Between the Headlines: Columbus
Between the Headlines dives deep into the stories shaping Columbus and Lowndes County, Mississippi. Hosted by The Commercial Dispatch managing editor Zack Plair and local businessman and commentator David Chism, this show goes beyond the front page to bring you the real conversations behind local politics, policies and people. Zack’s journalistic expertise and David’s insight deliver in-depth analysis, spirited debate, and behind-the-scenes context you won’t get anywhere else. It's honest discussion on what matters.
Between the Headlines: Columbus
Rick "Don't Go" Mason on His Journey, Race Relations and a Mayoral Forum Recap
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This week's Between the Headlines dives deep into Columbus' mayoral race following Tuesday's forum at Nissan Auditorium, where surprising performances may have shifted some voters' perspectives—though perhaps not enough to change the expected outcome.
Dispatch managing editor Zack Plair and co-host David Chism analyze each candidate's performance, with Plair declaring Darren Leach the clear winner of the night. "If anybody picked up votes Tuesday, it was Darren Leach," Plair notes, praising Leach's articulation of his vision while wondering where "this version of Darren" had been throughout the campaign. Despite the strong showing, Plair suggests it may be "too little, too late" to overcome Stephen Jones' substantial lead.
The discussion turns surprisingly heated when addressing Bill Strauss' answer about racial division in Columbus, revealing fundamentally different viewpoints between the hosts. This tension carries into the second segment featuring local media personality Rick "Don't Go" Mason (Dr. Reginald Taylor), who shares his 32-year journey through Mississippi media before engaging in a frank conversation about race relations in Columbus. The resulting exchange offers listeners rare insight into how differently community members perceive and experience racial dynamics within the "Friendly City."
Mason brings both entertainment and thoughtful perspective, emphasizing the power of positive speech in transforming communities while declining to pick favorites in the mayoral race. His observations about local politics—combined with the hosts' analysis of campaign strategies—create a comprehensive picture of Columbus's political landscape just days before the election.
Whether you're deeply invested in local politics or simply curious about the personalities shaping Columbus's future, this episode provides both entertainment and substance as we approach a pivotal moment for the city's leadership.
Show Introduction
Speaker 1From the opinion page of the Commercial Dispatch. This is Between the Headlines.
Speaker 3This is Peter Imes, publisher of the Dispatch. One of our hosts of Between the Headlines is the managing editor of our newsroom. Typically, we try to keep news and opinions separate, but reporters have a unique insight into the workings of local government and their analysis can be helpful for readers and listeners. The Dispatch remains committed to journalistic integrity and our reporting will always reflect that. And now Between the Headlines.
Speaker 4This week on Between the Headlines in the studio, we have local media personality Mr Rick Don't Go, mason. And regarding the Mail World Forum, we have winners and losers, but you only get to hear our picks if you pay attention to our sponsors. Check them out. Retirement looks different for everyone, so your plan should be built around you. For over 40 years, financial Concepts has helped people create retirement strategies that fit their lives. Our team in Columbus takes the time to understand your goals and build a plan that works for you. Wherever you are in your journey, we're ready to help. We plan retirement. Financial Concepts is a registered investment advisor. And now a message from political candidate Bill Strauss.
Speaker 2This is Bill Strauss, your 2025 candidate for mayor of Columbus. As election time draws near, ask yourself are you satisfied with our city leadership? What has been done to eliminate our flooding issues? What has been done to eliminate our housing blight? Are our streets safe? Why have we not kept up with West Point, starkville and Tupelo? We must have new leadership Out with the old and in with the new. Elect Bill Strauss, your new mayor, paid for by campaign to elect Bill Strauss Mayor 2025.
Speaker 4And now a message from political candidate Jason Spears. And now a message from political candidate, jason Spears.
Speaker 5Hello, I am Jason Spears, your Republican candidate for City Council, ward 6. I am grateful for the citizens of Ward 6 support in the primary and respectfully request everyone's continued support in the upcoming general election. It is time to restore fiscal responsibility, economic growth and optimism back to our city. I, like you, believe we can get back on track and know that as a community, we're going to make it happen. I approve this message and, on June 3rd, vote Jason Spears for Ward 6. Paid for by the campaign to elect Jason Spears, ward 6.
Speaker 4You are listening to Between the Headlines with the unmuted moderator and managing editor of the Commercial Dispatch, mr Zach Player, and my name is David Chisholm. This week, within the auditorium of Nissan, while Darren Leach yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed his opponents and the apostle was transfigured before our eyes, and the crowd cried out this is our beloved candidate, in whom we are well pleased. Zach, do you concur that Mr Darren Leach did a good job?
Speaker 1Okay, look yeah, if anybody picked up Votes Tuesday, it was Darren Leach. But before I go there I want to say to the unmuted moderator I am very pleased that, or I'm very happy that they did trade out my microphone in the middle of that thing, because I was yelling in it and I don't think I was being picked up at all yeah, and the candidates were staring you like a deer in the head, so they're like huh, repeat the question.
Speaker 4Say that again.
Darren Leach's Forum Performance
Speaker 1Yeah, I hated that. But yeah, I get this tap on my shoulder and probably after the second question I get this tap on my shoulder and I'm like who is tapping me on my shoulder? I look up, it's David and he's like is your mic even on? That's when I realized it wasn't picking up and I appreciate that. But yeah, if anybody picked up votes, it's Darren. I think he did an amazing job. If anybody picked up votes, it's Darren. I think he did an amazing job.
Speaker 1Darren didn't break brand in so much as he did absolutely still talk about pie in the sky things a little bit, but I think he delivered a clear vision of what you know, what kind of mayor he hopes to be, what kind of things he hopes to accomplish, what kind of priorities he hopes to have. I think that he delivered that very well. He made the best case yet for the community center that'll never be built on the pine yard. He did make a good case for that several times. He hit back effectively, particularly against when Stephen was talking about how you know the status quo is doing okay. Everything needs to just keep on clicking on like it is. He hit back very effectively at that, but he did so without hitting low or getting angry, and that made him an outlier of the three.
