Moon Griffon

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Blane M. "Moon" Griffon
Born	1961 Plaquemine, Iberville Parish, Louisiana,United States
Residence	Monroe, Ouachita Parish, Louisiana
Occupation	Radio talk show host
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Tonia Digirolamo Griffon (born 1963)
Children	Four children
Website http://www.moongriffon.com/
Notes "The Rush Limbaugh of Louisiana"

Blane M. Griffon, or Moon Griffon (born 1961),^[1] is a conservative radio talk show host who broadcasts statewide through station KMLB FM in Monroe, the seat of Ouachita Parish in northeastern Louisiana. He has sometimes been called the "Rush Limbaugh of Louisiana"^[2] though his program reflects his distinct Cajun accent and his own brand of politics. Griffon (pronounced GRE FONN) broadcasts from 9-11 a.m. on weekdays. Besides his Monroe outlet, Griffon broadcasts from stations in Winnfield, Shreveport, Alexandria, Natchitoches, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Thibodaux, Baton Rouge, and Natchez, Mississippi. He has no New Orleans outlet.^[3]

While on the air, he often endorses Republican Party (GOP) candidates, including attorney general candidate Royal Alexander, who was handily defeated by the Democrat Buddy Caldwell in the November 17 general election. Many GOP candidates, and some Democrats as well, frequently appear on his program. He also urged listeners in the 32nd Senate District to support the successful Republican candidate, Neil Riser, of Columbia, the seat of Caldwell Parish. Riser was elected to succeed the Democrat Noble Ellington of Winnsboro, the seat of Franklin Parish.^[4]

Griffon's producer, news writer, and occasional on-air replacement host, Ruth L. Ulrich (born 1963) of Monroe, also a staunch conservative, ran unsuccessfully for an open seat on the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in the November 17 general election. She was defeated by the Democrat Keith K. Guice, a veteran educational administrator from Monroe, 49,818 (48 percent) to 54,550 (52 percent).^[5]Ulrich was elected as the new Louisiana Republican national committeewoman on February 23, 2008. She succeeds [[Louisiana State Legislature|State Representative Kay Katz, also of Monroe.

[edit] Controversy

At times, Griffon has irritated the GOP leadership. In 2006, he invited the Shreveport catfish restaurateur Chester T. Kelley for a full segment on the program. Griffon books numerous guests on his show. At the time the conservative Kelley was unsuccessfully opposing the reelection of the more moderate Republican Jim McCrery of Shreveport. McCrery has announced that he will not seek reelection in 2008. Griffon has also said that he will hold Bobby Jindal accountable if state government is not reformed in the upcoming administration.^[6]On December 10, 2007, Griffon announced his strong opposition to Jindal's expected support for incoming State Representative Noble Ellington as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. Ellington, who was term-limited in the state senate and hence ran for the Louisiana House of Representatives, was closely tied to the former Democratic administrations of Edwin Washington Edwards and Kathleen Babineaux Blanco and was a strong supporter of numerous tax increases. Ultimately, Jindal, acting on the advice of incoming Speaker Jim Tucker did not recommend for the chairmanship.^[7]

[edit] Personal

Griffon was born and reared in Plaquemine, the seat of Iberville Parish south of Baton Rouge. He is a graduate of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He and his wife, the former Tonia Digirolamo (born 1963), have four children and reside in Monroe. He is an avid fisherman. Griffon often reminds listeners that he was a caterer before he began his radio career.^[8]

Griffon also addresses dinners and private gatherings as an entertainer and a motivational speaker.^[9]

[edit] References