Welcome to the weekend and a fresh-as-the-fallen snow Podcast! (#111) Today's special guest (our most requested) is the very talented former "Purtan's Person" Tom Delisle. Tom lives about 45 minutes away from Podcast Central (i.e.: my dining room table) and he said his steering wheel still hadn't completely thawed out when he pulled in.

That led to our discussion of the long, cold winter. (Whoever knew people could spend so much time talking about the weather - and not because they don't know what else to say?!) And of course the LATEST QUESTION: Is global warming really the cause of the mini Ice Age we're experiencing? Or is it just the fact that it's Damn cold? Period!

From there, it's a natural transition to a story about my late mother-in-law, her older sister Ethel, and a holiday phone call that have made the initials "N.A.B.G" a part of our family's regular vocabulary.

And with the 27th Annual 16-Hour Salvation Army Radiothon for the Bed & Bread Club less than a week away - next Friday, Feb. 21st - I'll explain the importance of this incredible program. Simply put, it feeds 5000 men, women and children in Metro-Detroit 365 days a year and shelters more than 600 people a night. A donation of just $10 a month ($120/yr) FEEDS ONE PERSON FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR and $20 a month ($240 for the year) FEEDS TWO PEOPLE FOR AN ENTIRE YEAR. Nobody gives you more bang for your charity buck than that! And this year is kind of special for me... while I'll be popping in and out of the broadcast all day live from the Oakland Mall and broadcast on 760 AM WJR, I will actually be HOSTING the 4pm to 8pm slot with Big Al and Jackie. It's a reunion for us - and we'd love to have you donate while we're on the air! Heck, you can even donate now by calling 248-528-0760. As they say..."Operators are standing by!"

And speaking of the Radiothon...we'll tell you about another event that I emceed the other night that raised $25,000 for the Bed & Bread Program. It was called "Comedy for a Cause" and featured not only a great Headliner, Taylor Mason, but the Stand Up Debut of someone on this very Podcast. (Hint: It wasn't Tom or me).

While were on the subject of laughs, we lament the passing of the incredible Sid Caeser and I'll tell you how two of my daughters and I came to have a rather interesting meeting with him at the Plaza Hotel in NYC.

And I'll finish up with a story about my daughter JoAnne that I'm pretty sure I'm going to get in trouble for putting on the Podcast. But hey, as they say, "It's Good To Be The Dad!"

So join me as we gear up for the Radiothon and have some laughs along the way in Podcast #111! (44:33)

Have a great weekend!

-Dick

Purtan Podcast #111: "Countdown To The Radiothon!"