The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Donnie Simpson On Radio's Impact, Frankie Beverly, Studio Time With Prince, Marvin Gaye + More

Episode Date: November 25, 2025

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Morning, everybody, it's DJ NV, Jess Hilarious. Salomey and the Guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Lawn Laugh is here as well. And we got a special guest in the building. An icon. The legend. That's right.

If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be here today. Media royalty. That is right. gentlemen, we have the legend Donnie Simpson. Wow. Thank you. Good morning, brother. Thank you. Good morning.

Thank you for that, man. I feel like a million dollars and some change. There you go. You made that in the 90s. A few times. You might have made that the 80s and 702.

Been that in a while, bro. Banana in a while, man. Season 2 of the Donnie Simpson show. Yes, sir. It's a podcast. And I mean, you've seen all forms and media throughout the years. What about podcasting do you like?

That I own it. yeah you know that's what it's about for me at this point man you know um i've always felt that i was a hired smile you know and uh yeah i did well i'm not complaining about it man you know it's great uh but nothing like owning you you know i want to own me at this point and that's what this allows me man what has been the uh the new things you're learning as you're owning you and you're not just the hired smile you're handling everything it's hard it's hard it's hard it's hard it's hard You know, it's a lot of easy to walk in and have somebody hand you a check for what you do. But when you've got to make all the calls, man, and, you know, all the disappointments that happen in business, it's hard.

But, you know, I've been blessed. I have as a mentor, Bob Johnson, you know, the world's first black billionaire. That's my boy, man. That's my, you know. And so Bob has been with me every step of the way, man, helping me, you know, run into war. walls that Bob he needs to do this but you know he's just

he's so brilliant man Bob's he's just fascinating guy man it's like I don't care what you ask Bob about he's already thought about yeah Bob don't get enough credit you know we interviewed Bob via Zoom but you know I've had this I've had that pleasure too of being able to reach out to Bob

and just ask you advice like why wouldn't you ask America's first black billionaire yeah right right right especially about media right right no question he knows it man I want to go back if you I don't mind because a lot of people People know Donnie Simpson for so many different things, right?

Some people are just known from radio. Some people know them from television. Some people know them for back in the day radio. So I want to get the start, Detroit. What got you into this thing called radio? Man, my mother owned a record shop from the time I was 12. So I was always around music. You know what a record shop saw because they're kind of young.

I know what a record show is. So people used to come into a record shop all the time. I had this deep voice, my voice changed between 7th and 8th grade, which I hated because I used to sit, I was the only first soprano in the choir, so I got to sit with the girls. You know, next, I get to sit with the girls the next year. But people would always come to a record shop and go, yeah, you sound like a DJ. You ought to be a DJ. And it was in one ear, out the other man. I wanted to be a Baptist minister. That was my first goal in life. And, but one day my mother had a live broadcast, one of the local DJs, Hal Perkins, came in. Well, set up his booth out front. They had a portable booth with glass encased and did his show from there for three hours. And so he invited me into the studio to do specials. You know, we got The Temptation's Greatest Hits on Sale for $2.99 or whatever.

But while I'm in there, man, I'm sitting there, man. I'm watching him and he's got his headphones on, man. And he's jamming to the music, man. I was like, man, I could do that. That's what I want to do. right there. I mean, it's just just light. It was just no doubt. That's what I wanted to do. And within three months, I was on the air. I was 15 years old. You know, in Detroit, Detroit was fifth largest market in the country at that time. So, you know, I mean, what a blessing to get

a start that young. And I mean, I couldn't even do my whole show live. I was on from 8 to midnight and law stated I couldn't work past 1030. So after school, I have to go home. I mean, go to the record my last hour and a half, then go home, have dinner, do my homework, go back and go live from 8 to 1030, put the tape on and leave. What were you talking about at age 15 in Detroit when this is when what, temptations and all those loops and they love and singing? What were you talking about at 15 in Detroit? The temptations. The miracles, four tops. I mean, yeah, what was that?

It's 1969. Oh, yeah, so 15 in Detroit and 69. He was really 30. Right. But, you know, I would, I've always loved music, so I would go into a Smokie set, right? Or I remember this happened with Smokey and Stevie. I played four or five songs by them. They would call on the request line.

They didn't even have a hotline number. Just call, man. I was listening to you, baby. You know? And talk to Smokey, talk to Stevie, man. It was just, it was magical, Detroit at that time. That was different era because Motown was right there. Yeah, it was right there.

You were in the heart of it all. It was in the heart of it, man. And you picked the records you played back then? I've always done that. Always. Well, that was, you know, that was the norm back then. Of course, now, you know, nobody gets that privilege. But my whole career, I'm proud of that.

I always had total control of what happened on my show, man. I wouldn't have done it any other way, you know, because, you know, I'm not a bit. It was never a bit-driven show, you know, it was, for me, everything was, it was the music. I was, that was the main focus for me. So I had to have control of it or I wouldn't do it. And how did you get to D.C.? Because most people, a lot of people thought you were from D.C. Yeah.

So how did you get from D.C.? So you're on radio in Detroit, you're 15, your radio career starts. Yeah. And how does this young individual get out to Washington, D.C.? Yeah, well, I got a call one night on the air on the request line. And this guy, it's a very official voice. Hello, is this Donnie Simpson? I go, yeah, this is Bob Hennivary from NBC in New York.

And we'd like to talk to you about working at one of our stations at our station in Washington. I said, come on, man, who the hell is this really? Because your boys would play tricks like that car, and then they hear you get all official, and then they go, oh, man, this is Claude, man, what are you doing after the show tonight, you know? But it was real. And so I went there to meet with him.

At first, I didn't want to go because it was a disco station. And I said, no way I would do that. But then my oldest brother, who's had a very smart business mind, I always wish I had his business mind. But he said, you always have to talk, whatever the offer is. You just, you have to listen. I agree. So I went.

They picked me up, took me on an interview at Arlington Cemetery. It's like, is this Washington, D.C. or not? I mean, why is some clandestine at the cemetery? It just was weird. But I ended up going because when I went there, they were playing the enchantment and some stuff other than just disco. And, but, you know, I felt like it was opportunity for me. It was NBC that the station I was at in Detroit, we were their biggest station in their chain, that you had opportunity for growth there.

And they were going to make me rich, man. I left Detroit making $13,000. They were paying me $27,000, baby. What? What? That's the first car you bought. Well, let me. First car I ever bought was a 1964 Ford Fair Lane.

$225, man, I burn so much oil, man, I pull in the gas station, tell them fill up the oil and check the gas. But I thought I was rich when I moved there with that money, man. But I was broke as hell, man. I mean, very, because I didn't factor in cost of living from Detroit to D.C., it was like three times more. And I lost my side hustle because I wasn't popular.

So, you know, so I didn't, you know, you're not doing the economy. And all that stuff. I didn't think about all that, man. Man, it was tight for a minute. And for me, man, the moment that I remember most from that is I had a set of pictures. Back then, you had to get pictures developed. And it was $26, man. And I couldn't afford to get them out of the shop.

And he kept sending me notices, man. It was the last pictures of my grandfather, man. And that, you know, we're going to destroy him. You got three months. Finally got enough money, man. It was too late. You're gone. wow you know so that was always a motivating factor for me it still is man that I don't

ever want to be in that position again you know but it was that kind of tight for me I'm sorry go ahead yeah no I said four a minute but you know that was 77 when I moved to DC and by night the end of 79 I started things just started to really really really pop for me I was wondering what you did in that time between when that was happening before things started to pop again because there wasn't social media so it's not like you're posting or like whatever so how are you building back up your popularity in his new market that you're in on the ground like what are you doing well for me well with that station at first the first two years i was here before i started programming it the station was just very it was wow they had a thing they could instead of like

93.9 they said we want to be sophisticated you know i was looking at the uh like some people in their house instead of having the numbers they have to written out nine three nine so that's what they became nine through nine a sound as sophisticated as washington man get out of here with that mess it was horrible station was 16th place uh they made me music director and eventually i was going to leave uh because i you know i worked under this program director he was white guy and you know We had these meetings because I was the music director and I had two guys that worked under me

so he'd go around the room Donnie, what do you think of this? Like, I remember the classic one for me. He plays the Rolling Stones, Beast of Burden. So he goes around the room. I says, Dave, what do you think of this? I think it's great. I think it's great.

