December 15, 2025 • 31 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
It's that time time time lucking load. The Michael Arry
Show's on the air. Guys looking into mic week.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Gotta feed a beard.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
I don't plan to shave, and it's good thing, but
I just gotta see I'm doing all right. Will I
make support. It's I'm beating verdict. That's the truth.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
It's neither drink the drug and juice. Noo. I'm just
doing all right. It's a great dad, bet. I know
it sounds still.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Shining on a close eyes.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
It's hard times in the neighborhood, but wiking every day.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
We'll happy Monday. Hope you had a wonderful weekend. It
is thirty five in Houston for those listening far beyond,
and that is a feels like negative sixty because every
Hustonian woman is pulling out the riding boots, the heavy coats.
(01:27):
Oh my goodness, it's over the top, I tell you,
and my PSA on behalf of all of us here
at the Michael Berry Show. Some of you will thank
us for This is to every place of business. Please
listen carefully. It is thirty five degrees outside. The ideal
temperature is about fifty eight. That means that if you
(01:52):
put your temperature at one hundred and ten inside, it's
still one hundred and ten inside, Plus the air is
thick and we can't breathe it. I always forget. We
took a flight to Miami over the weekend and it's
cold outside. You get to the airport, you get on
(02:15):
the plane, and all of a sudden, you're stuck in
this capsule with people who think it's you know, frozen
tundra outside, and all of a sudden you go from
freezing cold to trying to shed these layers off. Woo man,
for the love of all that is good, please do
not do that. Long time ABC thirteen anchored Dave Ward
(02:39):
passed away at the age of eighty six, spending fifty
years in the anchor's chair at ABC thirteen, setting the
Guinness World Record for longest running local TV news anchor
at the same station from nineteen sixty six through empty seventeen.
(03:01):
Clip number one ramon Dave Word with his famous thank
you Marvin.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
I had a lady come up with me several years ago.
She said, mister Ward, I have to tell you this.
She says, we have twin grandsons. They're three years old,
and they were at our home last weekend and had breakfast,
sat anyone's sitting there in their high chairs, and for
no reason or other, for no reason at all.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
One of them just pipes up and goes Marvin's and
luck I witnessed news. She said.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
His twin brother didn't miss Abati turned to him said,
thank you, Marvin.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
What you know? Oh boy, thank you?
Speaker 4 (03:39):
I thought years ago, I thought we should have made
a bumper sticker with our thirteen on it and just
the words thank you.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Lay Dave Ward's life and legacy is a newsman at
Channel thirteenth.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
The son of a preacher man, David Ward was born
in Dallas and grew up in Huntsville, and he never
got a chance to study journalism. He followed the footsteps
of his idol, Walter Cronkite.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Come to find out he was a college drop out too,
so I didn't feel quite so bad.
Speaker 6 (04:09):
If Kronkite could turn out the way he did, then
maybe I can do all right.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
By nineteen sixty two, he landed here in Houston as
a street reporter for K and U Z. In nineteen
sixty six, Channel thirteen came calling, making Dave the station's
first reporter on the streets, shooting and cutting his own
stories in a city he quickly came to call home.
Speaker 6 (04:32):
They gave me a sixteen millimeter bellenhow film camera.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
We shot black and white film.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
By nineteen sixty eight, he was promoted to the six
o'clock newscast, cementing him as Houston's newsman.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Good Evening, FRIENDZ, I'm Dave Warren.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
What made him a quick fit in Houston. It was
how he welcomed his viewers.
Speaker 6 (04:51):
I just wanted something to relate to the viewer, to
let him know that we're really here for you, friend.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
So I started saying good Evening friends, twenty four seconds.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
From shuttle sendoffs to presidential profiles. Dave's fifty year career
at KTRK spans a whole lot of history, and he
even earned him a Guinness World Record for one of
the longest careers as a television news broadcaster. But no
matter the awards, he always prided himself in being the
ever inquisitive journalist charged with bringing Houston the news.
Speaker 6 (05:25):
I've always been the type person I just want to
know what the hell's going on, and when.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
I find out, tell everybody I know about it.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
And that's what I've done here Channel thirteen all these years,
and with his signature open also came a trademark.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
Anchorman close, and before we go, we honor the man
who led this station and our community for more than
fifty years.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
And a portion of his May twenty seventeen sign off
for the final time.
Speaker 6 (05:59):
You know, they say the last goodbye is the hardest,
so let me be clear. I'm not saying goodbye. I'm
simply leading this Anchorchief. I don't intend to ever say
goodbye to you. I will always be part of this
city and serve the people. I've said before to me,
Houston is the greatest city in the greatest state, in
(06:21):
the greatest nation in the world, and I think that
makes Houston the greatest city in the world. I much
to do in this next phase of my career, but
your needs will always be the most important to me
and to the thousands of you who have asked about
my book. Yes, I promise you there will be a book.
(06:42):
I have so many stories to share and friends to remember.
It's something I feel like I must do and I
want to do it. This has not been just a
career to me. It's been my life's purpose and I
look forward to continuing our journey together.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Also be noted as Dave's health deteriorated over the last
eight years or so, including in a wheelchair. For some
of that, his wife Laura was by his side. He
wanted to be out and about among his adoring fans,
and I've seen it the black tie crowd to the
(07:25):
average everyday Houstonian wanted to come up tell him how
much they loved him. And Laura was carting him around,
escorting him wherever you would see them as much as ever.
As his health continued to fail over the last few years,
and worth noting he had a lot of friends in
this community, a lot of people who some of whom
(07:47):
knew him well, and some of whom watched him every day.
