Vin Scully Honors His Father

(June 15, 2012) A few years back, the LA Times published a Father’s Day feature titled, “Honor Thy Father,” which featured some of our sports legends like John Wooden, Arte Moreno, and Anita DeFrantz. Vin Scully was also featured and here are some highlights from that piece:

“Dad was working late as usual, finishing up a 14-hour shift at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Vin Scully had finished his homework and was getting sleepy. Although something was on his mind, he couldn’t wait up, so he wrote a note and put it on his dad’s breakfast plate before going to bed.

It was 1943 and Vin was 15. His stepfather, Allan Reeve, left for work each morning at 4:30, riding buses and subways to the shipyard, often not returning home until after nightfall.

Reeve had an opportunity take a civilian job on a ship headed to the combat zone in Europe. The money would be good, maybe even enough to get the family out of the $40-a-month, fifth-story walk-up apartment in Washington Heights.

Vin had only a hazy memory of his biological father dying of pneumonia 11 years earlier, but he knew the toll it had taken on his mother, Bridget. The thought of losing Reeve, a reserved, pipe-smoking Englishman who had brought stability and love to the household, terrified him.

So in the note, Vin asked his dad to turn down the job.

‘I was afraid he might be put in harm’s way,’ Vin said. ‘I didn’t want him to risk the family to make a few more dollars.’

Vin remembers his father, a silk salesman at an upscale clothing store, from a few grainy photos. After he died, Bridget took 4-year-old Vin to Ireland to spend time with her family.

‘My mother told me later that when we came back, I had a brogue you could cut with a knife,’ he said.

‘My ache now is all the things I missed because of my job,’ he said. ‘Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, you name it. It has been a series of misses. And it had made my heart ache. Baseball just devours you.

Allan Reeve read Vin’s note at breakfast and did not take the job that would have sent him overseas. His relationship with his stepson continued to grow over the years.

‘To me, he was Dad,’ Vin said. ‘I never thought of him as a stepdad. I had an ache because I never knew my father and it was washed away by my dad.’”

Western Art Donated. Bob Eubanks, who moved from Top 40 radio to a hugely successful career in tv as a game show host, concert promoter, and Rose Parade commentator, has donated more than $100,000 in Western art to California Lutheran University, and it will be displayed in an upcoming exhibit.

“Western Salon,” which will also include works from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum collection, will be on exhibit from Saturday, June 16, through Saturday, Sept. 15, in CLU’s William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art. The paintings will be hung salon-style, closely next to and atop one another, and a series of informal salon gatherings will celebrate the exhibit.

Eubanks, a Westlake Village resident and motivational speaker, will speak at the opening night reception tomorrow night. Next month Bob will discuss his varied career, touch on his friendships with Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, and answer questions during “An Afternoon with Bob Eubanks.”

KLOS Mornings. Mark Thompson announced his retirement from KLOS mornings as part of Mark & Brian last Wednesday. There has been much speculation on what management will do. Jack Silver, pd at KLOS, responded when asked for an update: "We are in negotiations with Brian. He’s option 1, 2, & 3." Not sure what it means but that's where they are today.

Phoenix Ratings. The Phoenix May ’12 Arbitron has been released:

1. KZON (Top 40/R) 4.8 - 6.1
2. KOOL (Classic Hits) 5.8 - 5.2
3. KHOT (Regional Mexican) 4.3 - 5.0
4. KMXP (Hot AC) 4.9 - 5.0
5. KESZ (AC) 4.3 - 4.7

LARP Rewind: June 15. On this day in 2011, Mötley Crüe, Poison and the New York Dolls performed at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. On this day in 2004, Secretary of State Colin Powell appeared on Sean Hannity's syndicated radio program. On this day in 1996, Ella Fitzgerald died of diabetes at 78. Her 17 top-ten hits included A-Tisket A-Tasket, My Happiness and It's Only A Paper Moon. On this day in 1974, Paul McCartney announced that Geoff Britton had replaced Denny Sewell as Wings drummer. Britton had earlier been in a progressive rock band, East Of Eden. On this day in 1966, Capitol released the Beatles' Yesterday & Today album with the infamous "butcher cover." Containing British album tracks that had not appeared on US releases, the album pictured the Beatles dressed in white smocks and holding decapitated dolls and pieces of meat. After record dealers objected to the grotesque cover, Capitol recalled the albums and destroyed most of the covers, but on several thousand copies a photo of the Beatles posing around an open steamer trunk was pasted on. A few of the original covers still exist.  

Today, June 15, 2012, rapper/actor Ice Cube is 43. Born O'Shea Jackson in Los Angeles, he began rapping while in high school, then formed a hip-hop trio, CIA (Cru In Action), which performed at parties. In 1987 he joined NWA (Niggaz With Attitude), a group that included Eazy-E, Dr. Dre, MC Ren and DJ Yella. Ice Cube began recording solo in 1990. His hits include It Was A Good Day, Check Yo Self and Pushin' Weight. Among the movies he has appeared in are Boyz N The Hood, Friday, Three Kings, Barbershop and Are We There Yet. Also today, Air Supply vocalist Russell Hitchcock is 63, Kansas singer/keyboardist Steve Walsh is 61, actor/comedian Jim Belushi is 58, country singer/keyboardist Terri Gibbs is 58, actress Helen Hunt is 49, actress Courteney Cox is 48, Lonestar guitarist Michael Britt is 46, actor Jake Busey (son of Gary Busey) is 41, Doogie Howser/How I Met Your Mother co-star Neil Patrick Harris is 39, soap opera actor Greg Vaughan is 39, actress Elizabeth Reaser is 37, Good Charlotte guitarist/keyboardist Billy Martin is 31. 

On June 15, 1971, forty-one years ago today, It's Too Late by Carole King was in its fourth week at number one on the KRLA Hit List. Honey Cone was at #2 with Want Ads. Jumping from #20 to #6 was Don't Pull Your Love, the first chart hit by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds. (In 1965, Dan Hamilton, Joe Frank Carollo and Tommy Reynolds had been members of the T-Bones, a studio group that had a hit with No Matter What Shape, adapted from an Alka-Seltzer jingle. In 1969, Reynolds was lead singer of Shango, who had a hit with Day After Day.) The Raiders climbed from #24 to #15 with a remake of Don Fardon's Indian Reservation. High debut at #24 was We're All Goin' Home by Bobby Bloom, who had first charted nine months earlier with Montego Bay. 

Overheard.

  • “One of the toughest things I had to do was learn to psychologically accept the fact that being hated was a sign of success.” (Rush Limbaugh, KFI)

  • “I like black cars.” (Leon Kaplan, KABC)

  • “Twitter was hacked by 55 million accounts. Why couldn’t it have been us? We would then come up with some interesting Tweets.” (Jim Carson, K-EARTH)

  • “JACK/fm is playing what we want a bit harder after listening to that Tony Robbins on the way in this morning.” (JACK/fm liner)

  • “I find Andrea Mitchell a poor man’s Leslie Stahl.” (Dennis Miller, KRLA)

  • “We all have the capacity to do what we do, which is to shed tears for people we don’t know when bad things happen.” (John B Wells, KFI)

Funnie.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Kane Biscaya, Julia Chavez, Steve Epstein, Scott Keene, Richard Rudman, and
Matt Stevens

Email Friday

We GET Email …

** Thrilled with #9 Best Off-Air LARP
 “I couldn't be prouder that Alisa McClosky cracked the Top 10 LARP. She's a great person who can handle all the tasks that are thrown at her. When I was asked to go to KKJZ full-time in January, I knew Alisa was the one to do all the juggling that I was doing. She is on her way to even greater things.” - Mike Johnson, Operations Manager/Music Director, KKJZ

** Alisa at #9
 “Great choice for part of the Best Off-Air LARP of 2012 list. Alisa McClosky is easy to work with but focused on quality and a nice person to boot!

