I must confess I heard a lot of cool stories about ABC7's, (KGO-TV), lead anchor, Dan Ashley. "A very, very nice guy", glowed a fellow anchor over at KTVU.
Indeed, Ashley is a very nice man. So nice in fact, I told the engaging Ashley that I was getting suspicious. OK, so call me a cynic. After all, the media biz has a ton of high-maintenance egos.
Ashley, who I kiddingly poked fun over his frequent hair alterations, (looks cool now), invited me to lunch over in Jack London Square. We talked about the biz, his rock band, "Push" and exchanged a few jokes. First off, this Bay Area news veteran, (he began at KGO in 1995 and has won numerous industry awards), dresses like a million bucks. Naturally, me and my Tommy Bahama shirt was in stark contrast to Mr. Brooks Brothers. (Insert joke here).
"You know, I'm just blessed. I'm happy. It's that simple," offered Ashley, who keeps his head high, way high. I told him that that I like him and his fellow co-anchor, Carolyn Johnson. "We have good chemistry and she's quite smooth--Just a delight to work with." Indeed, both Ashley and Johnson are a main reason why KGO excels in the early evening news block, (they're pretty much neck and neck with KPIX).
Ashley has another gig. He's one of the guys in a rock band called, "Push." I heard a few songs. Ashley can sing. Sure, he knows he's not Billy Joel, but he's not Billy Putz either. "We have fun and we've been jamming at a lot of clubs." I'll say this: I prefer Push over the "Eyewitness Blues Band, (KPIX/KCBS music hounds), although that Bunger, (Stan) guy can jam.
Who does Ashley like? "Bob Schieffer is a total pro over at CBS. I like Steve Croft too." He has local admiration for KTVU's Frank Somerville. "There's a lot of talented people in SF--it's a great market."
The Ashley burger is three-quarters consumed and my fillet of sole is destroyed. After an hour of schmoozing, the power lunch has concluded. We go outside. I give Ashley my Joe Lieberman impression, followed by a slightly lame Jeff Goldblum. He immediately out-muscles me with a devastatingly brilliant Sean Connery, (Hell, I was with 007!).
That KTVU anchor was right. Dan Ashley is a nice guy.
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Nothing wrong with writing something upbeat about folks in the media Rich. I know you don't exactly put out 'lollipops and roses' in your blog daily, but there are two ways of looking at things, and the cynical, jaundiced manner of approaching everything may titillate...but in this stressed out, distracted world it sometimes gets old.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you doing an upbeat column once in awhile. I fully expect you'll be back to 'dishing the dirt' tomorrow, and I know that you and your readers (including me!) wouldn't have it any other way.
I can tell that Ashley is a good guy, and Carolyn Johnson is a solid pro too. KGO always seems to have some of the better anchors, although the crews at KTVU and KPIX aren't too shabby either.
A little off topic...but Radnich is talking about how distasteful it would be to sleep in a home he rented out.
ReplyDeleteI notice its been a theme of his over the years..he even let out once before his wife has OCD,and cant stand when visitors touch her doorknobs(yes!) or furniture in their home. She is the type who has to cover her knobs with a hanky to open a door when people visit. Maybe why its funny to hear him brush off people like Marty Lurie who wants to visit him..
So,what kind of music does Dan play? And whats with the moving hair part?
Radnich actually said his wife "Goes around the home with spray cans of disinfectant after visitors leave"..c'mon THAT paints a funny picture of a real person with...traits.
DeleteOver the years, I've met many New York City broadcasters and a few San Francisco ones, names many readers would recognize. For the most part they were nice, decent people with great senses of humor. Those are usually the people who last in the business. (That doesn't mean they can't be tough negotiators, or have high standards for themselves or the support people around them, but that's not the same as being a jerkwad or a prima donna. Yes, I'm thinking of someone with multiple "n's" in his name.) The assholes don't tend to last - they alienate too many people, and the long knives are kept waiting for them to slip up, at which point it's professional Murder on the Orient Express.
ReplyDeleteDan and Carolyn are all pro. Rest of the anchors, I don't care much for on any of the local stations. Sports guys doing news, naah can't take them seriously.
ReplyDeleteMet Dan several times and he is a very nice guy and donates a lot of his time to charity as well. His band Push plays good ole rock and roll. Hes the lead singer though he is good I dont think hes going to quit his day job! He also plays the drums and quitar and hes good at both. Hes is what you see, a very nice guy.
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I'm a longtime KPIX/CBS5 news listener but ABC7 now presents a 4:00 P.M. newscast and Dan filled, recently, in for regular anchor Larry Biel. The guy definitely grows on you..
ReplyDeleteDan Ashley also anchors the 5 PM newscast with Cheryl Jennings. Why don't you mention that?
ReplyDeleteDan Ashley is a multitalented ancher, very smart!! He has a powerful, strong TV voice. He looks a nice, kind person.
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. Dan Ashley is multitalented and is very smart. He is an excellent TV anchor, a musician, a figure dancer, a cook and looks very kind, honest, and humanitarian. Beside he is handsome too.
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