I sent a message to Sheriff Fryar over the weekend
and we had a nice exchange that was quite the
ABC thirteen lineup over the years, if you think of it,
between Marvin Zendler, Dave Ward, Sheriff Fryar, Wayne Dolchafino was
there for a number of those years. They were not
(08:08):
only the number one station in the market, there was
no number two. I mean just absolutely legendary, legendary personalities
on one station, Michael Berry show, g our Old LaSalle
(08:30):
ran Great. What a line, what an opening, what a program? Wow.
Archie Bunker's daughter was married to a character. Do you
remember the character's full name? Ramon Mike was his name
because she would say, oh, Mike or Mikey. His last
(08:53):
name was Stivic. I did not know that until this
morning when I looked it up. But he was known
by Archie as meathead. His name was Rob Reiner. Not
exactly the look from Central casting of a Hollywood actor,
and his acting chops were not exactly top notch. But
(09:17):
then he began directing, and did he ever have a
remarkable run. This is spinal tap The Princess Bride. That's
Ted Cruz's favorite movie of all time. By the way,
stand by me when Harry met Sally Misery, A few
good men. His directing career has been nothing short of incredible.
(09:47):
You could put it up against anybody, if only he
had stopped behind the camera. I can disagree with wants politics.
Rob Reiner was ostensibly, as it was reported, liberal, I
can handle liberal. Rob Reiner was hateful. He was angry
(10:13):
and hateful toward Maga Americans, the very people who bought
tickets to his productions. And I do think that fame
brings to people a sense of arrogance that causes them
to disdain their own fans, the people who made them rich.
(10:36):
I'm not saying they can't have opinions, of course, absolutely,
but the tone in which you express them and Rob
Reiner crossed a line on more than one occasion, and
I think engendered downright hatred for many Americans because of it.
That being said, a tragic end for him and his wife.
(11:00):
He's seventy eight, she's sixty eight, found over the weekend
in their La home, both of them having been stabbed
to death. There is being reported, although not yet confirmed,
that his throat was slit by their child. I don't
know the history behind that. Ramone is our Hollywood reporter.
(11:23):
Do we have any updates on it is a fact
that the son killed him. People are reporting that credible sources.
Oh you, oh, People magazine. Ramone earlier said, people are reporting,
and I thought, I said, well, who are the people? Well,
I mean, I don't want to get too a hubbany,
(11:45):
but I've never really viewed People magazine as a serious source.
But we shall see. In any case, a tragic ending
for Rob Reiner and his wife. I wonder how many
people are killed by a family member in this country
(12:09):
alone in a year. I bet the actual number that
the raw data would shock you. And I always imagine
your last moments when you know, in this case, your
own child is ending your life. And I suspect in
(12:32):
cases like that, there's probably some mental health problems. And
I suspect there has probably been over the years a
statement of time or two that this kid is going
to kill us, because it is rarely the case that
that comes out of nowhere, and it can happen. I've
seen cases where a young person terrorizes their parents. Used
(12:57):
to work next to a location. It was a residential neighborhood,
and the son would come and terrorize his dad, his
parents in their condo and beat the door, practically beat
the door down, threatening to kill them if they didn't
open the door, until eventually a neighbor would call the
(13:18):
police and come and haul the sun away. It was
it wasn't good speaking of a few good men. The
most quotable quote from that movie put it in This
is Final Tap the Princess Bride stand by Me. When
Harry met Sally misery and a few good men. That's
quite the directorial credits. You want answers. I think I'm entitled.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
You want answers the truth.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
You can't handle the truth.
Speaker 6 (13:44):
Son.
Speaker 7 (13:45):
We live in a world that has walls, and those
walls have to be guarded by men with guns.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Who's gonna do it? You, you, Lieutenant Weinberg. I have
a greater.
Speaker 7 (13:53):
Responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago
and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury, You
have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That
Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives, and my existence,
while grotesque and incomprehensible to.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
You, saves lives.
Speaker 7 (14:14):
You don't want the truth because deep down in places
you don't talk about at parties, you want me on
that wall.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
You need me on that wall.
Speaker 7 (14:23):
We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these
words as the backbone of a life spent defending something.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
You use them as a punchline.
Speaker 7 (14:33):
I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain
myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the
blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then
questions the manner in which I provided. I would rather
you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise,
I suggest you pick up a weapon and.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Stand a post.
Speaker 7 (14:52):
Either way, I don't give a damn what you think
you are entitled to.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Did you order the code writ I did the job.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
At Runner of Term right.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
I did.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
My very tangential relationship with that movie, and admittedly it's
it's not a close one. Is that at the beginning
when they pan along the Marines, they wanted to use
the Cadets Corps of Cadets at the Uh No, sorry,
I say they did use the Core of Cadets at
(15:28):
A and M because they wouldn't let them use Marines's eye. Anyway,
my friend Frank Garra was head of the Core at
A and M at the time, and the last picture
they show because of this, Spanic got a real strong job.
Is Frank Garratt, who went on to be a very
very successful lawyer and sent a tone the Michael Berry Show.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I see no Killgt. Dot Calm det Uh what's his
name was? Kill? H? Dan Hook?
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (15:57):
Yes, Cutch Dan Hooks of Earth And they passed away.
He was eighty seven years old. He was renowneded around him.
He was the best coatch Western Stark ever had. They
named the damn stadium Dan Hooks Memorial Stadium.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Why do he put memorial? Or maybe they're gonna have
to add that on later. I don't know.
Speaker 9 (16:17):
Oh my god, I love all them courches over there
in Orange, so many.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
I growed up with building, Oh, two buildings. JB.
Speaker 9 (16:26):
Building and his wife Sue Beardon. They was courts, courture Bassinger. Ooh,
he was something else now? And then what that man
was named Steve?
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Somebody? He was good. But they had a coach breedlove.
God loved his soul.
Speaker 9 (16:43):
Ooh, first man ever gave me lys Michael Lebert explained
that to you what LyX was back when you was
in high schools Now what you're thinking?
