Musings, observations, and written works from the publisher of Eckhartz Press, the media critic for the Illinois Entertainer, co-host of Minutia Men, Minutia Men Celebrity Interview and Free Kicks, and the author of "The Loop Files", "Back in the D.D.R", "EveryCubEver", "The Living Wills", "$everance," "Father Knows Nothing," "The Radio Producer's Handbook," "Records Truly Is My Middle Name", and "Gruen Weiss Vor".
A weekly update/preview of my latest podcasts, and a look back at some of my previous audio work from this week in history over the past 40+ years.
If you click on this week's Free Kicks you'll hear my tribute to Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp. This week's Minutia Men episode is entitled The Lone Rogainger. And Minutia Men Celebrity Interview finally returns this week with Catfish co-host and 15 Minutes of Shame director Max Joseph.
*February 10, 1994--Landecker & the Legends premieres a new song, "Broken Laces."
=This was written during the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer about Tonya Harding. You can listen that song here, along with the other song we wrote about that memorable story, "Breaking Knees is Hard To Do". If the lyrics are good enough for you, click here.
The latest news from Eckhartz Press, and a chance to peek into some of the great previous offerings from our humble little publishing company.
Happy Birthday!
Two Eckhartz Press authors are celebrating birthdays this week. Deb Tokarz (I CU Copper) and Alex Burkholder (Death of the Angels). Deb's birthday is February 6. Alex's birthday is February 10.
Happy Anniversary!
This week in 2014, Joel Daly got his first copy of his Eckhartz Press book (The Daly News). On this day in 2022, Eric Litt had the same experience, getting the first copy of Oscars Biggest Mistakes.
=Two big events in the book The Loop Files took place this week in history. On February 6, 1981, Steve & Garry were fired by the Loop for "violating community standards." It was a huge shock at the time that has never been satisfactorily explained. Also, this week last year, Johnny B re-emerged to appear on WGN-TV as a mystery guest.
=Also, celebrating a birthday this week, former Loop late-nighter Ed Tyll. You may not like what he says, but he'll say it anyway, Ed Tyll.
=I'm working hard on the updated version of the book. This news hit the wires yesterday...
=In the meantime, flip through your old copy today and read two fascinating entries about former Cubs of the past, both born this week. The goat (when that was considered a bad thing) of the 1918 World Series, Max Flack, and the man who planted the ivy at Wrigley Field, Bill Veeck Jr.
=This week in 2018, the Sun-Times parted ways with entertainment reporter Bill Zwecker. Before he left his perch, Bill had this to say about the Eckhartz Press book Life Behind The Camera: This is a must read for anyone interested in learning about the world of TV journalism — as seen through the eyes (and lens!) of Chuck Quinzio — one of the best in the business. Reading Chuck’s many stories — well-spiced with his terrific dry wit — is a great way to discover how television photo-journalism has evolved from the 1980s to the present day. That said, Chuck’s often-hilarious tales about the foibles of the true characters he’s encountered these past three decades makes for wonderful reading.
=This week in 1964 (February 9), the Beatles made their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. Author Chuck Quinzio tells a very funny story about that night in Life Behind the Camera. You can read that free excerpt here.
=If it seems like there is no end to the sports stars featured in Randy Merkin's book Behind the Glass, you aren't far off. For instance, Hank Aaron and Alonzo Mourning (photo), both born this week (Feb 5 & 8 respectively), each rate their own chapters. But sports stars aren't the only big names in the book. Tom Brokaw (Feb 6) and Jack Lemmon (Feb 8) are in the book too.
=This week in 2015, Eckhartz Press author Brent Petersen took the logical next step after writing his foodie novel Truffle Hunt. He posted his first Truffle recipe video. Enjoy!
=Jeffrey and Michael Gentile's book Mob Adjacent is a compelling look at the intersection of Chicago's mob world and some of the Hollywood Stars of that era. Among them, the great Jimmy Durante (Born Feb 10, 1893)
=He's been off the air for a few years now. Sounds like he wants to come back. The question is which station is willing to take a chance on him? Despite the lawsuits against him being adjudicated in his favor (they were eventually dismissed), the details were widely spread. His reputation took a big hit. It would be a risky hire, but his long track record of ratings success could compel someone to take a flier.
*Terry Chess
=The
son of Phil Chess (one of the famous Chess Brothers), and the first
general manager of The Loop back in 1977, Terry Chess, is my interview
subject this month in Illinois Entertainer. I didn’t interview him in
time to be part of The Loop Files, but he has read the book, and lets me
know what I have right and wrong about the first two years of the station.
=Coming next month: Tom Freakin
Skilling
*John Records Landecker
=A podcast interview with
one of the greats, my old boss and friend John Records Landecker…
=John arrived in Chicago this week in
1972. Thanks to Midwest Radio
Memories for posting this…
*Radio Hall of Fame Looking for Suggestions
=Every year at this time the National Radio Hall of Fame looks for nominations from the listening public. They opened for suggestions yesterday, and will continue accepting them until March 31. Click here to submit a name. You'd be surprised how many all-time greats have yet to be inducted.
Nine figures, baby. More money than any of them made in TV/film. Will
Arnett, Jason Bateman, and Sean Hayes’ SmartLess Media has signed a
multi-year agreement with SiriusXM. The deal is worth more than $100 million.
Sorry to hear this news. I’m
a regular listener. He announced his departure in his newsletter yesterday,
saying: As
much as I love putting out a 2000-word morning newsletter and six podcasts a
week —and having conversations with the smartest and most interesting people
around — there’s always the risk of being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of
idiocracy out there.
