You’ve seen the TV ads, with their colorful slogan: “Don’t urinate on my leg and tell me it’s raining.” Now, meet the (equally colorful) attorney and animal rights activist behind them.

What is the best advice you ever got?
Don’t get married. I recently had my first baby, Schonbek. He is in one of my ads. I love and live with his mother, but I don’t like ceremonies, and allowing a stranger (judge) to determine what is fair in my life and relations is not on my agenda.

What is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?
Going to an all-boys school. [Baltimore City College.]

When were you most tempted to leave Baltimore?
What time is it?

Who would play you in the movie of your life?
Ron Jeremy.

What is your guilty pleasure?
I only feel guilty when I’m not pleased.

If you could write Baltimore’s motto, what would it be?
I don’t think much of mottos for cities; they seem silly.

What made you decide to advertise on TV?
Money.

Have any judges ever referenced the ads?
Yes, they sometimes joke about the urine one. I enjoy the recognition.

You seem like somebody who truly wants to fight for the underdog.
My father always seemed to be getting the short end of things. He was a shipping clerk and never earned very much but worked hard and provided the family with the necessities. We lived in an area filled with underdogs. They never seemed to have a chance against the big corporations or insurance companies.

Ever afraid that your strong opinions are going to alienate some clients?
I am sure I have. Fortunately, most of my clients are interested in how much money they get for their cases. Anyway, I can’t help myself. I’ve always had strong opinions and it’s in my DNA to express them.

Your other big passion is animals. . .
I have always been crazy about dogs. They have all the good attributes of people and none of the horrible ones.

Lawyer Mike Slocumb has William Shatner in his ads. Your response?
I am trying to get Richard Sher to talk to Oprah for me.

Mix 106.5’s Reagan Warfield isn’t all about Lady Gaga and morning chitchat. He’s become the go-to emcee around town for foodie events (he recently hosted the big Anthony Bourdain/Eric Ripert show at the Hippodrome) and will take on all comers in his “Smarter than Reagan” pop culture trivia challenge. Here, he takes on The Baltimore Grill.

Where did you go to school?
Loyola College. Oh, high school? Old Mill. It’s, uh, the Gilman of Glen Burnie-area public schools.

What book or film most changed your life?
Dead Poets Society, simply for this quote: “Carpe Diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.”

Who is your favorite Baltimorean, living or dead?
Dr. Ben Carson, with David Hasselhoff a distant second.

What is the best advice you ever got?
My dad encouraged me to act on problems I see. It had something to do with overgrown bushes, but I’ve applied it beyond yard work.

What is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?
Not studying abroad. To immerse yourself in another culture for six months, when you’re in your 20s? How did I not jump at that? Fool.

Best celebrity interview?
Jon Stewart was a favorite. He calls every so often, and when I’m talking to one of the smartest and funniest men in the country, it makes me feel pretty damn lucky about my job. And making him laugh is awesome.

Worst celebrity interview?
Screech was bad, but Spencer and Heidi from The Hills were slightly worse. They made outrageous claims about how popular they were, and they bet us $1,000 that they weren’t lying. They were, we proved it, and we’re still waiting for our money.

Most surreal celebrity encounter?
I somehow turned a standard interview with Bon Jovi into a cocktail party. We were in his hotel room and he was making me and Richie Sambora his signature drink. (Cosmopolitans—odd choice, right?)

You seem to pop up as a judge at a lot of cooking/tasting/eating competitions. Explain yourself!
Ha! Well, my first job ever was cooking for Oprah. Really! I worked in catering on the set of her movie Beloved. She loved my orange roughy. Now I just cook constantly on an amateur level, and I have tremendous respect and admiration for chefs. It’s an art.

Anything exciting coming up for the Jojo and Reagan morning show?
I’ll need help from listeners as my fiancée and I plan a wedding! Beyond that, we’ll have more fascinating stories, celebrity gossip, and plenty of Lady Gaga.

He’s more than just an affable anchor. WJZ’s Vic Carter is also a writer and activist who has helped lead the charge to erect the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in D.C. Here, he talks about his new book, what he’s learned on the job, and the importance of keeping the civil rights conversation alive.

Where did you go to school?
Morehead State University, Morehead KY

What book or film most changed your life?
The Bible. I admire those who say they have read it from cover to cover. It is on my list—but I do spend time with various passages.

Who is your favorite Baltimorean, living or dead?
Former Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. I had the pleasure of meeting him when he delivered the commencement address at the University of Virginia in the late ’70s.

What is the best advice you ever got?
It came from Mal Goode who was the first African-American network news correspondent. He was telling me the challenges of being in this highly competitive and sometimes subjective industry where your every move—what you say, what you wear—is analyzed. His advice: “Never let them break your will.” In other words don’t let anything keep you from your course—stay focused and firm.

