We have a lot of fund-raising galas in this town, and a new one had its debut last night at the Sheraton-Crown Center (the former Hyatt Regency). It was called Radio Active: An Off-Air Affair.
Judging by the energy in the room and the size of the crowd — more than 500 — this looks like an event that will find a permanent place on the benefit calendar.
For one thing, KCUR lined up a well-known NPR personality, “Morning Edition” host David Greene, as guest speaker for the initial “Affair.”
For another, KCUR is on the move. The station has significantly increased its staff size in recent years and is steadily gaining listeners at the expense of some other traditional media models, including print journalism and AM radio.
Nico Leone, KCUR’s general manager, told the crowd 89.3 was one of the top 15 public radio markets in the country. That’s impressive.
And when Up to Date host Steve Kraske asked Greene why public radio’s stock seemed to be ascending everywhere, Greene said one reason is NPR’s conscious effort “to capture the energy of the younger generation.”
…Another factor that helped set a light-hearted, uninhibited tone to the occasion was the call for guests to wear “festive attire.” That flummoxed some people, but not me. As a Louisvillian and a Kentucky Derby regular, I know festive. I got a lot of compliments on my outfit, and I feel sure that had a vote been taken, I would have been named “most festive.”
That said, a lot of people were lookin’ good…Check it out…
The backdrop
Our table sponsors, Judy and Jamie Frazier
David and Julie Warm
Gerald and Gloria Hiller
Mr. and Mrs. JimmyC
Nico Leone
David Greene and Patty
The dance floor and the BelAirs
Ladies in black
A lady named Jessica
World famous investment banker Jack Holland and our friend Pat Russell, who is drawn to luminaries
**
Here’s a morning-after addition to the photo line-up. (See comment below by Kate, author of the 43rd Place blog.)
Patty in festive skirt…
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
Patty looks festive, but your outfit is the best of the bunch Jim!
Thanks, Kate…You’ll have to try to go next your. You definitely know festive, too…
I’ve got a better photo of Patty that shows off her skirt in full splendor. She got the skirt, which is embedded with tasteful, glittery beads, from a friend whose mother owned it before her death.
I will add that photo to the line-up.
“Best of the bunch” is not what came to my mind — or perhaps Kate is being diplomatic. My reaction was more “OMG, the circus called, the clown wants his pants back,” or, please save those for, at the very least, the golf course.
:-)
That’s good, Gayle…Actually, I was going to forgo the plaid pants, as I was afraid they would “clash” with Patty’s skirt (and of course I didn’t want to upstage her), but our friend Pat Russell (photographed with Jack Holland) said she would be disappointed if I didn’t go all out…
Go big or go home I say. Clearly you know how to pick a winner. Footwear needs a little more flash though. Great to hear KCUR’s ranking as these next 5 months should be revelatory.
Footwear…pathetic, Jayson. I pay a huge price for flat, tired feet. With orthotics, you always look like you’re wearing clodhoppers. Wish I could wear some of your tapered two-tones.
I am tired of these corporate mouthpieces posing as journalists…CEO enablers, foundation friendly, not in touch with the greater good…these young numbskulls make Ellen McNamara look like Mike Royko…outlaw the byline!
The ghost was really pissed when he wrote this…Maybe he’ll see it differently after a good night’s sleep.
young?
Just about the time George Soros was talking about funding “journalism” projects KCUR acquired a pile of money for a “journalism” project. And yet when asked where they got the money, they declined to answer. So who bought KCUR’s “journalism”? Surely transparency demands an answer.
Bottom line is that KANU is a vastly superior station (if we have to have upper middle class welfare). Their lineup of interesting music is a far better contribution to the area than KCUR’s all left, all the time propaganda line-up…KCUR has one reporter who was canned from KCTV5 for stalking Phill Kline’s teenage daughter and producing a story so horrible that even The Pitch was critical of it.
Love the outfit, Fitz, and the picture of Jessica completes the demonstration of your good taste.