John, what do you think? Oh, I love it. I love it. Donnie, what do you think? Oh, I love it, but we can't play that. It's like, I said, man, black people don't want to hear that. You know, I mean, I was just always real with it, you know, and he got tired of hearing that

and asked me for my resignation one day, and I, so I said, uh, okay, cool. No, was that what happened? No, I just walked out. I just walked out. I just walked out. I just walked out. So you walked out, what did you go to the station across the street? What did you do from there?

No, well, I just wasn't going to work for a few days, and then, uh, the general manager called me, and, uh, program director kept calling my house. I said, my wife would take the call, and said, now, well, he's, you know, he's not here. And finally, after three days of that, the general manager called said, Donnie, will we have dinner with me tonight? So, yeah. So I sat down with dinner. He told me, well, what's the problem? I said, man, station, it's terrible.

We're 16th place. You know, we play music that nobody can relate to. I said, it's just awful. We're not part of the community. You know, he said, well, what would you do? I said, well, you know, you got to be involved. I said, we, and I remember what we used to do, we had a basketball. team and a baseball team

stuff like that and so he said will you meet with me tomorrow I said sure he said would you put that in outline for him just something simple you can just write it out so yeah I do that so I met with him the next day at

noon and I brought my outline brought him a I told him I said man I have arguments with the program director about Brick House the Commodores which he tells me is a ballot Get the fuck out of it

I'm telling you, man The breakouts ain't no damn ballad The biggest dance record of the year Is a ballot How can you How can I even have a conversation With somebody that thinks like that man I thought you're about to say

He didn't like the content at the time He thought it was a risked He thought it was a ballot So I put together a cassette tape That's recording And told him why These songs are here Because of this is the way

It should flow You know and gave my outline, he sat there and looked at it, and he said, okay, will you implement this? I was like, what do you mean? He says, I want to make you program director. Wow. It had never crossed my mind that that's where he was going. I never wanted to be a program director.

You know, so I thought about it for all of two minutes, man. I said, you know what? I can do better than this. Yeah, let's go. Man, he fired the PD by 3 o'clock. I was the program director. And that was one of the greatest days ever, man. To go into that studio,

this is out, this is out, put this in. Yeah. Ooh. And in nine months, man, we weren't from 16th to number one. Wow. In nine months, man, just, it was gone, man. You know, and then I would go to these conventions, man, where you got all these whiz kid white programmers, you know,

and they all got two shares, but I'm sitting in the audience listening to them. I don't know nothing. And we got attention. They know something. You know what you. Yeah, you're a culture. You know people. Absolutely, man.

That's it right there, Charlemagne. You know, I remember one of the stations did this big research project, man. We said, man, we spent $65,000 of the research music, man. Guess what showed up as the number one song with our audience? I said, Marvin Gay, let's get them all. How'd you know that? Because you outside. We all know that.

Look who on my hoodie right now. That's right. Barvin. There you go. That's right. That's right. I love it. Did that previous program director have any smoke for you on the way out?

No. Okay, because you said you was a program director by 3 o'clock. Yeah. He was waiting for you about 2.45? No, he was gone. They let him go before I came in, you know, and we made that transition. But it was, you know, it's just been a remarkable career for me. You know, it really has.

I've just really blessed, man. I just feel like God's been with me every step of the way. Was there a mentor who gave you, like, a piece of advice that's still guide you today? Wow. Well, I'll give you this, and it's from my greatest mentor and the greatest advice I ever got from anyone, and that's my mom.

And my mom told me something, man, that helps me in all situations, contract negotiations, and just in life in general. And she said, baby, when the time is right, the Lord will let you know because there will be no question.

And it's true When you get in hard times, man And you don't know which way to go You're trying to figure out what's right for you What's, you know, man, I know it's hard But that time comes eventually When it's crystal clear What you are to do

It always comes You know It's similar But Frankie Beverly once told me It was personal stuff I was going through Man 30 years ago And Frankie said, man Donnie don't worry about it man

life always works itself out it has no choice and it doesn't it has no choice it always works itself out you know it does I feel like I'm glad you brought up Mr. Beverly

I feel like his passing I don't know I don't feel like he got celebrated the way he should have yeah why do you think that is well I you know I think black America celebrated him like he should

to a great degree white America just kind of never really gravitated towards them Right, they didn't You know First time I had Frankie on video Soul man

We became instant boys I mean that was my man And but after the show We were in the green room talking And he was telling me He says man We know we're going to London In two weeks

You know we're bigger than the Beatles In London I was like Yeah right He said no I'm serious man You should come see I said Okay

Let's go So I went man it was amazing it was the complete opposite of America the audience was 90% white everywhere I went all you heard on the radio stations was Frankie Beverly and Maze

all day twice while I'm in the stores white guy comes I don't even know him he doesn't know me just walks going to see Maze tonight got my ticket like wow it was crazy he played the Hammer Smith Odian

4,500 seats the Beatles had the record for 14 sold-out nights. Frankie did 17. Wow. So it's amazing how it can change from one culture to another. You know, how Frankie was so loved

in this other market in London like that. And I just always wish it was like that for him here. And we had this conversation one night. I just hear one more thing. We were talking about, I was saying to Frankie, I said,

To a great degree, me and you are similar in this way, that we have this black folks in America, they know you, they love you. White folks, they don't really know you. I said, Frankie, I would never speak for you, but I think I would, on this, I think you would feel the same way that I do. That I would love to have everybody else, but man, I can die totally happy that I just had this. that that's what's important to me that my people feel this way about me is bigger than the rest man nothing's bigger than that for me

Frankie said man one thousand percent when you were in it and you were doing what you were doing with video so did you feel you felt that all the time like the support from your people oh without doubt well how did you get to video so break that down before you jump into that okay well I was doing radio

in Detroit in DC WKYS was my station at that time it was owned by NBC They're trying to sweeten a pot for me, so they started, they gave me television locally there. I did backup sports. I was a sportscaster for George Michael. I don't know if y'all remember him, but George Michael did the George Michael's sports machine, which is people considered a precursor to ESPN.

And so I was George's backup for about three years. But Bob Johnson had seen me doing TV. He knew, of course, of my music interests and love. and they were starting up this show called Video Soul and he wanted to know if I... He called and wanted to know if I would be interested in doing it. And at first, I wasn't. Why not?

Well, because I've always felt... I was always very careful about what I got involved in because I only have one thing to sell. It's image. I can't give you 20 rebounds a night. You know, it's just image. And so you have to be very protective of that. And I only got involved in things that were top shelf.

