Tom Joyner Discusses The End of His Morning Show Era

He told me “I have no idea what you are talking about” with a smile. I’m sure that was his way of saying all is forgotten.This is one of the best interviews I’ve ever done with Tom he was very forthcoming and honest about a lot of things I didn’t know that we get to share with you. Enjoy

RADIO FACTS: Hello, Tom. How are you?
TOM JOYNER: I’m good, you okay?

Everything’s great. I know you just got through with your show, so I am going to try not to hold you for too long. 
No, no, no. I am good. I am through with everything with the show. This is the first day to start a vacation, so, yeah, everything is good with me.

Does it feel like you’re winding down or winding up?No, no, no, no, no. I’m in the final rehearsal, I have been practicing every weekend retiring.

But I’m saying after you retire does it feel like you are winding down or winding up?No, I’m winding down definitely.

So, are you going to chill after retirement? Or are you going to work on some other projects?
No, my thing is going to be the foundation, the foundation only. That is what I am going to be doing. I am going to be trying to sell out this cruise and trying to get all this money that we collect from the cruise in the hands of students at HBCUs with the challenge that these students that I give out scholarships to between now and November will register people to vote.

I was going to ask you – and I’m just curious about this – why didn’t you decide to change – I don’t know if it was all your decision –  just decide to change the name of the show to the Rickey Smiley Show instead of keeping the brand alive, like calling it “The Tom Joyner Show starring Rickey Smiley,” or something like that?
Because Rickey Smiley is a brand unto himself and is part of a rich family of Reach Media brands.

So, will you be doing any kind of radio podcasts or will you make appearances?
I will make appearances on all the brands to talk about what we are doing with the foundation and promoting these students who get scholarships.

Let’s talk about the foundation for a minute. I understand that you’ve done some features on ESPN?
Yes. I have not seen them yet. I saw one was our first full-ride scholar, but I have not seen them yet.

Of all the work that you’ve done over the years in radio…and the foundation, what is the most rewarding?
That’s a tough question. When it comes to the foundation, the most rewarding is the cruise because…we get probably 95% of the money that we donate…off the cruise. This is cruise number twenty-one coming up and it’s not going to stop until the end.

How do you plan on promoting the cruise from this point?
We are still promoted on all the brands.

You’re based in Dallas and Florida, correct?
I am now based in Miami; I’ve moved.

So, let me ask you, why did you decide to retire? What brought you to that decision? Do you just think that you’ve done it long enough? Or what were your main reasons?
It was money. Every contract was cut in half, cut in half, cut in half to the point that I said, “Okay, I can’t go any lower, so I’ll just quit here and live my life.”

Would you think that was attributed to growing networks [podcasting, online] for ad spending?
The industry is not what it used to be – oh Lord – it’s not. I was making a lot of money and now not as much. So, it kept getting lower and lower. There wasn’t any interest after the last contract; there wasn’t any interest that would make sense.So, moneywise it just made sense to leave. To get up at 3’oclock in the morning, if it is worth my while, I will do it. So that is why I decided it was time.

Were you still having fun?
Oh yeah, the most fun in the world ever is when I’m on-air. And then living my best life…because of the fun I have. I have been able to serve AND save and so I can live this lifestyle for the next 30 years. I have got it all planned out.