"CONFESSIONS OF A WEENIE"
The wacky, bizarre, and completely true radio and TV experiences of
Stephen Abramowitz from 1990-2004
ABOUT ME:
STEPHEN ABRAMOWITZ
The Story of a Former Radio and TV Professional/Weenie
When I was eight years old, I used to join my parents at Friday night services at my San Francisco synagogue. The Rabbi learned that I could sing, and invited me to lead the Kiddush (wine blessing). At the oneg (reception), congregants would tell me, "You're going to be a Cantor (singing clergy) when you grow up". "No, I replied, I am going to be a sportscaster!"
Well, 33 years later I did become a Cantor. But after graduating from UC San Diego with a degree in Communications, I embarked on a 14-year career in radio and television production, all back in my hometown of San Francisco. I started in promotions at a Top 40 station, then went on to produce morning shows at oldies (where Steve the Weenie was created), classic soul, classic rock, and eventually sports talk stations. But I never did ascend to my goal of becoming a sportscaster. I completed my media tour at an international cable network called TechTV, serving as the Entertainment Booking Manager. I faced the square-peg/round hole proposition of booking celebs to talk about technology.
Somewhere along the way I got a cat, met my wife, moved in with her, traveled to Cambridge, MA for our wedding, and sweated our way through Spain for our honeymoon. We moved to MetroWest Massachusetts, where I earned two Masters degrees (Jewish Education, Cantorial ordination; Elementary Education, ESL certification). I served as Education Director at two synagogues. I worked 10 years as a cantor in one synagogue, proving my boyhood prognosticators correct. In April 2010, we welcomed girl-boy twins Ella and Gabriel into our lives, and nothing was the same again. My wife and I traded two-day-a-week work schedule years, to raise the kids from babies to toddlers to pre-schoolers.
Following a few failed attempts to combine the cantor and public/private school teacher vocations, I currently serve as an ESL teacher and High Holiday (only) cantor. But after 14 years in radio/TV, and a generation of emotional distance, I have a treasure trove of stories to tell. I hope you enjoy them!
BLOGS
99.7 KXXX-FM January 1990 - February 1991
X-100 was the logo of my first radio station. I worked at 530 Bush Street in San Francisco, a stone's throw from Chinatown. Working in promotions, I helped run various station events, earning the princely hourly wage of $4.50 an hour. But perks were abundant, as we sponsored concerts and many movie premieres. "Home Alone", "Total Recall", "Edward Scissorhands," "Misery", "Pretty Woman"...I saw them all before the general public. I even got to "vogue" at a Madonna concert (more on that later.) Most importantly, I developed several friendships I have maintained for 30 years, and shared experiences that will last a lifetime! More to come...
BLOG #42
(THE FINAL BLOG):
MY FIRST, LAST, AND
ONLY MEDIA PINK SLIP
Throughout my radio/TV career, I had an uncanny sixth sense: I always managed to exit a radio station before the morning team or format blew up. But after the demise of X-100 in March 1991, I actually stuck around for the format change to Oldies KFRC, 99.7 FM. Instead of taking my chances on promotions, I wedged my way into programming as a morning show producer, upping my wage 22%, from $4.50 to $5.50 an hour. Actually, the idea was thrust upon me by incoming program director Kevin Metheny, the guy Howard Stern labeled "Pig Vomit".
Once initial KFRC-FM morning host/consultant Harry Nelson gave way to Goss and Garrett (and Steve the Weenie was born!) I stuck with them through two years at KFRC, another year at cross-town KYA 93.3 (our beloved program director Bob Hamilton came over with us!), and an additional year when KYA transformed into Young Country KYCY 93.3 FM (Bye bye Bob!). By 1995, I had sensed that Goss and Garrett were not permanent fixtures for Young Country. So I bolted for KSOL 98.9 in mid-1995 (see chapter 36). (Goss and Garrett exited Young Country in early 1996, though Dean Goss returned to its new name Y-93 in 1999. Erin Garrett had fled to Arizona.) Within a year at KSOL, I had departed for classic rock KBGG (Big 98.1) in March 1996. Meanwhile KSOL (Soul music) became KSOL (Spanish for sun), all Spanish music in August 1996.
After a tumultuous year working with Marian McKay and Matt Dooley at KBGG, I bolted for the presumed greener pastures of KNBR, "THE Sports Leader", in April 1997. KBGG became KISS 98.1, a rhythmic adult contemporary format, that same July. Marian and Matt were long gone.
I joined KNBR, the San Francisco Giants flagship station, at the onset of the G-men's 1997 division winner, only to succumb to the eventual World Series champion Florida Marlins (Edgar Renteria or Moises Alou, anyone?). When I knew I would leave KNBR, I neglected to give two weeks notice until the 2000 Giants --in their beautiful new home Pac Bell Park, faltered in their playoff run to Benny Agbayani, Al Leiter, and the eventual NL champion New York Mets. That October I moved over to television, as Entertainment Booking Manager at TechTV, only one month after Tech TV acquired its new name from ZDTV.
Now I will fast forward to Friday, November 13, 2002. I was planning for my first birthday celebration (November 16th) as an engaged man. I could also celebrate having survived at TechTV for two full years, but rumors persisted that a large chunk of staff would be laid off that day, in a cost-cutting purge. The "grim reaper " that day, one of the station managers, worked from an office right across from my desk. Therefore, as employee after employee was pink-slipped, I lowered my head to avoid making uncomfortable eye contact with those leaving the station. Meanwhile, I awaited my own name being called, but it never was. Nonetheless, over 100 people were let go on that "Black Friday" at Tech TV.
By the next February, new rumors ran rampant that TechTV would be bought out by its closest competitor, G4 (the Gaming Channel). This news did not deter me from taking a long overdue vacation, visiting friends in New York City. Unfortunately, a winter snowstorm grounded me in The Big Apple for an extra two days, even though I was supposed to get back to work. I recall sitting in an Upper West Side Manhattan cafe with my friend Jonathan, shocked to observe people skiing down Broadway.
Upon my belated return to Tech TV, I was informed that I was on "thin ice" (perhaps a play on words for the snowstorm I had encountered.) Then, early that March, senior booking manager Jeff Macedo called me to his office, and provided me with a pink slip of my very own. It was actually the first time I had ever been fired from a radio or TV position. Once again, however, the timing was impeccable. Just three weeks later, on March 25th, G4 did indeed buy Tech TV, and ALL TechTV staff was eliminated as all programming moved from San Francisco to Los Angeles.
For a couple months I tried radio sales back at 93.3 KKWV, now branded "The Wave". I enjoyed meeting potential clients, but only one of my clients--a dating service!--bought time on the air. Then before too long I heard through the grapevine (pun intended) that back at Oldies KFRC-FM, my longtime pal Dean Goss and his new partner Cammy Blackstone (The Cammy and Dean Show) needed a morning producer. This time, however, I arrived with the shared understanding that my time was limited. My fiance and I had already planned to move in summer 2004 to Massachusetts (where she was born and raised). And, after meeting with a career coach, I was en route to earning my first of two Masters in Jewish education. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed briefly reuniting with my favorite radio host, and his new partner whom I came to enjoy, before embarking on a new adventure 3,000 miles away.
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WHAT ARE THEY NOW?
* 99.7 (KXXX, KFRC-FM) has become KMVQ, a contemporary hits station called 99.7 NOW, "The Bay's #1 for All the Hits!"
This dial position has come full circle since its X-100 days.
* 93.3 (KYA, KYCY, KKWV) now plays a Mexican music format called "La Raza" ("the people"). The call letters are KRZZ.
* 98.9 (KSOL) has retained its call letters but has rebranded as "Que Buena", playing Mexican regional music. Who knew that four of the formats I worked in would transform into competing Mexican music stations!
* 98.1 (KBGG) turned into "The Breeze", a soft adult contemporary music program that became the #1 music station in the Bay Area in two years. The call letters are KISQ. Marian McKay would have been gagging.
* 680 AM (KNBR) remains "THE sports leader", but they now have legitimate competition from 95.7 FM "The Game". Of the hosts I directly worked with at KNBR, only Tom Tolbert remains. My "Where do you see yourself in five years?...I'll tell you!" boss Bob Agnew resurfaced as program director of KLAA-AM 830, the Los Angeles Angels radio station.
* Tech TV, purchased by G4 in 2004, used the transitional name "G4TechTV", eventually dropping "TechTV" altogether. It ceased operations in 2014, only to revive like a phoenix in 2021. G4's new slogan: "We never stopped playing!"
SOURCES:
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-04-01.pdf
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/KFRC-switches-from-oldies-to-music-of-1970s-and-2570746.php
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-agnew-aa831b65/
BLOG #41
WRITING ABOUT ELVIS
At certain points during my radio career, bosses and colleagues spotted various talents in me that they could develop or exploit, depending on your viewpoint. My historical knowledge of top 40 music netted me a crack at co-writing the Firecracker 500, X100's only countdown. Early on, Dean Goss and Erin Garrett recognized my ability to write parody songs, and I was happy to comply. But when I first started at KFRC, our program director Kevin Metheny must have noticed my writing ability, because he voluntold me to write a weekly special on Elvis Presley that would air Sunday mornings from 6-8am. Our production guru Tim Jordan would put the show together, and Kevin himself would voice the show. Beyond that, I received very little direction.
Elvis had such a varied career, albeit tragically cut short, that writing a weekly program became simpler, when I considered specific themes. One week I would touch on his early influences, including gospel, hillbilly music, and the blues. For example, "Hound Dog", was first a 1952 blues recording by Big Mama Thornton. Another week I focused on hits from his numerous movies, including "Viva Las Vegas", "Blue Hawaii", "Love Me Tender", and "Kid Galahad". Then I got creative: Elvis hits remade by other oldies artists. Songs that Elvis remade into even bigger hits than the originals. Novelties and rarities, such as "Nothingville", which clocks in at one minute, five seconds, and features the lyrics "a rat's race at a snail's pace". With Elvis, the options seemed endless!
Once I selected a song list, the writing began in earnest. Without being able to use Google or "Hey Alexa!" to assist me, I had to rely on various books about Elvis' life, his music, and the various eras. Greil Marcus' 1975 treatise Mystery Train was a good place to start, as well Marcus' more recent (1991) tome Dead Elvis: A Chronicle of a Cultural Obsession. For behind the scenes stories of his #1 recordings, no better book exists than Fred Bronson's The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. For example, when "Jailhouse Rock" songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller first met Elvis, they were quite impressed with his work ethic. Stoller recalled, "When he was in the mood he could do 50 takes of a number and go on to the next tune without taking a break. To unwind, he'd sit down at the piano and sing a hymn. He never looked at the clock."
When writing for radio, you always have to "back sell" the song that came before ("You just heard 'Jailhouse Rock' from the King's 1957 film of the same name.") In addition, I needed to "pre-sell" songs yet to come, especially as a "tease" entering a commercial break. ("Coming up: A pair of songs from Elvis' 1968 televised "Comeback Special", including a ballad first written in 1926!") Once these re-joiners and teases were written, I had to tell the story of each song as concisely as possible. I would always use a quotation if I could find a quick hit, whether from Elvis himself, a musician who played with him, a songwriter, or a music critic of the period.
Once the first "Elvis Special" was promoted on our KFRC-FM airwaves, we got a nice blurb from San Francisco Chronicle radio columnist Ben Fong- Torres, who referred to myself, the writer, as "oldies whiz Steve Abramowitz". I joked at the time, if I had written a show about 70s disco, he might have called me “cheese whiz”. Nonetheless, I cut out that piece in the pink Sunday Datebook section and inserted it in my radio era photo album.
If you're wondering whether I woke up at 6am on Sunday morning to listen to my show, when I arose at 4:30 each morning during the week, the answer is a resounding NO! But I tried to stick around each Wednesday when Kevin Metheny recorded my script, both to answer any clarifying questions, and to analyze whether he phrased my words the way I intended.
Unfortunately, the Elvis Special lasted for only eight weeks. I came away from the project with mixed emotions: disappointed that I couldn't continue, relieved that I didn't have to create two hours of scripted entertainment each week, and resolutely proud of my accomplishment.
The Elvis writing experience served me well when I hosted "Shirim" (Songs), a weekly Jewish music radio show, on WCUW 91.3 in Worcester, MA for about six months. I also contributed a weekly written piece, called "Chagigah Connections", in which I matched a hit English language song with a Hebrew language remake. This segment aired for a couple years on Hal Slifer's "Chagigah", airing Sunday mornings on WERS 88.9, the radio station of Boston's Emerson College. Regarding "The Elvis Special," I still have the original scripts stashed away somewhere. Since Elvis Presley (allegedly) passed away in 1977, the show information is still as fresh as ever.
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Kevin Metheny, un-affectionately known as "pig vomit" or "pig virus" to Howard Stern fans, never mistreated me. He served as program director and operations manager of many radio stations across the U.S. Metheny had just been hired to helm San Francisco AM talk giants KGO and KSFO in October 2014 when he passed away from a sudden heart attack. He was only 60 years old.
Sources:
https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/134115/kgo-a-ksfo-om-kevin-metheny-passes
BLOG #40:
THE KNBR-ESPN CONNECTION IN
CONNECTICUT
On paper, KNBR represented my dream radio job in 1997, checking all the boxes. Sports talk? Check. Giants and Warriors flagship station? Check. Media superstars and former pro athletes? Check. But when I arrived, I faced a less than ideal scenario.
Steve McPartlin, a veteran of local Bay Area TV ("Mornings on 2"), syndicated entertainment shows ("A Current Affair," "Inside Edition") and future video game voice ("Star Wars Episode 1: The Battle for Naboo"), served as host, Leonard Nelson was Executive Producer, and Karl Kelcec was the production guy. So I was already joining a crowded room, charged with bringing a robust mix of sports, entertainment, and newsworthy guests onto the show.
I quickly realized that Steve McPartlin had an ego (not surprising), and he usually remained aloof and detached. If we didn't have a post-show meeting, he would arrive 10 minutes before the show, and leave 10 minutes afterward. I also learned that before I arrived, the mega-popular John Madden interview feature moved to talk rival KCBS after Madden inherited McPartlin for two weeks.
Though McPartlin never acted unkind toward me, open communication remained a challenge. I was actually pleased that Leonard could act as a buffer and communicator. Steve McPartlin lasted until July 1998, 15 months in total. His morning replacement, our midday host at the time, carried a much bigger sports cache. Gary Radnich, the KRON-TV Sports Director since 1985 (and continuing until 2018), had moonlighted at KNBR since 1992 (until his retirement in 2019). Regarding sports knowledge and his interpersonal skills, Gary was truly a breath of fresh air. He certainly had an ego as well, but he liked to augment his self-worth by involving his co-workers on the show. Therefore, in addition to booking guests and finding content, I was a more than occasional contributor to Gary's show. After we conversed on the air about my Jewish identity, Gary (who's not Jewish) presented me with a collared shirt with the words "Mr. Synagogue" emblazoned in cursive on the chest. I still own it today.
During the time I worked with Gary, I was building a competitive friendship with Melissa Jacobs, the sole afternoon producer for the "Razor and Mr. T. Show," hosted by the late Ralph Barbieri (whose voice was famously compared to a razor) and ex-Golden State Warrior Tom Tolbert. Melissa was a total dynamo, relentless in her pursuit of guests, and completely invested in her hosts' show. I knew that it's human nature for management to compare employees in similar roles. Heck, even I compared my work to Melissa's; though, to be honest, I booked a combination of entertainment and sports guests, while Melissa only booked sports people.
It was just a matter of time until Melissa informed me, only mildly surprising, that she was leaving KNBR to work at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut. She also (I believe) put in a good word for me to replace her on the afternoon show, which was exactly what happened. At the time I incorrectly believed that by being present during the work day, I could get a leg up on sports announcing and reporting opportunities that arose. (In an earlier blog, I related the story of how my program director, Bob Agnew, inquired where I saw myself in 5 years. Before I could respond, he proceeded to inform me where I would be--right where I was. This was the beginning of the end for me at KNBR.)
I kept in touch with Melissa cross-country, as we compared professional notes, and I learned about Ralph and Tom's idiosyncrasies. Finally, as I had accrued some vacation time, I decided to head (alone) to New York to explore and take a side trip to Bristol to visit Melissa and tour ESPN. She greeted me in the lobby, and immediately introduced me to her cohort, producer Nicole Noren. Nicole was already an ESPN veteran who would remain there while starting her own production company, earning several Gracie, Murrow, Peabody and even GLAAD awards. Nicole and Melissa made a formidable producing tandem.
Melissa asked if I would like to meet some of the talent. I enthusiastically concurred. Right off the bat, I was introduced to Chris Berman, the ESPN stalwart since 1979. I foraged through my brain for my favorite baseball "Bermanisms" like "Leave it to Seaver", "Jose Can (You) Seco", or my favorite, "Bert (Be Home) Blyleven." Instead I just offered a "nice to meet you" and shared my employment at the Giants' flagship. Melissa even procured a photo op with Berman and another anchor I cannot recognize (his face appeared neither on the 25 best ESPN anchor list, nor the worst 50 list).
Before I bid Melissa farewell so she could get to work, I thanked her, offered one reflection, and asked one question. The reflection: "It seems like everyone here is hyper-focused on ESPN, like you are stranded on ESPN island!" The question: "Where can I go from here?" Regarding the reflection, Melissa completely agreed. As for the question, Melissa mentioned Lake Compounce, a combined amusement park and water park right in Bristol. So, long before GPS, I got directions from a receptionist, jotted them down, and headed (in my dress shirt and tie) to the amusement park.
It was a sweltering hot summer day, so as soon as I gained entry to Lake Compounce, I bought an L.C. logo tank top, tossed my shirt and tie in a locker, and tried to look the part of a typical amusement park goer (in dress pants). Despite being alone, I managed to thoroughly enjoy myself, riding on a couple roller coasters, experiencing a few other thrill rides, and strolling along the water park walkway. That was the only time I have ever attended an amusement park alone. But I still have the tank top, and I have kept in contact with Melissa. As memories go, it's a win-win!
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* When Steve McPartlin was let go at KNBR, general manager Tony Salvadore called his 15 months a "noble experiment". Steve continued to work in Bay Area television, 30 years in all, and now lives--and tweets--in Palm Beach, Florida.
* Leonard Nelson has remained in the broadcast realm, as Video Production Manager at Silicon ANGLE Media's "theCUBE". We follow each other on LinkedIn.
* Karl Kelcec changed careers and currently works as a self-employed real estate investor in Folsom, CA.
* A two-time SF Weekly sportscaster of the year, and 2010 Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame inductee, Gary Radnich retired from KRON-TV as sports director in September 2018 (after 33 years), and retired from KNBR radio at age 69 in 2019. He lives in San Francisco with his wife Alicia, a KRON producer.
* Ralph Barbieri (The Razor) was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2005, but continued to co-host (with Tom Tolbert) their top-ranked show on KNBR until retiring in 2012. He also had a son, Tayte Ali, through in-vitro fertilization of a surrogate. Sadly, Ralph passed away in August 2020 at age 74. Tayte is now 21.
* Tom Tolbert has continued at KNBR, now co-hosting the same 2-6 pm slot with Rod Brooks and Larry Krueger, both of whom hosted shows at KNBR during my time there.
* Melissa Jacobs continued producing at ESPN from 2000-2007. She returned to help run ESPNW, writing pieces aimed at the female fan. After a stint as NFL Editor at Sports Illustrated, Melissa rebranded herself as "The Football Girl" (TFG), building a website (www.thefootballgirl.com), writing sports articles, hosting podcasts featuring female power players in sports, and even selling apparel! Melissa relocated with her family back to Oakland, where she serves as managing editor of TFG, and writes freelance sports pieces for The Guardian. I couldn't be prouder of her!
SOURCES:
https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/KNBR-host-McPartlin-leaving-station-this-week-3080077.php
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Gary-Radnich-longtime-Bay-Area-sports-14030385.php
https://www.nicolenoren.com/about
https://globintel.com/us/who-is-tayte-ali-ralph-barbieris-son-bio-wiki-age/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-jacobs-3333b32/
BLOG #39:
THE INTERN (PART 2)
On Wednesday, following the "Um" test, the four remaining competitors were given time to compose a parody song about our show to an oldie of their choice. Cammy explained, "Musical ability is not a requirement. However, the willingness to go out on a limb and risk making an idiot of yourself IS a requirement." As an aside, Cammy quipped, "We certainly do that (make an idiot of ourselves) all the time. Certainly Steve does that in his job description!" Remind me to put that on my next resume!
Xanthe went first, transforming the karaoke "Sweet Caroline" to "Sweet Cammy and Dean". It was short but on point. Dan, who self-admittedly had musical training, parodied "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye. While Dan musically delivered the song, the parody lyrics were spot on. "This task is a real hoot. I hope I don't get the boot!"
Ian went next. Not only did he parody "Wouldn't It Be Nice" by the Beach Boys, but he played along on a singing saw, a hand saw used as a musical instrument. "Oh, the happy times that we'll be spending; I hope this internship is never ending!" Finally, it came down to Raina, who, as a disclaimer, disclosed that she was kicked out of chorus in the 7th grade. She rewrote the Beatles' "Hey Jude", starting one verse as "Hey Dean" and another as "Hey Cammy", concluding with "Hey Raina, just do the work, and can you bring us some coffee? Where are names like Smith and Jones? How would I know that Ray Charles was blind?" Her singing was horrendous; she even referred to herself as "the new William Hung" (the tone deaf "American Idol" contestant whose 15 minutes of fame led to him recording an album). But Cammy and Dean adored her self-deprecating lyrics, especially the way she incorporated events from earlier in the week.
That same morning, purely coincidentally, I had scheduled film director (and LGBTQ+ icon) John Waters as a phone guest. The potential interns each wrote and asked Waters a question, in the same manner that I would prepare Cammy and Dean for phone guests. Xanthe went first, inquiring what Waters enjoys most about San Francisco. Waters responded immediately with "The Stud: A hippie gay bar". Dan, a film student, wondered what advice Waters would give an aspiring filmmaker. "Put violence and sex in it," Waters cheekily replied. Raina began, "Great ideas come from experience. So what was your inspiration for 'Serial Mom' (Waters' 1994 blockbuster)?" Waters revealed that he used to go to murder trials, and even taught in prison. Going last, Ian posed, "How do you select music for your films?" Waters uncovered that a "guy named Larry" finds all the unusual music for his films, except for his musicals like "Cry Baby" and "Hairspray". Harkening back to Raina's question, he joked, "I'm still waiting for a 'Serial Mom' musical!
At the end of Wednesday's show, Cammy and Dean announced, "Thanks for being on the show, Xanthe!" And then there were three...
On Thursday, Dan, Ian, and Raina faced the toughest challenge yet, booking a celebrity guest. But for the most part, they came through with flying colors. Amazingly, Raina managed to wrangle Ralph Nader, then an Independent candidate for President of the United States. When Dean asked him why he would run and take away votes from another candidate, Nader replied that "It's up to the voters. I don't want to deny them the choice."
