"Destroy North Korea"

I felt a little queasy all day yesterday. I'm only 54, but I've never heard a US president threaten to kill 22 million people before. And I lived through the Cold War, Vietnam, and 9/11.

He called the leader of North Korea "Rocket Man". And he said it pretty much the same way he would say Crooked Hillary or Lyin Ted or Low Energy Jeb. Except this time, he said he would kill 22 million people if Rocket Man doesn't do what he says.

In response, he got a bunch of shrugs. God help us all. The future of the world is in the hands of two nutjobs.

(I have an Elton John song that might be more appropriate...)

The Jimmy Kimmel Rule

Jimmy Kimmel addressed the Senator who created the "Jimmy Kimmel Rule" last night on his show, and it wasn't pretty. I tuned in just to see what he would say...

Art Laboe

Most people in Chicago don't know the name Art Laboe, but he's a legend on the West Coast. How much of a legend? Check out this story from this morning's RAMP Newsletter...

Already a radio legend, Art Laboe will attempt to put an exclamation point on his legacy by breaking the Guinness World Record™ for Longest Career as a Radio Presenter/DJ (male) this Sunday, September 24. The event will mark Art's 74th continuous year on commercial radio. Art's sister Lillian gave him his first radio at age 8; by the age of 14 Art had built his own amateur radio station, and on September 23, 1943, at the age of 18, Art embarked on his professional radio career at KSAN/San Francisco. Art Laboe received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1981 and was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2012.

Promotion for Dan Wolfe

Good to see fellow producers climb the ladder. From Radio Ink...

Daniel Wolfe Upped To APD At 94.7 WLS-FM. Wolfe will also continue his duties as Producer of the popular WLS/Chicago morning show The WLS Wake Up Call, a position he has held since 2003. A native of Coal City, IL, Wolfe graduated from Illinois Center for Broadcasting in 2002.

Brian Thomas, Program Director, 94.7 WLS-FM, and Vice President, Classic Hits Programming, Cumulus Media, said, “This puts Dan one step closer to his goals of becoming a PD at Cumulus, after doing a great job as morning show producer. I am looking forward to working with Dan in this new role.”

Magic Number is 9

Cubs win in Tampa. Magic number is Randy Hundley.

Made me laugh

As I knelt beside my son's bed and inhaled his hair scent while he was sleeping I thought, "this is what serial killers do."

— Elizabeth Banks (@ElizabethBanks) September 19, 2017

Happy birthday Sean!

I can't believe it, but son #3 is 15 years old today.

Like his brothers, Sean was born on the radio. Ten years ago I pulled out the tape of that phone call, and transcribed it. You can read it here.

Wheaton College Hazing

5 members of the Wheaton College football team (currently ranked #4 in the country in their division) face felony hazing charges for what they did to a freshman. One of the players charged is former NFL player Chris Spielman's son.

This is pretty gruesome stuff. From this morning's Daily Herald...

According to records cited in the Tribune's report Monday night, the student was in his dorm room when he was tackled by the football players, his legs and wrists wrapped up in duct tape, and a pillow case put over his head. He was placed in the back seat of a teammate's vehicle, and as they drove, the players made offensive comments about Muslims, the report said.

At one point, they attempted to sexually assault him, but when told to stop, he was beaten, the report said.

The student was left half-naked on a baseball diamond at an off-campus park, where another player was dumped 10 minutes later; the two were eventually driven back to campus by classmates, according to the report.

The freshman student, who went to the hospital, had muscle tears in both shoulders, as well as bumps and bruises, the Tribune said. He soon transferred from Wheaton College.

Does it need to be pointed out that Wheaton College is an evangelical Christian college with a very strong ethics code? How on earth are these guys still enrolled in the school let alone allowed to remain on the football roster (which they are as of this morning)?

Dave Ramsey to Host Hall of Fame Dinner

From this morning's Radio Online...

Syndicated radio personality, author, personal money management expert and National Radio Hall of Fame inductee Dave Ramsey will host the 29th Annual NRHoF induction ceremony and celebration. Additionally, a commercial free audio feed of the event will be provided by TuneIn. The 2017 inductees include Tom Barnard, Bobby Bones, Joseph M. Field, Bill Handel, Sean Hannity, John Records Landecker, Robin Quivers and Robert S. "Bob" Sievers.

NRHoF Chairman Kraig T. Kitchin said, "We're honored to have Dave, a world-class speaker who regularly addresses audiences of 10,000 at his live events, serve as our master of ceremonies. And thanks to TuneIn, fans everywhere can catch the on-demand audio of the special evening."

