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Last Updated:
Mar 19th, 2008 - 07:43:02 |
Best DJ: Bushman
by Lester Holmes | Photo by Scott Spellman
It’s a scene that looks more like a rambunctious classroom with a
substitute teacher than a commercial radio station with professionals.
Bushman takes a CD case and throws it at another DJ as an intern ducks
and hides under the desk for cover. Then Bushman calmly gathers himself
and asks for the eighth caller to win tickets for the Playboy party
this weekend at the Zoo Bar.
A DJ with Playboy tickets — no wonder Real Detroit readers voted
Bushman as The D’s best DJ. “I don’t think that I’m better than anyone
else. I’m just me,” said Bushman, who — in-between fits of
uncontrollable laughter, horseplay and CD cases flying in the air —
hosts the weekly 2 to 6 p.m. shift for WJLB FM 98.
“I have great numbers for the last 11 years in Detroit,” Bushman said.
In an industry that has a great amount of turnover, he celebrated his
11th Bushman Day (station anniversary) last Valentine’s Day. Bushman
attributes his popularity with the listening audience to his
personality. “I like to have fun. I’m off the cuff. I’m crazy and I
know how to push the envelope without getting into trouble.”
One example of pushing the envelope happened while DJing his weekly
Friday night party at St. Andrew's Hall in Detroit. “One night I played
Nelly’s song ‘Hot in Here’ and I started taking my clothes off. Then
every time I played that song the crowd was expecting me to take my
clothes off,” Bushman recalled. He now DJs fully clothed since people
started taking pictures and even brought video cameras into the club.
“Unless Beyonce wants me to take off my clothes and then I might lose
skin taking my clothes off,” he laughed.
Bushman developed his style and sense of humor early, as a mentor
taught him the skills to DJ back in the eighth grade in North Carolina.
By the time Bushman graduated from North Carolina A&T University he
was already playing on campus radio as well as several clubs in the
Greensboro, NC area. After years of being one of the most popular DJs
in Greensboro, he decided to leave the warmth of North Carolina.
Bushman was prepared to face the harsh winter and attitudes of Detroit.
“I am my hardest critic; I want to do it better than I did it the day
before,” Bushman explained. He said that Detroiters will let you know
immediately where you stand with them. “Up here the people will let you
know if you’re good or if you suck.”
Bushman uses that same type of “Detroit honesty” when it comes to local
rappers and singers who submit demo tapes to the station to be played
on the air. “If you don’t want to hear what I think — don’t give it to
me. I will tell you if I think you’re hot or if you don’t have a
chance. I will tell you if you have potential,” Bushman said. He
believes it is a disservice when on-air personalities are not honest
with aspiring artists. “If I sugarcoat what I think about the artist,
the artist will be the one screwed,” he added.
While Bushman has appeared in numerous commercials, television shows
and movies, including the hip-hop movie classic 8 Mile, he refuses to
fall into a state of complacency. When Bushman is not on the air or
performing at club, he is speaking to metro Detroit youth at schools,
career days and through email and text messages. Bushman didn’t realize
his impact on the community until a young man spoke to him. “I was
DJing and this guy came up to me and said, ‘When I was a student you
spoke at my school and your speech inspired me to turn my life around.
I graduated high school and I’m completing college,’” Bushman said.
“You can’t reach everybody but if you can help one or two kids, it
means something.” | RDW
Best Daily Newspaper Columnist: Kelley Carter
by B.J. Hammerstein
Competition is part of the journalism game. From the old pros working
the beat to the still-in-school interns looking for a break: desire,
determination and dedication are characteristics every great columnist
needs. And Kelley Carter has them.
The Detroit Free Press music and entertainment writer has been hustling
in the Motor City since graduating from Michigan State close to eight
years ago. February saw the entire world watching with Super Bowl XL
touching down at Ford Field and it was Kelley’s job breaking news about
the parties, performances and celebrity dish. “The 3-1-3 rocks,” she
explained. “You never know what you’re going to get living and working
in Detroit.”
