Bobby in Blue Island

A few photos from yesterday's Bobby Skafish appearance in Blue Island. Great turnout. Bobby sold out his books...

Mitch in Elmhurst

A few photos from yesterday's Mitch Michaels appearance at the Elmhurst History Museum (at their Disco Demolition exhibit)...Very cool place. I believe the exhibit is there through the end of the year. You should go visit if you get the chance.

Minutia Men, Episode 76

EP76 – Rick and Dave discuss smart condoms, German parenting tips, mustard on pop tarts, Prohibition at Wrigley Field, and Rick’s brush with British Royalty.

Listen to it here.

37 Years Ago Today

This is how I heard the news. I'll never forget it.

I agree with...Joe Walsh?

Not the first time I've agreed with Joe Walsh, but definitely the first time I've agreed with THIS Joe Walsh...

This attack by @FoxNews & Republicans on Robert Mueller's integrity is despicable.

And don't tell me you're just attacking the investigation, not Mueller. Bullshit. It's HIS investigation. When u call it a witchhunt, you're blaming him.

Bob Mueller has always put America first.

— Joe Walsh (@WalshFreedom) December 8, 2017

Switching Parties

A prominent conservative switches parties and becomes a Democrat...because of Roy Moore.

Read his opinion piece here.

Here's another piece, this one in the New York Times. Conservative columnist David Brooks writes: "The rot afflicting the G.O.P. is comprehensive — moral, intellectual, political and reputational. More and more former Republicans wake up every day and realize: “I’m homeless. I’m politically homeless.”

Tyler Chatwood

The Cubs have a new pitcher and his name is Tyler Chatwood.

His stats are not very impressive, but you have to remember that he pitched at Coors Field for the Rockies. If you look at his stats away from Coors, it's pretty darn good.

Read all about him here.

Gone But Not Forgotten

This month's Illinois Entertainer is out and features my column about the Chicago media figures we lost during 2017.

You can read it here.

Sherman and Tingle

From this morning's RAMP Newsletter...

The Sherman & Tingle morning show on Hubbard Classic Rock WDRV (97.1 The Drive)/Chicago recently held their 2nd annual live broadcast and fundraiser, "Operation: Santa PAWS" in partnership with PAWS Chicago -- an organization dedicated to building no-kill communities -- to collect food, new toys, and cash donations for those animals that don't have homes or families for the holidays.

To help raise money for this life-saving cause, the guys did a live broadcast from "a local Jewel-Osco location" in Skokie, IL on Saturday, December 2. Hundreds of Sherman & Tingle loyalists turned out to support the cause and donate carts full of pet supplies and cash. All told, the effort raised $10,300 in pet supplies and monetary donations.

Commenting on this successful venture, Sherman & Tingle said, "Again this year, we are proud to have been a part of an event that helps so many homeless animals during the holiday season -- and all year long. Our listeners are the best, and we are deeply grateful for their support and generosity." Pictured during the remote, (Front row, l-r): Sherman & Tingle Producer Jill Egan, Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle. (Back row, l-r): PAWS Chicago rep, The Drive night jock Phil Manicki and afternoon dude Steve Seaver.

FYI: I just interviewed one of the gentlemen in this picture, Steve Seaver, for my January IE column.

Delilah Returns to Lite-FM

From Radio Online...

WLIT-FM (The New 93.9 LITE FM) returns syndicated personality Delilah to the Chicago airwaves. Effective immediately, she joins the iHeartMedia AC outlet weekdays from 7-11pm. With more than 150 radio stations, she's the most listened-to woman on radio in the U.S. Delilah has quite a resume, winning a Marconi Award, being inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Broadcasting Hall of Fame and the National Radio Hall of Fame.

Suppelsa's Sign Off

Tonight is Mark Suppelsa's last newscast at Channel 9. Robert Feder has the details...

Tonight also marks the final broadcast of Mark Suppelsa, who’s retiring as 5, 6, 9 and 10 p.m. news anchor at WGN and wrapping up an outstanding 36-year career in television news. Tributes are pouring in to the veteran newsman who attended Libertyville High School and graduated from Lincoln-Way High School in New Lenox, and Marquette University in Milwaukee. Among the highlights was a hilarious sendoff in “Noticias de mi Corazon,” the telenovela spoof starring WGN’s Dan Ponce, Lourdes Duarte and Ana Belaval. (Here is the link.) Spoiler alert: Look for cameo appearances by Ben Bradley, Robert Jordan, Rich King, Muriel Clair and even Ron Magers. Suppelsa, 55, plans to move with his wife to their cabin in Montana. He’s one of Chicago’s all-time best.

