me when I was lonely. And I had a next door neighbor who taught me what love and kindness meant and taught me how to receive that kindness. I can think of some people who had a massive impact on the direction of my life both good and BAD… but today, I’d rather focus on the good. In a world where we hear nothing but loud arguments and disrespectful words, I want to send this specifically to a friend who has loved me, changed me, and encouraged me enough to keep me going when I wanted to throw in the towel.

Jean – my dear friend I met on the radio from CANADA!  MY PENPAL! We became close during my blurry years. The years I fought against myself and my life and my trauma, though I didn’t tell her what I was struggling with at the time. A lot of people bailed in those years. I was a handful, and lost touch with Jean, but ever the faithful God loving friend she prayed and prayed for me when I was at my lowest of lows. We reconnected via email years later after getting my life back on track and we continue to have such a special, joyous, hilarious journey together now, though we are miles and miles apart. 

I can only say that without this influence I don’t know where I would be today. If you have a “Jean” in your life or someone who has profoundly changed the trajectory of your divine path let that person know. We need to give that gift to one another. We need to encourage each other along and really emphasize the value people have in our lives. 

I love my pal, JEAN. Her name will forever be etched in my heart. Do you have a JEAN?  If so, GO TELL them how much they mean to you… while you still can.

Till next week my friends – Jen

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WHEN TITANS TUMBLE

President Joe Biden’s recent onstage tumble at the U.S Air Force Academy made headlines worldwide. Plenty of world leaders or political candidates have taken a highly visible fall. Remember Gerald Ford’s slip while disembarking Air Force One back in 1975 provided a rotating bit for Chevy Chase on SNL? How about Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s 2019 tumble dubbed the “great fall of China”? High profile headers are fodder for laughs as well as cringes. When titans tumble, we just can’t look away. So why is that?

A professor of politics and communication at the London School of Economics, Bart Cammaerts, told the Washington Post “it breaks the image of infallibility of powerful figures.” Slapstick comedy is a perfect example. Wasn’t it funny when the Three Stooges landed a pie in the face of an uppity High Society socialite? Or when the suave and confident Rob Petrie goes head over heels on an ottoman in his New Rochelle living room? A good fall breaks the seriousness of any event. Bet your bottom dollar you’ll be seeing Biden’s header over and over again when the political ads start ad nauseam.

THE LOUDEST TIME OF THE YEAR

It won’t be long before those pop up fireworks tents are sprinkled all over the state. Of course, in Rhode Island, only ground fireworks and sparkling devices (sparklers) can be sold legally but that doesn’t stop the amateur pyrotechnic engineer from crossing into New Hampshire (or an “I know a guy” artist) from loading up on enough firepower to take over a third world country.  Folks, let the professionals handle things, please, and have a little empathy for sleeping babies, dogs and all those suffering from PTSD. Unfortunately, this request annually falls on deaf ears… likely caused by those fireworks.

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Read all of Ron & Jen’s columns, here: https://rinewstoday.com/ron-jens-great-escape-may-10-2023-ron-st-pierre-and-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!