MPT 40Th Anniversary Gala

Live in the studios of Maryland Public Television this is your announcer. Alec Webb I just want to welcome you to amputee's 40th anniversary gala and I want to thank all of you for being such a part of this very special evening. It's a course special for amputee. And it's especially special for me. All of us here at MBT feel very very proud of what we've accomplished in the last 40 years what we've done who we are. But we also know that we have to do more that we have to be better. And now I'd like you to meet the person with the vision to move us forward as president and CEO Rob shoeman check the monitors. Thanks Rhea. Thanks and welcome everyone. I'm humbled by a tremendous turnout for this milestone event here at NPT today. Tonight is a night for enjoying each other's company for sure. It's a night to look back.

Forty years of TV worth watching. And it's also an occasion to pause and say thanks for the many years of service so far by a singular television icon in Baltimore who made her television home here at NPT. And it's especially time for us to look ahead. There's more. There's much work to be done and there are increasing ways media technologies old and new can leverage to serve public interest and benefit our communities and with the kind support of evidence here tonight by your presence. We are optimistic that LPT will fulfill its mission and new and exciting ways. Think about public television in the future. Content available when where and how you want to view it. So in your home on plasma TV on the web the. Amputee's video player on your iPhone and even in your car. And I hope that's in the back seat not in front.

We are fortunate for our work here and have benefited from an extraordinary volunteer leadership. The Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission which began in 1966 is a Maryland education culture Television Commission is the body established by statute and charged with the responsibility for the operation of a system of broadcast facilities across the region to provide education and cultural programming to our community members are appointed by the governor. We are a state we have a strong and active commission provided by the equally strong leadership of its chair. I am very proud to introduce our amputee Commission Chair Eddie Kaplan. Thanks Rob. On behalf of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission

I want to express my thanks and gratitude to everyone who made this morning evening possible. Our sponsors the event staff. Are dynamic and tireless and I really mean tireless. Carol Cybil and co-chair Sharon he has. And a special thank you to all of you for joining us to celebrate this important milestone. Let me also had my congratulations both personally and on behalf of NPT to our beloved honoree reifies. Wherever you are. As empty begins its fifth decade of service to Maryland we recognize that the work we do today is building upon a strong foundation set down by the many volunteers staff members and patrons who came before us. We are so fortunate to have some of them with us tonight and many more here in our collective

memory. This is their night to. All of them Petey's accomplishments over the last 40 years in education in original local and national programs and in community engagement have resulted from an extraordinary partnership. This is a vibrant partnership between individual viewers staff and volunteers corporations foundations and government entities. And most especially the state of Maryland and P-T truly belongs to every part of this community. Societal changes. Technological advances and shifting media landscapes are not threats to what we have been. Rather these challenges represent new opportunities to serve and additional reasons why a strong and thriving public media is essential to our public discourse and community well-being. Our team our commission and foundation board members management and staff. Are working through the challenges of the present day. While embracing change for the future

I hope that all of us will take every opportunity not just to celebrate amputee's proud past. But also to rally around its promise and potential for the decades ahead. I thank you again for coming in. Hope you enjoy the great evening. We plan for you. Thank you. I want to thank you too. I especially want to thank you for all that you have personally done for NPT. I guess you figured by now that we're trying to do this like a TV show. You know with different studio locations that were kind of visit electronically throughout the evening. Right now of course we are in the red studio that I had the pleasure of hosting. I think it's gorgeous don't you. I mean this is a beautiful room. The food here is by classic caterers and the flowers are by Bellflower. Now. I think that we in here are very lucky because it is such a

spectacular room. But I do want you to meet the hosts of the other rooms and the other studios so over to you. Jeff Reed thank you. We're here in the green studio. With a highly spirited crowd in the green studio. Our catering here is by Lynn Woods. Which. And. Incidentally Lynn Woods would be happy for you to know that they do off premises catering as well and the flowers here are by simply beautiful and looking around. They are simply viewed. As some of you may know I hosted a number of programs here on MPE starting with our longest running local program state circle which in

January has its own little anniversary coming up 30 seasons of connecting the citizens of our state with their government. And Rob we just want you to know that we're not expecting a party quite this big. But whatever you can do. We also produce your money in business a very timely weekly look at the challenges facing individuals and organizations in this economy. And on Monday nights We're live with direct connections celebrating its eighth anniversary this very month. Many of you know that direct connection is our live call in program. This week was a typical program we started with the state's health secretary and a second segment was dedicated to trying to get to the bottom of whether NFL referees are biased or merely inept. Guess which segment guess which segment got the more passionate calls. The great thing about the opportunity to do programs like these at MP T

is that our viewers don't merely tolerate some in-depth journalism showing up on their television sets. That's why they're here. It's what they tune in for and that's why the callers no matter how much I prepare for any given topic the callers always ask the best questions so the audience strives for what we do here. But there are two other key forces that have enhanced our local impact over the years. First is the leadership of Rob shoeman who undertook a build up of our local presidents really setting a trend across the public broadcasting industry. And second is real fikir who we honor tonight. At every television station at least every station where I've worked there's someone who acts a bit like the first violin in an orchestra setting the tone and the tempo for the rest of the team. Rehat probably doesn't know that she's doing that. But both on the air and the behind the scenes here. Her professionalism and her kindness set the standard for

what all of us do. Beyond that I've never seen anybody better at that incredible skill of talking through the camera directly to people at home. So let's make this the first time tonight if you will that we honor Rob and embarrass Rio with a round of applause. Now it is my pleasure to introduce our next speaker the first lady of Maryland Katy Kerr and O'Malley. Not only does she serve as a judge in Baltimore but Maryland's first lady has also been active in active initiatives like the children in nature projects and important issues including truancy and domestic violence prevention. Please join me in welcoming judge O'Malley. Thanks Jeff. It's truly truly an honor to be here on behalf of the state of Maryland I'm here for two

reasons. I am here to try and be Martin O'Malley which is very difficult for me because I'm just not. He really wanted to be here because he really appreciates all that Maryland Public Television does for our state showcasing the harbor the Chesapeake Bay and all the different things they do in the schools so on speaking for him I want to let you know how sorry he was he couldn't be here. But as the first lady of the state of Maryland I'm truly truly honored to be recognizing here tonight the first lady of Maryland Public Television reifies and she is just as everyone knows is so well-respected for the work that she has done throughout the years in public television for all of us throughout the state. So I have brought a proclamation from the state that I am very very honored to read tonight and I hope you all will help cheer her on my little reading glasses on. Be it known that on behalf of the citizens of this state in recognition of a special tribute to honor you. Rhea Fike and for your outstanding work as an

actor TV personality and fundraiser and respected member of Maryland's broadcasting industry with our appreciation for the talent charm and commitment you have demonstrated throughout the years and as our citizens join in applauding your beautiful and creative efforts to entertain audiences in Maryland and beyond. We are pleased to confer upon you this governor citation given under my hand and the great seal of the state of Maryland at this 10th day of October 2009 Martin O'Malley. Anthony Brown and the Secretary of State John McDonough. So it's official she is Maryland public television's first lady. Thank you Katie. Thank you Rachel. OK we have this competition going.

