Studio Walls--9-18-24

 

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...

September 15, 1949—The Lone Ranger debuts on TV

=We created our own tribute to that show. We call it the Lone Rogainger. Will we play the audio this week?

September 15—Oliver Stone birthday 

=We interviewed Billy Hayes, author of Midnight Express. He worked closely with Oliver Stone on the screenplay to his book, and told us all about it. 

 

September 16, 1857—"Jingle Bells" is published. 

=We have audio of two-year old Johnny Kaempfer singing it.

September 16, 1993—Frasier debuts on NBC

=Dan Butler, who played Bulldog on the show, talked to us about what it was like being on that show.  

September 16—Richard Marx birthday. 

=Believe it or not, Marx is good pals with Tubes lead singer Fee Waybill. Fee told us about it in this interview.  

 

September 17--Bobby Skafish birthday

=The great WXRT and WLUP jock phoned in to this episode.  

September 17--Anne Bancroft birthday

=I told my story about Anne in this episode. 

 

September 18--June Foray birthday

=My story about June, the voice of Rocky the Squirrel and many other cartoon characters, is in this episode. 

September 18, 1965—I Dream of Jeannie debuts. 

=We have Ron Santo audio talking about Jeannie

September 19—Adam West birthday

=Comedian Mike Toomey shared his excellent Adam West impersonation in this episode.  

September 19, 1985—Jim McMahon comes in and throw 3 TDs vs. Minnesota

=One of the greatest games in Bears history. We were thrilled to talk to Jim about it in this interview.  

September 19, 2010—Boardwalk Empire debuts. 

=Actor Paul Calderone was in that series, playing a killer. We talked to him about that, and his scene in Pulp Fiction in this episode.

September 20, 1976--AC/DC releases Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

=Nearly 50 years later we had jazz singer Kurt Elling on the show, and he unveiled his jazz version of that song. 

September 20, 1980--Erehwon founded

=Erehwon was our first client ever for AMISH Chicago Advertising. Would you like to hear the radio ad?

September 20, 2009--Rick interviewed on WGN 

=This was about the Waitle Nex Yeare ad I mentioned on the blog last week. We still have the audio.

September 20, 2022—Suspect by Scott Turow is released

=We talked to him about the book that week. 

September 20--Tim Clue birthday

=Tim's a great comedian and we were excited to have him on the show a few years ago. He later helped me out by being a last second fill-in as keynote speaker for the Chicago Writers Association. That's Tim in the middle with the CWA board.

September 21--Bill Murray birthday

=My Bill Murray story is in this episode.  

September 21--Chuck Jones birthday

=My Chuck Jones story is in this episode.  

September 21--Bill Kurtis birthday

=This entire episode is an interview with the legendary newsman.  

Studio Walls--8-21-24

 

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 18--Robert Redford birthday

=I have a story about meeting the acting legend on a ski hill. 

August 18—Carmen Serano birthday

=The Breaking Bad star was a fun interview, especially went riffing against Steven Seagal. 

August 18—Elayne Boosler birthday.

=Kevin Matthews has a story about Elayne that you'll never forget.  

August 18—Patrick Swayze birthday

=His friend and co-writer Stacy Widelitz told us all about Patrick.  

August 18—Denis Leary birthday

=Sainty Nelsen worked with the great comedian, and told us a memorable story about him. 

 

August 19—Matthew Perry birthday

=One of the guest-stars of the show, Alex Kapp, talked about the late Friends star and the way the cast bonded together.  

August 19, 1969—Ken Holtzman No hitter

=We have the audio.

August 19--Brendan Sullivan birthday

=The improv legend (and co-writer of The Living Wills) was on this episode of Minutia Men.  

August 19—National Photography day.

=We've had at least five all-time great photographers on the show: Mick Rock, John Filo, Antony Penrose, Barry Butler, and Fred Winston.

 

August 20—Don King birthday

=Mark Giangreco told us a great story about how Don King once got him suspended. : 

August 20, 2023

=Nicole Zwiercan named Mrs. America. A few months later she appeared on Minutia Men Celebrity Interview.  

 

August 21--Joel Daly birthday

=One his last ever interviews. 

August 21--Carl Giammarese (The Buckinghams) birthday

=We relived the glory days with him on this episode of Minutia Men.  

August 21--John Filo birthday

=He was the photographer who took the famous Kent State Massacre photo. We had him on the show to recall the circumstances that led to that photo. :

August 21--Jim McMahon birthday

=I told my brush with Jim story in this episode.

