Len Tillem, The 'Loyah', Is Ready And Willing To Get Back On The Radio But KGO Needs To Make The Phone Call

 KGO Radio, in its new talk reincarnation --and who knows what the particulars are at this point, it's months away--could start off with a great acquisition, a proven hitter, an across-the-board winner who is a proven commodity with all demos---the Loyah himself, Len Tillem.

First things first though; I called Tillem and asked about his future plans and it's real simple at this point. He refuses to even think about anything until the big suits at 55 Hawthorne contact him.

"There's no point in my speculating what I'd do about being back on KGO at this point. All I've heard is rumors so far."


Let's be blunt here. KGO, if it's serious about its new re-branding back to a talk/news-talk/personality-driven hybrid should go all out and get Tillem back on the airwaves--but at this point, KGO needs Tillem more than Tillem needs KGO. Tillem is perfectly happy at his law offices up in Sonoma devoid of the broadcast biz. Then again, and this is just a hunch from me, he's itching to be back on Bay Area airwaves.


Jack Swanson, the former KGO Opps Mgr and now an industry consultant once said about Tillem:

"Sure someone can send me one good tape or audition--what I need is someone who can be fresh, alive and most importantly, larger than life 1 to 3 hours a day every weekday, week after week, for years...now THAT's hard." 

No question Tillem would make for an immediate buzz hire for Cumulus not to mention his presence would produce instant traction and notice. Tillem had the highest ratings on KGO when he was doing his wildly popular talk show. Moreover when he appeared as a guest on other host's programs, their ratings went through the roof. No surprise.

As I said, Tillem is the rare bird who transcends all demos and figures. He's popular across all fronts; young and old, Black, White, Yellow and Brown, Tillem's loyah show is a potpourri of advertising nirvana, a virtual can't miss with a zest for the funny and legal stories bonanza.

I've often told Tillem that his legal show --in a tight, two-hour format would be even more popular on the syndicated level--a legal version of Dr. Dean's show only more comedic and unpredictable given Tillem's "why you callin' a loyah?" routine.

But let's stick to the present. Tillem awaits the call from the KGO management team. They are aware, at least most of them, of the Sonoma legal ace. They can begin a successful transformation of their reimaging by calling Lenny.

I think they know the number.

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Damon Bruce is Already Ranting and Raving and Screaming and Yelling But Not About Women

(95.7 The Game)

KGO Talk Host Weintraub Makes Fun of Ronn Owens On-Air; Refers to His Highness as 'Ronn Blowens'; Complete Audio

 So, if you were driving home from a late dinner in the wee hours last Friday night/early Saturday, you missed quite a show. I mean, it don't get any better when a KGO Radio talk host makes fun of the station's 9-Nooner, Ronn Owens.

And not only did David Weintraub basically take out Owens on-air, he rather matter-of-factly destyoyed him, belittled him and made mincemeat of him, unless of course referring to his mattress man as "Ron Blowens?" Bam!

It got better.

Weintraub's out of-nowhere fisticuffs was in reaction to an Owens caller and Ronnnn's subsequent mea-culpa about the 2012 election. Actually the subject matter is a who cares.

Listen to this thing of beauty beginning at : 27 after.

And here I thought I was the only one who has tired of his highness act. 

This should rankle a few feathers and not just Shakira.

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Deconstructing the Sarah and Vinnie Titanic on Alice Radio Because Someone Had To

 A reader tipped me off that the dynamic duo of faux shock and awe on Alice Radio's dreadful, "Sarah and Vinnie" referred to me, indirectly, (cowards), last week during their dreck toilet play that sounds like some hissy fit between a male and female yenta out of Bakersfield.


Here's the link: listen, beginning around 6: 30.


As I have mentioned here too many times, I have tried hard to listen to this his-and-her pedantic audio bludgeon but it was so bad it literally induced me to sleep to a point where a Janet Reno wet dream was more compelling. Typical shit SF FM radio minutiae personified.


Ironically, a tipster who roams the halls of the CBS TV/Radio studio outpost at 855 Battery said the gruesome twosome were feuding. The zaftig one, who looks as if she swallowed half of El Capitan steals quite a bit more cash than her doofus partner, some Neanderthal dimwit, "Vinnie", straight out of the tourist portion of a Vegas IHop. Frankly, I don't give a rat's ass about either of 'em and even if I did I'd begin puking out the pig vomit both of them and their wussy interns spew forth. Thank God for Satellite radio.


And another thing, yenta #1 and you're pimply-faced "staff", if you going to play rough footsy with me and rip, at least have the balls and vagina to come at me directly --as if "that blogger" gave you any satisfaction and that your boss had to call you into the office to see what was going on. Dummies.


I called you out and the story about your internal bitching is good. If you want to play hard ball then you might want to do a better background check on some of your past human anal warts who provided me the goods. Other than that, have a nice day and get your toilet fixed-- there's a lot of leaks in it. Not than it really matters.


Furthermore when you get a show that's a quarter listenable without the half-baked bleeps and fake and manufactured sexual dog shit, I'll try to stomach myself to give you guys a second chance. On second thought, go back to the hotel and gorge on a box of Cheetos. I have things to do. Have a nice day.


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Two ABC/KGO-TV Giants in TV Promo 30 Years Ago Thursday; Peter Jennings and Van Amburg

 Peter Jennings and Van Amburg. About as big as you can get.


Jennings passed away much too soon from throat cancer a few years ago. Amburg is alive and kicking in El Cerrito --retired and resolute to privacy and comfort.


The above promo debuted in February, 1984. Seems like yesterday.


To this day, Amburg was the highest-paid anchor in San Francisco TV broadcasting history at a salary of just over a million dollars. He also had considerable clout inside the KGO-TV newsroom and he flexed it--until the end. The king of "NewsScene" off his throne.