Here. That's why white. Blue takes a back seat to no one. Hello I'm John Davis. Thank you all for joining us here this evening. Welcome to this wonderful celebration we are in the blue room as you can tell. And before I get into my brief remarks I do want to thank all the folks that have made this room such a great place to be out here in the executive parking lot. Including our. Folks remotivate of gourmet catering who provide us with our lovely meal this evening. Let's give them a hand. They deserve it. And the room itself is spectacular looking and that's thanks to flowers and fancy's who's responsible for all the setting for the table. They're absolutely stunning. Now many of you I hope know who I am. A little bit I suppose to the

television series called Motor Week which is an automotive series seen around the country right. Produced here at NBT for 29 seasons. And prior to that I had for 30 years the pleasure of being the senior producer for most of the run of the legendary Wall Street Week With Louis Rukeyser. So I've been around this place not quite 40 years but out 36 and I've seen a lot of wonderful talent. And those two shows which were shows we originated here in Maryland but were produced around and seen all over the world really not just around the country to give you a little bit of a glimpse of the incredible capabilities and accomplishments of NPT for the last 40 years. And when I started to look back at some of the first that we did here at NPT a lot of the credit has to go to this philosophy that was here when I came in 1973 basically producing programs that we knew that Marylanders would

enjoy and like and learn from. But at the same time if the Marylanders love the programs we knew people all over the country and indeed all over the world would as well. And that was the philosophy very much of our first executive director Rick Bryden Well who's with us this evening and also the team that he had put together including an Darlington who created Wall Street Week and amputee's first Director of Programming Warren Park. And when you look at the number of firsts that this building generated in those days and still does today it's really astounding. We pretty much invented financial journalism for television. Of course we have the automotive series but we did a daily weather show long before the weather channel anyone had ever thought of that. When you think of home shows we actually did that long before home shows became popular. And so there were an enormous amount of talent in this building then and now. Basically generated a lot of excitement and continues to do so. When I take a look at my own

career back in 1979 we did something here again. Had never been done before. We were producing programs to Wall Street Week was working with our British counterparts at the BBC called The Money program and the producer of the money program and I decided to do this special at the end of the 70s which was a very tumultuous decade financially much like the one we're in now and we actually linked up both studios here in Owings Mills with London and we had about six or seven satellites all over the globe that we had tied up interviewing people from around the globe about the world state of the economy. We found out when we were done if that was the most satellite interconnects that one television show had ever done before. And so while that's very common place today. Again it's just one of the milestones that this amazing institution has managed over the years. But you know something. That was the past and we all now live in the here and now and there's a lot of history that's

continuing to be made in public television. And frankly I have the extreme honor now of introducing someone who's making some of that history. It's our guest speaker for this evening. He's a very familiar face to most of you. His name is Jeffrey Brown. He's senior correspondent for The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer. Now Jeffrey join news hour in 1988 for a decade. He served as their senior producer for national affairs and he helped shape really the coverage of a lot of the information that we saw in the News Hour topics including the economy health care and also the arts. Now before joining news hour he was a producer and writer for the Columbia University seminars on Media and Society. I point that out because that is a remarkable achievement because he got to work with the legendary Fred Friendly on that project. Jeffrey is a graduate of University of California Berkeley. He has a Master's for the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. And if that's not a great resume I don't know what is. Without further

ado please join me in welcoming to the microphone. JEFFREY BROWN. Well thank you. Thank you very much for that kind invitation to be here with you. I love this set. I just. Who is would it be nice to do the news from a set like this. You could say senator so and so would you like us Scotch or join me here at the table. Now a lot of fun. Thanks for the invitation to join you here for the celebration of MBT. I just want to share. One brief story to try to tell you what a lot of what we're celebrating here means to me the scene is a hotel room in Tucson Arizona. It's 6:30 in the morning and there's a knock on the door. I've ordered room service because we have to get going early in the morning for the story we're covering. Man comes into the room brings me my. Coffee. Breakfast. He says Good morning Mr. Brown. I don't think about this fact that he's used my name because sometimes at hotels the staff knows who you are. And

so also 6:30 in the morning and I'm not really thinking about anything puts down the food and he says Mr. Brown could I ask you one thing. Now of course I've woken up a little because that is not what the staff at the hotel usually says. I say of course he says. I'm just wondering is Mr. LEHRER OK because I haven't seen him on the show for the last couple weeks. Two reactions to something like that one. It's a little horrifying at 6:30 in the morning when somebody just wants to talk to you. I was not dressed the way I am now. Right. I mean I haven't had my shower or shave or coffee and I'm wearing a t shirt and my hair is up here like this. So that's one reaction. But of course the other action is is how touching how how personally touching the connections are that we make and what we do. And I must say that just in the hour I've been here I have felt a lot of that from people in the room who

come up and feel like they know you and want to talk and and make that even more of a personal connection. So I said to this man Jim's fine he's on a book tour. The man writes novels I think many of you know the man turns out a novel every year. He goes on a book tour. He's fine. We talked a little I asked him a bit more about himself. He goes to the door and then here's the kicker and here's why I'm I want to tell you the story turns again and he says Mr. Brown I'm I'm very sorry but could I ask you one more question. I said Of course he says. Do you yourself love poetry do you read poetry and when did that start for you. Well just a little background for those of you who may not know one of the things I do on the program I mean we do every night the nightly news whether it's the economy or health care or Afghanistan. But my own personal passion and love is the arts and culture and I talk to a lot of writers. So this man says to me Do you yourself like poetry.

He says I asked you this because. I've never read poetry before but I watch you interview and talk with poets and I hear them read and you're getting me into it. My reaction is what you guys just said that's a while that's what it's about. OK. That's when you're making personal connections with people. So you wonder do we reach people. Yeah yeah. We reach people. I'm here to tell you that's what this is all about. We reach people and we reach them in unexpected and often wondrous ways. We come to them with the news of the world and sometimes this fellow who works in a hotel in Tucson Arizona. They come away with a world that is enhanced by a love of words and poetry. I have you heard the introduction. I've spent. It's

amazing for me to say now but almost 25 years in public broadcasting going back to working with the remarkable Fred Friendly a major figure in television history and public television history. For me the key is still that that that word that begins with P P N M P T and the P and PBS it's public what our job is about is reaching the public helping public discourse grow by providing information entertainment with intelligence with thoughtfulness with caring. That's what we're here to do. And last thing at a time when there are so many choices for people out there there are so many channels to choose. There is an endless Internet of information. There's so many opinions and there's so much this and that amazingly enough what we do is still needed for the public. So on behalf of all my colleagues at the news hour or the ones you know Jim

Gwen Margaret Ray Judy and all of those that you don't know behind the scenes and I always cite them because I was one of them for many years working behind the scenes all the producers and all the staff led by our wonderful executive producer Linda Winslow. I want to thank you for letting us be part of what you do here at NPT. And I want to thank you for letting me join the celebration. Congratulations. Thanks very much. Thanks. Jeffrey Brown. John Davis what do you think about that since this is a competition as you can tell the spirit here reflects the color. This is the yellow studio and not everybody.

