Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Spector Trial Update...

If Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler moves to give jurors the option of finding Phil Spector guilty on a lesser charge than second degree murder, he might jeopardize the entire case. Legal scholars believe a conviction on a lesser charge will be vulnerable to appeal. Fidler could do this in order to get the jury unlocked in their 7-5 quandary, something brought to the judge yesterday by the jury foreman who sees little hope of resolving the deadlock...

The lesser charge would be "involuntary manslaughter". This would come after Fidler made it clear to the jury that "the only verdict form you will get is second-degree murder." What the judge is trying to avoid is a hung jury after a longer than expected five-month trial that just feels like five-years...

While Spector waits for a verdict, the case against O.J. Simpson for that Las Vegas break-in to steal back his own memorabilia looks like it might be over before the Spector trial is...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1876] Just a bissell: Melville R. Bissell patents the carpet sweeper. 'Bissell' in Yiddish means 'little' or 'small amount'. Financially it means 'cha-ching'...
2. 1881] "Happy Trails": Our 20th president, James A. Garfield dies of wounds received 11 weeks earlier at the hands of assassin, Charles Julius Guiteau. Garfield is succeeded by Chester A. Arthur...1973] Gram Parsons of the Byrds dies of a drug overdose at 26...
3. 1934] Gotcha: Bruno Hauptman is arrested in New York and charged with the kidnapping and murder of the infant son of Charles and Anna Lindbergh...
4. 1958] Y'all come back, ya hear?: Elvis Presley leaves the Brooklyn Navy Yard for Germany to join his Army unit...
5. 1970] Premiered on this date: "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" which airs for seven seasons...
6. 1981] Reunion in the park: The infamous 'Simon & Garfunkel Central Park Reunion' draws half-a-million. I call this "the best concert I ever heard" because the closest I got was Cleopatra's Needle and not close enough to even see the stage. Here's a clip from that reunion: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuTBEnm9V9k ...
7. 1982] Emmy Gold: "Hill Street Blues" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb2V9OAhM40), "Barney Miller", Alan Alda and Carol Kane are the winners at the 34th Emmy Awards Show (this years' Emmy show rated lower than last years'. Who will host next years' show?)...1993] "Seinfeld", "Picket Fences" and Ted Danson are the big winners...
8. 1995] Una-boring: The 'Unabomber's Manifesto', a rambling 44-page doctrine about the 'Industrial Revolution', is published in the New York Times and Washington Post. I couldn't get a translation so I quit reading after the first paragraph...
9. 2002] Fans attack: Kansas City first-base coach, Tom Gamboa is attacked during a game by a wacked-out father & son at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Was it the way Gamboa kept yelling "back" to the runner at first-base that did it???
10. 2003] Get the AOL out of here: AOL Time Warner drops the 'AOL' from its name. The merged company becomes 'Times Warner Inc.' The company had changed the name in January of 2000...

Music Memories:

• 1968] Gold Standard: "Born To Be Wild" - Steppenwolf (watch Steppenwolf do a medley of "Wild" and "Magic Carpet" on this Ed Sullivan Show appearance and notice how Sullivan botches the name of a band members favorite group: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Od93fFqGEok)... 1974] "Bad Company" LP...1975] "I Shot The Sheriff" - Eric Clapton...
• 1978] Released on this date: "Living in The U.S.A." - Linda Ronstadt...

Commentary...

Paul Power tips us to the recent article on Ruth Meyer, program director of WMCA from 1958 to 1968 during the golden era of Top 40 radio in New York. The article was written by Scott Benjamin: http://www.musicradio77.com/ . Thanks Paul. Ruth was injured in the crash that took the life of former WMCA morning jock Joe O'Brien a few years back...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Jimmy Fallon (33), CNN's Soledad O'Brien (41), Trisha Yearwood (43), Joan Lunden (57), Jeremy Irons (59), Twiggy (Lawson) (58), Freda Payne (62), Baseball Hall of Famer Joe Morgan (64), Bill Medley (67), David McCallum (74), Adam ("Batman") West (79), Baseball Hall of Famer Duke Snider (81) and James Lipton (81)...

Timeline Countdown: 4 days until autumn in New York, 14 days until the MLB playoffs begin and 35 days until the World Series begins...

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

The Times drops its web fees...

The New York Times has just announced that they'll no longer be charging for access to parts of their website at midnight tonight. Good news for all you web junkies, myself included, who don't like paying for any service when you can get it for free on the Internet. The genie came out of the bottle about the time you got your first taste of the Internet for free. My hope is that the genie never finds it's way back into the bottle...

The Times was selling their TimesSelect service for $7.95 a month, $49.95 a year. Their website has about 13 million unique visitors each month, according to Nielsen/Net Ratings. They had 227,000 subscribers to TimesSelect and generated $10 million in revenue. Nice money, right? Guess what they discovered? More than that number of subscribers came to their website from search engines and links instead of coming to NYTimes.com. The indirect readers brought more page views and increased advertising revenues. Vivian L. Schiller, Sr. vice president and general manager of NYTimes.com says "What wasn't anticipated was the explosion in how much of our traffic would be generated by Google, Yahoo and others". And here's what Colby Atwood of Borrell Associates, a media research firm says about advertising vs. subscription revenue, "In the long run, the advertising side will dominate"...

Now that the Times has dropped their subscription fee will others follow suit? The Wall Street Journal (Dow Jones & Company) is the only major newspaper in the country that charges for access to most of its website. Their one million paying readers generate about $65 million in revenue but Rupert Murdoch, the News Corporation chairman has talked of possibly making access to the Journal free online. The Financial Times charges for select material like the Times has and the Los Angeles Times tried it in 2005 but quickly dropped the idea. By the way, the New York Times will reimburse their TimesSelect subscribers on a prorated basis...

This is another wake-up call for Radio, which for the most part, does a poor job of selling website advertising. There are 2 free tabloids here with a combined circulation of about 500,000-600,000. You know why over half a million people read these tabloids? Because they're free. They provide a short, concise look at the current news, sports and weather with some local, in-depth features and guess what? They're free. And how do you suppose these newspapers survive? They sell advertising. If you're not making money with your website, you're losing a great revenue source...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1851] Premiered on this date: Speaking of the Times, the first issue of The New York Times is published...1927] The Mother Ship has landed: The Columbia Broadcasting System debuts with a network of 47 stations. The name of the company is later shortened to CBS...1963] The following TV shows debuted on this date: "The Patty Duke Show" which airs for 3 years and here's the show open: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOpNrb-9U7o 1965] "I Dream of Jeannie" starring Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman. This series runs for 5 seasons and here's the show open: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNg-xClEnqM ...1965] "Get Smart" starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon with a run of 5 years plus syndication forever and here's that open and theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDiRIjv0yf0 ...
2. 1947] Separate but equal: The U.S. Air Force is established as a separate military branch by the National Security Act...
3. 1947] Country comes to Carnegie Hall: Ernest Tubb and Roy Acuff perform at Carnegie Hall. It's the first Country show at the venue and is recognized as the first time major Country acts perform in New York City...
4. 1955] What's your name?: "The Ed Sullivan Show" is the new name of "The Toast Of The Town" on CBS-TV since 1948...
5. 1960] Fidel visits the Apple: Fidel Castro stays at the Hotel Theresa in Harlem where he meets with Malcolm X. He also makes TV appearances and is generally treated like the hero he wasn't...
6. 1961] "Happy Trails": U.N. Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold dies at 56 in a plane crash in Rhodesia (now Zambia)...1963] The New York Mets play their last game at the Polo Grounds. They open at Shea Stadium in 1964...1975] Jimi Hendrix dies of a drug overdose at 27...1994] Tennis player Vitas Gerulaitis is the victim of an accidental carbon monoxide poisoning at 40...
7. 1969] No tip-toeing around: Tiny Tim announces his engagement to 'Miss Vicki" on the "Tonight Show with Johnny Carson". Johnny extends TT & MV an invitation to get married on the show which they do in December...
8. 1975] Gotcha: Patty Hearst is captured in San Mateo (CA). She will be convicted and sentenced to 7 years in prison for her role in SLA crimes. Jimmy Carter will commute the sentence and she only serves 22-months...
9. 1977] Captain Courageous: Ted Turner captains the Courageous to victory, sweeping Australia in the 24th 'America's Cup' in Newport (RI). Twenty years later on this same date (1997) Turner announces that he will donate $1 billion to the U.N. over the next 10 years...
10. 1994] Talkin' baseball: The Ken Burns produced "Baseball" series of specials premieres on PBS, making a star of Buck O'Neill, a former Negro League player...

