Life as Narration: Insights from Legendary Broadcaster Larry Hennessey

Announcer Intro/Extro: 00:00:00

Your voice is your superpower. Use it. Welcome to Ignite My Voice Becoming unstoppable. Powered by Ignite Voice, Inc. The podcast where voice meets purpose, and stories ignite change.

Deep conversations with amazing guests, storytellers, speakers, and change makers.

Larry Hennessey: 00:00:20

And it was really around then that I realized life is the story that you tell.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:00:28

Hey, it's Kevin. You know, storytelling is an art. We think of art as a creative endeavor. Right. And some think that you're either born creative or you're not.

But here's the thing. We are all unique. And in that uniqueness is where your creativity is born.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:00:45

Hi, I'm Kat. Art can be practiced and perfected just like any field. Story can be a learned art. You can tell a story. You can share a story. You can create a story.

You can participate in reframing the narrative of your life and connect with others through your story.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:01:07

Storytellers are magic, and Larry Hennessy is one of those magical people who's been using story in so many ways throughout his life as a broadcaster with Sea Fox and the Larry and Willie show.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:01:18

On Jack FM with Jack of the 80s, as a songwriter and performer and as a historian who collects and shares memorabilia from artists.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:01:27

Like the beat is the story you tell.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:01:31

You are the author, and you are the creator. So what story are you telling?

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:01:36

Larry shares some personal insights on how story shapes everything we do.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:01:41

Because whether we realize it or not, story is everywhere, and it's how we make meaning of the world. Story is like your gift. It's your nature, and it's such a complex thing. And we wanted to explore story from your perspective.

Story from a variety of angles. Night Voice, Inc. And we're just wanting to chat.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:02:05

You know, it can be such a cliche right now, isn't it? Storytelling. Everybody's a storyteller.

Larry Hennessey: 00:02:09

But what I thought, I'm an influencing storyteller.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:02:14

What I thought was the different platforms you can tell story on. You tell story everywhere.

Larry Hennessey: 00:02:20

Yep.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:02:22

Were you born with that? What the hell?

Larry Hennessey: 00:02:23

No.

I was born in Newfoundland, and so that gives me an incredible sense of storytelling in history because it's an ancient culture that still thrives today, and it's still incredibly vibrant, and it is all about storytelling. So growing up in that and listening to.

For me, the happiest times were when my mom and her two sisters would get together and they would laugh like nobody can laugh anymore, so innocently. And, you know, and for me, and watching them live and tell stories of their experience in life, in family and in the world, I guess influenced that.

And I'm just incredibly interested in people and what drives people. And so.

And then, you know, moving into radio, I think one of the things that we did as the Larry and Willie show was we were able to see a story and then to realize that that's funny, that's entertaining, that's illuminating. And so you're able to cut through the noise of an incredible amount of activity to go, hold on, this is funny, hold on, this is heartwarming.

This is interesting. So finding the story, and that's years and years ago.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:04:09

How do you see a story? What is it that sets an alarm off?

Larry Hennessey: 00:04:13

I think you, in our case, anyways, we'd been broadcasting for a long time and I started broadcasting as 15.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:04:21

It's a couple of years, a few years.

Larry Hennessey: 00:04:23

1975 is when I started, you know, you get some idea of, you know, the old idea of show prep and trying to figure out what's interesting or what can fill time. And after a while I think you. You kind of get a little more refined into going, you know, I still do it now.

I still, I read something and go, that's a story. You know, that. And sometimes I actually send Willie, you know, still a little note that goes, hey, man, this is gold. And he's like, yeah, oh ye.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:04:57

And what makes it gold?

Larry Hennessey: 00:05:00

Because it's funny, because it represents every day and every people, or it's something you can learn from, but humorous is. That's the first way. Humor is the great communicator. And it's the only way that we're gonna make it through in this world.

And that's another thing about being a Newfoundlander, you know, 500 years by a starvin, you know, trying to get a bit of toasties and so to make it through that. And you know, under the pressure from the Catholic church, so living in that.

