Art Linkletter

From Randy Dotinga, of the North County Times (San Diego/Riverside) comes this awesome Art Linkletter tidbit...

"Art Linkletter was best known as a kindly TV host who coaxed the "darndest things" out of kids. But back in the 1930s, he was a radio host in San Diego, just out of college, and he was a naughty, naughty boy. For one, he faked his play-by-play of the Naval Fleet coming into San Diego during a nationwide broadcast. It was delayed by fog, but he had a show to do. So he just made stuff up. For another, he was a dirty young man. As he worked a late shift at a radio studio in downtown San Diego, he'd watch sailors and their lady friends entertain each other through the windows of a nearby hotel. Sometimes he'd get so distracted he'd forget to change the record. Or if he was especially entranced by a performance, he'd put on a long-playing classical selection to allow uninterrupted viewing. The best part of these stories: Linkletter happily admitted to them."

Jack Brickhouse

I always loved Harry, but to me, the all-time Cubs announcer was Jack Brickhouse. He was the guy behind the microphone when I became a Cubs fan (a day I still curse).

Jack died on this day in 1998, just a few months after we lost Harry.

Here he is talking about his all-time favorite Cub...

Christopher Hitchens

I don't always agree with what he says (in fact, I often don't), but when I see him on a television show I always stop to hear what he has to say.

As a writer, he's really quite special, and again--I try to read what he writes.

But this Vanity Fair piece is hard to read.

It's about his latest struggle. Hitchens has cancer.

More blowback

The F.C.C, which has sadly been legally barred from participating, has at least come out publicly opposed to that Internet agreement. The chairman had this to say yesterday...

"Any outcome, any deal that doesn’t preserve the freedom and openness of the Internet for consumers and entrepreneurs will be unacceptable."

Amen, brother.

Is it blowback?

Or is it bad reporting?

Yesterday I pointed out this New York Times article and said that if it's true, it would mean the end of Net Neutrality.

Today both Verizon and Google deny the story.

They were either inundated with outrage, or they really hadn't agreed yet. Either way, the intensely bad publicity should give them pause, which is a good thing.

Spiro Agnew

On this day in 1968 Richard Nixon named Spiro Agnew as his running mate. How much of a joke was Agnew? This ad sums it up nicely. He eventually resigned in disgrace.

Sights & Sounds

Abbott and Costello doing "Who's on First" and the theme song to the 1969 Cubs are featured this week in Sights & Sounds.

The Fugitive

The film "The Fugitive" was released on this day in 1993.

What does that movie have in common with Greg Maddux?

Read here to find out.

Revolver

On this day in 1966, the Beatles released "Revolver" in the United Kingdom. A lot of people think that was their best album ever. I put it in the top 3 myself.

Net Neutrality appears to be dead

This deal all but kills it.

The big media/telecommunication companies win. The consumers lose. The content providers lose. Unless, of course, the content providers are willing to pay more money for the kind of fast access they get for free now, or the content providers are already owned by the big media companies.

And there's nothing we can do to stop it now. The courts have ruled that the F.C.C. does not have regulatory authority over the internet. The Congress has been given millions by the big media companies, and therefore will not pass anything to interject (even though they have received many million e-mails and letters each time this has come up before).

Google was the only one left protecting the consumers, and Google just buckled.

Comcast-NBC merger

The Comcast-NBC merger is getting quite a bit of push back from activist groups. One of them, The Coalition for Competition in Media (which includes Bloomberg, Free Press, National Organization for Women, Parents Television Council, and the Writers Guild of America) wrote a letter pointing out something obvious. 

The merger would give Comcast ownership of one of the four major broadcast networks in NBC, the second largest Spanish-language network Telemundo, the nation's dominant business news network in CNBC, several regional sports networks with exclusive rights to popular local sports and an ownership stake in some of the most popular cable networks in addition to being the nation's largest provider of broadband Internet services...the most affected markets would be those where Comcast is the dominant cable and broadband provider and would own one or more local NBC station, the local Telemundo station, and a regional sports network. Those markets include Boston; Chicago; Denver; Fresno; Hartford; Houston; Miami; Philadelphia; Tucson; Washington, D.C.; and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Let's see if this letter has an impact or not. In the meantime, I'm just happy that people aren't sitting on the sidelines ignoring it.

