TRENTON, Ga. — They first bonded over a mutual love for animals, and now Monda Wooten and Ann Brown are Dade County’s newest television hosts.
One is a blonde, one is a brunette, and both are self-proclaimed busybodies who say they want to dig into the tough issues and keep elected officials accountable. But the original intent was for a lighter show.
“We thought it was going to be probably gossip, but it has taken a different turn,” said Mrs. Wooten, who is married to school board chairman Nathan Wooten. “We are smarter than we thought we were.”
The idea for the show, “All Around Town with Monda and Ann,” hatched after Mrs. Wooten appeared on a cable TV show in Marion County, Tenn.
“Monda went to do a show ... and I went with her, and on the way home from that show she said, ‘We could do that,’ and the rest is history,” Mrs. Brown said.
Evan Stone, owner of a Trenton television and radio station, gave the women a chance and a 9 p.m. time slot on his cable station, KWN TV 7.
“They really put community flavor into the local TV channel,” Mr. Stone said.
The duo developed a following. Dozens of people — including Commissioner Lamar Lowery, local promoter Bill Marshall and school superintendent Patty Priest — came to watch the show during production Monday night.
Commissioners such as Sarah Moore, David Young and Mr. Lowery have appeared on the show. Last week Sheriff Patrick Cannon discussed his run for re-election and his party change — from Democrat to Republican. One of Mr. Cannon’s challengers, Mike Norris, also made his pitch for the sheriff’s office on the show.
This week, Dade County Attorney John Emmett waded in on the county’s courthouse controversy. County commissioners are struggling to decide how much to spend on a new courts facility to relieve crowding in the historic courthouse on the town square.
And new Dade County High School principal Billy Millican appeared Monday to discuss topics that ranged from upcoming testing to the search for a football coach. The women prodded, but Mr. Millican did not reveal prospects for the coaching position.
On their first show, on Feb. 11, the hosts discussed the history of Dade County because Mrs. Wooten said the sentiment throughout Georgia is that Dade is unique.
“Dade County has its own attitude,” Mrs. Wooten said. “If Dade County is the only fish swimming upstream, we don’t care. We just keep swimming.”
Like their county, the women said they have their own unique style and ideas.
Last week, the women announced they are going to let Dade County residents vote online to pick which of the hosts they want to see hang glide off Lookout Mountain.
Mr. Lowery said that announcement almost made him fall out of his chair.
As of Tuesday Mrs. Wooten was in the lead, with 54 percent of the 125 votes cast.
Despite their tendency to gossip, Mrs. Wooten said what is most important is to give residents information without jargon or double talk.
And both admit they like stir the political pot.
“Evan describes us like this: We are passionate, warm-hearted and a little controversial,” Mrs. Wooten said.
Mrs. Brown said she and her co-host have good chemistry, and they hope the show continues. They have no formal contract or agreement on how long they will be on the air.
“(We will go) until either they take Evan’s broadcasting license away, or he runs us out, or somebody shoots us, or until people quit coming on,” Mrs. Brown said.
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TV Show
IF YOU WATCH
“All Around Town with Monda and Ann” is broadcast Monday at 9 p.m. on cable Channel 7 in Dade County.
For more information about the show or to vote in the poll visit www.discoverdade.com.
