This is unbelievable

This exchange between Stuart Varney and Joe Walsh is oddly reminiscent of the torture scenes from "1984."

Varney challenges Walsh: Name an example ofTrump lying.

Walsh names one. Varney denies it.

Walsh: "Do you believe he's ever told the American people a lie?"

Varney: "No." pic.twitter.com/XkDTJEk1dA

— Eric Kleefeld (@EricKleefeld) August 30, 2019

When Worlds Collide

My favorite soccer announcer will be appearing on behalf of my favorite baseball team today...

This is my version of spring training.

Preparing for the most important (only) pitch of my life.

Please PLEASE don’t make it bounce in front of the plate 🙏😆#Cubs #EverybodyIn #WrigleyField pic.twitter.com/l68ZZpsDFE

— Arlo White (@arlowhite) August 30, 2019

What happens when Trump takes on Fox News?

This is what happens...

Check out Neil's latest Common Sense pic.twitter.com/Iwg9ZrxDeH

— Neil Cavuto (@TeamCavuto) August 29, 2019

Of course Hannity later re-inserted Trump's private parts, but for a few minutes there, it was coitus interuptus.

Free Kicks--Mind the (Decreasing) Gap

Our latest Free Kicks podcast has been posted. This week's is about the decreasing gap between the haves and the have nots in the Premier League (minus, of course, Man City and Liverpool)

Listen to it here.

Scott Miller

Congrats to former Chicago radio guy Scott Miller on his new gig. From Robert Feder's column...

It’s been only a year since veteran Chicago radio producer Scott Miller signed on as afternoon host at WJBC, the Cumulus Media news/talk station in Bloomington/Normal. Now he just moved up to mornings. Under a new multiyear deal with the station, Miller will be reunited with news director and morning news anchor Katherine Murphy, with whom he worked at the former FM News 101.1. “I have never felt more a part of a community than I do here,” he said. “And the Central Illinois pork tenderloins are the size of my head. WIN WIN!” Miller also worked as a producer for Oprah Radio, Tribune Broadcasting news/talk WGN 720-AM and Hubbard Radio classic rock WDRV 97.1-FM.

For those of you wondering why I already ordered his calendar

All is calm in Chicago's Monroe Harbor. #chicago pic.twitter.com/pfDyuGLYg2

— Barry Butler (@barrybutler9) August 29, 2019

Champions League Draw

They did the draw today for the 32 teams in the UEFA Champions League. Group F looks the toughest to me.

Group A
Paris Saint-Germain
Real Madrid
Club Brugge
Galatasaray

Group B
Bayern Munich
Tottenham Hotspur
Olympiacos
Red Star Belgrade

Group C
Manchester City
Shakhtar Donetsk
Dinamo Zagreb
Atalanta

Group D
Juventus
Atletico Madrid
Bayer Leverkusen
Lokomotiv Moscow

Group E
Liverpool
Napoli
Red Bull Salzburg
KRC Genk

Group F
Barcelona
Borussia Dortmund
Inter Milan
Slavia Prague

Group G
Zenit
Benfica
Lyon
RB Leipzig

Group H
Chelsea
Ajax
Valencia
Lille

Randy and Becky

Great profiles of "Cubsessions" authors Randy Richardson and Becky Sarwate Maxwell are featured on the Chicago Writers Association website.

Here's Becky.

Here's Randy.

Best in the Biz

BRILLIANT BIG VIRG 🙌

The #UEFA Men’s Player of the Year, @VirgilvDijk 🏆 pic.twitter.com/WpqksHSCyc

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) August 29, 2019

Rick and Rick

The audio from my interview with Rick Kogan has been posted on the WGN website if you'd iike to listen. My portion begins around the 46 minute mark. https://wgnradio.com/2019/08/27/after-hours-with-rick-kogan-a-night-full-of-great-reads-08-25-19/

Whoops

Unfortunate placement. pic.twitter.com/lz4aOqxFBi

— Fun Signs & Graffiti (@SignsFun) August 28, 2019

Flakus for Manley trade

From this morning's Radio Insight. A strange radio trade has been completed...

Cumulus Media Alternative 101.1 WKQX Chicago has announced the appointment of Jon Manley as Assistant Program Director/Music Director and evening host.

Manley indirectly completes the talent exchange with Entercom Alternative “107.7 The End” KNDD Seattle who hired Walter Flakus as APD/afternoon host in July after parting ways with Manley. Manley had exited KNDD in April after five years with the station. He previously worked as APD/MD at “X107.5” KXTE Las Vegas from 2010-2014 and KEDJ Phoenix from 2003-2010.

By the way, my article in the upcomng Illinois Entertainer will be about KQX afternoon man Tim Virgin.

Pulled over while broadcasting

Fellow radio folks will appreciate this story out of DC. From Inside Radio...

Apparently, Chris Russell, weekend talent at Entercom sports “106.7 The Fan” WJFK-FM Washington, has not heard of hands-free devices that are readily available so one can safely have a phone conversation while driving.

Russell, affectionately known as “Rooster,” was speaking with afternoon host Chad Dukes Monday (Aug. 26) live on the air when he was pulled over for using his cell phone while driving.

“Dukes, I think I’m getting pulled over,” Russell can be heard saying during the call. “This is awesome.” The exchange, which is posted on “The Fan” website, continues with Russell telling Dukes he’s getting pulled over for talking on his phone while driving. “Want to keep us on the line and we can talk to Officer Friendly for you?” Dukes says. A one-sided conversation with the patrolman can be heard live on the air, with Russell saying, “I’m sorry, I was doing a radio interview… I understand, I’m sorry… Okay, okay,” followed by the line going silent. Dukes comes on laughing, saying, “How are we going to top that… How quickly did he snap to? He was giving that cop like a little bit of lip, and then he goes ‘Okay, okay.’

While making for a good bit that Russell will no doubt be reminded of by Dukes and his crew for a long time, it appears this is a somewhat common occurrence in the nation’s capital, where Beltway traffic apparently has radio show guests literally reaching for their phones.

I can answer their question about why he doesn't have a hands-free device. He's a weekend radio guy. He's not making enough money to have a car built in this decade.

My Alma Mater

Pro-Publica has a piece about professors at the U of I who engaged in inappropriate behavior.

So proud.

Salem Cancels Joe Walsh

Now that he's running for president, his talk radio career is over at Salem. Radio Ink has the details.

Walsh has been making the rounds doing interviews just about everywhere, and I happened to catch one yesterday afternoon on MSNBC that was astounding. It was one of the most intense things I've ever seen. Watch it below...

Minutia Men: The Head of the Bobbles

Rick and Dave discuss gruesome injuries, the brattiest kid ever, bacon butter essence, a brush with Werner Klemperer, and an interview with the CEO of the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum.

Listen to it here.

Two Ricks, Roger That

(Rick Kaempfer, Roger Badesch, Rick Kogan)

Had a great time on with Rick Kogan last night on WGN Radio. We talked mostly about my new book "everycubever" but we also talked about Eckhartz Press, including the book written by Roger Badesch, Rick's newsman. We're hoping to get it done in the next year or so.

Thanks so much to everyone there. It was fun driving in to the city and walking around before and after the interview. Snapped a few photos, including this one...