I very much enjoy working with her.” - Nick Tyler, K-Mozart 1260

** Mark & Brian Break-Up
 “Just saw your article - my jaw dropped all the way to the floor.  Mark Thompson will be greatly missed.  I have listened to them since the beginning; they have made my mornings for the last 25 years.

I'm stunned. 

Good luck Mark!!” – Brian Steger 

Alisa McClosky Voted #9 Best Off-Air LARP of 2012

(June 14, 2012) Appearing for the first time on the List of the Top 10 Best Off-Air LARP is Alisa McClosky, at #9. Alisa has been a board operator and producer for five years at Mount Wilson FM Broadcasters. Currently, she is the board operator coordinator and she handles the production and engineering details for KKGO, Go Country 105 and K-Mozart 1260. She has a great respect for the Levine family (who own the stations) and enjoys every moment of learning from all of the talented on-air personalities on these stations.

Alisa was born on September 14th in the heart of the San Fernando Valley. She has always been a loyal radio listener, but she fell in love with working in radio while she was Shawn Parr’s intern at KZLA in 2005. After completing the internship and graduating from Woodbury University with a B.S. in Communication, she decided to earn a Radio Broadcasting Certificate at Fullerton College.

Since 2007, she has been the primary board operator for remote broadcasts and the live shows on the various 1260AM formats. As a result, she had the opportunity to work closely with Michael Jackson and John Ziegler during the news/talk days. She was also the producer for Mike Sakellarides when it went Retro.

#9
Alisa McClosky

Some of those who voted for Alisa commented:

  • “She is brilliant, talented, and dedicated.”

  • “Bigger things are in store for this dedicated young lady.”

  • “She’s an excellent board op, a great boss and a good friend.”

  • “Hard working and always calm under fire when things aren’t going smoothly.”

Mouzis On the Mend. Earlier this week, Bill Mouzis fell against the porcelain bathtub in his house and shattered his right shoulder in several places, emailed Kevin Gershan. His wife was unable to pick him up and he was transferred to Encino Hospital.  The orthopedic surgeon decided, because of his age and current condition, that surgery was not an option and would only gain him an additional 10% of mobility.  After six weeks or so, he should still be able to reach his arm over his head, but not all the way to the top shelf.  He went to a Lake Balboa (near his home) rehab facility, for an undetermined amount of time, before being sent home. Kevin is getting regular updates from Bill’s son, Tom, who works with him, at CBS Studio Center.

You can send Bill well wishes at: BMouzis@aol.com

Major Breaking Story. The teaser of a MAJOR LARadio exclusive along with an interview was the perfect bulletin to prompt some predictions from LARadio as to the breaking MAJOR story:

KFI 98.7---Fox Sports Radio moves to 640

ESPN 105.9

98.7 Fox Sports Radio (The New fm home for Kings and Dodgers)

KNX AM & FM 1070 and 93.1

Ryan Seacrest leaves KIIS

All News 790 and 95.5

Radio Disney 100.3

KFWB sold to foreign language group

93.9 goes all standards

Overheard.

  • “There’s display advertising apathy at Facebook. 57% of Facebook users say they never click the ads or other sponsored content from on the site. Another 26% say they hardly engage in such activity.” (George Noory, KFI)

  • “Are you listening in North Korea today? In North Korea they punish people as war criminals if you use your cell phone during certain times of the day.” (Rick Dees, Hot 92.3)

  • “I think John Edwards should hook up with Casey Anthony. They are not far from each other in the Southeast part of the country. Some believe she was a loathsome character and yet she was acquitted. The two of them top the hate parade in the country.” (Geraldo Rivera, KABC)

  • The writer is upset that taxpayer dollars are being spent for my bust. This may be the first time on record we have found a journalist upset with government spending. Eleven hundred dollars.” (Rush Limbaugh, KFI)

  • "Maybe if we play more stuff with purple and black and silver the Kings will clinch the cup … so here's STP from the Purple album." (Gary Moore, KLOS)

  • “When I think of what could go wrong in Europe, I always think of the Germans who are sitting on a trash can full of rage. They keep it down. They overbuild their sports cars and they let you drive 180 miles per hour on their roads but it’s all masking this urge to conquer.” (Dennis Miller, KRLA)

  • “I was a lot better off when I was drinking vodka and smoking Marlboros than I am now.” (Don Imus)

  • “Do you know that women think about clothes 91 times a day?” (Mark Wallengren, KOST)

Honor Thy Father. Tomorrow will be a special edition of LARadio with Father’s Day tributes and memories. If you would like to share something about your dad, send it along to db@thevine.net. We kick it off with Vin Scully’s memories of his stepfather. He ached to know his real father, but that was soothed by his stepdad. (Photo: Don Barrett, Sr. in the early 1940s)

LARP Rewind: June 14. On this day in 2006, Colombian-born Latin-pop singer Shakira began her 99-date Oral Fixation world tour in Zaragoza, Spain. The tour, in support of her albums  Fijación Oral Vol. 1 and Oral Fixation Vol. 2, would continue into July of 2007, draw more than two and a half million fans and gross $130 million. On this day in 1964, the Manish Boys, featuring 17-year-old David Jones (the future David Bowie) auditioned for the British talent show, Opportunity Knocks. Originally a radio series, a tv version aired on ITV briefly in 1956 and ITV was preparing to launch a new version in July 1964. On this day in 1922, President Warren G. Harding unveiled the bronze-and-marble Francis Scott Key Memorial at Fort McHenry near Baltimore. It was there where Key, a Maryland-born lawyer, had witnessed an 1814 attack by the British and was inspired to write a poem, Defense Of Fort McHenry, which became our national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. Harding's dedicatory speech was carried via telephone lines to the studios of WEAR in Baltimore and broadcast from there. 

Today, June 14, 2012, Jim Lea is 63. Born in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, he learned violin as a child, then took up piano and guitar. He played in a local band, the 'N Betweens, which evolved into Slade. They had hits with Mama Weer All Crazee Now, Cum On Feel The Noise (later covered by Quiet Riot) and Run Runaway. Lea left Slade in 1991 and began recording solo, releasing singles under a variety of pseudonyms, such as Jimbo, JimJam and Whild. Also today, The Jeffersons/227 co-star Marla Gibbs is 81, Zombies/Argent singer/keyboardist Rod Argent is 67, Yes drummer/pianist Alan White is 63, actor/Laverne & Shirley co-star Eddie Mekka is 60, Cutting Crew lead singer Nick Van Eede is 54, Boy George (George O'Dowd) is 51, Queensrÿche guitarist Chris DeGarmo is 49, Baywatch/Ryan's Hope/One Life To Live co-star Yasmine Bleeth is 44, rapper MC Ren (Lorenzo Patterson) is 43, Glee co-star Kevin McHale is 24, actor Daryl Sabara (Spy Kids, John Carter) is 20. 