Mary Hart is leaving Entertainment Tonight

I haven't watched the show since the day I stopped producing radio shows, but I still know this is a big story in the entertainment world.

Mary Hart, who has been with Entertainment Tonight for 28 years, is leaving the show after next season.

The next generation to get hooked on Seinfeld reruns will not understand the episode that Mary Hart makes Kramer go into convulsions.

Brett Favre in the crosshairs (literally)

Deadspin is reporting that he likes to send er, um, pictures of himself to hot chicks.

I will warn you, however, that the "reporter" that broke this story is about as ethical as the National Enquirer. When you read the piece you'll see that the woman who confirmed it did it in a way that clearly indicated she wanted her name kept out of it. The writer of the piece not only didn't do that, he printed her e-mails. In the journalism world, someone that would do that is officially called, in case you're wondering, a low life.

Of course, in this case, he's also reporting about a low-life, but it seems like the woman in question is the real victim here. She got screwed over twice; first by Favre, then by the "reporter."

I should also note that this is the same website that fell for our Waitle Nex Yeare baby stunt last year, and helped that go viral.

Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft

They were married on this day in 1964. I met both of them when Mel was in town launching The Producers, which I count among my all-time favorite showbiz moments. Here they are singing "Sweet Georgia Brown" in Polish on British television in 1983...



They remained married until Anne's death a few years ago. A rare successful Hollywood marriage.

Terri Hemmert

Meet the new Radio Hall of Famer, our own local treasure, WXRT's Terri Hemmert. She was voted in yesterday in the Local-Regional Active category. She will officially be inducted on November 6th in a live broadcast on the Westwood One radio network.



Steve Dahl, nominated in the Local-Regional Pioneer category, didn't make it. (Nashville's Ralph Emery won in this category) That's too bad. I'm sure Steve will eventually make it. He definitely deserves it.

Howard Stern didn't make it either by the way. He was nominated in the National-Active category. NPR's Bob Kasell won instead.

Risky Business

Risky Business was released on this day in 1983.

Cubs fan and current Chicago Broadcaster Harry Teinowitz had a small part in the film.

Steve Jacula

I attended a wake last night of someone who died way too young.

His name was Steve Jacula, and he was once a member of the band Landecker & the Legends. If you ever saw us back in the 90s, Steve was our bass player. He had big poofy salt and pepper hair and a perpetual smile. (He's the one on the far left on the album cover)

He was also the producer of the first five Landecker & the Legends CDs, which were recorded in his Old Plank Studios in Naperville.

Steve had been fighting health issues for years, but no one foresaw his sudden death at the age of 55. In fact, I had just gotten back in touch with him about ten days ago on Facebook.

I'll always remember him as a gentle soul, a musical genius, and one of the nicest people I've ever known.

RIP, Steve. You will be missed.

Double Fantasy

Exactly 30 years ago today John and Yoko went into the studio to begin recording "Double Fantasy." It was John's first time recording new material in five years. As it turned out, it became his last album.

He was about to turn 40 at the time. Can you even imagine him as a 70 year old? That's how old he would be if he were still around.

Tribune may move out of Chicago

According to this, they've been scouting office space in Dallas.

That noise you hear is the whirring of Col. McCormick spinning in his grave.

An opposing view

If you read this space regularly you know how much I hate anonymous comments at the end of on-line articles. So, when I saw the article in Salon with the title "Why I like vicious anonymous on-line comments," I had to read it.

The writer hates the comments too, but he thinks it shows the actual underbelly of America, which needs to be exposed.

I guess that's true, but I guess I'm not a big underbelly fan.

Rupert's not going to do it

Scratch that report from yesterday.

Fox will not be bidding for the Texas Rangers today after all.

