Self Help Radio 033126: Howard Gently Forever

Very nice to spend another two hours with an old friend. I'm not so old that I've lost too many people but I do sometimes wish I had hours of recorded conversations with them to revisit. Memory is too faulty.

The good news is that this isn't the last of the series! So please enjoy my friend Russell being funny as my spiritual mentor The Rev Dr Howard Gently. Most of these I haven't listened to since the show aired - I laughed out loud so many times hearing them again.

You can listen to Howard Gently Forever either at the KBOO web page or at the Self Help Radio web page. The show is mostly improvised silliness. But the details are below.

As someone texted me during the show: Long live Dr Howard Gently!

Self Help Radio Howard Gently Forever

"Sad Brown Eyes" Russell Miles _Sad Brown Eyes_

Howard Gently on the theme "Christmas 2018"

"50 Ways To Leave Your Lover" Paul Simon _Still Crazy After All These Years_

Howard Gently on the theme "Fifty"

"In Doubt" Peter Gabriel _Passion (Music For The Last Temptation Of Christ)_

"Sense Of Doubt" David Bowie _Heroes_

Howard Gently on the theme "Doubt"

"Voices Inside My Head" The Police _Zenyatta Mondatta_

Howard Gently on the theme "Voices"

"She Floated Away" Hüsker Dü _Warehouse: Songs & Stories_

Howard Gently on the theme "Floating"

"I'll Begin Again" Sammy Davis Jr. _Now_

Howard Gently on the theme "Start Anew"

"Wishing The Days Away" Billy Bragg _Talking With The Taxman About Poetry_

Howard Gently on the theme "Wishes"

"The Thunder, Perfect Mind" Willis Barnstone, Marvin Meyer, & Nancy Lesniewksi _The Gnostic Bible_

Howard Gently on the theme "Thunder"

"I'm Using My Bible For A Road Map" Porter Wagoner & The Blackwood Brothers Quartet _The Grand Old Gospel_

Howard Gently on the theme "Maps"

"Personal Jesus" Johnny Cash _American IV: The Man Comes Around_

Howard Gently on the theme "Personal"

"Can't Keep It In" Cat Stevens _Catch Bull At Four_

Howard Gently on the theme "Keep It"

"An Empty Cup" Roy Orbison & The Teen Kings _Orbison 1955-1965_

Howard Gently on the theme "Cups"

Whither Howard Gently Forever?

That picture there is from a retirement community in east Portland which has nothing to do with this show but the show this week is about my friend Russell & almost certainly I took that picture to send to him. It was in May 2020. I don't recall if I ever did. I hope I did. I hope he was amused & sent a very funny response.

This week's show continues my celebration of Russell as The Rev Dr Howard Gently, a character he played on my show from 2014 until 2022. Russell died three years ago & I miss him terribly. I am so frickin grateful I have hours of him improvising hilarious & ridiculous bits for the show, & have been sharing them in chronological order. We have come to the pandemic era, when Self Help Radio started to air in Portland.

It's two hours of Dr Gently tonight midnight to 2am on 90.7fm in Portland, kboo dot fm everywhere. Prepare to be blessed.

Preface To Howard Gently Forever: Fear Of A Second End

That picture was taken on a trip to Chicago in May 2018. My friend Russell was alive & well then & I probably meant to share it with him. I have no idea if I did.

My friend Russell died almost three years ago. Since his death I have been playing in chronological order his appearances as Howard Gently on Self Help Radio. He improvised the role of my spiritual mentor. Lucky for me, he did it over a hundred times. Unlucky for me, eventually I will arrive at his last appearance on the show.

Probably I don't need to tell you I am dreading that. I thought we were coming close. Russell did not appear as Howard Gently on many episodes of Self Help Radio in 2018. Since I do my dumb radio show weekly, I don't really remember lots of the details of the shows I've done. But I have glanced ahead - & luckily this week's show won't be the last Howard Gently show. I am relieved by that.

Because as grateful as I am that he left us - he left me - with so many hours of his brilliance, when I come to the end of that, it may feel like I am losing him all over again. & I don't want to feel that way.

But like I said! That won't be this week! But having his voice in my head makes me miss him so much. Such a smart, funny person. You really don't get so many of those personally in your life, do you.