On June 14, 1965, forty-seven years ago today, the Rolling Stones' Satisfaction was number one on the KRLA Tunedex. The Four Tops' former number one, I Can't Help Myself, was at #2. Dickey Lee jumped from #31 to #16 with Laurie, about a boy who is unaware that his date is the ghost of a girl who had died a year earlier. The song was penned by a psychologist, Dr. Milton Addington, and based on a Halloween story that was written by 15-year-old Cathie Harmon and published in the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Addington gave her credit as co-writer. Tom Jones climbed from #37 to #20 with What's New Pussycat. High debut at #29 was I'm A Fool by Dino, Desi & Billy. Dino was the son of Dean Martin, Desi was the son of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, and Billy was schoolmate Billy Hensche. 

CBS Sports Network. On last night’s episode of ROME on CBS Sports Network, Jim Rome addressed his radio interview with NBA Commissioner David Stern from earlier in the day.  

ROME ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH STERN: I’ve done interviews with David Stern several times over the years. We’ve always had a very good relationship. It’s been kind of a contentious give-and-take at times, but always a fundamental level of respect. I did not expect that to go that way and that was certainly not my intent. 

ROME ON STERN’S RESPONSE: It was a rhetorical device. A lot of people don’t know that phrase (‘Have you stopped beating your wife yet?’). They didn’t know where he was going. I understood it. I didn’t take great offense to it. I didn’t agree with it. But the fact of the matter is I thought my question was direct and it was not a loaded question. So I thought that analogy was inappropriate. My point is, I don’t think that it’s fixed (the NBA Draft). Even after that conversation, I don’t think that it’s fixed. But I thought the question was fair. 

ROME ON ASKING THE QUESTION: I was not looking to start anything. I thought it was a soft ball question, to be honest. I thought it was an easy question. I thought he’d say, ‘Come on, are you kidding? Conspiracy theories? The only people who believe that are whack jobs and people that are out of hand.’

Hear Ache. When KFI’s Rich Marotta said that the L.A. Kings team was throwing out the first pitch at last night’s Dodgers game, Gary Hoffmann suggested that they were all throwing out pucks … One of our favorite LARP, Lisa Foxx, is working middays at red-hot MY/fm ... Part two of the Mark Thompson interview will appear next week.

San Diego Numbers. The San Diego May ’12 Arbitron has been released:

1. KSON (Country) 6.9 - 6.8
2. KHTS (Top 40/M) 5.9 - 5.8
3. KMYI (Hot AC) 5.4 - 5.5
4. KPBS (News/Talk) 4.5 - 4.9
5. KFMB (Adult Hits) 4.2 - 4.8

Funnie. How you can tell you are in a gay bar photo came from Patrick Emory

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Steve Behm and Michelle Parisi

Email Thursday

We GET Email …

** Mark Thompson Retirement
“Great story on Mark Thompson and Mark & Brian!

Here's wishing Mark & Brian all the best in the future. I had the pleasure of spending some time with them at a Morning Show Boot Camp in Atlanta many years ago and you couldn't ask for two nicer guys.” - Mike Butts, www.MyFourLeggedKids.com

** Thompson a Smart, Good Guy
 “You wrote a very good story on Mark Thompson. He’s a good talent and smart, good guy. The advice I took from Bob Forward at 710/KMPC, ‘walk away when you are on top or think you are on top.’ I took Bob's advice.” - Roger Carroll

** Sounding Off on Mark Thompson
 “Congratulations on a big scoop, great story on Mark Thompson. There’ll never be another Mark & Brian.” – Dave Beasing, pd of 100.3/The Sound

** The Big Move to North Carolina
 “Funny, I'd kill to move the other direction! I don't know Mark Thompson, but tell him I think he's nuts. Malibu, or any beach community vs. a lake with a nuclear power plant? There's some nice houses, but Charlotte over southern Cali? If this is what 25 years of mornings does to your brain I better sprint back to afternoons now! Just for that he can buy me a beer when gets here.” – Todd Baker, K104.7 / WKQC/fm-Charlotte 

After 25 Years, Mark & Brian Comes To An End!
 Mark Thompson Retiring

 

(June 13, 2012) During these decades of reporting and writing and posting stories about our LARadio.com community, we are sometimes humbled by the loyalty and support of certain colleagues. Our thanks to Mark Thompson of Mark & Brian for sharing his important and life-changing announcement with us here.  Today, the first of two parts.  

After 25 years as part of the longest-running, uninterrupted morning show on the air in Los Angeles, Mark Thompson, half of KLOS’ Mark & Brian team is calling it quits. This morning he told the staff that he is leaving on August 17. “I told Brian [Phelps] last October because this is a decision that I made about a year ago,” said Mark over lunch at L’Ermitage Hotel yesterday.

“I made this decision when Bob Moore [general manager] and Bob Buchmann [program director] were still there. I didn’t tell them and then Cumulus took over, so I waited until they started showing interest about us continuing,” Mark said.

“We were in a meeting with the new general manager, Marko Radlovic, and thought I shouldn’t let this go on too long. I literally walked out of that meeting with Brian and sat down with him. He was the first person I told. Then I told my attorney. After a little bit Marko got told and the new program director Jack Silver got told. Marko wanted me to hold off telling the staff because I wanted to tell them in January to give them the opportunity to find jobs, at least the ones who would need to find jobs. Marko was afraid revenue would fall if word got out. He promised me and shook my hand that it was in his best interest to keep as many of the staff that he could for whatever the show would be. He has held to his word and I promised him I would hold it until June, which I knew would be my last trip here. I wanted to tell the staff in person, which I will do Wednesday morning after the show.”

Mark has made some life changes that will help explain how he arrived at the decision to retire from KLOS, but he will not retire from working on some of his favorite projects. “We just celebrated five successful years for my wife, Linda, of being cancer free,” he said gratefully. “She went through that and beat it. After she came out the other side, we were having dinner one night and she said, ‘All of those things we’ve talked about that we want to do, I want to do them.’”

While researching areas to move, Mark and Linda discovered that the #3 rated lake in the United States is Lake Norman, North Carolina. They found a realtor in Lake Norman and spent a weekend there three years ago, looking at homes. They saw 17 homes in two days. They liked four, but LOVED one, and that’s the one they bought. KLOS was talking about re-upping the morning team for another contract cycle, and Mark told them about the planned North Carolina move. Management was so eager to have Mark continue, they agreed to build a studio in his North Carolina home. 

“We had a three-year plan to slowly transition from California to there,” he explained. They were sharing time between the two coasts – fixing up the new house while preparing the Santa Clarita house for sale. “We were slowly going through 25 years of junk. What do we want to keep and what do we want to get rid of? Once the moving truck moved the last of the California belongings, we finally were at the end of our three-year plan. We’re here. We now live in North Carolina.”

Their realtor in Santa Clarita guessed it would take 6-9 months to sell their home. “It sold in a week and we were in escrow in five days and closed in 30.” For the last two years the L’Ermitage has served as their home away from home while Mark did the radio show from here. “I loved the commute. It is like 12 minutes to the LaCienga studios.”

Mark’s decision to end his time with the morning show didn’t come as a complete surprise. For the last 8-10 years, every time the pair was up for contract renewal, they would talk about how much longer did they want to get up in the middle of the night to do morning drive. “The decision for me was long coming, but every time I was faced with that decision, the money would be gigantic and the lure of doing it would be huge. I didn’t have a plan in place so I continued to do it,” confessed Mark.

At age 56, Mark is very clear that there are other things he wants to do in life. “Guys my age are dropping dead and there are other things I want to do and to do them I can’t be sitting in that morning chair. Everything in our life had moved to a place where we were happy, so naturally I am at a place where I still live comfortably without making another dime and be okay. It was the perfect decision. Since I made the decision a year ago, there hasn’t been one moment when I had the thought that this is wrong. It has never come up.”

