On A Roll - Brief Article

Greg -- also known as the hip crip -- has a great career and family life and Greg says they are on the way to getting even better.

Every Sunday night Greg Smith zooms to his bedroom after putting his three young children to bed. He dials up his studio in Chicago and is introduced as being "the wheelchair dude with attitude, and the hip crip that gives you tips." Then at 9:06 the founder of On A Roll takes to the airwaves.

On A Roll is the first syndicated radio news/talk show about people with disabilities. It empowers its audience and celebrates disabled culture. Issues range from human rights to sexuality. Guests and callers are often humorous, telling funny stories about their experiences.

On A Roll has about 25,000 listeners. Some non-disabled people, he believes, who regularly listen to the two-hour show are becoming enlightened about persons with disabilities. Presently, 17 radio stations across the country are airing the two-hour talk show. Anyone who has internet access and a sound card can also tune in to On A Roll by going to www.broadcast.com/shows/onaroll. Furthermore, visitors to this website are able to listen to past programs.

Greg, a 37-year-old Afro-American only weighs 65 pounds. He also lacks full control of his hands, making it difficult to perform simple tasks such as holding a microphone. At 14, Scallions (curvature of the spine) forced him to become a wheelchair user.

And now he uses his power chair to fly kites with his children. Greg received custody of his three children after getting divorced in 1977. To him, fatherhood is the most rewarding aspect in his life. "I think being eye level with my kids because I sit in a chair does something for how closely we connect." Presently, he and his youngsters are living with his parents. His two boys, Donovan age six and Greg Jr., age seven, are old enough to physically take care of themselves. But Greg's parents are currently helping him to take care of his two- and-a-half-year-old daughter, Berkeley. At some point, Greg noted, "I aspire to move out on my own again as a single parent when Berkeley is old enough to take care of herself."

Greg was born in Bay Springs, Mississippi in 1964. When he was two years old, his parents noticed he was walking abnormally and took him to a local clinic. A specialist diagnosed him as having muscular dystrophy. He wasn't expected to live beyond the age of four. But he did and young Greg developed a zest for life.

He stated his parents were always supportive. Such support was extremely beneficial throughout his childhood. For example, Greg noted, "Their greatest tenacity landed me in a mainstream kindergarten class." Being in a regular school helped him develop "normal" social skills.

His fellow students, however, kept asking him questions such as why he walked funny and why he was so skinny? As time went on, he grew accustomed to this type of questioning. Greg hardly was discriminated against because of his Afro-American heritage. Ironically, people of his own ethnic background discriminate against him because of his disability, he stated. "It is something that I have spent a lot of time analyzing," he added.

At 13, Greg liked a girl who was working at the school's radio station. However, he became more interested in broadcasting than her and he was propelled to becoming a DJ.

He graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Broadcast Journalism at Arizona State. But he faced open discrimination and finding a job was very difficult. After two years, KTAR in Phoenix hired him as Research Director. As a sports enthusiast, he also hosted the post-game show after the Arizona Cardinals games.

Because of Greg's physical limitations, however, his boss felt Greg couldn't handle more responsibilities. This prevented him from taking steps up the corporate ladder. So, after five years, the young broadcaster decided to leave KTAR. Being very ambitious, he channeled all of his energy to create On A Roll. "The idea of a weekend talk show on disability issues seemed natural for me with my background," said Greg. On A Roll first hit the airwaves in December of 1992.

He hopes his book will be out this year. Its working title is "On A Roll - My Life & Times as America's Hip Crip." Besides being an autobiography, according to the author, it will discuss, "Issues that people with disabilities deal with everyday and non-disabled people need to understand." You can go to www.onaroll radio.com for further information on Greg and On A Roll.

COPYRIGHT 2000 Cheever Publishing, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group