Ian's guest came next, as Mark Mothersbaugh, co-founder of Devo, called our hotline. While Devo did not fall within our Oldies umbrella, his compositions for children's movies and television shows like "Rugrats", "Beakman's World", "Pee Wee's Playhouse", and "Clifford the Big Red Dog" resonated with our listeners who were parents or grandparents. At the time, Mothersbaugh was creating the score for his fourth film with Wes Anderson, "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou".
Now the pressure was on Dan, who had connected with the mayor of Santa Clara, who was going to declare Thursday "Cammy and Dean Day" throughout her city. Unfortunately, toward the end of Thursday's show, the mayor had not called in.
During our last talk break, I spoke directly to the contestants on the air, in an effort to evaluate the three semi-finalists. To Raina, I recognized "your energy has been fantastic, your bubbly wit, your charm, and Ralph Nader was a fantastic 'get', as we say in the business. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication." "Dan," I continued, "You worked so hard, I have to give you major credit. You were aiming to book everyone from John Kerry to Jennifer Garner. And I know we gave you a difficult task, I would never put myself under that kind of pressure." Cammy added, "Dan--the song was phenomenal! Thank you Dan." Finally, I addressed Ian: "We loved the saw, we loved the energy you put in, and you got Mark Mothersbaugh. He's not quite our format but a lot of our listeners have kids that watched 'Rugrats'..."
Quite suddenly the hotline lit up! You probably guessed that Dan's guest, Santa Clara Mayor Patricia Mahan, called at 9:58 am to declare April 22nd, 2004 Cammy and Dean Day in her city. I learned that Santa Clara was the first U.S. city to go WiFi! But unfortunately, the last minute guest appearance did not prevent Cammy and Dean from saying, "Thanks for being on the show, Dan!"
Friday's show arrived with only Ian and Raina remaining. They had done most of the heavy lifting already, so we just required each of them to present a "Bay Area Events Calendar" for that weekend. Raina promoted an international beer festival, an art deco show at a local gallery, the opening of "Kill Bill, Volume 2", and "Scoop the Poop Day" at Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. Ian countered with stargazing at Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science, tickets going on sale for Earth, Wind, and Fire, various Earth Day activities, and movie debuts for "13 Going on 30" with Jennifer Garner, and "Man On Fire" with Denzel Washington.
When we reached the end of the show, we tallied seven anonymous votes for an "Intern" victor. Listeners who called in counted for one vote, Dean, Cammy, and myself one vote each, and the program director, general manager, and sales manager one vote apiece (I like to scratch as many powerful backs as possible). I pulled the votes out of the bag Jeff Probst style. Vote 1: Ian. Vote 2: Ian. Vote 3: Ian. I then paused and stated, with exasperation, "Where is the vote I'm looking for?" I wanted to extend the drama, but I will not do it here. "Congratulations Ian! You are our new intern!!!" Raina, gracious in defeat, joked that she wanted to come back and sing. She received a pair of Oakland A's tickets. Ian would be taken to lunch that day, but received nothing else except his first intern assignment: Find a location to broadcast live for Cinco de Mayo. That would be my last live broadcast as a morning show producer.
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* Ian Baldridge did not pursue a career in radio, to the best of my knowledge. A simple Google search revealed that Ian, now 41, is a radiation safety technician at U.C. Berkeley.
* Xanthe Asher, who was 32 during our competition, works as a marriage and family therapist in San Francisco. Her expertise lies in Attachment-Focused Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). Call her for a free consultation at (650) 822-7357.
* According to LGBTQNation.com, "John Waters, 74, has been a fashion model for Nike, Nordstrom, and Saint Laurent, and has appeared in videos and TV shows ranging from "The Creep" to "The Simpsons" to "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit". Last spring he launched his own line of face masks and even wore one at the graduation talk he gave to students at New York’s School of Visual Arts, one of the first examples in history of product placement during a commencement speech."
* Ralph Nader ran for president seven times between 1972 and 2008. Now 87, he is retired from public service, but still hosts the syndicated Ralph Nader Radio Hour.
* Mark Mothersbaugh, now 71, remains a visual and musical artist, operating at his L.A. based Mutato Studios: www.mutato.com. Devo is still a band, last performing live in 2018 at Oakland's Burger Boogaloo Festival, featuring comedian Fred Armisen on drums. Look for a Devo documentary released on Australian streaming platforms.
* Patricia Mahan was elected Santa Clara mayor in 2002, 2006, and 2010. She was responsible for signing off on Levi's Stadium, where the 49ers now play.
Sources:
Photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Apprentice_(franchise)#/media/File:The_Apprentice_logo.jpg
https://www.lgbtqnation.com/2021/01/john-waters-like-meet-john-waters/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/xanthe-asheremdr-san-francisco-ca/230989
https://ehs.berkeley.edu/people/ian-baldridge
Photo Source: https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/intern
BLOG #38:
THE INTERN (PART 1)
In April, 2004, "The Apprentice" topped the Nielsen ratings (back when the major networks cared about such things). Back at KFRC-FM with my last radio producing gig (The Cammy and Dean show), we wanted to create a radio reality show to replicate the success of "The Apprentice". Thus, "The Intern" contest was created, long before the 2015 Robert DeNiro/Anne Hathaway film of the same name (pictured above). The winner would become an actual (unpaid) intern for our station. Ideally the intern could replace me as (paid) producer that summer, when my wife and I planned to move to Massachusetts.
Cammy and Dean delegated me to assemble tough but appropriate challenges over a week. We would start with five contestants on Monday, whittling down one a day, and voting for a winner on Friday. We spent two weeks promoting the contest, asking potential contestants to call in, and I would vet each one before putting them on the air to "audition" for the hosts. Each contestant had to be available in person for the duration of our show (5-10 am) for the entire week.
Finally, on Monday, April 18th, we introduced our five contestants:
Ian, a 24 year old Berkeley native attending San Francisco State.
Beth, a Concord native in her last semester at SF State, who also interned for KPIX-TV's "Evening Magazine".
Xanthe, a 32 year old SF State student from Mendocino County.
Raina, an 18 year old City College of San Francisco student.
Dan, another SF State student from San Mateo, majoring in film directing.
Once we introduced the contestants, Dean previewed the phrase you don't want to hear (instead of "You're Fired!"): "Thanks for being on the show!" The first challenge I created involved answering as many oldies trivia questions as they could in 30 seconds. The questions were as follows:
1) What band was Paul McCartney in before Wings?
2) Which of these KFRC artists has eyesight?
Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Jose Feliciano, or Lou Christie?
3) Which Rolling Stone member died in a swimming pool?
Bill Wyman, Brian Jones, Keith Richards, or Ron Wood?
4) Gary Lewis (of Gary Lewis and the Playboys) is the son of:
boxer Joe Louis, singer Ramsey Lewis, comedian Jerry Lewis, or Grampa Munster Al Lewis?
5) Neil Sedaka (who had just been musical guest on "American Idol") had a #1 hit with two versions of the same song in 1962 and 1976. What was it?
6) Who was the founder of Motown?
Quincy Jones, Berry Gordy, Diana Ross, or Al & Lesley Gore?
Among the more unique responses...
* Beth said Paul McCartney had been in The Monkees.
* Raina said the Neil Sedaka song was "Shake Your Bon-Bon" by Ricky Martin.
* And everyone except one contestant thought that Grandpa Munster was Gary Lewis' father. (For those wondering it's actually Jerry Lewis.)
The final tally: Ian answered four correctly, Dan scored three, Beth and Raina got two, and Xanthe came in last with one correct response.
For the next challenge, the five contestants drew a radio performance task, all of which I had tweaked to make it as verbally challenging as possible.
Beth went first with a weathercast I handed to her one minute in advance. She spoke pretty effectively, except for her description of "COME-u-lous" clouds, and her difficulty with the town Agua Caliente, which embarrassed her since she admitted being Puerto Rican. Next, Dan nailed his live commercial copy for Sleep Train, even ad-libbing about the no-interest financing being helpful "now that it's tax season".
Xanthe chose a newscast, which I inundated with Iraqi names from the Iraq War, and the U.S. diplomat in Iraq, John Negroponte. "You gave me all the hard names!" Xanthe complained. But Dean truthfully quipped, "We wouldn't even know if (your pronunciation of the names) was right. It SOUNDED good!"
Raina, a self-professed Oakland A's fan, tackled a sportscast that I riddled with Spanish baseball names and European hockey names, and 2004 Giants player A.J. Pierzynski. But all on her own, Raina botched the "INDIAN" Pacers and the "OTWANA" Senators. Our news guy Mark Nieto, speaking of Raina's assignment, called it "cruel and unusual punishment." I took that as a compliment.
Finally, Ian handled a fake traffic report with ease. Alameda De Las Pulgas, a thruway along the Peninsula (south of San Francisco) presented no challenge to him, along with Solano County's Suisun (pronounced Suh-SOON) City. Ian ad-libbed, "The only real thing on this traffic report is that it's wet out there!"
By the end of Tuesday, we were able to downsize our Intern workforce by one. Any guesses who we cut? "Beth, thanks for being on the show!"
Wednesday featured the "Um Test". Each of the four remaining contestants chose a 30 second monologue topic, which they were required to deliver with as few "ums" as possible. Xanthe led off with an "um-free" soliloquy on women in television. Dan opined about bottled water sans "ums" and, as an aside, shared with Cammy and Dean that his dream experience would be to meet Mel Brooks. Cammy sarcastically retorted, "This is not the Make a Wish Foundation!".
Raina went next, discussing parental involvement in their college-age children's lives. She scored one "um". In addition, hen she told Dean she was 20, Dean revealed he has a 20-year-old son. The obviously single Raina wondered aloud, "Is he cute?"
Ian, 24, closed the "Um Challenge" with a mini-lecture entitled, "Why BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) should have a dining car." Not only did he speak without "ums", but Ian made some valid points. Ian also endeared himself to Dean when he shared he was taking a "History of Rock and Roll" class with Dr. Dean Suzuki at SF State.
Coming up in "The Intern" (Part 2):
* Writing and singing an oldie parody
* Crafting questions for a special guest
* Booking a famous interview guest
* The Finals!
BLOG #37
COMPELLING
A CAPPELLA!
Through my years in morning radio, I discovered that A Cappella groups make perfect live musical guests for several reasons. First and foremost, since they only perform with their voices, these bands can come right on the air without setting up equipment. Secondly, they can perform right in the studio with you. When you locate great A Cappella bands, their harmonies are so tight, it sounds like audio heaven on the air.
I was blessed to book two such groups as recurring guests on our shows: The Edlos (top photo), consummate professionals who performed sterling renditions of oldies, and The House Jacks (bottom photo, circa 2008), the pop/rock/funk masters, who have endured a frequently rotating lineup over 30 years.
During my years at oldies KFRC and KYA with Goss and Garrett, the Edlos represented the ideal musical guests. They were friendly, vociferous, hilarious, and appeared genuinely pleased to be on our show. They would perform songs right in our oldies wheelhouse, such as "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", "In The Still Of The Night", and virtually anything from the Beach Boys catalogue. In addition, they would take requests on the air, which we repackaged as "Stump the Edlos". Edlos tenor Eric Morris, my radio contact, was always up front with me about when the band could appear. I learned that Edlos bass Ed Cohn was considered a "ringer", a professional singer with Bay Area synagogue choirs for the high holidays. Ed even sang one year at my synagogue, Congregation Beth Sholom in San Francisco's Richmond District.
The Edlos were exceedingly fun in concert. Their highly interactive "Potpourri Show" was always a fan favorite, and their country show was equally outstanding. I suppose, when you can sing well enough to do A Cappella, you can sing just about anything, as long as you can arrange songs to fit your harmonies.
The House Jacks, a self-proclaimed "rock band without instruments", arrived with a very different, more youthful vibe, but were just establishing themselves in the A Cappella scene when they came on our radio show. The group at the time featured Austin Willacy (the only remaining member since 1993), founder and longtime musical director Deke Sharon, bass Bert Bacco, Rob Penn, beatbox Andrew Chaikin, and Tristan Bishop, who lived not far from me. Tristan and I became friendly through our common zip codes, taste in music, and our faiths (Christian for him, Jewish for me). The House Jacks covered pop/rock/soul/funk favorites, replicating guitars, trumpets, harmonicas, and violins, among their myriad vocal instruments. In addition, the House Jacks penned a lot of accessible pop for their own repertoire. They were a humongous hit, even on Young Country!
The House Jacks' legendary sold out concerts at Berkeley's Freight and Salvage included high energy choreography, mega-tight harmonies, and a number of unusual medleys with unexpected transitions. The interactive segment, when they would take requests from the audience, was always a big crowd pleaser. However, by the time I saw the House Jacks at the Freight, Rob, Andrew, and Tristan (with whom I had sadly lost touch) had left the House Jacks, replaced by tenor Garth Kravits and human "mouth drummer" Wes Carroll. Despite many member changes, and the departure of founder Deke Sharon in 2015, the House Jacks continue to thrill audiences across the Bay Area and around the world! I am just glad to have been along for the ride for a while.
************************************************
Deke Sharon, also founder of the Contemporary A Cappella Society, has been dubbed by some as "the Godfather of A Cappella". He was a musical consultant for the "Pitch Perfect" films, and directed musical talent behind the scenes on "The Sing Off", an A Cappella contest and showcase. He still keeps in contact with the House Jacks, reuniting with them at a 2018 concert.
Austin Willacy has embarked on a solo career while simultaneously performing with the House Jacks. He has recorded four albums, produced a next gen vocal group called 'Til Dawn, and wrote host Nick Lachey's theme song (and several others) for "The Sing Off". I bumped into Austin at a Cole Valley brunch at Zazie in 2004.
Garth Kravits has embarked on an acting career, appearing on a season 3 episode of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel", a favorite binge-worthy show of mine. I didn't notice him, but I hope he will return and SING!
Andrew Chaikin has kept a toe in A Cappella while becoming a successful voice over artist for commercials, video games, and webisodes. SF Chronicle Columnist Jon Carroll dubbed Andrew's "Lips of Pure Gold".
Tristan Bishop went on to produce the Asian-American A Cappella Band Kai, which competed in the 2001 Bay Area Harmony Sweepstakes. His Facebook profile is limited to the public, but I did notice all the bands he follows make Christian music.
Top 5 Favorite House Jacks Songs:
5) Dive Into You (House Jacks Original)
4) Peace Love and Understanding (Elvis Costello cover)
3) Sign Your Name (Terrence Trent D'Arby cover)
2) Gone (House Jacks Original)
1) Still by My Side (House Jacks Original)
SOURCES: https://www.singers.com/grouphistory/4037
https://www.npr.org/2013/05/19/184786553/deke-sharon-makes-a-cappella-cool-again
https://www.austinwillacy.com/sing-off
https://www.harmony-sweepstakes.com/regionals/?region=Bay+Area&year=2001
BLOG #36:
LONG LIVE
CLASSIC SOUL,
BUT UNFORTUNATELY
NOT THE RADIO STATION.
At some point in 1995, I managed to say goodbye to Young Country, ultimately parting ways with Dean Goss (for nearly a decade) and Erin Garrett (who moved to Arizona permanently). I traded in my cowboy hat and boots for a music format that I really relished: "Classic Soul" from the 1970s and 1980s. The format featured artists like Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Whitney Houston, Kool & The Gang, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Program Director Larry Berger, when KSOL 98.9 first aired in April 1994, told Radio and Records Magazine that "We're targeting 25-49 adults, leaning female with a multiracial target including blacks, Asians, Latinos, gays, and some old hip Caucasian heterosexuals like myself. We think it's perfect for this market!” I was 27 years old at the time, and I considered myself a hip white heterosexual, so I was bound to fit in.
I wound up producing another morning show, featuring veteran host Don Sainte-Johnn (photo above), who had handled mid-days and afternoons at KFRC and KYA (both while I was there), K101, and later KBGG (Big 98.1, also while I was there). Don was kind, gracious, and knowledgeable, and never had an unwelcome word to say about anyone. Furthermore, since music was the focus, my job involved clipping news stories, answering phones, and writing games and other show content, rather than booking a lot of guests. Looking back, it was probably the lowest pressure job of my 14 year radio/TV career. So, in retrospect, it was doomed not to last.
The highlight of my time at KSOL surfaced that December, when I attended my 10-year Lowell High School reunion. I entered the event with various items of KSOL swag: bumper stickers, keychains, and even a few duffel bags! Whatever lack of popularity I may have experienced back in high school vanished when I arrived with KSOL stuff. Many of my classmates, predominantly Asian, really enjoyed KSOL as well, so my appearance was a complete hit! Little did I know that 10 years later, I would be married and living in Massachusetts. Up to now, that was the last high school reunion I have attended.
As it turned out, the KSOL "Classic Soul" experiment fizzled by the summer of 1996. That August, KSOL became "El Sol", a Spanish music format that has endured--in some form-- to this day. According to Alchetron.com, 98.9 has gone through more call letter and format changes than any radio station in California history! Fortunately for me, my "format change" radar went up long before August, so I traveled 0.8 frequencies up the radio dial, from Classic Soul 98.9, to K-BIG Classic Rock 98.1. Nonetheless, I can boast that KSOL artists represent a solid portion of my now outdated CD collection.
***********************************************
Don Sainte - Johnn is a proud member of the Bay Area Hall of Fame for radio. He last surfaced at KHYL Sacramento, where he was replaced in 2013. Don is alive and well, teaching Mass Communication at a Sacramento college. We have reconnected via LinkedIn recently.
SOURCES:
https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-04-22.pdf
https://alchetron.com/KSOL#KSOL-call-letters-arrive-at-98.9-FM
https://theurbanbuzz.com/?p=2725
BLOG #35:
TECH TV GUEST HOSTS:
FROM "BRADY BUNCH" TO "BATTLESTAR"
Almost anyone who grew up in the 1970s and 80s had an (unhealthy?) obsession with one TV show--"The Brady Bunch"--and one film series--"Star Wars". Kids born in the late 1960s probably watched the initial reruns of "The Brady Bunch", which originally aired from 1969-1974. Generation Xers can easily quote "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" or "You broke my dose!" . Doll collectors probably wanted a Kitty Karryall doll, and avid Teen Beat readers probably wanted to date--or be--Greg or Peter Brady.
My freshman year at UCSD, "The Brady Bunch" rerun at 2pm became appointment viewing in our Drake Hall dorm suite, among those who weren't at class. In fact, Neil, one of our suitemates, actually boasted that he could identify any "Brady Bunch" episode within the first 8 seconds...and he did! I am not sure where this unique "talent" got Neil, but among male residents of Drake Hall, Third College, UCSD 1985-86, it was quite impressive.
"Star Wars: (A New Hope)" opened over Memorial Day weekend in 1977. Somehow I managed not to watch the iconic film before I trudged off to sleepaway camp. When I came back, I felt like the only kid in California who had NOT seen "Star Wars". Most of my friends and acquaintances had seen it three or four times already! When my sister (9.5 years my senior) agreed to take me to see "Star Wars" in August at San Francisco's Coronet Theater, the line was already halfway around the block! Now I hope to re-watch the "Star Wars" films in chronological order of release date with my son. That is, if we can get through the library DVD glitches.
Television jumped on the "Star Wars" space-fi bandwagon with shows like "Battlestar Galactica", which originally aired from 1978-79. Although I didn't really watch the show, I realized its significance 41 years before "The Mandalorian". After a deeper dive, I realized that 20th Century Fox (which released "Star Wars") actually sued Universal Studios (maker of "Battlestar Galactica") for plot infringement, citing 34 distinct events that were "copied" from "Star Wars". In fact, science fiction author Isaac Asimov opined at the time, "'Star Wars' was fun and I enjoyed it. But 'Battlestar Galactica' was 'Star Wars' all over again and I couldn't enjoy it without amnesia."
At TechTV, as Entertainment Booking Manager, the nostalgia washed over me, as I booked in succession guest hosts Christopher Knight (Peter Brady) and Richard Hatch (Captain Apollo on "Battlestar") on "The Screen Savers". Celebrities who were guests on "The Screen Savers" appeared as a result of their fame, with tech questions sprinkled (or deluged) in the interviews. The results were decidedly mixed. But celebrities who came to our San Francisco studio to serve as guest HOSTS came equipped with ample technology acumen. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak immediately comes to mind, as well as frequent blogger/vlogger Wil Wheaton (see blog #16).
Christopher Knight is a self-identified "geek". He started selling computer and video equipment, and in his words, "I took to it, like a duck to water." After a few years in the 1990s with 3D graphics company Visual Software, Chris went on to found a TV tuner company called Eskape Labs, and an educational software company called Kidwise Learningware. His company at the time (2003) was based in Petaluma, California (north of San Francisco), so Chris was able to drive himself to our studio. When he arrived at our studios, most of the older staff treated him like A-list royalty. Chris played along, especially when co-host Leo Laporte asked him about his favorite "Brady Bunch" episode. But they were able to ask him clever questions like "What technology do you think would have made life for the Bradys a lot simpler?"
Chris kept his responses close to the technology vest, played along with the bits, and was a consummate professional. Little did we know that in two years, Chris Knight would return to television on the reality show "My Fair Brady" (2005-2008), which chronicled his relationship with America's Next Top Model winner Adrienne Curry. Retroactive spoiler alert: They got married (on screen) in 2006...and divorced (off screen) in 2013.
Richard Hatch continued with the "Battlestar Galactica" franchise into the 2000s. In fact, Hatch co-wrote, produced, and co-directed "Battlestar Galactica: The Second Coming"(1999), a four minute preview of a potential film, which reunited several original cast members who reprised their roles. On a shoestring budget, Hatch was able to recruit CG animators and special effects creators to work for free--- via the Internet! Unfortunately, the full length feature film was never made.
Richard arrived in a town car, and seemed a little stiff at first. But when "The Screen Savers" talent informed him what huge "Battlestar" fans they were, citing details from favorite episodes, the actor appeared to loosen up. In addition, the timing of Richard's appearance could not have been better, as the "Battlestar Galactica " video game was coming out on PlayStation and XBox in November 2003. (TechTV's gaming show "X-Play" most certainly reviewed the video game.)
I hoped that I upped my TechTV retro street cred by booking Christopher Knight and Richard Hatch. But credibility only lasts so long in the media universe.
*********************************************
Christopher Knight, now 63, is happily married to his fourth wife, Cara Kokenes Knight. They work together in his latest venture, Christopher Knight Brands home decor. Most recently he advertised a Susanna Outdoor Water Resistant Lounger Bean Bag, on which his dog sat. As his website boasts, "Style Meets Value From A Name You Trust."
Richard Hatch passed away at age 71 from pancreatic cancer in 2017. HIs ashes were scattered over Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles. But www.richardhatch.com lives on. The site showcases the 5-book Battlestar Galactica sci-fi series that Richard co-wrote. And the site is also where I learned there may be a documentary film on Richard's life.
SOURCES:
https://www.facebook.com/christopherknightbrands
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0368745/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0193000/'
BLOG #34:
A "FOOTLOOSE" EMBARRASSMENT WITH KENNY LOGGINS
One of the noteworthy events during my senior year at Lowell High School in San Francisco was the annual Senior Show, a talent show featuring the best of the Class of '85. I quickly signed up, and despite my own singing ability, I opted for lip synching, a fad of the time. If you don't believe me, I will remind you that "Puttin' on the Hits", a lip sync variety/competition show, was produced for television from 1984 - 1988. William Randy Wood had hosted a number of lip sync battles that became so popular, he pitched it as a television program to Dick Clark Productions, and they got a young, curly-haired Allen Fawcett to write and host the show. But I digress...