Mark made a decision to fill the time remaining before he leaves, making the show the very best it can be. “I don’t want to crawl away from a bad deal, get fired or end in some other way. The ratings are up, the show sounds great and I still enjoy it. But I just want to get away from it.”

What will KLOS do with the morning show? Mark confesses he doesn’t know anything except for the fact that Brian wants to continue. “They are interested in keeping him and moving toward doing that,” said Mark.

He reflected on the past general managers over the past 25 years. “I loved Bob Moore,” Mark said excitedly. “He came in and made those hallways fun again. It was mom and pop radio again. Bob showed up to every event we ever had. It was fun again, but I made this decision when Bob was there.”

Mark thinks it will be a “sweet deal” for the person who comes in to replace him.

As far as the best general manager during his time, Mark said without question it was Bill Sommers. “Everyone told Bill he was crazy bringing in a couple of hicks from Alabama to Los Angeles. From the day we got there, he encouraged us to talk with him about anything we wanted to do. He said he would find a way to make it happen and to get it done. Bill would start each morning at 6:30 walking the hallway with his cup of coffee to greet everyone in the building before his workday began. I loved Bill Sommers. He made my dream of becoming a major market personality come true. I respect him like my father. Nobody holds a candle to him.”

Mark loves talking about his new home in North Carolina. “We live in a gated community called Connor Quay and every home is on the lake. You automatically become a member of the country club that has ten tennis courts – three grass, six regular, and two clay – dance classes, a golf course and an Olympic size swimming pool. Everything is warm, green, and lush. Everybody says ‘hi’ at the grocery store.”

The Thompsons’ new home is on the southern tip of Lake Norman (500 square miles of shoreline), which is close to Charlotte. One of his first visits to the local grocery store he ran into NFL coach Marty Schottenheimer, who lives at Lake Norman. Another celebrity who has a home in the area is Michael Jordan. His next door neighbor is Rusty Wallace, the NASCAR driver.

Mark is a huge fan of Cam Newton, the quarterback of the Charlotte Panthers NFL team. He secured season tickets on the 40 yard line for the upcoming season. “We’re even planning on following the team to Washington, DC and Chicago to see the Panthers play away games. Even though we only won six games last year, it is even exciting the way Cam loses. This kid is on fire and it is so exciting to watch him play football. We cannot wait. And Linda loves every bit of it.”

Though Mark doesn’t know what the plans are for his replacement, he emphasized that he wants to be a friend to the station because the KLOS call letters mean more to him than any set of call letters he ever worked for. “I told Marko that since I have the studio in North Carolina, I would do anything he wanted, even a weekend shift or I’ll return for an appearance. Whatever they want, I’m there.”

Looking trim after adopting the grueling P90X workout regime and quitting smoking, Mark has never looked better or felt better. “I am so thankful for the 25 years at KLOS and I want to do what’s best for the station.”

Next time: Mark shares the philosophy of the Mark & Brian Show from day one, feelings about their original sidekick, Chuck Moshontz, Mark’s thoughts on how terrestrial radio can survive the onslaught of other platforms, his acting career and aspirations, and their deepest, dark period when Howard Stern arrived in Los Angeles and took a vicious aim at Mark & Brian.

LARP Rewind: June 13. On this day in 2007, Roger Waters, former Pink Floyd bassist/vocalist, played a sold-out concert at the Hollywood Bowl. He performed his solo material and every song from the Dark Side Of The Moon album. On this day in 2004, Maverick Records became a wholly owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group following Warner's purchase of shares owned by Madonna and Veronica Dashev, who had co-founded the label in 1994. Among the artists who recorded for Maverick are Madonna, Alanis Morissette, Michelle Branch and Me'Shell NdegéOcello. On this day in 1989, Jerry Lee Lewis was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. On this day in 1946, "Major" Edward Bowes died one day before his 72nd birthday. A New York theatre director and Broadway show producer, Bowes had launched The Original Amateur Hour in 1934 on WHN. It moved to CBS in 1936 and ran until Bowes' death. The program returned from 1948 to 1952 on ABC Radio and a tv version aired sporadically from 1948 to 1960. Both were hosted by Ted Mack, who had been Bowes' assistant.

Today, June 13, 2012, British singer/songwriter Denise Pearson is 44 today. Born in Romford, Essex, England, she was lead singer for Five Star, a mid-1980s r&b group that included her two brothers and two sisters. (At the time she spelled her name Deniece.) Their hits included All Fall Down, Let Me Be The One and Can't Wait Another Minute. Throughout 2009 Denise performed in a Michael Jackson tribute musical, Thriller Live, at London's West End. Also today, Sesame Street actor Bob McGrath is 80, Bobby Freeman (Do You Want To Dance, C'mon & Swim) is 72, British actor Malcolm McDowell is 69, actor/comedian Tim Allen is 59. actress Ally Sheedy is 50, Weezer lead singer Rivers Cuomo is 42, stunt performer/Jackass star Steve-O (Stephen Glover) is 38, twins/actresses/fashion designers Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen are 26, British actor Aaron Johnson is 22. 

On June 13, 2003, nine years ago today, Miss Independent was number one on the KIIS/fm Hit List. It was the second hit for Kelly Clarkson, winner of the 2002 inaugural season of FOX/tv's American Idol. Daniel Bedingfield, the New Zealand-born brother of pop singer Natasha Bedingfield, jumped from #15 to #2 with If You're Not The One. Evanescence climbed from #18 to #9 with Bring Me To Life. High debut at #10 was Jaleo by Ricky Martin at #10. The title, translated "I cheer," refers to words of encouragement shouted to a dancer. The song would reach number one in Spain and on Billboard's Hot Latin Songs chart but would fail to make the Hot 100. New music included This Is The Night by Clay Aiken, Crazy In Love by Beyoncé, and Can I Go Now by Jennifer Love Hewitt. 

Inland Empire Ratings. The Riverside-San Bernardino May ’12 ratings have been released:

1. KLYY (Spanish Adult Hits) 8.5 - 7.9
2. KOLA (Classic Hits) 5.7 - 5.7
3. KGGI (Top 40/R) 3.8 - 4.8
4. KRQB (Regional Mexican) 4.4 - 4.7
5. KQIE (Top 40/R) 4.0 - 4.0

Services for Chris Stanley. Bill Vitka and Hank Rosenfeld, long-time friends of Chris Stanley, are preparing a memorial for the veteran KNX newsman/anchor. “If anyone would like to contribute/share a thought about working with or meeting Chris, it would be welcome,” emailed Bill. “The door is also open to links to useful audio. You can email stories to wvitka@aol.com.”

Chris Stanley's Memorial service is set for Saturday at 5 p.m. at Jones Coffee Roasters in Pasadena.

Overheard.

