Jan. 29, 2007
 
PROFILE: Jerry Waters: The Prince of Madcap on Charleston Radio
 
By HNN Staff
 
Jerry Waters, true age unknown, is becoming an institution at last in his hometown of Charleston, WV. He's elbowed his way into the papers there over the years in a number of ways:
 
For his work as Captain of one of the capital city's fire departments;
 
As one of the founders of "Bridge Day," which brought skydiving to the masses atop the New River Bridge in Fayette County;
 
As a "parrot advocate" (Incredibly, Waters has the largest parrot website in the world at: www.mytoos.com)
 
And lately again as a local talk radio host on Bristol Broadcasting's WVTS, News/Talk 950 AM.
 
How to describe Waters' on-air style? That's easy: "bitchy."
 
Waters has lived his entire life in Charleston, and it's clear that he has a love/hate relationship with his hometown. He remembers its glorious past as a street urchin growing up in the sixties there. To hear Waters describe what irks him now on the air, it's clear that he believes the past was a time of better manners--and stronger values.
 
Take, for example, his satirical look at the the downtown branch of the Kanawha Public Library, arguably one of the better public libraries in the state. On one hand, Waters tells the reader on his website, perhaps remembering his own childhood, he states that he wants everyone, "right down to the filthiest street urchin" to be able to use the Kanawha Public Library."
 
But then Waters warns: "As long as they use it properly."
 
To drive his point home, Waters--a former freelance photographer for the Charleston Gazette--managed to take some photos of some men using the Internet at the library to watch soft-core porn and -- apparently equally unsettling to Waters -- to play Solitaire. He also shows a couple of what may be street people using the library's restrooms "to wash up in the sinks and rinse a few things."
 
"The library is NOT a daytime flop house, and it's NOT a video arcade for those with nothing to do but kill time on MY DIME!" Waters bellows from his website, with similar sentiments featured on his morning talk show.
 
While some may find it amusing to learn social etiquette from a man who can be as outrageous as Waters, in the inner core of Waters' anger/humor a gold nugget of a point can oftentimes be discovered-- if one can get through the brambles.
 
To put it succinctly, what Waters is saying on the air and on his website is that public institutions like a public library need to be good stewards of what they have been given by the taxpayers before asking for a new multi-million dollar facility. When one considers that other public libraries literally kick out patrons who dare have a call ring in on their cell phones, the Kanawha County taxpayers aren't asking for much.
 
Until the library gets its act together in Charleston, it is probably a good thing that "Pit Bull" Waters is there to monitor their every move for the benefit and enjoyment of his radio and web audiences.
 
One has to wonder what fines Waters will have to pay on any unreturned books, however. And what kind of material does Jerry Waters himself read while perusing the volumes there? Inquiring minds want to know.
 
Meantime, for one of the funniest exposes to hit West Virginia websites in ages, get a full read of Waters' take on his hometown library at: http://www.mywvhome.com/library.htm.
 
And for those who were wondering, Waters would have been equally glad to take a photo of white street people using the restrooms at the library. As anyone who listens to Waters' radio shows can tell you, he hates everyone equally, including himself on occasion.
 
But, to his credit, when a public figure or institution flies right, Waters is there to let them on his show and give them credit for doing things his way