I decided to perform a lip sync to "Footloose", Kenny Loggins' chart-topping soundtrack hit from the 1984 film of the same name. I did not own a guitar at the time, so I opted to perform with a tennis racket (what was I thinking?). When the day of the show arrived, I handed my cassette tape of "Footloose" to our student audio guy, and I got ready for my performance in the 2nd act.
As the iconic opening guitar strummed, I danced and pranced with my Wilson racquet while I lip synched "Been working, so hard. I'm punching my card..." Suddenly, about halfway into my act, four senior boys rushed the stage, picked me up by my arms and legs, and carried me off the stage. The audience laughed, primarily because they thought the stunt was part of the act. I was shocked, irate, and mortified! When the thugs--er, students--let me down, I ran back onto the stage, grabbed my tennis racket, let out a primal scream, and raced out of the auditorium, never to return that day. It was not one of my proudest moments.
Now we fast forward 11 years. At classic rock BIG 98.1, while producing the Marian McKay and Matt Dooley morning show, I made a calculated error. I regaled the hosts with my Senior Show "Footloose" story (off the air), which amused the self-proclaimed "Caustic Canadian Swamp Witch" to no end. Weeks later, we had an opportunity to do a phone interview with Kenny Loggins, who was promoting his upcoming 1997 album "The Unimaginable Life". Of course, Marian remembered my sordid tale, and decided to force me (on the air) to share my miserable reflection with Kenny Loggins. Kenny himself did not know how to respond, but kept it positive by stating, "Well, I am honored that you chose my song to lip sync."
I was mortified all over again! I didn't care so much that Kenny Loggins knew about the story; I was embarrassed to broadcast my memory live on the air!
"Please, Louise, pull me up off of my knees!"
ADDENDUM: The mastermind of my Senior Show debacle was a fellow senior named Aaron Hancock. Through the years, I have endured a like/despise relationship with Aaron, who did try to make amends in 1986 by inviting me to an Outfield concert. I like the Outfield, so I reluctantly accepted. To this date, I have never seen Kenny Loggins in concert. But it has taken me over 20 years to like the song "Footloose" again.
Sources:
ttps://gameshows.fandom.com/wiki/Puttin%27_on_the_Hits
BLOG #33
A YOUNG COUNTRY
(AND PERSONAL)
ALLIANCE
On March 28th, 1994, Oldies KYA-FM flipped the switch and became KYCY, Young Country San Francisco. Since our signal carried throughout the Bay Area, Alliance Broadcasting's head honchos banked on a big pocket of country fans in the suburbs and bigger cities in the East Bay and South Bay. Dean Goss, Erin Garrett, and I remained intact as the morning show, basically offering the same combination of entertainment, local news, contests and games, but with a definitive country twang.
To this day, I can recall most of the chart-topping country hits from 1992-1994, and I had my own personal country favorites, including Martina McBride (see Blog #4)
The Mavericks, Dwight Yoakam, Diamond Rio, Blackhawk, and Chris LeDoux. I purchased boots and a cowboy hat, which was later signed by the legendary Charley Pride. Although country was not my favorite format, I embraced the lifestyle to the best of my professional ability.
On July 2nd, 1994, KXRX-FM 96.5 Seattle flipped its own switch to become Young Country Seattle. Since we were both under the same Alliance umbrella, we at KYCY were instructed to get to know our "country cousins" up north. I discovered my producer counterpart in Seattle was a guy named Ken "Bugs" Wehl. Through our phone conversations, I discovered that Ken also had Jewish roots, considered himself an uber-fan of the Billboard charts, and had just countrified himself as well. We became long distance radio pals.
As I considered my vacation plans for later that summer, Ken mentioned, "why don't you come to Seattle? I have an extra bed in my Mercer Island apartment, and we could have a fabulous time!" I decided to take Ken up on his invitation. With my boots stashed in my suitcase and my cowboy hat affixed upon my head, I touched down at Sea-Tac (Seattle-Tacoma Airport) and found Ken comically holding a "Young Country" card with my name on it. We shook hands and he pulled me into a hug. "We are going to have the best time!" Ken promised.
On the drive to his pad, Ken regaled me with tales of the Young Country Seattle listeners, and we laughed over the commonalities. We arrived at Ken's cozy Mercer Island pad, which I discovered was a tad too cozy. Mercer Island, across the Lacey V. Murrow Bridge (and Lake Washington) from Seattle, is known for its multi-million dollar homes, including the walled-in compound of the late Microsoft founder/billionaire Paul Allen (water view in the picture above), which we passed by on our travels.
After a quick dinner of Mercer Island's Pizzaliano Gourmet Pizza (not bad), we called it a night. The next morning, Ken took me to Young Country Seattle, which had the familiar look of any radio station which had recently gone country. He introduced me to his morning show (Lisa Dent and Scott Burns), who were cordial but busy, and his program director Eric Logan, an industry veteran who had moved from Oklahoma City to run Young Country Seattle. I didn't want to spend my entire vacation away from radio work at another radio station, so I politely hinted that Ken and I should find a place for lunch. Ken got the hint.
Over fish tacos, Ken and I discussed the plans for the evening. One of the jocks (DJs) was hosting a Young Country Seattle event at a country bar in nearby Tacoma, and if we got there early enough we could get line dancing lessons. When we arrived in Tacoma that night, it quickly became clear that "Bugs" was a mini-celebrity in the Young Country community. He introduced me to the promotional team and the afternoon DJ who was hosting the event. But more impressive was the number of listeners --especially women--who came up to Ken to introduce themselves.
All of the sudden, a country standard played, and before I knew it, I was dragged into a line dance lesson. The moves were not especially difficult, but I had almost no time to learn them before the next move came along. Despite my boots and cowboy hat, the fish-out-of-water vibe quickly washed over me. I admitted to Ken, "I feel like a country charlatan, a poseur." Ken just laughed, as if to admit that he knew nothing about the format until his station turned Young Country. I left the bar expecting Ken to land a number of listener phone numbers he would never call. I felt like a stranger, harboring a strong desire to go home.
The next day it rained fervently, and Ken dropped me off by Pike's Place Market, as he had to attend a work event (with no plus ones, apparently). I took advantage of the solitude to explore the Pike's Place Market, the Museum of Pop Culture, and something called the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Needless to say, I left my cowboy boots and hat at Ken's place for that day. Ken retrieved me in time for a scrumptious dinner at a barbeque place, and a more relaxing night back at his pad.
The next morning, I bid Bugs farewell, thanked him for his generosity, and embarked on a plane back to San Francisco. As fun as it was to visit Seattle, I was never so happy to return to our Young Country KYCY studios the following Monday morning. Boy howdy!
********************************************
Ken "Bugs Wehl" went on to become a DJ in his own right, as "Krazy" Ken Wheel. From 1997-1999, he hosted a shift at WYAY Atlanta, but I lost track of him after that. A Google search revealed that Ken Wehl works in the jewelry sales industry, having worked for a time at Seiko and Bulova, finally landing at GemsOne. He is married to Nicole with three kids, and resides in Everett, Washington. I have recently located Ken through LinkedIn, which led to a subsequent phone conversation. He said he was just thinking about me and wondered what had happened to me. I trust this blog will answer many of his questions.
Sources:
https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19940702&slug=1918451
https://gemsone.com/meet-our-team#
Photo Credit:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/paul-allens-legacy-of-extraordinary-homes-11552582150
BLOG #32:
MANY RIVERS TO CROSS, BUT ONLY
ONE CRIED.
The National Association of Television Program Executives, better known as NATPE, slated their 1993 convention in San Francisco. Fortunately, I was at KYA-FM with Goss and Garrett, so NATPE was on our radar. You see, Dean Goss spent several years as the announcer on the original "Let's Make a Deal" with Monte Hall ("Dean, tell her what she's won!"). Therefore, Dean's connection to television represented our golden ticket to the NATPE convention.
Why was this a big deal? As Dean explained, NATPE conventions aren't just for television executives to meet, they also pitch new programming. And to pitch new programming to other executives, you need STARS!! What I didn't expect was the opportunity to see stars from successful shows that were seeking syndication deals (usually, after 80-100 episodes).
We drove to the Moscone Convention Center with a hand-held recording device, a microphone, and great expectations. When we arrived, I realized that not all stars were stationed at their crowded TV show booth; many were cruising around like we were. Just by walking the floor I met Christina Applegate and Katey Sagal, then enjoying "Married With Children's" heyday. Through Dean's connections we met John Tesh from "Entertainment Tonight", and Pat Sajak and Vanna White from "Wheel of Fortune". William Shatner was holding court in the corner, but we just made a quick introduction. Ian Ziering, whose "Beverly Hills 90210" character was named Steve, questioned why I would be known as "Steve the Weenie", as if I were denigrating the glory of the name. Finally, in the middle of the floor, stood the funniest woman in the room. (Julia Louis-Dreyfus was in attendance for "Seinfeld", but she was a distant second).
Dean spotted Joan Rivers first, while she was speaking with someone else. We surrounded the perimeter of her speaking circle, so that any way she turned, one of us would be facing her. Joan was touting the "Joan Rivers Show", a talk show debuting in 1989 that was nearing syndication (the last episode aired December 1993). It re-ran on the E! network for years.
"Hi Joan!" Erin Garrett spoke first. We quickly introduced ourselves, and when Joan heard my name, she inquired whether I was related to Heidi Abromowitz, one of her famed comedy subjects. From there Joan delved right into comedic riffs about working in radio, Edgar, her late husband, and the whole NATPE experience. We managed to procure a quick voice drop ("Hi, this is Joan Rivers, and you are listening to Goss and Garrett on KYA"). She was as manically hilarious as you might imagine Joan at a comedy club or on "The Tonight Show". In short, Joan was perfect!
Fast forward a few years. I had latched on with Marian McKay and Matt Dooley for K-BIG 98.1. Marian, who compared herself stylistically to Howard Stern, sought to skewer any guest whom she felt deserved her vitriol. People in the news were subjects for her rage, but celebrities were also fair game. O.J. Simpson covered both boxes, and Marian really let him have it. We even scheduled a station event, a "Guilty! Guilty! Guilty!" party centered around the O.J. trial, then labeled the "Trial of the Century."
But among non-(alleged) murderers, Marian's acerbic tongue was never sharper than when speaking about Melissa Rivers, Joan's only child. Marian's hatred for Melissa centered around one word: nepotism. Finally, I managed to corral a phone interview with Melissa Rivers. It was a semi-big deal at that time, because Melissa and Joan were in their heyday working the red carpet at the Academy Awards. In the rear view mirror was Melissa's performance--as herself--in the 1994 television docudrama "Tears and Laughter: The Joan and Melissa Rivers Story".
Knowing the tongue-lashing that Marian had in store, I spoke in a sugary-sweet voice to prep Melissa Rivers on the phone. Of course, I didn't mention anything about the content, so Melissa wouldn't know what hit her. The interview started friendly enough, as Marian, Matt, and Melissa traded pleasantries. But Marian was not known for subtleties, nor for procrastinating a verbal bludgeoning.
"Okay then," Marian drawled, extending the syllables for dramatic effect. "So you have to admit that your whole career is due to the fact that Joan Rivers is your mother." Melissa paused, as if taken aback, but replied about a few appearances in movies without Joan's name on the marquee. "But come on, Melissa," Marian continued, "you only got the red carpet gig because of your mother, can you at least admit that?" Melissa gamely responded that she worked very hard on those red carpet shows. But Marian was having none of it. "Okay, what about your TV movie: 'The Joan and Melissa Rivers Story'? Can you see the nepotism there? l mean, you were playing YOURSELF"! This statement appeared to be the knockout blow for Melissa's composure. She began to cry. "Why are you treating me this way?", she quietly demurred. Marian addressed her literally. "Because your only talent is appearing in your mother's shadow." Through her tears, Melissa verbally trudged, "You are so mean!" and then hung up the phone. Marian celebrated on- and off-air as if she had just prevailed in a presidential debate.
I bristled, knowing that I would receive a phone call to complain about the battering interview. Sure enough, about 15 minutes later, I received a call from Melissa's publicist, but before I could respond, a female voice jumped on the speakerphone. It was Melissa herself. "Why didn't you tell me that that horrible woman would attack me?" she sniffled. I stated matter-of-factly, "because then you wouldn't have come on our show." I apologized that our host made her cry, but I never apologized for Marian's words. Then they returned the knockout blow: Melissa Rivers would never come on our show again. When I hung up the phone and informed Marian, she just laughed. "Who cares," Marian opined, "there won't be another reason to bring Ms. Nepotiti on again!"
Melissa Rivers has done alright since her mother's untimely death in 2014. She even sued for wrongful death, as Joan was merely hospitalized for a minor throat procedure. Melissa has a website with a "Group Text Podcast", and she has wrangled some decent household names, including Jeremy Piven, Gayle King, and Perez Hilton. And, lest I forget, Melissa appeared in a film, 2015's "Joy", with Jennifer Lawrence. Melissa portrayed her mother, Joan Rivers.
Sources:
Photo Credit (Al Seib, LA Times)
https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/napte-convention
https://www.cnn.com/2014/09/04/showbiz/joan-rivers-clinic-probe/index.html
BLOG #31:
GETTING REAL WITH "THE REAL WORLD: SAN FRANCISCO"
On February 12th, 1994, Judd Winick celebrated his 24th birthday by hopping on a plane from New York to Oakland, meeting six strangers/ roommates at a house on San Francisco's iconic Lombard Street (one block from the crooked street), and having TV cameras film their every move. This was MTV's "The Real World San Francisco", and that day introduced Judd to three remarkable people: Pam, Pedro, and Puck. Despite the alliteration, these three individuals could not have been more different.
Pam, then a San Francisco-based medical student, became Judd's good friend and confidant in the house, and only after the show did they fall in love and get married. Their romance blossomed over their shared affection for Pedro, Judd's "Real World" roommate, who confided early on about being HIV-positive. After the show ended, Judd and Pam essentially moved to Miami to care for the terminally ill Pedro, along with Pedro's boyfriend Sean. Judd and Pam's love grew during that time of convalescence-turned-hospice over their dear friend. Pedro reportedly passed away just hours after the final "Real World" episode aired.
Then there was David "Puck" Rainey, the crass, obnoxious, borderline racist bike messenger, whose unlikability became the perfect reality-TV foil for Judd, who recalled 25 years later that Judd himself was the requisite "nice white guy" that season. Puck would say or do anything to get a reaction, and the roommates usually took the bait.
By early 1995, "The Real World" cast was still big news, as Pedro's death that past November left raw emotional wounds for cast members and audience members alike. Producing the Marian McKay/Mike Dooley* morning show on K-BIG at that time, I realized that any "Real World SF" cast member would be an excellent "get" for that pocket of time. So I was thrilled when an opportunity to interview Judd nearly fell into my lap. There are very few people whom you "meet" on TV and you feel they could truly fit in as your friend in real life. The second Judd stepped off the elevator, that is exactly how I felt about him. We were both Jewish, nice guys, with creative endeavors (Judd was a budding cartoonist, my creativity was varied but not clearly defined.) Judd married an Asian-American, my oldest friends, oldest radio friends, and senior prom date are all Asian-Americans. We carried on an easy conversation before he went on the air. By the time the mics were cracked, I wanted to protect Judd from any vitriol Marian McKay would shovel his way.
Of course, most of Judd's interview involved the three P's and his interactions with them. When inquired about Puck, Judd took the high road, but left it abundantly clear he hated the guy, especially the way Puck treated Pedro on the show. Judd got a bit emotional talking about Pedro, but he held it together. By the end of the interview, I was ready to ask Judd (and Pam) out for a beverage. But instead, I just gave him my card, and wrote my new cell phone number on it. He didn't call, but a couple days later, someone else did.
Puck himself called the radio station unsolicited. Someone must have tipped him off to Judd's appearance on our show, because he kept mentioning "equal time", as if he and Judd were candidates running for office--in the court of public opinion. I booked Puck on the show the next week, and Marian (for the moment) was thrilled.
From the second he entered the studio, one thing became crystal clear: Puck was the same person off screen (and on the air) as he was on reality TV.
Puck goaded Marian and Matt over the details of Judd's appearance. He railed at the fact that Judd led the vote to oust Puck from the Real World house, when Pedro threatened to leave. Puck then sought to enhance his own 15 hours of fame by promoting his own reality show endeavors, and even doubled down on defending his infamous guns-in-the-shape-of-a-swasticka t-shirt as "free speech". Later in the interview, Puck stooped even lower by picking a SCAB off his leg and offering listeners a chance to buy it. (Is it just a coincidence that eBay launched--as AuctionWeb--just a few months later?)
I was actually relieved when Puck left the studio, scabs and all. In just 15 minutes, Puck had made me feel uncomfortable; I could just imagine how his "Real World" housemates felt. I would like to say that Judd went on to thrive (which he has) while Puck is a spectacular failure. But I will let the readers judge.
******************************************
Judd Winick and Pam Ling have been married for nearly 20 years, have two children and continue to live in San Francisco. Judd still affectionately calls his wife "nerdy". Pam is a doctor and professor at UC San Francisco, and Judd has gained success as a cartoonist, especially with his New York Times best-selling Hilo graphic novel series. Big Nate author Lincoln Peirce, SNL alum Seth Meyers, and best-selling science fiction novelist Neil Gaiman count themselves as fans.
David "Puck" Rainey did extend his reality show fame, marrying his girlfriend Betty Garcia on "Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Battle of the Sexes". He has survived domestic violence charges (dropped), assault and battery (pleaded no contest), stalking an unidentified woman (1 year jail time) and felony ammunition charges (3 years probation). At last glance, Puck, Betty, and their three kids currently run a sprawling chicken farm in Neenatch, California (outside Lancaster). He is forbidden from leaving Los Angeles County. And, from every report, he is unapologetic about his Real World days.
Sources:
https://people.com/tv/real-world-judd-winick-pam-ling-anniversary/
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/series/HLO/hilo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAoJwYjyWCI (KGO-TV ABC7 San Francisco interview with Judd and Pam, 7/5/2019)
http://www.mtv.com/news/1704192/real-world-san-francisco-puck/
CYD CHARISSE
BLOG #30
FROM CYD CHARISSE TO "QUEER EYE":
MY RADIO INTERVIEWS
Back in early 1991, I started my morning show producing career at the new KFRC-FM, working with Harry Nelson, a longtime radio veteran who realized he was serving as a placeholder until a permanent team came along. He often dreamed aloud about his desire to retire at a beachfront farm in Saco, Maine.
As part of my duties, I was asked to run down the hall and help out the morning host at our sister station, Magic 61. Jim Lange was a nationally known announcer, most renowned for hosting "The Dating Game" from 1965- 1973. One of the regular features was a weekly interview with a rising 49er executive named Dwight Clark (yes, THAT Dwight Clark), who would become 49ers General Manager in 1997. Every week I would greet Dwight on the phone and prepare him for his interview, pre-asking questions ranging from his relationship with Joe Montana to the changes in the league since his retirement, to his newest venture as a restaurateur, Clark's By the Bay.
The third or fourth week that I spoke to Dwight Clark, he took me by surprise. "I have a question for YOU, Steve," Dwight posed. "How come you're not the one doing the interview? I mean, you're always asking excellent questions. You should be the one doing this!!" I don't recall my exact response, but I am certain it reflected an attempt at humility. What I do remember is how proud I felt inside. I could really interview notable people if I had the chance!
As the years passed, however, I had scant opportunities to interview people. During my Young Country days, I did get to interview Martina McBride (see Blog #4), because I was sent to Pomona, CA solo to cover FanFest 1994. But once in a blue moon a celebrity would be doing the rounds by phone, and their only availability would be long after our showtime, when our hosts were long gone for the day.
In 2004, 9 months after my ouster from TechTV (about a year before it exploded and ceased to be), I resurfaced at 99.7 KFRC, which now featured traffic reporter turned host, Cammy Blackstone, and my longtime host and friend, Dean Goss. (Erin Garrett, Dean's longtime partner, had moved back to her native Arizona.) As a favor, I handled morning show producing duties for a few months. Though I was back in my comfort zone of producing for Dean, the knowledge that it was a short term endeavor weighed on my mind. It was in this environment that I latched onto two solo interview opportunities.
The first interview I conducted was with legendary film star and dancer Cyd Charisse, who was being honored at the San Francisco Film Festival in April 2004. She was 83 at that time, but extremely erudite, with a memory as sharp as a tack. Therefore, I felt it necessary and honorable to deeply dive into Charisse's long career. I asked her to compare working with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, with whom she both danced. (She took the high road and said it was an honor to work with both of them, even though Gene's and Fred's styles differed). I inquired about how she overcame her introverted nature through dance. To prepare for her first speaking role at MGM, ("Ziegfeld Follies") the studio "was almost like a school, they'd take you and correct whatever was wrong...they were a fabulous studio to work with."
I thought I might surprise Ms. Charisse by posing a question about working with Marilyn Monroe, in Marilyn's final film, "Something's Gotta Give", which was never released after Marilyn's untimely passing. Ms. Charisse admitted without prodding that Marilyn was difficult to work with, as she had to be ousted from her trailer every day to get on the film set.
Other revelations included that she had to pass on co-starring with Gene Kelly on "An American in Paris" because she was pregnant with her son Tony Jr.; Fred Astaire was such a perfectionist that if anyone in the film made the slightest error, they would perform the dance over and over again; and her husband, crooner Tony Martin was performing well into his 90s. Finally, Ms. Charisse identified her favorite dance performance: "Dancing in the Dark" with Fred Astaire in 1952's "The Band Wagon". She was an absolute delight, and was incredibly patient through my "um"s, truncated questions, and a moment when a question slipped my mind (and unslipped later).
Two stars of "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" (later shortened to "Queer Eye"), Thom Filicia (2nd from left) -- the interior design guy, and Ted Allen (4th from left)--the food and wine expert, spoke with me to promote their upcoming book, Queer Eye For The Straight Guy: The Fab 5's Guide to Looking Better, Cooking Better, Dressing Better, Behaving Better, and Living Better. It was a New York Times bestseller in 2004.
Talking with these vivacious gentlemen, I faced a new challenge: ensuring that they did not talk over each other too much (a death sentence with radio interviews), and more importantly, that I did not step on their responses, verbally speaking. To my delight, Thom and Ted were not only self-deprecating, but eager to tease each other. For example, when I asked whether they fought over who had which chapter, Thom admitted they did it in alphabetical order: "We figured that because Ted is so unattractive physically, that it would be nice to actually put him up in the front of the book." Ted, meanwhile, opined that the chapters were in "descending order of quality."
The most revealing moment came when I asked them about the blessing and curse of newfound fame. Ted immediately reasoned that the best part was finding four new friends, while Thom recognized that experiencing new fame among a group "was a lot more palatable." Nonetheless, Thom noted the "drawback" of losing his anonymity: "you realize what a privilege it is to be an anonymous person, and the luxury that affords you."