Music Memories:

• 1976] Released on this date: "More Than A Feeling" - Boston. Here's a live version of the tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GItbyK28-U ...

Commentary...

Congratulations to WCBS-FM. David Hinckley's New York Daily News column has extrapolated figures for August that show they doubled their Jack figures of June (36,900 to 67,300) in average quarter hour shares, 25-54. This ranks them #2 in that demo for the month, trailing WBLS which is #1. They also went from 1.9 to 4.8 (with Z100 #1) in total listeners to place them #2. Now this is only a monthly but is indicative of a huge jump when the Summer book comes out in October. Well done people...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Jada Pinkett Smith (36), Aisha Tyler (37), James Gandolfini (46), Frankie Avalon (67), Fred Willard (68), Jimmie Rodgers (74) and Robert Blake a.k.a. Mickey Gubitosi (74)...

Timeline Countdown: 5 days until autumn in New York, 15 days until the MLB playoffs and 36 days until the first game of the World Series...

Monday, September 17, 2007

No cameras? No problem...

So I guess the coach that the New York Post refers to as Bill Belitrick can coach even without hidden cameras on the field. I can never condone what Belichick did in trying to get an edge on, of all teams - the New York Jets, but last night's thrashing of the San Diego Chargers gives the coach a measure of vindication at the end of his week from hell. The rumours of a contract extension into 2013 can't hurt either. Was his image as one of the premier coaching minds of all-time tarnished? You bet! Suspicion will hang over his head until he hangs up his tacky gray Patriots hoodie for the last time. But you don't compile the record he's achieved by cheating:

• Career Record: 124-84 (.596)
• Regular Season: 111-81 (.578)
• Post Season: 13-3 (.813)
• Patriots Record: 87-39 (.690)

Winning a game against a team most people pick as a Super Bowl team does not wipe away the harm done by defying NFL rules in trying to gain an advantage in the game but the coach is paying a steep price for it. And how about the players on this team? Inspired by events of the week, they were determined to show the sports world how good they are and did they ever...

It's time to move on from Spy-gate, Camera-gate or whatever you prefer to call it. Are you ready for some football? The Patriots were last night...

1. 1796] So long, farewell, bye bye: President George Washington reads his Farewell Address before the U.S. Congress...
2. 1862] Monday, bloody Monday: Union forces repel a Confederate invasion of Maryland in the Civil War Battle of Antietam. Over 23,000 are killed, wounded or captured in the bloodiest day in U.S. military history...
3. 1947] Rookie Number One: Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson is named the first 'Rookie of The Year'...
4. 1954] Retaining the title: Brockton (MA) native Rocky Marciano KOs Ezzard Charles in the 8th round to retain his heavyweight crown at Yankee Stadium...
5. 1963] Premiered on this date: "The Fugitive" which will air until 1967 and then in rerun for one more year...1964] "Bewitched", rated #2 in its first season will run until 1967 and then 6 more years in rerun...1965] "Hogan's Heroes" will run through 1971...1965] "The Smothers Brothers Show", a sitcom which will air for one season before their comedy show begins in 1967...1966] "Mission: Impossible" will enjoy a phenomenal run until 1990...1972] "M*A*S*H" airs for 11 seasons, ending in 1983 as a 2 1/2 hour special viewed by the largest TV audience to ever watch a single program. Reruns are still running somewhere: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1-14zvIVyM ...
6. 1986] Clincher: The Mets clinch the NL East title by beating the Cubs 4-2 behind Doc Gooden's 15th win of the season. The 2007 Mets are staggering to the finish line and should get there unless they turn into 9 Guiliermo Mota's...
7. 1992] Halt. Who go's there? A halt is called in the probe of the Iran-Contra scandal but the investigation will last over 5 years...
8. 1994] There she is. Walking on air she is: Heather Whitestone, Miss Alabama becomes the first deaf Miss America...
9. 1996] "Happy Trails": Former VP Spiro Agnew dies from leukemia at 77...
10. 2004] The 700 Club: Barry Bonds hits his 700th home run for the Giants, joining Babe Ruth (714) and Hank Aaron (755) as the only 700 home run hitters...

Music Memories:

• 1964] Released on this date: 1964] "Baby Love" - Supremes...2002] "A Moment Like This" - Kelly Clarkson. Here's Kelly's winning moment on "American Idol" and her first hit - originally the "B" side of "Before Your Love": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zteEy6YYj1I ...
• 1967] Live on "The Ed Sullivan Show": The Doors sing "Light My Fire" and "People Are Strange"...
• 1977] Number One on this date: "Rumours" LP - Fleetwood Mac. This was the 19th of 31 weeks on top of the charts and from the LP: "Dreams": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMq4jpjab34 ...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Nona (daughter of Marvin) Gaye (33), John Franco (47), Rita Rudner (52), Phil Jackson (58), LaMonte (Fifth Dimension) McLemore (68) and Football Hall of Famer George Blanda (80)...

Timeline Countdown: 6 days until autumn in New York, 16 days until the MLB playoffs and 37 days until the first game of the World Series...

Friday-Sunday, September 14-16, 2007

The richest sports league in the world gets richer...

The NFL now has the single most valuable sports franchise on the planet, worth $1.5 billion. It's also the most profitable sport with a mean operating income in 2006 of $17.8 million on $204 million in revenue. Time to test my worst subject - rounding off the 17.8 to 18, let's see, zero, zero, six, twenty becomes 19 - that's a profit of $186 million. How come my computer doesn't have a math check??? Figures, except the last one, are compliments of Forbes newest NFL team values Top 32 list...

I won't go down the entire list of 32 but I will tell you that the Dallas Cowboys are number one, thanks to their new $1 billion stadium which opens in 2009. Their value has increased by 28%, the largest jump of any NFL team, to $1.5 billion. The Cowboys moved up from third to first in rankings, passing the Washington Redskins who are second with a worth of $1.467 billion, the rest of the top 5: 3) Patriots ($1.199 billion) (minus the $250,000 team fine - Belichick's fine was at his expense, makes it $1.197), 4) Houston (+$1 billion) and 5) Philadelphia (+$1 billion)...

The local Giants ($974 million) and Jets ($967 million) move to numbers 8 and 10 respectively because of the new Meadowlands stadium that they'll share in a couple of years (ground was just broken at the site). The Minnesota Vikings grab the booby prize for being worth the least of any NFL team. At number 32, the Vikes are worth a measly $782 million...

A sidebar to the popularity of the NFL which still beats the cowhide out of baseball and every other televised sport - nearly three out of four Americans watched an NFL game on TV last season...