Speaker 1Here's the problem with Darren, though. Where has this version of Darren been? Why hasn't he been hammering on it since January, Hammering this Darren home since January, you know, because I felt like I met this Darren for the first time at Nissan Auditorium a couple of days ago, and I've talked, and you know, and I've talked to him a bunch of times, I've talked to a lot of people who attended the forum or watch the stream. They feel that same way. They're like where has he been? Where has this Darren been?
Speaker 4I don't know. That may be true, but when I looked up there and I saw him and I listened to him, it wasn't like a new version of darren, so much as it was a darren that was juxtaposed next to a guy that didn't want to be there. Yeah, I've got even jones I. I have. I have thoughts on that.
Speaker 1I have thoughts on that, but I'm not saying that darren, uh, was disingenuous at all or that his campaign has been disingenuous, you know. I'm saying that his campaign has been very inconsistent when it comes to finding his voice and delivering his vision. The Darren from the forum gives Stephen a run for his money on Election Day, but most people still don't know that Darren, and it's probably too little, too late. If I'm being honest with you, I think that's a shame for Darren, possibly for the city. I don't see that getting him across the line. I do see it picking him up a few votes, though.
Bill Strauss and Stephen Jones Impressions
Speaker 4I thought it was a woodshed performance, absolutely, and I think there were people there that were there for the purpose of rooting for their predetermined candidate, who was Mr Jones. But when Darren Leach opened his mouth and started saying certain things, I could hear the amens coming. I could hear the uh, it felt like there was a little bit of nodding.
Speaker 4It felt like there were people actually leaving the Jones camp into the Leach camp. Now, that may only be three or four and you know, at the end of the day it may not amount to much of anything, but I did experience that, I did hear it.
Speaker 1Well, moving to Bill, I think Bill was Bill and that's all you can really say. He was very on brand, very grievance heavy. You know, when we asked about if each candidate had three million dollars with no strings attached, how would they spend it, he reeled off about 30 million dollars worth of projects with that three million dollars. So I guess he's going to bond some of those.
Speaker 4Well, that's, that's good frugality. You want to stretch money like that?
Speaker 1Right. If you liked Bill going in, I don't think you were disappointed. If you didn't like Bill going in, I don't think you were disappointed. I don't think that he moved the needle at all.
Speaker 1Now, stephen Jones, for some reason he came in there irritated. I'm not sure why, you know, I thought maybe it happened during the debate. There was a moment in the debate specifically where I thought, well, maybe that's where he got perturbed. But I went back and I watched an interview he did with our guest today, rick Mason, before the they. He interviewed all three candidates in the lobby before the forum even began and you know he was given that same perturbed energy then in that interview.
Speaker 1So he came in there perturbed. He acted perturbed throughout the entire time. He was short with his answers. You know, you might have noticed we planned for that forum to last 90 minutes and it only lasted an hour and a lot of that had to do with Stephen leaves 15 minutes of talking time on the table. But here's the reality. I don't think he damaged himself at all, you know and this is a no, this is a hot take here but frankly I think Stephen could have shown up to that forum, walked up to the front of the stage, mooned the crowd and left the venue without saying a word. And he's still getting 60 percent next Tuesday. I think he did moon the crowd.
Speaker 4I think he did Listen. I felt condescended upon, like it was like Joeyey, how dare you ask me that question, zach? Why would you even? Why is this even an issue? It's like he didn't want to answer the question. He didn't want to be there and there were just one-liners. Take, for instance, when they um asked him about the three million dollars. Okay, was that you or?
Speaker 1was that bogus answer.
Speaker 4That was such a bogus answer. I do not entertain hypotheticals. Let's move along.
Speaker 1I mean, if ever there was a chance for him to say I'd finish the amphitheater, like he was talking about during the entire primary campaign, that that was his opportunity to say, oh clearly, I'd finish the amphitheater, like I've been saying this whole time.
Speaker 4But no, he doesn't deal in hypotheticals and you know, whatever I think that's going to be a problem with the council if he's elected I think that I mean anybody that gets elected as mayor of Columbus. I'm going to try to give them a fresh shot. You know the benefit of a doubt. But this guy, if he stands behind that center microphone in the auditorium there at the municipal complex and he just starts cutting people off and being like why are you going to ask that? Okay next, well, he's not going to do anything for this town if he tries to govern like that.
Speaker 1And I agree wholeheartedly, 100%, on what you just said and I worry about that and I'll be honest with you. I've told several people, including Stephen, that I worry about that. But I've said on this program that I worry about that. But I want you to look at it a different way. Look at it from his perspective. His countenance aside, I don't understand that he was mad about something. I still don't know what it was, but take that out of the equation and just look at the strategy. Where is he right now? It's in the fourth quarter. He has a big lead and he has the ball. So, you know, his strategy seemed to be don't turn it over. Yeah, he did the third best of the three at the forum, but he didn't turn the ball over. I don't think so. I thought that you know, a couple of his answers had the sting that you know. We talked about Darren in his community center. He had a good Stephen had a good comeback.
Speaker 4While you're saying this, I can't get that radical iron bowl ending out of my mind. Remember that. Hey, saban, do you got a second kind of deal.
Speaker 1Yeah, well, I think as long as he keeps possession of the ball and doesn't turn it over, he's getting 60% of the vote on Election Day.
Speaker 4And don't kick a super long field goal. Yeah.
Speaker 1I guess, and let Darren return it, I guess, for six, the kick. Six that's what you're talking about. Think that was sort of the bread and butter of the strategy is, you know, hit your talking points, get your zingers in and say as little as possible, not to hurt yourself, because he had nothing. You know he had nothing to gain coming in there, everything to lose and I don't think did he have.
