Used2Bs to the rescue: They have plenty to tell Kevyn Burger

The Used2Bs are providing career counseling for former FM107 show host Kevyn Burger.

Burger, who lost her job in October because she wasn't pulling in the listeners, became emotional Wednesday as she spoke of her indebtedness to a group of women who got their start in Twin Cities newsrooms, most when they were in their 20s. The Used2Bs' names, followed by their former TV station affiliations, are: Melissa Young (11), Carolyn Brookter (5), Maureen Reeder (9), Mary Stucky (11), Susan Wiese (11), Lindsay Strand (5), Mary Milla (5) and Carolyn Marinan (11). Members absent from the Burger meeting: Susan Austin (9), Debbie Ely (4), Joan Steffend (11) and Jackie Renner (5).

"I'm kind of down in a hole right now, and they put eight ladders down in that hole to show me how to climb out," Burger said, her voice breaking. Taking a deep breath, she added: "That's an awesome thing. Every one of those women is on my 'Anything for You List.' I think Rosie O'Donnell said she had [a list by that name]. I just can't ever repay what they gave me."

Lots of friends and colleagues are coming out of the woodwork to help, too.

But the Used2Bs, spelled this way by their co-founder, Marinan, a Hennepin County public affairs officer, have been "so generous with their time," Burger said. "I'm trying to talk to a lot of people ... trying to figure out what a logical career for me might be. All I've ever done is broadcasting -- started when I was 19. That may be where I end up."

I've always heard a public radio timbre in Burger's voice. She's very thoughtful and not good at the unbridled silliness and gossip that brings listeners to FM107. "Who knows," she said. "Radio, television, I have no idea."

Burger considers all TV people egomaniacs. "I'm the well-adjusted egomaniac; I'm not raging. This is a new way to be an egomaniac, where you sit around and say, 'Let's talk about me.' And people see me in different ways. I have never been busier. I have three to four appointments a day."

And she goes to many of them via her bicycle. But she probably won't be able to bike to her next big appearance for FM107, for which she's still doing some work.

As producer and host of the station's Women's Wellness Series, which has dealt with subjects encompassing the entire female body, Burger will moderate a conversation about the vagina on Friday the 13th at the University of St. Catherine. End of monologue.

Jan Ingrid Smaby, the best female host EVER on TPT2's "Almanac," is fighting a new battle.

She has been diagnosed with breast cancer. A friend sent me an e-mail that Smaby wrote using her characteristic wit: "My dear friends, I love e-mail for its ease but dislike it for its sterility, so while I would prefer to share this with all of you by phone or handwritten note ... that ain't gonna happen. I learned about 10 days ago that I have breast cancer. In fact, this cancer may (finally) explain why I had a stroke last August."

Telling the recipients she doesn't consider this private info and encouraging that it be passed along, Smaby said she has been told it's the most "treatable" type of breast cancer. "My spirits are excellent, and despite the fact that I have had a stroke and now cancer, I am one very healthy woman!!" she writes.

I called to wish her well and tell her that I look forward to the next time she wraps me in her long arms for a hug. That always involves her pulling me humorously close, causing my face to be buried near her naval because she's so darn tall, especially in high heels! I'm glad she has her lovely husband, Alan Lipowitz, by her side.

When she returned my call, Smaby said, "I wasn't about to start making one after another after another phone call." Nope, she needs her strength for the battle. "That's right, and I've got better things to do like compost my horse manure, so there you go," she said.

Amy Wulf Elholm was at D'Amico Kitchen celebrating her birthday the same night Suzanne Sommers was there doing the same.

"She was lovely enough to invite us over to her table and we got a couple of good pics," Elholm said via e-mail. "Incidentally, my good friend Mark Steines [of ET] has mentioned that he enjoyed interviewing her, so it was fun to be able to tell her that in person. She was gracious with her time."

When asked why she hadn't e-mailed earlier with her photo -- as in when I wrote a previous item about Sommers' outing here that included no photographic documentation -- Elholm replied, "Good question!!! I should have."

Oprah mentioned the name of Hubbard Broadcasting exec Harold Crump on her Tuesday show.

Reminiscing about her first job at Nashville's WLAC-TV with Chris Clark, news director and anchor, Oprah asked whether he remembered the time she was late getting on the air. Oprah claimed to have been delayed because she was a terrible writer.

"The famous two minutes of black. What was Oprah doing? the boss asked me. I said, 'I think she was writing, trying to write A news story,'" Clark said, laughing. "That was Harold Crump, the boss," Oprah said.

Crump is a former GM of that Nashville station. He has always lamented that he turned down Oprah when she asked him to negotiate the big contract that took her to Baltimore.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. E-mailers, please state a subject -- "Hello" doesn't count. Attachments are not opened, so don't even try. More of her attitude can be seen on Fox 9 Thursday mornings.