GE 1995 Season 2 Episode 6: Linda Reardigan Interview
Note: this is not a transcript, but a working draft of the script, so there may be differences in the aired version.
LINDA REARDIGAN -- SHOW # 6

PAUL:	One of this show's former hosts, 
	Linda Reardigan, went on to international 
	radio notoriety.  She hosted hit shows in 
	Cuba and in Europe.  She has just published 
	her autobiography, "Breakfast with Fidel".  
	It's a great thrill to welcome her back to 
	the Great Eastern.  Linda Reardigan, you are 
	looking muy fabuloso.

LINDA:	Thanks, Paul.  It's been, what?  twenty-five 
	years?

PAUL:	Wow -- very full years for you.

LINDA:	I do my best.

PAUL:	Reading your autobiography is like looking 
	behind every major headline in living 
	memory.  But, you know, first thing's first: 
	I always thought you'd hi-jacked that plane 
	to Cuba in 1972 ?

LINDA:	No, regular economy.

PAUL:	Smoking or non ?

LINDA:	Smoking.

PAUL:	Window ?

LINDA:	Aisle.

PAUL:	And you walked right off that plane and into 
	revolutionary celebrity.
		
LINDA:	Ya, I started doing your basic propaganda / 
	variety / record spin on co-op radio.  And 
	it became the first local programme in years 
	that Cubans actually listened to.

PAUL:	Why did the show have such amazing popular 
	appeal ?

LINDA:	It was in English.  And the music was always 
	excellent.

PAUL:	And this brought you to the attention of the 
	authorities ?

LINDA:	Yeah, and for services to the revolution, I 
	was awarded the "Order of the New Man for 
	Women."

PAUL:	Quite an honour.

LINDA:	Communists give good medal.

PAUL:	And this is where you met El Presidente ?

LINDA:	After the ceremony, there was a little 
	party.  Fidel just couldn't keep his eyes 
	off my awards.
 
PAUL:	I can see how that might happen.

LINDA:	We danced, ... Fido suggested that workers 
	of the world should unite ... I said that it 
	was definitely the moment for a breakthrough 
	in north-south relations ... we agreed that 
	the sugar cane was unusually juicy this year 
	and should be harvested as soon as possible 
	...

PAUL:	And then ?

LINDA:	He dipped me.

PAUL:	So, a good dancer obviously, but bottom 
	line, here, Linda: Fidel Castro: great Latin 
	lover ?

LINDA:	A typical guerrilla: rearguard action and a 
	quick withdrawal.

PAUL:	Well from each according to his abilities 
	...

LINDA:	But to each according to her needs.

PAUL:	Now, surprize, surprize, we have a tape of 
	one of your programmes ...

LINDA:	Where did you get that ?

PAUL:	I have friends that used to ... do a lot of 
	... sailing in the Caribbean and they used 
	to send me ... tapes.  This is Habana Linda 
	on Radio Florida Libre!

SFX:	LATIN RADIO CRAZINESS

STEVE:	LATIN RADIO CRAZINESS

LINDA ON RADIO:	So the marines are rolling ashore in 
	Grenada, huh ?  Keeping the world free for 
	banking, are we ?  Hey, Uncle Sam, try 
	picking on someone your own size for a 
	change !  Moral Pip-Squeaks !  Try taking on 
	Cuba, Ronny !  Remember the Bay Of Pigs.  
	Come on over !  Come on !  I'll take ye all 
	on !  Come at me, boys !  Come on !  Take 
	your best shot !

PAUL:	They never let me have that kind of reverb 
	here at the BCN.  Now, you and Fidel are no 
	longer an item, why'd you break up?

LINDA:	Communication problems, ironically.  I'd say 
	it was his turn to pick up Ricki from 
	daycare, and he'd go on for hours about the 
	need for one more sacrifice for the 
	revolution.

PAUL:	Of course ... you had a child together.

LINDA:	I had the child; we were together.  Ricki 
	just turned twenty-three.  He's just 
	graduating from the Harvard Business School.

PAUL:	Say it ain't so.

LINDA:	Thinks everything should be privatized.

PAUL:	Even public broadcasting ?

LINDA:	Fraid so.

PAUL:	The worst !

LINDA:	Well, you try to love your kids, but seeing 
	him writing for The Globe and Mail and The 
	New Republic, hanging out with the likes of 
	David Frum.

PAUL:	Oh my god, Linda, I'm so sorry.  What do you 
	think could have happened ?

LINDA:	I really don't know.  He spent his whole 
	life taking advantage of the very 
	"entitlements" that he's now attacking with 
	such virulence.  When he was a baby I did, 
	accidentally, drop him down the Odessa 
	Steps, maybe that's it.

PAUL:	So, after Cuba, international acclaim. 

LINDA:	Ya, we'd been interviewing all the socialist 
	leaders as they came to Cuba, and my 
	producer, Fat Tony Figueroa, had a great 
	idea ... repackage the shows and syndicate 
	them in Europe.  And that's how "Red Heads" 
	was born.

PAUL:	A huge success.  Were you surprised?

LINDA:	Not at all: the sensitive side of communist 
	despots ?  Guaranteed hit.  I had Kim Il 
	Sung weeping over memories of his mom -- 
	huge numbers.

PAUL:	And almost overnight, you were the Socialite 
	International.  But what's left for old 
	lefty's now, Linda, with the collapse of the 
	wall, etc.  What are they doing ?

LINDA:	Starting microbreweries, organic 
	greenhouses, free-range chickens, importing 
	exotic lumber ... hanging on desperately to 
	their civil service jobs ...

PAUL:	In Cuba ?

LINDA:	No, Paul, Canada.

PAUL:	Ya, it's pathetic.  Now, what's this I hear 
	about you getting into the video market.

LINDA:	That's right, Paul.  I'm about to release a 
	"Boxercising" video in conjunction with 
	Zagner Cable International.

PAUL:	How'd you get mixed up with Zagner's people? 
	I think I should warn you...

LINDA:	Well, Paul, this is as good a time as any to 
	announce to the Newfoundland public my 
	engagement to Aaron Zagner.

PAUL:	No way.

LINDA:	Yes, next October.

PAUL:	Wonders never cease.  Congratulations, I 
	guess.  Thanks for coming in, and hasta la 
	vista, baby.

LINDA:	Thanks for having me.

PAUL:	Linda Reardigan's new book, "Breakfast with 
	Fidel," is published by Yorkville.