10 Timeline Memories for September 14:

1. 1814] Jose can you see: Francis Scott Key writes the 'Star-Spangled Banner', a poem originally called "Defense of Fort McHenry". Key had witnessed the British bombardment of the Maryland fort during the War of 1812. The song would become our national anthem on March 3, 1931. If I were a descendant of Key I would be upset because the media prefers calling it 'our national anthem' and never refers to it as the 'Star-Spangled Banner'...
2. 1901] "Happy Trails": President William McKinley dies of gunshot wounds inflicted by an assassin. McKinley, 58, is succeeded by 42-year old VP Theodore Roosevelt...1982] Monaco's Princess Grace a.k.a. Grace Kelly, dies from wounds suffered when her car plunges off a mountain road one day earlier. The Princess was 52...
3. 1940] Selective on their part: The Selective Service Act is passed by Congress leading to the 1st peacetime draft in U.S. history...
4. 1948] Breaking ground: A ground-breaking ceremony takes place at the site of the United Nations world headquarters in Manhattan...
5. 1968] Breaking 30: The Tigers' Denny McLain becomes the 1st pitcher to win 30 games in 34 years. Denny finishes the season at 31-6. His career stats: 131-91...
6. 1972] Premiered on this date: "The Waltons" which will enjoy a 9-year run...1978] "Mork & Mindy" which airs until June, 1982...1982] "Entertainment Tonight" and E.T. is still on...
7. 1984] I want my MTV: Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler host the 1st MTV Awards at Radio City Music Hall. The 1st "Video of The Year" award goes to the Cars for "You Might Think". Here's the video featuring lead singer Ric Ocasek and his model wife Paulina: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve3bfQ3K7xk ...
8. 1994] Strike Three - you're out: Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig cancels the rest of the 1994 season after a strike continues after 34 days. No World Series this year...
9. 1996] Record Breaker: Mets catcher Todd Hundley sets a season record for home runs by a catcher with his 41st home run (his total for the year)...
10. 2001] Ground Zero: Using a bullhorn, President George Bush tells those gathered at Ground Zero at the WTC that we will get even for the attacks. On the same date, the FBI releases the names of the 19 suspected terrorists...

Music Memories:

• 1960] Number One on this date: "The Twist" - Chubby Checker (the only release to top the charts on 2 separate occasions (it repeats in 1962)...1970] "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" - Diana Ross (her 1st solo chart topper)...1974] "I Shot The Sheriff" - Eric Clapton...
• 1999] Free concert in Central Park: Sheryl Crow stages a free concert in C.P. with Stevie Nicks, Chrissie Hynde, Eric Clapton, the Dixie Chicks, Keith Richards and Sara McLachlan. Two videos, two different singers - Sheryl Crow: then and now: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CYN-iBkKGY , with Kid Rock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kskFvErnVQ ...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

Joe Senkiewicz attached a video that I wanted to share with everyone but after viewing it I discovered I couldn't link it. This is a close second to that video. In this clip John Kanzius (yesterday's feature story on desalinization) demonstrates how salt water burns. He doesn't demonstrate how your radio station can be number one in ratings however: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kKtKSEQBeI ...Okay Belichick apologized, will comply by paying a steep fine and the Pats will give up either a number one (if they reach the playoffs) or number two and three draft picks. Now let's move on. The Sunday night game between the Patriots and San Diego Chargers should be a great one for all the reasons you think it will be...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Faith Ford (43), Jon "Bowser" Bauman (60), Joey Heatherton (63), Larry Brown (67), Former Yankees player and Hall of Fame Broadcaster Jerry Coleman (83...

Saturday-Sunday, September 15-16, 2007...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1630] Naming Rights and Redcoats: The original Native American name of Shawmut is changed to Boston (9/16)...1776] The Redcoats take over New York City, landing at Kips Bay and chasing George Washington to the banks of the New Jersey shore (9/15)...
2. 1928] Medical miracle: Alexander Fleming discovers the antibiotic penicillin in the mold penicillium notatum (Latin 101)(9/15)...
3. 1948] Musical call letters: WHN changes its call letters to WMGM. The call letters will be changed back in 1962 (9/15)...
4. 1949] Premiered on this date: (all 9/15): "The Lone Ranger" (reruns keep it alive until 1969. It's revived in 1980)...1957] "Bachelor Father" (lasts 5 seasons)...1965] "Green Acres" (6 years) and here's the great show open and theme: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSAoBhoKtzI ...1965] "Lost in Space" (3 years)...1971] "Columbo" (22 years)...1971] "Greenpeace", the environmental organization is born in Vancouver, B.C...1982] "U.S.A. Today" today's highest circulated paper...The following premiered on 9/16: 1963] "Outer Limits" (2 seasons)...1964] "Shindig!" on ABC-TV - the first show featured the Righteous Brothers, Everly Brothers and Sam Cooke, seen here jamming at the close of that show: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVOGGMCvwvY ...1965] "The Dean Martin Show" (9 years)...1966] The Metropolitan Opera opens its new opera house in Lincoln Center...1972] "The Bob Newhart Show" (6 years) and 1984] "Miami Vice" (5 seasons)...
5. 1954] Curtains: Filming a scene for "The Seven Year Itch", Marilyn Monroe stands on a subway grating, her dress flies up exposing her underwear. This infuriates husband Joe DiMaggio and the couple will divorce in October after just 9 months of marriage and here are those scenes (9/15): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4QN8N61DYA ...1968] "The Andy Griffith Show" bows out after 8 seasons but will continue in syndication to this day (9/16)...
6. 1958] "Happy Trails": A commuter train crashes through a drawbridge near Newark (NJ) taking 48 lives including Yankees second baseman George "Snuffy" Stirnweiss, only 39 years old (9/15)...1977] Marc Bolan (T. Rex) in a car accident at 29 (9/16)...
7. 1968] Sock it to me: That's what Richard Nixon says on "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" (9/16)...
8. 1978] Sock it to him: 36-year old Muhammad Ali decisions Leon Spinks in a rematch to become the 1st heavyweight champ to win the title 3 times (9/15)...
9. 1981] Sock it to the 'Hitman": Sugar Ray Leonard rallies to beat Thomas Hearns, winning by a TKO to capture the welterweight title. It's Hearns 1st professional loss (9/16)...
10. 2004] Freezing the puck: The National Hockey League (NHL) owners agree to lock out the players. There will be no hockey in 2004 (9/15)...

Music Memories:

• 1963] Released on this date: "She Loves You" - Beatles (9/16)...1979] "Rapper's Delight" - Sugar Hill Gang (recognized as the 1st rap song) (9/16). Here they do it live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diiL9bqvalo ...
• 1969] Number One on this date: "Sugar, Sugar" - Archies (9/15) Ron Dante was the singer and here he does it live: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrgAdhBItLE ...1985] "Money For Nothing" - Dire Straits (9/16)...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

(9/15) Britain's Prince Harry (23), Dan Marino, Football HOFer (46), Oliver Stone (67), Tommy Lee Jones (61), Football HOFer Merlin Olsen (68), Baseball HOFer Gaylord Perry (69), Norm Crosby (80) and Jackie Cooper (85)...

(9/16) Marc Anthony (38), Mickey Rourke (51), David Copperfield (51), Peter Falk (80), B.B. King (82) and Lauren Bacall (83)...

Timeline Countdown for September 16: 7 days until autumn in New York, 17 days until the MLB playoffs and 38 days until the first game of the World Series...

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Attention Radio Stations: Now you can be number one in desalinization...

Word out of Pittsburgh this week is that an Erie cancer researcher has discovered a way to burn salt water. John Kanzius, trying to desalinate seawater, took a radio-frequency generator he developed to treat cancer and voila, guess what? It burns salt in water. Who knew? This discovery is being touted as the "most remarkable" water science discovery in a century...

The prospect of using salt water, the most abundant resource on earth as a fuel supply has the science world dribbling on their bunsen burners. Penn State chemist, Rustum Roy held his own demonstrations to confirm his own observations and calls the Kanzius discovery, "the most remarkable in water science in 100 years". Roy will meet with officials from the Departments of Energy and Defense to solicit research funding. Scientists want to find out whether the energy output from the burning hydrogen which eliminates salt, would be enough to power a car or other heavy machinery. One other use not mentioned is the ability to desalinate sea water for drinking...

