tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post8325986147799587054..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Friday QuestionsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-584122808507829342021-06-05T21:52:40.706-07:002021-06-05T21:52:40.706-07:00This question is actually from a friend of mine wh...This question is actually from a friend of mine who is a communications lawyer. Since cable does not have the same stringent decency standards of broadcast TV, she wonders if it would make sense for the four networks to produce G and PG/R rated versions of each episode. The G version would be broadcast over the air and the PG/R version would be carried by cable companies.Bob Parishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07175050567107026421noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74359345956390795342021-06-05T05:54:30.097-07:002021-06-05T05:54:30.097-07:00The part on broadcasters in decline- I remember in...The part on broadcasters in decline- I remember in the early 1990's when the Tigers fired Ernie Harwell (saying he was slipping) and replaced him with Rick Rizzs. I wonder if Mr. Rizzs ever talked with you about what it was like to try to follow Ernie Harwell- it did not go over well in Detroit. After a year or two, the Tigers were sold, and the new owner brought Harwell back. <br /><br />Also reminded of Myron Cope, the color commentator on Pittsburgh Steeler broadcasts (and the inventor of the Terrible Towel). He told a close friend to listen to the broadcasts and to let him know if he was slipping. One day in late 2004 the friend told him "Myron, you're slipping". Cope sat quietly, then said "OK, I'm retiring". He stayed retired, even when in the following season the Steelers went to the Super Bowl and there was a clamor for the station to bring Cope back for the game. Jeff Boicehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14600946876122022978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13542966239300854082021-06-04T19:18:52.212-07:002021-06-04T19:18:52.212-07:00Unsurprisingly no hockey announcers were mentioned...Unsurprisingly no hockey announcers were mentioned, but there are several outstanding ones that come to mind, some of whom worked extensively south of the 49th. Jim Robson for my Vancouver Canucks, Dan Kelly (St. Louis Blues), Bob Miller (LA Kings), Jim Hughson ...Shrikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05404058806313927899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36996210215000715572021-06-04T18:11:10.146-07:002021-06-04T18:11:10.146-07:00@Michael
I agree with you and not @JohnInNWOhio a...@Michael<br /><br />I agree with you and not @JohnInNWOhio about John Sterling. It's like listening to a game being called by your grandparents, with Suzyn Waldman as grandma. You don't listen to them for technical accuracy; you listen to them because you love the Yankees and they do too.<br /><br />It's funny how you have both John and Vin on your Mount Rushmore because in the early 80s CBS decided to move Tom Brookshier from color to pxp and promote John Madden to being the top color analyst. The only question was who to pair him with. So CBS had both Vin and Pat Summerall work with John during the 1981 season, with Vin working with John when Pat was calling tennis and Pat working with John while Vin was calling baseball on CBS Radio.<br /><br />Obviously Pat won, but CBS handled it poorly by congratulating Vin on being given the 1981 NFC Championship game with Hank Stram. Vin was so insulted by this that he quit CBS to take the lead pxp baseball role for NBC.ScarletNumbernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-64488667781649491552021-06-04T13:35:27.122-07:002021-06-04T13:35:27.122-07:00On "I Love Lucy" reruns, you can sometim...On "I Love Lucy" reruns, you can sometimes hear Desi Arnaz laughing off-camera.Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74864428891774197992021-06-04T13:16:59.651-07:002021-06-04T13:16:59.651-07:00Hello Ken,
Thank you for mentioning Bill King and...Hello Ken,<br /><br />Thank you for mentioning Bill King and firing Angel Hernandez. One of the greatest and the worst, respectively. I grew up in Northern California listening to Bill doing Warrior simulcasts and Raider games. I've never heard anyone on radio describe what was happening on the court the way Bill did. Of course I didn't get to hear Chick Hearn very often. When Bill started doing A's baseball with Lon Simmons, it was heaven. Whether I'm watching old Raider highlights or Moneyball, it's stirring to hear Bill's voice.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />Michael Michael Toddnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-83513055358877131302021-06-04T12:29:41.169-07:002021-06-04T12:29:41.169-07:00There was a very distinct female laughter on "...There was a very distinct female laughter on "Married With Children." I'm not sure who she was, but you could hear her on most of the shows. Although, there is a possibility that she was added to enhance the audience reaction. <br /><br />I was so in tune with Chick Hearn that as I like to say, even when he wasn't making any sense you knew exactly what he meant.<br /><br />I don't pay that much attention to Ken to steal his jokes. Well, maybe subconsciously. KIDDING! If Ken ever said anything funny I would definitely steal it. Reworded of course. KIDDING!