Joe Smith, AKA Dr. Jay Thomas
Imagine being voted the best in your field in the area. Now imagine doing that back-to-back before you even earn your college degree. Joe Smith, AKA Dr. Jay Thomas, just won “Best of Toledo” for the second straight year for his Owens Community College Radio program “Randomosity.”
“Randomosity” has been a part of Smith’s life for more than a decade. When he worked in Lima, Smith talked with a show co-writer about creating their own show and the idea was born. The show would cover music of all genres in one place. As time went on, Smith moved to the Toledo area and the co-writer, Brandy Bishop, moved to Colorado and tragically died. “I swore to myself that if I ever did this show, it would be a tribute to her because of what she did for my career, my life and our friendship,” Smith said.
His broadcasting career began before he could drive a car. When Smith was 13, he began working at his local radio and television station and stayed for nearly two decades. He moved to the Toledo area for a job that fell through but was hired as a table games dealer at Hollywood Casino in March 2015. His life changed in early 2020. “My job was put on hold due to the coronavirus,” said Smith. “I didn’t know what would happen with my future so I kept coming back to broadcasting,” he added.
Smith knew he would need an associate degree to re-enter the field and enrolled at Owens in Fall 2020. In his first semester, he only had one class on campus as most classes were virtual due to the pandemic. One day, he was able to come on campus and talked with Rob Thomas, a broadcast media technology professor, about a radio show. “I realized quickly that Rob is one of those people who comes along and is not only a teacher, but also a person who wants you to succeed in your life,” said Smith.
In a meeting with Thomas and Herbey Atkinson, station manager at Owens Community College Radio, Smith pitched the idea of “Randomosity.” The professors loved the idea and Smith made it his personal mission to make it the best show possible and one his friend would be proud of. “I never imagined the show would turn out to be as successful as it is today,” he said.
When Smith learned of his first “Best of Toledo” nomination from a classmate, he said he did not believe it until he saw his name for himself. From then on, he started campaigning to win and a few months later, he completed his mission. “When I won, I was shocked because I have never been recognized for anything like this before,” he said. When it came time for this year’s “Best of Toledo,” he knew he wanted to go back-to-back with the awards. Again, he completed his mission, beating veteran DJs from the area. “Winning again gave me a sense of validation that I’m doing something right,” he said.
Since winning, Smith said has been able to create various partnerships that he might not have been able to make before the awards. “I’m in a different universe where I’m able to talk to and learn from some really important people in the industry,” he said.
While enrolled at Owens, Smith also was featured on the award-winning show, The College Tour. The College Tour is a series of 30-minute TV episodes featuring colleges and universities from across the United States. Each episode takes a deeper dive into what life is like for students. Smith’s segment focused on the school-life balance that students can have at Owens.
Smith plans to graduate in Spring 2025. When he crosses the stage, he will be a first generation graduate as the first member in his immediate family to earn a college degree. He said he will never forget the impact Owens has had on his life. “To be a part of everything here and to be around a group of people like I have been at Owens, I should have come here way earlier in my life,” Smith said.
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Published April 2024