Speaker 2 (16:52):
You nasty? Oh penaphius sheefs How so many ever licks
they gave you wasn't enough? Girls?
Speaker 6 (17:00):
Is you?
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Oh hush, I'm well behaved now.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
After Cain murdered his brother Abel, God asked Cain where
was his brother, and in a fit of peak, filled
with guilt, he said, am I my brother's keeper alone?
Actually William Tendell's translation that we get that phrasing that's
(17:29):
made its way in English over all these years. It
is a line that has always meant a lot to
me because the duty that we owe to those around
us is a question that I have spent a lot
of my time pondering what that means, what that obligation means.
(17:51):
I think we have a greater duty to our parents
and our siblings and our grandparents then we do the
average person. We have a greater duty to our children,
who we raise up from birth, particularly in the early years.
Then there is the question of your neighbor, your countryman,
(18:14):
your fellow parishioner. And then there is the duty to mankind.
And these are questions that we struggle with, but surely,
surely these folks in this story go above and beyond.
It's one of the most heartwarming stories I have read
(18:35):
all year long. And here we are in December. An
elderly Florida man ate lunch and dinner at the same
gumbo restaurant every day for a decade. So for a
couple days he didn't show up. The chef left the
restaurant in the middle of his shift, drove to his
(18:56):
apartment to check on him. And I'll let you hear
the rest of the from CBS News.
Speaker 10 (19:01):
At the Shrimp Basket restaurant in Pensacola, Florida, one customer
has been a constant.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
For lunch.
Speaker 10 (19:08):
He always ordered a cup of gumbo, light on the rice,
hold the cracker, and again at dinner, cup of gumbo,
white rice, no cracker. It was that every day, twice
a day for ten years. Appreciation chef did not stollars.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
So what is it?
Speaker 1 (19:28):
I mean, I know this is a heartwarming story and all,
who doesn't eat the rice or the cracker? I mean
light on the rice. Okay, I guess I can live
with that, But why would you not eat the cracker? Ramon?
That's I I'm always disturbed. My wife and I like
(19:51):
to get oysters twelve oysters raw as an appetizer, and
our little thing is she will make it for me.
She has to make it fast enough that she makes
one for me, and then while I'm eating it, she
makes one for herself because I'll ask for the next one.
It's a little game we play. We played this for
(20:12):
years and I have to ask for a cracker. And
I'm shocked how many places do not have a saltine
cracker on the grounds. I love a saltine cracker. My goodness,
I don't know what year they went from the tin
as my wife called them, the tin container to the
(20:33):
paper container of the cardboard. I'll live with that, but boy,
that was something special too. But you remember they had
their own little clip clasp thingy to close it off,
and you had to You couldn't let it once you
open it. You couldn't let it sit for too long
because it would get a little it would get a
little skunky. But man, I could eat. You could take
(20:56):
a whole case of those things out that and some butter,
just slather some butter, some peanut butter. I mean, there
wasn't anything anything that a salting cracker didn't make better,
am I right? My goodness? All right, tell his story again,
that poor old man. Something must have been real wrong
with his tummy. He couldn't eat the saltine cracker.
Speaker 10 (21:18):
At the Shrimp Basket restaurant in Pensacola, Florida, one customer
has been a constant. For lunch, he always ordered a
cup of gumbo, light on the rice, hold the cracker,
And again at dinner, cup of gumbo, white rice, no cracker.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
It was that every day, twice a day for ten years.
Appreciate you. Chef.
Speaker 10 (21:40):
Danelli Stalworth says, you can set your clock.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
By this guy.
Speaker 11 (21:44):
Mishs don't missing no day. And we opened the door
as a mister Hicks would agreet us.
Speaker 10 (21:50):
Seventy eight year old Charlie Hicks was omnipresent until last
September when he wasn't didn't show up for several days.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
I know, dan is something was wrong.
Speaker 10 (22:02):
Fearing the worst, Denell left work in the middle of
his shift and drove to Charlie's apartment.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
He knocked on the door repeatedly, but no answer, and right.
Speaker 11 (22:13):
When I was going to turn our hers a voice
just like hell. And then I opened the door up.
He was slaying on the ground and I didn't know
what his conditions was.
Speaker 10 (22:22):
That's what was the scariest for it, right though, we
don't know how long Charlie had been lying there, maybe
a few days. He was severely dehydrated and had two
broken ribs, but thanks to the knell he would survive,
and thanks to the staff at the Shrimp Basket, he
would never be alone again. They started by bringing his
(22:44):
gumbo to the hospital. Then they went out and got
him a new apartment right next to the restaurant, so
the employees could always keep a watchful eye. They got
Charlie new appliances, fixed up the place just right. Also
that this week, three months after the accident, you're late,
Charlie could pick up with his routine right where he
(23:07):
left off. There we know he sat back at his
favorite table and ordered his favorite dish.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
If nothing had changed except they're bond. I'm glad to
have you back. Nobody. We made a connection. We made
a connection. He's their uncle, he's.
Speaker 11 (23:26):
Their grandfather, he's their best friend.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
He all in one.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Is it nice having him right next door?
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Though?
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Oh man, that's the best thing going. That's the best
thing going.
Speaker 10 (23:37):
Vanell Stalworth, chef at a family restaurant, emphasis on family.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
I'll be over more. Captain, something wong? Well, something must
be right. You are listening to Michael Berry I'll stay.
In nineteen fifty seven, it was this Christmas album hit
number one in America, including his cover of White Christmas,
(24:08):
going on to become the best selling holiday album of
all time.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Every Christmas.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
As It Should Be, Jenne gm ul Were writes, When
my parents passed away, me and my sisters were rummaging
through their pantry. I got the ten that held the saltines.