 

August 22--Valerie Harper birthday

=The late great actress helped us pull a stunt on her old friend Mary Tyler Moore. The audio of that event was played on this episode of Minutia Men. 

August 22, 1995—Mel Reynolds convicted.

=Was it a news story in the 1990s? Then naturally there's a Landecker and the Legends song. 

August 23--Mark Hudson birthday

=He was one of our guests when we filled in at WLS. There's both audio and video of that day. Also photographic evidence (below)

August 23, 1992—Dr. Demento plays Ebony & Ivory song “The Hayfever Song”

=My first ever parody song. Here's the show rundown from that day. 

August 23—Keith Moon birthday

=Carl Giammarese told us a story about Keith involving a hotel television set. 

August 23, 2021—Covid vaccine officially approved by CDC: 

=Rave-out essay about people who refused to take it. 

August 23, 1998—That 70s show debuts 

=Tommy Chong told us what it was like to work on that show.

 

August 24, 1992—Georgia Dome opens

=Jim McMahon buys a pizza.  He was in uniform at the time.

Studio Walls--7-24-24

 

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...

July 21--Spike Manton birthday

=We talked to the razor-tongued devil in this episode.  

 

July 22—National Cowboy Day. 

=One of the cowboys from the show 1883, Eric Nelsen, appeared on our show.  

July 22--Bobby Sherman birthday

=Yes, I have a Bobby Sherman story. I told it in this episode. 

July 22--Governor Jim Edgar birthday

=You won't believe this story.  He once offered me a job.

July 22—Alan Menken birthday. 

=His lyricist Glenn Slater explained the genius behind the man. 

July 22, 2022—Rick appears on Destination Eat Drink podcast 

=On this particular episode I was talking about Ireland. 

July 22, 2023—Pat Hughes inducted in Hall of Fame

=You can see his speech here. 

 

July 23—World Ant Day

=Coyote Peterson told us how painful it was being stung by certain ants.  

July 23—Slash birthday

=Yes, I have a Slash story. It's here. 

July 23--Ray Rayner birthday

=My one and only brush with the Chicago children's TV star of the 60s & 70s.  

July 23, 1965—Moody Blues release debut album. 

=Allan Hewitt was in the Moody Blues, and we talked to him about it. : 

July 23—Monica Lewinsky birthday 

=Max Joseph worked with her, and told us this story.  

 

July 24, 1970—I’m Your Captain released by Grand Funk Railroad

=Would you believe it came to Mark Farner in a dream? That's what he told us.  

 

July 25—Walter Payton birthday

=We have audio of Walter on John Landecker's show. It's on this show.

=Jim McMahon also told us a story about him. 

July 25—Mitzie Shore birthday

=Ross Bennett story about Mitzie told him ‘you’re not funny’ 

 

July 26--Darlene Love birthday

=My personal story about her was told in this episode.  

July 26—Mick Jagger’s birthday

=James Finn Garner and I argued about the Beatles vs. the Stones. 

=Lighting director Chip Monck told us a great Mick Jagger story.  

July 26--Shane Obedzinski birthday

=The star of The Sandlot was on our show a few years ago. 

July 26, 2000—Thomas and the Magic Railroad debuts

=Little Tommy Kaempfer reviewed it. We have the audio.

 

July 27, 1919—Chicago race riots.

=Chicago historian Robert Loerzel explained the story

July 27, 1990—Presumed Innocent (the movie) opens. 

=The writer of the book, Scott Turow, told us all about the film. 

 

Studio Walls--7-17-24

 

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...

July 14, 1857—Frederick Maytag is born. 

=Jim McMahon gets a visit from the washing machine guy while we're interviewing him.  

 

July 15--Jonathon Brandmeier birthday. 

=Danny Bonaduce told us a great story about Johnny B.

July 15--Dr. Ian Smith birthday

=When we talked to the famous TV doctor it was the first week of COVID. Let's just say his predictions were a little bit off. 

July 15, 1973—Release of We’re An American Band by Grand Funk Railroad

=Mark Farner talked to us about his band's most famous album. 

 

July 16—Michael Flatley birthday. 

=Irish actress Amy Shiels told us a great story about having to fake Irish dancing once during an audition.  

July 1-- Shoeless Joe Jackson birthday. 

=The actor who played him in Eight Men Out, DB Sweeney appeared on the show. 