What is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?
Sometimes not believing in myself, not following my instincts—and underestimating my ability to make a difference.

What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
On a hot Saturday afternoon, I was working in Atlanta and there was a fire call at the William Borders Towers for the elderly. My photographer and I happened to be blocks away and drove to the scene. When we got there we saw people hanging out of their windows. While my photographer got his gear, I ran inside up several flights of stairs and began evacuating people down the staircase. When help got there, I returned to covering the story.

What is the greatest problem facing Baltimore today?
An incredible gap between the “haves” and the “have nots.” Baltimore, while charitable and giving, still has incredible poverty and a pervasive malaise among many who believe that their lives will never be better.

When were you most tempted to leave Baltimore?
Let’s see . . . blizzard of 1996 and blizzard of 2010

Who would play you in the movie of your life?
Well, Sean Connery is the wrong race and James Earl Jones is a little my senior, so I am at a loss.

What is your guilty pleasure?
I collect art and on occasion enjoy a hot stone massage.

If you could write Baltimore’s motto, what would it be?
“We have what it takes to be a great city—let’s make it happen”

You replaced a legend, Al Sanders. Was that tough for you?
Clarification, I succeeded Al. From all that I have learned, no one could replace him. It was actually more difficult than I imagined. I was not prepared for the number of times I would be compared to someone I never met and whose work I never saw. What I had to project was that I am not him. His loss was tragic but all I had to give was me and my experiences and my expertise and energy. As a result I chose to never view Al’s work. Instead I tried to focus on our product and how to make it better. I sought to add new things to the newscast that were the standard in other markets… Most of all I tried to get out of the anchor chair on TV and take the newscast and the viewers to big stories no matter where they were. I think of all the anchors in Baltimore, I have originated our newscasts from more places than anyone. Among them—Havana, Cuba, The Vatican, The White House, The U.S. Capitol, The Pentagon, Miami, FL, the middle of 695 when a truck struck an overpass, Bethesda, MD following Elian Gonzales, the trials of Ray Lewis and Jamal Lewis in Atlanta, and the Sniper trials and subsequent execution in Virginia Beach and Virginia’s Death Row.

What have you learned about Baltimore in your 15 years on the job?
Baltimore is home to some incredible people, not just those whose names we hear and know. There are people here of incredible strength and endurance who live in some tough neighborhoods, but somehow they manage to make it to on church on Sunday. They protect and love their communities. They raise their children and children who don’t belong to them. They are proud of their city and they want the people around them to do better and to be better. They come in a rainbow of colors and from a myriad of countries, and ethnicities, and religions. It is a pity their voices are not always heard and their faces are not always seen. But they are there, and they have been there, and they will be there—quietly making Baltimore more livable and more enjoyable for themselves and their families.

What have you learned about yourself?
I have learned that I love the job of being an anchor, but I like the notoriety much less. People many times notice when I walk into a room —which takes away my chance to be an observer. What I have also learned is that I can use my so-called celebrity for good and to help others, which I often do, many times a week. I don’t ask for the best table in a restaurant – but I will use my name to ask you to help others and causes that are worthy.

Biggest on-air flub?
Trying to tell viewers about a trip I took to south Georgia where they were selling “boiled peanuts” – my co-workers swear that I said “bald penis”—which caused everyone to burst into laughter.

Favorite story you ever covered?
My favorite stories are those where I think we have offered an insight or information on an issue or a situation that leaves the viewers informed, or motivated, or simply captivated. As a result I like the stories where I am on top of things. I would have to say the most exhilarating story was our coverage of the death of Pope John Paul II. One moment I was speaking at a conference in Orlando, FL , the next I was weaving through the traffic and millions of people at the Vatican. CBS had negotiated coverage space for major events at The Vatican years before Pope John Paul’s passing. So as a CBS Station, we were granted unprecedented access. We originated our broadcasts from the roof of a convent within the walls of Vatican City. Everyone else was some distance away.

Time to dish: Tell us a secret about Denise Koch!
She is perpetually in motion. She hums, taps, stomps, and likes to sing Beyonce songs. But she doesn’t know all the lyrics, so she sings the ones she knows over and over and over again.

You just wrote a book about your mentor, From Yonder to Here: A Memoir of Dr. Ozell Sutton. How did you meet Dr. Sutton?
I met him while covering a horrible story in Greensboro, NC when five members of a Communist Worker’s Party were murdered before television cameras. Dr. Sutton was dispatched there by the Department of Justice to keep tensions calm. The week of the trial, I was beaten by a sheriff’s deputy who was ordered to clear the hallway of the courthouse. Dr. Sutton was there. We are also both members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.—the fraternity of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Jesse Owens, and Andrew Young.

