Book of Dad - Joey Parham

Some people are natural galvanizers, they have what it takes to bring people together and get them to focus on something for the common good. Whether taking care of their community, providing for the less fortunate, or assisting with access or exposure, they can, and do make it happen.  Managing the schedules and activities of highly skilled professionals requires special skill, patience, and orchestration genius to keep them engaged.  Today we chat with one such galvanizing genius: Joey “Bird Man” Parham.  A Philly native, Joey is a regular behind-the-scenes contributor to “The Book of Dad Radio Show”, he has and continues to provide high-level guests for our show.  Today Joey shares his personal story, experiences, and the main ingredients that make him who he is. He also talks about his own “Bird Man” radio show.
Listen in as Dr. B & Eddie Gee chat with this modern-day influencer, you will be happy you did!

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/book-of-dad-radio-show--2296658/support.

Episode Transcript

(00:18):
Welcome to the book. At thatradio show, I'm doctor Robert Benson.
As always, before we get started, we want to say thank you to
Jehovah. Thank you for Sunday,just Christ. Thank you for our families.
Thank you for work and our abilityto do the things we're able to
do. Look at that radio showand Eddie as G is at the helm
as usual. What's up, Ddie? What's up? Son? How you
feel, sir? I'm good,I'm good. Many we got a really

(00:43):
good man. You look at you'relooking younger today. I don't know what's
going on. Actually shaved man,believe it or not. I don't have
a gray whisker in the picture.So I'm good. That'll do it.
That'll do it right, yep.And also brush my chops. That's another
good thing, you know, makesure you look a little younger. Yeah,
we got a really good friend onthe show today. Speaking of friends

(01:03):
the book at that radio show,we have some really really good friends.
We got a guy who you andI both in the show considered to be
a great, great friend of ours. Today we have and we're very fortunate
to get him to squeeze us intohis busy schedule. We have the great
and the cool, the cool,the cool, the cool, Joey bird
Man part of him. What's up, Joey? How you doing? Hey?

(01:23):
How are you? How's everybody doing? Everybody's doing great, Joey hey
Man, Well, thank you forbeing on the show. But we got
to thank you for all kinds ofstuff. But before we get to all
of that, talk to us abouthow Birdman became Birdman and what it is
that you're doing over there, andPhilly, talk to us. Sure,
well, how I became How Ibecame Birdman was this. I first started

(01:47):
out in an R and B singinggroup and it was going really good.
It was called Symphony a Soul,Symphony of Soul. We used to do
a whole bunch of cover songs,earth wind and fire everything. We were
doing really, really good. Sothe group wound up breaking up, and
I was a little bit devastated bythat because I really thought that we were

(02:08):
really going to go far and thegroup broke up. So I had started
radio at Power ninety nine FM,and this I kind of stumbled into it.
So I'm gonna talker anyway. AndI began to do a show called
Sex and Slow James and I wouldthink of the topics, so we had

(02:29):
a lot of great topics. Peoplewould call in. I started recruiting a
lot of guests. I was reallyanimated and humorous, and I just kept
everybody on the edge of their seats. And the time that I was doing
the show, because I love animals, I had birds and sometimes when I
would talk, the birds would startchirping. And Wendy Williams she would listen

(02:55):
to the show as well, andshe started calling me bird Man because every
time I did the show, thebirds would start making a whole bunch of
noise. So they gave me thatname. I got the name from Windy
Williams, the real Windy Williams,not a a fictitious one, the entertainer.