=He is the man behind that
iconic Soul Train scream. The 80-year-old Cobb is suing to get some of
those Soul Train royalties. The Sun-Times has the story.
=Liz Wilde had a stint in Chicago in the mid-90s (WLUP). She is
currently undergoing treatment for breast cancer and updated her fans and
friends on her progress…
=Elizabeth
Grattan has exited WDOK/Cleveland. She had been there since 2019.
Elizabeth previously worked in Chicago at WGN and WZZN.
*Mardi Gras
Weekend Kick-off Broadcast
=WLUW (88.7FM) is hosting a live Mardi Gras weekend kickoff
party at Gale Street Inn on February 10, from 11am-2pm. DJ Tom Jackson
will host and Naomi Ashley and Jon Williams will perform. Make
your reservations through Gale Street Inn.
Wife, manager, “savior” of Beach Boy Brian Wilson. She was
77.
MEDIA BIRTHDAYS/MILESTONES
*January 28—Jack Silver birthday
=Jack was the ringmaster
at AM 1000 back in the Johnny/Kevin/Steve & Garry heyday. He went on to
become a bigshot for CBS Radio and later Audacy in Los Angeles. I
interviewed him in 2009.
*January 29—Oprah
Winfrey birthday
=It’s hard to remember
that Oprah was a complete unknown when she arrived in Chicago in the mid-80s.
They didn’t quite know what to do with her, and even used her on the news with
Joel Daly.
*January 29—Dane Placko birthday
=The top reporter for
WFLD-TV (Channel 32) has been there now for over 30 years. He has a closet full
of Emmys, and a profile in Illinois
Entertainer written by me. This is a fun interview about his forced month-long
vacation in England.
*January 29—Tony
Lossano birthday
=The former host of
the Nude Hippo show and the podcast Lossano &
Friends is also a long-time radio producer (WLIT, WLS) and podcast
producer (including my podcasts, Minutia Men & Minutia
Men Celebrity Interview).
*January
30—Chuck Swirsky birthday.
=Chuck is
not only the play-by-play man of the Chicago Bulls. He’s also an author. His
bookAlways
a Pleasure came out during the holiday season of 2022.
*January 30, 1935—Warner
Saunders birthday
=Warner Saunders had a
long and distinguished television career in Chicago at NBC-5. He retired in
2009 and passed
away in 2018.
*January 30, 1969
=The Beatles performed live for the very last time. 55 years ago this week, they climbed onto the rooftop of their Apple Records headquarters. The entire show was part of the Get Back special that aired on Disney+ a few years ago.
=This is a fun trip back
in time. John Coleman is the host. Bob Sirott, Chuck Schaden, Sherman
Kaplan, and Clark Weber are the guests. The show is called Midnight.
Thanks to Chicago Radio Archives & Memories for posting it.
=Lisa has
been one of the most powerful media agents in Chicago for the past four
decades. She is married to Channel 5 meteorologist Brant Miller. By
the way, it’s pronounced Lissa.
=Dan
retired as the sports director of WGN-TV in 2022. I snapped this photo of Dan
and his fellow WGN-TV colleagues at Rich King’s book launch
party just a week or so before Dan retired.
*February
3—Steve Sanders birthday
=Steve
also retired from WGN-TV and is also in that photo above (second from the
right).
=I interviewed Bob Hale,
the DJ who introduced Buddy Holly on stage before his last concert, the
night of the plane crash. What an incredible story.
=Bob Dearborn was a
DJ at WCFL when Don McLean’s “American Pie” came out. That song immortalized
the phrase “the day the music died”. Dearborn became famous for his analysis of
the song because McLean refused to explain it. That explanation is here.
TV/STREAMING
*Demetrius Ivory Named Chief Meteorologist
=Big shoes to fill. He will be replacing Tom Skilling when Skilling retires at the end of the month. Of course, Ivory has been with WGN-TV for more than ten years.
*The Only Guaranteed Ratings
=The NFL has had an
incredible playoffs ratings-wise.
=The numbers are in, and we
have a new streaming champion. Suits set a streaming record in 2023,
breaking the record formerly held by The Office. Of the new shows last
year, the most streamed show was Ted Lasso. The Hollywood Reporter has more info.
“Starting another f*cking war.” Joy Reid drops f-bomb on hot mic while clip is being played. She later apologized. (Video: MSNBC) pic.twitter.com/JmyBNRXgOb
=All is not well between The
Tribune Guild and the owners of the newspaper. They staged a digital picket
line (a click-it line) yesterday…
Here’s how you can show your solidarity:
DO NOT click on stories at https://t.co/m1zKvUd4Bt DO NOT engage with Trib social media accounts DO NOT open and engage with Chicago Tribune emails and news alerts Thursday. Respect our picket line by not crossing the “click it” line! pic.twitter.com/Ux7rElLuCR
=After this past weekend’s
Chiefs game, you would assume that Taylor Swift was a popular search.
She was, but not for the reason you think. Someone posted fake nudes of her.
And those went viral, prompting Twitter (X) to block the searches of her name.
As always, if you have any media story you’d like to share or think that I might be interested in sharing, drop me a line at rick@eckhartzpress.com or amishrick@yahoo.com. If you're in Chicago media and wondering why I didn't mention your birthday, it's probably because I don't know it. Drop me a line and let me know and I'll put you on my calendar.