More Creeps Revealed

Former NFL quarterback Warren Moon. From this morning's Tom Taylor column: NFL radio analyst Warren Moon takes a leave of absence, after an accusation of sexual harassment. The Pro Football Hall of Fame QB “denies the claims” of his former executive assistant, says his attorney. Moon’s camp hasn’t seen the civil suit filed by Wendy Haskell, but says he’s aware of what she’s alleging happened while she worked for him at Sports 1 Marketing. According to Seattle Times columnist Matt Calkins, the suit “says he would grab her crotch as she slept. It says he once drugged her drink because she wasn’t ‘having fun.’ It says he required that they share a bed on road trips and that she leave the bathroom door open while she showered.”

Moon has been suspended.

And two more from the political world...

Former Congressman Harold Ford

Congressman Trent Franks

Ford was fired by Morgan Stanley and Franks resigned.

Mark Your Calendars--December 17

MSNBC Reverses Firing Decision

Here's something you don't see everyday. MSNBC fired contributor Sam Seder for a sarcastic tweet from several years ago. It was obviously a joke--even if it wasn't a good one--but in today's climate, MSNBC decided not to take a chance.

Well, the viewers of MSNBC did not like the decision. They said MSNBC shouldn't be bullied by the Far Right (who unearthed this tweet), and no one should be fired for sarcasm.

After giving it some thought, MSNBC agreed. Yesterday Sam Seder was rehired.

Randy Bachman

The rocker (The Guess Who, Bachman Turner Overdrive) had an experience that made him appreciate his Canadian roots...

Meet Barry Killen. He found my cell on the road and called a friend to safely return it. He said all he wanted was a selfie but I have 2 tix to Neil Young's show tonight so we're going to rock out. People like this make me so proud to be Canadian! Thanks, Barry! pic.twitter.com/Za8ARBFwVF

— Randy Bachman (@RandysVinylTap) December 1, 2017

The Osgood File

From this morning's Radio Ink...

2017 marks the 50th anniversary of The Osgood File, hosted by esteemed broadcast journalist and radio icon Charles Osgood. Fresh off receiving a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Osgood saluted the milestone by signing an extension to continue broadcasting The Osgood File with Westwood One.

The Osgood File is heard four times each weekday morning on hundreds of radio stations nationwide, including some of the most influential news and information stations in the country, including WCBS-AM/New York, WBBM-AM/Chicago, KCBS-AM/San Francisco, and WWJ-AM/Detroit.

I've always loved the Osgood File. Glad that there is still someone of his quality on the air every day.

Bill Paige Book Signing

Meet Bill Paige! Eckhartz Press author Bill Paige (Everything I Know I Learned from Rock Stars) is in town (he lives in Texas), and will be appearing in Chicago on December 10th. Bill is excited about signing and selling his books at one of his favorite places--The Old Town School of Folk Music. Register for the free session here: http://www.oldtownschool.org/classes/detail/?courseid=5794 (scroll down to the bottom).

Here's the description of the event on their webpage:
Music fans spanning generations are invited to discover favorite artists anew in former Old Town School student, Bill Paige’s Everything I Know I Learned From Rock Stars, on Eckhartz Press. Join Paige for this special book signing and discussion!

Most Talked About Stories of 2017

On Facebook, it was International Women's Day.

On Spotify, Ed Sheeran was #1.

(For me, it was obviously lederhosen. But then again, that's my #1 story every year.)

Time Magazine's Person of the Year

Somebody nail down the furniture in the White House--I feel a temper tantrum coming on.

This year's Time Magazine's Person(s) of the Year: The Silence Breakers. (The women who have come forward to confront the men who sexually harassed them)

The fashion world is obsessed with dorky dad shoes

The New York Post has a big story about this today. I'm torn. I can't decide how I feel about this...

If you want to look fresh, try raiding your father’s closet.

“Dad shoes” — those thick-soled, aggressively awkward sneakers beloved by Jerry Seinfeld, circa 1994 — are currently fashion’s hottest, must-have accessory.

And celebrities can’t get enough of them.

Just this past month, Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner and Jaden Smith have all sported new clunky tennis shoes by brands like Yeezy and Louis Vuitton.

Chance the Rapper donned a pair while hosting “Saturday Night Live” in November, while model Bella Hadid wore some very dadlike Nikes during a recent dinner with her own dad.

“We’re in the dad-sneaker peak at the moment,” says Yu-Ming Wu, cofounder of the traveling industry footwear event Sneaker Con, which takes place in New York City on Dec. 16 and 17.

I'm generally insulted by the concept, but on the other hand...I do have a couple of dorky dad sneakers in the closet that I've been afraid to wear since I was called out as a dork by one of my sisters-in-law a few years ago.

Also, I was called a dork for wearing black sneakers too, so what the hell? Either way I'm a dork.