(03:17):
She gave me the name Berdman andthis stuff. So everybody had called
me that throughout the years, andI've been in radio every since. I'm
not at Power ninety nine anymore,but I still keep in touch with my
Power ninety nine friends. But Istill do my podcast, The Birdman Radio
Show. I still do that,but I just play music. I used

(03:40):
to do a bunch of interviews,but I talked to an interview almost like
everybody, so now, and Ijust kind of jumping helping other people and
get those people that I know onother people. I don't like to keep
on bringing the same people on overand over again, and it's you know,
it gets redundant or whatever. ButI just like to have a good

(04:01):
time. And I always was atalker, so I always believed that I
would do something. And I'm notsurprised that I'm doing this, so I
really enjoyed it. I had alot of fun and a lot of great
people, a lot of great entertainers. Sexist Wojins was kind of noughty,
but I have a really creative imagination, so I kept everybody intrigued and I

(04:24):
meant a whole bunch of people andalways always had a good time, always
had a good time. And I'mjust glad to be on here radio show.
You know. A buzz name inthe industry right now over the past
few months has been Wendy Williams.Are you still affiliated with her and in

(04:44):
touch with her and just havingship withher. I have been talked to Wendy
in a long long time. Iremember when she was having her baby.
Because I do the greatest stuff.I remember I made her a gift set
for her baby and everything like that. We used to talk a while ago,
and sometimes when she had her TVshow, I would reach out to

(05:10):
her and we would talk like toemat, we would talk to email and
things like that are on social media, but like physically talking to her,
like how we are right now?No, no, but she would come
to my page. She would viewmy page. She knows who I am.
If someone asked her, do youknow bird Man from Philly, yeah,

(05:31):
she knows exactly who I am.So the great part about telling the
story about her giving the name,or when you do things like that,
if somebody wants to go back andsay, hey, Wendy, do you
know a bird Man and she wouldoh, yes, yes, I gave
him that, you know, gavehim the name. Even d Lee that
you guys had on he could verify. He could attest to it too,

(05:54):
because he used to work with WindyWilliams on the Dream Team when she gave
it to Because so everybody in Phillyand Power ninety nine, when you say
Birdman, they know exactly who whoyou're talking about if you mentioned that name,
as I tell people, I hadthe name before the rapper, because

(06:15):
they can't you that game back inlike nineteen ninety nine, so that was
way before the rapper guy came out. You know, Joey, the thing
that's interesting about you is that,you know, we all have our advocation
and vocation. And as we approachthe break, I want you to touch
on it briefly, but pick itup on the other side. Is now

(06:36):
that you're not really a hardcore interviewerand radio guy. You're actually in the
education industry. Right now, tellus about what you do and then cut
it off a little bit, andthen pick it back up when we get
on the other side. Okay,sure, Well basically, I, like
I said, I still do theradio thing, but in the classroom,

(06:59):
I'm a teacher, teacher, kindergartenteacher, so I like little I love
working with children. I like workingwith children. They're nice, they're nice.
Sometimes sometimes they can be other theycould be other things. But always
had a gift for working with children. And I even remember in my days

(07:21):
at Power ninety nine when I wasBirdman, I was teaching also then sometime
I would bring the kids on airbecause always like entertainment stuff, and I
would have them sing and everything likethat, and I kind of. I've
always was good with children and musicfor some reason. I don't know why
God put that on me, becauseI didn't even think that I wanted to

(07:46):
be a teacher. That I wantedto do is teach. So that's that's
a surprise to me that I'm workingwith children, very good with like work
to me. So classroom with kids, it's easy, like they It's something

(08:07):
that comes naturally. It's not somethingthat I want to do for the rest
of my life. I don't wantto be mister Parham, the gray handed
kindergarten taching there with a bunch ofkids or whatever. I don't want to
retire from that. But I likeit. It's it's it's fun, it's
fun. It's great. Over theyear, the kids have changed from kids

(08:31):
have changed, parents have changed,and it's a little bit it's a little
bit different now, but I meanI still have I still have fun with
them. I just want to whenit comes time to bow out gracefully,
I want to do it. Ijust don't want to. I don't like
to do things that I don't likethe way I used to or and the

(08:52):
passion is going because then you're justexisting and just doing it and not putting
your all into it. And I'mone of those pass to people. Whatever
I do, I really like todo it like one thousand percent, you
know, and understand. Yeah,it's it's it's good, it's it's fun.
It's fun. It doesn't even seemlike work to me, you know.

