Detroit City Hall Insider

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Category: Monica Conyers

Conyers has a new gig

Just when you thought you heard it all from the City Hall Insider about controversial City Council President Monica Conyers, she serves up another doozy:

The madam president is now in the talk show business...at least sort of. "Ask the councilwoman with Monica Conyers" is a half-hour show that will debut Tuesday on WHPR-TV Channel 33 from 3:30 to 4 p.m. It will be filmed at the station's studios in Highland Park, the same day council has its weekly sessions.

Conyers, the wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers, will invite guests on her show to interview and then offer two minutes of commentary at the end of the show. She will also take calls from citizens.

She's hoping her first show will comprise of interviews with longtime foe and Mayor Kenneth Cockrel Jr. and his mayoral opponent and businessman Dave Bing. Neither has confirmed.

"It's not her objective to slam anybody," said Conyers spokeswoman Denise Tolliver. "This is a tool for her to make sure people know what's going on in council."

The show's debut comes on the heels of a tough week for the council president who had a shouting match with a colleague and fired a contractual employee for talking to the Detroit News about her troubles gathering signatures to appear on the Aug. 4 ballot.

She also denied not only hiring her ex-convict brother for a City Hall gig, but denied he was her brother at all -- before remembering the next day yes, he's her brother and, yes, she recommended for a job, but only because she believes in second chances.

As for the first show, Tolliver said the "worst that can happen is that they (Bing and Cockrel) say no."

If the two mayoral combatants show up, the Insider will be watching. OK. Let's be honest. The Insider will be watching, regardless.