Saturday, May 22, 2021

Three Great Stories You Didn't Know; Dr. Dean's True First Love was KGO Radio Producer; Barbieri's 86 from Early Radio Courtesy Luckoff; Chris Edwards One-of-a-Kind; Martin Rat Pack Factoid; Saturday 415 Media Extra

Dr. Dean Edell, KGO Radio/TV and syndicated radio talk-show heavyweight--he's retired now enjoying life in upper Northern California. Remember him? Of course you do. At one time he was KGO's most popular personality; both TV and radio. Made over a million bucks per year at his prime.

What you may not know was something that was not in the headlines nor pubbed that much, not much at all, but a good many people at KGO knew.

Dr. Dean's first producer, Daphne Brogdon, became so enamoured of him (and he of her) that they ended up together. Lived together. The whole shebang. She was about to emerge as a family blogger. Made appearences on national TV-- the "Today Show", for example.They were KGO's power couple and the talk of the station both personally and privately.

Edell was mightily in love with his producer, Daphne, but he also didn't love the fact that his romance (and subsequent pairing) was the subject of heavy-duty rumors. They were inevitable only because of the nature of the relationship. Hollywood, I heard, was interested but it didn't make it past the pitch stage.

*In his early days in SF radio, the late, great Ralph Barbieri was a KGO Radio talk fill-in. He had good ratings and was politically far left and often confronted callers (duh!) and was often controversial. He suddenly vaulted to the top and was instant buzz. But someone at the station didn't like that and ended up firing Ralph. Who was that? VP and GM, Mickey Luckoff, that's who. Luckoff hated the fact that Barbieri was gtting tons of pub and acclaim. How terse was the Barbieri dumpoff? When Ralph showed up one night to do his show (he was doing the overnight) he tried to use his card key, only to realize that he'd been fired because the card key didn't work. Nice man, that Mr. Luckoff.

*Chris Edwards used to host a Sunday night oldies show on K-101 in the mid-to-late 1980's. It was a cool show. I know full well because I was a guest one night. Edwards made big bucks back then but his on-air gig pay was nothing like the money he made as a radio salesman. Edwards earned well over $300K a year. That was BIG dough back then and even today. Edwards was one of the nicest guys in the business. He died a few years back way too young.

*Coffee talk: Dean Martin played the Oakland Arena in 1988, part of the "Rat PacK" re-union with Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. It was the FIRST show of the tour. I remember it well because I was there, courtesy of Larry King. Helluva show. But something I learned that night you will learn today: Martin was staying at the Clift Hotel. He stayed on the first floor. He ALWAYS stayed on the first floor no matter the hotel, why? Martin had a fear of fires. And now you know, the rest of the story.

15 comments:

  1. I remember that oldies show. He played some great stuff on it. I think it was the K-101 Time Machine as it was called.

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    1. Ah Yes, Dean Martin...for as the guy who shot Alfalfa once said, “I ain’t payin you shit!!”

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  2. With all due respect, when you lose a job in broadcasting, typically your key fobs are deactivated. There is nothing atypical about this. On the question of Mr.Edell, he has had umpteen marriages of record and has shared his mistresses with other broadcasters. In this instance, one you hate very much.

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  3. Wasn't Dr Dean Edell married 4 or 5 times?

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  4. I remember Dr. Dean! How disappointing to find that he was into apparently consensual relationships with other humans. Looking forward to more "dirt" on other long retired people.

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    1. unable to be "real" with anyone...not a good character quality.

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    2. Early in his TV career, Edell very proudly admitted to some actions that could be considered lewd, in both social and legal contexts. Actions that were a product of his "hippie phase." Actions that he imposed on other humans, non-consensually. He seems to be revisiting his hippie phase, later in life.

      I'd like hear some dirt on Edell's shady associations with certain outspoken entities in the Medical Industry.

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  5. Daphne was also a host/co-propagandist, for some of Edell's TV programming. I didn't agree with much of their spiel, but they did work well together on-air.

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  6. Prior to K-101, Chris Edwards was on KYA, when they ruled Top 40 radio in the Bay Area (before KFRC took over). Recall he used to refer to himself as 'Fat Chrissy Edwards'.

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  7. Daphne always struck me as one huge ego trip.

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  8. Ralph rears his ugly head once again! I had almost forgot about him, but now I am reminded of his autobiographical obituary and
    the claim that he was the best student in his 8th grade graduation class.

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  9. But are Dr Dean and Daphne still together??

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  10. Ralph was so full of himself in the end (Read his obituary if you have enough time) that he was mailing it in. He was constantly late and Tom carried the show. He deserved to get fired.

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  11. Yeah Dean Edell was married to a very classy, loyal, devoted, skater friend of mine. He is not a good guy...,

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  12. Yeah Dean Edell was married to a very classy, loyal, devoted, skater friend of mine. He is not a good guy...,

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