And even though we're right here in the middle of fall I tell you it looks like a beautiful summer day. The food is provided by Elkridge furnace in which we'll be having later on this evening and looking forward to the beautiful table displays that you see here also provided and the flowers are by Mile End farms. Round of applause for that one. Well out of the bunch I'm maybe one of the lesser known individuals here only because my colleagues have surpassed me by many many years working here at NPR. I don't mean that in an age thing. Length of time at the station. However my name is Yolanda Vasquez and I have been here at Maryland Public Television for about 10 years now. I currently work as a reporter producer on the nationally syndicated automotive television show Motor Week. John Davis as we just mentioned. So I've sort of become a female gearhead over the years talking shop with the guys downstairs. I also work as a reporter on your money in business as part of the public square and that's been interesting to

travel throughout the state of Maryland to learn a lot of business profiles how people get started with their companies and we've been able to show you that every Thursday night on empty. Also the opportunity to fill in anchor on some of the direct connection States circle. I was thinking the other day if I can do Bob had the vet tech and outdoors Maryland I think I would have done almost every show here at empty. So Frank that's a big if you're listening. Mike English but no it's been a wonderful opportunity to be here at Maryland Public Television my roots stem primarily from commercial television news reporting. I spent several years doing that around the country and when I came to the NPT in 1999 I'll never forget what my agent said to me. You're going to public television that's that's going to be the kiss of death. People don't watch public television. This is what she told me was working in Louisville Kentucky. I said I'd beg to differ. I said I'm going to be working at that time it was news night Maryland our great show that we had five nights a week hosted of course by Jeff saw him and we had some other people here at the time.

And I beg to differ I have had a wonderful experience working in public television. It has been. Thank you very much. It has. It has been very enlightening. I've traveled the world I've met some wonderful people. I learn something new each and every day and I'm fortunate enough to be able to share that with our audience with people like you. And I'm sorry. Commercial news is good. That ain't got nothing on that. So just like Jeffrey was saying public television is the way to go. So we have some wonderful guests here visiting for the 40th anniversary and I'd like to make some introductions for them. We have Pat Butler from the NPT foundation waving over there saying. And of course we have the Honorable Elijah Cummings congressman. From the green studio.

We have Dutch Ruppersberger. Congressman also in the green studio. John Sarbanes congressman. Looks like they for all the political folks in the same place right there. STEPHANIE RAWLINGS-BLAKE Baltimore City Council in the red room. Oh that looks fabulous on Stephanie and Kevin Kamman as the Baltimore County Baltimore County Council in the green studio. Thank you all. Folks I've got to be brief and loud. Right now it's my privilege to introduce a pioneer and public media person who's version in leadership. More than 40 years ago led directly to the establishment of NPT and its first broadcast in October 1969. Rick is a great friend and has remained involved in NPT and a number of ways including our pledge drives.

Three years ago we began an annual award in his name. Each spring comes. To celebrate the bright in-fill award for visionary leadership. And public media to a deserving honoree. Please welcome. Dr B. Rick Bryant felt. Feeding the ego of an old man can be dangerous. He may never shut up. You can only imagine what a treat it is for me to be here tonight. I never imagined this in my wildest daydreams. I remember that first broadcast in 1969 very well it seems like 40 years ago. I was one happy 12 year old. One way to earn the warm welcome you've given me tonight is to

outlive most of your peers. And three of them. Merritt mentioned tonight Herb Han was the first chairman of the commission to which this agency reports he was a commercial broadcaster an executive with Group W with offices at W Jay Z. But he had the heart of an educator a do gooder. Non-commercial list and he was courageous supportive and instrumental in making tonight happen. Warren Park was the first director of programming here he built the programming and production staff. He was an ex high school math teacher and ex Bible salesman an ex professional magician. Some thought he was a little too rigid but I remember we were dealing with very young people in 1969

and they thought we were too authoritarian and we said please come to work on Monday. Dick Duncan who was the first director of engineering he retired from a very successful engineering consulting career to take on one final full time assignment and that was the technical design of this plant and later on the added stations he was 30 years older than the rest of us. And he wore that difference with great grace. He'll be remembered. There are many whom I have not outlived three of whom have been here for a very long time and I'd like to recognize them now. The first is a friend of mine named George Benjamin are you here. George. Get up here. I have a wonderful certificate from George. He doesn't get a watch.

He doesn't get a trophy. He gets a lovely certificate. He's been a director and an administrator here and every year he sends me a dirty birthday card. Another old timers Glenn gosh why are you here Glenn. This this fellow was a cub scout when I came here and we discovered quickly that his wedding anniversary was the same as my wedding anniversary. I congratulate you Glenn. I'm a long term of service. Good. The. Man with the gentle voice. Alec Webb has been on the air here since day one and his gentle informal but authoritative voice has graced our air

for these 40 years he's not here tonight but I assured him that he'll get his certificate and our lifelong thanks. There are others I have not outlived. Of course they were children when we hired them. Many of whom are here tonight about a dozen and I have a message for you. If you were here during those early very early years as a staffer as a commissioner as a volunteer as a freelancer. Yes. That's you Doug Roberts. I have a message for you. Thank you. I shall continue to take the credit for the wonderful work you did. I loved you then and I love you now. Thank you. Dr. B. Thank you. Now I'd ask everyone to turn their attention to the TV monitors

as we turn 40 years of history and do three minutes of videotape. Let's go to the tape. Remember them forever for public broadcasting. When. We. Was in. Iran.

On. The plant. You

will see on. A lot of families in those. 40 years hey you know what I am really tired of those other colored studios having more applause than we do.