He left KGO--some said he was essentially shown the door, only a few years later. There's a lot of speculation as to who and what were the cause of his professional demise but I know it wasn't a happy ending.


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Chris Edwards RIP 1941-2013; Legendary SF Broadcaster/Radio Sales

In the 80's when I got my big break at K-101 as sports director and reporter, one of the nicest guys in the biz allowed me the privilege of co-hosting his Sunday Night oldies show. That man was Chris Edwards who passed away Jan. 31 after a lengthy illness.

Edwards not made his mark in broadcasting on the air but off too--after several stints at KSFO, KYA, KABL and KGO, he began a career in sales for well over two decades. One of the best.

A mighty funny, engaging personality, Edwards was a vintage voice back in a time when old-school ruled. His knowledge of rock music-- everything from the Beatles to the Stones, to James Brown and the Temptations was legendary. You name the group, Edwards could name their hits. One-hit wonders? Edwards was a genius in that department.

He was nice too. A dignified character who was well-known in San Francisco radio circles and throughout the industry.

 

 Edwards is survived by his wife, Cynthia Reinholtz and his cousins Larry Dingee of Albany, NY, and Linda Glenn of Kingman, Ariz., and their families, as well as his sister-in-law Shirley Strickland of Jacksonville, Fla., his nieces Stefanie and Alison Strickland of Jacksonville and San Diego, respectively, and brother-in-law Elliott Riser of Mobile, Ala.

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Pete Giddings Made His Mark in Bay Area TV as KGO-TV Weather Guru

 In his heyday, he made $400,000--more than most anchors. Of course he was on KGO's "NewsScene", one of the most successful news franchises in Bay Area history.


Pete Giddings: Circle 7 Weatherman, supreme meteorologist and a pro...with elements, good and bad.


He was brash, arrogant, loyal and intelligent. Some people loved him. A few detested him. He didn't particularly like the guy who eventually replaced him, Lloyd Lindsay Young, but the irony is that LLY went from rags to riches in NY television and earned millions.


Giddings was good to kids and charity. Liked to ski and was famous for his "letter from home." If he liked you, you were in. If he didn't like you, gone. That's how much influence he had.


He's still working --doing weather consulting and occasional fill-in work, mostly on radio in Reno.


And he certainly left a mark on Bay Area TV.


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Exclusive: Kate Scott Soon To Be KGO-TV Sports Anchor; KNBR Tonsil on Watkowski Radar

 Kate Scott, currently doing something of significance at KNBR if you believe in miracles, has been auditioning over at KGO-TV, (ABC7) to presumably become a sports anchor, according to one of my Circle7 spies.


Scott's been on KGO's ND, Tracey Watkowski, radar for "quite a while." A hiring could be imminent. Scott has done some TV work for Comcast, locally.


M-F sports anchor, Larry Beil is safe. Mike Shumann, the weekend guy needn't worry. But Rick Quan, formerly of KPIX and a fill in, might be the odd man out.


Good for Scott. Maybe she could become relevant on TV and be the next Karna Small.


Freaking Awesome, dude! Or Nobody cares? You be the judge.


#RL 415 Media Exclusive


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The Right to (Media) Privacy--Really? In The Real World, Not Really

 Right to Privacy--really?

I hate to break it to you all but when you take a public job--especially a public job where people are watching you, listening to you; if, for example, you're a radio personality and prominent member of a morning news team, you then lose, sort of, your right to privacy. It's not the gospel but in practical terms, it's the truth.

I'm not going to mention the name of the individual a lot of you took me to task for mentioning out of "privacy"-concerns. Some of you--the same people who were wondering what the status was of this particular person because she's been off the air then came back only to disappear again.

High-profile media people, whether we like it or not, become a part of our lives--that is, assuming we watch and listen to them. They tend to be more on TV and less on radio but because we embed them into our daily ritual, like, for example, waking up in the morning to watch Matt Lauer or listen to Stan Bunger broadcast the news...they are, in essence, part of our life. We notice their looks; why their voice sounds cranky; we wonder out loud if they've been gone. If there's no big deal, which is usually the case it'll be announced that they're "under the weather" or "on assignment".

But when they suddenly leave and there's no rhyme or reason and we're left to wonder what's going on, then we all collectively want to know. So then by extension the right to privacy goes out the door whether we like it or not--really, whether they like it or not and that's the reality of having a high-profile job but it comes with the territory. They know it when they take the job.

The situation here was pretty much accelerated by readers who repeatedly asked me about the status of the morning radio announcer. I had no intention of even asking around but I didn't anticipate all the e-mails inquiring if "she was OK.", as if her absence was necessarily medical-related, but nevertheless people were concerned and wanted to know. She apparently has a following.

I don't know her status. And the radio station isn't talking and her colleagues merely say she's away and yes, it's a personal matter but since she's very prominently in the public arena some people are concerned. Which is perfectly normal. She's not a clerk at Macys--she's got a radio gig in SF.

The right to privacy sounds good on paper and it's one of our basic rights but truly this is a different world. Even to those who choose to take a public path of putting food on the table. If you doubt that, you're either in denial or delusional. Reality check.

Gossip? No, not really. And if interpreted that way, we're sorry because we weren't going to go that way even if we were privy to what was going on and we haven't any ideas other than to say we hope this cleared the matter up.

And as for the right to privacy, again, No , not in this world, the real world.

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John Rothmann: The Perfect Host For KGO's 10-1 PM Saturday and Sunday Time Slot

 Rothmann...intellectually honest, phenomenal presidential historian, Middle East expert extraordinaire and a master on politics--with a great set of pipes to boot.

I might even listen.

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