Media Notebook--8-30-24

MEDIA NOTEBOOK

A curation of news items about the media from this past week, with a particular emphasis on Chicago.

RADIO/PODCASTS

 

 

*Rewound Radio—WLS & WCFL

=This is the weekend for the big event at Rewound Radio.  My column about it (an interview with Ted Gorden Smucker) comes out this weekend in the Illinois Entertainer. Here’s another promo from one of the participants: Lyle Dean.

=The RAMP Newsletter covered the story this morning too.

=A little more info…It starts Saturday (August 31) morning at 5:00 AM CDT. Highlights include various Animal Stories, Chickenman episodes, Steve King and WLS Music People, memorializing Elvis Presley (1977), Dick Biondi and Pop Goes The Music (1965), WLS Countdown of the Top 16 hits of 1978 and more.

 

 

*Dan Proft Kicked Off Charity Board

=You’d think someone who is on the board of a charity that supports people with intellectual, developmental, and psychiatric disabilities wouldn’t publicly mock someone like Gus Walz for his reaction to his dad’s speech. WIND’s Dan Proft is not one of those people. Envision Unlimited removed him from their board after he mocked Walz. The vote was unanimous.

=His co-host Amy Jacobson, who joined in on the mocking, is also in trouble. In addition to being on the air at WIND, she was a volleyball coach at Amundsen High School. Some parents at the school didn’t think someone who mocks kids with disabilities should be coaching kids. Amy resigned from Amundsen on Wednesday.

=It doesn’t appear the duo will face any consequences at WIND-AM 560.

*BetQL

=Some Chicago-related developments in the latest changes announced by Audacy’s BetQL. Sam Panayotovich will team up with Joe Ostrowski on BetQL Daily weekdays from 8am-11am CT. You may remember Panayotovich from WGN Radio. He also previously worked with Ostrowski.

 

*Podcast Corner

=The Kelce brothers signed a $100 million deal with Wondery. The deal includes the full back catalog of previous shows and international podcasting rights.

=Car Con Carne is on LinkedIn now. The show is approaching it's 1000th episode. Pretty impressive. 

 

*Music News

=15 years after the breakup, the brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher are putting their differences aside and reuniting for a Oasis tour. Why? I can give you tens of millions of reasons.

=The Cure is releasing their first new music in 16 years, and they are doing it on eco-vinyl as a fundraiser for climate change advocates Earth Percent.

 

*WBEZ’s night with Margaret Atwood

=The author of The Handmaid’s Tale is coming to town Monday October 7 at the University Club.

 

*Ex-Chicago Radio Update

=Former WLS & WCFL star Chuck Knapp has his own website now, featuring classic clips from his long career.

=Mike Dubs, former weekender at WUSN, left his morning show at Kool 108 in Minneapolis last week.

 

 

MEDIA BIRTHDAYS/MILESTONES

 

 

*August 25—Ken Zurski birthday

=Ken is a long-time radio traffic reporter (currently working in Peoria), but he’s also an author. His book is called The Wreck of the Columbia

 

 

*August 26—Ernie Scatton birthday

=Ernie was one of the blade men (old term, look it up) at ESPN Radio in Chicago for many years, and is now working at WGN Radio.

*August 26—Vicki Truax birthday

=Vicki Truax was a traffic reporter and morning co-host at WJMK in the 1990s. She was also married to the late sportscaster Tim Weigel.

 

 

*August 26, 1939

=First televised Major League Baseball game. The Brooklyn Dodgers hosted the Cincinnati Reds at Ebbets Field, and it was broadcast on an experimental television station for the World’s Fair.

 

 

*August 26, 1963

=Martin Luther King’s "I Have a Dream” speech in Washington.

On this day in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his landmark speech

"I Have a Dream" pic.twitter.com/WQniIo7w1S

— AFRICAN & BLACK HISTORY (@AfricanArchives) August 28, 2024

 

*August 27—Ron Magers birthday

=Magers has been retired for a few years now, but he had a legendary run as a news anchor in Chicago at both NBC-5 and ABC-7.

 

 

*August 27—Joe Cicero birthday

=Joe is the morning man at Star 105.5. I interviewed him for Illinois Entertainer a few years ago.