Here. Right now. You know. This is definitely a night of thanks and you can imagine how many people have been involved in this. It really has taken the time and the talents of our incredible MBT staff to carry off this huge production. I want to thank each and every one of them they have been outstanding. Particular thanks to Kim Holcomb who is our coordinating producer. And when you get to. Thanks. I want to tell you something. This absolutely would never ever have happened without our two incredible chairs. They co-chaired the 30th anniversary gala and I was just amazed that they consented to come back for more. I guess they forgot. Anyhow it's been an incredible experience we've all been working on for a long time and I would like you to meet our terrifically talented marketing maven who really helped get

all the sponsorships together. Our co-chair Sharon Haas. Sharon. You gotta love the Blair room right. Hey. Welcome everybody. It's great to have you here. As Rhea just told you guys Carol and I did this 10 years ago and the joke for the past year and a half as we worked on this is that we both look exactly the same as we did 10 years ago. So. So when Carol asked me if I would consider co-chairing this event again she asked me this about a year and a half ago. The answer was an easy yes and not just because it's impossible to say no to Carol Cybil and not just because she is being honored but because MBT was true that

truly a worthy organization and deserving of all of our support from its children's programming to its cultural and educational programming and its award winning regional coverage of the Chesapeake Bay and P-T truly does enrich all of our lives. So thank you for being here. I'd like to thank a few others. This night would not be possible without the in-kind support of the following. And we're going to scroll their names and logos on the screen so take a look. Name them. Thank you to Paul Wolman from P.W. feet's. There's Paul. Thank you Paul. Thank you to Brian loan from loan Brothers. Thank you to San Tony's market. I don't think we have a shot of San tourney's and Shemya Carolina.

Thank you to my friend Amy Elias from profile's PR. Where's. Amy. And thank you to signs by tomorrow into monium American limousine and courtesy parking. You've also heard about just a couple more. Bear with me a second. You've heard about some of the caterers that were catering the rooms here an additional thanks to Miss Shirleys who did the hors d'oeuvres to chefs expressions for the dessert that you have not yet had but will enjoy later on this evening and to chefs expressions. Thanks to everyone. For coming. Enjoy your evening. Thank you very much Sharon. It's really been a pleasure working with you. And now simply put. And I really mean this. Simply put. We would not be here this evening without Carol Cybil. She has been the

driving force energetic imaginative tireless. She actually made 33 phone calls in one day. That's the truth. And as some as you you know she's also relentless. I mean relentless as far as getting sponsors relentless as far as follow up and relentless. As far as details and as far as details are concerned and I'm not kidding about this she does all of this with tiny little notes that are on scraps of paper that she sticks and all kinds of envelopes. That's how she does it. She's been my girlfriend since junior high school my roommate in college close friend ever since and this is the truth. We have never had an argument in all these years. I have to admit I was a little bit worried about working on this event with her and I'm very happy to tell you that we have kept that record intact. She is truly unique. The one and only Carol Cybil in the

green room. Thank you. Thanks Rhea. Ever since we first met at the volleyball team in seventh grade we were the spikers. First and foremost. I want to thank someone you don't know. Her name is Dion Niblett. She is on staff here at MP T. She. She was our right arm and our left arm organized methodical hardworking and fun to be with. While holding down her regular position here. She managed with extraordinary calm to keep sharing Rhea and myself from having a breakdown. Dion we are truly grateful. Also to my co-chairs whose marketing skills and bargaining capabilities helped us obtain the many needed sponsors. All this while holding down a full

time job. And then there is Rhea. Who also was really a co-chair of this event. We agonized worried and talked or saw each other every day for a year or more. We begged and pleaded for in-kind sponsors some financial sponsors and boy it sure came together without an invitation. We have a sold out evening. Quite a testament to Rhea and the steam in which she is held by her friends and peers. And now. For our sponsors the Baltimore Orioles. Scott Scott and Susan Wilfong SunTrust bank. Comcast. Had where he and Todd Rosenberg and Ruth Marder the Henry and Ruth Blaustein Rosenberg Foundation.

John McCormick McCormick and company. Jim Robinson and Morgan Creek Productions the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore d alwaye Piper life bridge health Mount Washington pediatric hospital and I also want to thank and recognize the sponsors who could not be with us tonight. Peter in Georgia Angelos merite properties Leroy mérat Constellation Energy and Whiting Turner. We'd also like to thank Jane Blaustein Rita Becker and Bob Meyerhoff the Eliasberg family foundation Legg Mason Mr. and Mrs. haar. Harry Meyerhoff in memory of Coalgate Solsbury and the marsh Shapiro and family fund. Barbara Katz and Jennifer Feigin. And so with all of those sponsors and all of your help we are so thrilled to announce with great pleasure the grand total

is. Four. Hundred fifty two thousand dollars two hundred nine day. When I came in tonight it was only 430 something that I was going to ask if anyone out there was willing to give us another $20000. And I knew it wasn't going to happen and I was going to try. But anyway last minute things came in and we made we whenever our goal which was to half a million dollars says seriously enjoy dinner which will now base very shortly be served I hope and thank you so much everyone. Just real quick here folks. Let me have your attention.

This is such a unique team. I mean on my right Carol sayable. If you ever got a call for Carol and you didn't answer on a first ring. You're in trouble. To my left was Sharon somebody that could put business packages together. And if you refuse the package you are also in trouble. After Sharon and Carol and Rhea would make visits. And when they had a little bit of success. I heard they did a dance out in the parking lot and I'm wondering maybe not maybe not tonight but for some other time. But I would like to present both of you. In appreciation of your valuable contribution to our organization. Thank you very much. One. Amazing effort how about that total over

$450000. Isn't that spectacular. And you know what. That's not everything. You probably wouldn't be surprised that I'm going to talk to you about a car right now. That's what I normally do on a motorway. But I want to talk to you about something very very special that Maryland Public Television has done in honor of our 40th anniversary. Northwest Honda basically was responsible for us getting ownership of a brand new 2010 Honda Insight hybrid automobile. And we've had a very special raffle which we will be picking the winner of that car this evening. Now the really cool part is there are only twelve hundred tickets have been sold for this car at $50 a piece so the odds of winning the car. And I think you probably saw when you were having your cocktails is really outstanding. And I've been asked to ask

you that if you would still like to get in on this wonderful experience and have a chance to basically be one of the very few people that will be eligible for the drawing to go back into the tent and you can do it now where you had your cocktails. There is a table there and you can get a good look at a car and you can buy your chance because Rob's going to be picking the winner not too long from now. I got to tell you we just finished a 500 mile jaunt in this car and we got 45 miles per gallon. So if you're energy conscious it is in a remarkable automobile. Thanks John and thanks everyone for your patience this evening. Well I have the delight of getting ready to introduce and let everyone know that it is time to eat. That's right. My notes here say Cue the salad. So enjoy your dinners. And in the words of Julia Child. Bon appetit. And we shall be back after dinner

with the inimitable John Waters. We left out a couple of our sponsors and I feel really terrible about it so I do want to mention and I'm sure you will appreciate the wonderful gala clause by Delaney and we're so sorry we left you out. Thank you very very much. Also. You have a treat in store after we go into the big tent again and that is the most incredible desserts by Charles Le Vine. And I did want to mention both of those. I'm sorry we admitted it earlier. Our headliner tonight. Is a Baltimore native and internationally known film star a writer an artist who just happens to be a dear friend of mine. And of course you know it is it's the great John Waters one.

