New Song by The Who

It's their first new material in 8 years. It's called "Be Lucky"....

"Back in the Game" Now Available as an E-book!

The book that Jerry Reinsdorf calls "a must read for Chicagoans", and Mark Suppelsa describes as "another good story about his remarkable life", is now also available as an e-book via amazon.

Chicago media critic Robert Feder recently called it "a breezy pleasure to read", and it can be in your hands, ready to read in seconds.

In fact, it's only one click away.

Click here to purchase your copy.

Jim Peterik Interview

I was a big fan of Jim Peterik even before I met him. The leader of the Ides of March ("Vehicle") and Survivor ("Eye of the Tiger") is a local guy, and an absolute gentleman. During my producing days I called him many times to book him, and he always agreed to do it--no matter the time or place. And when he arrived at the studio with his guitar in hand (as early as 6:30am with Landecker's show), he was always in good spirits and was a true professional.

I hadn't seen him for years when I ran into him at a concert at the Rosemont Theatre a year or so ago. I didn't think he'd remember me, but as I went up to shake his hand he said: "Rick! Long time, no see!"

Jim has written his autobiography, which is now out. This interview with the Naperville Sun makes me want to run out and buy it.

The Story Behind Bill Murray And Harold Ramis’ 21 Year Rift

I knew they didn't really talk to each other much during the last decade or so of Harold Ramis' life. I just didn't know why. It's a really interesting and sad story. The two of them made some of my favorite movies together, and the one that may be my favorite of all of them is the one that caused a 21-year rift.

Olbermann Goes Off on Derek Jeter

I won't deny the stats cited by Olbermann, but it still seems unneccesarily mean. It's not like Jeter is asking for this adulation. Why is he so mad at Jeter?



For the other side of the story, here are some stats that Olbermann doesn't cite. All of them are impressive.

Yoga Therapy

Thanks to "SA" for this one...

Solo Beatles Are Gonna Cost Me Some Money

Got an e-mail from iTunes saying that all the Beatles solo material has been remastered and will be available on iTunes. As a teaser, they gave away these four songs...






1 Love
John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band
3:23

2 Call Me Back Again
Wings
5:00

3 Let It Down
George Harrison
4:59

4 Walk With You
Ringo Starr
4:41

I'll admit they aren't the biggest hits, but they're in my iPod already. That creaking sound you hear is my wallet opening for some more.

I wish I wasn't this easy.

Fat Men Have Better Sex Performance

This is one of the more hilarious wish fulfillment stories I've seen. As reported by Fox 32...

A new study from Erciyes University in Turkey found that men with more body fat have a better sexual performance than men who are fit, according to a report. From analyzing 100 participants, researchers found that men with a high body mass index lasted an average of 7.3 minutes during sex. As for men who were fit, they lasted an average of 108 seconds. This is due to the fact that the female sex hormone estradiol interferes with the male neurotransmitter chemicals, meaning larger men with higher levels of the chemicals take longer to orgasm.

Every doughy man in America will casually mention this at dinner tonight.

108 seconds, by the way, is 1:48. That means a fit man wouldn't make it through this song by Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs. When they sing "just a little bit longer", they are not exaggerating.

WGN Takes On WBBM

WGN sees an opening next season when WBBM starts airing the Cubs. From Tom Taylor's NOW column...

Chicago’s talk WGN (720) will “put more emphasis and energy into news, particularly while they’re doing baseball.” That’s Tribune manager Jimmy de Castro, and “they” refers to CBS Radio’s all-news WBBM (780/105.9) – the station that’s taking over the Cubs baseball franchise that WGN’s had a monopoly on for decades...So de Castro plans to position a “Business Lunch” show on, weekdays at 12, directly opposite WBBM’s “Noon Business Hour.” Current WGN personalities Bob Sirott and Marianne Murciano will focus on not just the usual Wall Street stuff, but things like “momtrepreneurs,” says Robert Channick in the Chicago Tribune. Aside from the noon hour, de Castro’s hiring former WFLD-TV “Good Day Chicago” co-anchor Anna Davlantes to deliver a “Big Story” during each hour of the Steve Cochran morning show. Sounds like they’ll be using the LDR Interactive “TopicPulse” product to guide story selection about what’s trending online. Channick says WGN “also plans to hire additional news staff and increase its commitment to ‘original reporting’” – again as a way to gain ground against WBBM.

