NOT "A Day Like All Days"

I am typing this faster than usual because I have to make sure it is posted before ED BRANDON DAY is over. That’s right. May 1st is now ED BRANDON DAY in Houston. It’s one more thing you have to put on your calendar for this date. Lord knows it’s already a busy day for most of us. Here in the US of A it’s Loyalty Day. For many it’s the unofficial first day of summer, the day to dance around your May Pole. It’s the day for leaders of the Revolutionary Dyslexic Workers Movement to “untie.” And it’s fast becoming a significant day in the controversy over immigration reform. As if you needed another reason to celebrate, now it’s ED BRANDON DAY.

The idea for the day, as best I can tell, came from City Council Member and local broadcast kingpin, Michael Berry. Michael is rapidly becoming THE force to reckon with in Houston talk radio circles, despite the tips I gave him as he started his media career.

The week I completed my 35 years at Channel 13, I was asked by Margaret Shilstone (Doris Day look-a-like and KTRK Promotions Whiz) if I wanted to update or otherwise revise the official biography the station sends when someone asks for personal information about me. I sent her some revisions.

This afternoon, Mayor Bill (Governor, anyone) White presented me with a plaque. On it is my personally revised biography. “Proclamation” is printed in an official-looking Olde English font at the top and Hizzonor’s signature is at the bottom. A gold label at the bottom says “presented by Councilman Michael Berry.” For me, an ex-disc jockey/weatherman from Texarkana, it’s heady stuff.

Of course, since this is just the first year for ED BRANDON DAY there wasn’t much hoopla outside Houston City Hall.

I imagine than in future years, there will be commemorations in fourth grade classes as the kids are taught "weather," or as the newer teachers call it, “Global Warming Studies.” I don’t expect there’ll be a school holiday. After all, I’m not Neil Frank.

But I do envision, in future years, a parade. My only hope is that the different factions can come together and prevent the “Morning Ed Brandon Parade” and the “Afternoon Ed Brandon Parade!”

Only time will tell whether ED BRANDON DAY is acknowledged by stations other than Channel 13. It would be nice to hear, “Good morning and Happy Ed Brandon Day, I’m Deborah Duncan.”

The only damper on the occasion was that I did not see my favorite city council gadfly, President Joseph Charles…of royalty. He carries proof that he is a certified deputy Harris County voter registrar.Yet, he finds time to address the council in their public session on Tuesdays. In the future, after I’m gone, I want President Charles to represent me on the Official Ed Brandon Day Society float in the parade. Or, God forbid, both parades.

I must close now. I just re-read the proclamation and it is phrased in such a way as to imply that ED BRANDON DAY is only to be commemorated in 2007. That is probably just a clerical oversight. I’ll call Michael and get it straightened out. Until we meet again, remember, it’s only 364 days until ED BRANDON DAY.

Ed Brandon

SEE THE PICTURES FROM THE EVENT