 July 16—-Phoebe Cates birthday

=In this episode I tell my one and only Phoebe Cates story.  

July 16—World Snake Day. 

=Yeah, that's right. We interviewed Jake the Snake Roberts. 

 

July 17--Minutia Men releases  100^th episode (2018)

July 17--Robert Romanus (Fast Times) birthday

=One of our favorite interviews. He sounds exactly the same. 

July 19—Wayne Messmer birthday

=I wrote a parody song for him and made him sing it live on the air once. We have the audio.

 

July 20, 2002—Jimmy Neutron debuts

=The voice of Jimmy, Debi Derryberry, was a great interview. 

Studio Walls--May 22, 2024

 

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.

 

May 19—Pete Townshend’s birthday. 

=Will Wagner wrote a book about his guitar from the Woodstock festival. We talked to Will about his great book.

May 19--Curly Neal birthday

=I told the story of my brush with the Harlem Globetrotters in this episode of Minutia Men. 

May 19--Dusty Hill birthday

=I told the story of my brush with the ZZ Top great in this episode of Minutia Men. 

May 20—Sainty Nelsen birthday

=We interviewed the actress/producer/voice over artist. She was a delight.  

May 20, 1997—Packers meet President Clinton. 

=Jim McMahon was a member of that Packers Super Bowl team. He legendarily wears a Bears jersey. He told us all about that in this interview.  

May 21--Jay Shatz birthday

=You may not know Jay's name, but he went to college with Dave and I and became a famous television personality in Cincinnati. One day he came into the studio with us to reminisce. 

May 21--Mr. T birthday

=I pity the fool that doesn't listen to my brush with Mr. T. story. I told it in this episode of Minutia Men.

May 22, 2007—Severance radio ads debut 

=Severance is the name of my first novel. Will we play one of them on the show this week?

May 23--Tom Ricketts birthday

=My brush with Tom Ricketts story in this episode of Minutia Men. 

May 23--Joan Collins birthday

=My story about meeting her is a memorable one.  

May 23, 1946—First Chick Fil A opens in Hapeville GA. 

=Our chicken related interview with the San Diego Chicken: 

May 23—World Wrestling day. 

=We interviewed the wrestling legend Jake the Snake Roberts. 

May 24--Mike Toomey birthday

=The WGN-TV comic was on our show a few years ago. He's hilarious.  

May 24—Tommy Chong birthday

=The legendary comedian spent nearly an hour with us just shooting the shit.  

May 24—Rick reads Man with the World’s Longest Name

=You can read it on last week's blog. Or you can hear it here. 

May 25--Mike Myers birthday

=My brush with the Wayne's World star is revealed in this episode.  

May 25--Brian Urlacher birthday

=And my brush with the Chicago Bears Hall of Famer is in this episode.

Studio Walls

    Every week I send my Minutia Men Co-Host Dave Stern a list from our audio archives for this week's Studio Walls feature. These are the possibilities for this week. Which one will he choose?

*October 16 is comedian Abbi Sanchez's birthday. We had Abbi on the show, and chatted about comedy.

*Former Bears great defensive lineman Steve McMichael is suffering greatly these days as he fights ALS. Today is his birthday. A few years ago we had Kevin Matthews on our show and he told us a great story about McMichael, from his football playing days.

*October 17, 1966, the Cryan Shames released their most popular album, Sugar and Spice. We talked to the man who became their lead singer. WDRV jock Bob Stroud.

*October 18 is Mike Ditka's birthday. We've had a few guests on our show that had great Ditka stories, including Howard Sudberry, Rich King, and Jim McMahon.

*October 19, 1995, Tommy Kaempfer was born. We have untold great audio from him when he was a wee lad. (AUDIO)

*October 20, 2011, Tristan Wade won the World Series of Poker Championship-Europe. We had Dave's poker coach on our show a few years ago.

*October 22 is the birthday of Joseph Nye Welch. He was the man who said to Senator McCarthy, "At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" We talked to his great-granddaughter, who just happens to be famous actress Amy Landecker.

*October 22, 1972, President Nixon reopened relations with China. Catherine Johns was on our show once, and explained how that eventually bit her in the rear.

Minutia Men Celebrity Interview--Jim McMahon

 This week's interview has dropped. It's a great one. Listen to it here.

The Punky QB talks to Rick and Dave about the perks of being an ’85 Bear, plus some of his exploits on and off the field. Plus, as a special bonus, he describes the best concession stand in the NFL. [Ep104]