The final question involved my wondering if they had ever turned a straight guy away. Thom replied how fortunate they were that every straight guy was excited and earnest, and by the time the Fab 5 performed their home audit, the team was already emotionally invested in their charge.
Before their time elapsed (I heard a little bell signaling the last 30 seconds), Ted uncovered his crush--Ryan Seacrest (whom I had once met, pre-"American Idol")--and concluded, "with all this 'blah, blah, blah', what we really want is to meet Ben Affleck."
************************************
Cyd Charisse was awarded the National Medal of the Arts and Humanities (the highest honor bestowed upon an American performer) by President George W. Bush in a private White House ceremony on November 9, 2006. She passed away in 2008 at age 86. Her husband, actor/balladeer Tony Martin (a San Francisco native), performed into his 90s and passed at the ripe old age of 98. A final oddity: Cyd is buried with her (Jewish) husband in Hillside Jewish Cemetery in Los Angeles. But Cyd, who never converted to Judaism, was eulogized in a Methodist ceremony.
Ted Allen maintained his success on TV, long hosting "Chopped" for the Food Network. Thom Filicia quit TV to start his own interior design company.
Among the rest of the Fab 5, Carson Kressley has appeared as a judge on "RuPaul's Drag Race" and Lifetime's "How to Look Good Naked", and danced on "Dancing With the Stars". Kian Douglas is the personal style expert for "Rachael Ray", and Jai Rodriguez has expanded his acting career, most recently in "Sharknado 5: Global Swarming".
Sadly, Dwight Clark passed away from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) at the young age of 61 in 2018. His leaping reception of Joe Montana’s floating pass in the NFC Championship Game on January 10th, 1982 stunned the Cowboys and sent the 49ers into a two-decade dynasty. “The Catch” will live forever.
Sources:
https://variety.com/2004/scene/markets-festivals/san-fran-fest-fetes-three-1117902418/
https://dannymiller.typepad.com/blog/2008/06/celebrity-deaths-connecting-the-dots.html
https://www.thewrap.com/queer-eye-original-fab-5-where-are-they-now/
BLOG #29
THE PSYCHIC AND
THE FED EX GUY
To fill 4 hours of radio programming every weekday morning, you need to reserve a cadre of regular guests, local people with a particular talent. During my years with Dean Goss and Erin Garrett, one of those guests was a lovely woman who went by Samy the Psychic. Her website, which refers to her as an "intuitive consultant", describes Samy's ability (since childhood) as "an intuitive psychic and a Reiki Master with a practical, no-nonsense approach to helping people understand themselves and helping them deal with their problems." Her first testimonial is attributed to Sir Paul McCartney!
We all anxiously awaited Samy's bi-monthly appearances, but not for the reason you might think. For two hours during Samy's visit, she was the entertainment, and we didn't have to do as much show preparation. And the studio listener phones rang incessantly. My role during Samy's segments involved lining up the callers with as specific information as possible. Typically listeners would call to discuss their love life, careers, or key decisions, like whether or not to follow through on a pending investment. Samy did not mince words, and offered very specific and logical psychic advice (not an oxymoron!) with a smile.
Once in a while, we would receive a heartbreaking-but-riveting call, from a woman who suspected her husband or boyfriend was cheating on her. Consistently, Samy confirmed the woman's suspicions, but always seemed to confirm that a new relationship was around the corner.
Of course, Samy would promote her phone number for longer consultations, but at the end of each Samy visit, Dean or Erin would ask Samy a question for themselves. Once in a while, I would partake for myself, but I remained a silent skeptic. Typically, I would nervously inquire about my love life, but regardless of what Samy replied, I didn't meet the love of my life for another 7 or 8 years after our time together.
Fast forward three years, to my K-BIG classic rock years with Marian McKay and Matt Dooley. The female host, the self-proclaimed "Caustic Canadian Swamp Witch", liked to emulate her idol, Howard Stern, by surrounding herself with freaks, social misfits, and people who could match Marian's acerbic tongue, barb for barb. One regular guest fit all three categories: Farrow the FedEx guy. Arriving each appearance in his FedEx outfit with tight shorts, the buzz-cut, bespectacled Farrow reminded me of a cross between Ted Allen (O.G. "Queer Eye") and the late acid-tongued comedian Paul Lynde. Like Lynde, Farrow barely closeted his homosexuality, preferring to sharpen his tongue for skewering various celebrities and newsmakers.
While Farrow loved Marian McKay, he was lukewarm toward Matt Dooley and merely tolerated me. I think he felt threatened by any male who attempted to match or surpass his wit. Whenever he came to our show, I learned to retreat into the air studio shadows: the phone banks and producer prep area. Farrow held court in the studio, and I was partially relieved not to be a focal point for Marian's vitriol.
It amazes me, in retrospect, that the favorite regular guests on two vastly different radio shows were a lovely woman who lent her psychic gifts to help lift people upwards, and a bitter delivery man who sought to push people down.
**************************************************
Sammy the Psychic still provides services through her website, samythepsychic.com. She has even helped various police departments locate missing persons! Media-wise, Sammy still regularly appears on the first Wednesday of each month, on the Lamont & Tonelli morning show on 107.7FM, The Bone. She can be contacted to set up a personal session or business consultation on her number, 1-800-922-SAMY (7269).
Google searches alone could not generate any updates for Farrow the FedEx guy. Unless you wish to discover Ronan Farrow's latest muckraking expose, I know nothing about Farrow's whereabouts, or if he
still works for FedEx.
Source and photo credit: https://www.samythepsychic.com/about-samy
BLOG #28
TALES OF TWO ROCKERS:
JOE SATRIANI & SAMMY HAGAR
The San Francisco Bay Area has long spawned a collection of superstar rock bands: Night Ranger filmed their iconic video "Sister Christian" at San Rafael High School. Huey Lewis & the News' cover picture for their 1984 megahit "Sports" album was taken at the 2 AM Club in Mill Valley. Chris Isaak presumably still lives in San Francisco's foggy Sunset District, where his "Forever Blue" album cover photo was taken.
But the Bay Area boasts two of the most accomplished rock artists, a guitar virtuoso "Surfing With the Alien", and the "I Can't Drive 55" rocker with big enough cojones to replace David Lee Roth in Van Halen. Yes, Joe Satriani and Sammy Hagar were two guests I booked (separately) for TechTV in the early 2000s.
In 2002 Joe Satriani was looking to promote his 9th studio album, "Strange Beautiful Music", which was recorded and produced at The Plant in Sausalito, and Studio 21 in San Francisco. When I saw an article about Satriani and how he embraced the latest tech gadgets in making his music, I knew I had to book him. When I located Satriani's agent, he returned my email, agreeing to a live interview at TechTV, and leaving a 415 (San Francisco and southern Marin County area code) number to make the arrangements. Little did I know that the number I called was Joe Satriani's home number!!!
Joe was very soft spoken, but extremely amiable once I introduced myself. He expressed his excitement to visit our studios, and thankfully offered to bring his guitar along with him. He arrived for his interview right on time, having driven and parked himself. Dressed in all black, with dark sunglasses and a bald head where his flowing locks once sat, Joe Satriani looked the epitome of an untarnished rock star, which is exactly what he is. He even got a bit animated for his interview, and he nailed the tech angle.
A couple months later, I read a short piece about Sammy Hagar and his Cabo Wabo tequila and cantina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The tech angle wasn't abundantly clear, but if Sammy Hagar was promoting something, I would find a way to book him. I talked to his business manager Renata, who suggested we do a field piece at his office/studio in Corte Madera, just north of Sausalito.
When I pitched the field shoot to "The Screen Savers" production team, my instincts were right: book Sammy for the field piece first, and invent the tech angle once we got there.
Sammy's office/studio was actually visible from the 101 freeway, and I began to bounce with anticipation in my passenger seat. Sammy himself met us at the door with a smile a mile wide. His curly blonde locks were matched by his yellow-framed Ray-Bans and ubiquitous yellow Cabo Wabo t-shirt. With his goatee extended to a scruffy beard, Sammy was the image of relaxation and contentment. Sammy led us through his front offices, which were fairly pedestrian, to a back room with gold records, some extra recording equipment, and assorted Cabo Wabo paraphernalia. Our crew thought this office would provide the best visuals for our shoot.
Sammy was delightful throughout the shoot, as he spoke freely from the hip, and even offered us cold beverages (no Cabo Wabo tequila, however, as we were working. ) When the technology angle came up, Sammy was able to discuss some tour tech gadgets, including some basic familiarity with Van Halen's pyrotechnics. The crew briefly grabbed some b-roll (extra footage) of Sammy's tiny recording studio, and we thanked him profusely for giving his time and sharing his workspace with us. And he gladly posed for pictures with each one of us.
Not every rock star falls prey to the Hollywood rock star lifestyle, especially when they choose not to live and work in LA. I may not be a super fan of Sammy and Joe Satriani's music (though I admittedly like the "Van Hagar"-era hits like "Dreams", "When It's Love" and "Why Can't This Be Love"), I remain nonetheless a Superfan of the two men.
Epilogue: Sammy Hagar and Joe Satriani teamed up (as seen in the photo above) in the supergroup Chickenfoot from 2008-2016, along with Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. Hagar has called Satriani "the greatest guitarist in the world".
Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison, Getty Images
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/joe-satriani-new-band/
BLOG #27
THE PERK TO END ALL PERKS
Once in a while the wicked early hours, the thankless efforts, and the often dull routine of radio producing are all worth it. This blog is about that very once in a while.
In 1992, Walt Disney World was celebrating the opening of Splash Mountain and the 10th anniversary of Epcot Center. In addition, Disney was all abuzz about its 31st animated feature, "Aladdin", released that November. For the occasion, Disney World invited stations from across the U.S. to participate in a radio row of live broadcasts. It was akin to a radio-specific media day at the Super Bowl. And from Northern California, KFRC-FM was invited to broadcast the Goss and Garrett morning show live from Disney. When I found out, I felt like the Super Bowl MVP announcing on camera, "I'm going to Disney World!!!"
While Erin Garrett and I traveled alone, Dean Goss took the opportunity to bring his wife Deborah and his two younger sons. We were especially excited about the shows from Orlando, since the time difference necessitated a much more palatable 9 am - 1 pm show. We could sleep in, still do our show, and we could explore the Disney theme parks for the remainder of the three days we were broadcasting. I was bouncing with anticipation throughout the 6 hour plane ride. All attempts to sleep were thwarted by my expectations.
We stayed at a non-descript Disney hotel, within walking distance of our broadcast location. We found our KFRC-FM tent among a series of about 25 tents on "Radio Row". The two chairs with microphones were for Dean and Erin, and a wireless mic was available for guests or short bits away from the tent. Three chairs were in place for Dean, Erin, and our chief engineer Phil Lerza who had set up our broadcast tent. While I wouldn't have minded a chair for myself, I was too hyper to need to sit for a while.
I created some Disney themed games for the week, such as "Name That Tune" Disney edition, or something akin to "Oldies Group or Disney Ride": The Dixie Cups? oldies. Mr Toad's Wild Ride? Disney attraction. We relied upon the USA Today for our news source, and communicated constantly with our home studio for local traffic, weather, and news. Disney trotted out a few stars to make the rounds. Cheech Marin, who was starring in Disney's "Golden Girls" spinoff, "Golden Palace", and Charles Fleischer, voice of Roger Rabbit, were two prime examples.
We had a number of Disney Characters stop by, but only the humans (Cinderella, Prince Charming) could speak, which made it tough for radio. But the photo ops were priceless!
When each show ended, my Disney World odyssey began. I found myself mostly alone because Dean was roaming the park with his family, and Erin was doing her own thing, starting with a handsome Disney escort. I was very curious to explore Epcot Center, because I have always enjoyed studying foreign cultures. While the Moroccan Bazaar and Chinese Temples were most visually stunning, my personal highlight occurred in Germany, where I utilized my 4 years of high school German to carry on a conversation. The Disney employee actually asked me if I was visiting from Germany!! Vielen dank, and ruhe in Frieden (rest in peace), Herr Braunreiter (my high school German teacher)!!!
The next day in the Magic Kingdom, I went on a few thrill rides, and connected with Dean's family later in the day. You might think that the later show schedule would enable me to enjoy the park until the late hours, but I was so exhausted that I watched the nightly fireworks show from my hotel room. All in all, the trip proved more memorable thinking about where we went, than what we did when we got there.
And would you believe that 22 years later I would return to Disney World with my wife and then 4 year old twins, and the craziest story involved taking my young son on Splash Mountain? But I will save that for a yet unnamed parenting blog.
BLOG #26
MADONNA LOVE AND A STRAY "VOGUE"ING ELBOW
Throughout the 1980s, I had a fascination with (okay...teen lust for) Madonna. When I first heard "Holiday" on the radio, I ran to Tower Records, and --believe it or not--I found Madonna's cassette and album in the "Black" section. When I discovered her all-black tank top and skirt, trashy bleach blonde hair, gapped teeth, and dozens of bracelets, I was enamored. And when Madonna cleaned up with her all-white, Marilyn Monroe-like "Material Girl" outfit, I was clearly in teenage fantasyland. I used to dream about appearing in her videos, even though my energetic dancing skills were a far cry from music video ready.
In college, though I had grown out of the teen lust phase with Madonna, I still remained a fan. In fact, I recorded my first answering machine message parodying "Like a Prayer": "You are a mystery, and I don't know who you are. So if you leave your name, and a message now. When you call my name it's like a little game, leave a message please when you hear the...BEEEP". (It took me about 10 tries to time the recording so I would hit the BEEP in rhythm!).
By the time I worked at X-100 in promotions, Madonna was still the hottest thing around, and she embarked on her 1990 theatrical "Blonde Ambition Tour", arriving at the Oakland Coliseum in May. Not shy about expressing my fanaticism, I scored an upper deck ticket to the concert, along with my Street Team pals, Elaine and Cat, our Promotions Director Dan, and afternoon jock Dancin' Mark Hanson and his tween-aged son.
Madonna, who had sparked controversy with her sexually explicit stage antics, almost had a show cancelled in Toronto. Apparently, the show promoter said to the policeman who was about to shut it down, "You want to explain why the show was cancelled to 30,000 fans?" By the time "Blonde Ambition" reached Northern California, it was the hottest ticket of 1990. I was thrilled just to be in the same arena as Madge.
Madonna divided her performance into four "Acts", each with a related musical theme. The first act, "Metropolis", included "Express Yourself," "Open Your Heart", "Causing a Commotion" and "Where's the Party?" ("RIGHT HERE!!!" we shouted from the rafters.)
Act two, Religion, featured "Like a Virgin," "Like a Prayer", "Live to Tell"/"Oh Father", and "Papa Don't Preach". Act three showed off Madonna's playful side, as she smoldered through three songs from "Dick Tracy": "Sooner or Later," "Hanky Panky", and the long forgotten "Now I'm Following You".
By the time Madonna reached Art Deco, AKA Act Four, the final act (not counting encores), we were all itching to dance...or at least I was. She opened the set with a sizzling "Material Girl", a happy snappy "Cherish", and a funky/raunchy take on "Into the Groove". Of course, that led to the pre-encore finale, featuring the latest hit, the song everyone had been waiting to hear. You got it: "Vogue"!!!
Madonna was clubbing with her friend Debi Mazar when she first noticed the gay dance craze of "vogueing"--striking a number of poses in strange body contortions. She took this concept to New York producer Shep Pettibone, and they co-wrote the song. Originally intended to be a B-side to "Keep it Together", execs at Sire Records decided the song was too strong to serve as a B-side. The racy music video for "Vogue" was directed by David Fincher, who went on to direct films, including "Seven", "Fight Club", and "Alien 3". The "Vogue" phenomenon even proved lucrative for "Vogue" magazine, which exploded in subscriptions in 1990, and the R&B vocal group En Vogue was coming off their first top five hit, "Hold On".
When the recognizable opening strains of "Vogue" hit the speakers, I sprang up to strike a pose and dance my tail off. The "Vogue" dance phenomenon suited my dance style, because the poses were random and unpredictable. I was well into my own "Vogue" routine when a stray elbow from one of my poses nearly struck Dancin' Mark Hanson's son in the side of the head, even though he was seated in the row below me. Realizing that I had come inches from causing a concussion, I curtailed my vogueing and apologized profusely to Mark's son and to Mark. The whole Vogue elbow-gate seemed to amuse Elaine and Cat, who--once they realized no one was hurt--cracked up at the whole scene. Dan just rolled his eyes.
By the mid-1990s, my tastes in music (and celebrity crushes) had altered considerably. Madonna's newer music didn't hold the same allure for me, and my celebrity dreams now centered around Kate Beckinsale, circa "Serendipity". Nonetheless, Madonna held a special place in my teen development, and in lieu of MTV, I have YouTube to relive Madonna, circa 1983- 1990.
Without further ado, here are my top 5+ Madonna songs:
5 (tie). Live to Tell/ Into the Groove
4. Like a Prayer
3. Holiday
2. True Blue
1. Borderline
What...no "Vogue"? I think the memories are too raw and nearly painful.
Epilogue: Dancin' Mark Hanson now goes by Mark Jagger, and has co-hosted the popular husband and wife morning show "Jagger and Kristi" on Magic 92.5 FM in San Diego since 2005.
Sources:
https://www.mad-eyes.net/tours/blond-ambition-tour/schedule.htm
https://www.mad-eyes.net/tours/blond-ambition-tour/setlist.htm
ttps://madonna.fandom.com/wiki/Blond_Ambition_World_Tour
BLOG #25 A TALE OF MEETING TWO OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS
1994 was a big year in Winter Olympic news. That was the year that Tonya Harding hired that goon to club rival Nancy Kerrigan in the back of the knee, causing shock waves through the US Figure Skating world. 1994 also marked the first time that the Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, took place in a separate year from the Summer Olympics. Therefore, the reigning gold medalist, from the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France, was the Bay Area's own Kristi Yamaguchi. Two years after her figure skating gold, Kristi was promoting her own "On Ice" show, long before she competed--and won--on "Dancing With the Stars."
1994 also marked my Young Country heyday with Goss and Garrett, and our December in-studio visit with Kristi Yamaguchi was perfectly timed for a local hero. When she arrived, we witnessed that smile that could light up an ice rink, and easily illuminated our studio. Kristi donned a sporty black track suit with red and white stripes, while I opted to celebrate the appearance with a white dress shirt and floral tie, which didn't hide my what-was-I-thinking mullet. On the air with Goss and Garrett, she came across as the humble, wholesome-yet-competitive champion that the world came to love. She didn't bite much on the Harding-Kerrigan feud, except to say that it was very unfortunate. She promoted her event, and was gracious enough to take photographs with all of us after the interview. You could tell that Kristi was a big deal at the time, because the entire sales staff was trying to get a glimpse from the hallway.
Let's fast forward to the Atlanta Summer Olympics of 1996. The U.S. women's gymnastics team were the darlings of the USA home contingent, and the iconic photo of Bela Karolyi carrying gymnast Kerri Strug, injured ankle taped, as she proceeded to wave to the adoring crowd. Strug would limp away with the Overall Women's Team Gold, scoring the highest in the world on her floor exercise before her courageous vault with an already injured ankle knocked her out of individual competition. Kerri finished 7th in the individual all-around final. In 2002, Kerri Strug was completing a Masters degree in Social Psychology at Stanford University when I was able to connect with her through Stanford's public relations department. I booked her for an in-studio interview on Tech TV. She could speak on air about the technological changes in gymnastics training and competitive scoring. The only catch was, she didn't have a car at the time, and I had to transport her to the studio and back from Stanford's campus in Palo Alto, CA. I was happy to oblige.
When I pulled up at Stanford's administration building, Kerri Strug was waiting outside with a friendly wave. Gone were her short, curly locks from her competitive days. Instead, she had professional looking, shoulder length straight blonde hair (see below). I talked with her about her impression of Stanford, her goals after graduation, and some barely-scratch-the-surface questions about her social scene. Kerri was adept at being unfailingly honest, without revealing too much. I supposed Kerri developed this social strategy after experiencing so many interviews at such a young age. I told her about TechTV, our hit show "The Screen Savers", and my experience booking celebrities to talk about technology, "a square peg, round hole proposition", my Tech-TV era mantra.
Kerri appeared very natural on set, and confidently spoke about her Olympic experiences while touching upon the technology angle. If my memory does not escape me, I think she even flashed her gold medal. I encouraged Kerri to stay for the remainder of the show, but since I was her ride, I didn't want to sound forceful. She agreed. On the ride back to Stanford, Kerri was more talkative and open, speaking freely about the party scene at Stanford in which she didn't partake. It was clear that she was at Stanford to procure her Masters Degree, and move on to greener--or more prominent--pastures. In fact, within two years, Kerri had secured a one-year position as Special Assistant to the General Counsel at the Department of the Treasury. When I dropped her off, I almost felt like I wanted to give her a friendly hug, since we had spoken one-on-one for over 90 minutes. My professional integrity took over, and I offered a simple handshake, wishing her luck on completing her studies. I knew full well that Kerri Strug would succeed at anything she put her mind to.
Kristi Yamaguchi has remained close to the Northern California skating world, now training her younger daughter Emma (her husband is former NHL player Bret Hedican). Kristi has published a series of children's books, Dream Big Little Pig and It's a Big World, Little Pig, which both feature a pig on ice skates, Cara's Kindness, which features a cat on ice skates, and the autobiographical Always Dream, which is the name of her Always Dream Foundation, promoting children's literacy. Kristi is also part of the Global Mentor Network.
After a stint as a California school teacher, Kerri Strug has been involved in what may be a dream job for her: Program Manager for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in Arlington, Virginia. She has been married to attorney Robert Fischer since 2010, and mom to Tyler in 2012 and Alayna in 2014. Most recently, actress Olivia Wilde has committed to direct "Perfect", a biopic of Kerri Strug, with a script sold to Searchlight PIctures for $15 million. COVID may have slowed down production, but I can't wait to see it!
Sources:
https://news.amomama.com/202344-kristi-yamaguchis-youngest-daughter-is-f.html
https://www.thriftbooks.com/a/kristi-yamaguchi/211544/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerri-strug-4355719/
http://archivepyc.nbcolympics.com/news/kerri-strug-magnificent-seven-interview
https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2020/02/17/kerri-strug-olivia-wilde-gymnastics-
Warrior legend Rick Barry shows affection for his coach, Al Attles, at Attles' 80th birthday celebration at the Oracle in November 2016.
BLOG #24
WHAT YOU DON'T SEE ON TV DURING NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND
Very seldom in your life do you get to meet your sports heroes in person. But even rarer is the opportunity to give the same opportunity to your father. But that's exactly what happened to me one weekend in February 2000.
I was producing for KNBR 680, "THE sports leader." We were the flagship station for the San Francisco Giants AND the Golden State Warriors, the latter of whom was in the midst of their 40-year malaise. The team limped to a 19-63 record, with literal choke victim PJ Carlesimo being replaced as coach by affable Garry St. Jean, who did no better. Vonteego Cummings, anyone!? Bill Curley perhaps? How about a pinch of Erick Dampier?