I thought it was at sardines at first, but it
was the saltine crackers. Paul Baker, our private investigator, says,
(24:37):
try the Westminster crackers at Chick fil A. In my view,
the best cracker. May you ever tried?
Speaker 6 (24:44):
That?
Speaker 1 (24:48):
The best cracker was George Washington. Oh my goodness, Okay,
I think that's a different kind of cracker. Okay. Lyell
Murray writes, no cracker, no rice. That's a starch allergy
or in tolerant.
Speaker 10 (25:01):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
I got that. I would like to know more. You know,
we humans are a are a quirky bunch, aren't we
So many tummy issues? And I mean, I suppose it
says more about our food supply than us that the
(25:22):
foods we eat don't seem to agree with us. I
wonder if you know the Samerians had such tummy issues,
or maybe they were more in touch with the foods
you were supposed to eat. I read a great book.
I'll see if I can find it, because somebody asked
about alcohol from beer to bourbon or something like that,
(25:48):
and the article was about bread and bread being a
sustaining element in our diet, and there is some dispute
as to whether the fermentation of bread for alcohol or
bread in its solid form came first. But the importance
(26:09):
of bread to our diet for so long, and we
didn't have the gluten issues because we didn't spray it
with all the trash we put on it now. But
I don't eat bread like I used to do. You
eat a lot of bread?
Speaker 6 (26:21):
Room are?
Speaker 1 (26:22):
I grew up eating so much bread, so many bread products,
and we ate bread, We ate bread and bread pudding.
I mean bread was used in everything. Sheila Tackett writes
gumbo potato salad three exclamation marks. That is the Southwest
Louisiana kunez as Charles Clarke at Brastroy nineteen does his
(26:46):
gumbo with potato salad. A couple of problems. Number one,
I don't like potato salad. Number two, I don't like
potato salad in my gumbo period. End of story. A
new pole out by Tiahoe shows Jasmine Crockett at fifty
one percent in the Democrat primary, with James Talarico at
(27:07):
forty three percent. Barbara Jordan, Public Policy Research and Survey
Center at TSU poll sixteen hundred likely Texas Democrat primary
voters between December ninth and eleventh, saying the results have
a margin of error plus or minus two point four
or five percent. I don't believe that is their margin
of error. Sixteen hundred is a nice sized pole. To
(27:28):
get a margin of error under three percent is impressive.
I don't know who funded that. I think that is
an advocacy poll, not a results poll. But hey, I'm
not going to cry for a white liberal getting his
ass whipped by a black, loud mouthed ghetto woman in
a Democrat primary because this is the sort of thing
(27:50):
that if anyone else opposed her, James tallerco Would call
them a racist. So you be a racist now, Talla Rico,
you take your whipping real good life. You'd be a
good little white boy, because that's what's about to happen.
You're getting maumoued, and I'm here for it. Jasmine Crockett
leads tall Rico amongst women fifty seven to thirty six,
(28:10):
amongst those fifty five are older, fifty nine to thirty four,
amongst black voters eighty nine to eight. Conversely, tall Rico
leads with white voters fifty three to forty racist, with
men fifty two to forty two, Latino voters fifty one
forty one. His strongest demographic is young voters, leading sixty
(28:31):
three to thirty four among eligible voters under the age
of thirty four. According to the poll, taller Rico lags
behind Crockett heavily in name recognition, with twenty one percent
of likely Democrat primary voters saying they don't know enough
to have a favorable or unfavorable opinion about him. On
the other hand, only six percent of voters say they
(28:52):
don't know enough of Jasmine Crockett. Well, Jasmine Crockett is
going to suck all the oxygen out of that race,
and it will end up being a referendum on Jasmine Crockett.
Tallie tall Ico is a white liberal who is most
(29:13):
known for criticizing Christians that people of faith should not
be participating in the political process on the basis of
their faith, which won't matter in a Democrat primary, but
it'll cost him real bad if he makes it to November.
I don't expect him to make it to November, and
I don't expect John Cornyn to make it to November
(29:34):
as well. A new poll coming out late last night
or early this morning. I just saw it early this morning,
has John Cornyn continuing to lag behind in third place,
with Paxton in first, Wesley Hunt in second, and Cornyn
in third. Now there's something at play here that needs
(29:56):
to get more attention. The National Republican Senatorial Committee in
RSC raises money across the country to build a Republican
majority in the Senate. A lot of that money comes
from California and New York. And these are folks who
(30:17):
can't elect a Republican senator from their state, but they
put money in to the Carl Roves of the world
and they're trying to elect a Senate majority. Well, if
you're trying to elect a Senate majority, you don't need
to be worried about what the people of Texas want.
(30:41):
You need to be in North Carolina, Michigan to another state.
There's three states that we have a shot at picking
up a Democrat seat that's on the bubble. But instead
of sending money there, they are pouring money into Texas.
So imagine New Yorkers in Californians pouring money into Texas
(31:06):
to tell us to vote for the guy who's been
our senator for over twenty years. What do they know
that we don't know? Tell us we'd love to know,
trying to tell us to vote in a way that
is contrary to our interests. We live here. They don't
we know Cornyn, except they know something of Cornyn we
don't know. They know the backroom deals, they know who
(31:29):
he really represents. They know about him gutting Trump when
no one's watching. It's a complicated, clever machination of how
he does that. So they're pouring all this money into
telling us to vote for their choice from New York
and California instead of our choice in Texas. No, thank you.
Save that money spending on some races where you can win,
(31:50):
because John Corny ain't went in Texas.
