My Radio Boyfriend

So, remember a couple of weeks ago when I told you guys that I got invited to be the token chick on the Homecoming Radio Show with Bill Gaither, Kevin Williams, Mark Lowry and Phil Brower? I’ve been sitting on some great photos I took during my two day stint, but I needed to wait until Gaither.com  published my piece on it first before I blogged about it. Well, they did, so now I am free to tell you the REAL dirt from behind the scenes– which basically, is the torrid love story of me and Mark Lowry, my radio boyfriend.

OK, not really.

Don’t get me wrong, I am indeed crazy-go-nuts over Mark, I think he is one of the funniest people on the planet. He’s also an amazingly deep spiritual thinker and just an all around sweetheart of a guy.  However, since Russ loves him at least as much as I do AND he’s kind of like my dorky twin brother, trust me, romance is most definitely never in the air. But I did have such a ball sitting next to him during the taping– and I got a close-up view of the fact that he’s totally not kidding with all of those ADD jokes he makes about himself! It’s not that he’s antsy or can’t keep still, it’s more like he just needs to keep his brain occupied at all times so he won’t get bored.

So, he doodles. Mostly weird cartoons of what appears to be a Mark Lowry-like creature of some kind in concert. On acid.   Exhibit A:

**And Exhibit B:  (Wanna hazard a guess at who that other guy is….?)

**Here’s what he looks like while he’s doodling:

**Of course while he was doing that, Tori the Newbie was nervously trying to figure out how to put these bad boys on without wrecking my ‘do:

**And trying to remember to lean in a little bit when I spoke into this thing, keeping the spitting to a minimum whilst pronouncing hard consonants:

**And also seeing if I could read from this and somehow make it sound all natural and spontaneous like I WASN’T READING AT ALL:

**Of course Kevin and Bill are old hands at this whole radio thing, so they were totally relaxed:

**And unflappable Phil runs the whole show, making sure everything is timed just right and flows smoothly:

**Meanwhile, Mark was doing a lot of this:

**And this: (Well, to be fair we DID do 15 shows!)

But the main thing Mark was doing was making me feel comfortable, encouraging me, making sure I was included, pointing to his lines in the script and gesturing for me to take them– in general, just being a generous, loving friend.

And I had so much fun! They ALL could not have been nicer to me, and you wanna know the best part? It looks like they’re asking me back to do it again in November! I felt like I was back in grade school and the cool kids asked me to join their club! I have a feeling Mark put in a good word for me, which is why at the end of the day, I had no choice but to interrupt his doodling long enough to slide this note over to him:

(Come on. Can you blame me?)

23 Responses

  1. delightedabroad

    In fact I’m not surprised you’re reinvited…I could imagine that you are the one who makes it perfect! Like the icing on a cupcake :-)
    Am I right that the background looks like a living room transformed into a radio studio? What did you say: was it live or were you able to restart a line when necessary?

  2. MostlySunny

    Delighted – I was thinking the same thing – that studio looks awfully cozy. But maybe that’s what studios look like; I’ve never been in one.

    Tori – you can hold your own with the boys. I’ll bet they said that YOU made their day and they can’t wait to get back in the studio with you!

    KEVIN IS SOOOOOO CUTE!!!!!

  3. LindaB

    I just laughed out loud at your little note to Mark! I can’t believe you did that! You crack me up!

    Where and when will we be able to hear this radio program? I can’t imagine how hysterical you, Mark, and Kevin are gonna be together!

    Thanks for the pictures! I enjoyed them! I’ve gotta ask this: if you’re reading from a script, how can the wit and humor of these talented funny guys and gal come out?

    And yes, Sunny, Kevin IS so cute! He always looks like he’s gonna say something funny any minute! (Say, Tori, will you pass a note to him for me? He won’t know who on earth I am, but maybe that’s in my favor!)

  4. VA-Cathy

    A few of my favorite people!! I can’t wait to hear it!!! Let us know when it will be on.

  5. gracelynn

    LOL That note you slipped him is just too cute, Tori! Looks like something I’d do in one of those LOOOOOOONG teacher training sessions. ;) Glad you had a great time and I have a feeling you’ll be reinvited very soon. Love those doodles that Mark did – I can’t even draw a stick figure LOL.

  6. ChristinaCD

    I LOVE IT!!!

    Of course you’re invited back.. you are one of the most awesomest people I know(besides Mark lol)

    I read this at work and was LOL with people looking at me funny.. Thanks for the laugh today!

  7. Linda

    That was a very enjoyable read. Loved all the pictures, and your note to Mark was hilarious! Look forward to hearing about your next radio time with them and about seeing “your boyfriend” again.:)

  8. Tweets that mention » My Radio Boyfriend | babybloomr -- Topsy.com

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Scott Davis, Tori Taff. Tori Taff said: Confession: @markalanlowry is My Radio Boyfriend… http://babybloomr.com/2010/07/28/my-radio-boyfriend/ […]

  9. DonnaMariePatterson

    Fun! Fun! Fun! Ya’ll are crazy, talented and loving! I can’t wait to hear it and I’m so glad they invited you back!