(09:15):
Okay, okay, we'll hold thatthought for a seconds. Book at
Dad Radio Show of Doctor Robert Bensonwith my main man Eddie. I get
us where you get your podcasts,and we'll be right ben. See why.
Listeners from over one hundred and fiftycountries around the world follow the Book
of Dad Radio Show join Doctor RobertBenson and Eddie g as they chat with
special guests who share their stories andinformation that will change your life. Watch

(09:41):
and listen on Life and Spirit onlinedot com, or subscribe to the Book
of Dad Radio Show on Apple,podcast, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or wherever
you get your podcast. Brought toyou by the NASCA Network, and we're
right back. Book at That RadioShow of Doctor Robert Benson with Eddie Ice

(10:03):
g n mister Birdman par Haam,who's hanging out with us. I mean,
we got a lot of stuff wewant to cover with him, but
we got a little bit of time. But as we said before, Joey's
our friend. He's actually a contributorto the show, and we really appreciate
the fact that he as he saidbefore, he doesn't do a lot of
interviews, but he's actually funneled somepeople to us that have been on the

(10:24):
show. And Joey, we're goingto just say thank you to you right
now because because of you, andbecause we've had some great guests. I
mean your aunt Sarah Dash for instance. It is somebody that you've referred to
us, the great Sarah Dash,and sadly she passed away. We are
really miss and mourned for her.But we're going to try to keep the
show upbeat because when everybody loved her. But anyway, when we left off,

(10:46):
you were talking about school and yourinteraction with children, which is I'm
telling you, man, that's someorchestrative genius right there, dealing with children.
Share a little bit about that again, and then we want to talk
a little bit more about some ofthe other things you've done in the entertainment
industry. Sure, sure, well, I think the greatest thing about me
with the teaching was the look that'severybody chiming in with the phone. I

(11:09):
am. I don't know why everybody'schooses the text and call me down.
I'm such a creative kindergarten teacher.It's something about it I can. I
can get children to learn through musicand dance in motion, through a whole
bunch of concepts and really have themexcel creatively. I just have a real

(11:31):
creative knack with entertainment. And I'mgoing to go into the entertainment stuff because
I'm just one of those kindergarten teachersthat is, I have so much fun
with the kids that I almost turnthe graduations into like a concert where the
parents are up on their feet like, oh my God, like that.

(11:52):
They can't believe that I taught thekids different things, like I would sing
and rap and teach them stuff likefun, but I'll use something like Frankie
Beverly and Mays before I let gobeat and have the kids doing stuff to
the instrumental. So I'm really shockedat this musical genius stuff that I had

(12:15):
that I have. But it's somethingabout me with music and kids and this
creative stuff that I would do thatsex what weighs me into acting. Now.
I love acting. I love acting. I remember the first stage play
that I ever did was called YourGirlfriend needs to Mind her Business. It

(12:37):
was called Your Girl needs to Mindher Business. There was a black play,
you know. And I love workingwith us is because I come from
a very animated family. So thedirector, he gave me this character that
I had to play Pops, andPops was this player. He was this

(12:58):
player. He was real slick.He was nothing like Joey and the director
I kind of think he thought Iwas arrogant, superficial. He didn't think
I was going to be able topull it off because I think he had
the figeonhole, like he's vain,because he said, well, when you
play this character, you know you'regonna have to die your hair gray.