It's that time time time lucking load. The Michael Arry
Show's on the air. Guys looking into mic week.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Gotta feed a beard.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
I don't plan to shave, and it's good thing, but
I just gotta see I'm doing all right. Will I
make support. It's I'm beating verdict. That's the truth.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
It's neither drink the drug and juice. Noo. I'm just
doing all right. It's a great dad, bet. I know
it sounds still.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Shining on a close eyes.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
It's hard times in the neighborhood, but wiking every day.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
We'll happy Monday. Hope you had a wonderful weekend. It
is thirty five in Houston for those listening far beyond,
and that is a feels like negative sixty because every
Hustonian woman is pulling out the riding boots, the heavy coats.
(01:27):
Oh my goodness, it's over the top, I tell you,
and my PSA on behalf of all of us here
at the Michael Berry Show. Some of you will thank
us for This is to every place of business. Please
listen carefully. It is thirty five degrees outside. The ideal
temperature is about fifty eight. That means that if you
(01:52):
put your temperature at one hundred and ten inside, it's
still one hundred and ten inside, Plus the air is
thick and we can't breathe it. I always forget. We
took a flight to Miami over the weekend and it's
cold outside. You get to the airport, you get on
(02:15):
the plane, and all of a sudden, you're stuck in
this capsule with people who think it's you know, frozen
tundra outside, and all of a sudden you go from
freezing cold to trying to shed these layers off. Woo man,
for the love of all that is good, please do
not do that. Long time ABC thirteen anchored Dave Ward
(02:39):
passed away at the age of eighty six, spending fifty
years in the anchor's chair at ABC thirteen, setting the
Guinness World Record for longest running local TV news anchor
at the same station from nineteen sixty six through empty seventeen.
(03:01):
Clip number one ramon Dave Word with his famous thank
you Marvin.
Speaker 4 (03:07):
I had a lady come up with me several years ago.
She said, mister Ward, I have to tell you this.
She says, we have twin grandsons. They're three years old,
and they were at our home last weekend and had breakfast,
sat anyone's sitting there in their high chairs, and for
no reason or other, for no reason at all.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
One of them just pipes up and goes Marvin's and
luck I witnessed news. She said.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
His twin brother didn't miss Abati turned to him said,
thank you, Marvin.
Speaker 1 (03:35):
What you know? Oh boy, thank you?
Speaker 4 (03:39):
I thought years ago, I thought we should have made
a bumper sticker with our thirteen on it and just
the words thank you.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Lay Dave Ward's life and legacy is a newsman at
Channel thirteenth.
Speaker 5 (03:53):
The son of a preacher man, David Ward was born
in Dallas and grew up in Huntsville, and he never
got a chance to study journalism. He followed the footsteps
of his idol, Walter Cronkite.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Come to find out he was a college drop out too,
so I didn't feel quite so bad.
Speaker 6 (04:09):
If Kronkite could turn out the way he did, then
maybe I can do all right.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
By nineteen sixty two, he landed here in Houston as
a street reporter for K and U Z. In nineteen
sixty six, Channel thirteen came calling, making Dave the station's
first reporter on the streets, shooting and cutting his own
stories in a city he quickly came to call home.
Speaker 6 (04:32):
They gave me a sixteen millimeter bellenhow film camera.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
We shot black and white film.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
By nineteen sixty eight, he was promoted to the six
o'clock newscast, cementing him as Houston's newsman.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Good Evening, FRIENDZ, I'm Dave Warren.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
What made him a quick fit in Houston. It was
how he welcomed his viewers.
Speaker 6 (04:51):
I just wanted something to relate to the viewer, to
let him know that we're really here for you, friend.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
So I started saying good Evening friends, twenty four seconds.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
From shuttle sendoffs to presidential profiles. Dave's fifty year career
at KTRK spans a whole lot of history, and he
even earned him a Guinness World Record for one of
the longest careers as a television news broadcaster. But no
matter the awards, he always prided himself in being the
ever inquisitive journalist charged with bringing Houston the news.
Speaker 6 (05:25):
I've always been the type person I just want to
know what the hell's going on, and when.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
I find out, tell everybody I know about it.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
And that's what I've done here Channel thirteen all these years,
and with his signature open also came a trademark.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
Anchorman close, and before we go, we honor the man
who led this station and our community for more than
fifty years.
Speaker 1 (05:52):
And a portion of his May twenty seventeen sign off
for the final time.
Speaker 6 (05:59):
You know, they say the last goodbye is the hardest,
so let me be clear. I'm not saying goodbye. I'm
simply leading this Anchorchief. I don't intend to ever say
goodbye to you. I will always be part of this
city and serve the people. I've said before to me,
Houston is the greatest city in the greatest state, in
(06:21):
the greatest nation in the world, and I think that
makes Houston the greatest city in the world. I much
to do in this next phase of my career, but
your needs will always be the most important to me
and to the thousands of you who have asked about
my book. Yes, I promise you there will be a book.
(06:42):
I have so many stories to share and friends to remember.
It's something I feel like I must do and I
want to do it. This has not been just a
career to me. It's been my life's purpose and I
look forward to continuing our journey together.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Also be noted as Dave's health deteriorated over the last
eight years or so, including in a wheelchair. For some
of that, his wife Laura was by his side. He
wanted to be out and about among his adoring fans,
and I've seen it the black tie crowd to the
(07:25):
average everyday Houstonian wanted to come up tell him how
much they loved him. And Laura was carting him around,
escorting him wherever you would see them as much as ever.
As his health continued to fail over the last few years,
and worth noting he had a lot of friends in
this community, a lot of people who some of whom
(07:47):
knew him well, and some of whom watched him every day.
I sent a message to Sheriff Fryar over the weekend
and we had a nice exchange that was quite the
ABC thirteen lineup over the years, if you think of it,
between Marvin Zendler, Dave Ward, Sheriff Fryar, Wayne Dolchafino was
there for a number of those years. They were not
(08:08):
only the number one station in the market, there was
no number two. I mean just absolutely legendary, legendary personalities
on one station, Michael Berry show, g our Old LaSalle
(08:30):
ran Great. What a line, what an opening, what a program? Wow.