The Fairness Doctrine

If you're about my age you probably remember a time when the public discourse wasn't quite so nasty. You probably remember a time when people could disagree about politics without hating each others guts. That time, in case you're tracking these things at home, ended on this day in 1987.

That's the day the Fairness Doctrine was rescinded.

Before that day, if you did political talk on the airwaves (which are still officially owned by the public by the way), you had to at least offer equal time to the other side of the political debate. It helped to create the entire concept of the "objective journalist," and a "fair and balanced" (pardon the phrase) media. They had to be. They had no choice. Listeners and viewers couldn't live in a bubble as easily, only hearing their own side, reinforcing their own beliefs with more and more vitriolic rhetoric, never even considering what the other side had to say.

Some people think we should bring back The Fairness Doctrine, but I'm afraid it's too late to do that. It will never happen. The floodgates are open now, and there's no closing them.

But next time somebody laments that it's gotten to this point, remember the day August 4, 1987. That's when it started.

CBS still thinking about selling radio stations

From this morning's Tom Taylor column at Radio-Info.com...

Selling stations is still a possibility for CBS. CEO Les Moonves brought it up after Deutsche Bank analyst Doug Mitchelson asks about the “asset base.” Moonves says they “still intend” to divest some smaller markets, though – as always – he says they’ll wait for the right deals. But he says there “appears to be nice activity” on the radio station trading front (that would be welcome news to a lot of brokers) and says it “wouldn’t be a surprise” in the next six to 12 months if CBS sold some more radio stations.

Of course, this won't impact Chicago because they don't want to sell the major markets, but it would nice to see radio start making a comeback in other markets. That can't happen until the big boys get out. CBS is one of the big boys.

Just when you thought it was impossible...

...to feel sorry for BP, this story breaks in the Washington Post.

Have you seen those ads by the Institute for Energy Research? They support the oil industry in general as a very safe industry, while lambasting BP for being the exception to the rule. Well, it turns out they came to BP first and offered to say nice things about them in the ads too, for a measly $100,000. Only when BP said no, did they turn on them.

Read the full story at the link above if you want to actually feel sorry for the un-feel-sorry-able. (yes, I'm coining that term)

Whining about Wine

The 1979 Cubs were just as crappy as this year's model.

But believe it or not, they were even whinier. How whiny were they?

One night they even whined about wine.

Dallas Green

Dallas Green is 76 years old today.

He did some great things with the Cubs in his short time here, but he also wasn't exactly known for his warm and cuddly demeanor. 

This story is a perfect example of that.

Paul McCartney & Wings

On this day in 1971, Paul McCartney announced the formation of his new band: Wings. I know they are considered hopelessly unhip, but I don't care. I still like Wings. Especially this one...

A television boycott

Big surprise. The Parent's Television Council is threatening a boycott of the show "S*@! My Dad Says," which will debut this year (starring William Shatner).

I'm a parent too, but c'mon guys. Let's get real here. If you think it's so bad, don't let your kids watch it. I probably won't let my youngest son watch it. It's easy. There's a switch on the television. It's called the on-off switch. Don't deprive the rest of us of comedy, just because you're humorless.

I thought the response of the show's co-founder was pretty funny: “As a parent, it is my opinion that the Parents Television Council has much more important s–t to focus on than the title of a sitcom called ‘BLEEP My Dad Says,’” said Mutchnick.

Rupert in baseball again?

A few years ago Rupert Murdoch's empire included the Los Angeles Dodgers. He got out of the baseball business after a disastrous run there, but it looks like he's going to return.

The Texas Rangers are bankrupt, and the Aussie vulture is circling.

The details are here.

Lenny Bruce

On this day in 1966 they found him dead of an overdose. A tragic life. A groundbreaking comedian. By today's standards, he isn't shocking at all. By the standards of the early 1960s...

Well, listen to the way that Steve Allen introduces him.

Big Train

This week's Great Nickname at JOBC is Big Train.

Read about his short time on the tracks here.