(13:20):
You're going to have to look likean old school player, which I love
being the opposite of me. Ilove being a villain and I really love
to cut up. So I didthe gray hair. I got my tailor
to make me an outfit. WhenI came out, I looked like that

(13:41):
person, like even my own fathercouldn't believe it. And I got like
a standing ovation from it. Soand so all of these things they just
come so naturally to me. ButI think because I'm a Gemini. I
don't know if you believe in zodiacs. I think Jim are very creative people
and we we just do things naturally, and once we like something, we

(14:07):
really take the ball and run withit. So this particular, that girlfriend
needs to mind your business. Itwas so nice to everybody loved it.
The director, he loved it.He loved it. He loved it,
and this is this is a notnice part about it. Though. I

(14:30):
got so much attention from the play, not being shady, But when they
did the play again, they casta new guy to play my part.
I think because I got too muchattention and they got somebody else to do
it. They never asked me todo it again. Not because I was
bad, but I really too good. Yeah, and I got my first

(14:50):
lesson in entertainment sometimes, you know, not that I'm being shady, but
I like to tell the truth.But I really did the part, and
when they did it again, Iwas really yack. They didn't ask me
back because I really put myself intothe character, you know, And I
didn't ask why they didn't, butI know that when I did it,

(15:13):
I did it so well that theyhad to get me to be that person
again, Like I know nobody elsewould would do it, you know,
because I really, I really didit. And that's the type of person
that I am when I do something, especially in entertainment, doctor Benson,
I really do stuff. I cansay. I'm like the Patty Lavella acted

(15:39):
because when I do it, Igive you, I give you a show.
I get, I get into itand I have everybody going and yeah
and start screaming, oh I whateverit takes. Now. The last class
I didn't play recently with oys JuteJones, remember him, I told her

(16:03):
you walking in the ring? Butyeah, yeah, yeah, it was
called yeah, walking in the Rain, that's the name that was. The
play was about his story, Rememberto get out of here with that?
Ali? Yes, yes, andI pay. I played his best friend.

(16:26):
Now Oystute Jones was a pimp.He was a pimp and his all
his friends was he. He camefrom a lot of wild stuff. So
I played his best friend, andI really I really did the part.
Again. Even he was he waseven impressed, like he couldn't believe.

(16:48):
He couldn't believe it because I'm avery laid back person. See I'll play
like clueless, like people say,you know, I don't think he could
do it all. He I allact one way, but when I get
on that stage, I turned intoa whole beast. And he even said,
wow, like people really really likeyou know, people really like you.

(17:12):
So I'm just one of those people. Once I get on the stage,
I love it. I love beingon a stage more than I like
doing radio and being around kids ina class. Bro. Yeah, I
really like live theater because I likethe pressure of being put on the spot,

(17:33):
learning the lines and everything is rightthere. You have to can't take
any takes. And I have agreat memory, and I like to add
live and I just like to suckthe audience in and keep them captivated and
everything. I'm like really good.I'm really good with all this creative stuff.
Like when God was giving out thatI know, I was in the

(17:53):
first in line because I have toI have to have this, I have
to be I have to be creative. I love it. I love anything
creative and with dancing and singing andhaving a good time. That's yeah,
that's me. But yeah, thatwas my first stage play and that role.

(18:14):
I love that well. I stillhave the outfit in my closet.
Well well, hey, well youknow that that kind of genius is definitely
sparingly distributed if you will. Butyou know one thing I would say about
the dealing with children, It kindof smacks up the great Serious Sister Act
where we'll be pro showed how ifyou're able to reach children, you can
get them to reach all kind ofheights and get them to perform on the

(18:37):
highest levels possible. But when wecome right back, we're going to talk
a little bit more to Joey Parhamabout Birdman stuff, and we'll let you
guys know how to get in touchwith him, and we're definitely going to
keep hanging out with him. Justbook at that radio show and hanging out
with Eddie g and Eddie and Birdman. We'll be right back. You have
something special, you have greatness inyou. Hello, I'm Less Brown,
missus made Brown's baby boy. Iwant you to spread the word to your

(19:00):
family members and friends to listen toLess Brown Greatness Radio dot com. Absolutely,
and let me share with you whywe're going to be focusing on positive
things. Because whatever you focus onthe longest becomes the strongest. And now
more than ever. When the suiciderate has increased over thirty three percent,