Amy Landecker

Bill Zwecker posted a great Q&A with Amy Landecker in the Sun Times. Amy is the star of the hit Amazon series "Transparent", and of course, the daughter of my old pal John Records Landecker.

She's a very down-to-earth gal--I hung out with her for a whole week in Jamaica when John brought her along for our live broadcasts from there--and I've met her many times before and since.

I'm rooting for her bigtime. I know that John couldn't be prouder of her success.

Comedy Central Rules Youtube

At least among television networks. From the Wall Street Journal...

So you’d think that the big networks would be embracing YouTube in a big way. But if you look at the top TV-network-affiliated YouTube channels, the big four broadcasters barely register. Only Fox cracks the top five (excluding news), at least according to the analytics firm OpenSlate, which scores YouTube channels on a variety of factors, including consistency of viewership, influence, social interactions and sharing. (Fox-parent 21st Century Fox and Wall Street Journal-owner News Corp were part of the same company until last year.)

Instead, the rankings of TV-related YouTube channels are dominated by cable. At the top is Comedy Central–which is ironic, given that it’s parent company, Viacom , was until recently involved in a prolonged lawsuit with YouTube-owner Google . That ranking speaks to the popularity of Comedy Central hosts Jon Stewart and soon-to-depart Stephen Colbert, and the obvious fact that comedy videos play well on the Web.

What the article doesn't say is that kitten videos also have better numbers than Comedy Central. It's all relative.

Rush Fights Back

The advertiser boycott that has taken 30-40% of the advertising out of the conservative talk radio pie is finally getting to the guy who caused it to happen in the first place. Rush Limbaugh is now fighting back against the people who led the boycott; namely Media Matters and a few other activists.

For years he tried to ignore it and hope it went away, but it hasn't. It's gotten worse.

So...here is his response 2 1/2 years later: "The Hidden Story Behind Stop Rush"

Most of what he says is essentially true, but there is also a hidden story behind the hidden story that Rush doesn't bother telling. The head of Media Matters, David Brock, is a former Republican activist who learned these same techniques from the Republicans. In fact, Media Matters' model is an exact duplicate of conserative "watchdog" groups like the Parents Television Council (led by Brett Bozell) and the Family Research Council (led by Tony Perkins). Those perpetually "outraged" conservative groups invented the advertiser boycott. Those boycotts claimed the scalps of shows like "Married with Children", and every shock jock radio program in America (there used to be one in every town--not any more).

Remember how they saved us from the unbelievable tragedy of a Bono fleeting expletive during an awards show (Oh the children!), or more memorably, a split second glimpse of Janet Jackson's boob during the Super Bowl Halftime show? That went all the way to the Supreme Court thanks to those watchdog "groups"...who really were just two or three guys.

It's not Media Matters fault that most of the country thinks what you say is offensive, Rush. They had no idea you've been saying stuff like this for twenty plus years...because they didn't listen to your program. Media Matters isn't inventing things that you say, they are merely shining a spotlight on them. Now you have to live by the same rules as everyone else. Rules that were put into place thanks to your buddies.

You reap what you sow.

Switzerland 2014

So where have I been the last week?

Ever since we were married I've been promising Bridget I would take her to the most beautiful place on earth. The occasion that allowed me to finally pull it off was my sister Cindy's 50th birthday. A group of nine (including Bridget and I) spent the week there. I don't think the photos really capture the breathtaking scenery. If there's a more beautiful place...I've never seen it.

Robert Feder Reviews "Back in the Game"

Chicago's pre-eminent media critic Robert Feder has reviewed Rich King's "Back in the Game". You can read the entire review here, but a short excerpt is below...

