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"The Portuguese Around Us" taped in the native language. When a tape was to be rolled-in the talent pressed a button, which set off a bell in the control room. Bob was absolutely terrified of birds. He also enjoyed saying the word, "Blatz" over headsets when running camera. One time a studio light failed during the taping of his show. With characteristic, dry aplomb, Bob said, "One of these days we're going to be doing this show in the dark." With that I dipped to Black for a few seconds. Bob said nothing, and when I saw him after the taping he didn't look too pleased. Oh well! George Allen was an amazingly cool and professional weatherman. I can't tell you how many times we put beaver shots on the teleprompter… and he never missed a beat. Bob Pairs called in sick to attend a first day screening of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back with one of the producers (Dan, who eventually worked on Howard Stern's TV show) and me. A 6 crew was there to capture the opening day pandemonium. Unfortunately, the engineering director was watching and saw Bob on camera. I think he had his butt reamed for that. (This is actually in the WLNE days.) I moved from central New York to New England. I didn't know anyone in the area. At that time many friends were also scattering across the US. One was in Minnesota, and I used to call him every week or so to catch up. One day I was called to the downstairs conference room. Andy, Vance and Lee were waiting for me. Vance thrust a piece of paper in front of me. On it was a list of a dozen phone calls to Minnesota; total charges about $12. Seems he'd noticed the calls on the bill and did some detective work (which I assume took a fair amount of time) to find the identity of the guilty party. I asked him why he just didn't ask who was making the calls. He had no answer. And he didn't want re-payment. It reminded me of Captain Queeg's search for the missing key in "The Caine Mutiny." One of the engineers (let's just call him "X") had a little problem - little boys. When first I moved to the area he was kind enough to put me up for a few days, and he was a complete gentleman. (Except one night he got drunk, left his bedroom and slept on the floor next to the couch where I was sleeping.) One day he asked me to give him a lift somewhere. I said sure. I followed his directions, we cruised for a bit, and returned to the Fairhaven apartment complex where he lived. (I eventually got an apartment in the same complex.) A few weeks later he told me he was immediately leaving 6, and the area. He said the Police gave him two choices: leave the area or go to jail. I was dumbfounded when he told me of his problem. He said the ride he asked for that day was to drive him past the home of one of the pre-pubescent boys he was obsessed with. He asked me to drive him because he promised He wouldn't drive past the house. John Greenwood came to me soon after with a phony smile on his face. John was a fairly dour and unfriendly guy, and his behavior was definitely uncharacteristic. (I also recall the newsroom screaming matches he had with his girlfriend - another 6 employee. So much for not dipping your pen in company ink.) John must have picked up something in the wind from the cops. He knew I was friendly with X and asked if I knew anything about him leaving. John never gave me the time of day at 6, so I thought this was good payback (and none of his business anyway). I simply told him, "Nope, I don't." Greenwood, exasperated, walked away without a word. I remember Penny Hamblin. She was the Salt of the Earth and great producer. I believe she went to Boston as a Producer. She had a lot of guts. One day Vance was holding some trivial meeting. Penny, jammed in getting ready for a newscast, told him, "I don't have time for this," and walked out. I guess the statute of limitations is over on this one, so here goes. One of the engineers was a real dick, so I decided to get some payback. I placed an ad in the local newspaper that read something like, "Easy job, and great Union pay. Many positions open. Contact X at (the station's number) between (his shift schedule). After fielding the first 20 or 30 calls of several hundred that came in, they were no longer forwarded to him. I even framed a copy of the ad and mailed it to him - in a Raisin Bran box. Station tongues were wagging for a week about who did that. Yep, it was I. An underground newspaper was circulated in late summer of '78 before the Pulitzer sale. Tongues were wagging about who printed it, too. Before he left, "X" confided in me that he was the publisher. (A copy of that two-page newspaper is attached. Don't ask me what I'm still doing with it.) I replaced Guy Pepper. There was already a female director on staff. I can't remember her name. Dave Hill joined us about six months later. Guy Pepper called the Control Room "The Boom-Boom Room" because of all the deep-red shag carpeting on the walls. One of the engineers whose name I can't recall cracked me up. There was a rule that all male employees had to wear a shirt and tie. When this engineer came in to pick up his paycheck, he brought along his dog - on which he put a tie. Hysterical! When Pulitzer took over, both Andy and Bill O'Brien were fired. I replaced them both and still directed the Noon show. Talk about getting the most bang for your buck from one employee. I floundered under the weight of all the responsibilities and Andy was hired back almost exactly a year to the day he was fired. I remember Andy's penchant for turquoise jewelry. That's probably why he went to New Mexico. That mirror over the kitchen set to get high-angle shots of food preparation. And how the crew would descend on the food as soon as we faded to Black. It didn't make any difference what it was - they ate it. So, Chef, whoever you are, there you have it. |
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