Speaker 4Do you have?
Speaker 1a zinger? Yeah, I, I enjoyed the uh uh. Well, I didn't. I considered the zinger to be that was effective because I heard a lot of people laughing behind me when he said it was when he looked at Darren about his community center and said I wouldn't build anything on contaminated land. Now you and I disagree that.
Speaker 4Well, if you're on the point, we don't get better leadership in there, well, if we don't get better leadership in there, we won't have to, because MUW will close and we'll get a big recreation facility that's already there in the middle of campus and it'll be dissolved, and God knows what will happen.
Speaker 1Well, I don't deal in hypothetical stuff.
Speaker 4I'm so sorry. My apologies, sir.
Speaker 1But no, I think that, from a purely strategic standpoint, stephen didn't make any mistakes. I think that the only mistake that he made was the attitude that he brought in there and sort of the way that he conducted himself on the stage, because he very, very much seemed aggravated and that came through very, very much seemed aggravated and that came through.
Speaker 1But as far as the content of what he had to say, I think strategically he just had the lead and the ball and he didn't turn it over and I understand exactly why he did that, if I'm being honest.
Speaker 4All right, well, we'll give him a shot. Maybe he was in the doghouse for some reason, you don't know Well.
Speaker 1Stephanie was up there cheering and and clapping and happy. So, uh, I don't know, I don't know if that was it, but, uh, what'd you think about bill? And I think he had the line of the night, by the way, with the $14,000 flower, the flower pot.
Speaker 4you know it's interesting. He was talking about the shy cane on Military Road and I learned last night that there were three people in Lowndes County that are in favor of that shy cane. Okay, one is Kevin Stafford. Kevin, I know you're listening. Bless your heart.
Speaker 1Boy. You got a hard eye roll from him at Rotary the other day.
Speaker 4The other is the pink haired lady, all right, and the third apparently, is Stephen Jones. Why he would pick the other side of that issue, I just don't know. All I can figure is he's disagreeing about the shy cane simply because he wants to be opposite of Bill Strauss on that issue.
Speaker 1Ok, it could be that he's standing by, his standing by the contracted city engineer, which I don't think is a bad move.
Racism and Columbus Politics
Speaker 4Maybe so, but I'm just. I'm looking at this and I'm seeing picking a side based solely upon your alliances rather than being based on the data and the dollar signs. And good grief, it's just $14,300 dead gum dollars for something that I could have gone out there and fixed with a paint roller.
Speaker 1I'm just glad that Bill is adopting my idea of what you can do with the middle of that flower pot herb garden. Let's get creative. That's all I'm going to say about that. But Bill had the line of the night. He also had, to my estimation, one of, if not the worst answers of the night. You know, the racial division question or the race relations question in Columbus. I thought Bill's answer was total garbage.
Speaker 4I disagree quite strongly. I think it was the only answer. I mean, how do you answer that question? Race relations, he's the only white guy up there and you're going to ask him about something that he's going to put it on.
Speaker 1He's going to put it off on the four black councilmen.
Speaker 4That's what that's folks like yourself are going to get in there and write about in a column, perhaps, something that he's just not qualified to answer. He is a human being. He's whiter than I am.
Speaker 1And that's pretty white. Well, being white is a race.
Speaker 4It is.
Speaker 1And and recognizing that there's racial division in the town that you know, Well, let's look at what he said. He said that the racial division isn't with the citizenry, it's with the four black councilmen. That's what he meant.
Speaker 4I see that they come together on a topic and, regardless of the data or the reports or the money, they side together. And then you've got Rusty and Jacqueline they're they're the leftovers and then they're voting for this. And then what's interesting to me is Stephen Jones disagreed with it and in disagreeing he says that well, yeah, there's, there's racism. You got two people that are voting together because they don't have respect for black leadership. And I'm like, my goodness, you totally just proved Bill's point on that.
Speaker 1In Stephen's quote he's I've never had any racism before. I was a councilman. I thought that was an interesting take on that, but I think what this shows is the fact that, david, there seems to be a definite circling of the wagons during election seasons here, and we saw it. We saw it more so in 2020, uh, 2021. We did it was it was, it was very deeply ingrained in 2021 yeah, it hasn't been quite the same temperature or tenor in 2025, but it definitely still exists.
Speaker 1I think that Bill's answer was very dismissive of a group of people who wants to know that their leadership is going to lead everyone, regardless of the color of the leader, and I think that there's a lot of distrust there that is steeped in history, that you can't deny exists.
Speaker 4Sure.
Speaker 1And I think that you have a responsibility to recognize things as true and recognize what your responsibility would be as a leader in trying to heal that divide. And instead Bill put it off on, he copped out, he put it off on the most convenient source for him, which was the four black council members, and I just I didn't, I didn't like that answer and I don't think a lot of other people liked that answer either.
Speaker 4Well, I didn't like the answer and I don't think a lot of other people liked that answer either. Well, I didn't like the question and I say that because I just don't see a good answer to that. I believe that the anxiety that you speak about, it exists.
Speaker 4Darren gave a fantastic answer to it. I'll get there, I'll get there. I think that anxiety exists, particularly with the older generation, and I think that the people that are younger than me are just kind of looking up, confused about it, like what's going on here? Lastly, on that I would just I've always kind of agreed with Morgan Freeman on this stuff. Why are we still talking about it? It exists because we speak it into existence. Darren Leach OK let's, he had the, I would say the least, combative answer and, and I would probably agree with you that he had the best answer in terms of being solutions based solutions based and above the fray of just being combative OK, and above the fray of just being combative, okay.
Speaker 4Now, philosophically, as a Republican, I disagree with his answer because it sounded like his solution was the redistribution of wealth, which, in the end.