However, that season the Oakland Arena (Pre-Orcale) was hosting the NBA All-Star Game, when it was still a big deal. The West squad boasted a Hall of Fame starting 5, with the late Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Jason Kidd, and Kevin Garnett. The East was no slouch, with Vince Carter, Allen Iverson, Alonzo Mourning, Grant Hill...and Eddie Jones, whom I immediately had to look up. (His most interesting stat was that Eddie is cousins with current NBA player Tyrese Halliburton.)
While the NBA All-Star game was the marquee event of the weekend, there were several other events that you could catch on ESPN. The skills challenges were still in their heyday. Vince Carter nabbed the slam dunk championship, while Jeff Hornacek outpaced all-time greats Ray Allen and a young Dirk Nowitzki to take the 3-point shootout. Nowitzki also participated in the "Rising Stars challenge", playing on the sophomore team along with Paul Pierce, Mike Bibby, and Jason "White Chocolate" Williams. This team also included the only Warrior participant, Antawn Jamison, who was injured, of course. The most notable participants of "Rising Stars" were the coaches, USF and Boston Celtics legends Bill Russell and KC Jones for the sophs, and Warriors greats Al Attles and Nate Thurmond for the rookies, who boasted Elton Brand, Andre Miller, Steve Francis, and Lamar Odom.
Then there were the events that took place over the course of the weekend that weren't even televised. That's where I got involved. My boss, Program Director Bob Agnew, received a call that they were looking for someone to sing the National Anthem at an All-Star Weekend event. Knowing that I could sing, Bob funneled the request my way, and without hesitation I accepted the invitation. It was scheduled for Saturday afternoon at a small court in the Warriors complex. This was an early showcase for the fledgling WNBA. Later that fall, the young league would lead its stars on a Buick-sponsored barnstorming tour of 4 cities, testing the viability of cities like Des Moines, St. Louis, Little Rock, and New Orleans. The official 2000 WNBA all-star game took place in Phoenix. So the event I sang the National Anthem at was sort of a WNBA showcase during NBA All-Star weekend.
I showed up one hour early, perhaps overdressed in a suit, and was led to a small court in the Oakland Arena complex that I never knew about. I spotted WNBA commish Val Ackerman, and my public relations contact pointed out league stars like Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, Sheri Sam, and former Stanford great Jennifer Azzi. After just being introduced by name (no radio affiliation), I performed the National Anthem acapella, with no frills, but no gaffes. I stuck around to watch the one-hour showcase, performed in front of a crowd of some 500 people. After my performance, the PR folks handed me a handsome embroidered NCAA Women's Final Four 1999 logo sports bag, which has accompanied me on many an overnight trip, and now holds my COVID-era dormant pickleball racket.
After crossing the Bay Bridge homeward, freshening up and grabbing a quick dinner, I picked up my father and drove to the Oakland Convention Center for the centerpiece event of OUR all-star weekend. The XNBA, the primary organization of retired players, held their annual All-Star Weekend reception, and through some KNBR connection I somehow acquired a plus one invitation. Taking my father, a Warriors fan since their 1962 arrival in San Francisco, was an easy decision.
When we arrived, the event was already happening. I immediately noticed two things: how dimly lit the room was, negatively affecting all the photos I took that night, and the large image of a larger-than-life player, Wilt Chamberlain, appearing on a movie-sized screen. Wilt had just recently passed away, and the event was dedicated to his memory. After projecting a short video of Wilt's life and career (his self-boasted 20,000 sexual partners was not covered here), an older gentleman walked up to the podium. In his speech, I quickly determined he was a contemporary of Wilt's. But once I could focus my sight on the screen, I whispered my recognition to my father: "Isn't that Oscar Robertson!?" It turned out that not only were Oscar and Wilt contemporaries, but their career trajectories nearly matched (Robertson played from 1960 -1974, while Wilt toiled from 1959- 1973).
When Oscar's speech ended, the XNBA officers said a few words. Then the schmoozing began. Having affixed my eyes to the screen for the Wilt tribute and speeches, I hadn't bothered to look around. When my father and I began to glance around the large conference room, I felt like I had won the XNBA's version of the golden ticket. The room was suddenly covered with trees...there were legendary players EVERYWHERE!
At a glance to my right, I spotted Dr. J, Hall of Famer Julius Erving. Over to my left, three time Hall of Fame inductee Lenny Wilkens. Oscar Robertson had come down to the crowd, and I got to meet him and introduce my father to him. The Warriors' 1975 championship team had a mini-reunion in the corner, as former owner Franklin Mieuli, donning his signature plaid hat, Hall of Fame coach Al Attles, Hall of Fame superstar Rick Barry, and then Rookie of the Year Keith (pre-Jamaal) Wilkes gathered. Then I spotted a very tall man sporting dreadlocks. It took a moment, but I realized it was Joe Barry Carroll, who had the unfortunate distinction of being the #1 draft pick traded for Robert Parish and the pick that became Kevin McHale. He suffered through the nickname "Joe Barely Cares", despite averaging over 20 points and 8 rebounds in seven years as a Warrior. I always felt sorry for him, but I certainly wasn't going to tell him that tonight. Finally, I peered amongst a crowd for a very tall man with a very familiar face. I turned to my dad, as the realization washed over me. "What's Dave Winfield doing here?" Winfield, no hoops slouch at 6'6", would be elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame the very next year. While we introduced ourselves to a few players, my dad and I truly enjoyed just being AROUND all these legendary players.
As my father and I prepared to leave, one more surprise came our way. As we caught the elevator, Rick Barry joined us. I had to share with him that as a 7 year old, I wrote him a letter declaring myself a permanent fan, after Barry won the championship in '75. (I failed to mention that he never wrote me back.) While on the elevator, Rick, my father and I actually enjoyed a nice mini-conversation about the state of basketball at that time, and why Rick never got a fair shot at coaching. We bid Rick Barry farewell in the parking garage, and as we got into my car, the smiles on my father's and my faces could have lit up the Bay Bridge that night.
Sources: https://www.nba.com/history/all-star/2000
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/roberos01.html
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/carrojo01.html
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-2000-08-27-0008270222-story.html
BLOG #23
PROMOTIONAL SHENANIGANS:
DICK TRACY,
DEBBIE GIBSON, FIRECRACKERS,
AND SANTA
When sports teams face a rival, players are motivated to play at their highest level. Adrenaline flows, fans go berserk, and even the referees are pumped up. When two rival radio promotion teams go head-to-head, it can be an all-out war.
At X-100, our top 40 foe was much further down the dial, 106.1 KMEL. KMEL, with its urban top 40 slant, stood as the ratings juggernaut, while X-100 represented the little underdog that could, or at least tried.
Case in point: KMEL's big summer concert event, the "Summer Jam", took place every year at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, CA. That year, on August 5th, 1990, the all-star lineup included Bell Biv DeVoe, MC Hammer, Johnny Gill, Tony! Toni! Tone!, and a budding new vocalist named Mariah Carey. Our promo team couldn't let KMEL have all the fun. So X-100 sprang for a small plane to fly over the venue, carrying a banner with the following message: "Congrats KMEL! Your X-100 Friends".
On the rare occasion that X-100 had a concert, we could even find a way to botch that. X-100 sponsored a Debbie Gibson concert, also at Shoreline. Dan Meagher decided we should have a strong promotional presence at the concert, and created a vast number of X-100 stickers with Debbie's face on it. Ostensibly, our job was to distribute the stickers to fans as they entered the venue, reminding them that X-100 was the concert's radio partner. However, when concert-goers obtained the stickers, they affixed them to their shirts and tried to pass the stickers off as backstage passes! Dan had a real headache explaining this to concert security. Ugh!!!
Back to the battle with KMEL. When you can't kill them with kindness, perhaps you can have your cake and eat it too. In an attempt to procure the rights to screen "Dick Tracy" in San Francisco, our promotions department created a Dick Tracy themed cake, much like the one pictured above. We sent the cake to the local Disney movie rep, since the film was being distributed by Disney subsidiary Buena Vista Entertainment. It didn't take a comic book detective to ascertain who got the "Dick Tracy" premiere: KMEL!
On some occasions, we couldn't even take advantage of what we had. Our promotions executive (Dan Meagher's boss), Howard Freshman, decided to pass on X-100 screening a new movie with Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg. So KMEL took "Ghost" instead. "Ghost", which cost $22 million to produce, racked up over $500 million at the box office. It was easily the top grossing film of 1990, and at the time, it represented the 3rd top grossing film OF ALL TIME!
For the upcoming July 4th long weekend, Dan decided to have a promotion around the Firecracker 500, a list of the 500 greatest summer songs of all time. For some reason, programming did not want to touch creating the list with a 10 foot pole, so it was up to our promotion team (mostly Dan and myself). We covered the libraries of "legacy" artists like Madonna, Prince, and Janet Jackson. We sprinkled the list with hits from current hot artists like Richard Marx, Paula Abdul, Bell Biv DeVoe, Roxette, and MC Hammer. Then you add the new artists like Mariah Carey, EMF, En Vogue, Vanilla Ice, and Nelson, and you have...100 songs or so.
Quickly realizing this monumental challenge, Dan decided we were forced to expand the list beyond our current top 40 format. I started throwing in songs from the Beach Boys catalog, a bunch of 1970s hits, and more songs from the Righteous Brothers, who had a surprise hit with their 1965 recording, "Unchained Melody", from "Ghost", of course. Digging through the recesses of our minds and old Billboard Magazines, we somehow scratched out enough songs to build close to 500.
For the rest, listeners were invited to call in on a recorded line and vote for their favorite songs for the countdown. There was one guy who really liked a minor Belinda Carlisle hit from the previous year. So he called repeatedly, using slightly different voices each time, requesting that "Leave a Light On" appear on the Firecracker 500. After about a dozen identical requests, the caller started to get creative. He used a raspy voice, a loud whisper, and even a girl's voice, all asking for "Leave a Light On". Cat, Elaine, Dan, and I cracked up as we played back the recordings. We started trying to predict which voice he would use next. I think "Leave a Light On" actually did make the final list--at #499. The Firecracker 500 was such a hit that I actually created a snazzy paper version of the entire list, and several listeners actually wrote to us to request a copy!
As the holiday season approached, X-100 promotions considered a number of feel-good ideas. Finally, someone came up with a "Dear Santa"
promotion, in which listeners send us their kids' letters to Santa Claus. We promoted the heck out of it on the air, requesting that people send their "Dear Santa" letters to 530 Bush Street, San Francisco, where X-100 was located. The letters started flooding in, but there was one large oversight. What do we do with the letters once we compile them? The promotions budget had been spent for the year, so we couldn't even afford to pay the bulk postage at the post office. So I guess the North Pole was short a few hundred letters that Christmas. But I had to ask myself: what would KMEL have done?
*************************************************
Special thanks to Dan Meagher, who reminded me of most of these stories (and a host of others).
Broadway star Misty Cotton
BLOG #22 DAN THE PROMO MAN: MY FIRST RADIO SUPERVISOR
In January 1990, I cut my radio teeth at the Top 40 (self-declared) juggernaut X-100, located near the entry to San Francisco's Chinatown. I worked in promotions, which entailed handling contests, making Street Team appearances at sponsored events, movie premieres, and concerts, and handing out a ton of bumper stickers, signed photos of DJs, and other assorted swag. My promotional partners Elaine and Cat became my personal pals, and over 30 years later we are still cross-country friends over Zoom. And the maestro who managed the whole department, was our unconventional-yet-effective Promotions Director, Dan Meagher (pronounced "Marr").
At the time, Dan was in his very late 20s, but his demeanor around us implied that he was trying to engage and fit in with our street team, which ranged from age 18 (Cat) to 22 (myself). He always made little sarcastic asides and joined in on our conversations. When I attended my first event, a movie premiere, I witnessed Dan in action. He was masterful in dealing with the movie "hogs" (our affectionate term), who somehow managed to procure free tickets to every single premiere. Dan could deftly diffuse any disagreement before it escalated into a "situation".
As I watched Dan, it struck me how different he acted around us in the office as opposed to on location events in front of listeners.
The first time Dan invited us to ride in his transportation (the X100 promotional van), it took him about five minutes to clear out his mess. By the time we entered the vehicle, the pungent odor of fast food consumption permeated our senses. He would often take the van and drop us off on Chestnut Street (near his family home in the Marina district), except for the one time Dan accidentally slammed the van door on Elaine's hand, thereby breaking her finger. Oops! Unfortunately, we were never invited inside Dan's home, nor did we ever meet his parents, but I always wondered if his home was as disheveled as the van, or alternatively his parents' pristine home forced him to limit his mess to the van.
Typically, Elaine, Cat, and I would conclude our night at the Johnny Rockets on Chestnut, where I would regale them with tales from college, laugh about our favorite promotional stories, and I would mime/mimic people walking down the street outside Johnny Rocket's giant windows for Elaine's and Cat's pure entertainment.
Once I got better acquainted with Dan, I learned of his undeniable love for musical theater. One Monday he shared his magical experience at a musical theater show which featured his new crush, a fiery red-haired actress named Misty Cotton (pictured above). Within a few days, he had convinced our Street Team to stand with him outside the actors' side door of the theater, in the hopes that Dan would meet Misty Cotton. She never showed up. Dan was crestfallen, but put up a brave face.
I suppose if Dan couldn't get close to Misty--or to Broadway--he would have to perform musical theater himself. Sure enough, I was personally invited to Dan's performance in the off-off-off Broadway play, "Working" by Stephen Schwartz. Dan was actually pretty good, yet, it was difficult thinking of him as his character. And no, Misty Cotton wasn't in the cast.
As rumors about X-100's demise became rampant, Dan performed the impressive high-wire act of trying to keep promotions rolling on a shoestring budget, while actively seeking new employment himself. When the format change actually took place, my final act in promotions was an unusual challenge: removing the giant X-100 sticker from the station van. I couldn't just begin peeling it, it was way too big and solid for that. Dan gave me the best advice, even though he was soon heading out the door: "Try a hair dryer. The extreme heat should remove the sticker. But it will take a while." Dan, in his wisdom, was correct on both counts. The hair dryer worked, but it required several laborious hours to remove the sticker. And just like that, the X-100 sticker--and format--disappeared.
Since X-100's demise in 1991, Dan Meagher has carved quite an impressive career in marketing, communications, and customer relations. According to his LinkedIn page, where I recently reconnected with him, Dan has served as marketing director for: Oklahoma City University's Bass School of Music, The San Francisco Playhouse, the Hillbarn Theatre in Foster City, CA, The Diablo Ballet in Walnut Creek, the Merola training program for San Francisco Opera, The Tulsa Ballet, and most recently, the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, where he created the position of "Director of Single Tickets and Audience Development". Unfortunately, Covid likely spelled the end of this position in November 2020. But Dan can lean on his own company, Dan Meagher Consulting, where his noteworthy client is the dog owner app www.woofspot.com. And, Dan tells me, he did meet Misty Cotton years later.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmeagher/
A rare KBGG-FM "Big 98.1" bumper sticker from the mid-1990s found on ebay.com
BLOG #21
MORNING SHOW BIT:
FIND STEVE A GIRLFRIEND!
After several months working with Marian McKay and Matt Dooley at Big 98.1, I compiled a list of unwritten rules to live by (as in survive) as their producer:
1) Always remain in the air studio when the hosts are talking. There is nothing worse than the hosts calling out your name looking for you in the middle of a talk break.
2) Never open your microphone to speak without permission. A producer interrupting hosts presents a bad look, especially with an easily irritated host like Marian.
3) If a guest is late or cannot be located, never make eye contact with Marian. The eye darts she shoots will pierce you to the core.
4) Never make excuses for a mistake. Marian will see right through it and the eye darts become cannons.
5) Never EVER share details from your personal life, unless you really want them broadcast over the air in ways you cannot control.
This is the story of what happened when I broke rule #5.
It had been almost a year since I had broken up with Tanya, the young woman I dated for 6 months and was heading toward a proposal. I will save that story for another day. The previous weekend I had embarked on a Yosemite hiking and camping trip organized by my friend Jonathan. Among the participants was my friend Julie, and during that weekend my feelings for Julie had developed beyond friendship. When I expressed my feelings to her privately, she shared that she had recently begun dating Ed, and she didn't want to complicate things. (I attended Julie and Ed's wedding a year later.)
Fresh off that camping experience, I unloaded the Julie story to Marian and Matt. Their off-air reaction, which shouldn't have surprised me: "Steve: you need a girlfriend." From that reaction, a "win a BIG (98.1) date with producer Steve" contest was born. Without informing me, they explained to the listeners that I needed a girlfriend--badly--and we would play a kind of Dating Game over the phone with three women Marian and Matt would be vetting for me. Although the phones did not ring off the hook, a few women expressed interest over the next couple days. I was especially surprised, considering that Marian described me as tall-when-I-don't-slouch and rail thin, with a prominent Jewish nose and hair that made a lousy attempt at a mullet.
I took the contact information for the top three women and scheduled them to be available on the phone at 8am the next day to play in the Dating Game format over the phone. Meanwhile, Marian and Matt had prepared questions that put me in the worst possible light. For example, "Since Steve is broke, where would you take him to show him a good time...and pay, of course?" Or, "Steve is pretty inexperienced, so how far would you go with him on the first date?" I didn't even get to ask the questions, or speak to the "contestants" beyond "hello". But when they introduced themselves, Lauren stood out immediately. She introduced herself as Jewish, attractive, adventurous, and ready to have a good time but settle down with the right guy. She had me at "Jewish"!
After I selected Lauren as the winner (I can't even remember the names of the other two), Marian and Matt invited her to come to the station and meet me live on air the next morning. My heart raced as I awaited Lauren's arrival on the elevator. When she came out, Lauren was indeed attractive, and very confident of herself. I was instantly both relieved and smitten.
Marian had Lauren take the third microphone where I usually spoke. Thereby, they could shoot Lauren questions about me without soliciting my response. Fortunately, Lauren did not disappoint. She said she found me good looking, and could determine my intelligence and humor when she spoke to me (off-air) on the phone the previous day. So Lauren and I planned to meet that weekend, for a date consummated on the radio.
To my delight, Lauren enjoyed the nightlife, as I invited her to an event at a new downtown nightclub called Ruby Skye. We found a semi-quiet place to mingle with others and get acquainted more deeply. She admitted that she had been a fan of mine since she first heard my contributions on the radio show. By the end of the night, we shared our first kiss, and made plans for the next date.
Lauren and I dated exclusively for about four months. Ultimately, my schedule on the morning show were precluding me from speaking with her as much as she would have preferred. So we broke up amicably. I guess radio giveth, and radio taketh away, vis-a-vis relationships. Lauren will always have the rightful place as the last relationship before I met Meredith, my wife, albeit four years later.
Epilogue: Lauren and I did not keep in touch, but with a simple Google search I tracked her down as a realtor in Contra Costa County. According to her professional page, Lauren enjoys quilting and writing. She has had dogs, cats, rats, hamsters and a turtle, all of which she considers family. Her prized possession is her electric blanket and alarm clock, which she named Dori. (When she reaches for the snooze button in the morning, she must be "Finding Dori".) And no, there is no mention of a significant other.
KFRC 610's legendary Mobile Sturgeon, upon which the KFRC-FM mobile studio was based. You can see the broadcast area on the left.
BLOG #20 CRASHING THE KFRC-FM MOBILE STUDIO
Shortly after being teamed with Dean Goss and Erin Garrett at KFRC-FM, the duo decided they wanted to reach out and commune with our listeners by doing live remote broadcasts. Toward that end, it made the most sense for the engineers to train their producer (myself) to set up and run the mobile studio. KFRC's long-time engineer Kent Hedberg was commissioned to train me on the ins and outs of the studio, a close proximity to the famed KFRC-610 mobile sturgeon (seen above), which roamed the Bay Area until 1984.
With great patience, Kent taught me how to position, point and raise the mini-control tower, test the broadcast back to the station, crank the speakers, and even how to put batteries in the remote microphones. It was a huge learning curve for me, but after a couple practice rounds, I was ready to fly solo.
The other aspect of my responsibility was coordinating with the proprietor of any establishment that was "hosting" our live broadcast. I needed to be able to arrange a parking location that was clear of trees or tall buildings--creating a "straight shot" for our tower to send its signal to the station. In addition, the business owner had to open the establishment well before our show started at 6am, so that we could test our wireless mikes, and I would retrieve any information that would make our broadcast smooth once our morning team arrived. I had to internalize key people's names, and relate any special deals a store or restaurant was promoting during our show.
Typically, the broadcasts took place at a coffee shop, restaurant or establishment associated with morning customers. On St. Patrick's Day, for example, we broadcasted live from an Irish bar called Fiddler's Green. We often explored the greater Bay Area, with locations up to 1 hour away from the radio station. This required me to wake up at 2:30 am, drive to the station, pick up whatever newspapers I could collect, pick up the mobile studio at a nearby pier, drive to the location (long before GPS systems), and set up/test the studio and tower well in advance of Goss and Garrett's arrival. Despite the early hours, I was hyped up on adrenaline by the time the show started at 6am. I really enjoyed these broadcasts, meeting our listeners, trying new radio routines, and bonding with our morning hosts as producer and mobile studio engineer. If only that adrenaline had carried me through my return trip to the radio station.
After one such early morning arrival, I was heading back to return our mobile studio. I drove along San Francisco's Bay Street, a big thoroughfare connecting to the Embarcadero, where the pier that housed the mobile studio was located. In anticipation of turning right at the Embarcadero, I got into the right lane about three blocks prior. As I positioned the huge mobile vehicle to turn, I heard a cracking sound and quickly understood that I had side-swiped a parked vehicle!
I hit the emergency brake, flashed my hazard lights, and exited the mammoth vehicle. I had knocked the left side mirror clear off a new, red, Mazda Miata sportscar. Stunned and fearing for my job, I nonetheless made a quick decision to do the right thing. I called the engineering office at the station to let them know what happened. Fortunately, the mobile studio was barely scratched. Understanding but upset, chief engineer Phil Lerza recommended that I park the vehicle at the pier, then promptly return to the Miata and write a note on the windshield. It read something like, "I am so sorry that I caused this accident with our mobile broadcast studio. We will take care of this. Please call our business office so we can make the arrangements to fix your vehicle. Once again, I sincerely apologize." I left my name, with the station's business office. If the driver was (understandably) angry with me, I wanted to be warned first. Feeling dejected, I walked very slowly back to the radio station.
Upon walking back to our engineering office, I was astonished by two things: 1) EVERYONE at the station knew about what I had done, and 2) No one was especially upset. I had to endure a few predictable comments, like "way to go, Mario Andretti" or, "can we call you 'Crash' now?". But mostly, people were relieved that the mobile studio was barely scratched, and I was regaled with details of several accidents involving the venerable KFRC mobile sturgeon. Now if I could only survive the hatred from the owner of the car I hit.
Early that afternoon, as I prepared to leave for home, a call came for me from the receptionist, from someone named Jane Martz. I took the call, and she introduced herself as the owner of the red Miata. She was sad about her relatively new Miata sports car, but appreciated my note. I apologized profusely, and promised her I would do everything in my power to expedite the repair of her side mirror. (The station's insurance company would handle the bill). As I left for the day, our general manager asked if I was okay, and inquired about the owner of the car. When I informed him her name was Jane Martz, his response surprised me again: "Are you kidding me? Jane is the daughter of Tom Martz, president of the Northern California Broadcasters' Association!" Of all the cars to hit, I randomly selected the one owned by the President of the NCBA’s daughter. The NCBA was the organization that oversaw all Bay Area radio stations.
