Great piece today in the Tribune by Steve Johnson. It's about the transformation of David Letterman. I think I agree with every word here.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Citizen Dave
Great piece today in the Tribune by Steve Johnson. It's about the transformation of David Letterman. I think I agree with every word here.
Getting in the mood
I'm packing up the car later today (after school) and taking the entire family skiing for the weekend. It's our first family ski trip. This picture helps get me in the right frame of mind...
Funny news story
This story takes place in downstate Illinois. Somebody is messing with the electronic street signs, and changing them to say things like: "Zombies in area. Run!" (Thanks to "B" for pointing it out)
The Belushi Brothers
On Thursdays at Just One Bad Century we feature the many famous people who are similarly afflicted with Cubs-itis, the insidious disease that courses through large swaths of America and turns reasonable normal people into ridiculous dreamers. (And yes, I know I'm talking about myself too).
This week, we're featuring John and Jim Belushi. Read about their Cubs love at the link.
Here's a bonus John Belushi moment. This scene takes place at Chez Paul, one of Chicago's fanciest restaurants (in 1979 when the movie was filmed.)
This week, we're featuring John and Jim Belushi. Read about their Cubs love at the link.
Here's a bonus John Belushi moment. This scene takes place at Chez Paul, one of Chicago's fanciest restaurants (in 1979 when the movie was filmed.)
Bob Newhart
From Tom Taylor: "Comic genius Bob Newhart enters the NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame. I don’t normally have time to cover TV sessions at the April NAB Spring Show, but this one’s worth making an exception for. I’ll try to bring back some of the best stuff from Newhart’s speech at the Monday, April 20 Television Luncheon. Newhart’s also got a bit of a radio connection – as an owner. He owned “K-Bob” KZBN in Santa Barbara (1290) from 1995 until he sold it in 2003."
Newhart has another radio connection that isn't mentioned very often. This is something I discovered about him during my Chicago history research. He was actually discovered by a Chicago disc jockey, Dan Sorkin. At the time Newhart was just making wacky tapes with a buddy of his--he wasn't yet doing stand up. Sorkin heard one of those tapes and got him a recording contract. After that, Newhart's rise in Chicago was meteoric.
Bob's best friend, by the way, is Don Rickles. That's what makes it so fun to watch the following clip...
Newhart has another radio connection that isn't mentioned very often. This is something I discovered about him during my Chicago history research. He was actually discovered by a Chicago disc jockey, Dan Sorkin. At the time Newhart was just making wacky tapes with a buddy of his--he wasn't yet doing stand up. Sorkin heard one of those tapes and got him a recording contract. After that, Newhart's rise in Chicago was meteoric.
Bob's best friend, by the way, is Don Rickles. That's what makes it so fun to watch the following clip...
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Holy Name Cathedral
There was a major fire this morning at Holy Name Cathedral, which caused serious damage to the roof. You can read about that here.I've been researching Chicago history for my Cubs website and a book I'm writing, and I recently came across another little bit of Holy Name Trivia. Many people know that gangster Dion O'Banion was gunned down at his flower shop across from Holy Name Cathedral back in 1924. But a lesser told story involves fellow gang member Hymie Weiss.
On October 11, 1925, Weiss left his office (above O'Banion's flower shop) on his way to court with his driver Sammy Peller, a bootlegger Paddy Murray, attorney William W. O’Brien, and a politician named Benjamin Jacobs. When they crossed State Street, a machine gun blast came from the window of the boarding house across the street. Murray died instantly. O’Brien was hit 4 times but crawled into a stairwell. Weiss had ten slugs in him and fell to the sidewalk. Peller and Jacobs, both of them wounded (Peller in the groin, Jacobs in the leg) limped in front of Holy Name Cathedral and the machine gun bullets followed them, chipping half the letters from the inscription on the corner stone of the cathedral: “AD 1874—AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW—THOSE THAT ARE IN HEAVEN AND THOSE ON EARTH.”
It wasn't as damaging as today's fire, but it certainly was dramatic.
Sad News
Eddie Schwartz, long-time overnight radio voice in Chicago, has passed away after a long illness. WBBM News Radio just reported the news.I knew Ed (we worked together at the Loop). He was a big man and had no shortage of health problems over the years, but he was somebody who truly loved radio, and deeply cared about Chicago. He will be missed.
I interviewed him last year for Chicago Radio Spotlight.
Robert Feder wrote the obit in the Chicago Sun Times.
Mel's Magic Touch?
It looks like XM/Sirius is going to hit bottom soon. Read this article to see the ridiculous debt payments they will be expected to make. The first payment ($175 million or so) is due on February 17. These debt payments are going to be coming up more and more for all the media companies. All those big deals they announced years ago are coming home to roost now.I know Mel Karmazin was considered a genius by Wall Street because of his success with CBS and Infinity Broadcasting, but when he was running those companies, he was overpaying for properties to artificially inflate stock prices in the short term, cutting employees and services that destroyed those properties and left them unable to maintain their audiences or income, and making decisions without even considering long-term implications because he didn't care--he knew he wasn't going to be around. It was all a house of cards...even before the economy collapsed. Every major media company is going through this, because they all followed Mel's lead.