B.E.T. in its infancy, wasn't a very pretty baby. Wasn't a top shelf, okay. No, it wasn't. It looked like public access TV, you know. So after two days of thinking about it, it came down to this for me, that this is our first black television network. If you have something to offer it, you got to do it. Let's go. And I was so glad I did, man. You know, I mean, I had no idea that things would.

go as far as it did. I honestly only thought the show would last eight or nine months because we didn't have the titles for videos that the white artists had. We had like 20 videos. You know, record companies didn't give black artists

budgets like that. And so, but man, that thing just blew up. Man, we went from one and we were in one and a half million homes when I first joined it. And when I left, it was numbers like 40 million you know and uh you know and then for me it gave me you know i put you in every

nook and cranny of this country man just you know i'm just grateful for that i'm just so glad that i did that you know what was your question i'd ask uh did you feel the support at first and the reason why with from your people for real because from the outside looking in it does feel like that but i know a lot of times people celebrate people and things after the fact yeah and being here at the breakfast club and coming from a non-black outlet i always always say that I feel like people don't appreciate the breakfast club the way that they should right now. And it's unfortunate to see because, you know,

you've lived this in real time and you had that support. I just think that we, I mean, we do a lot, but I think it would be the conversation around breakfast club amongst us, I just feel like should be different sometimes. I think, I think breakfast club gets the flowers, but I think on the other hand, I don't think people understand what's happening as it's happening.

Yeah. I think haters come with, I mean, you got, you got both. Yeah. Always. You're going to have your supporters. You're going to have people that got something negative to say. That's just life. Yeah. I just wonder what it felt like to have the support and how that helped you to further what you were doing just show-wise. Donnie had it. Donnie was out here. It's knocking on, knocking down

all these women, listening to all these, you know. I don't know what I'm saying that. It's married, son. Back in the day, man. Donnie in trouble now. I know you know he was not now. No, bro. Hey, you see that nice smile on television. Hey, bro, I was old early.

I'm telling you. Seriously, because we were married, me and my wife, man. We We were high school sweethearts. Oh, okay. Married it 19. And our first child, one year or two days later. You know, I mean, like, I never even lived a college life, the campus life. Oh, wow.

You know, I mean, I went to school, but, man, I had a house with a wife and kid at home. You know, so I never, so that's why I said I was old early, man. But Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, we always, they always say this, that that had everything to do with my success. Because you had your base. set so early man said we're still out you know we're 28 29 30 years old still trying to look for what you got you know you got it man

you've had it for 10 years at that point you know so yeah so it was always solid like that for me but the support of the people of man people have always given me mad love I'm telling me that's all I've ever known and I

it's just the most consistent thing that I've ever experienced in life man just the what my fan base gives me is just amazing man is that why you're still so passionate about radio today? Yeah. Podcasting and people hearing your voice

because you've always been connected to the people. Always. Always. You know, and it reminds me I said this at Frankie's funeral, Frankie Beverly's funeral. Because you know how people loved him. I said you don't get love like that unless you give love like that. You got to give it first. And that's why he gets

And I think that's what people feel for me. You know, I love people, man. I just, I love people, man. They've just been good to me, you know, really have been all my life. You know, BAT gave you a platform that became essential to black culture. Was there a moment on video soul where you felt like this isn't just entertainment we're documenting our coaching in real time? No.

Not when I was doing it, man. You know, it's like, to me, I think that, you know, whatever it is that you do, you're just doing it when you're doing it it's a line in Elton John saw a Rocket Man that I love so much when he says In all the science I don't understand It's just my job five days a week

A Rocket Man You know it's like I'm an astronaut People look like wow This is an astronaut man And that's just what I do man That's just my job man You know and that's where I feel Like when you're doing what you do

You know Now all these years later you look back because people make you look back and see the importance of it. And it's mind-blowing because, no, I didn't have those thoughts when I was doing it, man. I was just going to work. That's the difference between this generation now and the previous generation. We watched y'all make history. Y'all didn't know y'all were making history.

So now we understand we're in history in real time. Yeah. And y'all are, man. I mean, what y'all doing is amazing, man. You know, I mean, the platform that you have, the reach that you have, you know, I never had that in radio. My show was always local. It did come to me once about syndicating it,

but the problem for me was, well, go back to music. I said, well, what happens if I'm on this particular station? I know they're all slow, adult contemporary, it's just, you know, it's Kim. And, you know, what happens when I play Tupac? Well, we covered a Tupac song You can talk about Tupac Because everybody knows him But we'll cover that with a Luther song

See ya Have no interest in that You know It's the whole experience or it's none That's what Thea does What she does Thia doesn't change for nobody It doesn't care

What market it is What area she's Whatever that What you get on that breakfast club Is what you're getting I love that man That's where it should be You know

You want the whole experience This is what you're presenting This is who you are I can't do a moderated version of me you know no you know and then plus for me I felt like the only reason to do it was for money I was okay

you know well two reasons money and then for to further your brand you know and it's like man BET gave me that in the way radio could never give it to me you know you put me

in every nook and cranny of this country I don't need it for that I just I'm not going to compromise on me on who I am you talk about owning your brand and owning the podcast because that's very important to you at any point do you think about owning your own radio station because you were programming stations you were making the station millions millions millions you don't think about you know what I can do this myself yeah I did think about it I mean we can go back a whole bunch of years where I had

conversations with people about doing that now not so much you know a lot of local radio stations are struggling it's not the kind of you know the dollar is not the same you know as you know I mean that money the advertising dollar a lot of it's gone to the internet you know and so I don't know that I would want to

do that I see you know watch how they cut staffs and stuff man it's just you know I don't know moms and pops are damn the non-existent yeah right you got to be conglomers like I heart did exactly exactly man you talk about brand you look amazing for you

age right now like you do you know crazy well thank you in your 30s and 40 when your wife got to watch out donnie he gets the flirting donnie oh my god why does he keep trying to take me down this road I just said the brother I don't he look amazing are you guys continue continue I'm a married man now I got six kids don't let him play with you but what I was what I was said you know did you focus on brand to make sure like I got to stay in shape. I got to eat right. I got to make sure. Because you look at a lot of people, they get older. They get bigger. They look out of shape. They look

bad. Was that part of the brand? Like, I got to look this way for them. Well, yeah, but more importantly, just a lifestyle. It's like important for me to live, you know, that I want to be healthy. One of my best friends in Detroit,

my best friend, period, really, was a guy named Limbarnie. Lim was a cornerback for the Detroit Lions. Hall of Fame, man. Look him up, man. dude was a beast man i mean amazing and uh i used to work out with limb you know um i remember getting ready for camp with him and uh man i just i learned discipline from limb you know just to stay in shape man give your body an hour a day or whatever you know and um but he know lim also tried to talk me into uh trying out for the lions he's like man he should try out

this the hardest part man you should try out man first you're First day of camp, I went out there and saw them refrigerators walking around there. Man, these boys ain't never getting their hands on me. You went to actually, you thought about it? No, no, no. I just wanted to see, but just going to camp with him. But no, but he also, Marvin Gaye was one of Lim's best friends. As a matter of fact, it's Lim, Lim was the second round pick in 1967 for the Detroit Lions.

The first round pick was Mel Far, running back. it's Mel and Lim that start off Marvin Gay's what's going on yeah what's happening brother yeah like solid right on yeah that's them and Marvin wanted to be a running back and I used to see Marvin running down the street man with his hoodie on trying to get in shape and the day he was supposed to try out coach Rick Frizzano wouldn't allow it said if something happened to you out here I could never live it down and Lim told me man

Marvin went home and cried like a baby man he was serious about it That's crazy. Yeah. Yeah, he wanted to play football, man. How much music did he have out at the time? He was Marvin Marvin? Yeah, he was, oh yeah. Yeah, he was Marvin, Marvin.

This is after what's going on and let's get it on. And he thought they were just going to let him walk on the field? Hey, yeah. Wow. But Lim told me, said, man, since I was eight, I was on the football fields and you were on that piano. That's why you do what you do and I do. What I do? Whenever I meet people who've met people like Marvin Gay, because, you know, those are like mythical figures to us, right?