I decided to go to extra lengths to make sure Jane Martz was appeased. I confirmed her work address, and sent a bouquet of flowers to her office on my own dime. I wrote a note of repeated apology, this time leaving my direct office number.
I was slightly perturbed when she did not call me back to thank me, #1--because it was the polite thing to do, and #2--since I had heard through the grapevine that she was young and attractive. What was I thinking, what a good story it would be if our romance began by smashing her Miata's mirror? She just left a simple typed note with the business office two weeks later, thanking "the station" for expediting her repairs. My name was never mentioned, but perhaps that was a good thing.
As for me, we remained grounded in the air studio for a couple months, so my mobile studio mishap had time to blow over. The engineers did send one of their crew with me on the next remote, just to make sure everything went smoothly, especially on the ride back. I was actually thrilled for the company.
Tom Martz served as NCBA president from 1991-2005, when he left to become president of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, guiding the organization through the economic downturn of 2008-2009, and retiring in 2011. Tom Martz passed away in 2015 at the age of 81.
Jane Martz, to the best of my Googling knowledge, works as a luxury travel consultant for Coastline Travel Advisors, based in Orange County. Her bio includes her love for her native San Francisco, her various degrees, and "if one existed, she would have a PhD in adventure, fun, and passion for travel and travel curation from the University of Earth." The bio says nothing about what car she now drives.
Sources
https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Tom-Martz-former-BASHOF-president-dies-at-81-6128773.php
https://coastlinetravel.com/profiles/janemartz/
LILY TOMLIN AND HER
WIFE /CREATIVE PARTNER, JANE WAGNER
BLOG #19 INTELLIGENT LIFE FOUND--
THROUGH LILY TOMLIN
During my years as Entertainment Booking Manager at TechTV (2000-2003), I discovered there were many different ways to book celebrity interviews. Of course, the most stringent were the film junkets, where our talent spent three hours waiting, and five minutes interviewing actors like Ben Affleck, Jackie Chan, Tom Hanks, George Clooney, Naomi Watts, and Morgan Freeman about their latest films, then throwing in one technology question at the end. We got the biggest bang, celeb-wise, for the smallest buck, time-wise.
We also did field packages, capturing celebrities like Spike Lee, Mark Cuban, Drew Carey, Jeff Probst, Josh Groban, Patti LaBelle, and the late John Ritter at their production studios. Satellite guests appeared live on our show "The Screen Savers". These included musicians ranging from Clint Black to Rush, filmmakers David Lynch and Michael Moore, sci-fi favorites like Nichelle Nichols (Uhura from Star Trek) and science reality stars like Astronaut Scott Carpenter and Bill Nye the Science Guy.
The most intimate packages occurred at celebrity homes. A far cry from Robin Leach's "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous", "The Screen Savers" crew would do a "tech audit" (my term, not TechTV's) of a few willing celebrities, including Ted Danson, actor/voice talent Hal Sparks, and my personal favorite, Lily Tomlin.
Some of my earliest fond memories consisted of hours watching "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" with my parents. Lily developed many of the characters that she would make famous, including the nun, the fast talker, Lucille the Rubber Freak, and the immortal telephone operator Ernestine. I first noticed Lily Tomlin's wildly interactive and whimsical website, lilytomlin.com, which included a treasure trove of characters, video clips, and random objects from her childhood. (Today, this site, with admittedly archaic video links, is embedded in her more traditional, professional website.)
Tomlin shared her home with her writing/professional/romantic partner, Jane Wagner, whom she met in 1971 and married in 2013. Lily could not have been more gracious to our crew, which unfortunately did not include me. However, after the segment aired, I sleuthed that Lily would make her triumphant return to San Francisco's Theatre on the Square, performing a revival of her one woman show, "Search for Intelligent Life in the Universe", which lasted for 12 hit weeks. The show, written by Jane Wagner, took Broadway by storm in 1985, won the Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience, won Lily the Tony award for Best Actress in a play, and was converted into a movie in 1991. Lily portrayed 13 male and female characters, with her usual youthful zest. I just had to see the show!
After one call to Lily's publicist, I had scored two tickets to the San Francisco show, and was told to arrive 90 minutes early to meet Lily! I immediately called my girlfriend (now wife) Meredith, to invite her to dinner (my dime) and the show. After an early bite downtown we headed quickly on foot toward the theater district. Theatre on the Square (now the Post Street Theatre) was a glorious Spanish -Gothic structure built in 1924 for the tidy sum of $1.5 million. At 6:30 pm sharp we cautiously entered the double doors. Fortunately, an usher approached us, and I explained that we had been invited to meet Lily after I promoted her show on TechTV. We were led down the stage left aisle, and before we could reach our seats, I heard a warm-hearted "Hello, friends!" The voice was unmistakable.
Lily Tomlin shook both my hand and Meredith's, and introduced us to her small posse: Jane Wagner, Lily's muse and the show's writer, and Allee Willis, whose wild blond hair and signature rose -colored sunglasses were only outshined by her yellow, pink and orange polka-dotted attire. She was more gregarious than Lily and Jane combined. I came to discover that Allee wrote one of my favorite songs, "September", for Earth, Wind and Fire, along with EWF's "Boogie Wonderland", "What Have I Done to Deserve This" (Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield), and perhaps her most recognized hit, "I'll be There for You", the "Friends" theme. Allee, a true bon vivant, told us about her extravagant parties outside Hollywood. She once told the NYTimes' Matthew Schneier, "I’m a serious party thrower. I’ll tell you, that’s my No. 1 skill. I always had a music career, an art career, set designer, film and video, technology. The parties really became the only place I could combine everything.” Allee was one of the first entertainers to embrace the Internet, where she featured her true alter ego "Bubbles the Artist". Her eclectic art is on display at Allee's Museum of Kitsch at AWMOK.com. One look at her website and I knew that she was the brainchild and web designer for Lily Tomlin's site!
While my memories of "The Search for Intelligent Life..." were awesome but limited, the enduring memory was of meeting Lily Tomlin, and hanging out with the incomparable Allee Willis.
Final Note: Allee Willis, who won a Tony award for "The Color Purple" musical, nabbed an Emmy nomination for the "Friends" theme, and was inducted into the Songwriters' Hall of Fame in 2018, sadly passed away from a heart attack in 2019. She was only 72. But her Museum of Kitsch lives on...her website AWMOK.com
Lily Tomlin, now 81, has won 6 primetime Emmy awards, one Grammy (for a 1972 comedy album), one Tony (for "The Search for Intelligent Life...") and a Screen Actors' Guild Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017. Lily has also gained new fans with her hit Netflix show "Grace and Frankie" (with Jane Fonda), which is entering its 6th season. The lead writer-producer, Marta Kauffman, also co-created "Friends" (see the connection here?).
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Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/07/arts/music/allee-willis-songwriters-hall-of-fame.html
https://www.playbill.com/venue/post-street-theatre-formerly-theatre-on-the-square-coms-0000035185
BARRY BONDS IN 2000
Above, the view from McCovey Cove, where Barry hit 35 "Splash Hits"
BLOG #18
A NEW BALLPARK, AND STANDING STILL NEAR BARRY BONDS
The year 2000 represented a watershed year for KNBR-68, "The Sports Leader". As the San Francisco Giants' flagship radio station, our programming stood front and center as the Giants embarked on their maiden voyage in a new ballpark, the pristine and picturesque Pacific Bell Park (now Oracle Park). The team was expected to compete for a playoff spot, with perennial MVP candidate Barry Bonds, slugging 2nd baseman Jeff Kent (who did win his only MVP that season), a solid pitching staff led by Shawn Estes and Livan Hernandez, and the nasty closer, Robb Nen.
As a KNBR producer, now working with the afternoon show, I carried an ID badge that enabled me to enter the sparkling new ballpark, the gem of China Basin, for any game I wished. (Granted, it didn't guarantee me a seat.) Just before the season started, our program director, Bob Agnew, announced that our afternoon show would feature gameday interviews with the one and only Barry Bonds. When our afternoon team, consisting of the late great Ralph Barbieri and former NBA player Tom Tolbert, broadcasted live from the ballpark, we expected to talk to Barry Bonds in person!
The excitement was palpable for opening day at the new ballpark, April 11th against the hated Dodgers. The Giants had slogged through a 3-4 opening road trip, and were ready to feast in their new home. We were broadcasting live all afternoon from our small KNBR broadcast room, on the players' concourse perhaps 50 yards from the Giants clubhouse. The broadcast started without a hitch, as Ralph and Tom described the experience of being in the new ballpark. A few special guests from Giants' lore popped in (along the lines of ex-Giant pitchers Vida Blue and Bill Laskey), as well as a beaming team CEO Larry Baer, who was instrumental in building the ballpark in the Bay.
As 5:00 approached, we were gearing up for our first "home" broadcast of the Barry Bonds show. I had been instructed to meet Barry in the clubhouse, and escort him to our studio 50 yards away. But when I arrived at the clubhouse, Barry Bonds was nowhere to be found! I asked the clubhouse attendant, who just shrugged his shoulders in a "that's just Barry being Barry" way. Finally I spotted Barry Bonds in a corner, I quickly introduced myself as he walked, but he wasn't going toward our studio. In fact, he didn't even speak to me. Someone had told me there was a a small interview/broadcast room in the clubhouse, and it soon became painfully clear that Barry Bonds would do his interviews from there. So beginning on that home opener and every time we did a live broadcast that season, my job was to stand still and silent, and merely watch Barry Bonds walk over to the clubhouse interview room, pick up his headphones, turn on the microphone, and begin talking to Ralph and Tom.
Every time I walked into the clubhouse that season, I felt like a cross between a fish out of water (not a Marlin!) and a wallflower at a high school dance. I had no reason to be there, except to hope that Barry Bonds would appear for his show. We were completely and silently subjugated to the whims of Mr. Bonds. If he didn't show (as happened on occasion) or didn't feel like talking, well, the show must go on! Bear in mind that KNBR was paying Barry for the privilege of speaking to him.
By all accounts, the first season at the new ballpark was a success. Despite being swept by the Dodgers that first weekend, the Giants rallied to a 19-8 July, and a 97-65 record overall, the best in baseball. In fact, after Program Director Bob Agnew asked me where I envisioned myself in five years...and proceeded to TELL me exactly where I would be (right where I was), I had lined up my next position at TechTV. But as a stipulation of my hiring, I would start after the Giants' playoff run.
The Giants split the first two games at home against the Wild Card New York Mets, then never returned to their jewel by the bay. The Mets won a 3-2, 13 inning thriller, then shut out the Giants in the clincher behind longtime nemesis Bobby Jones. The season was over at Pacific Bell Park, and the next morning, I gave KNBR two week's notice. Little did Bob Agnew know, in 5 years I would be married and living 3,000 miles away, and he would no longer be at KNBR. By the way, Barry Bonds hit .176 in the series, and clubbed a record 73 home runs the next year, without the burden of a Barry Bonds Show on KNBR.
Source:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/2000_NLDS2.shtml
E3 EXPO LOGO
2002
BLOG #17
ROAMING E3 WITH THE MASTER OF IMPROV
Since 1999, Los Angeles has hosted the E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo) at the L.A. Convention Center. In expectation of the May 2002 showcase, TechTV secured passes for staff from the hit show "The Screen Savers", for which I served as Entertainment Booking Manager. When "The Screen Savers" team met, they wanted to put together an E3 package with a celebrity guest touring the floor. Some quick research led me to Wayne Brady, a mutli-talented actor/singer/comedian who was then best known as the host/participant of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" improv showcase. I had read that he was a huge gamer, and I surmised that his improv skills would work seamlessly on a convention floor.
I contacted Wayne's publicist, and I received an answer promptly. Wayne really wanted to attend E3 anyway, so if TechTV could provide his ticket and VIP badge, he would be delighted to roam the floor with us!
We assembled our small crew, including Martin Sargent, our caustic talent for most field shoots, our segment producer, executive producer Paul Block, a camera operator, and myself. We flew down to LA mid-morning, and shuttled to the convention center by 12 noon. The camera crew decided to enter the E3 immediately and shoot some "b-roll" (extraneous footage), while the segment producer and I waited to greet Wayne Brady.
He came alone, but with an infectious smile that could illuminate a TV studio. Wayne admitted that he felt like a kid in a candy story being at E3. We decided to let Wayne lead the way across the floor, allowing him to riff off anything he saw. As I surmised, Wayne Brady was an absolute delight, deftly balancing his role as an entertainer with his childlike enthusiasm for video games. He never ran out of things to say, and even portrayed improvised characters at different game vendor kiosks.
A few of my personal E3 2002 highlights included meeting Colby Donaldson and Jerri Manthey, who had just appeared on the 2nd season of "Survivor". They were there to tout "Survivor: The Interactive Game", created by Magic Lantern and released by Infogrames.
Staying professional by avoiding the hordes of scantily clad women promoting their company wares, I managed to catch a glimpse of Sega's booth, which touted a couple volleyball games, and Electronic Arts, which showcased a preview of the new "Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers" film on a 30 foot screen, and invited fans to enter a "Hobbit Hole" and sample the new LOTR video game. "Best in Show", I later discovered, went to Doom III by id Software.
We thanked Wayne Brady profusely for his entertaining take on the Expo. He seemed happy enough to walk away with an abundance of video game swag. Our editors, upon receiving the film and b-roll, sliced the Wayne Brady E3 segment to a TV-palatable 3 1/2 minutes. How I wish that I could have kept a copy of Wayne Brady's raw footage! It was like a master class in convention floor improv.
I later discovered a 2011 feature on Wayne Brady, by then the host of CBS' game show reboot "Let's Make A Deal". The article, entitled "Comedian Wayne Brady is a Serious Gamer", included this revealing quote from Brady:
"I have 30 minutes between shows, and I'm very protective of the time. My mom didn't let me play video games growing up, so now I do…gaming gives me a chance to just let go, blow somebody up and fight somebody from another dimension. It's all escapism. It's a little bit of an addiction, but one of the healthier ones. You won't see me in rehab anytime soon."
Sources:
https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/comedian-wayne-brady-gamer/story?
id=14894919
https://www.ign.com/wikis/e3/E3_2002
BLOG #16 AN UNUSUAL DINNER WITH
GORDIE LACHANCE/
WESLEY CRUSHER.
As the Entertainment Booking Manager for TechTV, the international television network (then in a paltry 20 million homes worldwide), I was always perched on the lookout for celebrities who could opine about technology. I divided these celebrities into three categories, which had nothing to do with their A-, B-, C-, or D-list status in Hollywood.
Level three celebrities could at least answer a question or two about technology in a short interview. Level three celebs were often procured on film junkets, when our talent would fly to Los Angeles and get five minutes (edited to 2-3 minutes) in between Extra and EntertainmentWeekly.com. Through film junkets we were able to land A-list stars like Jackie Chan and Ben Affleck, who actually considered himself a "closet techie".
Level two celebs could actually talk for a whole 7-8 minute segment (ideally in studio) about their website, and a bit about other tech subjects du jour. These celebs include Lily Tomlin (featured in an upcoming blog), Gary Coleman (blog #9), Richard Hatch (of "Battlestar Galactica" fame, and Olympic gymnast Kerri Strug, who also sat in my car for 45 minutes (I drove her back to Stanford, where she was pursuing her Master's Degree).
Very few celebrities qualified as Level 1 guests, who could talk freely about a slew of technology related subjects, from anti-piracy to Microsoft vs. Apple. One such celebrity, I discovered, is Wil Wheaton, child star of Rob Reiner's classic 1986 film "Stand By Me", and as an adult, actor on "Star Trek: The Next Generation", as Wesley Crusher. Not only did Wheaton design and build his own website, but he hosted a weekly podcast about technology.
Through his website, I was able to secure an in-studio interview by emailing Wil's publicist. When "The Screen Savers" co-host Leo Laporte realized Wil Wheaton was coming, he suggested to executive producer Paul Block that Wheaton stay the duration of the show as a third host. Both Paul and Wheaton's publicist enthusiastically agreed.
Once Wil and I carved out the logistics, he decided to take his wife on a mini-vacation in San Francisco, partially on TechTV's dime. Wil and his lovely wife Anne arrived the afternoon before the show, and confirmed his arrival on my flip phone. Wil had suggested that he and Anne would like to have dinner with me, so I invited my significant other (and future wife) Meredith to come along. I made 6pm reservations at Jardiniere, a 5-star San Francisco restaurant with magnificent decor that was located in walking distance from Wil and Anne's hotel.
I immediately spotted the pair outside the restaurant, fashionably late at 6:05. Wil was sporting an oversized, thick postal carrier jacket, which both defied and reconfirmed his boyish appearance. Anne was more traditionally dressed in a green blouse and tan slacks. After trading salutations, we entered Jardiniere and were seated in the exact center of the restaurant, close to the majestic bar in the picture above.
In short order, the conversation turned to Wil, who married Anne a few years prior and became stepfather to her two boys, Nolan and Ryan. (Yes, I immediately conjured an image of the Hall of Fame fireballer from Katy, Texas). We talked about Wil's most famous roles as Gordie Lachance in "Stand By Me" and Wesley Crusher in "Star Trek: Next Generation". He discussed his plans for his website and techie podcast, admitting freely what a nerd he was. Anne made a concerted effort to get to know my girlfriend (now wife) Meredith and myself during the pockets of time when Wil wasn't speaking. On several occasions Wil spoke over my head, technology-wise, but I tried to take mental notes to bring back to "The Screen Savers" crew.
Realizing that I was charging the meal to TechTV, we all ordered extravagant, expensive desserts before parting for the night.
The next afternoon, I proudly introduced Wil to our "Screen Savers" staff. Wil Wheaton was a natural as a TechTV co-host. So natural, in fact, that I was surprised that the bosses didn't offer Wil his own show, right there on the spot! But you can find Wil Wheaton on IMDB under "TechTV hosts".
Today Wil Wheaton is the author of three books and a novella, and in 2018 signed on to reprise his Wesley Crusher role for a new Star Trek enterprise (pun intended). On his website, wilwheaton.net, you can read his latest blog, an homage to their recently departed dog Seamus. Wil, now 48, has supported Anne, now 47, through a series of health issues. Whether or not they remember me, I will pray for them and wish them nothing but the best of success.
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Wil Wheaton, a self-described "indie artist, self-published author, and freelance creator", has over 85,000 You Tube followers, and over 3 million fans on Twitter.
Jardiniere, the brainchild of chef Traci Des Jardins, has served 5-star meals to patrons from 1997, until their last meal on April 27th, 2019. Rest in culinary peace, Jardiniere!
MICK ADAMS & THE STONES
BLOG #15 THE RADIO JOCK WHO TURNED INTO "HONKY TONK WOMEN"...ON MY ASS!
Photo credit: https://www.mickadamsandthestones.com/photos?lightbox=dataItem-jwaxhwa5
Finding a good rock cover band can be a dime a dozen. But finding a Rolling Stones tribute band with a charismatic "Mick" puts your band in a whole different stratosphere.
In 1996, while working with Marian McKay and Matt Dooley at K-BIG classic rock, I was always on the lookout for quality cover bands who could play a mini-set in our studio. So when I discovered a renowned 'Stones tribute band was coming to San Francisco, I virtually performed a pirouette at the opportunity to book them on our show. Whether it was longtime Stones tribute bands Sticky Fingers, Mick Adams & the Stones, or another band, I don't recall. Back then, promoting the band was the most important point, but in recalling my traumatic event, the identity of the band is virtually irrelevant, except to the band members themselves..
I booked the Rolling Stones tribute band for a Friday morning, in advance of their performances on Saturday and Sunday nights. Marian had informed me that she could play drums on "Honky Tonk Women", so I would have to arrange for that to happen. When the band arrived in studio, they spent about 30 minutes setting up their own equipment in our performance studio (no roadies for tribute bands!). Then the lead singer and spokesman joined us in the air studio for a segment before playing a Stones song. Then, after a commercial set, they would return to promote their shows, and perform "Honky Tonk Women", featuring Marian McKay on drums. I have to admit, while the song has a basic rock drum beat, Marian wasn't half bad!
After the successful segment, I got the bass player/business manager's business card, and filed it away for future reference. Meanwhile, Marian was on a rare high. Instead of her usual on-air ranting and raving, she actually talked to listeners. She was floating on a (Hey! You! Get Off of My) cloud.
Fast forward to four months later, and the same band was making a triumphant return to San Francisco. We agreed to give away tickets to their show, but this time, the lead singer could only do a phone interview from a different city that Friday morning. Marian was more than peeved, but she made sure I arranged for our show to get tickets to their Stones tribute show.
So Saturday night, Marian, Matt and I trudged over to Slim's or a "slim-ilar" venue, and made our way inside. Since we were fashionably late (waiting for Marian to primp herself), the Stones tribute band was already playing. Our job was to wear station insignia clothes, try to meet the ticket winners, and just enjoy the show. But Marian, unbeknownst to me, had different ideas.
The band announced they were going to play a set from the Stones 1968 -1971 period, and we knew "Honky Tonk Women" would be in the set. Marian launched her scheme: "Steve, get up there and tell them I want to play drums on 'Honky Tonk Women'!"
Disregarding the fact that they were actually playing another song at the time, Marian gave me her toxic stare-down look when I hesitated. "But this is their show, we just invited ourselves here!" I fruitlessly complained. But once Marian got an idea in her cerebellum, nothing could stop that locomotive-with-a-motive.
"Hurry Up!", Marian exhorted me. I slogged toward the stage in mild protest. "Come on!!!!" She exclaimed in a high-pitched voice drenched in urgency. The next moment is charred into my PTSD-laced memory. Marian, standing behind me, launched her boot--hard--into my derriere. The kick was so surreal --and painful-- I didn't know how to respond. I looked directly at Matt Dooley, whose shrug conveyed "That's just Marian being Marian!". That was all I needed to (not) hear. I stomped out of the venue without saying goodbye. I took public transportation home, wondering if I would have a job after bailing on my morning team. But I didn't care. I overcompensated by sitting on my right side on the MUNI bus, which was not known for its luxurious seats. Now when I got home my bum and side were killing me. "I hope your kick was worth it!" I thought to myself.
I returned to work Monday morning unsure of my status, but neither Marian nor Matt mentioned the assault. Perhaps she didn't want to get nailed for harassment, and had contacted a lawyer, who imposed a gag order order. And I was pleased as punch to go along with it.
To this day, I don't know if Marian ever did get to play drums on "Honky Tonk Women" that night. And I really don't want to know.
BLOG #14
THE NIGHT I MET
ROBIN WILLIAMS
Robin Williams' home was one of San Francisco's worst kept secrets. Many times I passed the enormous pink mansion in San Francisco's posh Seacliff district, and I always wondered what this brilliant comic mind was like in private. Did Robin act like a typical husband and father? Did he portray Mrs. Doubtfire or the Genie from Aladdin to entertain his kids? Did he ever get tired?