Black Caviar and Petey takes no responsibility for anything that Mr. Waters says. John Waters. The most iconic and iconoclast whether Bushey words mean nothing compared to the pencil thin styles bordered by Baltimore's lone John Waters. Please welcome our speaker deal John Walsh. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Wow are we fancy tonight on the 40th anniversary gala. You know an ever session are we brave to do this. You know I try to think of. Maybe you should have the 40 first one and what would that be like when really you have no pressure and you could be low rent. So what. When I was a kid here I went to summer camp in Baltimore at a place called Happy Hollow. And we had something called Backwards day and every day I look forward to it. You had to. They picked you up in reverse order you had lunch for breakfast she wore your clothes backwards. But I wanted to go further. I wanted to talk backwards. I wanted to completely live the rest

of my life backwards. So I'm trying to tell you tonight what I think you should do for the 40 first and make it an and gala and do the opposite kind of it night. Now the first thing would be the invitation we would send it out to you with postage due. So. When. You had to get the postman you had to sign the paper when you opened it it would snap your finger like one of those trick gums they had in the joke shops and then you know all the little boxes like I'll take a table for 20000 or $250 ticket or no I can't come but I'll donate this amount of money. They always forget the one box. No I can't come and no I won't give you any money. And we should put that in there. Then people will start talking about it. We need new donor awards. We raised almost a half a million dollars tonight. Let's just get one person to give that money and they sit at a table by themselves. And there's a Sky Air airplane that writes their name is skywriting over the whole city. Then we let everybody else in for free and they got to pay to get out.

With husbands like that. Remember the old days when everybody had money. What you don't realize these. These. These things sold out immediately in the old days you may think it sold out tonight but you don't realize today I was in the travel plaza in East Baltimore papering this event. There's a lot of people that know nothing about mail and television they're sitting on your table say hello to them. They're here for the free food. Some of them trick me because they ask for the list of all the donors and their addresses and they're robbing your homes right now. Yeah everybody is a little poorer but are you sick of hearing the rich whine. It used to be cool to be poor rummer young Why can't it be cool to be poor when you're rich. I think tonight we should have done it. Forget limos hitchhike. I do that a lot still. And that was the only good thing about the gas crisis people were hitchhiking in Baltimore again. You meet the

nicest people and I still do it at Penn Station some time when I hitchhike and people start laughing and they pick me up they take me right to their home it's better than a limo service and it's free. I even hitchhiked once one American Biography was doing and they said we'll hide and you hitchhike. And so I did and somebody pick me up and they're filming and I said to the guy don't look over to your left because there's a team filming and we said OK I won't. And they just filmed me getting a ride hitchhiking and he dropped me off and he still never looked over at the camera. Maybe we should have a brown carpet instead of red an old stained brown carpet with with no paparazzi. And you and you have to accept a trip wire for people that have spent too much money on their outfit and they land in their hands and some man. And lead their hand looks like a mortified Chinese realm in theater and fashion. Maybe you have to wear an outfit that you've already worn once and been photographed in and bring a picture to show it and inside it looks beautiful and here very Poseidon Adventure. But.

How about if the florist Lets have all dead flowers. Wouldn't that look great. He's a good old graveyard. The day before and get them for free. No power tables. Everybody has to sit with their age. Wouldn't that be great. And the oldest people have the best lighting with scrims in back and the youngest people sit in emergency room lighting and look great. And that's how we get young people involved in food. Let's let's let's have postmodern food let's just serve all the ends of the vegetables that got cut off potato eyes. The fat from the meat fried up that's to cause a little anarchy and here to get it moving. And the waiters we've got to have some waders tonight but let's try and let's hire some ex-convicts they need jobs and they they could be in on it with us and they could be rifling your pocketbooks as long as they donate the money afterwards. Come on you can afford it and lighten up. And Master of Ceremonies gets somebody more

disreputable than me. Get Levi Johnson. You know. You'll be ready and cheap next year because I always made jokes in my college lecture that he's going to be naked in my movies. He is going to be naked. He's announced he's going to be in Playgirl magazine. They have frontal nudity. Do you believe that he's so like somebody I make movies about. He can Street next year. Let's have lookalike contacts blaze star lookalike contest. Wouldn't that be great. They have John Waters look alike contests when I go to college. And lesbians always win. I don't know how to take that. And. Instead of all the high minded very well-meaning speakers we had tonight let's for once have the cleaning crew at amputee's speak. They're the ones that know everything. You want to know how to get the ratings higher and them they watch TV and door prizes it's hard to get sponsors.

I think it's great. We did you know film festivals have the same trouble we have to get cigarettes liquor I mean pretty soon you're going to come in and get handed a carton of Camels in your gift bag. I want to put little porno tapes under the tables tonight because I judge the porno Oscars once and they send them to me for free. But Rhea told me we didn't have any skirts for the chair so I didn't know how to do it. But but the business needs. You know Larry Flynt asked Obama for help in the porno business. And I thought that was kind of funny. And then auction. You know I tried to buy Ingmar Bergman garbage can this week at the auction and I quit bidding at 4300 it went for $2000. I tried to buy Jackie Kennedy's and they kept saying at the auction she didn't have one and she said you just saw the catalog she didn't throw anything out. I couldn't believe that. So finally I think let's have an auction of all famous people's trash cans. That would be perfect for this event. Why would anybody come. You asked me if I say this. I'll tell you why. All Powerful people are masochists. Ask any hooker every power person wants to give up power in their fantasies. So that's

what you all should do tonight. Thank you. And I'm on to the next victim. Were John Waters finds inspiration lurking around every corner. There's no. Sense. Here bad shot in. A trailer. Phoenix. Where. We're you know has you to thank for putting us on the map really in a way that some people aren't so thrilled about. Martlet on hairspring. You. Want. To cram. Just downtown and town to town meeting in Baltimore funnier than Detroit or here in Washington as I've said before it is a

city filled with people that think are normal but are totally insane. Are you allowed. To even. Roll. White marble. DC-DC. It's. A real city of. Diverse. Here. Thank you very much. Thank you. MPD is facing a new era. You know everybody's got to reinvent themselves. I have to do it every decade. So to you but it's got to loosen up you know. And so I'm just wondering if you hired me as a