I can see it now - your radio station can be number one 12+, 18-34 females and desalinization. Hey you might even win a Pulitzer Prize...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1960] Pay for play: The FCC adopts payola rules a.k.a. The Alan Freed rules after Freed and other disc jockeys were accused and in some cases fined and jailed for payola in the late 50s...
2. 1963] Wedding Bells: Barbra Streisand and Elliot Gould walk down the aisle. The bride was described as looking "just like buttuh"...
3. 1969] Premiered on this date: John Lennon and Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band makes its debut at the Toronto Rock Revival Festival which features Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Gene Vincent, The Doors and Alice Cooper. Jerry Lee Lewis pulls out at the last minute with a bad throat...1990] The original version of "Law & Order" premieres on NBC-TV...1993] "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" debuts on NBC. In 2009, Conan will replace Jay Leno on the Tonight Show...
4. 1970] Marathon man: The 1st NYC Marathon is won by Freeport (LI) firefighter Gary Muhrcke. Only 175 runners compete with 55 finishing. That race consisted of 4 laps around Central Park with no TV coverage or prizes. The race now covers all 5 boroughs and the number of runners could fill Shea Stadium. It's also run the first weekend in November...
5. 1971] Att-i-ca, Att-i-ca: The 4-day inmates' rebellion at the correctional facility in upstate NY ends as police and guards storm the prison. Forty-three die in the rioting...
6. 1989] What's in a name?: Fay Vincent (whose name should have been reversed at birth) is named Commissioner of Baseball, succeeding the late A. Bart Giamatti...
7. 1993] Count your fingers Yitzhak: Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat shake hands on an accord granting limited Palestinian autonomy...
8. 1996] "Happy Trails": Rapper Tupac Shakur dies 6 days after being shot in a drive-by shooting. Tupac was 25...1998] Former Alabama Governor George C. Wallace is a victim of Parkinson's disease at 79...
9. 1998] Emmy Gold: "Frasier" wins a record 5th consecutive Emmy as TV's "Best Comedy Series". This clip features a snippet of one of the best episodes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13W48C5tAT8 ...
10. 2001] Osama fingered: Secretary of State Colin Powell names Osama bin Laden the prime suspect in the terrorist attacks of 911. Limited commercial flights are restored for the 1st time since the attacks...

Music Memories:

• 1962] Number One on this date: "Sherry" - Four Seasons...
• 1965] Released on this date: "Yesterday" - Beatles...
• 1965] Grammy Gold: "Best Group of 1964": Beatles... "Best Male Vocalist": Louis Armstrong for "Hello Dolly". Watch this live version in glorious black & white: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd4HPipfceU ...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

For those of you wondering why I haven't commented on the Bill Belichick mess, there's a reason. I don't know what to say about it. This is the guy who coaches the team that I root for. I think I'll let the dust settle on this case. I can only hope he stops what he's done, takes his punishment and moves on. How badly the image of the Patriots suffers is any one's guess. All I can say is they better beat San Diego, a very good team, or all their previous success (including the 3 Super Bowl championships) will be questioned...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Former Yankees star Bernie Williams (39), Zak Starkey (Ringo's son) (42), Jean Smart (56), Peter Cetera (63), Jacqueline Bisset (63), Blood, Sweat & Tears lead singer David Clayton-Thomas (66) this is one of the songs BS&T did when WRKO had them in concert at the Boston Garden: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CRaVKmDGWY&mode=related&search= and TV mogul Fred Silverman (70)...

Timeline Countdown: 10 days until autumn in New York, 20 days until MLB playoffs start and 41 days until the first game of the World Series...

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Beware the lyric police...

We all look up lyrics from time to time but pretty soon we may not be able to, without paying for it that is. There's a story in this morning's New York Post about "music publishers quietly stepping up their efforts to shut down popular websites that publish lyrics to songs without their permission." They're even appealing to Ma Google and Yahoo! to remove all references to them in search results. Not yet. I was able to get lyrics to "Louie, Louie" this morning, 6 different sets of lyrics from my Yahoo! search starting with the "suggestive" lyrics captured by the FBI in 1964 and as the website advises is the version often sung by Iggy Pop (http://www.xs4all.nl/~tdg/lyrics.html). These lyrics apparently did not come from the pen of Richard Berry who wrote the tune...

The National Music Publishers Association, representing over 800 songwriters and publishers has launched this attack on both illegal-song lyric sites and search engines who get you to the lyrics. A similar front was launched on websites that publish guitar notes from popular songs last summer, apparently to no avail. Why now? Because publishers are putting out their official lyrics on Yahoo! Music, Real Networks' Rhapsody, Gracenote and LyricFind. And what's the publishers cut? In exchange for the "official" lyrics, the publishers get a cut of ad revenues from the websites. Aha. Now it all adds up or they hope it does, anyway...

Look, I'm for anyone making a buck for something they own that's being found for free but for looking up lyrics? Are you kidding me? Yeah, I can see it now. I have the lyrics for "Louie, Louie" so I think I'll travel down to my favorite watering hole and win top prize on karaoke night. That should threaten music publishers...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1948] Walking in Memphis: 13-year old Elvis Presley moves with his parents from Tupelo (MS) to Memphis (TN)...1980] ABC-TV's "20/20" presents an in-depth report on the death of Elvis, raising unanswered questions about his death connected to drug use. The official case is re-opened...
2. 1953] A hardball clincher: Carl ("Oisk") Erskine defeats the Boston Braves as the Brooklyn Dodgers clinch the pennant earlier than any other team in baseball history...
3. 1953] Wedding Bells: Jacqueline Bouvier and Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy walk down the aisle at Hammersmith Farm in Newport (RI)...
4. 1954] Premiered on this date: "Lassie" comes to the rescue each week for 17 years on CBS-TV and then in syndication...1959] "Bonanza" debuts on NBC-TV. The Ponderosa rocks until January, 1973. Here's the shows open: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTWB_ByQD4w ...1966] "Family Affair" debuts on CBS-TV and will run until September, 1971...1966] "The Monkees" debuts on NBC-TV and runs for two years before airing reruns. "Hey, Hey We're The Monkees": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DyWouqg-WBA&mode=related&search= ...
5. 1963] Curtains: The final episode of "Leave It To Beaver" airs on ABC-TV after 6 seasons and here's the shows open: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtqQyW0XOLo ...
6. 1964] The Beatles in Beantown: The Beatles sell out the Boston Garden in their first appearance in Boston...
7. 1964] Oh Shea can you see?: The 1st football game is played in Flushing Meadows at Shea with the J-E-T-S beating Denver 30-6...
8. 1979] Yaz-a-matazz: Future Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski collects his 3,000th hit off of Yankees pitcher Jim ('spit the bit') Beattie during a 9-2 Red Sox win. Yaz becomes the 1st American League player to reach 3,000 hits and 400 home runs in his career...
9. 1984] Oh Doctor: Dwight "Doc" Gooden of the M-E-T-S sets a rookie and MLB season strikeout record with K number 251...
10. 1992] "Happy Trails": Anthony Perkins succumbs to complications from AIDS at 60...2003] The legendary Johnny Cash is the victim of complications from diabetes at 71...

Music Memories:

• 1966] Gold Standard: "Yellow Submarine" - Beatles (sing along time): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdeHYlfnd_g&mode=related&search= ...
• 1970] Released on this date: "Fire and Rain" - James Taylor...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

While Hollywood does age you, it doesn't give you 20 additional years. As those of you have noted, Kristy McNichol is not 65. Kristy is 45...A Hollywood legend passed away on Monday - Jane Wyman who won an Oscar for "Johnny Belinda" and starred in "Falcon Crest". Jane, 93, was also Ronald Reagan's first wife and mother of Maureen and adopted son, Michael. R.I.P. Jane Wyman...L'Shanah Tovah. Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown tonight. The new Hebrew year is 5768 if you happen to feel older...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Jennifer Hudson (26), Yao (Yo) Ming (27), Ruben Studdard (29), Amy Yasbeck (45), Rachel Ward (50), Gerry (America) Beckley (55), Mark Knopfler (58), Maria Muldaur (64), Linda Gray (67), George Jones (76) and 'Our Gang's" Dickie Moore (82)...