Yeah. with Marvin. Man, I'll just tell you that the first time I met Marvin, I'm riding down the street with Ronnie Banks from the Dramatics, right? And he says, man, there's Marvin, man, go on. You want to stop and say hello? Yeah, man, listen. So we stop and get out, Marvin. He says, Marvin was just walking down the street? He's walking from his car to his house. Okay. Yeah. And he says, so Ronnie says, hey, Marvin, this is Donnie Simpson, man. He works on WJLB at night. He says, yeah, man, I know. I listen to him every night, man. I said, wow, wow. How cool is that?

And so Marvin invites me to the studio with him. And he says, Hey, man, let me give you my number. Call me tomorrow morning before you come because I'll get up in the morning and decide to climb Mount Everest and I'll be gone. You know?

And it just, I've never forgot that. It was just, he was, you know, some people try to say stuff like they're trying to come off eccentric. He's just telling you, dude, this is who I am, man. I get up in the morning. I'd be doing something else. And I'm gone.

But I went into the studio with him that night, man. And it was just magical, man. Yeah, for me, four people would just blow me away that I got a chance to spend time in the studio with. Marvin, Prince, Sly, and Stevie. Wow. Just what an experience, man. For somebody who loves music so much to be there in the studio

and watch these guys create legends, man. You remember what they recorded? Stevie was doing Good morning evening friends Oh wow Is your friendly announcer Yeah loves in need of loved Oh isn't that the truth

Boy I don't God I hope there's a day that that song does not apply But so far every day fits that Love's in Need of Love today Marvin was actually working on the originals A group, a Motown group So he's recording someone else But he's singing showing them how to sing the song and Sly

Sly was the weird thing Sly was working on three different songs Sly would say All right, tell him he laid down a line and he laid down a line and he laid down one line one grun or whatever All right now put up one It was just so

It was different But Stevie what an experience that was man To see About Prince The Prince. Prince was actually doing he was in D.C. He performed that night.

I went to see him before the show, and he sent me a note that he said, man, I'm sorry, I can't see you before the show, but I'm going in studio tonight after the show. Would love to have you join me. So me and my wife went, and for me, it was just a great experience of the music. My wife was just like,

God, you see those turquoise pupsie hat on? Oh, my God. I love those. But the fact that he went to the studio after a show Oh, yeah, Prince were. He was all... He never went horse, never got tired of performing. That dude was always at it, man.

Prince was amazing. More cool night with Prince. I went to... David Bowie was on the show on Video Soul. So after the show, we were talking, and David says, man, you know, I'm going to Minneapolis this weekend. I said, well, me too. I got to go Friday to interview for the time reunion. He said, well, you should come to the show.

I said, I would love to. So I go home, call my boy, Sugar Ray Leonard. It's too much name dropping. Let me know. That's my life. That's what it was, you know? And so I say, Ray, I'm going to Minneapolis Friday, man. You want to go?

Yeah, man, let's go. So me and Ray go to the show. Dave set us up at the soundboard. And it's like 12 seats there or something. So as I'm walking to my seat, I bump into the lady in front of me. And I said, oh, excuse me, ma'am. Prince turned around and said, no, it's all right, Donnie. I said, oh, Prince, I'm sorry, man.

He said, no, it's cool, man. It's cool. So then he turns back around a minute. He says, man, look, I'm having a party tonight at Paisley Park, man. You and Ray ought to come. I said, all right, cool. We're come. So we went there, man. It was like a dozen people, man, a prince party.

It was me and Ray, David Boy in two or three of his room, bandmates. Cat, Princess Dancer. who later claimed that he had his baby my producer Jeff Newman just two or three other people man it was but it was the coolest night and he played the black album that night

and it was notorious because it had not been released and so I told her and I said man God Prince why don't you release this man this is such a groove man I run into him again maybe two years later and he says you know you're the reason I didn't release the black album don't

you. I said, what do you mean? He said, you know what you said that night at Paisley Park? You said, this is such a groove. And I was about so much more than that. Wow. And then, and so now, let's fast forward another six months. So I'm thinking about it. I'm going, damn, I wish I would have thought to tell him, man, all I hear is groove. I don't hear lyrics. You know, that's really, it's a struggle for me to hear lyrics, unless I'm going through something, then you hear everything because you're looking for answers, you know. That's so interesting because they always talk about the black album. I thought he just wanted to record something and not put it out.

I didn't know that he had intentions to put it up. Yeah, yeah. Well, eventually he did. But I got a copy of it. This is cool. This is so cool. Donnie Osmond sent me a copy of the black album when it didn't exist. I had him on video solo with me.

We were talking about it. Next day or two, I get a package at home from Donnie Osman. I said, how can somebody this white. in Utah sent me something this freaking cool. It's the black album from Donnie Osmond. A decade ago, I was on the trail of one of the country's most elusive serial killers, but it wasn't until 2023 when he was finally caught. The answers were there, hidden in plain sight.

So why did it take so long to catch him? I'm Josh Zeman, and this is Monster, hunting the Long Island serial killer, the investigation into the most notorious killer in New York, since the son of Sam, available now. Listen for free on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts. On the podcast Health Stuff, we are tackling all the health questions

that keep you up at night. Yes, I'm Dr. Priyanka Wally, a double board certified physician. And I'm Hurricane Dabolu, a comedian and someone who once Googled, Do I have scurvy at 3 a.m? On Health Stuff, we're talking about health in a different way. It's not only about what we can do to improve our health,

but also what our health says about us and the way we're living. Like our episode where we look at diabetes. In the United States, I mean, 50% of Americans are pre-diabetic. How preventable is type 2? Extremely. Or our in-depth analysis of how incredible mangoes are. Oh, it's hard to explain to the rest of the world. Like, your mangoes are fine because mangoes are incredible, but like, you don't even know.

You don't know. You don't know. It's going to be a fun ride. So tune in. Listen to Health Stuff on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What do you get when you mix 1950s Hollywood, a Cuban musician with a dream, and one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time? You get Desi Arness, a trailblazer, a businessman, a husband, and maybe most importantly, the first Latino to break prime time wide open. I'm Wilmer Valderrama, and yes, I grew up watching him, probably just like.

you and millions of others. But for me, I saw myself in his story. From plening canary cages to this night here in New York, it's a long ways. On the podcast starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderama, I'll take you in a journey to Desi's life, the moments it has overlapped with mine, how he redefined American television and what that meant for all of us watching from the sidelines, waiting for a face like hours on screen. This is the story of how one man's spotlight lit the path for so many others and how we carry his legacy. today. Listen to starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama. That's part of the My Cultura podcast network available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.

Hey there, Dr. Jesse Mills here. I'm the director of the men's clinic at UCLA Health. And I want to tell you about my new podcast called The Mailroom. And I'm Jordan, the show's producer. And like a lot of guys, I haven't been to the doctor in many years. I'll be asking the questions we probably should be asking, but aren't. Because guys usually don't go to the doctor unless it. piece of their faces hanging off, or they've broken a bone. Depends which bone. Well, that's true. Every week, we're breaking down the unique world of men's health,

from testosterone and fitness to diets and fertility, and things that happen in the bedroom. You mean sleep? Yeah, something like that, Jordan. We'll talk science without the jargon and get you real answers to the stuff you actually wonder about. It's going to be fun, whether you're 27, 97, or somewhere in between. Men's health is about more than six packs and supplements. it's about energy, confidence, and connection.

We don't just want you to live longer. We want you to live better. So check out the mailroom on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows. What up, y'all? It's your boy, Kevin on stage. I want to tell you about my new podcast called Not My Best Moment, where I talk to artists, athletes, entertainers, creators, friends,

people I admire who had massive success about their massive failures. So what did they mess up on? What is their heartbreak? And what did they learn from him? I got judged horribly. The judges were like, you're trash. I don't know how you got on the show. Boo, somebody had tomatoes.

