Thank you again, Jefferson City. Gone AND forgotten in Knoxville
You know it is funny about people. With all the ways we have to keep in touch with each other, we still don't do it. I am as much to blame as the next person. HOWEVER, I am very good at sending e-mails on a fairly regular basis.
So here I am in Jefferson City. I have said it before and I will say it again. I LOVE IT HERE!! Yes, it is cold right now, but I am loving my job, the people I work with and for, and I really love the community. I have talked with and met lots of great folks that have really made me realize what a great decision it was to take this job. One of them I will point out now because he has really stepped up. I met Sam Bushman about two or three weeks ago. He is a local business man, owner of Samuel's Tuxedos. Samuel's Tuxedos is not a formal wear only store, he has lots of toys for men in there. COOL PLACE!!
Anyhow, Sam came on the show to help promote a community event, the Jefferson City Host Lions Club's 51st Annual Ham and Bean Dinner. I gave away tickets on the air for it. Then on the day of the event, I went down to buy my ticket. Sam stopped me and insisted on buying me the ticket. WOW!! I told him he did not need to. I had the cash in hand to do it. Anyhow, I thanked him, then thanked him again on the air the next day. Now he helped me and my new friends, Mike and Richard, with tuxedos for the American Heart Association Heart Ball that we are working this weekend.
AND Sam is just one of them. I have several listeners who have called both on and off the air to talk to me about the show and other things. I have gotten involved in the planning committee for a new barbeque contest that we will be sponsoring here in Jefferson City this April. Heck, even being asked to help co-Emcee this Heart Ball after just six or seven weeks in town is a nice surprise. The folks here have really made me feel at home. And everyone is asking when Kathy and the boys will be getting here.
All of these positves coming from here in Jefferson City.
Meanwhile, I get e-mails exchanged with one former co-worker/friend. Everyone else is apparently too busy to even say "Hi Jay, I'm busy. I will try to write later." Nothing. Now, folks that I have never worked with, but were friends or even just friendly with, have written and called. I spent 20 minutes on the phone the other day with Chip Kain. Chip is a friend and a fellow talk show host. He wanted to talk to me and exchange ideas, etc. Great talking to him. But other people who I thought I was closer to can't write a single sentence in an e-mail? At least I get the afterthought messages delivered through Kathy....."so and so asked about you and said hi." This happened at a time and place of undetermined nature and clearly where commenting or saying anything to her about me was nothing but a polite afterthought.
Maybe I am harsh in judging some folks. But, I have no evidence to lead me to any other conclusion. Why?
Because they can't even spend ten seconds to write me a single sentence in an e-mail.
And that is my point. Let's cut through the bullshit of feigned or forced long distance friendships. In the final episode of M*A*S*H, maybe Hawkeye was right when he tried to get BJ to say goodbye. Saying that the talk of getting together down the road was nice now, but they both knew that it would never happen. And even if it did, it would be rare and become more rare as the years went on.
I guess that I need to realize that may be what I need to accept now too. And move on with the new folks, in my new town and continue to build my new career and my new life.
Like Minneapolis before it, Knoxville may soon be completely in my past. Except that my parents will still be there.
Comments
Too bad someone who posted here was too damn gutless to post their name here.
If you can't put your name up here, your comments get deleted. Especially when you post half truths and lies. If you knew your facts, I would have given your comments some thought.
But, since you don't have the guts to "confront" me with your words directly, good bye. You can find my e-mail address punk, bring it.
Nice to know that assholes can show up all over the place. I knew that I worked with some of them. I just did not realize that the assholes were also gutless weasels. Wow...amazing what you learn, isn't it?
Posted by: Orignal Post by a Gutless Punk - Deleted by Jay and replaced with this. No name, no post!!! | February 24, 2007 10:25 PM
This idiot has posted once again. This time, I will offer a response....and still strike the claims.
Let's see....I was on doing more than traffic before Scott Simon arrived. A LOT More. Filling in for Phil Williams, a couple of weekend shows, sports anchor on WIVK. I was on seven days a week months before Scott arrived.
Temper? Give examples? A hole in the wall, that I did patch, was an accident. IF you knew me, you would know that I am clumsy. And you would have had the chance to see me demonstate how that happened. I explained that to Mike Hammond AND Tammy Stafford. I can only assume that they took me at my word. If they did not, that is really now there problem, not mine.
Oh, and I do talk to Chip Kain on a regular basis. If I owed him an apology, I believe he got it.
Rude to Angel? Nope. Didn't happen that way. If she took it that way, she told me otherwise when I sat down with her and talked about it. I believe I left things on good terms with her as well. She understoond the situation. My understanding that night was that Tim Berry was the one who was pissed at me that night, not Angel.