Timeline Countdown: 11 days until autumn in New York, 21 days until the MLB playoffs and 42 days until the World Series...

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

A day that's impossible to forget...

If the sun is shining it's a somber day. Being dark and rainy is more appropriate. No yucks today on the day that all hell broke loose and people were falling from the sky, 6 years ago. So far, the passing of 6 years has done nothing to make you forget what happened that day any less. Time heals? Not this day. Not yet anyway. Maybe never. You can't run from it though you try. You just accept that it happened and hope it never happens again - never...

I can't think of any video more appropriate to mark the anniversary of 911 than Lee Greenwood's "God Bless The USA": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Rnf7DS5YlQ ...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1941] Breaking ground: Groundbreaking begins in Arlington (VA) for the building of the Pentagon. Ironically, the Pentagon suffers damage and deaths at the hands of the 911 terrorists 60 years later, to the day...
2. 1954] Walking on network ground, she is: The Miss America Pageant makes its TV network debut on ABC-TV. Miss California, Lee Ann Meriwether is the winner...
3. 1964] Down for the count: "Friday Night Fights" is seen for the last time as Gillette's TV contract ends...
4. 1967] Premiered on this date: "The Carol Burnett Show" on CBS-TV (it will run until September, 1979)...1974] "Little House On The Prairie" (runs until March, 1983)...
5. 1971] "Happy Trails": Nikita Krushchev dies of a heart attack at 77...1987] Reggae star Peter Tosh is shot and killed in his Jamaica home at 43...1994] Jessica Tandy passes away from ovarian cancer at 85... 2002] Football Hall of Fame QB Johnny Unitas succumbs to a heart attack at 69...2003] An undetected heart flaw takes the life of John Ritter. Ritter, son of Tex Ritter, was 54...
6. 1982] Open and closed: Chris Evert wins her 6th and final U.S. Open title...1983] Jimmy Connors wins his 5th and final U.S. Open title...
7. 1985] The hitman: Pete Rose becomes baseball's all-time hit leader off of San Diego's Eric Show. Hit number 4,192 breaks Ty Cobb's longstanding record by one hit...
8. 1987] What's the black screen Kenneth?: The screen goes black for 6 minutes as Dan Rather walks off the set of "The CBS Evening News" because a tennis tournament ran overtime, upsetting Rather...
9. 1994] Emmy gold: The winners at the 46th Emmy Awards include "Frasier", "Picket Fences" and Kelsey Grammer...
10. 2001] 911: The horror that was 911 takes nearly 3,000 lives, mostly at the World Trade Center but also at the Pentagon and in a field near Pittsburgh...

Music Memories:

• 1967] Gold Standard: "All You Need Is Love" - Beatles...1975] "Aerosmith" LP...
• 1977] Recorded on this date: "The Little Drummer Boy" - David Bowie and Bing Crosby...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

As much as I try to forget that 911 happened as I think many New Yorkers feel, I can't. You remember where you were when it happened. When the first plane hit I was entering the Viacom Building in Times Square and watching ABC-TV's coverage on a giant screen across the street. I remember wearing a red tie that I would never wear again. I remember walking down 40 flights of stairs and walking home 3 miles. Just before I reached the lobby I heard the implosion of the first tower some 2 1/2 miles away. I remember how much compassion there was in the streets among fellow New Yorkers. I remember pretty much everything that I did that day. I hate remembering it all but I hope I never forget...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Harry Connick Jr. (40), Moby (42), Virginia Madsen (44), Kristy McNichol (65) and Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart (64)...

Timeline Countdown: 12 days until autumn, 22 days until the MLB playoffs and 43 days until the World Series...

Monday, September 10, 2007

The High School Musical phenomenon...

I realize I'm late in recognizing what I've been trying to ignore - a, so-far, $1 billion phenomenon. Walt Disney's 'High School Musical' franchise dwarfs anything and everything else in the entertainment business these days. For those who've also tried to ignore the top rated TV show, when its sequel ran earlier this summer and all the #1 chart action in sales, downloads, ringtones and in your shopping mall (New Yorkers, disregard), 'High School Musical' is about a group of teenagers putting on a show filled with what we older generation people would've called 'Bubble Gum'. It's as wholesome as children's entertainment can get and it's become a cultural phenomenon...

Its first showing on the Disney Channel in 2006, drew a record (for Disney) 7.7 million 'children of all ages'. This summer's sequel drew 17 million viewers to top the TV ratings. DVD's, soundtracks, books, video games, a concert tour and an exclusive line of Wal-Mart merchandise has made HSM a self-contained industry. A third installment of the show is scheduled for release next year. HSM has already conquered Britain, Australia and Scandinavia and the rest of the world will be dropping like flies too...

The nude photo of 18-year old HSM star Vanessa Hudgens is making big news in Hollywood today and no one is taking credit for placing it on the Internet but it was allegedly taken by her co-star/boy friend, Zac Efron. That might put a crimp in the HSM steamroller although the photograph is described as being relatively tame. It shows an 18-year girl, standing in a bedroom in front of deep red curtains, pulling back her hair and smiling for the camera. You're on your own for that but I will give you a taste of the music that describes what 'High School Musical' is all about. It's a video of "We're All In This Together": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7zzbB17Fvo ...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1846] In stitches: Elias Howe of Spencer (MA) receives a patent for the sewing machine. To celebrate, Howe gets ripped, wearing a smile that looks like it was sewn on. From that day on he was known as that old "sew and sew"...
2. 1935] Premiered on this date: "Popeye" debuts on NBC Radio...1955] Okay Pilllll-grim, listen up - John Wayne likes this new show, so, you best like it too. It's called "Gunsmoke": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLTbmhIG4VA ...1990] Will Smith debuts as "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"...1990] Ellis Island reopens...1993] "The X-Files" debuts on Fox...
3. 1953] Mmmmm mmmm: Swanson begins selling "TV dinners" giving us these luscious choices: Salisbury steaks, Meatloaf, Fried chicken and Turkey. All come with delicious mashed potatoes and the greenest peas you've ever seen...
4. 1955] Bert parks: Bert Parks begins a 25-year career of singing "There She Is, Miss America" as host of the famous pageant on NBC-TV...
5. 1963] Standoff: 20 black students enter public schools in Alabama following a standoff between federal Marshall's and Alabama Governor George C. Wallace...
6. 1972] Curtains: Gayle Sayers of the Bears retires after only 7 years in the NFL. He bows out as the lifetime return leader at the time with 9,435 combined net yards and 336 points. How about that NFL record-setting 108-yard return for the Pats' Ellis Hobbs yesterday??? 1993] NBC-TV airs its last episode of "Late Night With David Letterman" as Letterman takes the show to CBS-TV...
7. 1974] Legalized larceny: The Cardinals' Lou Brock sets a new major league record for stolen bases in one season with stolen base number 105...
8. 1988] Steffi steals the cup: West Germany's Steffi Graf wins the first women's Grand Slam since Margaret Court in 1970 by taking the U.S. Open final...
9. 1989] Two-sport hero: Deion Sanders scores a touchdown in his NFL debut with Atlanta (video follows) 5 days after hitting a home run for the Yankees. Sanders becomes the 1st athlete to play in a World Series and Super Bowl: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWoZnqnPcso ...
10. 1995] Emmy Gold: "NYPD Blue", "ER", "Frasier" and Candice Bergen are winners at the 47th Emmy Awards...2000] "The West Wing" wins a record 9 Emmy's including "Best Drama Series"...

