Herb Caen was a giant in the industry. Hard to believe it was thirteen years ago today that he passed.
Caen WAS the Chronicle; oh sure, Art Hoppe and Charles McCabe and the sporting green were a huge part of my 70's reading, but Caen dominated SF culture. He was a Bay Area icon.
His column was must-viewing. Getting a mention in a Caen column amounted to instant ego gratification. I managed to get Caen's ear a few times and he placed many of my lines in his space. Talk about glee, that's how big an impact Caen had in Bay Area media circles. Just ask Willie Brown.
It worked both ways too. If Caen ripped you, or spoke negatively, say, of a restaurant, it could hurt. Of course most of Herb's meals were quietly comped, but that didn't dent his cred. Maybe a tad at the Washbag where he was good friends with Ed Moose.
Caen could write about anything; politics, sports, culture, entertainment, the whole enchilada. He was also, strangely enough, a master at writing an obituary.
But mostly, he was the king of the "three-dotter"; his item-dot-item column was appointment reading for every publicist, comedian, socialite, and politician. Anybody who was anybody craved Caen's daily dish. Even the most ordinary SF guy or lady read Herb Caen.
Even though he wrote mostly about the SF scene, his popularity permeated the entire Bay Area and beyond. Chicago had its Mike Royko. New Yorkers loved their Jimmy Breslin. And the Bay Area loved Herb Caen.
**Correction: Rob Black has not been let go at KRON4. Acting on a tip I reported that Black was no longer reporting for the SF TV station. I contacted Black, via e-mail for a comment and he responded "weather trumps finances." OK, apparently Black was referring to the rain deluge that hit the Bay Area and not his employment status. My bad. Sorry Rob.
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