I'm kidding. But if they had tomatoes, they would have thrown the tomatoes. Let's be honest. We've all had those moments we'd rather forget. We bumped our head. We made a mistake. The deal fell through. We're embarrassed.

We failed. But this podcast is about that and how we made it through. So when they sat me down, And they were kind of like, we got into the small talk and they were just like, so what do you got? What? What ideas? And I was like, oh, no. What?

Check out Not My Best Moment with me, Kevin on stage, on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcast. I want to ask you a question, right? What's the biggest mistake new radio and TV hosts make when they're trying to find their voice? Wow. Using someone else's voice and not,

Theirs. I think, you know, I think that it's inevitable when you come into this, that you come in, emulating styles that you like, people that do good radio, do good TV. I get that. But eventually, you have to find yours. You have to find your voice, you know, who you are. Because, well, for me, it took, I was doing radio for 12 years before I got to that. When that morning came, man, I was like, Wow, I'm not Teddy Richards, CKLW anymore. I'm not, you know, I'm not Jay Roberts, night flight 96. You know, I'm Donnie Simpson. And when you get to that point, man, that's when it gets good, bro. You know, because you're not trying to do anything. You're just doing you. And that's the thing that people connect with.

You know, it's like I've always felt this, that there were 1,000 people out there waiting to take my job. 500 of them are just as good as I am. The other 500 are better. The only thing I can beat them all that is being me. You can't beat me doing that, man. So that's, and that's what people connect to. They connect to what's real.

When they feel you, you know, that's what gives you longevity. They feel you. They know you. And that's the magic. I remember looking at Johnny Carson, to me, was just the greatest TV host. I look at so many of these guys now they use their guests to set up their lines Johnny

man this is your time Johnny was this ultimate setup guy man you know he was a facilitator man this is your moment do your thing man and it's something that I learned from Johnny Carson not personally never met Johnny got close met Ed McMahon

but Johnny talked about this something that he got from the legendary Jack Benny And it was this. He said, Jack Benny told him that it doesn't matter who has the line. It only matters that it's on your show. Because tomorrow, all they're going to say is, did you see Jack Benny last night? That's right.

Right. And that's so important, man. You know, that only matters. It's only a show. So you've got to let other people shine, man. You know. And so it would be that. to be you and, you know, to let others shine around you.

It's enough life for everybody. You know, radio and media, right, because you're talking about it now, I want to expound on it. It used to be about personality and connection, but now it's about virality, right, and just garnering attention by any means. Where do you think the industry lost its way, or do you think it's just evolving?

Wow. I don't know exactly when it lost its way, but for me, you know, I mean, this issue of personality is so important. that I was taught from the very beginning that we all get the same records. We all get the same music. The only thing that's different is the presenter, is how it's presented, you know. And I think that radio has lost its way in that arena that, you know, well, a couple things for me. Radio, I had this, there was a seminar with programmers from all around the country, about 200 programmers.

day and they asked me to be there to interview. They wanted to interview me in front of it. I was like, why would they want me? I'm like the most anti-programming guy ever. Why would they want to hear from me? And I was kind of nervous about it. And then that morning on the way there, I just said, hey, man, do you? You know, whatever that is, just whatever they ask, just tell them the truth.

So we got to talking about it, man. And at one point, and this became the headline from this thing. It was all over the internet. Donnie Simpson says, radio has lost its balls. because that's what I said I said you know the radio

was always a progressive form of broadcasting you know we pushed the envelope we can just push it we licked it sometimes you know and all of a sudden

it got very conservative people got scared of losing their jobs you know not just talent but management people programmers everybody

it's just it just like that yeah just lost your balls, man. You can't, you know, you can't do this afraid. You know, yeah, you've got to be progressive, man. That's the way I've, and that's the way I feel about radio now, that it's not as

aggressive as it used to be. I missed that. I was talking about my radio station in particular at that time. I said, I walk in the station, man. I say, I hear more music at the dentist's office when I walk in. It's so, it's like a, hell I walk, it's like, is this, are we doing accounting now? What is this? You know, man, I'm sorry, but it's old school for me. When you walk into a radio station, it used to be a special place, man. You walk in, you get a music blast. It was a vibe, man.

It was just magical, man. And that's what it should be, you know. For me, man, like, when I would do my show, like, I would not listen to music all day. This was later when I was doing afternoons. By design, I wouldn't hear any music. just if I listen to radio it would be a talk show or whatever because

when 3 o'clock hit man when I sit down in that seat man and put those headphones on man it's the first time I heard music that day oh my God just magical you get the feeling in real time man it's like time to go

this is what I live for you know I think that programmers have taken control from talent I agree which is that's the thing that I hate most man you know like for me one of the biggest moments of my career man i broke benny in the jets by elton john in detroit um you know i loved elton my boy had turned me on elton

sit there every night man i was listening god i love this song benny and the jets man and uh but i was scared to play it because elton like folks didn't know elton finally after week of that fear i said man i'm playing it i went on to play it that night i played it twice because the phone were jumping off the hook from the first time I played it. I've never seen anything like it before nor since, man. It was amazing. The next morning the morning DJ calls me,

Donnie, what's this song you played last night? Jenny in the Nets or something, man. You got to bring that thing down here, man. I get in the car, take it down to him so he can play it. In two days, Elton is on the phone from London, calls a radio station. What is this? I hear, Benny and the Jets is breaking black in Detroit.

It was... Breaking black. Yeah, right. Yeah. Six months later, he comes to Detroit to hold a press conference to present me with a gold record for this thing. It became his biggest selling single ever until he redid candle in the wind for Lady Die. And he wasn't in town for a country. He came there for that reason. That's how big this was. And it was just amazing to me, man. And it was important to him. He always wanted the black market. I bring all that up to say this. that it saddens me greatly that there are young people out there now with great ears, man,

that hear this great music and can't play it. They can't create a moment like that Benin the Jets was for me because they're not allowed. Everything's programmed for, they can tell you today what they're going to play next Monday at three. You know, man, that's not radio, man. You know, I always look out the window kind of guy. You know, I want to feel the day. I would get out, go walk around during a... break I literally would go

outside I need to feel the day you know I know that sounds kind of hokey to some people but it's real what you're saying is so true man yeah like it's like you know I used to lick your finger and hold right exactly like everything is too data driven now right like everything is

about dad and research and go feel the motherfucking day no question bro yeah we used to go out and see what the DJ and the club is playing and bring it back to radio this was the biggest record last night and break it to an audience that never heard it before. Or go to another market and hear something. But like you said, now it's more of an algorithm.

What song is, what do we get more calls for? And it's, and our listeners, no, they'd be like, I'm tired of hearing this song all day long. I'm tired of that. And to be that's part of your job as a DJ, man. I'm absolutely telling you what's up. And they blame him. They'd be like, what DJ?

But they know, I think they're playing with it, too. They know that ain't, that ain't, that's music director. Some of them don't. Yeah. In that seminar that I told you, I spoke before all the programmers, man. At one point I got it, I just yelled, let my people go. God damn, Tommy. You let them go.

You know, really, man, you got to let creative people create. That's right. Let them do what they do. I agree. You know, I mean, you, it's a whole different thing that you will get when you control it. And as opposed to having someone, it's a different show if I'm presenting me, you know, if I have the freedom to be me and to do, but if, you know, man, I remember one stretch when I first moved to D.C. And we had, it's the only time I ever worked under control of a program director. And, man, it was crazy.

