After 40 years in the local biz and 20 years hosting her arts & culture interview show “The Sound of Applause” (originally called “Around Noon”), Dee Perry is taking some time for herself.
The 66-year-old Perry told Scene last month (and told The Plain Dealer yesterday) that she’s looking forward to pursuing some personal artistic projects in retirement — visual art, music, dance — and will most certainly find time for classes and travel.
“For me, the important thing,” said Perry, “will be establishing a new routine.”
She’s spent years arriving early at WCPN and prepping for the vast array of interviews that she’s conducted with (as listeners have noted) genuine interest and delight. She’s spoken with musicians, filmmakers, writers and directors of local arts organizations, coaxing the region toward a deeper understanding and heartier embrace of the diverse artistic scene. Continuing a routine — a different one, slightly more relaxed — will be essential for her.
Perry said she’s hopeful that she’ll still make guest appearances on the show in the future, or maintain involvement with the station in a casual way, but for now, nothing specific has been planned. In the meantime, the Sound of Applause segments will be hosted by WCPN’s Dan Poletta until a permanent replacement is found.
This might be the bittersweet sound of farewell, but because it’s Dee Perry, it still sounds like caramel.
This article appears in Aug 17-23, 2016.
Dee Perry was being phased out over the past year; The Sound of Applause went from live or recently taped interviews to relying on “best of” tapes from the archives and then having the show dropped to periodic filler segments during Morning Edition, Here and Now and All Things Considered. But it is following the station’s trend since Ideastream shuffled its content management team in mid-2014 — a plummet to complete mediocrity with local entertainment and news programming.
Dee Perry is an excellent prepared interviewer. Unlike her counterpart on after nine who is never prepared and papers it over with snark and boredom. It is why I have switched to KSU. Be careful their local coverage is getting better and better.
Does this mean “Applause” on WVIZ-Ch. 25 (PBS) will also be toast?
My wife loves that show, so much that I record it for her when we aren’t home or are out of town…so we can see it later. You can find out about a lot of events that aren’t covered elsewhere.
If “Applause” goes away, she will be really bummed.
Chuckles the Clown