A driving force behind the scenes at WWL Radio, Helen Centanni, died today. She had been battling ALS.
“Helen Centanni was the light! She was a beautiful person, an amazing producer (the standard), but more than anything she was my friend,” WWL Brand Manager Diane Newman said. “I love her. We all love her. Every member of the WWL Radio staff and our Audacy cluster of stations is saddened by the news that Helen passed on to the other side.”
After Hurricane Katrina wiped out so much of New Orleans, and left many wondering if the city could ever recover, Helen took on the role of producing the Garland Robinette show.
“Helen helped drive the rescue, recovery and rebuilding of our precious City of New Orleans. Like Garland, Helen was fearless and brave. She was serious, studied and devoted, and she never accepted NO for an answer,” Newman remembered. “During a critical time in our city’s and state’s history - WWL insisted the U.S. Government give the Crescent City the respect, attention and funding it deserved. We pushed for stronger, tougher levees - a better protection system. We insisted Louisiana get its fair share of oil and gas revenues. We called out failed leadership and supported reinvention and re-imagination. Helen loved her work and she loved this city. That passion played out every day on WWL Radio.”
WWL Radio
From the White House to Congress and the Louisiana Governor’s office to New Orleans City Hall, the staff knew Helen Centanni. She worked tirelessly to make sure government at all levels was aware of New Orleans plight and answered to constituents through WWL Radio.
She got officials at every level on the air from local leaders all the way to the President George W. Bush.
Newman said that when WWL convinced Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand to swap the badge for the microphone - Helen became Newell’s producer. Newell immediately recognized that he had the best.
“I have often said that I am blessed to have met so many incredible and special people, and without a doubt, Helen Centanni is at the top of the list,” Normand said about Centanni. “A consummate professional and a friend.”
Newman said Normand and Centanni made an amazing team.
“As Newell’s producer - she helped drive critical conversations at the time when our community needed the power, reach and influence of WWL most - during the Covid pandemic, after hurricanes Ida, during the city’s crime crisis.”
Centanni was also a crucial part of bringing Angela Hill to WWL Radio.
“WWL reunited the team of Angela Hill and Helen Centanni, when we convince the preeminent television news anchor to join our WWL Radio talk team,” Newman explained. “Helen & Angela worked together on WWL-TV’s ‘Angela Hill Show.’ Yes, Helen became the producer for both Garland and Angela. Not many producers could pull that off. The connection between Angela and Helen was honest, deep…it was magical! They were/are sisters - a force to be reckoned with.”
WWL
Angela Hill said today, “Helen was one of the most unique people I have ever known. She was smart, the hardest working person in the room, hilarious and fun. What separated her from so many was her was unbelievable sense of joy. Helen did not have the easiest life, but you would never know. She found happiness in everything. She was walking happiness. I know I would not have had the professional success I had without her energy and talent. And without her heart and friendship my life would have been poorer. I will miss her every day.”
Centanni brought amazing passion to everything she did and everything she loved. She was an unmatched Disney enthusiast and a Saints Superfan. She would go the Saints games and root on the Black and Gold as MalefiSaint.
WWL
WWL
Here are the complete, heartfelt thoughts from WWL Brand Manager Diane Newman:
Helen Centanni was the light! She was a beautiful person…an amazing producer (the standard)…but more than anything she was my friend. I love her. We all love her. Every member of the WWL Radio staff and our Audacy cluster of stations is saddened by the news that Helen passed on to the other side. But we all know this - she is in a better place…a beautiful part of heaven…and it looks like Disney World! Our hearts are with Helen’s son, Philip and her husband Ro, who showed her the love and care she needed throughout her battle with ALS. Helen fought an amazing fight because of her love for life and her family.
Helen was a driving force here at WWL. As a partner in this mad, crazy, non-stop business, she was the rock I/we stood on. Before Hurricane Katrina, Helen was our promotion director. After the storm, I convinced Hel to leave Los Angeles (where she & her husband Ro escaped to) - and come back to New Orleans to be our Executive Producer. Helen accepted the challenged. WWL was the voice of the people during and after the storm - the epicenter of the rebirth of New Orleans. As the producer of the Garland Robinette Show, Helen helped drive the rescue, recovery and rebuild of our precious City of New Orleans. Like Garland, Helen was fearless and brave - she was serious, studied and devoted - and she never accepted NO for an answer. During a critical time in our city and state’s history - WWL insisted the U.S. Government give the Crescent City the respect, attention and funding it deserved. We pushed for stronger, tougher levees - a better protection system. We insisted Louisiana get its fair share of oil and gas revenues. We called out failed leadership and supported reinvention and re-imagination. Helen loved her work and she loved this city. That passion played out every day on WWL Radio.
Years later - WWL reunited the team of Angela Hill and Helen Centanni, when we convince the preeminent television news anchor to join our WWL Radio talk team. (You see, Helen & Angela worked together on WWL-TV’s “Angela Hill Show.”) Yes, Helen became the producer for both Garland and Angela. Not many producers could pull that off. The connection between Angela and Helen was honest, deep…it was magical! They were/are sisters - a force to be reckoned with.
When we convinced Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand to swap the badge for the microphone - Helen became Newell’s producer. Newell immediately recognized that he had the BEST. Helen Centanni was the best! Again, as Newell’s producer - she helped drive critical conversations at the time when our community needed the power, reach and influence of WWL most - during the Covid pandemic, after hurricanes Ida, during the city’s crime crisis. Radio is a collaboration business. Host, producers, program directors, news people on air and online work in unison - nobody understood that better than Helen.
Today as we remember the Saints Super Bowl Victory parade, the Bobby Hebert/Buddy D dress parade from the Superdome to the French Quarter, countless Mardi Gras broadcast live from Gallier Hall - we remember Helen and her beautiful smiling face and the joy that surrounded PHTG (Princess Helen the Great.) Our collective hearts break, but we all have comfort in the fact that we got to know and love our dearest, Helen Centanni.