Why did you write the book?
I escorted Dr. Sutton to the White House for the signing of the extension of the Voting Rights Act in 2006. I was with him and many of the icons of the civil rights movement. And I was impressed with the interactions of all these people who had endured so much for so many. That afternoon Ozell asked me to write his story . . . it took me a millisecond to say yes.

Dr. Sutton was one of many unsung figures in the civil rights movement, right?
Yes. Andrew Young describes Ozell as having “walked the bloody, muddy roads of our southland without fear or favor.” He was a divine bridge between the U.S. Government and The Movement. Benjamin Hooks told me, “He has been on the front lines of The civil rights movement since day one.” Ozell conducted voter registration in some places where other African Americans were afraid to go. He would be there all alone and often attacked for his efforts.

Is the civil rights movement something your parents talked to you about a lot?
Actually they never talked the movement, but they did talk about the effects. Schools integrated when I entered the second grade. I experienced the tensions. I remember when Dr. King was killed – I didn’t really know much about the man – but I saw my parents cry. Fast forward to several years ago – and I became a writer of several speeches for Coretta Scott King and worked with members of her family while building a memorial to Dr. King in Washington DC. I was involved in helping to move the project from Congressional approval to groundbreaking.

And it’s important to keep the conversation going, right?
Far too many people are lulled into the comfort of thinking that things are different – and they are – but race relations is far from perfect. It is an integral part of our history – of which only a fraction has been told.

You are quoted as saying that Dr. Sutton still gives you advice to this day. Give us an example of his wisdom.
Dr. Sutton continually reminds me to stay the course – to never be deterred from my goals and to temper the advice that others give you with common sense and your own instincts. On his advice – I always look people in the eye – then you can tell if they are truthful.

It says on WJZ. com that your secret talent is cooking. What’s your specialty in the kitchen?
Honestly, I like to cook a variety of things. But I can make most anything—from a soufflé or a frittata to a sabayon or an African ground nut stew. Baking—not so much.

Any more writing in your future? Maybe a novel?
I actually have an outline for a novel but currently I am writing the life story of Ralph Boston. He won the gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome and subsequently won silver and a bronze. He broke Jesse Owens Olympic and world record and was a mentor to Wilma Rudolph.

Three things all Baltimoreans can count on: death, taxes, and Bob Turk. For 35 years, the avuncular meteorologist has delivered the weather—warmly, you might say—and made us feel like a member of his family. Below, we get Turk’s forecast for The Baltimore Grill.

What is the best advice you ever got?
If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.

What was your favorite Smalltimore moment?
I was in Mexico in a small village, and some guy yells, “Are you Bob Turk?”

Since you’re our cover boy, tell us your favorite way to eat crabs:
I usually just grab the biggest one I can and begin my dissection.

Wow, 35 years on the air! To what do you attribute your TV longevity?
Total love of weather!

Being a weatherman is like being a closer in baseball, right? People only notice when you screw up. . .
Most screw-ups are in my favor—that is, I predict rain and it doesn’t. People love the sun so they forget the bad forecast.

Dan Rather grabbed a telephone poll in a hurricane. What’s your most macho weather heroic?
Saving lives when a tornado was in Cecil County. I tracked it down to the street level and people took cover.

Do you think Baltimoreans are wimps about the snow?
Yes! Drives me nuts how bad they drive and how freaked out they get!

What made you choose to share your personal story of hearing loss?
To make others aware of the possible solutions and to explain why I had trouble hearing and speaking on air.

How have the cochlear implants helped?
One implant in the right ear. Without it, I can’t hear enough to work or function as an on-air person. With it, I am back in the game 99 percent.

You threw out the first pitch at an O’s game recently. What was that like?
Fun and a bit nerve-racking. I wanted to get a few warm-ups first. But I only had one chance—and it was right down the pike!

After 35 years, what’s your message to the fans?
I am very fortunate to have worked in the profession that I love so much, but without the fine viewers who tune in, we would have a very different picture. So I can’t thank them enough for their support and kindness to me all these years.

It was 20 years ago that Linwood Dame opened his eponymous restaurant in Owings Mills. With its upscale, new American menu and sleek interiors, Linwoods certainly stuck out amid the chain restaurants and Chinese takeouts. “Some people did wonder why I decided on opening in Owings Mills,” Dame notes. “[But] I did my homework and knew there was a strong need for fine dining in the county.” How right he was.

What book or film most changed your life?
Wolfgang Puck’s Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen. I read this as a young chef and it inspired me to take my classic training and use it as a foundation for my own style of cooking. American cuisine in the 1970’s was becoming much more innovative, and I wanted my kitchen to be part of all the changes taking place.

Who is your favorite Baltimorean, living or dead?
I love photography, so I’d have to say A. Aubrey Bodine. For me, his photographs capture the beauty and essence of our region through the decades.