  10. jonny

    I’ve been ordered to check in, now doing so. Happy, Tori!!! ; )

    And just cuz I don’t always write something on here doesn’t mean I ain’t got my eye on what’s going on over at ‘bloomer, LB!! What’s up with this Kevin guy!?! Ain’t none of your friend’s ever tried passin’ ME a note from you!! I just hope this doesn’t get leaked to the press over here! “Local Rock Star finds out the hard way that his on-line ex has been passin’ notes to American Gaither Star RIGHT under his very own nose”!! Oh the shame, the humility!!

  11. tori

    delightedabroad– This is actually not the studio they usually use, but here in Nashville, home studios are everywhere. On famed Music Row, most of the studios are in old houses– not fancy, very funky! We were recording live, so we could stop if we had to, but they were blazing through and everybody really tried hard not to have to!

    MostlySunny– Yeah, there are definitely some REALLY big modern fancy ones here in town, but most of them are ‘cosy’ like this one. And I totally agree about Kevin! I have to tell you, he impressed me more than anyone because he was so fast on his feet and SO good at it all.

    LindaB– OK, got here: http://www.homecomingradio.com/ and they’ll tell you. It IS scripted, but there is lots of space built-in for just shooting the breeze and acting crazy. The style of the format is kinda corny old-school radio patter: think Wolfman Jack, only with a stuttering gospel singer! They have little things like “Word of the Day” where Phil throws out this weird word and we guess at the meaning, and then Kevin on the spot comes up with something very involved and funny.. stuff like that.

    VA-Cathy– Check the website I just gave Linda– and we recorded 15 shows, so there will be a lot of them running for the next few months.

    gracelynn– He DID do a good job on those little doodles, didn’t he?

    ChristinaCD– I just love it when we can make you LOL at work!

    DonnaMariePatterson– I’m glad they did, too!

    jonny– YES, now I am happy, thanks for following my orders– I don’t usually get too much of that around here! Yeah, you gotta watch that LindaB… she’s a shameless flirt, I’ve heard.

  12. Callene

    Totally too fun. When I got back into radio, I gave up on the do and the makeup. Headsets are not terrifying anymore! lol

  13. LindaB

    I am NOT shameless!!!!! I have SOME shame…….I was raised a Baptist, ya know!

    jonny……not to worry! I may pass notes to other guys, but I only write blog comments to YOU!

    BTW, when your name is the first word in a sentence, is it alright to capitalize it? (See above example.) I wasn’t sure what to do, so I erred on the side of not upsetting you! See how important you are to me? ;)

  14. jonny

    That’s correct, LB!! And good to know you have at least some shame left! = )

  15. LindaB

    Tori! I’ve been trying to find you on Homecoming Radio and I am failing fast! I followed your link, clicked on “Homecoming Radio”, and listened to all the programs that were there—–prg 300-306—-and didn’t hear your sweet southern voice on any of ‘em! What am I doing wrong? (They didn’t have to bleep you out, did they??? Nah!)

    HELP! I wanna hear you!

  16. tori

    LindaB– I don’t know when they will start running the shows I am on. They record a dozen or so shows at a time, and they put them in the can and then release them on a schedule. Don’t know how it all works, but I would imagine they stay a few months ahead of schedule. There are lists of places you can listen to it on local stations around the country, I think… I’ll email Phil and see if he can tell me when they will start playing the ones we did!

  17. LindaB

    Thanks! I’ll wait patiently.

  18. bettyrwoodward

    I would have loved to be fly on the wall! Just so you don’t think we’ve gone missing Rachel moved to Newcastle upon Tyne on Mondy and wont have internet at home for a couple of weeks and I’m going to France tomorrow for two weeks. We’ll soon be back you can’t get rid of us!

  19. jonny

    LB wrote…

    “I’ll wait patiently”

    And with some semblance of shame, I would hope!!

    By the way, are any of these Gaither people we seem to have the hots for here at ‘bloomr free, single and/or available? Phil?? Candy??? If not, why are we only interested in that which we can’t have?? Or are there no singles allowed in the Gaither clan?? And if there are, is everyone only being interested in those already taken starting to wear more than a little thin with those hoping to find a mate at some point??

  20. Barbara M. Lloyd

    This has to be what is called loving your work. I’m sure you were the star of the show, sweet pea.

  21. tori

    Ok, jonny– I believe I *might* be hearing God calling me to start a Babybloomr’s Christian Dating Service For Expatriate Americans Living In Ridiculously Cold Foreign Countries ministry…

    I’ll fast and pray on it and get back with you later.

    I am, however, open to accepting LARGE monetary bribes for introductions to Homecoming artists. Just so you know.

  22. jonny

    Well, I’d like a list of the FS&As first, and also some sort of introduction to the stars value system. Basically, what sort of Gaither celeb could I meet for a 50? Who for $20? Who for $10? Etc.

    And the ministry thing you first shared about in your last Say it! definitely sounds like a God thing to me!! I’ll be keeping that one in prayer for you as well. Least I could do for you after all you and this ‘bloomr family have given me.

    jonny

  23. becky

    I do love Mark Lowry. When I was a teenager attending church camp one summer, a friend loaned me a tape of Mark’s. I can’t remember the name of the album now, but it had me in stitches. I’ve been a fan of his ever since. Sounds like you had a good time taping the shows. Hope I run across them sometime.

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