 

 

*August 27—Dan McNeil birthday

=I’ve interviewed the former Score, ESPN, Drive, and Loop host many times over the past few decades, but I think this 2004 piece I wrote about him for Lake Magazine is the best.

 

*August 27--Tom Shaer birthday

=Sportscaster for Chicago radio (the Score) and television (Channel 5) for decades.

*August 28, 1981—Greetings from Graceland

=Steve & Garry’s TV show aired on Channel 7…(Thanks to S&G fan page for this Sun-Times clipping)

 

*August 29—Tom Couch birthday

=Couch is the former creative director for Hubbard Broadcasting in Chicago and WXRT. He is now with Noteworthy Media.

 

 

*August 30—Mark Zander birthday

=Zander has worked at several stations in Chicago, including the Loop, ESPN, WCKG, and Me-TV FM. I’ve interviewed him a few times, including this one from 2007.

 

 

*August 31—Robert Jordan birthday

=Jordan retired a few years ago after a long and productive career on WGN-TV. This photo is from Rich King’s book “Ike & Me” (L-R: King, Ramsey, Bange, and Jordan)

 *August 31, 1997--Princess Diana's death

=News that shocked the world. This is how the news was reported in England.

TV/STREAMING

 

*The Cubs are Swifties Now

=With all the talk of the White Sox terrible season, you may have missed that the Cubs have quietly started playing well. Is Taylor Swift somehow responsible?

Taylor Swift COULD be helping the @Cubs right now 🤣👀 pic.twitter.com/jVHgiTbhbn

— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) August 27, 2024

*Danny Parkins Takes on TV

=The former Score radio host is now part of the FS1 lineup and discusses that transition and the “arranged marriage” aspect of the show in this piece.

 

*Someone Throws a Rock at Channel 7 State Street Studio

=Needless to say, this was caught on video. The rock damaged the glass but didn't harm anyone. They haven't caught the person yet. Watch the video here.

*Harry Caray Ltd Sues Texas Steakhouse

=The people who own the name and likeness of the late Harry Caray (Harry Caray Ltd) are suing a chain of restaurants in Texas known as The Holy Cow Restaurant for trademark infringement. In the lawsuit they say the name Holy Cow was chosen to “create a false association with the Harry Caray restaurants, and to willfully, intentionally and unlawfully misappropriate the tremendous goodwill of Harry Caray Ltd.’s well known, if not famous HOLY COW! mark, as well as the goodwill associated therewith.”

*Rafer Weigel interview

=The former Chicago TV newsman (and son of Tim Weigel) was interviewed this past week by Margaret Larkin…

 

 

*Kamala's First Interview

=It happened last night on CNN. The interview was conducted by Dana Bash and went fairly well for the Vice President. Here are some takeaways.

*Rules for the Presidential Debate September 10

=These are the rules released this week by ABC.

=Both sides clearly haven’t agreed to them yet. Brian Fallon is a Kamala Harris spokesperson.

 *The 50 Best SNL Skits of All-Time

=As ranked by Esquire Magazine. As always, these lists are designed to spark discussion and debate. Schweddy Balls is only #40? Not so sure. Frozen Caveman Lawyer is #1? Not so sure.

*Wolf Blitzer wins Cronkite Award

=The award is given out every year by Arizona State University (Cronkite's alma mater). Blitzer is the 41st recipient of the award. More details here.

 

*Nikki Glaser to Host Golden Globes

=Last year comedian Joe Koy wasn’t warmly received. This year it’s Nikki’s turn to give it a shot. It will be on CBS on January 5^th.

 

*Pat McAfee

=Pride in his ignorance.

Journalistic standards.#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/9H2Bu8I6wj

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 29, 2024

 

*Rest in Peace

=Jack Conaty

For 22 years (1987-2009) he was the chief political correspondent for WFLD-TV (Channel 32). Jack passed away in Arizona this week. He was 77.

=Phil Jones

Former CBS News correspondent. He was 87.

=Mitzi McCall

Comedian who appeared on same episode of the Ed Sullivan show as the Beatles. She was 93.