<br /><br />M.B.Mike Bloodworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04755626259169126800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-51466908238701330582021-06-04T11:42:09.469-07:002021-06-04T11:42:09.469-07:00Who are your four (or more) worst announcers? Hav...Who are your four (or more) worst announcers? Have to include Ken Harrelson.Buttermilk Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07430011403223875192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58170633325605545872021-06-04T11:08:16.129-07:002021-06-04T11:08:16.129-07:00Early 70s, we would get Lakers games on Armed Forc...<br />Early 70s, we would get Lakers games on Armed Forces Radio up here (Anchorage). Chick Hearn was the man. Not sure I've heard better play-by-play for basketball. <br /><br />If he didn't coin "dribble drive", he sure made it his own. I've never heard any one else use this one. <br /><br /><br />For Honest Ed: <br /><br />On his podcast Ken praised the Program Director for calling many years after the fact. Jahn Ghaltnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-15664144242787548672021-06-04T10:59:09.299-07:002021-06-04T10:59:09.299-07:00John, to be fair, Sterling sounded that way when h...John, to be fair, Sterling sounded that way when he started doing Yankee games. I've found to be awful for decades.<br /><br />The Mt. Rushmore of announcers could be the ones who most influence the one making the selection, and those four would be the ones for Ken, I suspect. Nationally, I'd think of people like Bob Costas, Howard Cosell, and John Madden to go with Vin. But then, Vin was a pup out of Red Barber, and so his influence is everywhere (including, by the way, with Cosell). But I'm glad to see Bill King get the attention. He was great on three major sports and a Bay Area god, and he didn't get the Frick until a few years ago and STILL hasn't gotten the NFL or basketball ones, mainly, I think, because he didn't do network games or promote himself much.<br /><br />By the way, as for distinctive laughs, this isn't a laugh, but on the old game shows Joker's Wild and Tic-Tac-Dough, Barry-Enright had some guy in the audience who would make a sound at a big moment, and it sounded a LITTLE like a Marv impression. My dad had the theory they had a guy sitting there and to make the noise, he'd hit himself in the inseam with an encyclopedia.Michaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05266475919252239220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-55564084418610286032021-06-04T10:01:32.749-07:002021-06-04T10:01:32.749-07:00Best announcers. No Ernie Harwell? Man, he gave yo...Best announcers. No Ernie Harwell? Man, he gave you shoes (to be fair not the shoes off his feet, but they were new shoes).<br /><br />Keep up the good work.Jim Snoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2770252861669037372021-06-04T08:12:56.100-07:002021-06-04T08:12:56.100-07:00Speaking of radio comedy material being stolen, yo...Speaking of radio comedy material being stolen, you know Laura and I wrote our own syndicated daily prep service called the Comedy Wire. Early one morning, I got a call from a guy at a station telling me it didn't come over the fax machine that morning and he needed me to resend it. I asked the call letters, looked them up to find the fax number, and couldn't find it. After talking to him a while, I figured out that his copy didn't come from me. It came from another station owned by the same company that actually subscribed, and every morning, they would take the material and redistribute to all their other stations that weren't paying for it. Oops! He'd let the cat out of the bag. I had to have a little talk with them before they got any more material from us. Pat Reederhttp://www.hollywoodhifi.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2595686618759850642021-06-04T08:11:07.831-07:002021-06-04T08:11:07.831-07:00I could frequently hear James Brooks' distinct...I could frequently hear James Brooks' distinctive laugh while viewing The Mary Tyler Moore Show. A propos of Mr. Brooks, I watched his BROADCAST NEWS last night, and it still stands up. Both prescient, smart and very, very funny.maxdebrynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011731115062645854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22574739027657129682021-06-04T07:11:37.494-07:002021-06-04T07:11:37.494-07:00Ernie Harwell, man. He and Scully are alone on the...Ernie Harwell, man. He and Scully are alone on the very top shelf. Then you can discuss all the others.<br /><br />John Sterling of the Yankees needs to be retired to to some kind of ambassador role. His stupid "Theeeeeeee Yankees win" thing makes me cringe. Can't find my mute button fast enough.John in NW Ohionoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-71711540734737110972021-06-04T06:30:00.330-07:002021-06-04T06:30:00.330-07:00Out of curiosity, what was your take on that Progr...Out of curiosity, what was your take on that Programme director? Respect for being big enough to admit he got it wrong and call you, or he's still a jerk?Honest Edhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06314402185238687150noreply@blogger.com