Joan had a radio show on WOR Radio in New York where she would gab for 4 hours a night and take calls from listeners. My neighbor Bill was a gay marine who gave fabulous dinner parties and he also had been Joan’s TV producer on her New York daytime talk show…I had heard all his fun stories. In addition, my good friend Lisa in Los Angeles had been one of Joan’s producers on the E! Entertainment red carpet premieres so I sort of knew Joan thru others. Anyway, one stormy evening in midtown Manhattan I finished a tour and went to my gym to get in a workout before heading home and I of course tuned into Joan’s evening radio chat show on my headphones while on the treadmill.
Joan opened the show in her usual hilarious way but her voice started sounding nervous and she blurted out: “oh my God…how can I do a 4-hour radio call-in show with NO PHONE LINES?” Apparently, the severe thunderstorm had knocked out the station’s phone lines and Joan sounded nervous and worried. She suddenly pleaded: “I need a guest…right here in the studio! Is there anyone within the sound of my voice who would like to be my guest tonight?”
I thought “poor Joan…she’s in a spot.” So I hopped off the treadmill, quickly showered and dressed and walked over to the radio station in the monsoon-like storm. I had been to WOR before—in fact I once worked in that building at 1440 Broadway and I remembered the evening doorman. I rode the elevator up, buzzed the station…Joan’s producer met me and after a quick introduction, she shoved me in the studio with Joan. We chatted about New York, how I became a guide, my acting career, out mutual friends Bill & Lisa and a hundred other things while breaking occasionally for a commercial. Joan confessed to me on the air that she had once been a tourguide at Rockefeller Center!
After the third station-break Joan began introducing me to the radio audience as ‘the celebrity tourguide” of New York. Joan & I began trading stories about the rich & famous warts and all. I had met many stars thru my backstage job at Radio City and just living and circulating in the NYC showbiz world. I had worked on Night of 100 Stars and a few other events dripping with the biggest of stars.
At the end of the evening, we rode the elevator down to the lobby and Joan gave me the biggest hug and kiss and in my ear she said “you honestly saved my ass tonight. I had no phone lines and I didn’t know what I was going to do! I owe you…if there ever anything I can do for you, please call me. And she shoved her card into my hand. I appeared on her show a few more times and I sadly attended her funeral with the hordes of fans and friends at Fifth Avenue’s Temple Emanu-el, located just around the corner from her fabulous apartment.