  • “After 45 years, the Kings can wear their crown. The Los Angeles Kings have won the Stanley Cup.” (Nick Nickson, Kings announcer)

  • “There were a bunch of conservative Republicans who didn’t support Reagan for re-election, not many but a noisy small group, but Reagan still won the election with 49 states.” (Michael Medved, KRLA)

  • “See if you can catch this next bunch of songs in your mouth.” (JACK/fm liner)

  • “After more than a week of solar storm warnings, sunspot AR 1476 is finally turning away from earth with a mostly unblemished record of quiet. The decaying sunspot never lived up, thank God, to its potential as source of X class solar flares.” (George Noory, KFI)

  • “When I get up in the morning, from bed to door is literally 13 minutes top and that includes a shower, making oatmeal and the whole nine yards.” (Valentine, MY/fm)

  • “Hannah Storm is the hottest woman in tv, er, in sports tv.” (Bernard McGuirk, part of Don Imus Show)

  • “I am a big fan of bariatric surgery but for someone who is 12 years old? I don’t know.” (Bill Handel, KFI)

Funnie. A classic smile for your morning.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Tony Bruno, Frank Cody, Pat Matthews, Allan Moll (d), Pete Parsons, and Lisa Worden 

MY/fm Ratings Success Story

(June 12, 2012) MY/fm achieved the best ratings in the history of the 104.3 frequency, coming in second in the just released May ’12 PPM Arbitron 6+ Mon-Sun, 6a-12mid. Andrew Jeffries, pd at MY/fm, attributed the success to “focus and sticking to a specific plan and a great team."

KIIS came in 1st and following MY/fm in 3rd was KFI and a tie at 4th between KOST and KPWR.

KSPN, the sports station, had a huge month with a 2.0 share in Persons 12+, which marks the highest cumulative share in the history of the station.  “Certainly, we maximized Lakers and some super numbers as they closed out their season with the loss to OKC,” said Mike Thompson, pd at 710/ESPN.

Mike sent a letter to his staff: “We laid out our plan and strategic goals some time ago – and thanks to you it is working as planned. Now we must continue to sharpen and tighten everything we do."

Some highlights at KSPN

  • In Men 25-54 – the second highest with a 2.8 share since June of 2010.

  • In Men 18-34 with a 3.0 share – the highest in the history of the station (June 2010 was a 1.8 share)

  • In Men 18-49 with a 3.0 share – the highest in the history of the station.

  • In PERSONS 18-49 with a 1.8 share – the highest in the history of the station.

Mike continued: “Through our personalities and jumping on things that are hot (Kings) and using promotional opportunities to drive P1 excitement [Cup Madness and Summer Ballpark Tour] we will push during the summer months to crush TSL as cume perhaps drops a bit. The wild LA Live weekend Fri 5/17 thru Sunday night 5/20 was #8 in the market with KLAC being #25th – that means we packaged the excitement and made our station a destination."

Top 25 stations for May, compared to April on the left:

1. KIIS (Top 40/M) 5.1 – 5.4
2. KBIG (MY/fm) 4.3 – 4.6
3. KFI (Talk) 4.6 – 4.5
4. KOST (AC) 4.3 – 4.0
     KPWR (Top 40/R) 4.0 – 4.0
6. KRTH (Classic Hits) 3.8 – 3.8
7. KAMP (Top 40/M) 3.5 – 3.7
     KLVE (Spanish Contemporary) 3.4 – 3.7
     KTWV (The WAVE) 3.1 – 3.7
10. KLOS (Classic Rock) 3.0 – 3.1
11.  KHHT (HOT 92.3) 2.9 – 3.0
12.  KROQ (Alternative) 2.9 – 2.9
13.  KBUE (Regional Mexican) 2.6 – 2.7
        KYSR (98-7) 2.9 – 2.7
15.  KKGO (Country) 2.7 – 2.6
16.  KCBS (JACK/fm) 2.2 – 2.5
       KNX (News) 2.7 – 2.5
       KSCA (Regional Mexican) 2.5 – 2.5
19. KRCD (Spanish Adult Hits( 2.5 – 2.3
       KXOL (Latin Urban) 2.3 – 2.3
21. KSWD (The Sound) 2.2 – 2.2
22. KLAX (Regional Mexican) 2.3 – 2.1
       KPCC (News/Talk) 1.8 – 2.1
24. KSPN (Sports) 1.5 – 1.9
25. KFSH (Christian Contemporary) 1.8 – 1.6

Bay Area News. Rich Lieberman’s tasty 415 Media Blogspot: “The radio trends are out and at KGOne, it's going to be real ugly, but we're not surprised. Are you? By the way, beginning Tuesday, all of KGOne will be inside new studios at 55 Hawthorne. Keep the refrigerator well stocked with Red Bull.

“Yeah, I know Ronnnn Owens LA deal with KABC years back was a disaster, but he's got offers there and another city. And yes, Cumulus just announced that Geraldo's show will go national in August. And rumors persist that Owens' contract will be bought out early. Coincidence? You be the judge.”

Overheard.

  • “At this point it is hard to get mad at boxing. It’s just boxing being boxing.” (Jim Rome, KLAC, on Pacquiao/Bradley fight)

  • “It is often true but it isn’t always true that the ends justify the means. I’ll give you a dramatic example – the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan. I believe those means were justified because of the ends – the saving of American and Japanese lives.” (Dennis Prager, KRLA)

  • "I did a snow angel at center ice last night on the Kings logo. I was reveling in the great hockety joy." (Vic the Brick, KLAC)

  • “I actually don’t need to control my anger. Everyone around me needs to control their habit of pissing me off.” (Delilah, KFSH, from her Facebook page)

  • "With 7 French Open titles … I think it’s safe to say that Rafael Nadal is better on clay than Gumby." (Bill Seward, KFWB)

  • "And we'll check on the other...oh wait, there are no other games."  (Nick Nickson, L. A. Kings play-by-play, during the last Stanley Cup playoff final game)

TALKERS Seminar. Michael Harrison, publisher of TALKERS Magazine, was thrilled with his Seminar last week. “Our event was everything we hoped it would be and more!  Now on to LA.  We are all looking forward to seeing everyone,” emailed Michael. Kevin Casey, vp/managing editor, added: “Writing after the event I can report it was a huge success. We're looking forward to the L.A. edition on October 11.  Hope to see you there.”

LARP Rewind: June 12. On this day in 2008, Amy Winehouse performed at the opening of The Garage, a modern art gallery in Moscow founded by socialite Dasha Zhukova, the partner of Roman Abramovich, a business tycoon, investor, and owner the Chelsea Football Club in London. On this day in 1994, singer/bandleader Cab Calloway suffered a stroke at his home in White Plains, NY. He would die five months later at age 94. Calloway, who had been performing since 1929, was known as the "King of Hi-De-Ho" after the chorus of his theme song, Minnie The Moocher. On this day in 1972, Apple released John Lennon's double album, Some Time In New York City. Featuring one disc of studio recordings and one disc of live performances with the Mothers of Invention, the album would peak at #48. On this day in 1947, ABC Radio debuted Challenge Of The Yukon, a weekly series that had begun in 1938 on WXYZ in Detroit and starred Jay Michael as Northwest Mounted Police Sergeant William Preston. The series moved to Mutual Network in 1950 and was renamed Sergeant Preston Of The Yukon in 1951. It ran until 1955, then became a CBS Television series.

 Today, June 12, 2012, jazz-rock pianist Chick Corea is 71. Born Armando Corea in Chelsea, MA, he formed a jazz trio while in high school, then toured and recorded with Stan Getz, Blue Mitchell, Herbie Mann, Willie Bobo, Miles Davis and other artists. Corea started recording solo in 1966. In 1971 he formed Return To Forever with guitarist Al Di Meola, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White. In 2012, Forever by Corea/Clarke/White won a Grammy award for best instrumental jazz album. It was Corea's 16th Grammy. Also today, Vic Damone is 84, Jim Nabors is 82, sportscaster Marv Albert is 71, Troggs lead singer Reg Presley is 71, Atlanta Rhythm Section guitarist Barry Bailey is 64, Cheap Trick drummer Brad Carlson ("Bun E. Carlos") is 61, country singer/guitarist Jamieson "Junior" Brown is 60, singer/guitarist Rocky Burnette (son of early '60s pop singer Johnny Burnette) is 59, blues singer/guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd is 35, country singer/guitarist Chris Young is 27. 