That's why Newfoundlanders are so funny, because didn't have a goddamn thing except for ourselves and a bit of a joke, you know, and it's still true today.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:05:52

We had mentioned earlier, speaking of multifaceted, that you take story into everything. You take it as a sound engineer in a studio, you take it as a musician. How do you bring out story in all those different environments?

Larry Hennessey: 00:06:08

Growing up and being immersed in stories and then telling stories on the radio all my Life.

Somewhere around 15 years ago, something major happened in our world, in my world, that myself and my broadcasting partner were not going to continue broadcasting together for various reasons. And so it was then I realized, hold on, listen to the story that you're telling about that.

So I probably a few months or maybe a little too long after that happened, I went, oh, reset, reset. I'm going to tell a better story.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:07:04

You're changing your narrative.

Larry Hennessey: 00:07:05

Change the narrative. Change the story. And it was really around then that I realized that in a bigger sense, that life is the story that you tell.

You hear people lots of times, like, oh, yeah, all day long.

It's just, I'm complaining about this and that shot, and I went in there and that guy, you know, got in front of me and pulled over and blah, blah, blah. Nothing's ever good. Everything's been away. Well, if life is a story you tell, then what story are you telling?

You're openly saying everything sucks all day long. Shut up. Change it to a better story. What's the story? This is what becomes your life. This is your time.

And so when you tell a better story, and I'm not talking about making something up, I'm just talking about coming from where you are in a more positive fashion.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:08:08

You're the author of your own story.

Larry Hennessey: 00:08:10

Yes.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:08:10

You can change your narrative. You can change your perspective, and the story that you tell yourself is very powerful. And that's the story you take into the world.

Larry Hennessey: 00:08:19

Yes. And it becomes your life minute by minute.

And so on a recent trip around British Columbia, Teresa and I, my wife and I went to a little cabin on the water. And so people were out there fishing.

It was a beautiful summer's day, and I had my guitar, so I spent two hours sitting out on the deck fishing for a song. And I want to play it for you.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:08:46

Oh, we'd love to hear it.

Larry Hennessey: 00:08:48

Yeah. Because the song is called life is the story that you tell.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:08:54

Oh, love it.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:08:56

How long ago was this, Larry?

Larry Hennessey: 00:08:59

A year and a half ago. Okay.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:09:05

Life is a story that you tell. Is that right?

Larry Hennessey: 00:09:06

Life is the story that you tell.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:09:08

Okay.

Larry Hennessey: 00:09:18

Life is a story that you tell. So when you tell it, tell it well. Putting your words down on last paper. You are the author and the creator. Right on. Right on. Right, right on.

Right on, Right on. Right, right. Listen closely as you tell it. Listen to the things you say every minute, every hour. It's all in the things you say. Right on, Right on.

Right, right on.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:10:53

You came at it intuitively. We're trying to help people figure out how to tell a story when they haven't maybe had the connection, the depth that you have.

Where would somebody who doesn't have that background start? Where did you start? How did thatI mean? You talked about humor and your parents.

Larry Hennessey: 00:11:14

Well, I would advise people to study people who are doing what you're hoping to do. Are they public speakers? Are they hosts? Are they comedians? Are they. What are they? Johnny Carson was pretty good at dealing with people.

I think presently, in our, in our world, it seems to me that the late night television hosts are actually some of the people who are saying all the things that need to be said and unveiling. Yeah, they're saying what should be said otherwise.

And these guys, even though it's humor and yes, it is, as Jimmy Kimmel says, well, welcome to the show where we try and figure out how this is funny. Look at people that are doing what it is you're hoping to do and try and figure, get a sense of why do you like that person?

Is it because they're engaged with their guest and they're focused on what they're saying? What is it you're trying to do and who's doing it?