 

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

 

 

*Google’s Anti-Trust Loss Opens Door to Yelp Lawsuit

=Now that Google has been labeled a monopoly, the floodgates are opening from companies that feel the big thumb of Google has been removed. First up in court, Yelp.

 

*Telegram Founder Arrested in France

=His name is Pavel Durov. His alleged crime is failing to prevent illicit (criminal) activity on his app.

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.

20 Years: Bonus Father Knows Nothing stories

 

This year marks my 20th year as a professional writer. Over the course of 2024, I'll be sharing a few of those offerings you may have missed along the way.

This week I've tapped into a few of the bonus Father Knows nothing columns that never made it into the book. The first one is being posted in honor of the death anniversary (August 25, 1867) of Michael Farday, the inventor of the helium balloon.  The second one is in honor of National Dog Day (August 26). 

Enjoy.

***

Who doesn’t love balloons? They are colorful and festive. They make children smile. They are bouncy and happy. Hating balloons is the approximate equivalent of hating sunshine, lollipops and rainbows. And yet, I really, really hate balloons.

I haven’t always felt this way. I wasn’t raised in a balloon-bigoted home. I even used to play with balloons when I was a kid. I’m not blind to the balloon’s considerable charms.

But now that I have three boys in my house, balloons represent something else entirely to me. When I see a balloon now, I see LOUD.

I see boys smashing them back and forth at each other, “playing” with the balloon. BAM. BAM. BAM. BAM.

I see furniture smashing as one of them dives for the balloon. CRASH. CRASH. CRASH. CRASH.

I see a dog barking as she chases them back and forth, back and forth. BARK. BARK. BARK. BARK.

I see boys fighting over which balloon is theirs. MINE. MINE. MINE. MINE.

I see balloons hitting sharp corners or dog’s teeth. POP. POP. POP. POP.

I see children crying after their balloons are popped. WAH. WAH. WAH. WAH.

I never realized this before I had kids, but it’s literally impossible to play with balloons without making an infernal racket. They look cute and wholesome and colorful, but they are filled with more than just helium or air. They are filled with LOUD.

I fully understand that admitting this publicly makes me some kind of an ogre, because every time I privately express my opinions on this highly sensitive matter, people look at me like I just torched a basket full of unicorns.

“You don’t like balloons? That’s impossible. Everybody loves balloons.”

No, not everybody. There’s at least one despicable person in the greater Chicagoland area that doesn’t.

“Don’t ask Mr. Kaempfer to blow up your balloon, honey. He’s not one of us.”

That’s right, I’m not. Now get that floaty ball of loud out of my sight.

 

###

My wife Bridget championed the idea of getting a dog when our three boys were very young. I didn’t have a dog growing up, and didn’t have the slightest idea how to train or care for one, so I must admit, I wasn’t crazy about the idea. But after listening to her extol the virtues of pet ownership for several months, I finally agreed.

 

“What the heck,” I said. “Let’s do it.”

 

As soon as I agreed, however, one of the boys would do something like fall down the stairs or slam a brother into the wall or try to eat a thumbtack.

 

“Maybe we should wait until they’re old enough to avoid accidentally crushing or poisoning the dog,” I pointed out. Bridget agreed.

 

When we switched roles in our house a few years later (I stayed at home while Bridget went to work), we somehow switched sides in the dog debate.

 

I really started to think we should get one. I thought it would teach the boys responsibility. Instead of agreeing with me, Bridget was suddenly reluctant. We were discussing this at a family party, when my mother tipped it in for me.

 

“Are you really thinking about getting a dog?” she asked. My mother has always been deathly afraid of dogs.

I admitted we were.

“If you do, I’ll never visit you again,” she said.

 

We started our search the next day.

 

It was going to have to be a hypo-allergenic dog because our oldest son Tommy is insanely allergic. A friend of ours suggested that poodles were a good choice, so we looked at every conceivable poodle combination. The boys giggled at each breed name.

 

“Fellas, this is a Peekapoo. What do you think?”

Tee hee.

 

“Boys, what do you think about a Cockapoo?”

 

Tee hee.

 

(Oh, “poo,” will you never cease to amuse us?)

 

After we put together a list of about ten or so funny sounding breed names, we started checking out the area shelter websites every week, hoping that one fitting our picky needs would become available.