On June 12,1964, forty-eight years ago today, Little Children/Bad To Me by Billy J. Kramer & the Dakotas was number one on the KFWB Fabulous Forty Survey. The Beatles' former number one, Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You, was at #2. Another double-sided hit, the Beach Boys' I Get Around/Don't Worry Baby, jumped from #30 to #7. Barbra Streisand climbed from #31 to #23 with her first chart hit, People, a Bob Merrill/Jule Styne song from the musical Funny Girl, which starred Streisand as singer/actress Fanny Brice. (Streisand would star in a movie version in 1968.) High debut at #34 was Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying by Gerry & the Pacemakers. 

New Sports Outlet. The NBC Sports Group and Dial Global announced a partnership to create the NBC Sports Radio Network. Beginning in September, the network will be distributed to radio stations nationwide by Dial Global. The network’s content will include hourly sports news updates, and daily features as well as full-length shows.

In addition to distribution on terrestrial radio stations, NBC Sports' audio content will be available on a wide variety of digital platforms. Live shows will be streamed on NBCSports.com, DialGlobalSports.com, affiliate stations' websites and other streaming services. On-demand short-form audio content will also be distributed online and through podcasts and other digital applications. Dial Global will be the exclusive ad and affiliate sales representative to the network. 

Beck Re-ups With Premiere. Glenn Beck and Premiere Networks have renewed and extended their agreements to syndicate The Glenn Beck Program, America’s third-highest-rated radio show.  More than 400 stations carry the Beck show, however, since KRLA dropped it earlier this year, it cannot be heard on radio in the Southland.

Beck stated: “Simply put, Premiere is the best in the business.  Over the past ten years, they have proven to be a true partner in every sense of the word.”

 Hitless in Seattle. Bean, KROQ morning man, is a stone-cold baseball fan in general and a Seattle Mariner fan in particular. He lives in Seattle and I wondered if he attended the game last week when there was the franchise’s first no-hitter with multiple pitchers in the same game. “No, sadly,” emailed Bean. “Watched most of it on tv, went to bed in seventh inning, still listening on the radio, fell asleep  in the bottom of the eighth, and awoke to the happy news in the morning.”

Hear Ache. Good news for Neil Ross, who has signed on as the exclusive new station voice of Merlin Media's trio of FM News stations: 101.9 WEMP New York, 101.1 WIQI Chicago and 106.9 WWIQ Philadelphia. He’s also slated to announce the 2012 AFI Life Achievement Award telecast honoring Shirley MacLaine on the 24. This will be Neil’s 3rd time doing the prestigious telecast ... KLAC pre-empted Dan Patrick to broadcast the Loose Cannons celebrating the L.A. Kings Stanley Cup victory ... At KSPN, Steve Mason pre-empted Colin Cowherd this morning to talk hockey win.

 

KFRG morning show: Scott Ward, Kix Brooks and pd, Lee Douglas

Bay Area Ratings. The May ’12 PPM Arbitron has been released and all-Sports KNBR leaps from 3rd to 1st:

 

1. KNBR (Sports) 4.8 - 5.1

2. KQED (News/Talk)  5.7 - 5.0

3. KCBS (News) 5.1 - 4.6

4. KMEL (Top 40/R) 4.6 - 4.6

5. KMVQ (Top 40/M) 4.3 - 4.6

 

HAPPY BiRTHDAY: Dennis Cruz and Ed Scarborough 

Email Tuesday

We GET Email …

** Dinkel Thanks
 “I just wanted to publicly say thanks to you, Gary Lycan and Bob Gonsett for announcing my unexpected availability last month. Consulting projects have started coming in and applications are going out.

It is wonderful to hear from present and past coworkers, peers, and even listeners sharing memories, encouragement and good thoughts   I want to say a personal word of thanks to Michelle Kube and Emiliano Limon for sharing their memories with your readers. Some of my best times were on the road with Bill Handel and John & Ken, doing more stimulating remote radio.

I am attaching a picture of the John and Ken remote from the Mexican border that Emiliano spoke of. Thanks so much, keep those cards, letters and emails coming!” – Tony Dinkel

 (The John and Ken Show goes live from a hill at the border of the United States and Mexico on 4-28-1994. Left to right: Emiliano Limon, John Kobylt, Estella Maroquin [assistant to David G. Hall], Ken Chiampou, Allison Ellner, hilltop location audio engineer)

Chris Stanley, Honored As One of Only a Handful of
‘CBS Correspondents’, Dies

(June 11, 2012) Chris Stanley joined KNX in December of 1998 as an anchor/reporter and left a decade later. On Saturday, Chris died of an apparent heart attack. He was 64.

In his fourth decade of broadcasting, he began his career as a Top 40 dj at WGBT in Goldsboro, North Carolina. Later, during the Vietnam War he was with Armed Forces Radio in Thailand, and afterwards he went from being a disk jockey to news reporter at WIVK and WNOX in Knoxville, Tennessee. He worked at various radio stations in Wisconsin before moving to Houston where he became news director at KPFT/fm. He subsequently produced syndicated news and entertainment programs such as "The Direct Planet," "The Planet," and "Direct News" in San Francisco, and New York where he later became news director at WPIX/fm.

His other career highlights include his covering six political conventions, especially in 1996 when he was on the campaign trail with Pat Buchanan and Robert Dole. He then joined the CBS Radio Network as an anchor/reporter before coming to Los Angeles and KNX. Chris attended Pepperdine University.

KNX pd Andy Ludlum emailed: “Chris was a unique talent and incredibly passionate about the craft of journalism. Another ‘one of a kind’ that we’re saying goodbye to far too early.”

The original word on Chris’ death came in the form of a memo from the vp of news at Fox Radio News, Mitch Davis:

“We at Fox News Radio were very blessed - we got to spend four years working with him. Chris was the embodiment of a professional broadcast journalist. His passion for truth and accuracy was knitted closely to his intense love of the English language. He was never happier than when he could find a new way to twist a phrase to give it new meaning - all in the name of honest reporting. He took intense pleasure in his work, and was one of the finest newscasters and story-tellers I have ever had the privilege of working with. He was also a great teacher, a lover of the arts and a fierce advocate for the beliefs he held dear.

Count yourselves lucky, as I do, to have worked and laughed alongside one of the greats.”

When a member of our radio community passes away, we are even more grateful for the opportunities we had to share their stories, told in their own words.  Here is an interview with Chris Stanley from LARadio.com in 2005:

For a newsman growing up in the 1960s, the quintessential job was to be in the elite circle of CBS network news. Over the decades only a couple hundred newsmen achieved the status of Correspondent at CBS News. Chris Stanley reached that rare air and spent over sixteen years in New York with the tiffany network. The year was 1982. Walter Cronkite had just stepped down and Dan Rather moved into the network anchoring chair. Two years later, the environment changed. Large corporations were taking over the networks. Cap Cities bought ABC. GE purchased NBC. CBS was the last hold-out for independence and then Larry Tisch of the huge Loews Corporation bought the Eye. 

“All of a sudden the dynamics began to change,” Chris told me over lunch at Hollywood’s Gower Gulch, just across the street from the storied Columbia Square. “It took years for the erosion to happen. The news division went from a loss leader for the network to a cash machine. They decided they should be making money with the news department so that changed the entire ethics. This is not news. This is the story of network news in the last 20 years.”