Well, so give yourself your own crash course into, okay, I'm going to study these three people and try and figure out why that works for them and then perhaps put it into use yourself.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:12:30

Which is becoming tougher. It's funny, something happened in class the other day, and of course we're driving it.

Connection, authenticity, charisma, presence, vulnerability, human sense of what we're about. So our students that we're training right now are younger, right, you know, mid-20s.

Larry Hennessey: 00:12:52

Yeah.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:12:53

And we're trying to get them to do cold calls for interviews and to get guests and things. And they made it clear they're terrified of the phone. Yep.

Larry Hennessey: 00:13:04

I used to be.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:13:06

Well, and I said, because I think there's something culturally going on. I said, you don't use the phone to talk to friends. You don't use. No text seems a lot easier. I can fix a text. I'm not on the spot.

My voice isn't up front. I'm safe.

Larry Hennessey: 00:13:21

It's a whole different cultural thing.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:13:23

I was stunned that it's come that far. Does that mean we're too far?

Larry Hennessey: 00:13:29

I think there's a sense that right now, generally that we are looking as humans as to. Okay, so this is what the last 15 years of the Internet has brought us. It hasn't brought us together. It's dividing us and there's money in it.

And now with AI coming, you can't even reach a human. So I think that there is going to be a. And this is the best we could do as humans.

We've reached the pinnacle where the corporation wins and nothing else matters.

And we're just, just here to feed the algorithm or, you know, so I think that there is, you see it happening in Europe right now where people are rising up and going.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:14:10

Yeah.

Larry Hennessey: 00:14:11

And I think that's going to go somewhat with technology as well. Yeah, I don't need to be as connected as I am, perhaps.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:14:20

Is there hope for story? Is there hope for connection from your perspective?

Larry Hennessey: 00:14:24

Absolutely there is. There is, absolutely. Because it's humor and story that's going to save us all.

You know, I can tell a story about a unit and how well it works rather than go buy this unit because it's so great. I don't have to say buy it. I have to tell the story about how great the unit works and it sells itself.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:14:48

That's coming from authenticity.

Larry Hennessey: 00:14:51

Yes.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:14:51

And that's something that we talk about a lot. Authentic communication, authentic storytelling. That's about being vulnerable. That's about connecting, you know, not just the.

What the product does, but what the product makes you feel. It's a connection to an emotion. That's the story in there.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:15:09

Oh, you guys are just saps. I am in our capitalist society.

Larry Hennessey: 00:15:14

Come on. Well, you know, what Dollar is everything, Larry. We will leave that to, you know, the. My pillow guy. And look how that worked for him.

I lost it all, but it was worth it. Hello, hello, pillow. You know, how does that work for him?

He sold a lot of pillows for a while and they were, you know, dare I say, not that great because my mother in law actually fell for the, you know, before he went off the deep end, fell for the pillow thing.

You know, another thing is we were offered on in our radio experience many times, you know, hawk this supplement, whatever the hell it was, and we were like, no. Oh, but you know, you got all this money. No, you know, how about I was offered, you know, my vision's not that great.

You know, I require windshield sized glasses in order to make it, make my vision work.

You know, I was offered flap and zap, the old, you know, eye treatments for years and years and years, you know, or treatment for baldness, you know, implants, et cetera. Oh, well, you know, they'll.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:16:22

You need them, Larry.

Larry Hennessey: 00:16:23

I do need them. They'll screw in the dolls here. You know, you just gotta go on and you know, my experience has been just fantastic. Bullshit. I'm not doing it.

Did it cost me loads of money? Yes, but it was a decision that I made.

And actually Willie and I, when it was the Larry and Willie experience, we decided we're not gonna do that because you sell your Credibility.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:16:46

That sounds very counterculture now though.

Larry Hennessey: 00:16:49

Yeah, and it can kiss my butt.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:16:52

They can kiss ours too. We've been talking about that.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:16:55

What are you talking about? You wanna get rich, don't you?

