It's like they never left.
Frank Ski and Wanda Smith were back in the studio today at V-103 and didn't miss a beat. The place was bedazzled with feather boas, fake diamonds, and what seemed to be every balloon in Atlanta.
Wanda said she's looking forward to "pulling the city back together again," by taking on serious topics, although Monday's banter was pretty lighthearted: mourning over Idris Elba's engagement, and whether guys should get flowers for Valentine's Day. (Frank says yes. Wanda says no.)
Wanda was paired with Ryan Cameron prior to his Feb. 2 departure to become a partner in an Atlanta branding firm.
Ski left his longtime post in 2012 to embrace other opportunities. He worked for a couple of years at a Washington, D.C. station, signed on with Atlanta's Bounce TV as on-air talent and did some consulting. But Atlanta wouldn't let him go. Not long after he signed off in 2012, other area stations got in touch. Within a year, he was having quiet conversations about a return to V-103, and indeed he made a soft return as a weekend host in April 2016.
Spending time in other markets served as a professional palate cleanser.
“West Midtown wasn’t here five years ago. The BeltLine wasn’t here. There’s so much new development,” he said. “Some people people feel that Atlanta has changed for the better. There are a lot of people who feel that Atlanta has not changed for the better."
While Monday's show felt celebratory, Frank says he's looking forward to getting into a regular groove.
“What I realize about Atlanta that I was too connected to before: Atlanta is a city with a bunch of dreamers,” he continued. “All these people came here for a better life. People get here and it’s spread out, public transportation is terrible, there’s crime. We’re living in communities where people don’t speak to their neighbors, kids don’t play outside. We’re all on these individual islands. The city has some issues that need to be addressed. Since I’ve been gone Atlanta has changed a lot.”
About the Author