Archie Bunker's daughter was married to a character. Do you
remember the character's full name? Ramon Mike was his name
because she would say, oh, Mike or Mikey. His last
(08:53):
name was Stivic. I did not know that until this
morning when I looked it up. But he was known
by Archie as meathead. His name was Rob Reiner. Not
exactly the look from Central casting of a Hollywood actor,
and his acting chops were not exactly top notch. But
(09:17):
then he began directing, and did he ever have a
remarkable run. This is spinal tap The Princess Bride. That's
Ted Cruz's favorite movie of all time. By the way,
stand by me when Harry met Sally Misery, A few
good men. His directing career has been nothing short of incredible.
(09:47):
You could put it up against anybody, if only he
had stopped behind the camera. I can disagree with wants politics.
Rob Reiner was ostensibly, as it was reported, liberal, I
can handle liberal. Rob Reiner was hateful. He was angry
(10:13):
and hateful toward Maga Americans, the very people who bought
tickets to his productions. And I do think that fame
brings to people a sense of arrogance that causes them
to disdain their own fans, the people who made them rich.
(10:36):
I'm not saying they can't have opinions, of course, absolutely,
but the tone in which you express them and Rob
Reiner crossed a line on more than one occasion, and
I think engendered downright hatred for many Americans because of it.
That being said, a tragic end for him and his wife.
(11:00):
He's seventy eight, she's sixty eight, found over the weekend
in their La home, both of them having been stabbed
to death. There is being reported, although not yet confirmed,
that his throat was slit by their child. I don't
know the history behind that. Ramone is our Hollywood reporter.
(11:23):
Do we have any updates on it is a fact
that the son killed him. People are reporting that credible sources.
Oh you, oh, People magazine. Ramone earlier said, people are reporting,
and I thought, I said, well, who are the people? Well,
I mean, I don't want to get too a hubbany,
(11:45):
but I've never really viewed People magazine as a serious source.
But we shall see. In any case, a tragic ending
for Rob Reiner and his wife. I wonder how many
people are killed by a family member in this country
(12:09):
alone in a year. I bet the actual number that
the raw data would shock you. And I always imagine
your last moments when you know, in this case, your
own child is ending your life. And I suspect in
(12:32):
cases like that, there's probably some mental health problems. And
I suspect there has probably been over the years a
statement of time or two that this kid is going
to kill us, because it is rarely the case that
that comes out of nowhere, and it can happen. I've
seen cases where a young person terrorizes their parents. Used
(12:57):
to work next to a location. It was a residential neighborhood,
and the son would come and terrorize his dad, his
parents in their condo and beat the door, practically beat
the door down, threatening to kill them if they didn't
open the door, until eventually a neighbor would call the
(13:18):
police and come and haul the sun away. It was
it wasn't good speaking of a few good men. The
most quotable quote from that movie put it in This
is Final Tap the Princess Bride stand by Me. When
Harry met Sally misery and a few good men. That's
quite the directorial credits. You want answers. I think I'm entitled.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
You want answers the truth.
Speaker 1 (13:42):
You can't handle the truth.
Speaker 6 (13:44):
Son.
Speaker 7 (13:45):
We live in a world that has walls, and those
walls have to be guarded by men with guns.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Who's gonna do it? You, you, Lieutenant Weinberg. I have
a greater.
Speaker 7 (13:53):
Responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago
and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury, You
have the luxury of not knowing what I know. That
Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives, and my existence,
while grotesque and incomprehensible to.
Speaker 1 (14:12):
You, saves lives.
Speaker 7 (14:14):
You don't want the truth because deep down in places
you don't talk about at parties, you want me on
that wall.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
You need me on that wall.
Speaker 7 (14:23):
We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these
words as the backbone of a life spent defending something.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
You use them as a punchline.
Speaker 7 (14:33):
I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain
myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the
blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then
questions the manner in which I provided. I would rather
you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise,
I suggest you pick up a weapon and.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Stand a post.
Speaker 7 (14:52):
Either way, I don't give a damn what you think
you are entitled to.
Speaker 1 (14:57):
Did you order the code writ I did the job.
Speaker 2 (15:00):
At Runner of Term right.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
I did.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
My very tangential relationship with that movie, and admittedly it's
it's not a close one. Is that at the beginning
when they pan along the Marines, they wanted to use
the Cadets Corps of Cadets at the Uh No, sorry,
I say they did use the Core of Cadets at
(15:28):
A and M because they wouldn't let them use Marines's eye. Anyway,
my friend Frank Garra was head of the Core at
A and M at the time, and the last picture
they show because of this, Spanic got a real strong job.
Is Frank Garratt, who went on to be a very
very successful lawyer and sent a tone the Michael Berry Show.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
I see no Killgt. Dot Calm det Uh what's his
name was? Kill? H? Dan Hook?
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (15:57):
Yes, Cutch Dan Hooks of Earth And they passed away.
He was eighty seven years old. He was renowneded around him.
He was the best coatch Western Stark ever had. They
named the damn stadium Dan Hooks Memorial Stadium.
Speaker 2 (16:12):
Why do he put memorial? Or maybe they're gonna have
to add that on later. I don't know.
Speaker 9 (16:17):
Oh my god, I love all them courches over there
in Orange, so many.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
I growed up with building, Oh, two buildings. JB.
Speaker 9 (16:26):
Building and his wife Sue Beardon. They was courts, courture Bassinger. Ooh,
he was something else now? And then what that man
was named Steve?
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Somebody? He was good. But they had a coach breedlove.
God loved his soul.
Speaker 9 (16:43):
Ooh, first man ever gave me lys Michael Lebert explained
that to you what LyX was back when you was
in high schools Now what you're thinking?
