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fter twenty-plus high-profile years in radio and television , Melissa Forman is an important part of the Chicago media landscape .
“ Twenty plus years ?” she responds . “ Yikes . It ’ s going fast . My Dad always said to me : ‘ Life is like a roll of toilet paper . In the beginning it moves slowly , and in the end , it moves very fast .’”
This is her third go-round as the morning host at The Lite .“ I always wonder if they ’ re thinking . Oh boy , we can ’ t let her go again can we ? ( laughs ). It just goes to show you that when you leave somewhere , be gracious . You never know when they ’ ll ask you back . I ’ m working with a great group of people this
By Rick Kaempfer
MELISSA BACK IN THE MORNING
Melissa Forman
time . My producer Jim ( Gronemann ) and I have been together now for twenty years . Jimmy is the best . He ’ s like my brother . He ’ s Lenny to my Squiggy . We have a true and real friendship . He ’ s so smart and good at what he does . He owns more than twenty Dominos restaurants , but he still does this , because we have fun . He loves radio as much as I do .”
The management crew has also been very welcoming . “ My program director Mick Lee is a good guy who gets it . He ’ s an on-air guy himself , so he has the same perspective as me and Jim . This crew is welcoming and strong . I ’ m glad I came back . Matt Scarano is the president of the Chicago region . James Howard is the regional VP of programming . It ’ s a great management crew . They ’ ll send e-mails out of the blue as fans , as fellow Chicagoans . That ’ s been great .”
This time of year is always a highlight for Melissa and the Lite . After spending November and December playing Christmas music and granting Christmas wishes , they usually find themselves at ( or near ) the top of the ratings ladder . “ There ’ s just something about hearing Christmas through your radio that brings that magic back ,” she admits . “ When you ’ re driving through your neighborhood , seeing the sights of your life , and this Christmas music comes on , it just sounds like home . This past year I was ready to play it in July ( laughs ). This year people needed it more than ever .”
They also needed goodwill and kindness . Though the station has been granting Christmas wishes for a while , those gifts really packed a punch during the very difficult 2020 season . It was obvious in Melissa ’ s delivery that it had a big impact on her . She often got emotional . “ These Christmas wishes are so meaningful to me ,” Melissa agrees . “ I ’ m so appreciative that I ’ m allowed to do this . I really mean it . We ’ re all going through this time together . When things seem hard , or difficult , I keep telling myself that I ’ m so blessed to be able to grant wishes to people . I mean , who gets to do that ? The people are so joyous , so grateful , and it ’ s so meaningful to them . You can ’ t help but get emotional . It makes me feel so good , it ’ s like I ’ m the one that gets a gift .”
The gifts weren ’ t just selfish asks . Often people asked for things to be given to others . “ We had wish upon wish upon wish for other people . A husband to a wife . A teacher to her students . A mother-in-law to her son-in-law . The expression of love from one person to another is so incredible . How many times have you wished you could do that for a special person in your life ? Even my own family got into it this year . We ’ re all quarantined together , so I played these wishes back to my family at dinner sometimes . It just made us all feel good .”
Another thing that makes her feel good , is being back on the radio . For eight years she worked in television at WCIU-TV . “ I loved TV , but radio is in my blood . The calls that come through . The moments with listeners . The immediate feedback . It ’ s special . Don ’ t get me wrong I loved working in TV , and ( WCIU-TV co-host ) Jeanne Sparrow will remain my friend forever , but when you do TV , you are speaking out , speaking at someone . Radio is a two-way medium with interaction . These listeners are so engaged . People say to me that radio is dead , but they should come in and listen to these people every day . They are intelligent , they have a point of view , they are creative , they are hilarious . I leave my show every day in a better mood because I got to talk to them . There ’ s a magic in radio . Local radio . These people have the same experiences that you do , growing up in the same town . Trudging through snow . Visiting the zoo . Whatever . We have a common history . We tell the same stories . We know the same people . I just love it .”
Melissa ’ s listeners feel like they know her . There ’ s a good reason for that , of course . Forman is a genuine person , and her listeners can sense that . “ I ’ m not a perfect person , for sure ,” she says , “ but being genuine is important . People know . Listeners know . I feel like I ’ m just talking to my friends .”
And she no longer has to sit in a make-up chair and spend time worrying about looking good either . “ You should see me now ,” she admits with a laugh . “ I ’ ve been in a bathrobe for nine months . Showering is overrated .”
Melissa Forman can be heard every morning on WLIT-FM ( 93.9 FM ) from 6-10am .
16 illinoisentertainer . com january 2021