Speaker 1God forbid we build anything for poor people. That's heresy, right.
Speaker 4Well, how do we build it? Who builds it? Where does the money come from? Do we do it in such a way that we just rob from the rich and give to the poor and thereby bring the whole system down? That's Marxism, right? So I mean, regardless of how we do it, that's how I see it. But, to his credit, he at least had an idea and and had something that was action based instead of just casting aspersions, which I think is what is putting a bad brand. Yeah.
Speaker 1And I think that I think that Stephen, and I think that Stephen and Bill both just basically said you know, bill said it's your people's fault and Stephen said, no, it's your people's fault. And and I think that Darren said listen, if we're going to attack this, let 's attack poverty and let's do it in this way. And you know, you and I see this differently. I thought that his answer was quite good. How possible is it? In whole Maybe not, but in pieces, definitely possible, if given a chance. And I think that the idea that means is equal to moral integrity. And that is the most bogus argument of all and you know, I'm certainly no socialist or Marxist as you would say I'm. You know, I believe in regulated capitalism. But the idea that you get your wealth because you pulled yourself up by your bootstraps and you did all of the moral things that you were supposed to do, and God is now smiling on you and you have a right to keep all of your wealth and all taxes or theft and all of that nonsense.
Speaker 4Man, you were sounding so good until you said the word nonsense.
Speaker 1Completely, completely, flies in the face of the reality that a lot of that was built on, stepping on the backs of the people. You're telling to kick rocks now and I don't want to say that on the record.
Speaker 4That's fine. I don't think they should kick rocks. I would say that if federal money comes in here, let's accept it and let's do some good things with it, but be smart with it. Don't let everything be free.
Speaker 1I mean, I think that there's definitely an argument there, but be smart with it. Don't let everything be free. I think that there's definitely an argument there, but there needs to be things that exist that don't exist, and people need to start thinking critically about those things and quit blaming each other racially or blaming each other, wealthy or poor or whatever it. That just needs to stop. And yeah, I I worry that. I worry that our national politics right now is making that worse.
Speaker 1Um, I think that our national politics right now are making wealthy people feel very much more, you know, entitled to the morality of their means.
Speaker 4And there is absolutely no, I agree. The Democrats in DC need to calm that down. It's out of control.
Speaker 1There's absolutely no congruency between morals and means.
Speaker 4Hey, I've got a question for you. I'm looking at.
Speaker 1Or value as a human being, and your value in your bank account and your value in your bank account.
Speaker 4I'm looking at Facebook here and I see that Stephen Jones is quoting from the good book every day and he's got a verse on here about circumcision and Bob Raymond, of all people, has commented what hath circumcision to do with running for city council? I would like your take on that.
Speaker 1I'm just going to be honest with you. If I was running for office, I'm not sure that I would be doing that. Am I Christian? Yes, of the evangelicals saved by grace through faith, variety, absolutely.
Speaker 4Well, Darren Leach doesn't do that, and he's an apostle.
Speaker 1Yes, so would I feel so moved to do what Stephen is doing with his Facebook if I were running for office?
Speaker 3No.
Speaker 1But that's not my call, that's Stephen's choice. Let he, without sin, cast the first stone. And I think that there's plenty of people casting stones at it. That's their business. I'm not going to question somebody's motives for quoting the Bible for any reason.
Speaker 4I hear you. It's a fun show today. Let's take a break, man, pay some bills. Let's hear from the sponsors. Do you have knee pain, muscle weakness, swelling or cold feet? Do you have knee pain, muscle weakness, swelling or cold feet? Call King Associates Cardiology for an appointment today at 662-368-1169. King Associates Cardiology we care and it shows.
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Rick Mason's Media Journey
Speaker 6Tell us about yourself. Thank you so much to wear such wonderful attire. Tell us about yourself. Thank you so much. First of all, thank you guys for having me on your platform here at the Catfish Alley, or should I say in the Catfish Alley Studios, and being a part of the commercial dispatch between the headlines is what I'm looking here at, and when I received the call from the gentleman Zach, I was like cool, you know, I'll see what you guys want to talk about and come on your platform. But my name is Dr Regiland Taylor and that's my government name. Most of us air personalities or TV personalities it's not our real name. Ninety-nine percent of the time we have aliases. You probably didn't know that, but being in the news industry or whatever the case may be, that's right, we're still working on David's alias to keep the psychos from coming after him Right?
Speaker 6Well, they're going to call him anyway. But aka the king of the city, the legend, rick, don't Go Mason. So that's what they call me, and I've been doing pretty much journalism and media outlets, from TV to radio, for over 32 years. I started when I was like 18, 19 years old when I moved back from leaving moving to Texas, went to Texas Southern University, all those great things, and found my way to California and made my way back to Mississippi. That's when my career actually launched. Everything I wanted to do then I didn't have the know-abouts and the who's who's to find it.
Speaker 6But I came back to Columbus, mississippi, and my mom lived not far from the original WACR, the trailer, the double-wide studio there. My mom lived right behind Gardner Superret. So I scored a job there and I used to walk to work. I worked, started off third shift as a young man and I worked there for maybe about six years and they went in a new direction. That's what they told me. They were going in a new direction and I thought my life was over. I thought everything was crushed. But unfortunately or should I say fortunately God had better plans for me. So I ended up going into television. So I started television at that time because I said, hey, I'll get me a television show since I can't do this no longer. So I've been doing television and I stopped radio at that time for a short time. Started working with Cumulus back then when we were across from the YMCA, so I worked there on 92.1, joined 98.9, and the other WACR.
Speaker 4You don't look near about old enough for all of this stuff.