Speaker 2 (16:52):
You nasty? Oh penaphius sheefs How so many ever licks
they gave you wasn't enough? Girls?
Speaker 6 (17:00):
Is you?
Speaker 2 (17:01):
Oh hush, I'm well behaved now.
Speaker 1 (17:07):
After Cain murdered his brother Abel, God asked Cain where
was his brother, and in a fit of peak, filled
with guilt, he said, am I my brother's keeper alone?
Actually William Tendell's translation that we get that phrasing that's
(17:29):
made its way in English over all these years. It
is a line that has always meant a lot to
me because the duty that we owe to those around
us is a question that I have spent a lot
of my time pondering what that means, what that obligation means.
(17:51):
I think we have a greater duty to our parents
and our siblings and our grandparents then we do the
average person. We have a greater duty to our children,
who we raise up from birth, particularly in the early years.
Then there is the question of your neighbor, your countryman,
(18:14):
your fellow parishioner. And then there is the duty to mankind.
And these are questions that we struggle with, but surely,
surely these folks in this story go above and beyond.
It's one of the most heartwarming stories I have read
(18:35):
all year long. And here we are in December. An
elderly Florida man ate lunch and dinner at the same
gumbo restaurant every day for a decade. So for a
couple days he didn't show up. The chef left the
restaurant in the middle of his shift, drove to his
(18:56):
apartment to check on him. And I'll let you hear
the rest of the from CBS News.
Speaker 10 (19:01):
At the Shrimp Basket restaurant in Pensacola, Florida, one customer
has been a constant.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
For lunch.
Speaker 10 (19:08):
He always ordered a cup of gumbo, light on the rice,
hold the cracker, and again at dinner, cup of gumbo,
white rice, no cracker. It was that every day, twice
a day for ten years. Appreciation chef did not stollars.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
So what is it?
Speaker 1 (19:28):
I mean, I know this is a heartwarming story and all,
who doesn't eat the rice or the cracker? I mean
light on the rice. Okay, I guess I can live
with that, But why would you not eat the cracker? Ramon?
That's I I'm always disturbed. My wife and I like
(19:51):
to get oysters twelve oysters raw as an appetizer, and
our little thing is she will make it for me.
She has to make it fast enough that she makes
one for me, and then while I'm eating it, she
makes one for herself because I'll ask for the next one.
It's a little game we play. We played this for
(20:12):
years and I have to ask for a cracker. And
I'm shocked how many places do not have a saltine
cracker on the grounds. I love a saltine cracker. My goodness,
I don't know what year they went from the tin
as my wife called them, the tin container to the
(20:33):
paper container of the cardboard. I'll live with that, but boy,
that was something special too. But you remember they had
their own little clip clasp thingy to close it off,
and you had to You couldn't let it once you
open it. You couldn't let it sit for too long
because it would get a little it would get a
little skunky. But man, I could eat. You could take
(20:56):
a whole case of those things out that and some butter,
just slather some butter, some peanut butter. I mean, there
wasn't anything anything that a salting cracker didn't make better,
am I right? My goodness? All right, tell his story again,
that poor old man. Something must have been real wrong
with his tummy. He couldn't eat the saltine cracker.
Speaker 10 (21:18):
At the Shrimp Basket restaurant in Pensacola, Florida, one customer
has been a constant. For lunch, he always ordered a
cup of gumbo, light on the rice, hold the cracker,
And again at dinner, cup of gumbo, white rice, no cracker.
Speaker 1 (21:34):
It was that every day, twice a day for ten years.
Appreciate you. Chef.
Speaker 10 (21:40):
Danelli Stalworth says, you can set your clock.
Speaker 1 (21:42):
By this guy.
Speaker 11 (21:44):
Mishs don't missing no day. And we opened the door
as a mister Hicks would agreet us.
Speaker 10 (21:50):
Seventy eight year old Charlie Hicks was omnipresent until last
September when he wasn't didn't show up for several days.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
I know, dan is something was wrong.
Speaker 10 (22:02):
Fearing the worst, Denell left work in the middle of
his shift and drove to Charlie's apartment.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
He knocked on the door repeatedly, but no answer, and right.
Speaker 11 (22:13):
When I was going to turn our hers a voice
just like hell. And then I opened the door up.
He was slaying on the ground and I didn't know
what his conditions was.
Speaker 10 (22:22):
That's what was the scariest for it, right though, we
don't know how long Charlie had been lying there, maybe
a few days. He was severely dehydrated and had two
broken ribs, but thanks to the knell he would survive,
and thanks to the staff at the Shrimp Basket, he
would never be alone again. They started by bringing his
(22:44):
gumbo to the hospital. Then they went out and got
him a new apartment right next to the restaurant, so
the employees could always keep a watchful eye. They got
Charlie new appliances, fixed up the place just right. Also
that this week, three months after the accident, you're late,
Charlie could pick up with his routine right where he
(23:07):
left off. There we know he sat back at his
favorite table and ordered his favorite dish.
Speaker 1 (23:13):
If nothing had changed except they're bond. I'm glad to
have you back. Nobody. We made a connection. We made
a connection. He's their uncle, he's.
Speaker 11 (23:26):
Their grandfather, he's their best friend.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
He all in one.
Speaker 1 (23:30):
Is it nice having him right next door?
Speaker 7 (23:31):
Though?
Speaker 2 (23:31):
Oh man, that's the best thing going. That's the best
thing going.
Speaker 10 (23:37):
Vanell Stalworth, chef at a family restaurant, emphasis on family.
Speaker 1 (23:43):
I'll be over more. Captain, something wong? Well, something must
be right. You are listening to Michael Berry I'll stay.
In nineteen fifty seven, it was this Christmas album hit
number one in America, including his cover of White Christmas,
(24:08):
going on to become the best selling holiday album of
all time.