There was one very close call a few weeks later. A nearby shelter got a perfect dog, but while we were looking into what sort of gates and crates we needed to buy, it was adopted by another family.

 

When we broke the news to the boys, we noticed that they really weren’t disappointed in the slightest. It made us realize that we hadn’t considered one important factor: the boys didn’t even seem to want a dog.

 

We were discussing this at a neighborhood party with some friends; many of whom are enthusiastic dog owners.

 

“Just tell them it’s like having another little brother!” one woman said.

 

“I don’t know if that’s the best way to pitch it,” I pointed out.

 

“You have to get one!” she said. “It’s just like having another baby.”

 

“Except this one will never grow up,” her husband added. “Imagine having an infant for fifteen years.”

 

Bridget and I exchanged glances, and we both immediately knew this discussion was never going to come up again.

 

Maybe we’ll get some fish.

###

P.S. Two weeks after this article was published, this little lady joined our family. Her name was Ivy.

Studio Walls--8-28-24

 

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.

Here are a few from the archives...

August 25—Birthday of Gene Simmons

=Loverboy’s Doug Johnson told us a story about opening for KISS at their very first gig.  

August 25, 1994—Natural Born Killers released. 

=Duane Scott Cerny told us a story about his dealings with Oliver Stone during the making of that film.  

 

August 26, 1972—Summer Olympics begin in Munich

=Dwight Stones represented America and reminded us what it was like at that memorable Olympic games. 

August 26, 1817—University of Michigan founded.

=Chuck Swirsky was the broadcaster for their basketball games for a few years. It wasn't exactly a first-class operation at the time, which he told us all about in this episode.  

 

August 27--Dave Sinker birthday

=We had the comedian on the show a few years ago.  

 

August 28, 2015—“We are your friends” debuts

=Max Joseph was the director. He told us all about it. 

 

August 29—Michael Jackson birthday

=We've been told two great Michael Jackson stories. One by record producer/engineer Bill Schnee, and one by the one time teen idol Tony DeFranco. 

August 29--James Finn Garner birthday

=The NY Times Best Selling Author was on this episode of Minutia Men Celebrity Interview. 

August 29--Elliott Gould birthday

=My brush with Elliott was told in this episode. 

August 29--Mr. Blackwell birthday

=My brush with the famous clothing designer was told in this episode.  

August 29—Jerry Seinfeld birthday. 

=Kevin Matthews once invited Jerry to perform in his comedy jam. Jerry sniffed out the audience pretty quickly.  

August 30--Carmen Fanzone birthday

=We talked to the former Cubs player in this episode.  

 

August 31--Zack Ward birthday

=Who is Zack? He played the bully in Christmas Story (Scut Farkus). He also bullied us a bit. Only guest we ever called a dick live on the air. 

Publishing Portal--August 27, 2024

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!

=Larry Rosenbaum is one of the famous brothers who owned the legendary Flip Side Records locations in Chicago. That's him on the right (brother Carl on the left). Why are we wishing him a happy birthday (August 25)? Let's say that there just might be an upcoming book in this man's future. Details will be coming soon!

Last Comiskey

=What a great night at the Arlington Heights Library this past week. Thank you to everyone who came out, including former White Sox pitcher Don Pall, filmmaker Ken Flesch, former White Sox organist Nancy Faust, and of course, author Ken Smoller.

=Ken Smoller is coming back to town in early September and has lined up a number of places you can see him, hear him, buy his book, and get it signed. For instance...

Thursday, Sept 5

 Crestwood Library 4pm

 

Thursday, Sept 5

 Riverside Library  - 7pm

 

Saturday, Sept 7 

Evergreen Park Library 10:30 am

 

Saturday, Sept 7 

Printer’s Row Lit Fest-- 3-6pm

Monday, Sept 9

ELA Area Public Library

Wednesday, September  11
Lake Villa library 

Doin' The Cruise

=This week in 2017, Mitch Michaels and Ken Churilla were all over the media promoting their book about Mitch's life, Doin' the Cruise. August 31st was a particularly busy one. It included a stop at WGN-TV...