Chris had a front row seat to see the “de-evolution” of network news until it became pronounced by the late 1990s. “I just didn’t feel comfortable there anymore,” said a reluctant Stanley. It was a tough decision to leave what was once the pinnacle of one’s career and begin to look at options.

In the fall of 1998, Chris traveled to Southern California for a visit and stopped by KNX to pay a courtesy call. It was a natural visit because his voice had been on the local station for a number of years. “Bob Sims, the news director, rolled out the red carpet,” remembered Chris. “He said, “Please come to work for us.’ I couldn’t believe it. I got a job on the spot. It gave me an opportunity to renew myself. I was able to reinvent myself one more time when I realized network news wasn’t going to be the last stop on the train and that things had changed dramatically from when I first came into it.” He started in December 1998 and just finished six full years.  

The title of “CBS Correspondent” was no longer held in as high esteem as it was when it was given to Charles Kuralt, Douglas Edwards, Charles Osgood, Christopher Glenn, and Chris Stanley. Chris was proud to be in that club. He said it was a privilege. “Then they started handing out “Correspondent” titles like candy. It took me 10 years to get that status. They guarded that title very carefully. A couple of regime changes later and the network was no longer what it used to be. But what is?”

Chris said that KNX has been a godsend for him. “I get to do things that I never got to do with the network. At the network you write for an hour for one 5-minute broadcast at the top of the hour. You’re watching the clock for that one broadcast. There’s no air sound. You’re in a newsroom beehive working away, but there’s no radio station going on in the background. You’re producing the product for everyone else,” said Chris.

“Frankly, I think KNX is the best all-News radio station in the country,” Chris said with an air of authority. “It is hands down better than WCBS-New York. This is how I’ve felt since I got here.”

Chris talked about the changes going on since David G. Hall arrived early last year to head up the programming of not only KNX, but also KFWB. “I think the evolution we’ve been going through is positive. I like the fact that we’re taking the time to examine a topic or story.”

During the past six years there have been no staff openings. Chris was hired as a per diem anchor/reporter and continues that way today. “It has certainly worked out for me. They like me. They use me. It would be nice to have a paid vacation, but I don’t care. In this day and age to have some shelf space and a chance to do news work is terrific.”

Chris secured his first paying radio job in 1967 and he worked in various formats, first as an fm jock. “Thirty seven years later and I still love radio. People tell me that I sound enthusiastic when I’m on the air and I am.” Before joining the CBS radio network, Chris was the syndication producer of Direct News for DIR Broadcasting in 1978 and ’79, based in New York. He spent a few months in San Francisco at KSAN and then back to New York in early 1980 as news director at WPIX/fm. He was at WPIX until he joined the network.

Working in so many different radio formats prepared Chris well for KNX. “There’s a certain sense that everything will work out. I’ve taken that on, something that I didn’t even have when I worked for the network. I feel very comfortable in what I’m doing here.”

At the network during the first Clinton Administration (1992-96), Chris worked the all-night shift in New York. He never felt a sense of diminishment because his midnight broadcast aired at 9 p.m. on the West Coast. “When I finished with the all-night part of my career, I said I’ll never work the all-night shift again. That was the deal I made with Sims. I’ll work as late as midnight and come in as early as 4 a.m., but I need to sleep at night.”

Chris thinks he lasted at the network as long as he did because he stayed out of the politics. He was too busy doing his job “I take the performer role so seriously,” said Chris. “I never wanted to be a manager.”

David G. Hall, head of programming for the Infinity news station in L.A. said: "Chris is EXTREMELY passionate about what we do for a living. I love that. He is a very clever writer and an excellent interviewer."

What is the attraction of being per diem at KNX? “I don’t know day-to-day what I’m going to do. The down side is not having a staff position. The upside is I get to do everything, which makes it stay fresh and I really like that. So many people have fallen by the wayside. But I really don’t feel it. It is hard to realize how long I’ve been doing this – that I’ve managed to make a career out of this.”

Services for Chris Stanley have yet to be announced.

Voice of the Tonys. Randy Thomas, former personality on KMET and KTWV in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, has gone on to an amazing voiceover career. If you got into the 66th Annual Tony Awards telecast last night, you heard a familiar voice. It was Randy providing the introductions and the link between elements within the show.

Overheard.

  • “You have to cut where you spend.” (John Phillips, KABC)

  • “The idea that Mitt Romney has been picked by the media is preposterous, when all the mainstream media was interested in was tearing him down and a lot of the conservative media attacked him daily.” (Hugh Hewitt, KRLA)

  • “Page one of the celebrity athlete handbook needs to be reviewed. Some of these women are looking to get pregnant. Some of these women are looking to hook you. Some of these women are looking to get paid.” (Jim Rome, KLAC)

  • “At the Grammys, Adele said she wore four pairs of Spanx. When she realized she couldn’t breathe very well, she took off two pairs.” (Ellen K, KIIS)

  • “For the money, there’s not a car out there that will match the Mustang in price, in enjoyment, and in fun. The 2012 Mustang has one of the most beautiful engines ever built in an automobile. It is a piece of art.” (Leon Kaplan, the Motorman, KABC)

San Diego Opening. Jammin' Z90 afternoon personality Blaine, is exiting and pd R Dub is looking for a replacement. “We're looking for an afternoon Superstar to come kill it at San Diego heritage Jammin' Z90,” emailed R Dub. “The candidate must understand the format and audience, be ultra-creative, competitive and a social media monster. Imaging skills a plus--job may include imaging duties.  This is not a 4-hour gig...you're gonna WORK!“

Send materials to: localmediasd@gmail.com. “Be amazing.  No calls please.  Really,” R Dub continued. “San Diego, as you know, is a fantastic market, but what good is working in a fantastic market if you don't work for a fantastic company?  Local Media of San Diego has been one of the best companies I have ever worked for.  We have FUN here, and make decisions LOCALLY!  This is a primo gig.  Good luck.

Geraldo National. Feeling the two-hour local Geraldo Riviera Show in New York (WABC) and Los Angeles (KABC) was successful enough to take the show national, in mid-August Geraldo will go national and be a three-hour offering.

Cumulus co-chief operating officer John Dickey says “When Geraldo agreed to host shows for Cumulus stations in New York and L.A. we had a hunch there’d be national substantial listener interest in his incisive and insightful style, and now we’re thrilled that with GERALDO such a success in those two markets the show will now be available across the country," said John Dickey, Cumulus coo.

 

“Despite the nation’s partisan divide, the success of the show on WABC and KABC is a clear indication that there is room in radio for someone who is not associated with a particular ideology. I’m a patriot and a pragmatic idealist, who believes both the political left and the right have contributions to make. I’ve also developed a comfortable enough relationship with the audience over the last four plus decades in television news for listeners in a spirited way to tell me when they think I’m full of beans. Like I say, ‘I’m not always right.’ I’m grateful to Cumulus for giving me the shot at the national show, and look forward to broadcasting live from the presidential nominating conventions,” said Geraldo.

KABC Fifth Hour. With Geraldo extending his show to three hours (9 a.m. - noon), where does that put John Phillips who already reduced his three-hour evening show to one hour in the mornings, squeezed between Doug McIntyre and Geraldo. I asked KABC pd Jack Silver and he responded: "To be determined. John's very talented."

