I’ve spent the last couple days pinch-hitting for my BFF Dana Wright on the radio. She’s one half of the illustrious KC talk show duo “Dana & Parks” on KMBZ Radio every weekday from 2-6pm. The show is an intoxicating blend of pop culture, water-cooler fare and local newsie-esque stories that typically have folks in a dither. Oh, and did I mention it’s wildly popular? It often teeters between being the #1 and #2 highest-rated radio show in the metro.

Its popularity has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 3+ years because of the weirdly chaotic banter between my dingbat bestie Dana and her no-nonsense partner-in-crime Scott Parks. They’ve become birds of a feather. She’s like a loveable magpie … chattering away while being engaging. He’s like a hungover Sam the Eagle from The Muppets … keenly aware, astute and not going to take crap from anyone.  I love them both and religiously listen to them every day.

So when Parks foolishly asked me to sit in while Dana was on her honeymoon, I was immediately intimidated. “I’M NOT INTIMIDATING!” Parks yelled at me when I announced my hesitation. After approximately thirty minutes of meekly talking in to the microphone, Scott told me to “chime in … or else”. I did, indeed, manage to take the stick out of my ass and we were off to the races.

The topics were varied, interesting and not out of my wheelhouse. (Thank GOD we didn’t talk sports.) We discussed a 14-year old boy who, after nearly a year of chemo/radiation, opted to die rather than go through another round of treatment when his cancer returned. We analyzed the story about a scathing, racist video making the rounds at a fraternity at OU. Oh, yeah, and we played the radio version of Family Feud.

The beauty of the show is that I can chime in with pithy, bon mots when warranted. For the most part, though — I just soak in what’s being said. Listeners call in with their two-cents worth and unmitigated opinions, as they should. It IS their show after all. I’m just a mere pawn in the game. Parks handled everything deftly with little fuss or muss. Clearly he’s been doing this awhile.

And clearly, my cherished dingbat bestie Dana has the best job in all of broadcasting.

Highlights, you ask?  When someone texted in: “Who is the woman subbing for Dana? She’s awesome!” and from another texter: “Parks, your new co-host is an ass. But he’s fabu-laaaaaaaaaass.”  Even better? Parks invited me over to have a beer with him after the show. (Read that: I invited myself.) Since I don’t know him nearly as well as Dana, it was nice to bond.  He pointed out we have absolutely “nothing in common” and could not be bigger opposites.  I agreed wholeheartedly.

No wonder we got along so great.

I think I’ll continue to fill in occasionally, which would be a fun outlet for me.  As I told Parks yesterday, “I didn’t swear, fart or black out. Uh, I wish I could say the same for you. All in all I’d say it was a success.” He told me I was adequate at best.  We’re now BFFs too.