Speaker 2 (24:12):
Every Christmas.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
As It Should Be, Jenne gm ul Were writes, When
my parents passed away, me and my sisters were rummaging
through their pantry. I got the ten that held the saltines.
I thought it was at sardines at first, but it
was the saltine crackers. Paul Baker, our private investigator, says,
(24:37):
try the Westminster crackers at Chick fil A. In my view,
the best cracker. May you ever tried?
Speaker 6 (24:44):
That?
Speaker 1 (24:48):
The best cracker was George Washington. Oh my goodness, Okay,
I think that's a different kind of cracker. Okay. Lyell
Murray writes, no cracker, no rice. That's a starch allergy
or in tolerant.
Speaker 10 (25:01):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (25:01):
I got that. I would like to know more. You know,
we humans are a are a quirky bunch, aren't we
So many tummy issues? And I mean, I suppose it
says more about our food supply than us that the
(25:22):
foods we eat don't seem to agree with us. I
wonder if you know the Samerians had such tummy issues,
or maybe they were more in touch with the foods
you were supposed to eat. I read a great book.
I'll see if I can find it, because somebody asked
about alcohol from beer to bourbon or something like that,
(25:48):
and the article was about bread and bread being a
sustaining element in our diet, and there is some dispute
as to whether the fermentation of bread for alcohol or
bread in its solid form came first. But the importance
(26:09):
of bread to our diet for so long, and we
didn't have the gluten issues because we didn't spray it
with all the trash we put on it now. But
I don't eat bread like I used to do. You
eat a lot of bread?
Speaker 6 (26:21):
Room are?
Speaker 1 (26:22):
I grew up eating so much bread, so many bread products,
and we ate bread, We ate bread and bread pudding.
I mean bread was used in everything. Sheila Tackett writes
gumbo potato salad three exclamation marks. That is the Southwest
Louisiana kunez as Charles Clarke at Brastroy nineteen does his
(26:46):
gumbo with potato salad. A couple of problems. Number one,
I don't like potato salad. Number two, I don't like
potato salad in my gumbo period. End of story. A
new pole out by Tiahoe shows Jasmine Crockett at fifty
one percent in the Democrat primary, with James Talarico at
(27:07):
forty three percent. Barbara Jordan, Public Policy Research and Survey
Center at TSU poll sixteen hundred likely Texas Democrat primary
voters between December ninth and eleventh, saying the results have
a margin of error plus or minus two point four
or five percent. I don't believe that is their margin
of error. Sixteen hundred is a nice sized pole. To
(27:28):
get a margin of error under three percent is impressive.
I don't know who funded that. I think that is
an advocacy poll, not a results poll. But hey, I'm
not going to cry for a white liberal getting his
ass whipped by a black, loud mouthed ghetto woman in
a Democrat primary because this is the sort of thing
(27:50):
that if anyone else opposed her, James tallerco Would call
them a racist. So you be a racist now, Talla Rico,
you take your whipping real good life. You'd be a
good little white boy, because that's what's about to happen.
You're getting maumoued, and I'm here for it. Jasmine Crockett
leads tall Rico amongst women fifty seven to thirty six,
(28:10):
amongst those fifty five are older, fifty nine to thirty four,
amongst black voters eighty nine to eight. Conversely, tall Rico
leads with white voters fifty three to forty racist, with
men fifty two to forty two, Latino voters fifty one
forty one. His strongest demographic is young voters, leading sixty
(28:31):
three to thirty four among eligible voters under the age
of thirty four. According to the poll, taller Rico lags
behind Crockett heavily in name recognition, with twenty one percent
of likely Democrat primary voters saying they don't know enough
to have a favorable or unfavorable opinion about him. On
the other hand, only six percent of voters say they
(28:52):
don't know enough of Jasmine Crockett. Well, Jasmine Crockett is
going to suck all the oxygen out of that race,
and it will end up being a referendum on Jasmine Crockett.
Tallie tall Ico is a white liberal who is most
(29:13):
known for criticizing Christians that people of faith should not
be participating in the political process on the basis of
their faith, which won't matter in a Democrat primary, but
it'll cost him real bad if he makes it to November.
I don't expect him to make it to November, and
I don't expect John Cornyn to make it to November
(29:34):
as well. A new poll coming out late last night
or early this morning. I just saw it early this morning,
has John Cornyn continuing to lag behind in third place,
with Paxton in first, Wesley Hunt in second, and Cornyn
in third. Now there's something at play here that needs
(29:56):
to get more attention. The National Republican Senatorial Committee in
RSC raises money across the country to build a Republican
majority in the Senate. A lot of that money comes
from California and New York. And these are folks who
(30:17):
can't elect a Republican senator from their state, but they
put money in to the Carl Roves of the world
and they're trying to elect a Senate majority. Well, if
you're trying to elect a Senate majority, you don't need
to be worried about what the people of Texas want.
(30:41):
You need to be in North Carolina, Michigan to another state.
There's three states that we have a shot at picking
up a Democrat seat that's on the bubble. But instead
of sending money there, they are pouring money into Texas.
So imagine New Yorkers in Californians pouring money into Texas
(31:06):
to tell us to vote for the guy who's been
our senator for over twenty years. What do they know
that we don't know? Tell us we'd love to know,
trying to tell us to vote in a way that
is contrary to our interests. We live here. They don't
we know Cornyn, except they know something of Cornyn we
don't know. They know the backroom deals, they know who
(31:29):
he really represents. They know about him gutting Trump when
no one's watching. It's a complicated, clever machination of how
he does that. So they're pouring all this money into
telling us to vote for their choice from New York
and California instead of our choice in Texas. No, thank you.
Save that money spending on some races where you can win,
(31:50):
because John Corny ain't went in Texas.
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