Music Memories:

• Released on this date: 1966: "If I Were A Carpenter" - Bobby Darin. Watch this sensational live-TV video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjFRLOktHXo ...1966] "Last Train To Clarksville" - Monkees...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

Ron Farber informs that programming guru Paul Drew appeared on a recent Jay Leno "Jaywalking" segment where they ask people at random to imitate a music video. As soon as I get my hands on this video, you'll see it...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Guy Ritchie (39), Randy Johnson (44), Colin Firth (47), Amy Irving (54), Aerosmith's Joe Perry (57), Judy Geeson (59), Danny Hutton (65) and the legendary Arnold Palmer (78)...

Timeline Countdown: 13 days until autumn, 23 days until the MLB playoffs and 44 days until the World Series...

Friday-Sunday, September 7-9, 2007

The Battle to control Internet service...

There's a war going on in Washington over "net neutrality" and since it will ultimately effect all of us, you have the right to know what it's all about. In simple terms, Internet content companies (Google, eBay, etc.) are backing network neutrality which would bar Internet providers from charging extra fees to guarantee access to the Internet or give priority to some content. Sounds good to me, right? I don't want to pay extra for a faster service, do you? High-speed Internet providers (hello AT&T and Verizon) say bull-doody to that, we won't block access to public Internet sites but we want the right to offer private Internet-based services with faster speeds for uses such as downloading movies...

Sounds like a slam-dunk for the Justice Department and FCC right? Wrong! Yesterday antitrust authorities at the Justice Department warned regulators against imposing "network neutrality" regulations that would bar broadband Internet service companies (like AT&T and Verizon) from charging extra to some content providers. You might wonder why they oppose network neutrality. Their rationale is that setting different levels of service and pricing is already in practice by the U.S. Postal Service with the various mail options offered by the P.O. But there is a big difference...

I don't mind paying a different price for mailing something faster because I'm not paying the Post Office anything until I mail something. I already pay for the right to access the Internet by the monthly fee Time Warner Cable charges me for high-speed service. I don't need higher monthly rates, they're high enough now. Get it, Justice Department and FCC???

More on the legendary Pavarotti in my Commentary...

10 Timeline Memories for Friday, September 7:

1. 1813] Crying 'Uncle': The nickname 'Uncle Sam' is used as a symbolic reference to the U.S. in an editorial in the Troy (NY) Post...
2. 1927] Must-see TV: Philo T. Farnsworth succeeds in transmitting an image through purely electronic means by using an image dissector...
3. 1930] Stripped: "Blondie" makes its 1st appearance in the comic strips...
4. 1963] Going to Hall: The National Professional Football Hall of Fame is dedicated in Canton (OH). First year inductees include Sammy Baugh, Red Grange, George Halas, Tim Mara, Bronko Nagurski and Jim Thorpe...
5. 1966] Curtains: "The Dick Van Dyke Show" airs for the final time on CBS-TV after a 6-year run...1969] The half-hour animated 'The Beatles' Saturday morning show airs its last show after debuting in 1965...1971] "The Beverly Hillbillies" is seen for the last time. It debuted in the fall of 1961...
6. 1977] Liddy leaves: G. Gordon Liddy is released from prison after serving more than 4 years for his involvement in Watergate...
7. 1978] "Happy Trails": Keith Moon, drummer for The Who, suffers a fatal overdose at 31...1996] Tupac Shakur and Marion "Suge" Knight are shot in Las Vegas after a Mike Tyson fight. Shakur will die of his wounds 6 days later...2003] Warren Zevon dies of inoperable mesothelioma at 56...
8. 1979] Sports-TV: ESPN begins when Lee Leonard introduces George Grande who describes the format concept of the 1st all-sports cable network...
9. 1980] Tennis anyone?: John McEnroe beats Bjorn Borg in a classic U.S. Open final for his 2nd straight title. This year's finals wrap up this weekend...
10. 1999] Sumner sighting: Viacom Inc. announces its plans to buy CBS Corp...

Music Memories:

• 1986] #1 on this date: "Take My Breath Away" - Berlin...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

Much response to Luciano Pavarotti's passing and here are a couple of e-mails of interest: "When 'Yes, Giorgio' (a movie Pavarotti starred in) was shot here at the Hatch Shell (in Boston) I was thrilled (having worked for some recent years at WCRB) to be cast as an extra. Watching the film after it came out, I had more of a thrill when a close-up of our (AFTRA/SAG members) part of the audience showed the actors playing his manager, his "chief" fan and one principal actor, also included me, appearing to wipe a tear from my eye. In fact the tearing was brought on by the huge, maybe 500, watt light aimed at the crowd for the camera shot" - Len Zola of The Media Gang...On Pavarotti's eclectic choice of singing partners, this e-mail: "Let's see how many radio stations or satellite or Internet for that matter are creative enough to play that duo of Bono, the Edge, Brian Eno and Luciano Pavarotti performing "Miss Sarajevo". Any contemporary station could find a way to play it. Wonder if any of them will? My guess is slim to none. When I was at the Three Tenors concert a few years back I was surprised to see the large number of young to early middle-age people in attendance. The same ones you'd see at a U2 concert. It's the perfect tribute to Pavarotti for contemporary radio. But will it test?" - John Gorman...I love John Gorman's candor. Here's the video: http://youtube.com/watch?v=u4VM41immWI ...How about Pavarotti and James Brown? http://youtube.com/watch?v=VCIyzNISw1Q ...You can also find the legendary tenor with Barry White and others on YouTube. He was an amazing talent who was universally accepted at every level of music...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Michael Feinstein (51), Corbin Bernsen (53), Julie ("Marge Simpson") Kavner (56), Chrissie Hynde (56) and here's Chrissie with one of her best ("Don't Get Me Wrong"): http://youtube.com/watch?v=D_Bj8wrXslk and Gloria Gaynor (58)...

Saturday-Sunday, September 8-9, 2007...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1664] Start spreading the news: The Dutch surrender New Amsterdam to the British who rename it New York (9/8)...
2. 1921] There she is...Miss America: Margaret Gorman of Washington (DC) is crowned the 1st Miss America...1945] Bess Myerson of New York (NY) becomes the 1st Jewish Miss America (9/8) (Mazel, Bess)...
3. 1926] Chime time: The Radio Corporation of America (RCA) creates NBC (9/9)...
4. 1954] Long live the King: Alan Freed becomes the 'King of Rock 'n' Roll" as he begins his 5-year reign at 1010/WINS New York (9/8) Here's the trailer for one of Freed's movies, "Rock, Rock, Rock": http://youtube.com/watch?v=X6Po_zTbgms ...
5. 1956] Long live the other King: Elvis Presley's 1st "Ed Sullivan Show" appearance attracts a TV audience of 50 million, about one-third of the population. Elvis, shot from the waist up, will make a total of 3 appearances on the show (9/9)...
6. 1960] Long live the Pats: The Boston Patriots lose the 1st AFL game ever played, 13-10 to Denver (9/9). The Patriots play their opener this Sunday in the Meadowlands against the Jets. You know who I'll be rooting for...
7. 1965] Monkees wanted: Variety places an ad announcing auditions for "The Monkees" TV show. Failing the auditions: Stephen Stills, future Three Dog Night member Danny Hutton, Paul Williams and Charles Manson (Yes, that Charles Manson). You know who passed the auditions (9/8)...
8. 1971] Att-i-ca...Att-i-ca: Prisoners seize control of the maximum security Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo (NY), beginning a 4-day seize that claims 43 lives (9/9)...
9. 1974] Zero on the conditions: President Gerald Ford grants an unconditional pardon to former President Richard M. Nixon (9/8)...
10. 1976] "Happy Trails": Communist Chinese leader Mao-Tse-tung who dies from natural causes at 82...2003] Nuclear scientist Edward Teller of natural causes at 95 (both 9/9)...

