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Thanks to everyone who pledged to KPFT this past drive!

This article has moved to Urban Unrest.

Rick Smith, the popular Houston artist, writer, DJ, musician and filmmaker sometimes known as Rix Myth, passed away November 8 at his Montrose apartment. He was 39 years old. The cause of death is unclear, although DJs on KPFT-FM, where Smith had co-hosted the overnight Messerschmitt World Domination Happy Hour program since 2002, said during the station’s pledge drive this weekend they believed it was internal bleeding.

“He told two people different things,” longtime friend and former Bayou Pigs bassist Mark Fagan, who attended Westfield High School with Smith, said Monday morning. “He said he was flipping over his mattress and hurt himself, and told someone else he fell down.”

Richard B. Smith was born May 8, 1968 in New Orleans. He graduated from Westfield in 1986, attended Sam Houston State University and received an Associate’s Degree in Layout/Production Art from the Art Institute of Houston in 1992. He made his living as a painter and illustrator, and designed and manufactured his own line of T-Shirts, Bojinka T’s, which bore catchy, subversive slogans like “Evildoer,” “Quiet Loner” and “Abort More Babies.”

“He’s going to be sorely missed,” said Sound Exchange owner Kevin Bakos. “He was around forever. I can’t think of a time when there wasn’t a Rick Smith. He sort of harkens back to when this was a very different neighborhood. One of the old guard passing on is always sad.”

Smith also played in the local bands Daddy’s Belt and Bald Eagle Burger, was a former music-news columnist for the old Public News, and contributed to Free Press Houston and Houston’s Other. Some of his plays were produced by local theater company Dos Chicas.

“Bayou Pigs used to play some of our earliest gigs in his living room,” Fagan said. “For the Axiom reunion show he loaned us his practice space and a bunch of his gear. He burned us all like five DVDs, Hawkwind, Metalocalypse, stuff like that. That’s just the kind of guy he was.”

“He was kind of a night owl,” added Bakos. “He wasn’t usually even out of bed by the time we were closed.”

Smith is survived by his mother and stepfather; father and stepmother; sister, brother-in-law, niece and nephew; grandmother; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. His funeral is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Tomball (1111 S. Cherry St.), and a wake Wednesday night at Catbird’s (1336 Westheimer, 8 p.m.) is also planned.

“It’s like everybody always says about someone being the nicest guy in the world, but this guy really was,” Fagan said. “The only thing I really remember him getting upset about was George Bush and the war in Iraq, but he never had a bad word to say about anybody. He was just really talented, generous and a great friend for 25 years.”

Rick Smith, host of KPFT’s avant-garde Messerschmitt World Domination Happy Hour, passed away unexpectedly this past week. He was 39. His family will hold a service for him Tuesday at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, 1111 S. Cherry St. in Tomball. Start time is 10:30 a.m. His family has asked that flowers be sent, and that, in lieu, contributions to one’s favorite charity be made. Please keep Rick’s loved ones in your thoughts and prayers.

JOB TITLE: Chief Executive Officer

ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION:
Free Speech TV is a publicly supported, independent, non-profit TV channel with a $2.4 million annual budget and 16 full-time staff that is a project of Public Communicators, Inc., a 501(c) 3 non-profit, tax-exempt organization. Free Speech TV is available nationally, 24/7, on DISH Network and selected programs are available on 170 community access cable stations in 34 states. Seizing the power of television to expand social consciousness, Free Speech TV fuels the movement for progressive social, economic, and political transformation. By exposing the public to perspectives excluded from the corporate-owned media, Free Speech TV empowers citizens to fight injustices, to revitalize democracy, and to build a more compassionate world. Free Speech TV broadcasts independently-produced documentaries dealing with social, political, cultural, and environmental issues; commissions and produces original programming; develops programming partnerships and collaborations with social justice organizations; provides special live broadcasts of important events; maintains a web site that hosts one of the Internet’s largest collections of progressive audio and video content; and hosts an online community to foster participatory media and grassroots organizing.

Free Speech TV’s Core Strategies Include:
 Movement Building — Empowering global citizens, by exposing abuse of power in all its forms, and by highlighting resistance.
 Partnerships — Building partnerships with social justice organizations and directing viewers to their work.
 Independent Media — Working with, and supporting the growth of independent media
 Creativity — Celebrating creativity and artistic expression as a vital part of any healthy society.

JOB SUMMARY:
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is responsible for managing the affairs of Free Speech TV and reports to the Board of Directors.

PRIORITIES/DUTIES OF CEO
 Provide visionary leadership; internal management and consensus building with staff and board to fulfill the organization’s mission.
 Maintain a high professional profile and build strategic partnerships with donors, foundations and other progressive organizations.
 Work with the Board and staff in developing and achieving annual and long-range financial goals through fundraising.
 Identify, cultivate and solicit major gifts from individuals, foundations, and other sources.
 Develop and maintain effective organizational structures, personnel, technology, business operations, and fiscal affairs.
 Foster an organizational culture characterized by commitment to mission, shared values and outcomes.
 Facilitate communication among the Board, staff and community stakeholders.
 Play a substantive role in the national dialogue with other progressive and grassroots leaders in the field.
 Advance Free Speech TV to the next level in its development.

SKILLS SUMMARY
 5 years of demonstrated fundraising outcomes
 Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills
 Comfortable speaking in front of groups
 5 years leadership or management experience
 Experience working with and building boards of directors
 Knowledge of progressive media and grassroots issues highly preferred

SALARY AND BENEFITS
Salary commensurate with experience, excellent benefits, including health, dental, vision, life insurance and retirement. Some out of town travel required.

TO APPLY:
Send cover letter, salary requirements, resume by email with Free Speech TV CEO SEARCH in subject line to Howard Semones, howard@richardmale.com by August 3, 2007. No phone calls please.

Free Speech TV is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Free Speech TV welcomes applications from people of color, women, people with disabilities, low-income people, and gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender people.