Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2009 > February > 19 > Entry
2/19: Bert’s Big Adventure takes off today
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Q100’s Bert Weiss raises $150,000-plus each year to take 13 or 14 kids and their families to Disney World. And the kids are usually very ill, sometimes terminally so, sometimes merely chronically so. Their sisters and parents go, too. This year, a total of 79 people are going to spend a weekend in Florida, including 17 staffers.
It’s an admirable and very involved operation Bert has done for seven years. I haven’t written much about it since its first year. So I came by the kickoff party at the Sheraton Gateway this morning. (Sure, Bert hardly needs more publicity, given how well his show is doing but hey, this does involve cute kids.)
I’m on deadline for another story and would like to write a bit more about this but for now, here are some photos:
ABOVE: Christian Pinckard, 8, had a kidney transplant as a young child and has had multiple pneumonias thanks to a depressed immune system. His mom Carrie and he live in Fairmont, Ga.
ABOVE: There won’t be a live Bert show Friday but the morning show plans to Tweet regular on Twitter.
ABOVE: Bert Weiss gabs about Disney World with 8-year-old Mya Millington, who has “prune belly syndrome,” a rare situation where she has no stomach muscles and has had to eat food through a tube much of her life.
ABOVE: Jenn Hobby and Melissa Carter listen to one of the family’s stories Thursday morning before they left for Disney World.
Comments
By Neil
February 19, 2009 2:18 PM | Link to this
I heard there is an addition this year. A little boy named Clark who has prostate cancer is getting to go to the Disney World discount store. Buy one ear, get the second one free. There is a downside to this story…Bert will not be able to go on most of the rides because of height requirements. Lastly, Jeff Dauler plans on opening a Flying Biscuit next to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party ride.
By 1 time
February 19, 2009 3:02 PM | Link to this
Bert, i heard the Manhole in Chicago has your pictures on the walls. You are sssoooooo gay. Did you try to sell them on line? Maybe they’ll let you be the Queen of MidTowns Gay Pride Parade this year. BouschDag!
By WTF
February 19, 2009 10:53 PM | Link to this
Ok- I gotta get this off my chest. Feel free to add along. What is wrong with Atlanta radio? Let’s start at the bottom of the dial 92.9- I have never heard so many “B” side tracks- EVER! Trying to be “cutting edge” or something? Next up- Star 94. Believe it or not, I think their new morning show is better than the old Steve and Vicki- but that’s not saying much. I get the feeling that Cindy and Ray are a bit disgruntled that they didn’t get the morning gig. 95.5 The Beat- finally you hired some black DJ’s. What took you so long?
Project 96.1- seriously, playing Distrubed one minute and then some crappy old Led Zepplin the next- makes me change the dial everytime. Please pick a decade and stick with it. Trying to appeal to everyone just doesn’t give you an identity. 97.1 The River- or should I say the “NEW” 97.1 The River- YOU ARE NOT NEW! HELLO!!! Get a clue. You are what- 4 yrs old now? If I tried to sell my 4 year old car and listed it as new- people would laugh at me- much like they laugh at you when you still call yourself new. Might as well call yourself “The Eagle” since that name is now available. And please- for the love of all that is good- LESS EAGLES! Yes, believe it or not, you don’t have to play an Eagles song every 20 minutes. B98.5- there is a reason Star 94 let Steve and Vicki ride off into the sunset. They just aren’t funny and their ship has sailed. Thank goodness we don’t have to see their dingy tv promos anymore. Between Vicki’s 300lb body and Steve’s big honker filling up the screen- I never regretted having HD in my life until those two appeared on tv. Next up is Q100- which is not 100.5 anymore, but on the old 99x frequency. I guess you have to have a big honker to get on the radio, because after seeing Bert’s little twerpy a**, I wonder if he is Steve McCoy’s little brother or something. This Bert show thinks they are funny, but, alas- epic fail.