Music Memories:

• 1967] Released on this date (9/9): "Soul Man" - Sam and Dave (here's the video): http://youtube.com/watch?v=khQ7rVudXfc ...1971] "Imagine" LP - John Lennon (9/9)...1972] "Witchy Woman" - Eagles (9/9)...1978] "Beast of Burden" - Rolling Stones (9/9)...
• 1974] #1 on this date (9/8): "I Shot The Sheriff" - Eric Clapton does it live: http://youtube.com/watch?v=10qLYy6hiFQ ...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

(9/8) Pink (28 ), David Arquette (36), Jose Feliciano (62), Willie Tyler (67) & Lester (?) and Sid Caesar (85)...

(9/9) ER male lead Goran Visnjic (35), Adam Sandler (41), Hugh Grant (47), Tom Wopat (56), Joe Theismann (58), Dee Dee Sharp (62), Inez Foxx (65), Chaim Topol (72), Sylvia Miles (75) and Cliff Robertson (82)...

Timeline Countdown for Sunday, September 9: 14 days until autumn, 24 days until the MLB playoffs and 45 days until the World Series...

Thursday, September 6, 2007

Spector Defense wraps today, the jury gets the case tomorrow...

The Phil Spector murder trial is coming to a close after prosecutors closed their case yesterday by painting Spector as the murderer of actress Lana Clarkson. Today the defense will argue that science proves Spector, accused of second-degree murder, was standing too far away from Clarkson to be the shooter and that Clarkson committed suicide. Tomorrow the case should go to the jury...

Lana Clarkson, 40, died of a gunshot wound while seated in the foyer of Spector's home on February 3, 2003 and here we are over 4 years later before justice will finally be served. When the trial started in April, Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler predicted that it would last "about 4 months" which is the only part of this whole affair that hasn't lasted forever. Those that watched the trial might argue that point. I gave up about a month ago but will be watching as it reaches a conclusion...

I found this video tribute to Spector that was added to YouTube in May by Jonathan ("Everyone's Gone To The Moon") King who I knew from my time at CBS Records when Jon was in A&R. Don't read anything into it other than a tribute to the musical talent of Spector. Jonathan is not taking sides in the murder case, simply paying tribute to Spector in better times. Although it sounds like the Righteous Brothers, it's not, but it's produced by Spector. The group is Sonny Charles & the Checkmates Ltd, who you might remember for having a hit with "Black Pearl". Enjoy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fDzBAMsDPw&mode=related&search= ...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1959] The birth of Barbie: The first Barbie Doll is sold by Matel. Ruth Handler, co-founder of Matel invented the doll that was named after Ruth's daughter. Ken was named after her son. This is one of the first Barbie commercials from 1959: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ArxKYK1aVgY ...
2. 1966] Premiered on this date: "Star Trek" debuts on NBC-TV and TV viewers turn weird...
3. 1972] Quite the combo: John Lennon & Yoko Ono appear on the Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon...
4. 1975] Entering the political asylum: Czech tennis player Martina Navratilova requests and is granted political asylum at the U.S. Open...
5. 1995] The new Iron Man: Cal Ripken Jr. breaks Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 consecutive games. Cal was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame just a few weeks ago...
6. 1995] Taking the Fifth: LAPD detective Mark Fuhrman invokes the 5th Amendment against self-incrimination in the O.J. Simpson murder trial...
7. 1996] Joining the 500 club: Eddie Murray of the Orioles hits his 500th home run becoming the 3rd player to have at least 3,000 hits and 500 home runs and that's why he's in the Baseball Hall of Fame...
8. 1997] A full house for the Princess: More than 2 million people watch the funeral service for Princess Diana, held at Westminster Abbey...
9. 2004] A bypass for Bubba: Former President Bill Clinton undergoes successful heart bypass surgery at New York Presbyterian/Columbia...
10. 2005] California beats Massachusetts to the punch: The California Legislature becomes the first legislative body in the nation to approve same-sex marriage. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger later vetoes the bill...

Music Memories:

• 1957] #1 on this date: "Diana" - Paul Anka (if you watch this video all the way through you see Anka muff some of the track he had previously recorded): http://youtube.com/watch?v=fuTbB-d12A0 ...1971] "Go Away Little Girl" - Donny Osmond (both this version and Steve Lawrence's original were #1) Donny does it live with his bros. providing backup: http://youtube.com/watch?v=9oYrOtdlPsc ...1982] "Hard To Say I'm Sorry" - Chicago...
• 1957] Recorded on this date: "White Christmas", "Silent Night" & "Here Comes Santa Claus" - Elvis Presley...1968] Eric Clapton records his guitar solo for the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"...
• 1993] Live from Boston: Don Henley, Jimmy Buffett, Elton John, Sting and Aerosmith perform at a benefit concert for Walden Woods...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

"Happy Trails" to Luciano Pavarotti, the opera star who reached every level of music fan. The legendary tenor passed away at his Italian villa at the age of 71. Pavarotti was a victim of pancreatic cancer...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Paul Manusama (22), Macy Gray (37) here's Macy live from Las Vegas with "I Try": http://youtube.com/watch?v=drV5Wr1tiRw , Rosie Perez (43), Jeff Foxworthy (59), Jane Curtin (60), Swoosie Kurtz (63), Roger Waters (63) and JoAnne Worley (70)...

Timeline Countdown: Tonight is the NFL kickoff, 17 days until autumn, 27 days until the MLB playoffs and 48 days until the World Series...

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

What we'll be watching this fall, maybe...

Most of the new TV shows that debut each fall are dreck but there are always a handful of shows that surprise us. BrandIntel, a Toronto based testing outfit published their 2007 TV Landscape report yesterday, highlighting the new shows that generated the most interest in their online sampling of over 20,000 raw search hits on the Internet. Last year's report predicted the success of "Ugly Betty" and "Heroes". So what are their predictions this year???

"Pushing Daisies" had the "highest sentiment and intent to view of all new shows". Of course it probably didn't hurt that ABC gave out daisies at their screenings. "Pushing Daisies" stars Chi McBride, Swoosie Kurtz and Kristin Chenoweth, a good cast with a quirky plot. A pie maker brings crime victims back to life, by handing out flowers. Let me guess, could they be daisies???

The most unique promotion used by the networks to sway viewers is a CBS campaign which will appear in Rolling Stone this week for their new show "Cane" starring Jimmy Smits. Smits plays a powerful Cuban-American running a rum and sugar business in South Florida. The ad will feature a nonalcoholic flavor strip in a "tamper-proof pouch". It's a good thing it's not on rolling paper...

The lowest rated of all shows tested is the "one-trick pony" comedy "Cavemen" which tries to take advantage of the success of Geico commercials. It had a low quality of discussion with conversation focused on the marketing of the show, not the intent of consumers to view. No surprise there. The proof of the new series pudding will be once viewers sample the show, will they come back the following week? Marketing a show successfully doesn't equate to good ratings. Content does...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1906] The forward pass is born: Bradbury Robinson of St. Louis University throws a "projectile pass" to teammate Jack Schneider. It's the first forward pass used in a game as St. Louis beats Carroll 22-0. Carroll should play Lenoir-Rhyne with the winner taking on William & Mary...
2. 1918] 1st National Anthem at ballparks: The national anthem is sung at a ballpark for the 1st time at Comiskey Park in Chicago at the World Series, moved up because of WWI. This has been disputed by those that believe our anthem was sung as early as 1897 in Philadelphia and the following year at the Polo Grounds. The New York Times goes with this date in 1918...
3. 1930] Bass Ackwards: Charles Creighton and James Hargis drive from New York City to Los Angeles backwards in reverse gear. The trip takes 42 days in their 1929 Model A Ford. The obvious question is Why???
4. 1960] Gold Standard: 18-year old Cassius Clay of Louisville (KY) wins a unanimous decision over 3-time Euro light-heavyweight champ Zbigniew Piertzytkowski to win a gold medal at the Olympics. Seven weeks later Clay will win his 1st professional bout while Piertzytkowski was looking for a couple of vowels...
5. 1966] 1st MDA telethon: Jerry Lewis hosts his 1st MDA Labor Day Telethon which started out locally in New York (1955). This past weekend the telethon raised a record $63.8 million and lots of complaints about Jerry's gay slur (see my Commentary)...
6. 1972] A bloody Olympics: Arab terrorists kill 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team. Five guerrillas and a police officer are also killed in Munich in the darkest day in Olympic history...
7. 1975] Dodging a bullet: President Gerald Ford escapes an attempt on his life in Sacramento (CA) by Charles Manson follower, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme...
8. 1987] Curtains: Dick Clark hosted "American Bandstand" is cancelled after 30 years...1989] Chris Evert retires from tennis after a brilliant 19-year career...
9. 1992] A Princely sum: Prince signs a $100 million contract with Warner Brothers, making him the highest-paid pop artist in the country...
10. 2002] NFL Thursday Night kickoff: The first NFL Thursday Night game is preceded by a concert starring Eve, Alicia Keys, Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias and Joey Fatone. Those of us that worked at CBS-FM at the time watched the rehearsals in Times Square from the 40th floor of the Viacom Building. Tomorrow night's game between the champion Colts and New Orleans Saints will be preceded by a 30-minute concert starring Faith Hill, Kelly Clarkson, Hinder and John Mellencamp...