Speaker 6I'm 53. I started a long time ago so I ventured off with that. So I still got back in TV and radio. So eventually I worked there for 92. When we moved to Starkville for a plethora of years and some changes happened there too. They were going in another direction as well, so I thought it was over again. But God kept elevating me. So I ended up working for Mix 106.1 because Cumulus Urban Radio. Two or three different entities, but anyway, to make a long story short, so I've been tumbling and tossing in entertainment for a plethora of years throughout my career, along with working other jobs and doing different things of that nature. But I'm here now. My television show is Issues, a talk show, where it airs each and every Saturday morning at 5.30 am at your DVRs on the WLOVCW, but Sunday nights at 10 PM on my Mississippi.
Speaker 1And you live stream it on Facebook too.
Speaker 6Well, yeah, that's my social media outlet right there, but it actually comes on television as well.
Speaker 1Every weekend Okay.
Speaker 6Yeah, so I'm on the Ricky Smiley Morning Show each and every weekday morning, monday through Friday, for my morning kickback radio show, where I have the hottest two minutes in radio. Yes, right here. Okay, so I do that every morning. Monday through Friday we do HBCD update, sports on Mondays. Tuesday terrific Tuesdays. Wednesday updates with the district attorney's office, scott Colon, thursday. We do therapy Thursday where we have different doctors and preachers on there. And then Friday we do entertainment Friday. So we do a plethora of things throughout the week with that. And then Friday we do Entertainment Friday. So we do a plethora of things throughout the week with that. And then Saturday I do the Event Corner where you find out where everything goes.
Speaker 1I watch that. I follow you on Facebook now and I'm watching you walk in that building every Saturday morning, so I'm going to the radio station there and I do movies and plays.
Speaker 6I travel all over the world with Harry Lennox from the Five Heartbeats, professor Ogre from the Parkers, harry Lennox from the Five Heartbeats, professor Ogrefy from the Parkers, tara Bridges from Different Strokes, chad Lawson Cooper from Hangin' with Mr Cooper reality show. Lisa Robinson Cooper from John P Key Gospel Singing Choir. So I mean.
Speaker 4Why don't you come on up off the sofa every now and again?
Speaker 6Well, every now and then. Yeah, and I'm a Christian and I go to Southside Missionary Baptist Church, incorporated, 100 Nashville Ferry Road East in Columbus, where we're loving God, loving people, making disciples. My pastor is Ray Phillips Jr. Any more questions?
Speaker 1Yeah, okay. So how did we get from Regeline Taylor to Rick Mason and then adding the Don't Go?
Speaker 6Okay, great. So basically when you go into radio again, they give you actually names that they prefer you to have. They wanted me to be Richard Mason. Well, mason, because I'm a Mason. Okay, prince Hall. So they utilized that last name, but we went with Rick instead of Richard, and I was then Rick, the Magic man Mason.
Speaker 1Okay.
Speaker 6And over the years it changed to Rick Don't Go Mason. And then it went from. This little kid at the age of nine said hey, we have a queen of the city, mom, why don't we have a king of the city? Because Little Jones is the queen of the city. And so she said how about Rick Don't Go Mason? So they called me and said hey, my son said you should be the king of the city and it took off from there.
Speaker 4So I alleged the king got to see the legend don't go, mason. When I heard rick rick mason, I was picturing someone with a cowboy hat and a banjo.
Speaker 6Honestly, I'll go that route too.
Speaker 1It all depend on the layout yeah, I saw you at the rodeo in tupelo.
Speaker 6Yes, I do the black rodeo every year at the bank court with cadence bank arena. I do that every year too as well.
Speaker 1So well, you have been covering uh, you have been covering this election. You've been talking to all the candidates, you've been at all the events. You've been hustling during this election. Yes, yes. And I guess, well, let's start with the forum Tuesday night at Nissan Auditorium.
Speaker 6At the W campus.
Speaker 3At the W yeah.
Speaker 1What were your impressions of how the candidates did on the stage? Well prior, if you can recall, I interviewed each candidate in the lobby and had them to introduce themselves and say why they were running this, that and other.
Speaker 6So the form itself, my thoughts. I say everyone did well, because everyone had different questions, different Q&As that they received from the actual people that were sitting there Stephen Jones, councilman Jones. Every time that they came at him with questions, he was able to actually answer them and were able to lay out facts.
Speaker 4But that's what Jill said about her husband, joe Biden, though he was able to answer the question. But that's what Jill said about her husband, joe Biden, though he was able to answer the question, and.
Speaker 6I understand that, but let me carry on yes sir.
Discussing Race Relations in Columbus
Speaker 6So he was able to answer each question that they were, you know, rebutting about. And Darrell Leach, he did good because he speak well. Darrell Leach, he did good because he speak well and he's thinking and speaking of the future, because he's talking about the solar, the different things of that nature, so I felt he spoke well. Bill came from a business point of view and I felt he spoke well. But your question was to me who did I think did the best? Right, I don't have an answer. Who do you think did the best?
Speaker 1We'll be talking about that later. Yes, yes.
Speaker 6So who do you think did the best?
Speaker 4And being that you said Jill and Joe Biden, and I'm a fan of Joe Biden's- Well, at the beginning of the show we talked about it and there was clearly one winner and there was clearly one loser to what?
Speaker 6so who do y'all say?
Speaker 1well, I mean, I, I think, I, I think that, as far as if you just take that snapshot of the forum and that's all you've got, for the whole campaign. I think that, uh, I think that darren did the best, uh t.
Speaker 6Well, again I say he's a great speaker Right.
Speaker 1And the reason why I say that is and we talked about this earlier Stephen left a lot of time on the table and he seemed pretty perturbed throughout the debate or throughout the forum. And he left a lot of time on the table.
Speaker 6Maybe brevity was the strategy, but he definitely he was definitely, and sometimes, when you don't speak as much, that's really to your advantage. When you don't do too much talking, sometimes you can over talk the situation.