He would come in with his stopwatch, go, that's 18 seconds, you know. You're only allowed to speak for 15 seconds. and eventually I told man I'm talking to your watch you know I'm not talking to the people I'm talking to your watch man so when I started programming man man I'm telling you could talk to any of the jocks

that ever worked for me man they never got a call for me if they got a call for me it was man what's up man I've talked to you in a while man you good yeah kids good yeah all right all right man love you bro later you know that was it was never correcting you on anything

man you already knew it was bad you did it can i go back to something you just said about talking to the watch the reason i think that's so dope is because that program director wasn't even listening to the content that was coming out your mouth absolutely i want to know is the content good right if the content's good do your thing yeah i say it all the time i'm like man stop listening for time listen for the content there you go there you go good content is just as good as music man if you're saying something that's powerful to people you know you know think about you sharing you know your struggles and stuff man what what that means to people you know how do you put that on a

watch man you know you're talking about you're helping people you're saving lives man thank you bro you know for real man it's uh you know you it can't be it can't be all data driven you know it's you know it's just like to me the new thing AI you know it's like you better embrace it because it's here this is happening this is real so you better figure out how to use it but don't let it use you you know you got to use it and that's the way I look at all data man

it's like it's okay it's input but it can't dictate you know it's just input it's just another tool that's the only way to look at it you have to look at all that stuff like that you know and how do you pivot how did you pivot when music change right

a lot of jocks a lot of radio station when they get older they stop looking to the music like you mentioned the temptations to to Frankie Beverly to Tupop. How did you know to pivot and say this is the new type of music and have your ears open for all types of music?

Well, man, that's just makeup, bro. That's who I am. You know, it's, I love music, period. I don't care what it is. I listen, every... Man, when I'm on the golf course every day, man, I have my phone on random. And I'm telling you, it could play Johnny Cash,

Vladimir Horowitz, Mahalia Jackson Biggie Cizza and it all makes sense to me you know it's just so for me

it's I always felt this that I never wanted to be that guy that said man they don't make music like they used to first of all it's true

they don't they never have and they never will it's always changing you know perfect example for me, Quincy Jones is back on the block album. You know, man, I sit down when I first got it. I talked to L.A. Reed. He had the same experience. I said, here I'm expecting old

Jazzy Quincy, Gulimitaria, whatever, you know, put it on. First thing I hear is, ice tea, let me kick my credentials. Young player, Braddon South Central, L.A., home of the body bag. You want to die, wear the wrong color rag. I used to walk in stores and yell down. You flinchy inch a K spray down I was like whoa what I mean it just it took me 40 minutes to get through that song man through the first song I get backing it up couldn't believe what I was hearing but the point I'm trying to make is that Quincy understood what you're talking about the change that the beatbox thing oh see music without instruments okay so we'd be doing it so but the beatboxes

Ella Fitzgerald Sarah Vaughn Bobby McFerrin and take six It's like all right So again that's comes up with a time Just using whatever it is It's new to make it fit what you do You know And that was just such a lesson to be

That album is just so amazing The people that don't know it It's like a black music history lesson You should check it out We did a special with Barry White For that album for Video Soul man And with Quincy everybody was there at his house, man, that was on the album.

Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Big Daddy Kane, a 12-year-old Kevin Campbell, Kumodee. Man, it was unbelievable. You know, it's Quincy, man. It's Quincy. So for me, that defines me, man. I don't care what it is. You know, I just love music, man.

I want to hear everything. What are you doing? You know, I'm always asking. my kids my grandkids man what do you I have a feature as a matter of fact on um I have a platform well this is going back to what we're talking about the beginning about owning your own stuff discovered dot TV right that I'm part owner of and on that we have a feature that I created called play something for me and um and the trigger for that for me was you remember these two young brothers that went viral like three four years ago listening to Phil Collins in the air

the night for the first time. I don't know if you ever saw it. And when the drums are going to and they were oh my God. They were freaking out. And I was like, wow, you know what? I love that. And I love playing music for people.

But to see their natural reaction to stuff that they haven't heard before. So all of my guests on the podcast, I have do a segment of play something for me. The first one was Big Daddy Kane. And, man, I played some for Kane. What you play from Kane?

I played a song by El DeBarge that's so serenating you. It's so smooth, man. So I put it on. And this was exactly what I envisioned it to be. Because he's sitting there, you know, we're both grooving to it. He starts grooving. He's like, man.

Like this, man. What is this? Just wait, man. Just wait for the chorus, man. You hear the background vocals, you'll know. Elda barge? Man, I love Elda barge, man. Why you play this?

I said, because it's smooth, man. You don't? This is a smooth operator, baby. And then he plays something for me. And he played a real cool song. He played Marvin Gay, piece of clay. And he was talking about how today everybody wants to mold someone into what they want them to be, into their own piece.

They want to mold their own piece of clay, which is you. And just, wow, I didn't go that deep. I just went with groove. but that's on Discover.TV, that feature, man. It's really cool. I love that. How are you finding, like, your new music now?

Like, are you listening to radio? Is it Pandora? Like, what's feeding you now? Because I saw a list of, you're, like, top music picks for people to listen to, and Dochi was on there. I love her, man. And I'm like,

or is it social media that you're, like, using as kind of like A&R? Like, well, how do you find music today? Well, from asking my kids, grandkids, for her, was just, just on the Grammys. She just blew me. I was like, man, who is this sister? She killed me.

I thought she was just amazing to me. So I download the album, man. It's like, oh my God, I love her. Same thing happened to me. We were like, the first time I saw Lady Gaga. You know, it was on the Grammys. And I never forget it because she comes out and says, okay, all this makeup and get up and all this stuff is like, boy, George, you know, whatever. That's cool.

And then she sits down on the piano. she starts singing, I go, damn, there's a voice there too, right? Then she gets to this dramatic passage in the song. She reaches behind her and grabs a champagne bottle and crashes across the piano. I say, damn, I'm in love. Who is this that dares to be this different? You know, I love different. You know, I just do.

I mean, I just, me, again, me, I talk Jim and Terry all the time because those are my boys, but we had this conversation about that that for us, different as the norm because we've always been around music man she George Clinton's my friend you know man I know different you know and I'm okay with it man my son always tells people like when he was 14 he came home I forget the rapper that it inspired him but he had dyed his hair orange at 14 he said man I walked in and my dad said I like it hey man's your hair you know express yourself man Just, you know.

I just got a couple more questions. And all, yeah, yeah, yeah, the journalism, right? What was your most challenging interview? Ooh, that's a great question. Most challenging. Well, I'll give you two, and they were challenging, but they shouldn't have been. They were challenging only because I was afraid. And that was Maya Angelou and Dr. Cornell West.

And it's amazing. It's interesting that they're both word masters. I think that's what intimidated me. They're just so brilliant. And I just dreaded the day. I just felt intimidated. Like, almost to the point of just not feeling worthy of talking to these people, you know. I'm telling you, I just did not, I was not looking forward to it.

Then Dr. West comes in, walks into the studio, brother Simpson. But just Donald's knees Man, one for you Wouldn't be no BET I was like, whoa You know, it was just Immediately all of that was gone All of it was gone

He was so cool He reminded me about my oldest brother Calvin Same kind of guy Looks, yeah just And then the same thing with Maya She can get down our knees and do all the bowing And all that stuff But it was just so cool and so sweet

And it's just like, wow, you had nothing to be afraid of, you know, but I, you know, I guess... Did you realize they want to meet you too? So it's like, that's always a trip, ain't it? I've done to you all experience that too. It's like, man, you know, wow, you're excited to meet me. Wow. Did people ever tell you stay in your lane because of those interviews? Like, you shouldn't be interviewing no, my angel and Cornell West.

No, no, no, I never heard that. No. I did hear that line, stay in your lane when we were, In those conversations about syndication and because they were saying, man, like, you know, we have, in syndication, if you're on these different stations, like we have, because once the conglomerate took over, you know, well, we have a station that plays hip hop. We have a station that does smooth R&B, you know, so you need to stay in your lane. I said, man, you know what? I'm old school, man. I was taught that this was broadcasting, not narrow casting.