Since I am getting tired of typing I am going to wind this down early. And yes- I am talking to you Rock 100. Larry and Eric- do you guys ever play music in the morning- EVER? And what is up with “English Nick”? That guy doesn’t sound like James Bond at all. Sounds like me trying to sound sophisticated. Plus, that guy is on the radio every stinking hour, every night it seems like. That guy must make in double overtime a week what I make in a year. Plus, he feels the need to come on and announce himself after every single song he has played. Hey- at least he plays music. He just can’t play 2 in a row without reminding us that he is yet again on the radio. Stay tuned next week for my take on country music stations, and the demise of the stations that were.
Maybe I am the only one that feels this way- and if so- fine. I just had to get it off my chest. There I feel better now. Now, where did my satellite radio go to?
By Happier person
February 19, 2009 11:34 PM | Link to this
. Holy Mackeral, WTF … who pee-peed in YOUR corn flakes this morning??
You must be LOADS of fun to be around!
Lighten up man … take a deep breath & find something you enjoy … maybe using the other hand for a change!
By BertShowFan
February 20, 2009 7:56 AM | Link to this
Lately, I don’t listen to the Bert Show as much as I used to because they are getting annoying, (Don’t get me started on how annoying Wendy is — I miss Jamie Massey; Heck I even miss Crash — anyway that is beside the point)
I do admire the Bert Show for Bert’s Big Adventure. As a long time listener, I believe since the 1st or 2nd year of the Bert Show, back when no one knew who they were, Bert has taken these kids to Disney World in Florida and continues to do so.
Yeah I know Bert is “full of himself” but I think he/the show should have gotten more press for Bert’s Big Adventure instead of his half naked photos, and the $16,000 diamond ring stunt, and the Six Flags debacle, those things were just stupid.
It’s about time Bert’s Big Adventure was show some love on the blog.
By NonComRadioFan
February 20, 2009 8:30 AM | Link to this
“WTF”…if you want to rant about crap, start your own blog. This one is for Rodney Ho’s poorly written, badly spelled, mispunctuated, and sentence-structure-challenged take on Atlanta radio.
By Getagig
February 20, 2009 9:39 AM | Link to this
WTF- I have to agree with you on a lot of this. However- perhaps you should find another forum or start your own blog as others have said. Atlanta radio is really bad. I think we can all agree on that. Thanks for a good laugh though.
By AJ
February 20, 2009 10:16 AM | Link to this
Radio is the same everywhere. Atlanta does not hold a special place for bad radio. I travel to a variety of cities - one of them being the largest radio market - NYC. They all have some good, they all have some bad. WTF does appear to be somewhat cranky, but if that’s how he feels, WTF is WTF doing listening to the radio?!?! If it aggravated me that much, I’d be listening to CDs, Ipod, Satellite Radio, books on CD, etc…
By dre
February 20, 2009 10:49 AM | Link to this
Never have listened to Bert, don’t know who is is. But it’s hard to believe there are such cowardly, pinhead bloggers who choose to make fun of this guy (he’s short? you don’t like his show? or any other radio show?) who annually raises enough money to take sick kids to DWorld. Whew, you guys truly need a hobby. What a pathetic pack of losers. Awesome job Bert. Sounds like we could use a few more people like you.
By gidgee
March 6, 2009 11:49 PM | Link to this
I used to listen to Bert Show all the time but he is in love with himself as is Jen in love with herself. The worst move they made was hiring Wendy (another Lindsay) -that is when I really quit listening after 6 years. She has to be the worst traffic person on radio. I wish they could go back about 4 years and be the great radio show they were back then. Jeff and Melissa are great though. Got to give credit to them for their Big Adventure-great job there.
By happy as well...
March 21, 2009 4:27 PM | Link to this
jjjeeeezzzzz, find something else to do with your time!! so negative, hope you never need anyone’s help to deliver a wish to your sick family member. i don’t enjoy the bert show either but at least they are DOING not talking.