By Michelle Leigh Smith

Julia Roberts played Joanne King Herring in “Charlie Wilson’s War”, but the larger-than-life Texas woman had the last word with the Hollywood scriptwriters and producers who wanted a more liberal twist to the truth.

“They had me jumping in an out of a hot tub upstairs while I hosted a gala downstairs and that just did not happen,” Herring explained to a ballroom replete with fans at Houston’s Junior League. This is the first Influential Woman Award for the American Advertising Federation, but the second for The Influential Circle; Janiece Longoria was the first recipient last year.

The award was presented by The Influential Circle, a 501© (6) business networking community for women committed to maximizing their potential by driving business, fostering leadership and championing the success of women in the workplace, and by the American Advertising Federation-Houston, established in 1905 and headquartered in Washington, D.C.

It is the most recent of a long line of firsts – first woman to serve as a Business Development Advisor in Pakistan. She was later appointed Roving Ambassador to stimulate business for Pakistan  , and first woman to have her own television news show in Houston (on KHOU-TV starting in the 60s, before color and when Herring was a brunette).  “The men did not want me there and they were stunned that they were paying me what they were paying me when I was so bad!” she laughs. “I was a quick learner and before long, she was asked to take Barbara Walters’ place in New York on a national morning news show.  I told them no, because I thought I could be much more effective at my husband’s side.  She was married to oilman Bob Herring, who had companies in 27 countries and headed up Houston Natural Gas. He served as director of the American Gas Association, Texas Mid Continent Oil and Gas Association, the Proler Steel Corporation, Texas Commerce Bank and the Independent Petroleum Association of America. Herring became a trustee on the Rice University board of governors in 1972 and its chairman in June. He also served as a trustee of the University of Houston Foundation. So, throughout her marriage, Joanne Herring hosted queens, kings, presidents and senators. “You saw all the fuss in Downtown Abbey when the Crawley’s prepared for one queen’s visit,” she quips. “I’ve hosted nine queens.”

The leaders of Pakistan really wanted Bob Herring to serve as their honorary consul general. “Bob felt that he didn’t have time to serve, so he said, take Joanne.   “I got it by accident, and it was at a time when women were expected to eat in a separate room from men, so again, I was in a situation where the men really didn’t want me.  I looked at it and thought, what do they need?  What don’t they have?”  That was an approach that served her well, throughout the past seven decades.

“The men ended up calling me `Sir,’ and I decided to work with the poor,” she says.

Herring serves as the president of the Marshall Plan Charities Foundation, helping villages in Afghanistan become self-sufficient.  “I could see how very poor the country was, but with that, their craftsmanship and artistry were stunning.  I asked some designer friends of mine in Europe – Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin to help us produce quantities of the unique accessories.  We even designed sheets. They all said yes!” She has proved that an entire village of 10,000 people can be structured for the cost of keeping one soldier in the field for a year. “I am determined to bring American troops home and equip Afghanistan to stand on its own,” says the feisty blonde.

The international socialite, global political activist and former Texas television anchor, Herring is known for her improbable fight with the Mujahedeen against the former Soviet Union. Herring, along with Charlie Wilson and the late CIA case officer Gustavo Avrakotos to be awarded posthumously, were nominated for a Congressional Medal of Honor.  But her full story – with all its God, guns and Gucci glory – is even more remarkable.

Her advice?  “Dress like a woman, but talk like a man,” says Herring. A role model?  “I deeply respect Janice McNair, the widow of Bob McNair – she’s running the Texans (football team) now, and she never says a harsh word to anyone,” she purrs.

Born in a man’s world at a time when women had limited choices, Joanne King Herring blazed a trail with allies as unlikely as Charlie Wilson, Anwar Sadat, Henry Kissinger and President Ronald Reagan. She forged new opportunities for women in Pakistan, Afghanistan and America. She was named the Queen of Texas by People, Forbes, Fortune Magazines, Washington Post, and CNN.