That's right. You know, see in my lane, I drive like this, man. I'm all, I play everything, man. I mean, seriously, on the air, I played B.B. King, Jimmy Hendricks, Garth Brooks. I play some everything. Play some of here. Garth Brooks, man.

It's all in the setup because you wouldn't expect a black station to play Garth, right? But I didn't know who he was. But I mean, I didn't, I don't mean to say I didn't know his means. music. So, but I'm curious. And so one night I went to the store, when you had to buy records, went to Tower and got a couple of his albums, listened to it next morning. I'd go on the show, and by then I'd given up programming of Kiss in D.C. And so, man, I wanted to know this guy, Garth Brooks. I said, because I, you know, look at the charts, he's got six albums on the left-hand side of the chart, meaning top 50.

Behind them, little pyramids denoting a million in sales. Behind that, numbers 12, 6, 8, you know, it's like 67 million in sales on the chart right now. I need to know who this is. So I went and got a couple of zounds, man. Listen, man, I love this, dude. Just going to play a little sample of quick things for you, just to show you who he is. so I do little snippets of three songs

man the whole thing takes me five minutes something like that you know man after the show program director who used to be my assistant now she's programmed her comes to me

said Donnie why would you play Garth Brooks I said Barbara you don't talk to me about music but why would you we don't have this conversation you don't talk to me about my music and next thing I know the general manager calls me

He wants me to come down his office. I go down there, he says, Donnie, you know, Barber has a problem with he playing Garth Brooks. Why would you? I said, Skip, with all due respect, man, y'all do not talk to me about music. See you. I was gone.

Next morning, front page of the style section in the Washington Post has a three-quarter page article on Garth Brooks. First paragraph, it starts out with how big is Garth Brooks? he crossed over to the Donnie Simpson show yesterday. That's right, man. Right. So it goes back to what I was saying earlier about not being scared, being aggressive,

do what you do, do radio, man. I always felt like this, man. If one song is going to end my career, I shouldn't have been doing this anyway. That's true. That's true. You know, I ain't scared of that, man. Not scared of that, man.

Do what you do. Do what you do. No fear, man. Be creative. I just got a couple more questions. You always radiate joy. But you carry a lot of joy, especially on air. But joy is heavy work.

So what's something the public has never understood about what it takes to be that consistent, joyful presence all of these years? You know, for me, I think, man, it probably goes back to my beginning, man, in which I told you was my first ambition in life was to be a Baptist minister. It's the joy of the Lord that I feel.

You know, it's, It's a joy that enriches me every day, man. I don't mean to get too preachy, but it, but it is. And, but what about when you're down? Because there's a moment that's happened, yeah. But, you know, even when I'm in that, man, I still know that, as Frankie said, life always works itself out. It has no choice.

And, you know, and I'm not going to lie, There are times when all this advice you've given that you need yourself. It's like, God, I need to remember that myself because I'm struggling here right now. You know, you have those moments, man. But tomorrow always comes, man. And, you know, it's like even in marriage, man. We, you know, there are always struggles, but always looked at it like a tennis match, you know, that you can lose a game and not lose.

the set you lose a set not lose the match you know so it's about that final score man and so you know I've stuck through it through the years man me and my wife have been together now for 52 years it's not been easy you know thank you bro congrats and it's not all been easy you know but it's you know and I'm gonna give you one more story man just the day we did the Quincy Jones special for back on the block I get lost trying to get to Quincy's house I see this elderly white guy There was no navigation back then, guys Yeah, right

There was no navigation Right You had to come You're a map Absolutely I'm sorry I'm sorry But they're a little younger

But So I see this white guy I'm walking down the street For exercise And I stop him I said excuse me Can you tell me how to Do you know where Quincy Jones

lives? Yeah sure You did Man you should have seen A smile on this guy's face It was so radiant That I knew it could only come from one place

you know and um he says go up tubelage blah blah blah it was tony curtis the legendary actor tony curtis man and i just i never forgot his i see it just as clearly right now and for me i always felt that that's what i want people to see in me when they see me i want you to see that joy you know um and and you know and i don't want to think about it too much i think it's just who you are It's the makeup, man. I'm always upbeat. Just, you know, I was, you didn't really write a book, my story for 10 years. We were talking about this.

But the guy I was working with said, we should call it silver linings. Because every story you tell ends there with a silver lining. And it's true. That's how I feel. I always see good and stuff, man. It's always something, you know. Like, for me, I always felt like there's no such thing. is a bad experience. If the word experience

is attached to it, then it's good. You know, you learn something from it. You know, that's the way I feel, man. How do you want your legacy taught to the next generation of hosts, broadcasts, just black creators? What's the headline of Donnie Simpson's story? Wow. He did him.

You know, he did his thing. You should do yours. You know, just never trying to be anybody else. I never I've never met the man I wanted to be you know never have man you know and I've met some some great people from Bob Johnson to Michael George to I never wanted to be any of them I'm the only person I ever wanted to be you know I remember this guy was out playing golf one day I was with this older guy and these these kids were in the playground next to the golf course and I hit my ball over there and so I'm over there and this kid is about six, seven years old and he says Hi mister

I know you wish you were Tiger Woods I said no I like who I am and the guy I was playing which said that's just the greatest response I've ever heard to anything I mean without hesitation no I like who I am you know I don't be Tiger

you know his money his golf game whatever yeah I love it ball like him but you know i just uh i'm happy with who i am you know i am i always have been you know i'm not perfect we all have faults you know but uh you know even the bad things that have you know the stuff in my closet man whatever it is all of it has made me who i am you know and i like who i am because even those bad things man that you are you know, to correct you and to make you, you know,

who God wants you to be, you know, and so, so, you know, so I like who I am, man. What do you tell the next generation of broadcasters? The one that's waking up right now listening to this and say, I want to do this. That if this is what you want to do, first of all, just to know that it's possible, you know, that anything can happen, that it's not some pipe dream, that it's real, you know, Like, I used to take my kids with me to everything, man. My kids been the Neverland Ranch. You know, they knew Michael and Janet and Prince, everybody, you know.

And it was for two reasons. It was by design. One was that if you meet Michael, then you know that he's human. Two is that if you know one, then you must know that you could do that too. It's not magic. It's not, you know, whatever it is. I don't care who it is. It's real.

I would say that to kids when I spoke in schools that, you know, that I know parents tell you something, well, let's, you know, I want to be an actor. I want to be a basketball player. You know, that's such a, oh, yeah, somebody's going to do it. There will be the next Denzel, Washington, there will be the next Michael Jordan. It may as well be you. Why not? Why not?

Dream big. That's what I would say to them. Just dream big, man. Just don't be afraid of big, man. I love people with big eyes, man. You know, don't be afraid of big, man. Whatever that big is to you. And it doesn't necessarily mean money.

Not everybody keeps score like that. You know, whatever it is, man. So if this is what you want to do, then go after it, be relentless, be great, and be you. I love it. Donnie Simpson, man. All right, hold up real quick. There's so many things that you're known for.

So many people know you from different things, right? I didn't study radio, you know what I mean? But I studied comedy. And that's where I saw you on Martin. Season 4, episode 19, and Love Jones Connect. You were on two episodes, and then he was on a Jamie Fox show in 97. I saw you book of those shows, right? And I'm a comedian.

