My Hero

Memorial Day is a time to remember and honor those who have passed while serving this great country of ours. They sacrificed and paid the ultimate price by giving their life to protect ours and our freedom. No matter what branch, which war, or length of service – this is their day.

Many of us will spend the long holiday weekend by sleeping in, doing household chores, maybe attending or even participating in a parade. Some will uncover the grill and have the first of many backyard barbecues; some may head up north for a quick getaway, if the price of gas doesn’t put a damper on the weekend travel.

For me, I will spend the weekend with my family: my husband will grill something – unfortunately, it will be a costly cut of beef that will resemble a small shoe or hockey puck when he’s finished. My daughter Emma will ride her scooter throughout the neighborhood and will probably bake us a treat in her Easy Bake Oven, while my oldest son, Evan, will work on his pick-up truck, if he can tear himself away from texting or Facebook updates; and, my youngest son Eric, will play outdoors with our dog Sophie, trying to teach her some crazy trick or assist her by scoping out the squirrels so she can bark incessantly at them. Regardless of what we do or what we eat, I will certainly enjoy spending time with them.

I will also spend time this weekend remembering one of my heroes, as this Memorial Day weekend marks the second anniversary of my father’s passing. A Vietnam veteran who served in the Air Force, my dad was extremely proud to have served his country, and he honored and respected the true meaning of Memorial Day. He’s always been my hero, but not so much for battling in a war on foreign ground, but for his love of family, work and life; for the way he was always there for me, and for the bravery and strength I witnessed as he battled against cancer. As with every day, I will remember his warm eyes; the scratch of his beard on my cheek as we hugged; his ability to always make me smile; his laugh; his pride of this country.

However you spend your weekend – at a parade, grilling a Porterhouse steak to perfection, up north on the lake, or just hanging around the house with your family – please take a moment to remember, and honor, a hero.

Michelle Gaisser - Manager, Special Events In honor of Sgt. Michael F. Gaisser, 820th CES Red Horse (PACAF) Tuy Hoa AB

Man Training

We went to RAW last week at Joe Louis Arena. Unless you are a ten-year-old boy or you live with one, you might not know what that means, but its professional wrestling and it’s a big deal. You can argue whether wrestling is real or fake, but you have to marvel at the coordinated stunt work that results in moves like the “Shooting Star,” or the “Corkscrew Splash.” It’s an acrobatic show with a carefully constructed plot that plays out over the weekly broadcasts, leading fans to live or pay-per-per-view events with epic-sounding names like “Wrestlemania,” “Backlash” or “Judgment Day.”

But the best part about World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is the opportunity for what we call “Man Training.” Now some might consider those to be mutually exclusive terms, but Man Training is a ritual where boys acquire the confounding attributes that their future wives will ultimately blame on their mothers. Jesse and I were pumped when we got the tickets to RAW and excited that we were going to be able to bring some of his friends with us. Excited, that is, until Wendy told us that we had a problem: He was going to be away that week at fifth grade camp.

“Bummer!”

“Sorry,” she said. “But even if you could convince the teacher to let him out you would have to pick him up in Jackson at like 4 O’clock and then drive all the way downtown. You probably wouldn’t get home until midnight and then you’d have to wake up at 5 a.m. and drive him back to camp so he’d be there in time for breakfast. He would only get like four hours of sleep and that’s like 300 miles and gas is $4.00 a gallon.”

“Great! Sounds like a plan! High Five!” Man Training.

In addition to horrible man-planning, Monday Night RAW offered us even more opportunities to help form the young male psyche; like the development of blind allegiance to a favorite player or team; contempt for all authority figures including referees and general managers; the ability to make instant judgments between right and wrong (unless we’re talking about ourselves) and of course the absolute obsession over some things, even if they are quite obviously fake.

The highlight of the show had to be the Divas – the female wrestlers who compete in their own matches as well as being partnered up with male wrestlers who act as their protectors in a classic hero mythology. But as we soon discover, the divas are actually in complete control of the motives, actions and responses of their male counterparts. And in the end, they wind up getting exactly what they want. That is perhaps the most valuable Man Training of all.

Fred Nahhat is DPTV Director, On-Air Fundraising

Memorial Celebration

We all look forward to the unofficial start to summer with the Memorial Day Weekend kicking off what we hope will be a wonderful, fun-filled summer.