Speaker 4Again Joe Biden.
Speaker 6Well, again you say, and again I like Joe Biden. But again you guys asked me a question and I told you about each and every candidate what I thought and what. I thought they did so again. It comes up to each candidate.
Speaker 1I see exactly what you're saying and to your question asking us, I think that you know Darren spoke best for himself.
Speaker 6And again, I think he's a good speaker.
Speaker 1I think that Stephen was brief. He probably could afford to be.
Speaker 6Because, again, the first thing that Darren said was this is a resume. And Stephen came back and said well, if this is a resume, I'm the one with the experience for the job.
Speaker 1Pivoting to what your coverage of the campaign. You've had a lot of the candidates.
Speaker 6Every, every one. I would imagine yes.
Speaker 1On your show. They've all come on, they've all talked to you. I've watched a good many of those interviews. One thing that I want to ask I mean people usually have, I mean I've. I've been a professional in journalism for over 20 years. I, I mean I've been a professional in journalism for over 20 years. Yes, I would be lying to you if I didn't say that a lot of the interviews that I do, some of them, I don't know how this is going to go.
Speaker 6I never know.
Speaker 1Some of them, I'm like well, this is probably going to go this way, but we'll see no-transcript.
Speaker 6All three interviews on my lot. Each interview Bill Strauss at his real estate employment area. I interviewed Stephen Jones at his home.
Speaker 6I didn't get a chance to actually interview Darren Leach. Ok, we talked about it but we never made it to that point. But each candidate, again, is very interesting and their platforms are different too as well. And I didn't know as much as I knew about Bill at the time until he talked about his history of Roots Department Store downtown. Right, you know, and I learned about his real estate background. But as far as a person, uh, he seemed to be a great person as far as you know, speaking and talking to people. And one other thing stuck out he said he didn't see any racism in columbus.
Speaker 1now, well, I want to ask you about that. That was a. That was a question that came up at the forum was racial division.
Speaker 6You heard his answer right and he said he haven't experienced it because when he was out, walking in and doing different things in the area, uh, that, that what.
Speaker 1That's what he said, but of course everybody in this room know racism is still around well, I mean, what are your impressions of the racial dynamics in the city of columb Columbus and how they're affecting the politics?
Speaker 6Basically, you know again you got Democrat, you got Republican, you got independent. So Republican is more or less for Trump, Correct, you stuck. Come on, Joe Biden, you stuck.
Speaker 1Oh boy, I mean come on, you stuck over there.
Speaker 4I mean yeah Well, I mean I, I love donald trump, I love his policies, but let me tell you this he does some stupid stuff he, um, you ain't asked me yet, and look, I I mean, let me ask you this all three of those candidates up there. Let's say they were sponges and you squeezed all three of them individually. From which sponge would come the most content and the most ideas, the most substance?
Speaker 6Again, I look at all three candidates. They have three different concepts. So what you're asking me and what you're trying to get out of me, you probably won't get it out of me.
Speaker 4I'm seeing that.
Speaker 6Yeah, I mean because you know my spiel is my spiel when it comes to politics, because I sell advertisement. That's my job, Sure, so my job is to sell advertisement.
Speaker 1Well, I know you're not going to come on here and endorse a candidate. Of course not.
Speaker 6And we're not asking you. Yeah, yeah, yeah, uh. But I mean on the issue of but you ain't, but you ain't crazy, though, right, right, okay, all right thank you all, right um right yeah, right so but but back to the racial, because I I really do.
Speaker 1I think that there are are definitely racial dynamics in columbus that are affecting positive, and I think that that is. I think that that is really unfortunate and doesn't have to be that way. But what are those dynamics and why is it that way?
Speaker 6Well, because the mindset for one, people think that we're still in the sixties or the thirties or the forties sometimes and it comes out and sometimes you just cannot hide it. You know, you, I mean sometimes just cannot hide racism. I mean, it goes back to the situation where, man, I just knew that I was going to get elected for the Housing Authority Board, right, I just knew it because I had had a personal conversation with Keith Gaskin, the mayor, so I knew it was going to be probably, probably a possibly, you know, split. You know, I just knew it in my heart. So I said, hey, let me get a safety, let me call Keith.
Speaker 6I mean, we deal all the time I do different things. I, I do projects for the city, right, and uh, we went over my name a plethora of times because you know I didn't want to fall into that situation about my name being Reginald Taylor, dr Reginald Taylor, my government name, reginald Taylor, my government name, versus my personality name, rick Mason. So he told me he blanked out, he just honestly. But you tapped me on my shoulder right before you enter up into the.
Speaker 1Well, okay, so if that is a racial thing? I mean, Mickens was one of the ones who voted against you without any compunction.
Speaker 4And he didn't necessarily vote against me, he just didn't vote for me okay let me ask you this if the if, the chronology is the issue, that is to say, like that big, if, if racism is based in the civil rights of the 60s and the things of years gone by, why are we still talking about it? Why don't we just let it die? Let time take its course and let those things. Let me finish. Okay, let those things come to a close, because I feel that talking heads like me and zach keep stirring it up. So are we the problem for talking about it?
Speaker 2or can we do like morgan?
Speaker 4freeman says and just let it, let it go away you gotta sell that.
Speaker 6The more you talk about, uh, horrific things it sells. So you know the thing about it is you say let it die down. But we keep seeing it every day from my president of the United States.
Speaker 1Don't you think that honest conversations about problems like that are?
Speaker 6actually helpful. Yes, it needs to be talked about. Yes, so how do you?
Speaker 1have an honest conversation in Columbus about that right now, where—.
Speaker 6People come out and say, hey, I don't dislike or like or whatever.
Speaker 1Well, no, just honest conversations about why it's there, that it's not necessary, and how to get past it, from everybody's perspective, from the black perspective, from the white perspective, from the Hispanic perspective and the thing about you know, you know what.
