Taylor Swift could've tickled Donna Valentine pink by tweeting congratulations to the Twin Cities radio personality when Valentine was nominated for a country music award in 2009.
But busy Swift went the extra mile by getting pen and paper to, wait for it, write Valentine a note, which included something for luck: "Congratulations on your ACM nomination, Donna! That's awesome. Here's a lucky penny. I hope it serves you well."
Valentine was on MyTalkFM107.1 a couple of weeks ago talking about this note from Swift, during a chat about the singer-songwriter giving a fan $1,989 toward paying off student loans.
"When Muss [Mike Mussman] and I were doing mornings on K102, we were nominated for a 2009 Academy of Country Music award. However, ahem … we did not win that year!" Valentine told me via e-mail. "Taylor, who had been an occasional guest and friend of our show since she was 14 or 15, sent a sweet handwritten message to both of us. She is one of the kindest, most genuine people I've ever met in the music business and despite her enormous success, she has not changed from the gracious and grateful person she's always been. She has always acknowledged those who she believes had a hand in her success, whether it be fans, record company execs, radio people, etc. She has also been known to say that she LOVES [stationery] and she misses the art of letter writing and handwritten notes. I couldn't agree more!"
There you go, you people who think tweeted congratulations are sufficient. If you don't know the person, and we don't know most celebrities, use tweets and Facebook at will. But if somebody you know has died or experienced a loss, a card or handwritten note should be placed in a stamped envelope and mailed.
"I'm unavailable by phone today," stated one of Valentine's e-mails. Nobody's that busy. Valentine didn't want to talk on the phone about her note from Swift because I would've asked if her recent appearances on MyTalkFM107.1 were auditions for an opening that exists or may develop. Valentine's name is not listed among the K102 "on air" talent, although Muss is. When I asked for Valentine at K102 Monday, a receptionist said, "She doesn't work here anymore."
Hello at KARE, not hello and goodbye
Virginia weekend meteorologist Jeff Edmondson announced on Facebook that he's coming to work for KARE 11.
"Thank you for watching me the last three years. I'll be moving to Minneapolis, MN to live closer to my family and working at KARE 11 News. See you around and catch some surf for me," reads Edmondson's Facebook post.
Edmondson is the unnamed TV person I've been talking about on Twitter, who a source had repeatedly insisted to me was coming to replace one of KARE 11's big stars. Because of my inability to believe that part of the tip, I never mentioned the name of that KARE 11 star. Now I shall via the following quote:
"He's not replacing Sven," KARE 11 news director Jane Helmke told me Monday. "He [Edmondson] is starting this Wednesday [on the 11 a.m. show and filling in]."
Sven Sundgaard is the king, he's going nowhere until he wants to.
"He's here right now anyway until he travels the world for his professional life," said Helmke.
Deflategate
"I think the Patriots definitely deflated the balls to try to and gain a competitive advantage," former Vikings punter Chris Kluwe told CNN's "Reliable Sources" Sunday. "I think overall it doesn't matter because the refs reinflated them at halftime. So the second half when they [went] on their huge scoring run [against the Colts] they are doing it with regulation footballs."
Tim Green, the former NFL player, a lawyer and author, said, "I disagree with Chris slightly in that I think having a deflated ball, over time, may explain part of the reason why the Patriots had such a low fumble ratio; lower than any other team in the league."
On "The Sports Show," the Strib's Sid Hartman said Patriots QB Tom Brady is looking at a hefty punishment after the Super Bowl.
C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on Fox 9's "Buzz." E-mailers, please state a subject; "Hello" does not count. Attachments are not opened.
C.J.: Jerry O'Connell gets support from Wendy Williams for talk show