Back in the Game, published this week by Eckhartz Press and co-written by Lindsay Eanet (daughter of fellow sportscaster Dave Eanet), is a followup to My Maggie. King shares new insight into the depression he experienced during a long, lonely widowhood before he met April Keith, a divorced woman 17 years his junior. The bulk of the book recounts the courtship and romance that culminated in their marriage in 2009. In his second wife, King, 67, discovered new reason to live and a new outlook on practically everything.

As sweet as his love story with April may be, I found King’s sharp observations on the decline of his profession and his appraisals of those he’s worked with and covered over his 46 years in broadcasting far more interesting. I wish he’d shared more on that part of his life.

King heaps praise on his mentor, Brad “The Professor” Palmer, who helped him land his first anchor position at WBBM AM 780 after Brent Musburger left to become a CBS Sports star. King credits Palmer and Musburger with putting Chicago sports radio on the map and injecting journalistic integrity into local sportscasting. In contrast to those who saw their roles as cheerleaders, King writes: “Their priority was bringing the news to their readers and listeners, even if the truth required some questioning, some conflict.”

The books are flying off the Eckhartz Press shelves. Get your copy today!

"My Maggie" Available as an E-book for First Time Ever

When 'My Maggie' was released in 2008, it received universal praise. Unfortunately, it was available only in hardcover. Now on the heels of his second book's release ("Back in the Game"), with the help of Eckhartz Press, Rich King has made "My Maggie" available as an e-book for the first time ever. (Click here to purchase it for your kindle)

Some of the amazon reviews are below...

Extraordinary comeback(s), extraordinary courage
By John A. Sarkett
(5 Stars)
"No one, and we mean no one we've encountered in these researches of comeback stories, did more with less than the extraordinarily courageous, indomitable Maggie King. As a counselor, Maggie had the power to change lives, and now that Rich has captured her essence in this biography, she will keep on doing that for many years to come. As Rich King would say simply, she would like that. You see members of your TV news teams every day. They come into your home, like family or friends. You think you know them (you don't), and that their lives are pretty charmed (sometimes), and breezy and effortless and glib as the jokes at the end of the late night itself (not for sportscaster Rich King or his Maggie). Behind the video image, Rich King was bearing the weight of the world for many years, and we, his viewers, never knew it. His wife Maggie was engaged for years in a titanic struggle against blindness, and hearing loss, and all that entailed, as as a result, so, too, was he. When breast cancer, then ovarian cancer joined the battle, it was nothing less than a life and death struggle. This book will knock you flat on your back. It will make you appreciate every moment that you have your sight, your hearing....and your life."


Brought Back Lots of Chicago Memories
By Jean Bedord
(5 Stars)
"As a Chicagoan, I really loved this book. It characterizes the city's ethnicity and cultures, but this story will be of interest to anyone who has a friend or relative struggling with a serious illness. This book is actually a "Love Story" about people I know and think highly of. It tells the story of 2 people who met in grade school and fell more in love as times went on - both good and bad. It also tells about the "support group" of friends surrounding them and the big difference it made in their lives. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone."

Extraordinary biography
By Dawn R. Savage
(5 stars)
Maggie King must have left a meaningful impression on all whom she met. Despite a hearing problem, blindness and cancer, she graduated from nursing school, treated hundreds of people and counseled the visually impaired, all the while building a loving marriage to her husband, Rich King. Her spirit will have you believing you have so much more to give in this life.

Inspirational
By Heather Ziener
5 stars
"My Maggie was an inspirational book. How Maggie fought against deafness, blindness, and cancer, not only to survive, but to attain a college degree, is amazing. Rich King stuck by her and his marriage vows, which seems to be uncommon now. Rich King writes about his struggles with being a caregiver while maintaining employment, as well his struggle with religion and questions about God. I believe that the challenges Maggie faced caused him to have these doubts, but I believe in the end, after Maggie finally gave up her fight, Rich King may have developed faith and a connection with God and the belief in the eternity. My Maggie will bring tears to your eyes, but will also leave you feeling motivated and inspired."

The e-book is only $5.99. The hardcover is available via Eckhartz Press (featuring it's new cover) for only $10.95. "Back in the Game" is hot off the presses (and flying off the shelves) for only $15.95 via Eckhartz Press. And if you want both books, you can do that for the great double-pack price of only $20.