consultant. What I would recommend them to do one things that keep people out of the shows keep the hit shows but make them sexier. You know like motor week let's go and use instead of the new cars. Let's go to where all the chop shops are in West Baltimore on Ramsay Street where all those garages are. You should see what's going on inside there taken away your stolen car filming the summer when everybody's half naked in the garage it'll really pick the ratings up there. And artworks the great show that Ryan had always interviewing people that are having success coming to Baltimore having an event. I think we should do the other side. The people would have had no success in the arts and are stuck here. You know they need a voice to people that have never sold one painting that have never gotten a good review in their life. I didn't get a good review for 10 years. I think we can even go further. Pat Moran and I could go back and find all the actors that were even too insane for us to use in pink flamingos. If there was one and find where they are today and see what they're doing. Reality shows they don't have to be stupid. Empty could have a reality show but make an intellectual one

go to Hopkins get the visiting professors like John Bharath goes drinking in Hamden you know take him to Dimitri's and you hear the best dialogue there. I met a guy in there and I said What do you do for a living and he said Do you mind if I tell you the truth and I said no he said I trade deer meat for crack. You know what novelists could make that up or. Were Let's go inside the prison. You know I think that would good. I mean what if you got to think of prison in a different way. What is prison except a great bar without liquor. And if we could have Marin Alsop in there conducting rap with all the prisoners it would be a great show. I think we're on the block with Michael Phelps. Why. Why did they give him trouble for dating a stripper. I would too if I won the Olympics I be out with strippers every night. I don't get it. So what is a single man. And we need to improve the block. It's terrible there and now that you know no Gypsy Rose Lee they just come out naked with a floor mat and some hand lotion it's terrible. But. But why

don't we turn it in to where we have sports bars and good strippers. And it would be great we could revitalize the block and make it great. Let's have anti-O or take tours of neighborhoods that she'd never write about. I always said the way to end racism is to pick three families in every neighborhood and have them shift. Cherry Hill lives in Roxton for a week and says their kids to the school everybody switches and sees how it works that would be a great reality show. And finally have a good cooking show lets have a blue collar cooking show. Come on this is the Manet's capital of the world. Have you ever been to someone's house when they didn't have a Manet's dish. Sometimes it's a lazy susan of Manet's dishes. I even see Manet's for sold at flea markets in the middle of a summer sitting out their industrial jars with people buying it it's amazing. So let's let's have a unhealthy cooking show for once. You know we've got a lot of big people in this town. You know let's let's celebrate that to breakfast for beginners. It would be worth it would be a great show. Thank you.

There's nothing more twisted and gut wrenching than falling in love. What in the world of John Waters. It's also mortifyingly embarrassing and sick and sweet. He. Is. Oh I love eating I you never get away. Disgusted with me. So. I'm all up and ready. All.

Right. Wow. Another room here. All. Right. One must add more drinks and this one. Was. Real if I can. The only Jew to ever come out of Hamden. What a great story. I saw the little tiny grocery store that she grew up in and she had a happy childhood being an outsider in Hamden. I think it's great. I mean I always tell parents like it look be worried about your kid a fair the prom queen or the top football star in high school because the

day they graduate. Their life is downhill afterwards. The people that have a hard time when they were young are the ones that do well. And I always tell my parents never thought they knew I was a bad influence. Pray your kid is a bad influence because otherwise he's the one getting influence. I mean I guess I have to ask the horrible Sophie's Choice question. Wouldn't you rather your kid be a drug dealer than a drug addict. Now the one thing that we have to realize tonight that I know amputee realizes but I think I want to make sure they do that what a great great treasure reify is for this station that. She will never ever be able to be replaced in a hundred years are never going to find somebody that brings the joy to the station that she does even raising money. I mean usually when I see somebody raising money I turn the channel in one second but she's like a preacher up there. I mean Rhea is a Colt. Basically she's like Jim Jones really she could if they let her keep going she could have the home viewers drink poison suicide for amto she would do it. You know.

I first met Rhea in about 1964 downtown and Mart ex-parte. It was a beatnik bar and my mother used to drive me down there. Even when I was in high school and let me off and I don't know maybe you can meet somebody here you can relate to and I certainly did. Pat Moran worked there. Rhea was there and I also saw Rhea at peper Hill the first illegal gay bar I ever went to and she was always there with you know her all her gay friends that she did the puppet show with. And it was great to see her there. I loved her I thought God she goes to beatnik bars gay bars and then I'd see her downtown with fancy society ladies getting her hair done in curls. I thought this woman can get along with everybody. And that is the key to her success. And one thing everybody knows Reeva is not a snob. And that is very very important. She's also been a great actress she worked with me in many movies certainly I love that she told Ricki Lake that she had a hair don't. She also got to insult Melanie Griffith and Cecil B demented. She's an avid reader.

When I had Julian Barnes a writer friend that is so smart I'm afraid to even talk to him I didn't know what to do with him in Baltimore so we went over to his house and had a great time. And she's a friend a real friend she does know my personal life she does know where the bodies are buried. So she's she's a very important person in my life. So maybe we should do a show together here on MTV. We could start back and do the puppet shows. I started as a puppeteer when I was young. I did it for children's birthday parties till I started putting blood in it and then she stopped. She had sunshine which was called shoeman. So basically you could be right out front of the puppet show and I could have little sleep so the puppet and we could do weather forecast but I'm really sick of scare weather when they say what is this heat index and chill factor was that it means it's exactly that temperature only it's weather hype. So I want to do a real weather hype show where we come on the little puppet says a five second tornado warning in Baltimore line or light or or tomorrow it's going to be 30 feet of snow and then we could take to pay offs from the Giant about toilet paper and white bread

sales. Which I do understand why the blizzards in Baltimore make people irregular. I never understood that. It's a concept I don't understand. And finally it's going to be so hot tomorrow we're all going to die. That would be our weather show. She had a great show with the lottery successfully so I thought let's do an illegal gambling show with Maria and it would be great. First of all how to beat the claw machine. Do you remember old bars in old Baltimore had claw machines. Even someone on the block that had sexual aids in it you picked up. So I think we could rehat talking about the claw machine would be the first great episode. Then we go down the Lexington Market which I still love to go around that era a little dicey some down then if snake eyes with Rhea and the alley people illegally gambling. Or or you could go to Gamblers Anonymous and interview people's trusted accountants that for years got away for stealing money from churches and everything because they were addicted to gambling. I hate winning. I'd be the best person there when I go to Las Vegas and play slot my shows I'm so embarrassed. I want to lose because when you when lights come on you have to put a dirty cop and get

coins like you're poor. Well people are looking at you it's so humiliating to ever win. And you know and I also think that you know we could have a show where Rhea's on the other side of the law. Going to corner bars and warning them that the liquor board is going to come and raid for the poker machine pay offs at every bar in Baltimore has run in with Rhea I think it would be good. And finally some nostalgia. We could look back and I could remember great things like the Timonium fayer which I used to love because it had the best freak show ever. They are really scary octopus man and everything but Reinette I could bring back that to maybe the city fair and bring back a freak show. But what would be a politically correct freak show today. I don't know the world skinniest model or or see a man with no tattoos. That would be big here. And. I always remember the thing about having the strong guy hit the thing and would go up and you'd win a prize. So I think re-enact could celebrate the weakest person in Baltimore and I actually saw him the other day in the Rite Aid and falls on Falls Road. He was so gay he