Speaker 6And here's a joke. This is LOL. You know you guys favor it. I got a lot of black friends. I got a lot of personal black. But think about it. You know I'm not lying now, come on. Come on. Yeah, you know I'm telling the truth Because I deal with a lot of Caucasian people, not just on business tips, but I have friends that are Caucasians, like close friends that I deal with daily. You know so. But he's smirking over his butt off. I love it, I want to keep hammering this question?
Speaker 1Yes, because I feel like there is a lot of anger. I feel like there is a lot of fear. I feel like there is a lot of coded language in our politics, coming from the Democrat and Republican side on the local level, a lot of coded language that harkens back to there's us and there's them, and I don't think that there's anybody that isn't guilty of that on some level. How do you have an honest conversation?
Speaker 6And it's hard. And then when you said like the media, so some people might say, hey, man, the commercial dispatch is always down in African-Americans.
Speaker 1Hypothetically, you look at the other side. Well, they're all a bunch of liberals.
Speaker 6Right, right which one is it Right.
Speaker 6So here's the packet. You know, yeah, you know. So that's what I'm saying. So the packet might not do as much as commercial dispatch do, because they each want. You know, roger started to pack it in, it was just the packet, was the packet back then. But you guys both have two different stories that whenever it comes out you know it's the same layout but it's two different stories. Nothing against the commercial dispatch, nothing against the packet. But y'all have two outlets. But you have heard it yourself before about the papers write more negative things about African-Americans than they do whites.
Speaker 1Right, I don't necessarily agree.
Speaker 6I know I say, you've heard it. Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
Speaker 1OK, so again say I'm coming to you in good faith which.
Speaker 1I am coming to you in good faith. How do we have honest conversations that start healing that divide? To where? When you look at city leadership, it isn't who are our black leaders, who are the white leaders, who are the democrat leaders, who are the republican leaders. And we're looking at you know you're never going to agree on everything, but you're looking at more of a unified vision of where we're taking the city and we're not competing for what year we're trying to be in I guess we should start having panels about racism to give people views and see it.
Speaker 6How do you think that might go? I mean, we probably need security, or no?
Speaker 4I don't think I'm sitting here and I'm listening to this and I'm I'm just legitimately confused by it, because people my age and younger they're like where's all this stuff coming from?
Speaker 6these are the things that my great-grandpa bitched and moaned about but you don't see it because you're probably not looking for it.
Speaker 4I'm looking for it and I'm actively trying to reconcile my generation to people older than me.
Speaker 6I'm 41.
Speaker 2Okay, and I think part of it is we're the same age, I reckon. I did not know that.
Speaker 4Yeah, how was graduation the other day?
Speaker 1It was good. It was good. Congratulations, by the way, I did not know we were the same age.
Speaker 4Thank you, I think the first thing is we have to all be less offended. We have to be able to receive criticism for what it's worth and don't just assume that that if if I disagree with you, it's because you're a certain color or something. I think the race card itself and yes, I'm not ashamed to use the word card is played too often out there and I think it it's played to the, quite frankly, the advantage.
Speaker 6But it shows in the justice system the legal system all the time. I mean come on man, Come on, you ain't that lost, You're 41 years old.
Speaker 4So you're talking about systemic racism and systemic inequality? No, we're talking about racism as a whole.
Current Administration Assessment
Speaker 6You asked me a question about racism, so the question was what do I think about? And it's all over the world, I mean, it happens every day in your face and you tell me that you do not see racism laid off of it. And he said I want to be the people's mayor.
Speaker 4So if he's not talking about it, why are you? Why?
Speaker 6me what me and leroy are two different individuals.
Speaker 4Yeah because, because zach asked you about it, I suppose yeah yeah, but me and leroy are two different individuals.
Speaker 6I respect and think leroy is a great guy, yeah, so yeah, no, that's and with due respect to my co-host, david, who is my friend. He and I are two different individuals. I respect and thank. Leroy is a great guy, yeah, so yeah, no, that's and with you respect to my co-host david, who is my friend. He and I are two different individuals yes, exactly yeah I see this very differently, right right, yeah, so, but uh, yeah, one don't have to do with the other, but I'm talking about politics throughout the world.
Speaker 4But again, like I said, you ain't crazy, you smart do you think that the temperature is lower than it was 10 years ago, or is it higher? Do you think that the temperature is lower than it was 10 years ago, or is it?
Speaker 6higher. That's a good question, it all depends on where you are Columbus. Oh, I wouldn't say it's higher.
Speaker 4No, I wouldn't say it's higher, so we're headed the right direction.
Speaker 6I can say I'm not saying we're heading in the wrong direction, but I'm saying that there is still racism in the Golden Triangle area all over the world. It's not a secret.
Speaker 1Right, but then again, you know those conversations, they have to be needed, like I said.
Speaker 6so let's try to put a forum together for, and talk about, racism. I mean, we got the platform, we got. I mean what you know, let's do it.
Speaker 4Let's not talk about, like you said, Mr 41, years old. I like being 41.
Speaker 6I know it's cool as far as now. You know it's just hard, it's a monopoly.
Speaker 1What do you think has been the strength? What?
Speaker 6do you think have been the weakness of this current term? Administration and council? This term just passed this term, that is that's going on right now. It's been pretty interesting, I want to say A lot of different decisions were made throughout the council. A lot of people frowned on certain things, a lot of people were happy about certain things. A lot of people were good with everything that happened.
Speaker 4Stephen Jones was happy with everything that happened.
Speaker 1it felt like yeah, that's what it sounded like on Tuesday.
Speaker 4Everybody did a good job, let's keep going the route we're going. He basically said that and I can look at him.
Speaker 6No, he said everything was going well. That was his thoughts, his views on it.
Speaker 1Is that your general feeling?