Music Memories:

• 1964] Released on this date: "Do Wah Diddy Diddy" - Manfred Mann (in an interview I did with songwriter Ellie Greenwich she mentioned that when she and then-husband Jeff Barry wrote this that the title didn't mean anything but much like "Be My Baby" the lyrics were cute little expressions they both used to each other and here's the video): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fh7B5zWHzw ...1965] "Get Off My Cloud" - Rolling Stones and here's the video in glorious black & white: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l20L9SFqbBw&mode=related&search= ...[To ensure accuracy of dates and content, multiple reference sources are used in each timeline]...

Commentary...

The CBS-FM Top 500 Top 5 from over the weekend: 1) "Hey Jude"-Beatles, 2) "Satisfaction"-Rolling Stones, 3) "New York, New York"-Frank Sinatra, 4) "My Girl"-Temptations and 5) "Yesterday"-Beatles...Jerry Lewis has apologized for the gay slur he directed at the son of one of the cameramen. Listen to the audio in this video clip: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Pz6vE8zyCco ...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Michael Keaton a.k.a. Michael Douglas (his real name) (56), Buddy Miles (61), Al Stewart (62), Raquel Welch (67) and here's the gratuitous trailer from "One Million Years BC" featuring a pre-historic cat fight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_1DclzprLM , WRKO's Gordon Brown (68), John (Kingston Trio) Stewart (68), William Devane (68), Yankee killer Bill Mazeroski (71) and Bob Newhart (78)...

Timeline Countdown: One day until the NFL kickoff, 18 days until Autumn begins, 28 days until the MLB playoffs and 49 days until the World Series begins...

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

You say Goodbye and I say Hello...

We said goodbye to summer on Labor Day but today we say hello to the new morning show team at WFAN: "Boomer (Esiason) and (Craig) Carton". After listening to their debut this morning, they sure sound like a serious contender for morning drive supremacy to these radio ears. They cover all the issues, not just sports and the two together make a lively team with equal doses of give-and-take and yucks. Boomer and Carton are the permanent replacements for Don Imus and when the I-man comes back, he's in for a battle. And let's not forget the morning team of "Mike and Mike" on ESPN Radio...

We said goodbye to the number five ranked college football powerhouse, Michigan, for the rest of the season. The Wolverines will not recover from what many are calling the biggest upset in College Football history, that devastating 34-32 loss to unranked and little heard of, Appalachian State. By the way, the school is located in tiny Boone, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. The capacity of their football stadium is just 17,000 but the tiny school knows success. The Mountaineers are the two-time defending Division l-AA champion and have won 15 consecutive games. They haven't lost at their home field, Kidd Brewer Stadium in the past 27 games...

The game was played at Ann Arbor, Michigan before a stunned 109,218 and this loss will go down as a "shot heard 'round the world" to Wolverine fans everywhere. This game was not the fluke you might think it was. Starting in August Mountaineers coach Jerry Moore studied video of Michigan games against opponents with similar offensive styles as his team uses and from the endless hours of viewing came up with a brilliant game plan for Michigan which gave him this huge upset. Before you think that ASU gets a 'big head' from their monumental upset, consider their opponent in their second game of the season - Lenoir-Rhyne, a Division ll team. Don't ask me where they're located...

10 Timeline Memories:

1. 1791] (Tympani roll) "226 years ago today": Spanish settlers found the city of 'El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora La Reina de Los Angeles de Porciuncula" or Los Angeles to the gringos...
2. 1888] Click me: George Eastman receives a patent for his roll-film camera and registers his trademark, Kodak. His prototype camera contains 100 exposures...
3. 1951] Coast-to-coast: In the 1st live coast-to-coast TV broadcast, President Harry S. Truman addresses the nation from the Japanese peace treaty conference in San Francisco...
4. 1952] What a Pip: Gladys Knight & the Pips are formed after a birthday party for Bubba Knight. Hey, they could of been called The Bubbas...
5. 1957] A black-eye for Arkansas: The National Guard is ordered by Governor Orval Faubus to keep 9 black students from entering Little Rock's Central High School...
6. 1962] Putting Abbey Road on the musical map: The Beatles begin recording at Abbey Road Studio for the 1st time. They record "Love Me Do"...
7. 1964] American debut: The Animals make their U.S. debut at the Brooklyn Paramount Theater...
8. 1967] Curtains: "Gilligan's Island" airs for the final time on CBS-TV after a run of 98 episodes and here is a clip of one of the greatest sitcom opens and songs in TV history: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb3ClZ1OceI ...1971] The "Lawrence Welk Show" runs live for the last time although syndication will keep it on the air until 1982 and into infinity...
9. 1972] Rolling a 7: U.S. swimmer Mark Spitz wins a record 7th Olympic gold medal in the 400-meter relay in Munich...
10. 2002] The 1st and best "American Idol": Singer Kelly Clarkson is voted the 1st winner of 'AI"...

Music Memories:

• 1968] Released on this date: "Street Fighting Man" - Rolling Stones. While no other station would touch it, we played the edited version on WRKO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NASc9eB3Szo ... 1970] "My Sweet Lord" - George Harrison, who got the idea for this song from...oh well, never mind...1976] "Beth" - Kiss (or "Kith" by Bess if you prefer). Here's a live version of the tune: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19P3FoM2Eu0 ...

Commentary...

Paul Power comments on my mention of Hurricane Carol: "The hurricane blew our fence down in 1954 and it also blew down the WBZ-TV tower on Soldiers Field Road (on to a '54 Chevy). The radio towers were not affected because they are located in the water in Hull, near Nantasket". Those towers can be viewed from Paul's house in Nahant...I heard from Joey Reynolds who recently had the Blohards (Benevolent and Loyal Order of Honorable and Ancient Red Sox Diehard Sufferers of New York) on his WOR show. Joey played it safe, wearing a green "Boston Yanks" t-shirt. The bar 'Pat O'Brien's' which is one block away from my here is an official "Blohard" location, showing only Red Sox and Patriots games. Speaking of Patriots games, if you'd like to be included in my 'just for fun' yearly NFL Football Pool, send me an e-mail and I'll include you in my e-mail blast...

"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":

Beyonce Knowles (26), Mike Piazza (39), Damon Wayans (47), Khandi (CSI Miami) Alexander (47), Tom Watson (58), Mitzi Gaynor (76) and the legendary Paul Harvey (89)...

Timeline Countdown: 2 days until the NFL Kickoff, 29 days until the MLB playoffs and 50 days before the World Series...