With Kelley you know you're going to get big-name stories, including
interviews with Kanye West and Beyonce. “Jay-Z was one of my all-time
favorites. He’s just so real, cool and super intelligent. Plus, we
share the same last name. My hope is we’re long lost cousins or
something. Then I can be down with the R-O-C!”
Maybe the most defining moment of this past year for Kelley — and so
many other Detroiters connected with the scene — was the sad passing of
pioneering hip-hop producer/MC James “Jay Dee” Yancey. It was her work
covering those events with a delicate voice that touched so many
readers, specifically the Free Press feature story she wrote “Jay Dee’s
last days.” “The response I’ve gotten back from that piece is both
overwhelming and very humbling,” she said. “It’s the kind of work I
love doing. I love being able to use my pen and paper the way a
filmmaker would use a camera. I love when I can put a human face on
someone who is famous and show you their relatable
characteristics.” | RDW
Best Radio Station: 96.3 WDVD
www.963wdvd.com
From that hot little James Blunt to that hotter little Kelly Clarkson,
96.3 WDVD plays the best hits from the ‘80s to the brightest stars of
tomorrow with a cool, laid back vibe that is always appealing and fun.
Whether it's cool promotions like their Listener Rewards-program or
energetic and informed personalities like Morning Show hosts Blaine and
Lisa, that combination along with the city’s best variety of music is
pretty much the reason 96.3 WDVD ranks number one with Real D readers.
Best Talk-Radio Station: 97.1 Free FM
www.wkrk.com
The year 2005 may be looked at as a transitional period as significant
lineup changes were made over at Live 97.1, but — without a doubt —
their starting roster is chock full of talent and is definitely the
only number to dial up when you’re looking to fill your speakers with
talk, talk, talk. Of course Real D’ers love the sports gab of Parker
& the Man, but Motor City Middays with Jay and Michelle followed by
Deminski & Doyle are both extremely popular among readers. The new
acquisition of Penn Jillette is solid and mornings, one way or another,
get started with the wild antics of Rover and his crew.
Best Media Personality: Rob Parker
Multi-media threat Rob Parker is everywhere. You can read his sports
columns in the Detroit News. You can hear him talk about it all on his
radio show with Parker & the Man co-hosts Mark Wilson and Bernie
Fratto Monday through Friday from 7-10 p.m. on Live 97.1 Free FM. You
can find him popping in on local TV Sunday nights expressing his ideas
about the ins and outs of the latest Pistons or Tigers’ games. His
sports’ views spark debates on the national stage and back here in
Detroit he supports the city and the team with an honest,
matter-of-fact kind of attitude.
Best Morning Show: Drew & Mike on WRIF 101.1 FM
www.wrif.com
The other day sound bites were being broadcast featuring Oprah Winfrey
discussing multiple, random, strange penises and what she doesn’t want
to do with all those bad boys — just another example of Drew & Mike
serving metro Detroit, providing their listeners with all the important
and, sometimes, gory details. The dynamic duo continue on with the
hilarity, informing, entertaining and talking it up — politics, the
Super Bowl, fun bags — and show absolutely no signs of slowing down.
Along with a great production crew and the highly talented news
personality Trudi Daniels, Real Detroiters, like most everyone else in
the city, dial up WRIF 101.1 FM and The Drew & Mike Show to get
their day started right.
Best Overnight Show: Alternate Take with Liz Copeland
www.wdetfm.org
Liz Copeland’s reign as Queen of Detroit’s late-shift airwaves shows no
signs of losing favor. Holding the throne at WDET since 1995,
Copeland’s Tuesday-Saturday midnight to 5 a.m. show features the Motor
City’s most accessible, eclectic mix of music including featured-artist
spotlights and an uncontested dedication to Detroit’s electronic music
scene. You can sometimes catch her spinning records in the clubs too,
but Real Detroit readers yearn for her skills night after night and the
place to find that is by tuning in to 101.9 FM.