I personally experienced the answer to that last question in 1996. K-BIG 98.1, where I produced the Marian McKay and Matt Dooley morning show, was sponsoring the San Francisco premiere of the Francis Ford Coppola film "Jack", starring Robin Williams. The plot revolves around Robin's Jack Powell, a boy who suffered from Werner's Syndrome, which aged him four times faster than normal development. In other words, Robin got to act like a 10-year-old in a 40- year-old's body. The impressive supporting cast included Diane Lane, Fran Drescher, Jennifer Lopez, and Bill Cosby, before we knew the monster within.
The premiere took place at the Palace of Fine Arts Theater, a stone's throw from the iconic golden dome and rotunda that was built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition . Afterwards, a VIP party was planned at the Exploratorium, an incredible hands-on science museum formerly on the Palace of Fine Arts grounds. As the radio sponsors of the event, K-BIG staffers were guaranteed entry to the celebration, at which Robin Williams himself would be in attendance. The morning hosts (who were not in attendance) "burdened" me with the undertaking of introducing myself to Robin Williams and attempting to procure his participation on our radio show.
After the film premiere, I exited during the credits and made a beeline for the Exploratorium, under the guise of helping our promotions department with any last minute preparations. Admittedly, I considered the Exploratorium one of San Francisco's coolest spots for a movie premiere party. I grew up visiting the mega-interactive museum, famous for its Tactile Dome, which challenges visitors to "walk, crawl, climb, and slide your way through a wonderland of textures using only your sense of touch as a guide" https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/tactile-dome.
Many of my Lowell High School classmates spent weekends and summers as volunteer docents for the museum, and I would often visit to get a more personalized experience.
As the film audience rushed into the Exploratorium for the party, I looked everywhere for Robin Williams, but did not spot him. I assumed he would enter through a side door, but his presence was not apparent. I decided to immerse myself in the celebration, while keeping one eye out for the San Francisco superstar. I schmoozed with listeners and KBIG promotion staff, I played with the bubble machine, and even crawled through the Tactile Dome. Nonetheless, as the night wore on, my assigned "burden" was weighing on my mind.
Toward the end of the party, the crowd began to thin, and I was getting concerned. What would I tell Marian and Matt if I failed my mission? Would I get ripped to shreds on the air tomorrow morning? At the very moment when that thought entered my cerebellum, Robin Williams strode right towards me, heading for the exit. He was wearing a loose blue, button down v-neck sweater and an exhausted look in his downtrodden, pale blue eyes. I decided not to match his energy level.
"Hello Mr. Williams! I am Stephen Abramowitz with the KBIG morning show with Marian McKay and Matt Dooley!. "Jack"--What a great film! We would love for you to come on our show and talk about it!" I handed him my business card--with the secret hotline number scribbled on the back-- and he gently placed it in his right front sweater pocket. He mumbled, "Nice to meet you Stephen" and trudged toward the exit. I had assumed that so many radio execs, sales reps, and listener fans were glad handing him, that by the end of the night, Robin just wanted to go home to his pink palace. For a brief moment, I felt a smidgen of pity and almost regretted shoving my face at him. But I had performed my duty, and even got him to take my hotline-numbered business card. I could return to our morning show studio exhausted (I did not return home from the weekday premiere, until 12:30 am, and I woke up for work at 4am) but confident.
Robin Williams never called, and never came on our station to promote his film. In retrospect, I think I got a glimpse of the depression and other medical demons that caused Robin to take his own life in 2014.
Postscript: The Film "Jack" was produced on a $45 million budget and grossed $58 million. "Jack" eluded success both in the box office and among the critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave the film an 18%, stating, "Robin Williams' childlike energy is channeled in all the wrong places with Jack, a bizarre tragedy that aims for uplift but sinks deep into queasy schmaltz." Todd McCarthy of Variety called it a "tedious, uneventful fantasy" that wastes the talents of the filmmakers.
Jack was even nominated for Worst Picture at the 1996 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, ultimately losing to "Striptease". But Francis Ford Coppola has always defended his film, stating on IMDB.com,"'Jack' was a movie that everybody hated and I was constantly damned and ridiculed for. I must say I find 'Jack' sweet and amusing. I don't dislike it as much as everyone, but that's obvious—I directed it. I know I should be ashamed of it but I'm not. I don't know why everybody hated it so much. I think it was because of the type of movie it was. It was considered that I had made "Apocalypse Now" and now I am like this Marty Scorcese type of director, and here I am making this dumb Disney film with Robin Williams. But I was always happy to do any type of film." https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000338/bio#quotes
BLOG #13
CALIFORNIA'S
BUDGET WOES
INSPIRE A PARODY HIT!
The summer of 1992 was not a good time to work for the state of California. The state had spent so far above the budget, that California began paying its employees IOUs. To make matters worse, according to Los Angeles Times writer Mack Reed (June 30, 1992), if the state did not approve a new budget by July 31st of that year, many banks would no longer accept the state-issued IOUs.
Fortunately, I was working for a privately owned radio station, 99.7 KFRC-FM, producing the Goss and Garrett morning show. I had already demonstrated my talent for writing parody songs, supporting news stories or contributing to games that we played. But this IOU story just lent itself to a 1965 hit we played on the station: Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" became "IOU Babe".
The duet, which peaked atop of the Billboard charts on August 14, 1965, really established Sonny and Cher Bono as a success story in the U.S., after they achieved fame more quickly in the United Kingdom. On the 50th anniversary of the song, Cher recalled not liking "I Got You Babe" at first listen. "Sonny woke me up in the middle of the night to come in where the piano was, in the living room, and sing it," Cher recalled. "And I didn't like it and just said, 'OK, I'll sing it and then I'm going back to bed.'” Cher admitted to never being a "good barometer" for what made a hit song.
Once we got the title "IOU Babe" for the parody, I went off to compose the lyrics. The key to writing an effective parody song is to keep the lyrics close to the original song, while still rhyming, and occasionally surprising with a zinger or two. We also decided that Erin Garrett would sing the Cher parts, and I would sing the Sonny lines.
It only took me about an hour to flesh out the song lyrics, and Erin and I went into the recording studio to lay down the song over an instrumental track. (Karaoke versions were just becoming popular in the early 1990s.) We debuted the song on the radio one morning that July, and before long our midday, afternoon and evening DJs (Sue Hall, Don Sainte-Johnn, John Mack Flanagan) were receiving requests to play the song, and the jocks actually asked our permission to play it. I couldn't believe it!! I think the song became a KFRC-FM frequently requested hit for about three weeks.
Unfortunately, I cannot find a copy of the recording among my treasured radio/TV chachkes and sound checks. However, I can provide a sampling of the lyrics. Feel free to sing along in your heads, or out loud for that matter.
Here goes...
Erin: They say our budget's overdue, and now they cannot pay back all of you.
Steve the Weenie: They say that we're the biggest state, but we can't fill our own collection plate.
Erin & Steve: Babe, IOU Babe, IOU Babe.
Erin: We've got taxes in the spring.
Steve: If you don't pay, it's off to Sing Sing.
Erin: And when I'm sad, 'bout those government clowns...
Steve: I've got this piece of paper to carry around!!
You get the idea. We didn't have the production value of a Weird Al Yankovic song, but I still feel like my lyrics held up. And by the way, California took 63 days to pass its budget, so the song had a good potential shelf life.
Sources:
1) "State Workers Prepares to get IOUs in Place of Paychecks" by Mack Reed,
Los Angeles Times, June 30th, 1992
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-06-30-me-1434-story.html
2) "Cher Reflects on 'I Got You Babe' 50 Years Later" by Michael Rothman,
ABC Entertainment, August 10, 2015.
https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/cher-reflects-babe-50-years/story?id=32990265
BLOG #12
THESE BOOTS AREN'T MADE FOR TALKING
Nancy Sinatra turned 80 years old on June 8, 2020. I would have wished her a happy birthday, but she probably wouldn't want to hear from me...if she even remembers.
On May, 1, 1999, Nancy was headlining the "Carnaby Street Cave Stomp", a retro go-go concert, at Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco. Producing the Gary Radnich morning show on KNBR at the time, I was fortunate enough to secure an interview with Nancy Sinatra for Friday, April 30th, the day before the event.
As I reconfirmed the phone interview with her handler, I jotted down the three subjects we were not allowed to broach: 1) Don't talk about her father. From Blog #8, you may recall that Frank Sinatra passed away May 14, 1998, two weeks shy of one year prior to our interview. 2) Don't talk about her father's music. (You may recall her 1967 mega-hit "Somethin' Stupid" was actually a duet featuring Nancy AND Frank Sintara.) 3) See #1 and #2 .
As the 9am interview approached, I vacillated over informing Gary, our host, about the taboo topics. On one hand, I would be irresponsible not to tell him. On the other hand, as you also may recall from Blog #8, Gary always had his own agenda, and when you told Gary not to do something, he would summon all his power to do that very thing.
In the end, I spilled the beans during the 8:30 news break. I wanted to give Gary enough time to think up new questions, but not so much time that he could sabotage the interview. Finally, after our 9am news break, "These Boots Are Made For Walking" played and Gary introduced the one, the only, Nancy Sinatra.
After trading pleasantries, Gary launched into his first question. "Your father passed away nearly one year ago. What are your favorite memories of Frank Sinatra?" Nancy breathed heavily and gave a vague answer, not revealing much. I cringed.
A moment later, Gary was back on the assault. "Tell me how you got together with your father to record 'Somethin' Stupid'. Did you have any idea it would be such a big hit?" Nancy sighed and blurted, "No, I didn't." End of response.
Finally, Gary went in for the kill. "So, Nancy, which of your father's songs will you perform tomorrow at Bimbo's?" Gary put extra emphasis on the venue, as if he were commenting on Nancy herself. Suddenly, Nancy's demeanor came uncorked. "How dare you talk to me about my father, when I am still hurting from his passing! What kind of morning show is this? This is the worst interview I have done! I---" At this point, Gary had heard enough.
"Well, Nancy Sinatra will be performing at Bimbo's 365 Club, 1025 Columbus Street, tomorrow night at 9pm. For tickets, call (415) 474- ****. See you there! Thanks, Nancy!" and just like that, Gary alerted the board operator to hang up on Nancy Sinatra.
Other hosts might have chastised their producer for booking a celebrity interview with so many landmines. Let's face it, the main--if not only--reason we wanted to book Nancy Sinatra was because of her father. But Gary was fiercely protective of his staff. He proceeded to tell the audience on the air what a wet fish Nancy was, and wondered aloud, "Why did she come on the air if she didn't want to say anything?"
Every morning after the radio program the air team met to discuss that day's program, and generate ideas for the next day, in this case, Monday. The SF Giants were decent with Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent, and a rotation led by Shawn Estes and Kirk Reuter. But they were a year away from greatness...or very goodness. The NBA was coming off a horrible lockout, limiting the season to 50 games. But the P.J. Carlesimo-led Warriors (two years past the Latrell Sprewell choking), were en route to a perfunctory 21-29 season. So there was a dearth of sports topics we were muddling through when our studio phone rang.
We all sat on eggshells as we wondered if Nancy Sinatra's people would call to complain about the interview. Realizing the tension, our sports anchor, Kevin the Rat Radich (not to be confused with Gary Radnich) decided to answer the phone POSING AS ME! After about two minutes on the phone, Kevin returned to our meeting, flabbergasted. "Uh, Steve, you better take this call. I was pretending to be you, but this one is out of my league."
I picked up the phone, and an irate female voice intoned, "Who is THIS?"
When I introduced myself, she slurred, "Then...who was THAT?". When I explained the confusion on our end, her voice softened for a brief moment.
"This is Nancy Sinatra. What the hell was happening during that interview? I have never felt so insulted in all my life! Didn't you get the list of things I didn't want to discuss?" As I prepared a response, the thought running through my head was: How much had Nancy imbibed (allegedly) between our interview and this phone call?
After I explained about Gary's interview style and apologized profusely, Nancy was far from done. But to my surprise, she was blubbering about her father! "My father means so much to me, I can't believe he's gone! I didn't want to get, uh, emotional on the air (I wasn't so lucky, I thought), and your host....h-h- hung up on me before I could say anything!" I considered apologizing again, but I promptly ascertained that all Nancy wanted to do was spill her guts out. So I stayed on the phone, silent outside of an "uh-huh", or "yeah", for another five minutes. Finally, I ended the call with "Have a great show, tomorrow, Nancy!" and gingerly placed down the phone.
When I returned to the morning show meeting, my look of exasperation must have spoken volumes, because everyone else laughed up a storm. Gary and Kevin the Rat were bent over, nearly in tears. I could only manage a knowing smirk.
I gleaned information from
"Tough Woman Nancy Sinatra Still Walkin'" by James Sullivan, SF Chronicle Staff Writer, April 30, 1999.https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Tough-Woman-Nancy-Sinatra-Still-Walkin-2933202.php
BLOG #11
MEETING THE HITMAKERS
OF 1990
Sitting at my promotions assistant desk at my first radio job (at X-100, KXXX-FM 99.7), my back was always to the stairs behind me. My promotions associates and new friends Elaine and Cat sat at two desks across from me, and promotions director Dan Meagher occupied the small office in the corner, which always smelled like fast food burgers, fries and soda. Any guest who reached the top of the stairs could turn left and arrive in promotions central, or turn right and enter the air studio zone.
I explain the layout because, as X-100 was a top 40 hits station, you never knew who might be coming up the staircase. Such was the case when the group Deee-Lite bounded up the stairs with my back to them. "Steve, turn around!" Elaine proclaimed joyfully. When I turned around to see the unusual-looking trio that formed Deee-Lite, I leaped out of my seat and nearly knocked the groove right out of my heart. Fortunately, with their music rep in tow, they were led directly to the air studio, preventing any embarrassing (for me) small talk. On the way out, Deee-Lite lead singer Lady Miss Kier stopped on a dime. An issue of Billboard Magazine sat on a vacated desk, and there was Lady Miss Kier's mug right on the magazine cover! Her cool-yet-surprised reaction was priceless!
On another occasion, a one-hit wonder named Jane Child, who scored a #2 track with "Don't Want To Fall in Love", arrived for a studio appearance. Jane's most prominent facial feature was the gold chain that connected her nose ring (between the nostrils) to her earring. We were very respectful and complimentary to Jane, but our traffic coordinator (commercial scheduler), Carey Chan, made some kind of wisecrack about the nose-earring chain, which Jane Child heard. I was mortified!!
Artist meetings went a bit more smoothly when X-100 sent promotions to a concert event. 1990 was the heart of Richard Marx's "Repeat Offender" tour in large venues across the U.S. When he made his Bay Area stop, X-100 had arranged for a few contest winners to do a meet-and-greet with the "Right Here Waiting" hitmaker. Our four-person promotion team arrived at the venue and were ushered into a small side room, filled with posters advertising long-past events. This room was where the meet-and-greets would take place. We began to put our signage around the room, and soon our listener-winners arrived. Unlike some of the "prize hogs" who won every movie ticket, these listeners were just lucky callers, and seemed thrilled to be there.
About one hour before the concert was to begin, Richard Marx and his tour manager entered the room. The first thing that struck me was how humongous Richard's head was. He was dressed comfortably, with a yellow tank top and tan slacks. When he met with each listener for the obligatory photo, Richard appeared gracious and truly interested in each listener he met. When the listeners completed their pictures, Richard's tour manager inquired if anyone on our staff wanted to take a photograph with Richard. Even though X-100 promotions staff rules prohibited us from asking for perks at events, the fact that we were invited rendered the rule moot, in my humble opinion. I did not hesitate to walk over and have a Polaroid picture taken with him. Richard's head must be at least two inches longer than mine, especially with the big 1990 faux mullet he was sporting. I still have the Polaroid in my celebrity section of a personal photo album.
I was feeling pretty pleased with myself after photographing with Richard Marx, but the cherry on top came as we were preparing to leave the meet-and-greet room. The opening act, Wilson Phillips, was roaming the backstage area, and I caught a glimpse of them and smiled. Suddenly Chynna Phillips (the pretty blonde one) smiled back at me, and though no one else could confirm it, I believe she winked at me. Despite my inability to convince my "Street Team" coworkers that Chynna did indeed drop me a wink, just my own perception that she did made me an ecstatic 22-year-old radio neophyte.
Photo courtesy of KPIX-TV news image
BLOG #10
15 MINUTES OF FAME WITH DAVID LETTERMAN: FINDING MANNY THE HIPPIE
In 1996, all of San Francisco was abuzz with the taping of David Letterman's Late Show in our fine city. The shows themselves took place in the Palace of Fine Arts theater, the most picturesque spot in the city outside of a certain bridge. The guest list that week included a San Francisco-tinged mid-90's who's who: Mayor Willie Brown, a superstar in his own fashion, 49ers quarterback Steve Young, SF's Seacliff resident Robin Williams, Bay Area denizen Tom Hanks, as well as out-of-towners Eddie Murphy, Paul Reiser, Don Johnson, Keanu Reeves, and Bay Area fave rockers Green Day.
Of course, no David Letterman show would be complete without Dave doing hilarious prerecorded segments around the city's famed neighborhoods. In one such segment, Dave infiltrated the Haight-Ashbury and met Micah Papp, who would become known to the viewing world as Manny the Hippie. Armed with his own vernacular including "Dank" (good), "Diggity Dank" (very good) and "Schwag" (bad), Manny became Dave's erstwhile movie reviewer, top 10 reciter, and basically a glorious whipping boy for the week. When Manny told Dave about getting busted for marijuana possession in his native Ohio, Letterman scolded, "If you get in trouble again, I don't know you".
Days before Letterman's show aired
in early May, the San Francisco Chronicle's John Carman wrote a series of articles informing future viewers what to expect on each San Francisco show. When we read Carman's preview about Manny the Hippie, Marian McKay of the KBIG morning show predicted (correctly) that Manny would become a star. She turned toward me, her producer. "Steve, go find him. We have to have him!"
Of course, the easiest strategy would be to track down a phone number for Manny, but none were listed. Low on options, I decided to locate the guy on foot. I started my search exactly where Letterman found Manny, on the corner of Haight and Ashbury, in front of Ben and Jerry's. Bear in mind Letterman hadn't aired yet, and there were no published pictures of Manny, so I had no idea what he looked like.
As I approached a group of early 20-somethings loitering on the corner, I suddenly spotted a young man with thick and ratty blond hair under an over-sized purple hat, reminiscent of Rudy on "Fat Albert" (Google it!). He wore a tie-dye tank top and loose fitting taupe corduroys, flanked by buckled sandals with the soles about to pry loose. I took the visual bait. "Are you Manny?" I inquired with a smirk. "Yeah. Do you have a cigarette?", Manny replied. "No, but I'll buy you an ice cream!" Manny agreed before I even introduced myself.
As we waited in line at Ben and Jerry's, I informed Manny about our KBIG morning show, and discovered how Manny arrived in San Francisco from his native Ohio (clue: he held his thumb up a lot). I told him we predicted he would be a big star after his Letterman appearances aired, and we wanted him as an official guest ambassador for our show before anyone else grabbed him. "Diggity dank!" Manny answered as if on cue. I booked him for an in-studio interview the day after his first Letterman appearance was to air. I left him with our station business card emblazoned with my name, studio hotline number, and station address in large handwritten print on the back. I watched Manny slip it into his corduroy pocket and prayed he wouldn't lose it or put it in the laundry. But, then again, Manny didn't seem like the kind of hippie who did much laundry!
When I told Marian McKay and Matt Dooley about my coup, they expressed considerable excitement. But when the interview morning came, Marian shot her caustic eyes at me and warned, "He'd better not flake!" When the studio clock struck 7:55 am and Manny was nowhere in sight for his interview, Marian was fuming and getting ready to burst. But right as the 8am news sounder played, our hotline rang from the security/doorman in the lobby. "There's a Manny the Hippie here to see you?!" (Apparently the doorman had not watched Letterman the night before). "Tell him I'm on my way down!" I yelled as I raced out the studio door. I was relieved that he was basically on time, and I brought him directly into the studio (no time for green room formalities).
Suffice it to say, Manny did become our KBIG ambassador, making several in-studio appearances, offering film reviews, and even accompanying us for one station event (the cigarette dangling was a bad look, I will admit). Still, Manny wasn't perfect; he never made good on his promise (coerced by Marian) to get David Letterman on our show.
That August, when Manny was sent to jail in Ohio for violation of his probation
(he was caught smoking pot), our show and station waged a "Free Manny" campaign. According to Diana Walsh's August 28th San Francisco Examiner article "Back to Ohio for Manny the Hippie", Manny, after posting bail, "emerged from the Hall of Justice carrying his skateboard and promptly was surrounded by reporters, his agent and a young autograph seeker." Manny's first words of freedom? "I need a cigarette." Later in the article, Ms. Walsh reported, "Neither Manny nor his lawyer would disclose who put up the $5,000 bail, but a source familiar with the case said it had been posted by KBGG-FM (KBIG) radio officials, who had waged a "Free Manny" campaign on the air. But, when the spotlight stopped shining on Manny, "Letterman stopped calling, and so did the radio folks."
Yes, fame is fleeting, young Micah Papp!
BLOG #9
WHATCHU TALKIN' ABOUT, GARY COLEMAN?
"Now the world don't move to the beat of just one drum; what might be right for you may not be right for some."
Different Strokes theme song by Al Burton, Alan Thicke, and Gloria Loring
In November, 2000, just after the San Francisco Giants had exited the postseason (losing to the Mets of all teams!) I finally secured my long-awaited departure from KNBR 680 AM "The Sports Leader", heading further South of Market as the new Entertainment Booking Manager at Tech TV (formerly ZDTV). TechTV stood alone as an international cable television network (24 million homes and counting!) focused on technology, all from their Townsend Street SF studios.
The moment I concluded that my future at KNBR was cloudy occurred when Bob Agnew, KNBR Program Director, called me into his office and intoned the age old query, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" While I paused to ponder my erudite reply, Mr. Agnew proceeded to TELL me where I would be in five years...doing exactly what I was doing at that moment. I started combing the Internet for media jobs the very next day.
My shiny new job at TechTV, Entertainment Booking Manager, involved booking celebrity guests for their afternoon tech show, "The Screen Savers", hosted by Leo Laporte and Patrick Norton, with contributors Martin Sargent and Sarah Lane. Celebrities at TechTV were two-fold: famous people in the world of technology, and stars from music, sports and Hollywood who used technology in some profound way. The tech celebrities, such as scientist, physicist and futurist Michio Kaku, became regular contributors to TechTV's brand. Booking the other types of celebrities represented more of a square peg, round hole proposition. Most celebs' agents or publicists admitted their clients were either "frequently on email" or "have other people to handle their technology". The early 2000s arrived before social media existed. (My Space arrived in 2003, and Facebook in 2004).
So my job was to find celebs who had something to promote, such as a book or film, and had a cool interactive website or some technology they called their own. Within this climate, I managed to locate a few celebs who could speak with purpose about technology. For example, I secured interviews with Ben Affleck and Jackie Chan on film junkets, and they could opine considerably about tech stuff. But other times, I combed the Internet for celeb tech angles. One day, I read an article about a celeb who played Play Station and fancied his computer: Gary Coleman! I contacted his agent, and we arranged for Gary to fly up to San Francisco from Los Angeles. With some celebs we would pay to send a limousine. This time we sprang for Gary's Supershuttle to our studio.