couldn't stand up and he was working there and he couldn't push the corner. No one was mean to him people were really nice they just said if you want to ring up the sale you just push it. I can't I can't. And I stood and watched him for really a long time and it's really important that these kind of people are celebrated in this city. And I think and I could do a great job of that. Thank you. John. You

can. Track it down. I'm trying to hang in here. Guys. Thank you very much. Wow. This room looks the most glamorous front. Thank you. This is the Poseidon Adventure. Imagine if the whole room started going out like this now. All right. We on here yup. How about a rerun and I did or did the fundraiser together we would break you like a Russian hooker. Your kids wouldn't have any college fun laugh. Matter of fact inheritance would

be the way it would be the property of this television station. We would be shameless if we did it. We'd reach out for a national audience. We'd be really exploitive we'd have wrestling matches between Jerry's kids and the smile train gang we would have bad Baltimore celebrity lookalikes come up and do pleas to the home viewers. Imagine Jeffrey and Carol Levitt lookalikes remember them. They were ahead of their time. Spiro Agnew wouldn't you be shocked if he came in right now and started speaking. Or Matt the hell with them let's get the real families like Madeleine Murray's kids not the ones that were murdered. The one that took prayer out of school that wrote a mean book about her called my life without God and now is a Jesus freak. Have him here to bring back that era for all of us to enjoy. And for some of you old timers. Let's have a Julia Solsbury look alike and have him come in admit where he was all these years you know. How about let's. We got some trouble in the city but let's go there to let's help reunite do a show. Turn in your

hand guns to Rita. Can you imagine. They give them to her. If she was marching down the street banging on doors Rayas where they give her the guns. Even drug dealers like Rita. Maybe she could talk them to every third nickel bag goes to MTV goes here. To be fair. And the last day of the show we'd panhandled together. I've seen some great signs. I saw a beggar in New York his sign said I used to be quite attractive and I saw one in San Francisco that said need money for a hooker. And people were putting money in. So I think Rhea and I would go out with a sign on a camera crew and go up to people and say Give me your money or we'll kill you. And thank you for not making us do that tonight. And thank you. And what a great evening for Mr. Fabulous reifies. Thank you very much. You know John and read that's a very good idea about the floods fundraising activity

now. Thank you very much John. Not only is he a great addition to this event tonight but he is somebody who is one heck of a friend to NPT and we love you and thank you for being here. It's my great pleasure too to acknowledge a true treasure to NPT. Among all of her many accomplishments she will say she is most proud of her children and we're so lucky to have her daughter Jennifer here tonight. And Jennifer could you come up. With me kind of a hard act to follow John. Well it really is a thrill to be able to be here and be part of this tribute to you. But I have to admit I was sort of stumped when he called me and they asked me to talk about what it was like to have you as a mother because she's been a fantastic mother. There's no question about that. But. To me she was always just a normal

mom. She was just mom. For instance growing up. We'd all had dinner together every night. We'd sit around the table all four of us would be there. But instead of sitting next to me telling me to eat my vegetables she'd be sitting across from me in a little box called TV telling me what the weather was. And I always thought she had these great superhuman powers because she always knew what the weather was going to be the next day. It's just amazing. And then for Halloween she was just like all the other moms in the neighborhood and she put on my makeup and my wig and she would tell me what my little costume was going to be. So I'd go out with my little friends and they'd be Cinderella and Snow White a kitten or a bunny and I would tell everyone that I was BLAYSE star and my brother was a pimp. We also had great pool parties at our house just like everyone else in the neighborhood. We had people over or we had a lot of the locals come by but all the kids always wanted to come to my house because of course we'd have John there and and Vine Cal shoeman. We'd have a whole lusterless radio and TV personality contingent. We'd also have Leon

Fleisher who we'd have Tom Madie and we'd have about half of the Colts football team but that was pretty normal to me growing up. But I think the pinnacle of my normalcy came the first time that you had me on television. I think I was about five or six years old. It was a really proud moment for my mom. She got me in front of the stage and she said Jennifer what do you want to be when you grow up. And I said I want to be Miss America. So no I have not ever become Miss America. And I haven't followed in your footsteps in entertainment. I will say that you have been an incredible influence on my life from a very early age you always taught me that you know women would work and not only did they work but they got to pick their career and they got to love doing what they were doing. She's also been just such an incredible role model for women in television. From the time that she was in her early 20s it was the first time that she was on television and she has never looked back for over five decades. She's continued to entertain

audiences with her Grace and her charm and her wit and her undeniable realness. So with that I'll say that I'm so proud of you mom and I know that Colgate is too. There is no other real fight in. That. Program. But you know full time. Hi. Mom as you can see I'm here in Africa. And I'm sorry I couldn't be there tonight for your big night but I'm wishing you congratulations. And for those of you who don't know I live and work in Kenya in Africa I study infectious diseases with the Centers for Disease Control and I wish I could be there tonight but it was a long trip for two hours. One story. My early days with you

was the night that you brought me down to WGAL and you left me with the receptionist went up there and I snuck away from the receptionist and I came upstairs I walked right into the studio. And walked right onto it. I just sat down there and I gazed up at you. Those are the days I guess when TV wasn't so serious after all you would be over in the weather but the camera man pulled back and he showed me. Sitting there watching. On. TV. So that was my first debut on TV. I didn't get television charm for sure. Wishing you congratulations on your big night and the 40th anniversary. But you know we don't do regular. Programming. For $90 to get this DVD and me out of

Africa. Now. Hi everybody. I'm Joe Krasinski. I work in fundraising and communications here at MIT and I have the pleasure and privilege of working alongside Rhea on empty pledge drives. And I'm so proud to be part of this moment that I know we've all been waiting for. As Rob said at the start tonight we have an opportunity to recognize the continuing contributions of a truly one of a kind individual and a genuine star in all of our eyes. Rita can I want you now

to take a look at this wonderful recollection put together by Ken Day. What. Do we have here. Who are you. She is the grand mom of Baltimore television a legend in the industry. For nearly five decades. Millions of Marylanders have welcomed this warm and charming woman into their homes and their lives. They've been moved by her passion for the arts and touched by her wit and wisdom. And they've pulled out their wallets and supported the cause. Because this lady ask them to.