Parades, cookouts, family and friends fill the 3 days. Some take advantage of the long weekend to open the pool, launch the boat, or tend the garden while others spend their time volunteering time to shelters, community cleanups or just enjoying having 3 days to themselves.

It’s hard to believe that the “3 day holiday” has only been in effect since Congress passed the National Holiday Act in 1971 which moved this day of Remembrance (originally called “Decoration Day”) from May 30th to the last Monday in May. Many of the traditions have faded from the holiday as it merges with the weekend and the start of summer. Many put out their flag for the summer season, but forget that it should be flown at half staff in the morning in honor of all the fallen who gave their lives so we can enjoy the freedoms we have.

It came as a surprise to me to discover that since 2000, 3 PM on Memorial Day is also set aside as a Moment of Remembrance when all Americans are asked to “voluntarily and informally” pause for a moment of silence in remembrance and respect. In lieu of silence, the playing of Taps is also considered acceptable. I don’t know of any other place in the world where such an important observance is on a voluntary basis.


Join DPTV as we bring you some of the best Memorial Day holiday music and celebrations on Sunday May 25th with the United States Air Force 60th Anniversary Musical Celebration at 7 PM followed at 8 PM by the National Memorial Day Concert. Also over the holiday, American Experience brings a two part study of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president of America. Part 1 on Sunday at 9:30 PM covers his service during World War I and his two terms as a Missouri senator. Part 2 on Monday at 9 PM recalls his post World War II economic policies, his 1948 presidential campaign, the Korean War and his clash with General MacArthur. Jason Robards narrates both episodes. As you celebrate the start of summer with family and friends this holiday weekend, be safe and take a moment on Monday to remember all those who gave their lives so we can enjoy our freedoms, known and unknown.

Happy Memorial Day!

Pam Reynolds
DPTV Member Services

Unexpected Discoveries

“I normally don’t like the stuff you guys show,” a friend of mine said recently. Well, that’s a charming conversation starter, I thought. “But I stumbled across that American Masters special on Marvin Gaye and it was great!” I wish I had a dime for every time I’ve heard that, because it seems to be a fairly common experience among public television viewers. I remember some years back when I “stumbled” across a Nova special on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Honestly, if I saw that as a TV listing, I probably wouldn’t have tuned in, but having found it, I was hooked after a few minutes, ended up being fascinated by the documentary, and then the next day I’m annoying friends and neighbors with arcane facts about the Dead Sea Scrolls. I’m an instant expert, thanks to PBS. Of course, by now I’ve forgotten all that I learned in that show, but here’s my question: Has this happened to you? Please tell us about a memorable show that you saw on Detroit Public TV that was an unexpected discovery. You don’t have to send me a dime… but I would like to hear your story.

Dave Devereaux
VP, Communications
Detroit Public Television

Growing Up Online

I often hear parents of teenagers and pre-teens say that growing up just isn’t what it used to be. What’s changed? Take a look at how the Internet is transforming the experience of childhood in Detroit Public TV’s special rebroadcast of FRONTLINE: GROWING UP ONLINE, Tuesday, May 20 at 10 p.m.

As it reveals the risks, realities and misconceptions of teen life on the internet, the program takes you inside the private worlds that kids are creating online. How vulnerable are young people to the threat of online predators? The dangers are enough of a concern that the top law enforcement officials of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties taped a message at Detroit Public TV on Friday to encourage us all to watch this episode of Frontline.

Alerting the public to the risks of the internet is a matter of public safety to Wayne County Sheriff Warren Evans, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard and Macomb County Sheriff Mark Hackel. What I like most about the program is that it examines the broader issues of the impact of the web on our young people, from the lure of social networking to cyber-bullying. You get a sense of how the things that engage teenagers on the web can be habit-forming and destructive.

It is the kind of reporting that has made Frontline one of the most trusted sources for broadcast journalism. It’s compelling, yet never sensational or exploitive. Can you imagine what some TV newsmagazines would have done with this topic? Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, student, a law enforcement official, or simply a viewer who cares, FRONTLINE: GROWING UP ONLINE is an important hour of screen time.

John O'Donnell
Communications and Brand Management