I shook Gary's hand and mentioned that we had a couple hours before "The Screen Savers" taping. I suggested a couple places we could go to grab a beverage, but Gary was not interested. So we spent two hours hanging out on the street outside the studio. Gary informed me that he would be characterized in the video game Postal 2, and had his thumbprints on a couple other online ventures. However, what started out as a technology conversation soon got personal.
Gary mentioned his current career as a security guard, and spoke at length about a very dysfunctional relationship he was having with a young woman (this was years before his brief marriage with the allegedly abusive Shannon Price). Gary mentioned emotional abuse, and some physical harm as well. I tried to derail the conversation flow and change the subject, but once Gary Coleman went down that rabbit hole, there was no return to daylight.
By the time I brought Gary in for the taping, I was emotionally spent after listening to Gary unpack all his personal baggage. Of course, I left it to the show producers to ask Gary to address the hosts with his signature "Whatchu talkin' about, _____"?" Of course, he obliged. And he was all-smiles during his celebrity co-host segments.
Rest in peace and comfort, Gary Coleman.
The Rat Pack in their heyday. (l - r) Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop.
BLOG #8
THE LAST OF THE
RAT PACK
Frank Sinatra passed away on May 14, 1998. Since I was working for KNBR 680-AM, a sports station, at the time, I was already accustomed to booking guests on short notice, after sports news broke. I was producing the Gary Radnich morning show at that time. We were a mature entertainment/sports hybrid on the Gary Radnich show, so handling Sinatra's passing was right in our demographic wheelhouse.
Before I continue, let me share a few remembrances about Gary Radnich. He took the KNBR job while still working as the #1 television sports anchor on KRON-TV, San Francisco's NBC affiliate. So I already knew he worked hard. Gary arrived at KNBR with much fanfare and instantaneous gravitas. I was unsure how we would get along. I quickly surmised that Gary had a big ego, but not in the way one might expect. He believed that the way to make his show successful was by incorporating everyone behind the scenes. For example, when Gary learned I was active in my Jewish community, he presented me on the air with a jersey shirt with "Mr. Synagogue" emblazoned above the pocket.
One other thing I learned about Gary is that you can't tell him what to do. You can suggest, but he danced to the beat of his own drummer. I will present a classic example in an upcoming blog about Nancy Sinatra!
But let's circle back to Frank Sinatra. When we discovered Ol' Blue Eyes passing, our show team launched into overdrive, trying to conjure up the best guest to speak about Sinatra's life. In our post-show meeting, people threw out names willy-nilly "How about Tony Bennett?" "What about someone close to the Kennedys?" "Are there any big bandleaders still around?". While Gary and the others debated, I performed a laborious computer search (Google launched four months later), and discovered that one member of Sinatra's Rat Pack--comedian Joey Bishop--was still living. I still contained Bishop's manager's number in my rolodex, so I made the quick call.
My timing couldn't have been better, as I got the manager on the phone, and explained what big Sinatra and Rat Pack fans we were. I think I even made an "Oceans 11" reference. We were able to book a phone call with Bishop in our 8am prime hour! Although Bishop was well past his prime, I felt like booking Joey Bishop on the day after Sinatra's passing (when every Tom, Dick and Harry radio or TV station was looking for an angle), was one of my biggest coups at KNBR.
I will conclude with Joey Bishop's own recollection, cited in a Toronto City News article on October 19, 2007 after Bishop's own passing: “Are we remembered as being drunk and chasing broads?” he asked rhetorically in 1998. “I never saw Frank, Dean, Sammy or Peter drunk during performances. That was only a gag. And do you believe these guys had to chase broads? They had to chase ’em away.” Joey Bishop's passing certainly marked the end of an era.
"What's My Line?" television game show (1957-61) with moderator John Charles Daly, and featuring (l-r) journalist Dorothy Kilgallen, comedian Fred Allen, actress Arlene Francis, and Bennett Cerf, founder of Random House Publishing
BLOG #7
GAMES! GAMES! GAMES!
Not every radio morning show subscribes to this strategy, but if you want to flood the phone banks, play an interactive game with a prize on the air. Sometimes you don't even need a prize! Goss and Garrett believed in this concept, so I endeavored to create a slew of games, often with hilarious results. Here is a semi-short list:
1) First note song/last note song.
We play the first note or last note of a song, and the listener must identify it.
2) Last name's the same (example):
He is a beloved Beatle who will always be remembered.
He is a President who is never remembered, except by his grandpa, also a forgotten president.
Answer: George and President Benjamin Harrison.
(grandson of President William Henry Harrison)
3) We Share a Name (examples):
Little ______________ Simmons
(Richard)
Elton ___________ Lennon
(John)
Michael ___________ Browne
(Jackson)
4) Name That Sound:
We would play a 3 second sound clip of a tool, nature sound, or appliance, and listeners would try to identify it.
5) Finish That Line:
We provide a cut off song lyric, and listeners would call in to complete the line.
6) What's My Line?
We brought in people with unusual occupations, and they would answer yes/no questions from listeners. As the listeners heard more clues, they could guess the occupation. Our most memorable What's My Line? contest involved a gregarious and somewhat effeminate man we will call Doug. (Spoiler alert: skip the rest of the paragraph if you want to play along.) Doug was an embalmer, essentially a makeup artist for dead people.
Listeners asked Doug questions like "Do you work with people?" ("Yes"). Do you have tools in your work? ("Yes"). Do you make something with your hands? ("Yes"). Can we see your work somewhere? ("Gosh, I hope not!"...cue Goss and Garrett giggling). Do you work for the government? ("Not usually"). Would you call yourself an artist? ("I would say so." Goss and Garrett nod in approval). We must have fielded 20 calls, but no one quite got it. Of course we were fascinated, so when we revealed his profession we asked Doug to stay on for another break so we could learn more about his embalmer work. He regaled us with some lavish stories, adding details without getting too gory, and Doug even offered Erin Garrett some makeup tips!
Looking back at the games I created with Goss and Garrett, I believe they served our enjoyment more so than the listeners'. But upon further introspection, if the games flooded the phone banks, maybe we had good taste!
KFRC-FM BILLBOARD, 1993
BLOG #6 MY BODY
ON A BILLBOARD
During my four years working with Goss and Garrett (KFRC-FM, KYA-FM, Young Country), we would typically meet at 10am just after the show to discuss the week's upcoming programs. We would scour the newspapers to nab ideas, I would divulge which celebrities and local personalities I was in the process of booking, and our program director, Bob Hamilton, would come to discuss bigger station events, cross-promotions, and live broadcasts. One such morning, I discovered that we would broadcast live literally standing on a new KFRC-FM billboard that would appear on Interstate 80 eastbound, close to a major Bay Bridge entrance. This was (and surely remains) a huge morning commute traffic snarl, perfect for a live radio show.
Every live broadcast involved our mobile studio, a 26 foot, high antenna gargantuan trailer/radio boom box that I later learned to drive and set up, arriving at remote locations as early as 4am to rig alone. But this broadcast came before I was trained on the mobile studio, so I could concentrate on the show content, and the 15 articles of clothing I was wearing. To explain: Dean Goss and Erin Garrett decided that I would stand with them on the billboard and every time a car honked as it passed, I would remove an article of clothing!
It was a rainy, cloudy morning with temps in the low 50s when we exited the crane and reached the billboard. The wind was whipping a bit, but I didn't care. My skinny frame was carrying 4 shirts, 5 sweaters, two pants, and 4 pairs of socks. Because visibility wasn't great, the honks started out slowly. During every talk break, Dean and Erin had to hammer home the concept, and I argued that some cars would just be honking because of the rough morning commute. "Too bad, it counts!" Dean chimed in.
By 8am, the honks started flooding in. I had removed every sweater, 3 shirts, one pair of pants and three socks, leaving me with just a t-shirt, pants and socks that one would wear on a warm summer day. Then a lull...and I thought I would get off with my reputation--and wardrobe-intact. By about 8:38, right after the news, a flurry of honks left me shirtless, shoeless, and down to my boxers (truth be told, I am usually a briefs guy, but I had to dress for the occasion!) I was cold, but I certainly played up the shivering. Finally, at the 8:50 talk break, Goss and Garrett pulled the plug, leaving my privates just that...private.
BLOG #5
MR. OCTOBER CUSSED
ME OUT...
IN OCTOBER!
In 1997, I had the golden opportunity to work at a sports station, KNBR 680-AM, the flagship station of the San Francisco Giants baseball team. Since I had to escape from the "McKay and Matt"* show (more on that in a future blog), and my long-term goal was to become a sportscaster, KNBR appeared a perfect fit, but I had to initially take a small step backward.
I began as the producer of the Steve McPartlin morning show. I worked under the auspices of Executive Producer Leonard Nelson. Steve was a TV guy who never quite got comfortable in the radio chair. After about a year, Steve was summarily replaced by Gary Radnich, the KRON-TV (NBC) lead sports reporter. I will write more about working with Gary in future chapters.
After a year with Gary, I was moved to become the #1 producer in afternoon drive, with the "Razor and Mr. T" show. "Razor" referred to the tone delivered by Ralph Barbieri, a long-time sports radio guy. His off-the-wall counterpart came in the 6'7" form of Tom Tolbert, former NBA player and cultural bon vivant. I had huge high heels to fill: I was replacing producing superstar Melissa Jacobs, who later worked for ESPN, served as an NFL editor for Sports Illustrated, and now writes and does interviews as "The Football Girl".
During my first October at the station, the Giants made the playoffs, which was a big deal around KNBR. While they were categorically swept by the eventual champion Florida Marlins in the first round, I had certainly acquired the flagship station baseball bug. I earned a media pass, which entitled me to free entry to any game at dying albatross Candlestick Park. I was not guaranteed a seat, but I could sit in any unoccupied seat without security interference.
In 1999, the Giants were also-rans in their division, so the sports talk hosts focused their attention on the playoff teams. In late October, the day after the New York Yankees swept the Atlanta Braves to capture back-to-back World Series, The Razor and Mr. T. wanted me to procure a legendary Yankee to fill the golden 5pm interview, the biggest drive time listener slot. Beginning around 3:30 pm, I began contacting sports agents, publicists, or handlers for Ron Guidry, Whitey Ford, and Phil Rizzuto, a long-time Yankee player and broadcaster. As it got closer to 5pm, my leads dried up. Then I remembered that we had previously spoken to Mr. October himself, Yankee legend Reggie Jackson, to promote his charity event. For that purpose, I had acquired Reggie's cell phone number. I decided to make the cold call.
At 4:56 pm, Reggie answered the phone. "Who the f&%# is this?" When I explained which show I was calling from, Reggie went into a rant. "Why the f&*@ are you calling me? Don't you know I am on the f*@%ing golf course? What kind of person f*^$ing calls Reggie Jackson on the golf course!?" As his expletive-laden diatribe continued, I only hoped that Reggie would hang up on me, so I would have two precious minutes to dig up another Yankee. But Reggie wouldn't stop. "What kind of a f&%#ing producer are you? You must be f*^$ing sh*%&ing me!" His tirade continued for two more minutes, so I had no choice but to politely listen to Mr. October. Finally, when he ran out of breath or cuss words (whichever came first), Reggie screamed, "I'll come on the Razor and Mr. T. show, but not because of you!" I was more bewildered than relieved, but I mustered enough gumption to calmly state, "Thanks Mr. Jackson, please hold on the line and Ralph and Tom will be right with you."
I left to the adjoining studio to decompress and listen to the interview. When Ralph the Razor introduced Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, he produced his first words on the air: "What the hell is wrong with your producer?" As mortified as I was, I had passed the producer stress test, throwing caution (and many guest-hurled expletives) to the wind.
BLOG #4 MARTINA MCBRIDE THANKED ME!
FanFest LA, May 1994
The year 1994 will always represent the year I embraced country music. On March 27th Oldies KYA 93.3 changed formats and became KYCY "Young Country". Goss and Garrett and I all made the transition together. I just heard an aircheck (on air snippet) from the moment we made the transition.
Here it is: https://formatchange.com/kya-fm-becomes-young-country-93-3-kycy/
I quickly embraced the new format, learning about all the artists, connecting to the songs, and of course, purchasing a cowboy hat and boots. We did promotional appearances from a number of country line dance bars which I didn't even know existed. And in May, station management sent me down to Pomona, CA to cover the Country Fan Fest. I had heard that one of my new favorite country artists, Martina McBride, was going to be there, as well as another fave, Dwight Yoakam.
With my media credentials, I was able to run around with my DAT (digital audio tape recorder) and attend the media availability for every artist I could. I circled 3pm for the Martina McBride press time, but I could not locate Dwight Yoakam's time.
At 2:45 I headed for a large tent at the
Los Angeles County Fairgrounds, and awaited Martina's arrival. Already a small crowd of reporters and radio wonks had assembled. Right at 3pm, Martina walked in with an ebullient smile that could light up any...tent. She offered an amicable "Hi, y'all! Now who was first?" A Los Angeles radio guy took the lead and interviewed her first. As each media person interviewed Martina, I checked off the questions on my list that others had asked, praying that a few would remain when my turn came around.
Maybe it's to my own detriment that I am unfailingly patient and polite, because I allowed every other media person to talk to Martina until only Martina, myself, and one music handler were standing there. Martina smiled at me with her piercing blue eyes and gushed, "Thank you for your patience, darlin'. What's your name?" I introduced myself, turned the DAT recorder on, and asked the three questions that were not checked off. She couldn't have been more gracious in her responses, and I got three wonderful sound bites to play on the next Monday's show.
For the remainder of my time at FanFest, I remained on a natural high from my Martina moment. I even worked up the nerve to prod country legend Charlie Pride to sign my cowboy hat, and shook hands with a new artist I had never heard of before. He was so new, in fact, that I neglected to interview him. His name was Kenny Chesney, a future country superstar! I guess I still had a few things to learn about country music, such as what makes a hit record, and who will be the next "it" artist, like Chesney. But to this day, I consider Martina McBride my favorite country artist.
************************************************
This picture of Martina was actually snapped by Ron Galella at 1994 FanFest Pomona, the very place and time that I met Martina!
Here is a link to "Martina's Kitchen", McBride's cooking show on the Food Network.
https://www.foodnetwork.com/shows/martinas-table
BLOG #3 SUPER SHAPER BRIEFS
KFRC morning show stunt, around 1993
At KFRC's Goss and Garrett morning show, we were always looking for the latest fads to convey to our audience. Perhaps some of you remember "The Wonder Bra", the padded brassiere of the 1990s? Well, some company decided to compete with a version for men, called "Super Shaper Briefs". Unbeknownst to me, Dean Goss ordered a pair, and decided to surprise me on the air.
Around 7am that morning, Erin Garrett handed me the briefs, and explained (on the air) that I would wear the trench coat they asked me to bring to work, wearing only the briefs underneath. Then I would roam around the financial district with my phone, asking women if they would go on the air with Goss and Garrett. The second the hosts would ask a woman what I was wearing, I would disrobe and display my "before picture" physique, donning only the Super Shaper briefs. The goal was to get the onlooker's reaction on the radio.
I arrived on foot at the financial district by 8am. No one bothered me, even though it was a sunny, dry day, and there was no reason to wear a trench coat. The problem was, everyone was heading to work, and no one wished to speak with me. I changed course and headed to a trendy downtown supermarket, where local denizens could shop before work, or leisurely after 9am.
I found a 30-something, comfortably dressed woman passing by. "Pardon me," I inquired in my most un-stalkery voice, "I work with the Goss and Garrett morning show on KFRC-FM. Would you be willing to speak with them on the air? We are recording, so you don't have to be nervous." I think the last sentence ameliorated the situation, and she agreed. "Good morning," the woman told the hosts on my Nokia antenna flip phone. "What is he wearing?" That was my cue to disrobe. "Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed. "What is he doing"? The hosts explained the Super Shaper Briefs as I struck a number of fashion poses. "They seem to fit him well," the woman added, "but he's no supermodel!" I could hear Dean and Erin reacting through the phone: "You got THAT right!!"
I certainly earned my keep that morning!
When 99.7 X-100 was sold in 1991, I stuck around for the transition. In fact, I was "voluntold" to get down to the station garage and remove the X-100 decals from the station van. I was vastly inexperienced at peeling off humongous decals, but in the recesses of my brain I understood that heat can pry off something sticky. Soon enough, I had acquired a tool and a power strip. So I began slowly removing the decals with a blow dryer!
99.7 FM San Francisco took on the legendary call letters KFRC-FM. KFRC-AM 610 was a juggernaut in the 1970s and 1980s, featuring Dr. Don Rose in the morning. But now the new FM station attempted to recapture the magic of its AM predecessor and play Oldies from the 50s, 60s, and 70s. (KFRC-AM was already established as Magic 61, playing music from the big band era.)
I was shuttled into a conference room with the program director, who had remained for the transition. "How would you like to move into programming" the PD queried? Since my goal remained to get into sportscasting, joining the programming team--even at an oldies station--represented a step at the right direction. I spent a few months doing low level producing for Harry Nelson, a lovely man who wanted nothing more than to live on a pig farm in Sacco, Maine. But in 1992 I was summoned and informed I would produce KFRC-FM's new morning show, "Goss and Garrett".
The next day, I cautiously returned to the conference room, unsure what to expect. But in walked Dean Goss, an affable, salt-and-pepper haired radio veteran, and Erin Garrett, a younger, raven-haired social butterfly from Arizona. I was introduced as Steve, their new morning show producer. But I immediately hedged my bets, admitting that I had not produced much in radio. "That's OK, we'll all learn as we go," Dean stated. "What are your strengths?" Erin wondered. "Well, I can sing, I can write, I am very creative, and in college I played on a intramural men's basketball team dressed in drag. I was in yellow taffeta. We were called Hear Us Roar. So I'm up for anything." Erin's response changed the trajectory of my yet unwritten morning show producer history:
"What a weenie!"
The next Monday morning, the Goss and Garrett morning show (6-10 am) debuted on KFRC-FM. At around 6:40 I was brought to the microphone for the first time. "We want to introduce our producer to you", Dean informed the audience. "Good morning, Steve the Weenie!" Erin chipped in. And a
minuscule legend was born.
KFRC BANNER, CIRCA 1993
BLOG #1: THE DAY I MET STEVE ALLEN
In 1996, I was producing the morning radio show at classic rock station KBGG-FM (Big 98.1) in San Francisco. I was fortunate to book an interview with Mr. Allen, who was in town promoting his newest book. I met him at the historic Fairmont Hotel, and shook his hand in greeting. “Hello, Mr. Allen, it is an honor to meet you!” He offered no response. I asked him about his accommodations, his experiences in San Francisco, and his book tour in general. Still no response. So we walked in silence to my Honda Civic, double parked in the hotel roundabout. As I drove, I informed Mr. Allen that we would listen to our radio show to acquaint him with our hosts, Marian McKay, and Matt Dooley*.
Once we arrived at the station, I escorted the still silent legend to our “green room”, where fruit and cheese awaited him. “If there is anything else you need, just let me know”, I related, somewhat deflated. When I returned to our studio, I explained that Mr. Allen remained silent the entire time I spent with him. Marian McKay, who was prickly (to say the least) off the air, shot darts at me with her eyes, and warned, “this better work, or else.”
I gingerly escorted Mr. Allen to the studio guest microphone. When our hosts greeted him, he nodded respectfully but remained silent. Marian pierced me with an even angrier look, as the duo prepared to go on live.
“We are so lucky to have the great Steve Allen in studio with us,” McKay announced enthusiastically. “Good morning, Mr. Allen!”. As soon as his microphone turned on, Steve Allen spoke for the first time, and he provided a thoroughly entertaining interview, regaling us with favorite stories and cherished memories in short radio-friendly sound bites. Steve Allen especially responded well to the questions I had prepared for the hosts in advance. Although he barely spoke to me, even on the silent ride back to the Fairmont, Steve Allen carried himself as the consummate professional. His legacy as a television personality, prolific author, comedian and peerless entertainer will endure forever.
* The names of the DJs were changed in this story to protect the identities of the living parties.
THE EPIBLOG
During my 14 years in radio and television, I was often overworked, usually underpaid, frequently criticized, and constantly oblivious to where I would be producing the next year. Yet, despite all that, I enjoyed many of the best years of my life. I have forged friendships that have endured over 30 years, I have amassed treasured Polaroids with famous people from yesteryear, and albums worth of photos with radio hosts and listeners alike. Most of all, I have cherished memories, some of which I would not have laughed about in the moment (perhaps even cried about!), but with the benefit of emotional distance, I have shared with you, warts and all.
I believe that my radio/TV career spanned the ideal era to engender my semi-longevity. Frequently radio vets would regale me with sordid tales of the halcyon 80's, when DJs could virtually get away with grand theft auto and continue on the air. Today, with the advent of iTunes, Spotify, and Pandora, and the proliferation of commercial radio alternatives like SiriusXM, podcasts, and iHeartMedia, competition must be cutthroat to snag a smaller slice of the ratings pie. I am not certain I would have survived working in radio today. In fact, some have branded radio as "a dying medium". In her 2019 web article entitled "Is Radio Dying?", Katherine Luck cites a 2007 survey that revealed 70% of teens listened to the radio. In 2013, the same survey question yielded only 56% of teen listeners. And, Luck surmised, the number is plummeting. Nonetheless, I will never concur with the question Luck raises.
Since 2004, I have continued to follow Massachusetts radio, as a listener. A few years back, I called WXLO on a whim and won tickets to a Kidz Bop concert. Though our kids were just outgrowing their Kidz Bop phase, I thoroughly enjoyed the concert, especially the dads dance contest (sadly, I was not chosen to mortify my family on stage). Every time Boston sports radio discusses a San Francisco team (seldom), I am primed to phone in and deliver my blissfully biased opinion. When the Toucher and Rich morning show on 98.5 The Sports Hub aired a bit about preparing their sports reporter, John Wallach, for a Bar Mitzvah ceremony that he never had, I called in as Cantor Steve and we did a whole Jewish/comedic segment on the air. Finally, just before Covid, I took the kids to Natick Mall, where the Karson and Kennedy show of Mix 98.1 was making an appearance for a toy drive. We bought a new toy to donate, and met the whole morning gang. My son even hung out with Karson's son at the Apple store!
No long-term project like this blog would be complete without showing my heartfelt appreciation. First, I would like to thank all the San Francisco radio and TechTV air talent, management, sales, engineering, and promotions teams that took advantage of my skills, fostered my development, and created an environment where my experiences could blossom. I am blessed to share them with you. Secondly, I wish to thank Christian and Dave, who championed and read my blogs from the get-go, because they lived vicariously through many of these experiences in real time. In addition, my mother-in-law, Ann Toll, gave me the confidence to turn this blog into a book. Finally, I must show my love and appreciation for my wife Meredith, and my twins Ella and Gabriel, who have supported my writing from day one, along with my frequent disappearances to the office, and long hours on the desktop.
Thank you for reading! Stay tuned for what's next!!
SOURCES:
https://katherineluck.medium.com/is-radio-dying-b5a235264463
CONTACT ME!
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