=And a star-studded launch party. Among the luminaries who came out to the launch party...Bernie Tafoya, Barry Butler, Ray Stevens, Matt Bisbee, Leslie Harris, Stan Adams, Pat Cassidy, Catherine Johns, John Landecker and many more.

 

 

Surviving Sue

=Another Eckhartz Press author will be at Printer's Row Lit fest as well, Vicki Atkinson...

Cubsessions

=This week in 2019 (August 29), Cubsessions co-authors Randy Richardson and Becky Sarwate were featured by the Chicago Writers Association. Here's Becky. Here's Randy. Here's what they look like in the wild...

=One of the stars of the book, former Cubs ball girl Kathy Wolter Mondelli, is also celebrating a birthday this week (August 25). She came out to the Cubsessions launch party at Murphy's.

Joe Jackson vs. Chicago American League Baseball Club

=This week in 2023, David Fletcher was making the rounds talking about his new book Joe Jackson v. Chicago American League Baseball Club. The book is a trial transcript of the Shoeless Joe trial in Milwaukee from 1924. Amazing historical document. One of the shows he appeared on was the Baseball Talk podcast.

The Loop Files

=This week in 2006, author Rick Kaempfer wrote about his time as Steve & Garry's producer for the first time ever. A few of these stories later made it into the book The Loop Files. 

=One of the contributors to The Loop Files is former Chet Coppock Executive Producer (and later a major sports talk personality himself) Dangerous Dan McNeil. Dan is celebrating a birthday this week (August 27). The cartoon version of Dan (bottom right corner, with red shirt and arms crossed) appeared on the Loop calendar in 1990...

=By the way, a little birdy told us that Dan may just have a big book coming out himself this fall. Stay tuned. You can guess who the publisher will be. 

Transatlantic Passage

=This week in 2021 (August 29), Paul Banks made an appearance at the Manchester United fan club meeting at Fado's in Chicago. Everyone watched the Man United game, and at halftime Paul spoke to them about his book Transatlantic Passage. It was the earliest Guinness that Eckhartz Press publishers Rick and Dave ever consumed (well before noon).

Selling Dead People's Things

=This week in 1994 (August 25), the Oliver Stone film Natural Born Killers (with Woody Harrelson) was released. Part of that movie was filmed in Chicago, and the director solicited the help of Selling Dead People's Things author Duane Scott Cerny to acquire a few real oddities. Duane tells that story in this podcast episode. 

EveryCubEver

=This week in 2019 (August 25), Rick Kaempfer appeared on Rick Kogan's WGN Radio show to talk about his book EveryCubEver. At the time, Roger Badesch was working as Kogan's newsman. It was during this show that Roger announced he too was working on a book for Eckhartz Press. That would later turn into The Unplanned Life. (Photo: Rick Kaempfer, Roger Badesch, Rick Kogan)

=This week in 2018, Rick and fellow Eckhartz Press author Bobby Skafish (We Have Company) were invited up to the Score Radio booth during a Cubs game. It was a thrill neither of them will forget.

Chili Dog MVP

=Every member of the 1972 White Sox is featured in the Eckhartz Press book Chili Dog MVP. One of them was born this week (August 27) in 1946, former catcher Ed Herrmann. Unfortunately Big Ed passed away in 2013.

Safe Inside

=This week in 2017, Lee Kingsmill's book Safe Inside was officially released by Eckhartz Press. We took that opportunity to do a Q&A with Lee. You can read that here. Lee's book later was named an honorable mention winner for the Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year. 

The Write City Review

=Eckhartz Press was asked to publish the literary journal of the Chicago Writers Association, and we  have done so four times now. This week in 2023 (August 29), the 4th volume of the book came out.

=One of the contributors to the first volume is celebrating a birthday this week. Happy birthday to NY Times Best Selling author James Finn Garner (August 29)

 

Ike & Me

=The release party for Rich King's book Ike & Me was one for the ages, not only because of it's location (Comiskey Park or whatever it is currently being called), but also because it drew a who's who of Chicago television. One of the luminaries who attended that day was retired WGN-TV news anchor Robert Jordan. He's celebrating a birthday this week (August 31). That's him in the center of the photo flanked on either side by Rich and Ike, and on the corners by Dan Roan and Ryan Baker.