Wacky German Christmas Joke

Here's a wacky German joke my dad used to tell every Christmas.

In German the phrase "Du kriegst nichts" means "You get nothing". To the German ear, "Christmas" sounds like "Kriegst nichts", so every year he would say: "Merry Kriegst nichts!" Get it? Always got a big laugh with the German crowd.

Happy Festivus!

Chicago Radio Ratings

From Chicagoland Radio & Media...

The newest PPM ratings were released Monday for the Chicago radio market for Nielsen Audio's "December" period (which only features two days of the actual month of December), covering the dates of 11/05/15-12/02/15. As it has been the case for every month in 2015, the big winner by far was WBBM-AM/Newsradio 780 & 105.9. With the Cubs now done for the year (and gone from the WBBM-AM airwaves), WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM falls 1.1 in the ratings from the previous month, but still has a combined 7.0 rating, easily making it #1. Although WLIT-FM will be #1 for Nielsen's "Holiday" period next month, WBBM-AM is still the Chicago radio king for 2015, winning every regular ratings period.

As the Sumner Turns

From this morning's Tom Taylor column...

The picture of a post-Sumner CBS is clearing up. Not completely – there will still be infighting in the courts and the penthouses. But it appears that #1, Les Moonves would win a promotion from CEO to Chairman at CBS, following Sumner Redstone passing. The news is reported by Bloomberg, and it would seem to guarantee some continuity at a company that’s admired on Wall Street. Bloomberg says that’s the deal made by current vice-chairman Shari Redstone, Sumner’s daughter. #2, it’s clear that Shari Redstone isn’t fading away. The Wall Street Journal has a sensational news story - Shari rejected a $1 billion offer in late 2014 to buy out her 20% stake in National Amusements, the controlling shareholder of CBS and Viacom. That would’ve meant Shari giving up her right to become chairman of CBS and Viacom. Event #3 is the ongoing legal challenge over the competency of 92-year-old Sumner Redstone. An L.A. judge ruled on Monday that Sumner needn’t undergo a medical exam and competency test. But it’s possible that Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman, Sumner’s health care guardian, may undergo a deposition.

(Photo: Sumner Redstone). Every time I read about this, I think to myself...Sumner's DAUGHTER Shari is the Vice Chairman, but the CEO Philippe Dauman is his health care guardian instead of Shari. That's so intensely weird and sad.

Star Wars

Taking the boys to Star Wars today.

I'm excited. They are giddy.

Obama & Seinfeld

President Obama will appear on Jerry Seinfeld's web show "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee".

Full details are here in the New York Times.

They simply drive around the White House grounds in Jerry's 1963 Corvette, talking about what it's like to be a president. Can you tell it's getting toward the end of Obama's presidency? Now he's just doing stuff that sounds like it would be fun. I don't blame him.

Beatles for X-mas

This is big news for Beatles fans who also like listening to streaming music. The entire Beatles catalog, which has been previously unavailable for streaming, will become available on Christmas Eve.

Slate Magazine has the details.

Meet Your Second Wife

This is a brilliant bit. Absolutely skewers men who leave their wives for a younger woman...

Barry Butler Pays Homage to Chicago

Barry Butler is the premiere photographer of Chicago. We were thrilled he allowed us to use one of his photographs as the cover for Pat Colander's Eckhartz Press book "Hugh Hefner's First Funeral and Other True Tales of Love and Death in Chicago". But that was just one picture.

This video is a montage of his Chicago photographs from this past year. It's my kind of town. Thanks Barry!

Steve Harvey Announces Wrong Miss Universe

This is about as embarrassing as it gets. The Miss Universe pageant was down to the last two contestants, Miss Colombia and Miss Philipines.

Steve Harvey, the MC of the pageant, saw that the card in his hand said "Miss Colombia" so he announced her as the winner. He was actually supposed to announce her as the Runner Up.

Whoops.

You can see it here.

FIFA Bans Blatter & Platini

It's not shocking at all that Sepp Blatter was suspended by FIFA for eight years. He makes Illinois Governors look squeaky clean. It is shocking, however, that former French superstar Michel Platini was also suspended for eight years. The Washington Post has the details.

Star Wars/Space Balls

I ran into a bunch of people yesterday who had just seen the new Star Wars (don't tell me anything yet please. I'm taking the boys this week). They were all completely excited about it.

I liked Star Wars too, but I got even more excited about this news.

A Space Balls sequel is in the works too. For real. May the Schwarz be with you.



(I know Darth Vader isn't in this one, but it's the only Star Wars picture in my archives. I use it for Dick Cheney and Rupert Murdoch)

Paul McCartney's Fun Weekend

Paul wasn't playing any shows this weekend. He was just hanging out with his wife and enjoying New York City.

On Saturday night he hung out at SNL. Just as a fan, not as a performer. Although, in the closing segment as Bruce Springsteen sang "Santa Claus is Coming To Town", Paul hopped on stage to sing along.

On Sunday he went to see a Brooklyn Nets basketball game. They shot a t-shirt into the stands, and Paul caught it. The full story is here.

Even in his free time, Paul is the man.

Harry Porterfield Didn't Retire After All

Last week legendary Channel 2 newsman Harry Porterfield was feted by Channel 2 because he was finally retiring at the age of 87. It was odd that Harry wasn't there to announce it, but it turns out there's a good reason for that. He tells Robert Feder that he didn't retire at all--he was fired.

“When they tell you that your contract is not being renewed, that means you’re fired. I can’t think of any other interpretation to give to that: ‘We don’t want you working here. Your contract will not be renewed.’ That means you’re fired.”

Anthony Busted

He sounds like he's on the verge of being completely out of control. Last year Anthony Cumia (formerly of the syndicated radio show "Opie & Anthony") got in trouble for a racial Twitter rant (he was fired for that). This is even worse. He was arrested on "strangulation charges". From Radio Ink...

Nassau County (Long Island) police say that former Opie and Anthony co-host Anthony Cumia was arrested on strangulation and assault charges this past Saturday. WABC-TV reports that Cumia, who is 54, got into an argument with a 26-year-old woman that turned violent. He was arraigned Sunday and released without bail. The judge ordered Cumia to stay away from the woman. He's due back in court in January. (Picture courtesy Newsday)