What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
Search and Rescue for the U.S. Coast Guard in the Great Lakes. Fighting my first fire on a ship on Lake Superior was certainly one of the most frightening nights of my life.

How has Baltimore changed in the 20-plus years you’ve lived here?
We have such a variety of restaurants now, and many more talented and professional chefs and restaurateurs. Customers have more sophisticated palates, and are willing to be adventurous when they dine. When we opened Linwoods, it was difficult to find foie gras on a Baltimore menu, and the wine of the day was White Zinfandel!

Who would play you in the movie of your life?
George Clooney. We’re certainly not alike, but my wife, Ellen, would love it!

What is your guilty pleasure?
After a long, hot night in the kitchen, my guilty pleasure upon arriving home is Häagen-Dazs chocolate chocolate-chip ice cream microwaved in the carton for 15 seconds, and then devoured with an espresso spoon. I do begrudgingly share with Ellen.

What food trend do you miss?
Anything good enough to be missed is not a trend!

What food trend do you say good riddance to?
Fussy “foam” sauces used in many upscale restaurants.

Best part of owning Linwoods?
Watching the business grow and flourish over the years. Now my 16-year-old son John works at the front on the weekends.

Worst part?
Lower back pain.

Where did you go to school?

Milford Mill High School. UMBC. (I was a commuter—not so good.) Temple U. (Finally, out of the house—yeah!)

What book or film most changed your life?
I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb. This is such a powerful story—I couldn’t put it down. It rejuvenated my love of reading. Now I have to have my head in a book every night.

Who is your favorite Baltimorean, living or dead?
My mom—she’s the best!

What is the best advice you ever got?
Be true to yourself. And if you want something, stop whining about it. Go after it. Make it happen.

What is the bravest thing you’ve ever done?
Taking the job here at 98 Rock not having a clue as to how to operate the equipment. I was flying by the seat of my pants those first few nights. I seriously thought my dream job was history.

What is the greatest problem facing Baltimore today?
Besides the obvious—crime—I’d say the lack of 24-hour eateries. Sometimes, you have to have a greasy burger at 3 a.m.!

What are your thoughts on The Block?
I’m over it. . . .

Who would play you in the movie of your life?
Katharine Hepburn before she started shaking.

If you could write Baltimore’s motto, what would it be?
Baltimore Rocks!

98 Rock is a bit of a boy’s club. How do you fit in over there?
You don’t have to be one of the boys to get along with the boys.

Do you miss vinyl?
Hell no! Cueing up records was a major pain. Nothing like the old album cover art, though.

Best on air interview?
Ozzy Osbourne. He’s great even when you can’t make out what he’s saying.

Does it feel like 30 years?
God no! Time flies when you’re having fun.

Any on-air bloopers?
I had only been on the air for about three months. We were doing a promotion with the Hair Cuttery. For $10 you could get a cut and blow dry with proceeds benefiting a charity. Let’s just say I messed up and had a Freudian slip! My program director was listening and almost drove off the road. Lucky for me, she was laughing!

Sure, you think you know her. Everyone who listens to her user-friendly, down-to-earth morning show on WPOC feels like they’re Laurie’s best pal. And that, of course, is the secret to her longtime success (18 years and counting). Then again, the married mother of three is pretty much the same laid-back, fun-loving, family-oriented gal off the air that she is on. So, come to think of it, maybe you do know her, after all.

Where did you go to school?

Graduated in 1977 from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo.

What book or film most changed your life?

The Bible.

Who is your favorite Baltimorean, living or dead?

Billie Holiday.

What is the best advice you ever got?

It was from my dad on my wedding day: “You don’t marry the one you love, you learn to love the one you marry.”

What is the biggest mistake you’ve ever made?

Believing during tryouts in middle school that if I just “smiled” I’d make the cheerleading squad.

What’s the bravest thing you’ve ever done?

Raise teenagers.

What is the greatest problem facing Baltimore today?

Moving people from apathy to action.

What are your thoughts on The Block?

When we first moved to Baltimore, about 19 years ago, we used to live downtown and I can remember how challenging it was to tell my then-four-year-old why I wouldn’t take him to see the circus at “The Big Top.”

How has Baltimore changed since you’ve lived here?

More traffic.

When were you most tempted to leave Baltimore?

We did leave the city for the county after about 10 years because we got tired of having our bikes and cars stolen. I’ve never yet been tempted to leave the Baltimore area.

Who would play you in the movie of your life?

I’m a woman over 40, Hollywood wouldn’t be interested.

What is your guilty pleasure?

Wandering endlessly in a good bookstore, eating chocolate while thinking about the bubble bath I’ll take when I get home.

If you could write Baltimore’s motto, what would it be?

Baltimore: People move in and never move out!