The black-tie optional event will be held Thursday, November 2 at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in downtown Chicago at 6pm Tickets and sponsorship opportunities are available at www.radiohof.org.

I will be there to see Landecker inducted. Still trying to decide whether or not to rent a tuxedo.

ABBA Planning a World Tour...as Holograms

Not making that up. Even though they are alive, they are touring as holograms.

Mashable has the details.

SInclair-Tribune Merger Hits a Speed Bump

From this morning's Inside Radio...

The 180-day shot clock continues ticking but Sinclair Broadcast Group’s proposed $3.9 billion buy of Tribune Broadcasting has hit a speed bump. The Federal Communications Commission says it needs more information about the proposed deal, which includes a handful of radio stations. The FCC demands don’t suggest an approval is in doubt, but rather that the Media Bureau is looking to solidify its reasoning with a decision likely to face legal challenges.

This is not the first snag in the regulatory review process. The Justice Department last month asked the companies for additional information as part of its antitrust review of the deal. Sinclair owns 172 broadcast TV stations as well as a trio of radio stations in Seattle including AC “Star 101.5” KPLZ-FM, all-news KOMO (1010) and “Talk Radio 570” KVI. Tribune owns 42 TV stations as well as iconic news/talk radio WGN (720) in Chicago.

The FCC is asking Sinclair to submit answers to its list of questions by Oct. 5. “If necessary, we will follow up with additional requests for information and documents,” Media Bureau Chief Michelle Carey wrote in the letter to Sinclair.The move has some critics suggesting it could push the FCC’s decision into next year.

It sounds good, but nothing will happen. The FCC is Republican-controlled and will allow this merger. Bank on it.

Laura Ingraham Gets Prime Time Fox News Slot

The staunch Trump defender will be on at 9pm (central time), moving Hannity to 8pm. I don't want to say this is just one step closer to a Pravda-style propoganda channel, but every host is now studying Russian.

Fox News Hit With Another Sexual Lawsuit

This time Charles Payne, an anchor on Fox Business, is being sued for gender-motivated violence. Scottie Hughes says she was raped, retaliated against and defamed. Fox News says her lawsuit is a "shameful" publicity stunt.

Which one do you believe? You have to admit there is a pattern here.

Cubs Magic Number

The Magic Number is 10.

Football in Illinois

This about sums it up...

Illinois Football Ranked:
1 Northwestern
2 Loyola Academy
3 Northern Illinois
4 U of Illinois
5 Glenbard West
6 Chicago Bears

— Steve Anderson (@cubsphan76) September 17, 2017

Look Who's at the Emmys

Diaper Drive

From this morning's RAMP newsletter...

Stylz & Roman, talented morning duo from CBS Radio Country WUSN (US99)/Chicago spent much of their weekend personally appealing to their generous listeners to help support the many moms and families affected by Hurricane Irma through a series of diaper donation drives. Doug Stylz and Justin Roman made the rounds of various area retailers collecting cases of diapers, culminating on Saturday with a major "stuff-a-truck" drive outside the Luke Bryan concert at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL.

"I couldn't be prouder for US99 to be a part of this effort, as it is so close to our listener’s hearts," said Todd Cavanah, VP of Programming for CBS Radio Chicago. "More than a million Chicagoans listen to US99 each week, and many of them are busy moms who can understand how a simple act of kindness can help so much when you're faced with a life altering situation like we've just witnessed throughout Florida."

All of the collected diapers will be driven to Florida and personally delivered by US99 staff members to the Salvation Army area command supporting Tampa and St. Petersburg, FL.

People helping people. Radio does its best when the chips are down. Congrats to US-99.

Unrest in St. Louis Causes U2 To Cancel Show

U2 bailed on St. Louis because of the unrest in the streets. From Variety...

Security concerns have forced U2 to cancel their Saturday night (Sept. 16) show in St. Louis, Missouri at The Dome at America’s Center, according to a statement shared by the band and Live Nation.

When asked for a reason for the cancellation, a representative for Live Nation referenced unrest in St. Louis’ downtown area and in the Central West End due to the not guilty verdict of ex-police officer Jason of Jason Stockley, who was found not guilty in the murder of Anthony Lamar Smith, leading to protests in St. Louis downtown and in the Central West End

I had a buddy who bought tickets to see that show because he missed it here in Chicago.

Sweep

Sean and I were there yesterday as the Cubs swept the Cardinals. It was stressful, but worth it.

Cramer on Entercom

CNBC's Jim Cramer explains the CBS/Entercom merger, and he thinks Entercom is a good buy. He even defends the radio business.

A Wall Street guy being bullish on radio.

Sounds odd.