Refinance career on the screen began on the stage her years at the University of Maryland saw real Mermelstein in many theater productions. She loved the theater but her practical side saw her earn a degree in speech therapy. And when the Baltimore school district needed someone to go in front of a camera and teach kids how to speak better she leaped at the chance. Who better than Betty better speech right over here we have that every little girl would have to have her home. All right. I want you to give me advice. I know. But acting continue to be a passion. She appeared in a filmed television drama entitled The buried rose in the early 60s. Indeed she would go on to co-found center stage. Baltimore's first

professional resident theater and she performed in many of its early productions. Video. Leah reifies fame will become inextricably linked to two co-stars odd creations of 10 ounces of fur and fun kids couldn't get enough of it. At the station was soon receiving a thousand letters a week. And when a major oil company wanted to sponsor a regional weather casts Misratah teamed up with another Cozi creation named J-P to show us the highs and lows. It was a lovely oh so perfect all the beautiful colors of the park. This strange talent combination didn't go unnoticed by a young filmmaker who specialized in strange Baltimore's own John Waters.

He cast Misrata in perhaps his most famous film Hairspray and Ria's lines are legendary. I can't see through her hair. I can't help but be sure your rabid hair is preventing yet another student's geometry education. It's feathered not is. What ever you call it. It's a hair don't. Eventually real Viken found her way to Maryland Public Television where her ease with the camera at charming demeanor made her a natural in a new series called consumer survival kit. Which helped viewers understand the best values in everything from tires to. Now that's a very elemental lesson line. Well I know that there is a great deal more to learn about wine and we've just touched the surface. But I can guarantee you one thing I intend to keep on drinking. I think you should and I think the more you drink the more

you learn. That's what it's all about. Cheers. But her fundraising skills first honed on TV telethons won't give you anything you want just call Mixy and soon made her a huge plus on the station's pledge drives. She had a talent for making the phones ring because viewers said that she loved and believed in what she was selling. But even a pledge professional can reach her limit. Artists. Are still working on how much you have to pay them. Back. But. People keep. Laughing. Tight. For a seventy five dollars. You do get. As much money. Really it's a real bargain.

All right. I'm going to put myself together. There's no other way something like this. But honestly with you once you get this book and this has some wonderful things in it is. Yes it's easy. You. Everybody. Everybody. If I can for NPT on location. Her talent and boundless energy soon found other venues at the station. She began traveling around Maryland exploring its culture and its charm. And most of its people. We are in Oakland Maryland for the 2000s. Saw Rita coming through their towns in a series called NPT on location life to be. Free of fire and a love of the arts came full circle with the creation of the program

artworks this week. It looks so different. We were standing here. He was able to use her experience in the theater and knowledge of the arts to relax and then charm artists into opening up about their inner most secret women of all ages. Have fallen in love with you a little bit from last after you went there how you feel about that. And they are like where are these women. Am here to know. Yeah. Where were they when I was single. Like splits. Doesn't it burn your tongue. I read somewhere that. At first you might have done Sebastian instead of Charles. They asked me to a place I asked you. Is film acting very different from stage acting. Well essentially it's all it's all from the same place but the technique is completely clear.

That the first time you've seen that I was in it. What do you think is it going to play. I thought it looked pretty good. I think it looked pretty good myself. We have like in a woman of timeless beauty a warm and wonderful human being. And truly a treasure of Maryland Public Television. So it's now time to ask our honoree to join us for a presentation. We are pleased to announce. She has no idea what this is about. But we wanted to say thanks and and to say it in a way not just thanks enough but thanks forever. In a way that would be visible for

all years to come. And we wanted to reflect on what you mean to us in the in the story you truly are. So what we're going to reveal tonight just for you and something we think is unique. It's definitely a first for us. And we're gonna invite everybody back in the spring. Not another gala but it's going to be a formal installation ceremony. And what we're going to do right outside of our front door. I'm pleased to announce your name is going to be our very first star on amputee's Walk of Fame. And you are such a sweetheart. I think Joe here has. Our story. And we have a plaque as well. We have the mini version that gets to go home with you. And it says the very first star in amputee's Walk of Fame is presented to reifies as permanent recognition for years of service with distinction to public television

and the greater Maryland community. So much. I. I really do not know what to say except to tell you that I am overwhelmed by this whole evening. I'm really so lucky. I'm so lucky to have an incredible family. Jennifer thank you so much for everything you said. It was nice to see Danny in Africa and and I look around I see all my friends my incredible friends who are here friends from all walks of life from the very beginning colleagues of mine people I work with now friends I go out and party with friends who are always there for me all the time. One cannot be more lucky than that. And I want to thank all of you. I don't know what I'd do

without you and amputee which is like my other family and I. Rob I want to thank you and I want to thank everybody here at NPR for all the years for for believing in me for giving me the opportunity to do some amazing shows that gave me such happiness and delight to do. And for this wonderful evening and this this is so amazing. I mean I'm very very touched by this whole evening and this whole gala has been a wonderful experience. There is just one little saying along the way that canna bothered me a little bit. A lot of people said so nice that they're giving you this retirement party.

And I started saying here to the party. And so I had the opportunity talking to Laurie Unger and I said where are you. He's just a retirement party. And he said not as long as I'm working here. So I just hope he's here for a long long time to come. Thank you all for being here. Thank you for believing in order women. On Television. Hey. This is not a retirement party. And now I'd like to invite everybody to the big tent for dessert coffee cheese and mine and a celebration. Will have a countdown on our 40th anniversary. Thank you again for coming in. OK. We're now to the time where we're going to be drawing for our car. Our good friends up here from jazzy blues you've given us a couple of seconds to get this

incredible Honda inside away to some lucky person here. Again I want to thank Freddy Stephens entertainment for making that possible. And Bert Rankin where are you Bert Burt's going to get. The barrel here. A couple of good spins. He go going Bert. I know some people over there are waiting. All right. I want to ask our president Rob shoeman and here. They're going to come pick the car winner the lucky winner. Remember less than twelve hundred chances great odds. Here we go. Real please do the honors. No you read it here. Oh. All right. From Alexandria Virginia. Carol. Are you here.

Carol it's Carol back. Carol I hope your hair if you're not you are still the winner of a brand new 2010 Honda Insight. I just want to thank all of you for participating this evening. It's been a spectacular evening. We want to stay in it to enjoy ourselves with all the great desserts. But I spesh want to say thank you on behalf of Rob shoeman. Japp of course Socan. My cohort for motor week yarned of Oscar's horse which Weidenfeld and all the other great Empey tears past and present. Coming out tonight. And now we're going to do something very very special just like Times Square on New Year's Eve. We're going to countdown to the Happy anniversary for MBT want everyone to say what you say. Happy anniversary. Happy anniversary. But here we go. Rhea you start off with ten. Ten nine eight. Seven.

Six. Five are great. Why. Thank you all very much you have a wonderful time and let's have 40 more years of.