Dear Incredible Fans,

In 1994, “The Screen Queen” film critic was born first in print (remember newspapers?) Shortly after, my radio segments followed in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York and Rhode Island.  At one point I covered movie reviews from Maine to Miami.  Those were the days…sigh. 

On May 26, 2021, Memorial Day weekend, it was decided that my final show would air with my incredible group at Saga Communications. They’ve sold to a new radio group with a different direction.  The timing seemed right to end my reign.  Movie theatres shut during the pandemic, and I wasn’t feeling the same thrill and neither were you because cinematic experiences had certainly changed.

Now we’ve evolved to streaming – Amazon, Netflix, Hulu, Paramount+ etc. – all from the comfort of our sofa. And that’s fine.  But there’s something about the big dark cinema usually empty and shared with a handful of fellow film critics; my feet up on the seat in front of me because nobody is seated there and in order to balance my notebook where I scribble thoughts in the dark. Sub-titled films were always the biggest challenge. How does one read English on the screen while simultaneously taking notes? 

Many times, I’d opt out of the private screenings and deliberately sit with a full audience, to hear their “ewws” and “ahhs” and get the public experience.  

I had a great run.  I remember when Blockbuster sponsored me. Yes, Blockbuster. Remember them?  Our TVs had VCRs and we were told by a sticker on the tape box that when we were done viewing the film, and before we returned it, to “Please be kind, rewind.” Those words have new meaning now as we wind back to hopefully some semblance of normalcy post-pandemic.  And being kind is never needed more.

When I think back over the Screen Queen, I remember so many challenges, but especially the time I flew Boston to Los Angeles on September 10, 2001. Had I taken my original monthly flight – United 175, which I changed at the last minute – I’d have met my demise as that plane crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center that eerie morning.  Instead, arriving safely into LA the night of the 10^th, I slept soundly until the phone woke me the next morning, the 11th.  My radio station DJs and Radio hosts were ringing to make sure I wasn’t on that intended flight.  

Our world was forever changed.  Hollywood went still.  My show was due two days later and instead of talking movies we talked about the silences of Hollywood all around. How a robust town of “let’s do lunch” and deals and meals and premieres and red carpets, went quiet.  It was a very poignant show. We talked of love and family…it’s a show that stayed with me for the next two decades.  Even today. 

I am blessed by my years on air, by the thousands of fan letters, for your love of my reports, your belief in me, and sometimes your challenges of my reviews, too.  Thank you to all my listeners. You are my super-heroes and my movie stars. Because of you, I had the best radio show sandwiched in the most desirable hour (the 7:30 to 8:40 a.m. hour) with the best sponsors.  Pepsi! We were family for 20 years.

As I ended every report, I say to you now in that same chipper tone: “Goodbye, Everyone!” Except the “Talk next week” won’t be on the end of that tag…so I say now, “if you can do one thing, be kind, rewind.” Thank you and I love you all.

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