Radio Personality Miss Jones Writes Tell-All

I'll be completely honest. The only reason I bought this book was to satisfy a quota that those mail order book clubs require before one can terminate membership. Otherwise, my knowledge of Miss Jones is limited to Internet blogs when she interviews celebrities known best in hip-hop culture or is in the midst of some controversy such as the infamous parody of the Tsunami relief song, "USA for Indonesia". Since I'm on the West Coast and unlike air personalities Rick Dees and Steve Harvey, Miss Jones is not syndicated outside of New York area and as of this date, does not have a television presence like sometime rival, Wendy Williams.

This tell-all starts off like most urban tales - a broken home, less-than-stellar surroundings and the issues that come with growing up as a geek who was bullied often. When she finally gets a spine, she also begins to embark on singing professionally. Though she would receive formal vocal training in school, the high point of her recording career would be an occasional hook, or guest spot, for rappers like Doug E. Fresh. Yet, the contacts she made in her brief recording career would be essential for establishing a career in radio. In a line of work that relies more on who you know more than credentials or education, this helped her to create the morning-drive program, Miss Jones in the Morning. Though it seems she took a shortcut to success, she gives us vivid pictures of battles with co-workers of the past like Star of the "Star and Bucwild Show" and Miss Info (who is a sometime commentator on VH1's pop culture-themed programs).

While her professional achievements may be somewhat commendable, it is her personal life that would turn the stomach of any self-proclaimed feminist. Her random pot shots becomes childish, redundant and less funny with every page turned, which makes it not hard to see that she is intimidated by many successful women such as Beyonce Knowles (In 2006, she went as far as to have an off-air confrontation with the multi-talented artist's mother, Tina, as they were both Hot 97 radio guests), Grammy-winning singer Monica and her relationships with men both famous and non-celebrities alike leave a lot to be desired. From willingness to tolerate unfaithful and/or money-hungry males, her commentary on veteran rapper Busta Rhymes' lovemaking skills easily made her the butt of many jokes in the Internet community and though she does not give her age or year of birth (not even in the credits page), it is safe to say that she is in her mid-to-late thirties and the repetition of this type of behavior becomes sickening.

Though there is a lot of dirt to be dished, if you want a first-hand account of what to expect working in today's radio where ratings at any cost guarantee job stability, read one of Howard Stern's autobiographies or if you want a perspective from a minority woman, check out Robin Quivers: A Life. Not only has she been in the game much longer, has more name recognition and respect but it's just a better book overall.