So I love those shows. Did you have fun doing those? Oh, it was. You remember what that was like, Chris Rock, Martin? Oh, it was awesome, especially with Chris Rock. And I know they were kids to you at this time, but like, they're my OGs. That's what I look up to a comedy. And to see you on that show, that's those.

that you're sitting in front of me right now. Yeah. Well, Chris was so brilliant because, I mean, every day in rehearsal, you know, because you're there for a week. And it was, he would do something different. And then the day you finally tape, still, Chris is going to do something totally different, just for have you crack it up the whole time. It was just awesome. But for me, it was, it was unbelievable that they asked me to do that because I used to

watch The Love Connection. And it's the only time I ever watched a show and went, I would love to love. host that. That would fit me well. I could do that. And never told anybody that. Then I get this call to be the host of the Love Jones Connection, to do two and two. You know, it was awesome.

But you know what you got to check out now, the coolest thing. I've done an episode, well, last season, and now we got a new one for this season, but a little kev. Kevin Hart. I did Little Kev, too. You did? Yes, yes. I miss Loretta.

So I actually go on our episode tomorrow. But, yes, I was a little kid, too. That's what's up. Well, I'm Donnie Simpson. Why? That's the whole thing. I just would love, you know, I've been in like three, four movies, but I'm always me. It's like, man, I want to be somebody else wants.

I want to act. But it was really cool to see yourself in animation. I'd never seen that before. And I hadn't seen the episode until just two weeks ago. And I've been out of year because I never thought about it. It's like, you know, I just did the voiceover. I never thought like. No, there has to be an image.

Like, it's like, wow. No. And then it was really cool the way they played. And, you know, and it's so raw. It's awesome. So now, I guess I'm on a project with Donnie Simpson. That's what's up. Yeah, man, that's awesome.

I love it. How long have you done comedy? I'm sorry. I've been on comedy for 11 years. Wow. Have you seen Eddie special by the new documentary? Yeah, I watched it twice. Love it, man.

Awesome, man. You talk about inspirational, man. I wanted them to go deeper just in, like, maybe just like his personal life but as far as like how they documented his career and how big he was yeah i thought it was cool but i still don't think they captured how big he actually was yeah man you know how didn't you even captured that though i don't know because like that was real celebrity this shit we're seeing now ain't real celebrity like that was real celebrity back no question man just like as big a star as you could be as eddie murphy man not even just black just period period

Period. That dude. Before we close out, you got to tell us a Michael story before you leave. Michael, Jordan or Jackson? You just can't say you just went to the Neverland Ranch and just let that go.

You ain't hear what he said though. He said Jordan and Jackson. That's the play with him. Jordan and Jackson. He just can't say I took the kids Neverland Ranch. They was on the ride. I wanted you to know,

Uncle Mike. BioPick coming out, and speaking of celebrity, that's another person. We'd be trying to say, stop saying somebody is the new Michael Jackson. There is no such. No, number one, man.

That's right. I do, man. When I first met him, he was, God, I was 16, so Michael would have been 14, I think. I think that's right, or 13 or something like that. First time I met him, but, man, you know, Michael was just, he's just a special dude, man. He was, the first time I went to the house, this was before he owned Neverland. This was the Havenhurst house. I couldn't believe they had a little cookout for me there, right?

And so when I got there, man, all these people. people stand out across the street. I thought it was a bus stop. They're just fans. It's like that 24-7, man. 24-7, man. People out there, it was just crazy. But Michael, Michael was very, very cool, as long as this is a small group, you know.

If it gets more than five, six, seven people, he kind of tightens up. You know, he would just be a little uncomfortable in that. but you know just me and him or a couple people he's you know kick it you're just a regular dude man you know but just brilliant man and to me i look at people like him and eddie and you don't get to that level of success without being smart you know that ain't no accident that's not just talent that's just brains man michael was just the dude was brilliant i knew a guy who used to do lighting for him and he told me he said one night michael came to him and said look i wouldn't you know we get to this point in this song i want you to hit me with this

particular i told him what light which light to hit and the angle to hit him from and he said i'm sitting there man like man dude i've been doing this for 30 years man told me what to do he said but i did it because he's paying me you know he said but it created the exact effect that michael said that it was then i realized he's been doing this for 30 years too michael he was like uh like jimmy jam and terry Louis told me Prince was that Jimmy says man I thought I was a great piano player I could play

Prince would come in and show me how to play my instrument I don't care who you were he could I'll play you on your instrument that's Michael Jackson to me man you know he can look at the reverence

which all the dancers looked at him and this is it I mean they're just freaking these are dancers, professional dancers. When Michael does it, it's just, and on top of that, he's a singer and a writer and perform at all that.

But he can do that part too, better than anybody, man. You know, that's just... Did he have a deep voice for real, or was that one? Yeah, man. He talked like Barry White. No, no. No, no. No, it was light. I remember one day we had it, he had a party here in New York, as a matter of fact. He had just done

a, I think, a show for the UNCF. And he has a little small party and so we went and it couldn't have been but 20 people there was me and my wife Liza Manelli was there Cindy Lauper she had just happened with girls just want to have fun Jimmy and Terry

and just a few more people but Michael was upstairs it was a two-story townhouse in the hotel and so finally Michael comes down after about 45 minutes and he comes in and he says he's with his bodyguard Chuckie DeBee and that was his name D-I-B-I-S-E but he looked like

the beast because he's like six foot eight and always wore a top hat if you remember that guy it's very imposing and michael walks into the room he goes he says it's so bright in here chucky stand here and he positioned chucky next to a lamp to block out the light in the room i was like this is crazy this is crazy man a human light shade now i've seen it all man we appreciate you man i can't wait to read your book man we love you thank you so much for all you done for us, our coach. Thank you. Thank you, man. Thank you all. Good meeting you. You too. Thank you all for having me, man. I really appreciate y'all. Plug the show. Season two, the Donnie Simpson show.

That's right. Season two of the Donnie Simpson show. That's right. The podcast. Definitely check it out. Thank you so much again. Thank you, man. Thank you. Donnie Simpson. It's the breakfast club. Good morning. Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The breakfast club. Are you all finished or y'all done? on this week's episode of next chapter i t d jake sit down with denzel washington a two-time academy award-winning actor and cultural icon i don't take any credit for it i just didn't put me first i just put god first and he's carried me listen to the next chapter podcast on the i heart radio app apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast new episodes Drop Weekly. On the podcast Health Stuff,

we are tackling all the health questions that keep you up at night. I'm Dr. Priyankawali, a double board certified physician. And I'm Hurricane Dibolu, a comedian and someone who once Googled, do I have scurvy at 3 a.m. And on our show,

we're talking about health in a different way, like our episode where we look at diabetes. In the United States, I mean, 50% of Americans are pre-diabetic. How preventable is type 2? Extremely. Listen to Health Stuff on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

I'm Robert Smith, and this is Jacob Goldstein, and we used to host a show called Planet Money. And now we're back making this new podcast called Business History, about the best ideas and people and businesses in history. And some of the worst people, horrible ideas, and destructive companies in the history of business. First episode, How Southwest Airlines Use Cheap Seats and Free Whiskey to Fight Its Way into the Airlines. The most Texas story ever. Listen to business history on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey there, Dr. Jesse Mills here.

I'm the director of the men's clinic at UCLA, and I want to tell you about my new podcast called The Mailroom. And I'm Jordan, the show's producer. And like most guys, I haven't been to the doctor in way too long. I'll be asking the questions we probably should be asking, but aren't. Every week, we're breaking down the world of men's health from testosterone and fitness to diets and fertility. We'll talk science without the jargon and get your real answers to the stuff you actually wonder about. So check out the mailroom on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows. What do you get when you mix 1950s Hollywood, a Cuban musician with a dream, and one of the most iconics it comes of all time?

You get Desi Arness. On the podcast star in Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama, I'll take you in a journey to Desi's life, how he redefined American television, and what that meant for all of us watching. from the sidelines, waiting for a face like hours on screen. Listen to starring Desi Arnaz and Wilmer Valderrama on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an IHeart podcast, guaranteed human.