Joanne hosted the Joanne King Show on television for 15 years, was made roaming Ambassador of Pakistan and received the Quaid-e-Azam award, the highest honor given by the nation of Pakistan. She was made Dame by the Order of St. Francis and has been knighted by the King of Belgium. She is also the recipient of the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge Award and co-chaired the Special Olympics in New York City with Henry Kissinger. She tells her fascinating continuing story in her own words with charm and delight in her extraordinary memoir, Diplomacy and Diamonds: My Wars from the Ballroom to the Battlefield.

Joanne has appeared as a guest on Fox News Channel programs “Fox & Friends”, “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren”, “Hannity”, “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” and “Huckabee”. She has also appeared on Bloomberg Business News and is a reappearing guest on CNN’s “American Morning with Ali Velshi.” Her book, Diplomacy and Diamonds was also featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Observer, the New York Social Diary and PW Weekly.

id Continent Oil and Gas Association, the Proler Steel Corporation, Texas Commerce Bank and the Independent Petroleum Association of America. Herring became a trustee on the Rice University board of governors in 1972 and its chairman in June. He also served as a trustee of the University of Houston Foundation. So, throughout her marriage, Joanne Herring hosted queens, kings, presidents and senators. “You saw all the fuss in Downtown Abbey when the Crawley’s prepared for one queen’s visit,” she quips. “I’ve hosted nine queens.”

The leaders of Pakistan really wanted Bob Herring to serve as their honorary consul general. “Bob felt that he didn’t have time to serve, so he said, take Joanne.   “I got it by accident, and it was at a time when women were expected to eat in a separate room from men, so again, I was in a situation where the men really didn’t want me.  I looked at it and thought, what do they need?  What don’t they have?”  That was an approach that served her well, throughout the past seven decades.

“The men ended up calling me `Sir,’ and I decided to work with the poor,” she says.

Herring serves as the president of the Marshall Plan Charities Foundation, helping villages in Afghanistan become self-sufficient.  “I could see how very poor the country was, but with that, their craftsmanship and artistry were stunning.  I asked some designer friends of mine in Europe – Givenchy, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Cardin to help us produce quantities of the unique accessories.  We even designed sheets. They all said yes!” She has proved that an entire village of 10,000 people can be structured for the cost of keeping one soldier in the field for a year. “I am determined to bring American troops home and equip Afghanistan to stand on its own,” says the feisty blonde.

The international socialite, global political activist and former Texas television anchor, Herring is known for her improbable fight with the Mujahedeen against the former Soviet Union. Herring, along with Charlie Wilson and the late CIA case officer Gustavo Avrakotos to be awarded posthumously, were nominated for a Congressional Medal of Honor.  But her full story – with all its God, guns and Gucci glory – is even more remarkable.

Her advice?  “Dress like a woman, but talk like a man,” says Herring. A role model?  “I deeply respect Janice McNair, the widow of Bob McNair – she’s running the Texans (football team) now, and she never says a harsh word to anyone,” she purrs.

Born in a man’s world at a time when women had limited choices, Joanne King Herring blazed a trail with allies as unlikely as Charlie Wilson, Anwar Sadat, Henry Kissinger and President Ronald Reagan. She forged new opportunities for women in Pakistan, Afghanistan and America. She was named the Queen of Texas by People, Forbes, Fortune Magazines, Washington Post, and CNN.

Joanne hosted the Joanne King Show on television for 15 years, was made roaming Ambassador of Pakistan and received the Quaid-e-Azam award, the highest honor given by the nation of Pakistan. She was made Dame by the Order of St. Francis and has been knighted by the King of Belgium. She is also the recipient of the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge Award and co-chaired the Special Olympics in New York City with Henry Kissinger. She tells her fascinating continuing story in her own words with charm and delight in her extraordinary memoir, Diplomacy and Diamonds: My Wars from the Ballroom to the Battlefield.

Joanne has appeared as a guest on Fox News Channel programs “Fox & Friends”, “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren”, “Hannity”, “Lou Dobbs Tonight,” and “Huckabee”. She has also appeared on Bloomberg Business News and is a reappearing guest on CNN’s “American Morning with Ali Velshi.” Her book, Diplomacy and Diamonds was also featured in the Wall Street Journal, the New York Observer, the New York Social Diary and PW Weekly.