If you were there for any of the situations that you claim to know about, and had first hand knowledge, you would know the facts do not match your claims.
jay@jaykersting.com is the e-mail address you can hit me at. For now, I am doing well here. Not some sort of "nomad" as you describe me. Stardom? Hardly, just seeking a good job with a future that I deserve. I was not going to get that chance in Knoxville for many reasons....namely, the fact that there were established people in place.
So, bring up something true and factual and bring it up directly. Until you do, I will acknowledge you as nothing more than a gutless punk. Until you let me know who you are, I can only assume that you are a jealous has been or never was who never will be.
An AOL user....wow, truly sad. Truly, truly, truly sad.
I will go back to preparing for a funeral.
Posted by: Orignal Post by a Gutless Punk - Deleted by Jay and replaced with this. No name, no post!!! | February 25, 2007 01:00 PM
Why do you lack to the guts to talk to me directly???
Who is fooled? The folks up here in Jefferson City know EVERYTHING about me. From the car wrecks, to the on-air antics, to the off the air conduct. What would I be fooling anyone about? When you are an open book, which I am...I stand behind my name. I do not HIDE behind annonymity.
Self-imposed "great gig"??? I am a Missouri native. I had a chance to have my own show, which is what I wanted in Knoxville, but could not get due to people already being in place...and they are people who are established AND not looking to retire soon. So, I came back to my home state. This is not an excile. Hell, I love it.
If anyone wants to...in your words, "Kick my ass!" I can only tell them to bring it on. I am at 3605 Country Club Drive in Jefferson City, Missouri. I will be out of town part of the week for my mother-in-laws funeral. Not sure when I will be in Knoxville again....but I am sure that I could make time for such a meeting. Unlike this "secret" poster, I am not a coward.
Posted by: Orignal Post by a Gutless Punk - Deleted by Jay and replaced with this. No name, no post!!! | February 25, 2007 01:03 PM
I'll let this one ride. It is too funny too delete. However, I will add my comments. I am just curious to know who hates me so much, but was apparently nice to my face. Jon? Mike? Josh? Someone else?
"prepare for the funeral,that to me would be my first thing to do...be with your family..taking time to respond to this "gutless punk" should be down on your list."
I am waiting for the plans to be worked out for my travel. So, I can only do so much. But, thanks for caring.
"..but since it rings with bells of truth,you must find it fit to respond"
I was looking for truth, but never saw it. Saw comments made by someone who had no clue.
"..make all the claims you want for the reasons you acted like a smart/cocky ass"
Acted?
"...your days were numbered anyway"
Really? Then how come I worked so much and kept getting more things thrown my way....and not by just Scott Simon.
"by leaving,you saved us the time to post one of thost letters saying we wish Jay the best as he takes on a job with another company..come to think of it..I never saw one of those on the door"
Neither did I. That only told me that I was doing the right thing. And I know who made the call not to post things. Someone in upper management who wanted to keep me where I was for many years to come. And he at least told me that at one point....prior to not speaking to me at all.
"just a fake/happy farewell at the x-mas party."
Seemed phony to you too? Glad that I wasn't alone. I think Ed meant well, but I felt that it came out wrong. When Kathy got more praise in that mention than I did, that was pretty much the sign that my leaving was a very good decision on my part. I mean no ill will toward Ed. I just thought it came out wrong.
"..maybe you can give Scott a job up there with you...you all belong together..same attitude that no body like working with or for"
I would work with Scott Simon again in a second if the opportunity was to arise. The thing about Scott that people there never understood was the HONESTY and DIRECTNESS of his style. I guess the commonality of being a fellow midwesterner was a threat to some. That was the reason why we trusted each other, at a time when others repeatedly violated that trust.
"...Gutless punk has spoken"
At least you admit to being gutless and a punk. This time, try, just try to be a man and write me an e-mail. I'll give you my cell number if you want to talk. I think you have some issues with me that you need to put behind you.
"...go ahead and delete this one,for I will post no more....still say you won't make it past a year up there"
The only way that I won't make it up here a year is if I get killed, an incredible offer from a larger market that comes unsolicited, a company buys out Cumulus and changes our format, or an unforeseen disaster hits Jefferson City. Otherwise, I am staying here. I love it here. Nice town, great people, great co-workers and great management team. Why on earth would I leave?
Posted by: Orignal Post by a Gutless Punk - Left in place with comments added by Jay. I make the rules, I can c | February 25, 2007 01:44 PM
Jay, always remember to say, "I don't listen to what they write, and I don't read what they say." Jim Bouton, Ball Four.
Say hi to Brian Wilson for me, if he's not playing the piano in the sandbox, lol.
SS
Posted by: Scott | March 27, 2007 03:31 PM