(19:21):
when the suicide rate of young childrenbetween five and eleven has doubled, people
feeling hopeless and stressed out and powerless. We need programming that can bring out
the greatness in them, and that'swhat we will be focused on. When
you listen, it will be anexperience that will transform your life. Less

(19:42):
Brown Greatness Radio dot Com. That'smy story and I'm sticking to it.
Hey, welcome back to the bookat that radio show with doctor Robert Benson
and me at eg and today wehave our supersonic guests, the Bird and
Joey Parham, and we're having agreat time talking to him. You know,

(20:04):
Joey, I'm gonna I'm gonna showmy age a little bit. Okay.
So back in the day on wd AS in Philly, Tony Brown
used to have the Quiet Storm,which was the Slow Jams show at night,
and you know, you had theSexy Soul Show, you had the

(20:29):
Slow Jams kicking and everything. Andwhat I remember about those times because I
was I was pretty young then,but I did remember how people could call
in and they could request music andon the late show. That's when all
the all the brothers in prison wouldcall because you were here, you were
hearing them cut in. It's like, yo, I want to dedicate this

(20:51):
song to my girl Joey blah blahblah. And everybody got an opportunity to
do requests and hear what they wantwant to hear. That was the big
thing about radio back then. Youknow, you have any interesting stories of
anything that happened to you while youwere on the air, well, not

(21:14):
crazy, not not too much crazinesshappened. I think that I was always
i won't say the button pusher.I've always was the roller. I think
that when we had a guess thatdid talked about some craziness, I knew
how to push the envelope to reallyget them. Yeah, really get them,

(21:40):
you know, like really really getthem going. Now. I'll remember
this though. One crazy time,my my code Hot Me I did a
show. It was Soul and LadyT. We all did the show together.
They're still very good friends of mine. So so he said some on
the air about he he he wouldgive somebody some money or some girl some

(22:06):
money, and she came up tothe studio with a thong on and nothing
else, and somebody did it,and the person came in the studio and
did it, and the cops wasout there not to arrest her, but

(22:26):
they called in the show and said, oh my god, you guys are
crazy. We see her out hereand everything like that. So he was
a big practical joke girl like helike. People did a lot of crazy
stuff late at night on the lateshows, some of the guests, some
of the guests and some of thecrazy things I can't say because they did

(22:48):
so they did some really crazy stuffwith sex and slow jams and it really
it was so wild and crazy andfun though in a good way, not
crazy in a good way like allthe other Golden Girl and the How Boys,
like all the other everybody tuned intothe show. And then I was
teaching at the time too, soI remember sometime well, my voice would

(23:12):
be a little bit different and peoplewould say, you know, Birdman,
mister joe he sounds a little bitlike you, and I said, I
don't know who that is. Iwouldn't let them know that it was me,
but people said, that sounds likeJoey, and I'm like, I

(23:33):
don't bird Man. So one dayI eventually told everybody, Yeah, that's
me, and they said, Iknew that was you. That sound like
you. So, you know,Joe, Joe's one thing I noticed about
you, and this is rare inthis this vocation that we have, is
you one of the more unselfish peopleI've ever met. And this is the
truth. And I'm just wondering,what is it about you that makes you

(23:56):
as unselfish as you are? Becauseall of the recent sources and the tools
and the resilience that you have,most people tend to hold it to themselves.
What is it about you that allowsyou to freely share things? You
know what? I think a lotof my ninety nine point nine percent of

(24:17):
my personality I think I got frommy mother. Like my mother was very
and plus I was the only child. I was the only child. I
didn't want brothers and I was Istill am. I didn't want brothers and
sisters, and my parents gave meeverything. And I never had a problem
with sharing and helping people because I'vealways had a sense, even from a

(24:38):
little boy, I always liked whoI was, knew who I was,
and knew that helping other people wouldn'ttake away from me. I remember as
a little boy at Christmas time ifmy mom brought me a toy when kids
were being selfish and I say,I would say, Mommy, you you

(25:00):
know so and so, Mommy can'tget him any choice. Can we get
him something? And she would say, here, Joey, we can.
So. I remember, even fromlike five to six years old, I
would always think about other people andnot worrying about it taking it being taken
away from me. And I've alwayswas one of a kid like that.

