When we thought about who to put in our top ten celebrity interview list, we realized that we've formed relationships with some of the most unlikely people on our journey as radio presenters, and we still feel surprised at some of them. We first met Smokey Robinson on a red carpet in Cardiff. It was the occasion of the Michael Jackson Memorial concert and we had gone there to interview him and the Jackson Brothers. While we were waiting for Smokey Robinson to finish other interviews on the red carpet before he got to us, Livvy said in what she thought was a quiet whisper "Doesn't Smokey Robinson look amazing..... do you think he has had any Botox?" Now.....never, ever think you won't be heard .......what is it about whispering ....it can carry ....not a good idea! Now Smokey does look great for his age, but unbeknown to us, his manager was standing near to us and came over and quietly yet firmly "Mr Smokey Robinson has NOT had Botox!" However, in normal Livvy style, they got into a chat about how great Smokey looked. Mind you, afterwards we had to admit it was all ...well...a bit embarrassing....but it made us want to have Botox so we could look that good at 72!
Smokey Robinson is one of the most genuine people we have met in the business to date and extremely modest....in the interview Livvy said to him: "Well you are the King of Soul" but he wouldn't have any of it and she had to repeat it and get quite firm with him to even consider this accolade. This man Smokey Robinson had been running Motown as well! On the photo shoot with him, where we have some great shots of us together, he was a star........and a few months later we were talking to his agency as we were setting up a Christmas message with Smokey for the Christmas special and they told us the photos of us together were on his office wall......well, really? This was the beginning. He has rang us from the States on several occasions and we like to think we are part of his 'family'....he told us once how all his Motown colleagues were like his extended family and how his faith keeps his feet on the ground. Another time we were running a piece on how in marriage and relationships and how, when couples argue, women can have the list....you know the one where you say: "In the 1980's you said...." And so we asked him "Does this happen in your marriage as well?" Well, he knew exactly what we meant and we had a really good laugh about the 'lists' that women keep and how we never ever forget anything, especially in those rows .....and can bring up any mistake years later as evidence
When we did a rap song live on air with Charles Hazlewood and Adrian Utley of Portishead as a challenge, it went: "We're Women of a Certain Age....we've got hormonal rage...we get hot....you get bothered" and we one of the verses mentioned Smokey in it ......and so we sent him a copy.......not to be a pop star you must realise, more for fun.
Smokey rang us after his Radio 2 Show last year in Hyde Park for a catch up interview. Now you may not know, but Smokey had been a radio DJ for quite some while in LA; well, of course, we had to ask him to come and do the show in Bristol with us, and we were going to play lots of Motown and his favourite tracks and get him to introduce them. He loved the idea but he couldn't do it at that time as he was releasing a new album and the schedule was too tight.....so here we are, and looking forward to when he is next here in the UK so we can do The Mr Smokey Robinson and Livvy and Chrissie Show special.
Next blog.....how we are going to be forming a band with the Rt. Hon Nick Clegg one day......
Click here to listen to the latest Livvy and Chrissie radio show: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p021v840