High Drama

The latest issue of NWI Parent is out and once again I wrote the back page Family Room essay. This issue's essay is called "High Drama" and it's about the anxiety I'm feeling about my oldest boy entering high school in a few weeks.

You can read it here.

Shooter

His time with the Cubs was short.

His time on Earth was short.

But the man they called Shooter was one memorable guy.

Today would have been his 42nd birthday.

Wear your emotions on your chest

Every season there comes a time when the JOBC logo perfectly describes your emotions. If you're a Cubs fan, that time is now.

Buy your JOBC merchandise here.

Newsweek is sold

They just sold it audio magnate Sidney Harman. 


Guess how much he reportedly paid for it?  Would you believe it was only $1? Not one million or one billion, just one dollar. 100 cents.

Yes, he also agreed to assume their liabilities, but whoa, how the mighty have fallen.

Badfinger

They recorded this song on this day in 1969. It was written by Paul McCartney and eventually released on the Beatles Apple Records.

Obama appearance sets record

When President Obama appeared on The View last week he hit a homerun.

It's the most watched episode of the show ever.

Mad Men

I'm not a regular watcher of the show "Mad Men," but every time I catch it, I think to myself--"you know, I really should tape this." It's a really well done show.

That said, I am constantly amused by how much the advertising business hates the show. Ad Age had an article last week ripping how unrealistic it is, and this week they have a piece mocking the actual advertising the show attracts.

Fellas, look. This show takes place in the early 60s. Nobody is saying you still do this stuff. We all know that it's exaggerated anyway. Stop being so sensitive. It's a show. Appreciate it as a show. I didn't go crazy during the show "Frazier" when the lead character never really seemed to be talking into the microphone when he was on the air, because guess what? It was a television show. It wasn't a documentary.

Tribune asks for golden parachutes for its execs

The previous Tribune execs walked away rich rich rich after beginning to steer the ship into the ground, so I suppose it's only right that the execs that actually smashed it into bits also get their golden parachutes.

Details are here.

It's pretty sickening.

The Beatles at the Cavern Club

On this day in 1962, the Beatles got their regular gig at the Cavern Club. They would play more 300 shows there. Here's one...

The Talkers Top 100

Talkers Magazine, a trade publication for radio talk shows, just came out with their all-time top-100 list. I don't read that magazine because it's basically a cheerleader for right wing talk (not my favorite), but on the excellent Chicagolandradioandmedia site, site moderator Larz posted the names of the Chicagoans that made the list.

Among the Chicagoans on the list are my old bosses Steve Dahl (#44) and Garry Meier (#77), plus Tom Joyner (#14), Mancow (#62), Don & Roma (#91), and Bob Collins (#33).

Larz correctly points out that the list is very East-Coast centric, and I'll agree with that, but I think it's also ridiculously tilted to recent  history. Radio was much much bigger in the first half of last century than it has been the last twenty years.

The fact that Don McNeil, who hosted the national Breakfast Club for more than 50 years, and really invented the concept of the morning chat show, only comes in at #84 is ridiculous. Arthur Godfrey was the biggest radio star of all time and he's only #6, behind Rush, Howard Stern, Larry King, Sean Hannity and Don Imus?

Behind Sean Hannity? You've got to be kidding me. I don't like to criticize radio performers because I really do admire what they do, but Sean Hannity is a hack. He takes the daily Republican talking points and parrots them back to the listeners without any angle, without any creativity, without any imagination. A robot could do that show. (I hesitate to point that out, by the way. Don't try to create that robot, Clear Channel.)

This Week in 1945

Oh, lots of other things happened in the world this week in 1945, but none was bigger than this: The U.S. dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

Read all about it here.

Warren Harding

On this day in 1923 the President of the United States, Warren G. Harding, passed away while in office.

After he died, the truth about his presidency came out, including one of the worst scandals in presidential history.

It also happens to be the only presidential scandal that implicated an owner of the Chicago Cubs.

Father Knows Nothing

I just posted my latest Father Knows Nothing column at NWI Parent. This one is called: "An open letter to my dog."

Warning: It's pretty gross.

You can read it here.