(25:22):
Like my dad. He was acustom tailer. He used to make all
my clothes from from the day Icame on the planet, you know where
I was the little boy coming inkindergarten with min coats on in first and
all like I always over the toptraving it because my parents was like that,
so people were the other kids wouldlook at me. I remember this

(25:45):
one story and I had this minkcoat and I was like five years old
with the hat. My dad wasbasic. He made clothes for note for
like Teddy Penegrass. I didn't lookcrazy like I was always starved. So
I remember this one of the boyI said, Mommy said my coat was
dog first. He said, boy, you know that's not Eddie dog first

(26:06):
and everything like that. So Ilearned that I was always different from a
kid and how people would look atme differently. I never tried to win
people over, but I was.I was always myself and people respected that.
And if somebody liked me, Ilove that, But if they didn't
like me, I didn't care.I never worried about other people. Where

(26:30):
I'm glad I had a mother anda grandmother and a father where they never
they let me be myself and theynever They taught me well that I don't
have that jealous spirit. I'm nota jealous person. I don't mind helping
people, and I'm glad I'm notlike that where if like their radio show,

(26:52):
or I'm not going to help doctorBenson because I don't want his show
to be better than mine. Likepeople, I was all ways so great
the people that sometimes people thought thatI had an agenda because they couldn't believe
how nice I was. And Ididn't look for anything in return, because
that's the type of person I was. I remember my mother. Like my

(27:14):
mother, everything I watched her do, she was a very selfless person.
I mean, my mother, beautifulwoman. I remember when I was a
little boy, and there was thishomeless drunk man on the street and my
mother went and gave him some foodand put it in his hand where somebody
else might have been like, Iain't touching him where she was classy,

(27:38):
and she just taught me the meaningof you're never too big to be nice
to people, and you don't mistreatpeople, Joey, and you don't treat
people like that. And she's notwith me now, but I think that
was one of the hardest things Ihad to deal with. But and her

(28:00):
time that she had to vacation inheaven, That's what I call it,
that I really saw how people was, but I didn't let it changed me.
Like I don't let things make mebitter or jealous or or I wish
I had did this, or justyou know, even my radio show,
I never talk about people. Idon't like to know people under the bus

(28:22):
like I'm totally genuine. If Ilike you, I like you. If
I don't, I'm you're gonna knowthat too. But I'm gonna just stay
away from you. But I justthink that we're all here to make impression.
And my father used to say,you only get one chance to make
a first impression and make it alast and one. What we're gonna do
is that we're gonna wrap things uphere. I'm gonna ask Eddie, Eddie,

(28:45):
it's a great show, a greatguest. Again, what do you
want to offer up closing comments,Hey, I just want to thank you
for coming on, Joey and breakingit down, giving us something behind the
scenes, you know, with theradio industry, with life, it's elf
always some good tips, some thingswe can take away. We appreciate the
things you're doing with the young people, you know, just a positive life

(29:07):
that you're putting out there, youknow, and that's really what we're all
about, and that's why we're thankfulto have you as a friend. So
thanks for coming on the show.Brother, absolutely Enjoey. This ain't the
last time we're going to hang out, but we certainly appreciate you being here
with us today. But as Isaid before, make sure you check us
out via all the venues you canget to us anywhere you get your podcasting

(29:27):
on YouTube. Is the book ofthat radio show with Doctor Robert Benson and
any A g But we're going toclose out the show today with the quote,
as we always do, and thequote today is it's kind of like
what we're talking about with Joey here. It's simply this, there's no company
of friends at the top. There'sonly healthy competition, and if you compete
healthy, everybody can prosper. Bookat that radio show, I'm doctor Robert

(29:51):
Benson. Thank you for listening,and thank you for hanging out. Joey,
we'll talk to you next time.Who did