Saturday, September 25, 2010

Chicago Radio Spotlight: Alex Quigley


My latest Chicago Radio Spotlight interview has been posted. This week I talk with WGN's Alex Quigley.

You can read it here.

Friday, September 24, 2010

Petticoat Junction

The show premiered on this day in 1963. When I lived in Germany this show was on every afternoon, and I became a big fan (ten years after it was a hit here). I just watched the video of the opening credits, and I can guarantee you I'll be singing this line in my head all day long: "That's Uncle Joe, he's moving kinda slow at the Junction. Petticoat Junction."

I liked Uncle Joe, but I preferred Betty Jo, Bobby Jo, and especially Billy Jo. There were three different actresses that played Billy Jo, and I liked all three of them, but the best one was the last one: Meredith MacRae. (Meredith, unfortunately, passed away in 2000).

I know what you're thinking: Nobody should know this much about Petticoat Junction. Granted, but you have to remember that we were starving for entertainment in Germany. And by the way, watch the video below. I was a teenager, and you can imagine how much I loved that opening petticoat scene with the sisters.

50 years ago

It happened in Chicago exactly 50 years ago this week...

Ricketts to cut payroll

I get why he's doing it. It's probably the right thing to do under the circumstances.

But I just don't like reading that the Cubs are cutting their payroll.

It brings back memories of the Wrigley years, and boy oh boy, those were not exactly the glory days.

Andy Pafko

On this day in 1943, Cubs great Handy Andy Pafko made his Wrigley Field debut.

If anyone tells you they were there for that game, don't believe 'em. The attendance was only 314. That's right, 314. It was a miserable day, and the game was called after five innings with the Cubs leading 7-4.

Handy Andy made a splashy debut. He went 2 for 3 and knocked in four runs from the fifth spot in the lineup.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

E-mails, we get e-mails...

"BP" responds to the Sesame Street video controversy below, with three observations...

1. It wasn’t so much her dress that caused the controversy, it was when she hung a sign on Oscar’s trash can that said “if this trash can is rockin’ don’t bother knockin’”

2. They don’t call him Big Bird for nothing.

3. Sesame Street didn’t mind the dress, but when Katy Perry gave Elmo a lap dance, THAT crossed the line.

I personally think the moment they went over the line was when The Count came in and counted. "ONE, TWO. TWO items about to fall out of your dress." And then the newscaster adjusted his tie, and in his best Rodney Dangerfield voice said, "Now you know why they call me Guy Smiley."

Tommy K

I just got the latest issue of NWI Parent, which includes, as usual, a back page essay from me. This one is about my oldest son Tommy's first foray into community service.

You can read it here.

Brant Brown

OH NO! He drops the ball. On this day in 1998.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Emminence Front

On this day in 1982, The Who kicked off their first "Farewell Tour." I saw them that year, and then again during their many other farewell tours. To be honest with you, if they came here again this weekend, I'd go see them again.

This was the brand new song wowing the crowds in 1982.

New poll results

1 in 5 Americans believe that Obama is a cactus.

I love the Onion.

Choreographical brilliance

My dog would have ruined this in a second...

Dempsey-Tunney



On this day in 1927, the biggest boxing match in Chicago history took place in Soldier Field.

Jack Dempsey (photo) fought Gene Tunney.

Al Capone and several members of the Chicago Cubs were in the crowd for the fight (although, not together).

Monday, September 20, 2010

Hawaii 5-0

Saw tons of promos teasing the new Hawaii 5-0 on CBS yesterday, but today happens to be the anniversary of the original show's debut in 1968. It had one of the best TV theme songs of all-time (by the Ventures), and I still crack up when I watch the opening credits...



Book 'em, Dano.

Joke for a Monday morning

Thanks to "MS" for contributing this one...

Dan was a single guy living at home with his father and working in the family business. When he found out he was going to inherit a fortune when his sickly father died, he decided he needed a wife with which to share his fortune.

One evening at an investment meeting he spotted the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her natural beauty took his breath away.

"I may look like just an ordinary man," he said to her, "but in just a few years, my father will die, and I ' ll inherit $200 million."

Impressed, the woman obtained his business card and three days later, became his stepmother.

Women are so much better at financial planning than men.

Born to Run

Tramps like us, baby, we were born to run...released on this day in 1975.

More Orion

I just happened to hear WGN morning man Greg Jarrett and his intrepid business reporter Orion Samuelson discussing the interview I did with Orion this weekend for Chicago Radio Spotlight.

Thanks so much to both Greg and Orion for the mention and the kind words about the site.

If you haven't checked it out yet, by the way, Orion tells some great stories about his 50 years at WGN, including the day he met President Kennedy, and the day he had to deliver the news that President Kennedy had been shot.

Tyler Colvin

I know nobody is following baseball anymore, at least not in Chicago, but yesterday something really scary happened to Cubs rookie Tyler Colvin.

He was impaled with a broken bat, and had to be hospitalized with a serious injury. He's out for the year.

The good news is that the prognosis calls for a complete recovery, but yikes. Baseball is really going to have to do something about those maple bats.

O'Hare Airport

On this day in 1949, Orchard field was renamed O'Hare Airport.

Read all about the person it was named for, his notorious father, and what the Cubs were doing on that day.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Father Knows Nothing

This week's Father Knows Nothing column is the story of Sean's birth.

Today is his 8th birthday!

You can read it here.