Holiday Rush

- -

This is Irv Jackson on Smile NYC,

un-stuffing you from Thanksgiving,

-easing you into your Christmas groove. -

Next up at 6:00 a.m., drive-time's number one DJ,

Now, time to kick off the holidays with this new classic from John Legend:

"Merry Merry Christmas."

- - I want a mini horse.

- -

-Sweetheart, -

Santa knows when you're awake.

-You better close those eyes. -

["Merry Merry Christmas continues faintly in the background]

Mini horse.

- - Me too.

Gabby, nice kids don't wake up until seven.

- -I gotta put a jungle bell on you, girl.

Red Eye Double Shot.

Aw.

-The taste of how much you really care. -Oh, please.

- -I take a three-mile detour to buy

a five-dollar cup of coffee to make sure

-my star DJ is in his chair on time. -

That's what I care about this morning.

-Yeah, well, your star DJ -

has got a car of his own. It's nicer than yours.

- -You blowin' up?

-Uh, the twins' Christmas list. -

I got to be out of here by 4:00.

You just got here, Aunt Jo.

Just letting you know, I have other engagements.

- Good morning, Josephine. -

Don't mind him, he's dodging Christmas list demands over there.

The twins want tiny horses.

These babies will never get tired of stuffed animals.

No. These kids are not playing.

They want real, hay eating, pooping, miniature horses.

Whooooaa. Okay.

You could make them lunch.

Takes five minutes, shows a whole lot of love.

Cash is for me. I make the lunches.

Aunt Jo used to pack a bag for me every single day before school.

And since Paula passed, she does the same for the kids.

I always try to slip something sweet in there.

She's worth it.

If I didn't share a bathroom with my sisters,

and one of them hadn't dropped my phone in the toilet,

and if the rice had worked,

and if you didn't insist on me learning a lesson about all of that,

-I would've texted this list. -Good morning.

My "musts" are highlighted in pink.

Hold on, Miss Mya. Read the list to me, Rush.

Prada bag,

Broadway night in NYC.

Uh-uh, Mya, we talked about this. Extra is not the goal.

It's too early for teachable moments.

- - The richer you get,

the greedier those kids get.

Grab, grab, grab.

Take, take, take.

Love you.

-Mm-mm-mm. -

Oh, good morning, Jamal.

-Good morning. -

-Oh, you up for that "early action" day, -

-ain't that right? -Yeah.

- Yeah. -Oh, did you hear yet?

No, not yet. But I'm still waiting on the email.

You're getting in, you're getting in.

And we got the back up schools.

-Well, Harvard is the goal, Dad. -Yes.

Hush it down, eyes on the prize.

-Can I talk to my son? -Yeah, Dad.

Oh, my gosh. Listen, you've got this, Jamal.

There has only been Harvard. There will only ever be Harvard.

-Thanks, Roxy. -That's where it's at.

Well, now, you'll have to excuse me. Just got air flowing through these lungs.

Now I have to stretch. Got to keep the J-Train on track, you know?

- Love it. - All right.

That boy's gonna be taller than me in two days.

I'm telling you.

- -Where'd he get that wit from, hmm?

-I don't know. You know, -

-...it's got a Rush vibe to it, though. -Mm-hmm. Fame before beauty, get on in.

And do not spill that coffee. I just got your last sticky out.

-You drive too fast. -Well, you late too much.

- -

-Good morning, Rush. Good morning, Roxy. - Morning.

We have 95 seconds until air,

I still need to do a sound check, go over the Christmas songs list.

I gotta get you out as soon as we wrap, you still have Marshall at ten o'clock.

And Boris never called me back. It's been three days, I gave that numpty

-my candied yams. -Janella, I need you to move the dial down

-to, like, a five. Okay? It's early. -Yo!

With a face like that,

I don't know why you be doing radio, though.

- Golly. -

Hey, there's my Adrenaline Rush.

Katrina, you need to keep that attitude up all day, you hear me?

Those attitudes better stay in their dress, Katrina.

Boy, come on.

Hey.

-You got to let me get my little shine on. -You know what, I need you to focus.

I bought you guys coffee, but I got stressed out and drank it.

This is Irv Jackson waking you up.

Now, get ready for Rush Williams to get you going.

Testing, testing.

Yeah, testing me is right. Listen here, Mister Star.

-Yes, boss. -Thanksgiving is over. No more turkey.

-Yes, boss. -We start playing Christmas music today.

Well, let's sleigh away. You like how I did that? "Sleigh."

Janella sent you my approved Christmas hits list?

-Yes, I did. -Studied, memorized, digitized.

-Uh-huh. And so we're gonna stick to that. -Mm-hmm.

No hip hop.

Live in five, four, three...

Good morning, my people. NYC, Queens, Brooklyn, Strong Island.

It's your morning shot of Adrenaline Rush on Smile NYC.

Floss that turkey out your teeth

because Rush Williams is about to put you on a steady diet of tinsel tunes.

Whether you're driving to work, driving to the mall,

or just letting Christmas drive you crazy.

Let's get turnt up with this old school jam

dedicated to my firstborn, Jamal.

Today's going to be a very special day for him, y'all.

"Christmas in Hollis," Run DMC!

Oh, here we go!

Every damn day.

- -Good morning.

-Morning, baby. -

Gabby, Evie.

-Backpacks? -Check!

-Homework? -Check!

-Sugar? -

-Check. -

All right, make some room. The email has arrived.

-From who, you ask? -I usually ask "from whom"?

Why, the one and only Harvard University. That's right, Harvard.

- -Hold for applause.

- Jamal. Email? -

-Yeah. -That's good, right?

Ooh, don't know yet. But, I want to wait and open it with Dad.

I mean, I'd accept me.

One giant step forward for Jamal P. Williams.

- -No matter what that email says,

I'm proud of you, baby.

Wonder if I can get a prime parking space at Harvard for that new whip

with the red bow I bet Santa's dropping off for me Christmas morning,

-you know? -Mm-hmm.

You're fortunate children, to have all of this.

If I was Santa, I'd fly right over this house.

When I was coming up, five of us shared one egg.

And the only way we got bacon

is if the neighbors were cooking it on a windy day.

-That song gets sadder every time. -

I mean, one egg?

- I know. - I know.

Eat your breakfast.

- -

[rhythm and blues version of "Deck the Halls" playing in background]

Mmm...

-Glaring at me with those business eyes. -Better to remind you

that you have got to play the Christmas songs

from the approved "hit" list.

We need to play this safe, Rush.

What happened to "My music, my rules. My music rules"?

Not all the time. And this is definitely one of those times.

Rush, come on. You want skin in the game,

-you gotta play the game. -No.

-You know that? -I do. I know.

Right?