The bummer is that despite destroying an entire industry, all of those guys who did it will walk away with fat pockets. Their personal bank accounts would make you vomit. They won't lose. Everyone else will. They'll blame the economy, and it will sound plausible, but the truth is exactly the opposite of that. The economy is collapsing because people like this (in many different industries) were creating a fake world that didn't really exist.
Anyone that has read $everance knows that I saw this coming, but I take no pride in being right. I was always hoping I was wrong.
Johnny Vander Meer
He is still famous for pitching two no-hitters in a row; a feat that will probably never be repeated. Did you know that he also pitched for the Cubs? It's true. Can you guess how well he pitched for the Cubs? The full story is here.
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Saunders versus Feder
Holy moley. I can't believe I missed this one. My old union, AFTRA, had a luncheon yesterday that turned into a scene. Channel 5 news anchor Warner Saunders verbally attacked former Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Feder (photo) in a prepared speech. You can read more about it here.
Kong
He was part man, part beast, and his teammates named him "Kong." It was a great nickname for a great player who was a great big pain in the ass. Read about him here.
Suburban Man
If you're stopping by here looking for Suburban Man, this note is just a reminder that Suburban Man is now known as "Father Knows Nothing." I still write a new column every week, but I now post those on Sundays at the NWI Parent blog. I also provide a link here. This week's is called "The Difference Between Housewives & Househusbands."
The day the music died
It was 50 years ago today. They call it the day the music died; February 3, 1959. Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper died in a plane crash.Over the years, I've talked to some people who were affected deeply by that crash.
Bob Hale was the MC of their last concert.
Bob Dearborn became the go-to-expert about "American Pie" by Don McLean--a song inspired by that day.
Read their stories today if you get a chance. It will help you get a feel for what this day meant to them.
Monday, February 02, 2009
E-mails, we get e-mails...
"A" writes in about Michael Phelps...
"You mean that Michael Phelps is a normal 23 year old kid? Seriously?! Sounds like the media trying to create a controversy out of nothing (basically taking a page from the ESPN handbook).
Let’s see, he just accomplished a feat that no other human being ever has, and did it by forfeiting any semblance of a normal life, spending most of his waking hours in a pool with no one but a not-so-attractive older man with a whistle barking orders at him. Suddenly, he’s on the cover of every magazine across the globe, has cash literally falling out of his pockets, and all the hot chicks who once thought he was a great big dork, are throwing their panties at him. Yeah, I think he’s making up for lost time. And I also think he’s earned that right.
Besides, it’s not like pot is a performance enhancing drug, unless you count the 24-hour convenience store dash for microwave burritos and bags of Frito Lay and Hostess products.
Twenty-three years old? I barely remember 23 three years old, except that I had an awful lot of fun that year!"
Couldn't have said it better myself.
Why are people ticked about the bailout?
This is a pretty good example of why: Bank of America, one of the banks we bailed out, spent millions on Super Bowl parties.
Michael Phelps
This was his statement after being caught smoking a bong:
``I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I’m 23 years old, and despite the successes I have had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner that people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public – it will not happen again.’’
Let he who is without stupid public acts at age 23 cast the first stone. Don't look at me. I would have been the laughingstock of the nation if my acts were chronicled at age 23.
Punxsutawny Phil sees his shadow
I know this is supposed to be a big story, so I'll duly note it. Phil saw his shadow, so we're supposed to have six more weeks of winter. I'll say the same thing I say every year. "I wish." Six more weeks means winter will end in the middle of March. Anyone who has ever lived in Chicago knows how unlikely that is.And by the way, doesn't the calendar even say that winter ends on March 21st. That's 7 weeks. Who dreamed up this entire ridiculous concept?*
*Sadly, the Germans.
A question
"B" contributes this photo with the question: "If this is true, why are there so many naked chicks on the internet?"
Groundhogs Day
The reason I can't listen to "I got you babe" without laughing.Have a great day, all you woodchuck-chuckers.
Beatlemania in Chicago
My Monday feature at Just One Bad Century is "Cubs through history." This is the feature where I try to put Cubs history into perspective by intersecting it with Chicago history. This week I look at the Beatlemania years. The Beatles came to Chicago several times during their heyday, each visit under very different circumstances. During their last visit, John Lennon had to schedule a press conference to address his "We're more popular than Jesus" remark. Read all about that (video links included) and what was going on with the Cubs during those Chicago visits.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Father Knows Nothing
This is my latest Father Knows Nothing column. It's called "The difference between a housewife and a househusband." *Note: There is only one difference. Read the column to find out what that is.
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