Larry Hennessey: 00:16:58

as become, hey, you know, for: 1999

Well, beyond that, beyond that, sports radio has now become gambling radio. In the United States, most of the sports radio has been bought out by online gambling.

And so now it's not just the scores from last night, it's, you know, what was the spread on that? What's the spread on that? Hockey night in Canada. Gotta drop your frickin hockey pants and take the money from gambling. So what is this doing?

And here is a political thing again, what is this doing to our culture? Gambling? You know, as far as I can figure, not a great thing. The house always wins.

But you know, I understand that for some people that they get a buzz out of it and I understand that part of it. But what is that culture? This bending over to take money anywhere. This is where we are. So now hockey night, it's gam night in Canada.

And so aunts and uncles are sitting around, mom and dad, they're watching the tv. The guy on there actually is telling them how to bet and what they should bet on. And what does it do? It normalizes betting and gambling.

Hey kids, this is how we watch hockey.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:18:23

Where does it end? If most conventional media has moved to that model and just keeps blasting down the highway, where does it end? What saves story?

What's the future of media then?

Larry Hennessey: 00:18:35

Well, you know, the story in that case is we'll tell any story even though we don't believe it a la Fox News. Come on. Does maybe 2% or 25% of their people actually believe what they're talking about?

No, they know they're lying and they know that people, people are. This keeps their ratings going. So it is that business of I'll do anything to win, even if it's to compromise and lie. So there's no lack of stories.

There may be lack of real stories and true stories stories.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:19:13

A double edged sword. No question. There is the story dangerous, right?

Larry Hennessey: 00:19:18

So that's the story that they're using to basically profit. They don't realize that a byproduct of it is putting families against each other in a political way. Or, or, or they don't care.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:19:31

Manipulation.

Larry Hennessey: 00:19:32

They don't care. Yeah, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. They know they're lying.

But the trouble is is that the People that they're, that are watching them don't realize that they're lying. They think they're telling the truth, but they're just, you know, I'll say anything because you know, I need to keep my. That's where we are.

I'll do anything in order to keep what I have.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:19:53

Where's the counter to that?

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:19:54

Yeah, how do we save the world if story is the root of what we're talking about today, and if story's a double edged sword, that's dangerous. We humans are susceptible to following a story quickly for sure, not critically thinking. Especially if you don't have the tools in the first place.

We don't tend to teach these tools.

Larry Hennessey: 00:20:16

It's a meme world.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:20:18

If that's the case, those of us that want to use story for good.

Larry Hennessey: 00:20:22

You gotta have a good story. What do we do? Cause it's hard to beat stories that come from nefarious people with intentions.

You know, read Russia, read, you know, Canada proud and all that crap.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:20:42

So help me out. A young person listening to this today maybe believes in the good of story. Like we're talking here, probably feels kind of helpless.

I mean, I just read a stat the other day on the amount of people under 30 who have decided not to have children because the world's screwed. They don't want to bring a kid in this world.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:21:03

There's a lot of fear.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:21:04

It's a little sad. But let's go on the positive side.

Let's say they're listening and they believe us and they go, yes, I see the double edged sword, but I really believe in the good part of it. What can I do in my life to promote the good of story?

Larry Hennessey: 00:21:20

Tell a good story. Tell stories about good things.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:21:24

Story is a double edged sword. It can heal or harm. It can bring us together or drive us apart. It can shine light or cast shadow.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:21:35

The power of story lies in how it's told, why it's told and who it's for. It can be a bridge or a barrier in a world flooded with narratives. You know, some honest, others manipulative.

Our responsibility is to write and speak with intention. To craft stories that are true, kind and necessary.

Co-host Kat Stewart: 00:21:58

Your voice matters.

Co-host Kevin Ribble: 00:22:00

Your story has power. Use your creativity, your unique lens, your lived experience to share stories that, that uplift, connect and empower.

Announcer Intro/Extro: 00:22:14

Ignite my voice becoming unstoppable. Your voice is your superpower. Use it.