Best Local Music Show: Homeboy Show 89x (at the Bullfrog)
www.89xradio.com • www.bullfrogrocks.com
Sunday nights have always been one of the cooler nights for media —
experimental shows, live concerts and, most importantly, local support.
Sunday nights on 89X between 10 and 11 p.m. host Vince Cannova
highlights the latest and greatest from Detroit and Windsor with the
long-running 89X Homeboy Show. But the Michigan-made music doesn’t stop
there, as the 89X Homeboy Show hits the road Wednesday nights at the
Bullfrog in Redford. Join 89X’s Cal Cagno and the lovely crew of the
Bullfrog as they host the hottest Hump Day around.
Best TV Station: CBS
www.wwjtv.com
Network TV is an interesting place, but the heavily CSI-flavored CBS
seems to know what’s number one. From the Final Four to Jennifer Love
Hewitt, it’s easy to see why readers selected it number one: Its
affiliation with UPN and their fabulous America’s Next Top Model
starring Tyra Banks. Now that’s fierce!
Best Local News: FOX 2 News
www.wjbk.com
There’s something special about being Detroit’s only local, live,
morning newscast and that dubious distinction goes to FOX 2 News. Now
Alan Lee, playa, it isn’t only about you and that FOXy Fanchon Stinger
— there’s an entire news crew working hard over there at FOX for the
honor of Real Detroit’s Best Local News including all those pesky
Problem Solvers, and Ron Savage and his important Michigan’s Most
Wanted series. Real D freelance writer Amy Lange is an award-winning
reporter for FOX, Murray Feldman’s financial figures are cool, Huel
Perkins is money and Charles Pugh … well, he’s Charles Pugh.
Best Investigative Team: Channel 7
www.wxyztv.com
Real Detroit readers and staffers both agree this is the Best
Investigative Team serving the metro Detroit area. When these reporters
come knocking nobody wants to be home, especially if it’s the tenacious
Steve Wilson leading the charge. True, Detroit is a better place having
this crew keeping checks and balances, and considering Channel 7’s
commitment to getting the story straight, the city looks to this ABC
affiliate for all the hard news.
Best Local Anchorperson: Carmen Harlan
www.clickondetroit.com
Last year her co-anchorperson, Devin Scillian, took the anchorperson
honor but the readers have voted differently this year re-nominating
Carmen Harlan back as Detroit’s Best Local Anchorperson. Harlan’s been
a Detroit staple since coming aboard Channel 4 back in 1978 and besides
nightly responsibilities anchoring the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts, the
magnetic, caring and truly Detroit personality also co-host’s Local 4’s
annual coverage of Detroit’s International Freedom Festival Fireworks
and America’s Thanksgiving Parade.
Best Sports Column: Parker & the Man
www.realdetroitweekly.com
Hmm, Real Detroit readers must have grown accustomed to Real Detroit’s
weekly sports column Parker & the Man. Featuring Live 97.1 WKRK’s
Parker & the Man radio co-host Mark Wilson, the verbal thoughts and
views from the show are written out and expressed weekly to the
dedicated residents of Hoop City, Hockeytown, Tiger Town and, consensus
still pending, Lions Township. With the Super Bowl just passing
through, the Big Tournament popping by the Palace and Detroit being the
proud sports city it is, Mark Wilson’s contributions inside these pages
are that of a winner.
Best Daily Newspaper: Detroit Free Press
www.freep.com
Tough, tough vote. The traditional Detroit News is a more conventional,
conservative read while the Detroit Free Press mixes in a little more
feature writing and entertainment coverage — which is probably why Real
Detroit readers picked the Freep as the city’s Best Daily. Both papers
are filled with creative personalities and incredible beat reporters
and editors … but only one can win — let it be us, the readers.
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