Speaker 6Yeah, I mean I feel that everything went well to a certain extent, that you know, some votes had to be made, some didn't have to be made, some people agreed on certain things, some people didn't. So for me to say how did I think it went? I don't deal with the day-to-day scheduling or their issues that they have going on or whatever the case might be. All I know, you know I didn't get elected.
Speaker 4You didn't get elected and I know you disagree with that, I don't tease it. If all is well in the friendly city, where do you think the angst and the negativity comes from? This is one of the things that we talked about.
Speaker 6We continue to speak about negativity in the city. If we think positive, talk positive. Whatever you speak, the tongue is very dangerous. Whatever you speak, it shall happen. You know, just like I'm always hard on people when they say, well, I got to go to this little job, I got to go do this little interview, if you speak little, that's the results you're going to get.
Speaker 6So I try to speak and say take that out of your vocabulary, the word little. You know. Because if I say you're going to be a bad kid when you grow up and you keep hearing it, that's what is going to be instilled in you. If I say you ain't going to be nothing in life, you know, if you keep hearing it, that's you know. But if I say, hey, you're the greatest, you're good, you know, just like the little young princess I had on my baby, four years old, choreographer, I mean just doing so many girls. She's been on the Jennifer Hudson show and traveling the world. Now just from watching somebody video and she did the line dance to it and it went viral. And she's speaking in Spanish, counting in Spanish, at the age of four four years old.
Speaker 6So you know, that's a good thing to see somebody at that age from Mississippi.
Speaker 4So we need to speak good things upon our town and upon Mississippi.
Speaker 6To speak it into existence, Because if you keep speaking negativity, that's what you're going to get for sure. I mean because if you always, what can you do to help the problem? What do you think you probably can do to help the problem?
Speaker 4you either have to offer solutions or speak forward. Speak again.
Speaker 6Well, we agree on something today we all right yeah I like that yeah but no, I'm teasing it yeah I mean, where?
Speaker 1where do you go from here? Where? What about you know this election season, I guess. What has it taught you?
Final Thoughts and Show Closing
Speaker 6It taught me that things can really get tricky with politics. That's why I always tell my people I wouldn't run for a politician seat for anything in the world, because it's too much. It's too much. And then me selling advertisement to political people sometimes can cause me to be in politics too, if you think about it. Yeah, people sometimes can cause me to be in politics too, if you think about it, because I mean, you know, I mean honestly, it turns into something that you know, it turns into an animal I think that's most unfortunate, especially on the local level because it does not have to be that way.
Speaker 1Yes, so, so, so there's not going to be a councilman, a regeline taylor rick, don't go mason that that people are going to be calling you about their street not being paved and the big picture is.
Speaker 6You know, it was once asked why I want to be on the comms housing board if I'm already doing the work. I said, well, I'm happy to still do the work, but I want to be a seat and a voice at the table. Nothing like sitting at the table Right, you know what I'm saying Because it don't pay no money. So it was about having a seat in the voice, because I help people all the time who are homeless, try to get them in situations, call the right of people like Glenda Buckhaw to Richardson, call the housing authority sometime and see if they can. What do they have to do to fill out an application there to you know? I mean just all kinds of stuff, you know. So that's just stuff that I do anyway. So it wasn't because you don't again, don't make any money. So I just wanted to be a voice to be able to enhance things and make things better for those who are less fortunate should I say Okay, Is there anything you, anything else you want to get out there today?
Speaker 1Rick?
Speaker 6No again. Yeah, but no, I won't be running for any office or anything.
Speaker 1No potholes calls to Rick Mason. Yeah, no, but.
Speaker 6I might hear about it and be like yeah, okay, I know this certain councilman's phone number, so let me call him, or this person, or that person. If I know them, I'll relay the message. Okay, is that fair? Yeah, man, it's been great. I promise you, this guy here got a smirk on his I love it. I should have my cameras rolling while we're doing this. It would have been oh my god, it would have been even more interesting. I thought about it because I brought my.
Speaker 4Yeah, let me, let me try this, so they can see these facial expressions yeah, my wife says that I cannot hold a lie for anything, because it's just right out right out there, the face just tells it all. Yeah, but you guys were fair.
Speaker 6I mean, you know it was a great sit down, so I don't regret coming to be a part of it Well.
Speaker 1we appreciate you coming. We appreciate your insight and the entertainment. It's always good to see you, rick.
Speaker 6Yes, sir, it's good to see you too, brother Zach.
Speaker 4Okay, he got a closing remarks thing that you do. I truly thank you for being on the program today. That will do it, and today's episode is posted in loving memory of pastor and reporter RH.
Speaker 6Brown and we started hey look, we were in that trailer together. We just me, him, andrea Seth. We all started in that trailer. Do you see what I'm saying? That's just how far I go back. And he would sign off with such an intelligent voice WTWG AM 1050. Wow, yeah, but anyway carry on.
Speaker 4Be sure to subscribe, share and rate our show. Send us your comments. We would love to hear from you. Tips at cdispatchcom. Again, that is tips at cdispatchcom. You can also follow me on Facebook or X at the Chisholm 00. Signing off until next week, from where?
Speaker 6The king of the city no.
Speaker 1No, catfish Alley.
Speaker 6Studios. Oh, you're giving me a partner, okay, wow, is that a point again? Let's do that again.
Speaker 4Signing off until next week from the Catfish Alley Studios, yeah, and historic downtown Columbus. Your host has been Zach Player and I am David Chisholm. Until next time, y'all keep it friendly and we will keep it real.
Speaker 6Can y'all say, rick, don't go.
Speaker 4Oh yeah, rick don't go, rick don't go.
Speaker 6Okay, I'm on, all right, thanks, guys.
Speaker 3Opinions expressed on this show are those of the speakers and not necessarily those of the Commercial Dispatch.
