Originally posted Tuesday, October 29, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Former V-103 host Wanda Smith posted on Instagram earlier today a photo of herself with Rickey Smiley teasing that she will be helping out Smiley's new radio show in 2020. Smiley's new show will effectively take over for retiring Tom Joyner.
“Rickey Smiley & WANDA SMITH WILL DO BIG THINGS TOGETHER.....2020 GET READY WORLD...60 MARKETS OF NOTHING BUT GREAT THINGS FOR THE PEOPLE,” Smith wrote by a photo of the two of them side by side.
But what will Smith’s role be?
Smiley publicist Vaughn Alvarez said she will be Smiley's "community ambassador. She will be working between Atlanta, Birmingham and Dallas. She will be co-hosting the karaoke events with Rickey. And together they will be doing big things in the community."
Smith, who took the Instagram post down after I posted this story, will not be on the show itself.
Two of Smiley's current team - Gary With Da Tea and Special K - are expected to go to Dallas to be on the new show from Reach Media's headquarters. (That is Joyner's current office.) It's unclear if Smiley will stay in Dallas long term because his real home is Birmingham and Atlanta is far closer to that city than Dallas.
Smiley, 51, is also adding "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Eva Marcille to his on -air team in 2020. She subbed in for fellow "RHOA" castmate Porsha Williams earlier this year on "Dish Nation" while Williams was having her baby.
Smith's last radio job was with V-103, which let her and Miss Sophia go in January, giving Frank Ski two much younger co-hosts. One of those hosts - Jade Novah - didn't last long, leaving earlier this month to focus on her music career.
Smith and Smiley are both stand-up comics but competed against each other in Atlanta radio for many years. Smith co hosted with Ski from 1998 to 2012 on V-103, then joined morning host Ryan Cameron in 2014. She re-joined Ski last year after Cameron left. (Cameron is now on afternoons on Majic 107.5/97.5)
Smiley, who has hosted a syndicated morning show since 2008, is heard on about 60 radio stations nationwide, mostly hip-hop. He works out of Urban One studios in downtown Atlanta and has been on Atlanta’s Hot 107.9 for more than a decade.
But with Joyner retiring at the end of the year, Dallas-based Reach Media and Urban One have plans to move Smiley over to many of Joyner’s R&B stations. Joyner in Atlanta is heard on Classix 102.9.
Headkrack, now on Smiley's show and seen on "Dish Nation," will take over many of Smiley's stations come 2020 with his own show.
It's unclear exactly who will be on "Dish Nation" come 2020. Currently, the TV show team features Smiley, Headkrack, Williams and Da Brat.
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