KATHY HEALEY (center) is the creator and host of “Talk of the Town,” a new local cable show on WCAT. She is flanked by her first two guests on the show, comedian Paul D’Angelo (left) and Wakefield constable Richard Bayrd, along with the all Wakefield High School student crew.
Published in the January 19, 2018 edition.
By MARK SARDELLA
“The show came about because it was on my bucket list,” says Kathy Healey of her new WCAT cable show, Talk of the Town. “I’ve always loved talk shows and really enjoy hearing people’s back story and how they got to where they are today.”
Healey, a guidance counselor at Wakefield Memorial High School, is the creator and host of the brand new local public access TV show. They’ve done one show so far, and Healey appears to be a natural for the talk show format. Her role model enjoyed a bit of success himself.
“I don’t have any experience at being a talk show host but I loved the Johnny Carson show,” Healey says. “So, I copied his format for interviewing my guests by keeping the first guest on the show while the second guest came on. I like watching the interaction between the guests and feel it can produce some interesting conversation and more stories.”
It certainly worked out that way with her first two guests, comedian Paul D’Angelo and Wakefield constable Richard Bayrd. Like Healey, both are Wakefield natives.
“I select the guests myself based on my connections,” Healey says. “I try to put two guests together on the same show who I think will complement each other. My first two guests Paul D’Angelo and Dick Bayrd are family friends.”
Healey’s own family has deep roots in the town. Her grandfather, Bill Healey, was head coach of the WMHS Warrior football team as well as a longtime high school teacher and principal of the Dolbeare, Doyle and Montrose schools. He also served as the town’s Recreation Director.
Healey says that her goal for the show is to try and focus on people, events and things of interest to the Wakefield community such as local entertainers and business owners, as well as town employees (School Department, Fire Department and Police Department, etc.)
“Anything that is ‘Talk of the Town’ at the time,” she says. “Another part of my goal for the show was to get WHS students involved in the entire production, since I work at the high school. It is an all WHS student crew. It’s really fascinating to watch the students learn every aspect of what goes into producing a talk show from working the cameras to what goes on behind the cameras as well.”
Right now, the plan is to do one show a month, but Healey and her student crew would like to eventually increase it to two shows a month.
“It does get difficult trying to coordinate everyone’s schedule to do more shows, between students, myself, studio time and when the guests are available,” Healey admits.
The second episode of Talk of the Town is currently in production and will hit the local airwaves shortly. Guests are retiring Superintendent Dr. Kim Smith and the local band Cool Change, who will also be performing on the show.
Healey says that if residents have any show ideas, and/or people they’d like to hear more about, they can contact the WCAT studio at www.wcatwakefield.org or call 781-224-0300.
“Working with the WCAT crew and studio has been an all around great experience,” Healey says, “especially since I’ve never done this before!”
Talk of the Town airs on WCAT’s public channel (Channel 3 on Comcast and RCN and Channel 40 on Verizon.) Viewer can check their local listings for times or view episodes online on WCAT’s web site (wcatwakefield.org) or YouTube channel.