LARP Rewind: June 11. On this day in 2009, the 8th annual four-day Bonnaroo Music Festival opened at a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee. Performers included Al Green, Bruce Springsteen, Ani DiFranco, Merle Haggard, Elvis Costello, Phish, Beastie Boys, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Nine Inch Nails. On this day in 1993, What's Love Got To Do With It opened in theaters. The biographical film starred Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett as Ike and Tina Turner. On this day in 1962, Rick Sklar, who had been assistant program director at WINS and had overseen the change of Top 40 WMGM to easy-listening WHN, became "director of community affairs" for WABC, which was rated third behind WINS and WMCA. He cut the playlist, ran constant contests and promotions and helped develop the jocks' individual styles and soon WABC was number one. Sklar became vice president of programming for ABC Radio. He died in 1992. On this day in 1949, Hank Williams debuted on the Grand Ole Opry singing Lovesick Blues, which was number one on the country chart (and would remain in that position for 16 weeks). He got a standing ovation and had to do six encores.

Today, June 11, 2012, Joey Dee is 72. Born Joseph DiNicola in Passaic, New Jersey, he formed the Starliters in 1960. They became the house band for the Peppermint Lounge in New York City and had a number one hit in 1961 with Peppermint Twist. At various times, the Starliters included Jimi Hendrix, Joe Pesci and three future members of the Rascals. Dee occasionally still performs with a Starliters group that includes original member David Brigati plus Dee's sons Ronnie on saxophone and Joey Jr. on keyboards. In a 2010 ceremony in Passaic, the intersection of Washington Place and Columbia Avenue was named "Joey Dee & the Starliters Square." Also today, actor/screenwriter Gene Wilder is 79, tv actor Chad Everett is 76, tv actor/Laugh-In co-star Johnny Brown is 75, actress Adrienne Barbeau is 67, former Temptations lead singer Glenn Leonard is 65, ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard is 63, 38 Special lead singer/guitarist Donnie Van Zant is 60, soap opera actor Peter Bergman is 59, British actor Hugh Laurie is 53, actor Shia LaBoeuf is 26. 

On June 11, 1968, forty-four years ago today, Hickory Holler by O.C. Smith was number one on the KBCA Jazz Albums list. Ray Charles' former number one, A Portrait Of Ray, was #2. The album included Am I Blue, Understanding and Eleanor Rigby. At #3 was Carmen McRae's A Portrait Of Carmen, which included Elusive Butterfly, Day By Day and Walking Happy. Wes Montgomery's Down Here On The Ground jumped from #20 to #6. South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela climbed from #14 to #7 with The Promise Of The Future. (LARP Rewind is prepared by Steve Thompson)

 KSPN's Jeff Biggs with  Timothy Bradley,
the fighter  who ended Manny Pacquiao's 15-fight unbeaten run

Business Gathering. A group of successful business leaders will be featured at “LEADERSHIP: How visionaries create a winning culture,” part of the KNX Business Breakfast Series presented by KNX. The free event will take place on Friday, June 22 at 8 a.m. at Hollywood & Highland. Frank Mottek, the host of the KNX Business Hour, will moderate a discussion that will explore how successful managers helped differentiate their companies by the unique culture they created.

Guest speakers will include Chester Elton, co-author of the New York Times bestseller All In; G.J. Hart, the ceo/president of California Pizza Kitchen; Jodi Walker, president of Success Alliances; and Yvonne Trupiano, director of talent acquisitions at Avis Budget Group.

Admission to the KNX Business Breakfast is free to the public with advance registration at cbsLA.com/businessbreakfast.

LARP Marriage. On Valentine's Day 2012 a proposal of marriage by Steven Beraha was accepted by Chatsworth Patch Arts Correspondent Laura Brodian Freas. Brodian [Freas] has been a Classical music radio host in San Francisco and Los Angeles since 1982.  Beraha is a teacher at the Holmes Middle School in Northridge.  The couple will be married in Woodland Hills next weekend.

Summer Breeze. Entertainment Weekly ran a poll to discover the hottest summer song of the past decade.

1. I Gotta Feeling – Black Eyed Peas
2. Crazy in Love - Beyonce feat. Jay-Z
3. California Girls – Katy Perry feat. Snoop Dogg
4. Hot in Here – Nelly
5. Umbrella – Rihanna

Hear Ache. Clippers announcer Ralph Lawler gave the Commencement Address at Riverside City College last Friday … Didja know that when Rush Limbaugh was the marketing director for the Kansas City Royals, he played in flag football games between the Royals’ front office personnel against the Kansas City Chiefs’ front office? … KRLA’s Dennis Miller has a new clock. “We’re trying to do four equal segments,” he told his audience while making the adjustment. “The thing I notice at the end of the hour I have much more time to talk instead of one of those one-off moments.” … AMP Radio’s McCabe is giving away tickets to see Rihanna in concert and qualifying listeners for a grand prize trip to see her and Keisha at Madison Square Garden in New York … KOST’s Karen Sharp has been raising money for the City of Hope with the Hope, Love & Music event. “One in every three women will be diagnosed with cancer,” said the evening host of “Love Songs on the KOST.”

Cars Will No Longer Go Click/Clack. KPCC’s mechanic comedians, Tom and Ray Magliozzi, a.k.a. Click and Clack, will retire from the popular ‘Car Talk’ program. The show is syndicated through NPR and they will still repackage old shows and broadcast them. Tom, 74, and Ray, 63, started Car Talk 35 years ago on WBUR-Boston and soon expanded to other NPR member stations. The brothers will retire after celebrating their 25th anniversary with NPR this fall.

Funnie.

HAPPY BiRTHDAY: Red Blanchard (d), Chuck Moshontz, Joe Reiling, Jim Rondeau, Peter Tripp (d), and Marcy Williams

Email Monday

We GET Email ….

** Colleague Mourns Death of Chris Stanley
 “So very sorry to hear of Chris Stanley's passing.  His shift followed mine for several years at KNX and I was always amazed how he could walk in the building forty five seconds to air, sit down and sound great every time.  His wry sense of humor would fly at you unexpectedly given his normally serious demeanor.  He would nail politicians who had something to hide and do the most loving and thoughtful Q&A'S with people of accomplishment. 

To say he was passionate about news doesn't really tell the whole story.  He was passionate about everything - films and the people that make good ones, music, telling the story, and perhaps most importantly, high journalistic standards.  If he felt you were cutting corners or lowering the standards he fought all his life to maintain, you could expect him to be in your face about it.  He didn't suffer fools...he will be missed!” – Larry Van Nuys

** Thoughts on Stanley
 “Moving can be strenuous and dangerous, especially to the elderly.  I hope Chris Stanley did not overdo it.  Those who are 64 years old are still new to the fact that they are in fact seniors.  We've got to let the young backs do the work and pay up!  I know, maybe none of this happened to this LARP.

May he rest in peace.” - Isidra Person-Lynn, House of the Rising Sons Media

** Vinyl After Death
 “To each his own, I think Mr. Leach [Vinyl After Death, Bloomberg News, 6.10] is nuts. 

You know recently I lost my son from melanoma cancer and then my wife Beverly. We went out to sea and put their ashes and flowers in the calm ocean. Beverly and Steven wanted a lovely way to be remembered.” – Roger Carroll 

** Get the Led Out
 “Led Zeppelin's fourth album, which ranked #4 on KSWD's Top 100 Albums list, officially has no title. After Led Zeppelin III was met with much criticism, Jimmy Page, the group's guitarist, refused to title their next album. The sleeve and label instead featured four hand-drawn symbols, one for each band member, but fans usually refer to the album as Led Zeppelin IV or, frequently, ZoSo because Page's symbol resembles the letters ‘ZOSO.’" – Steve Thompson

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Last modified: June 15, 2012