If Allison Payne came clean, what’s WGN trying to hide?
Steve Sanders and Allison Payne
A confused and angry Allison Payne took to her Facebook page Friday to denounce me as a “miserable, inadequate journalist” and “an irresponsible writer.” I know she was confused because she said I worked for the Sun-Times, which hasn’t been the case since October 2008. And I know she must have been angry because she typed her message in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS.
What was my offense? Earlier that day here, I reported on a startling admission Payne made Thursday on the midday newscast she co-anchors with Steve Sanders on Tribune Co.-owned WGN-Channel 9. During an interview with author and former NHL player Theo Fleury, Payne disclosed that she and Fleury had shared the same Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor. Payne’s comment, which I quoted verbatim, struck me as newsworthy because it marked the first time she’d publicly acknowledged a battle with addiction.
Such a confession from any other news anchor or prominent personality no doubt would have merited a headline. But considering Payne’s well-publicized history of slurred speech, glassy-eyed gazes and odd behavior on the air (coupled with numerous and lengthy absences from work in recent years), her revelation seemed especially pertinent. Up until then, she and her bosses attributed everything to her recovery from a series of ministrokes and related depression. No mention had ever been made of addiction or substance abuse of any kind.
Even after Payne, 45, was demoted in 2009 from the 9 p.m. newscast she’d co-anchored for 18 years and moved first to 5:30 p.m. and then to 11 a.m., her performance and appearance on the air seemed to fluctuate day by day. Whether her admission Thursday was deliberate or a slip of the tongue, there was no mistaking her reaction to my account of what she’d said. On Facebook she wrote:
“DEAR WGN VIEWERS, UNFORTUNATELY, AN IRRESPONSIBLE WRITER FOR THE CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, ROBERT FEDER, HAS TAKEN SOMETHING I SAID IN A RECENT INTERVIEW OUT OF CONTEXT. DURING AN INTERVIEW WITH FORMER BLACKHAWK THEO FLEURY, I MENTIONED THAT HE AND I HAD THE SAME SPONSOR. I WAS REFERRING TO A 12 STEP SPONSOR I HAD NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO WHEN I SOUGHT HELP FOR WHAT I FELT WAS A DRINKING PROBLEM. I WAS IN NO WAY REFERRING TO MY RECENT HEALTH PROBLEMS. IN FULL DISCLOSURE, I WAS TREATED BY ADDICTION SPECIALISTS FOR CLINICAL DEPRESSION AND ALL POTENTIALLY ADDICTIVE PRESCRIPTIONS WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. IT IS TRULY TROUBLING THAT THIS MISERABLE, INADEQUATE JOURNALIST TRIED TO TURN A BRIGHT MOMENT WITH MR. FLEURY INTO A DARK ONE. FAR TOO MANY OF US BATTLE ADDICTION IN THE DARKNESS. WE SHOULD NEVER BE ASHAMED OF OURSELVES OR OUR BATTLES.”
In a subsequent interview with Tribune media columnist Phil Rosenthal, Payne again insisted she was not drunk on the air the night viewers flooded the station with calls after observing her swivel in her chair and slur her words in 2008, and said it’s been “probably five years since the last time I went on a big drinking binge.” Added Payne:
“There is no shame in all of this. That’s why I was so happy to talk to Theo. Because he was coming clean and he was letting go of his shame. In saying to Theo that [Michael Harvey] was my sponsor too, I was letting go of some of my shame that I’ve held on to.”
Before we start handing out awards for courage and honesty, it’s worth mentioning that Channel 9 chose not to post video of Payne’s interview with Fleury on its website — a conspicuous omission that suggests her bosses are still covering up. Now that Payne has spoken out, just what are they ashamed of?
When it comes to Payne — or anybody else, for that matter — I have no idea what happens in private. It’s none of my business what substances she’s taken or how long she’s been sober. If she needs help, I hope she’s getting it and I sincerely wish her luck. But that doesn’t mean we have to pretend that things she’s done in public haven’t been raising eyebrows for years.
I still recall an incident in 2006 — before her ordeal with ministrokes — when Payne showed up as “critic for a day” on WTTW-Channel 11’s “Chicago Tonight.” Assigned to review “The Devil Wears Prada,” Payne admitted that she walked out in the middle of the movie because she was offended by its “emphasis on appearance.” (It was, after all, a movie about a fashion magazine.)
Things turned even more bizarre when Payne leaned over the table and handed “Chicago Tonight” correspondent Elizabeth Brackett a check as a donation to the public television station. “We appreciated the contribution — though I was a little startled to receive it on the air,” Brackett later recalled.
Then there was the time in 2008 when Payne was sent to Denver to cover the Democratic National Convention and was seen cheering and applauding speakers while she was seated with the Illinois delegation. Even her own colleagues were embarrassed by the sight of a news anchor displaying such unprofessional partisanship.
And just last August, there was Payne accompanying the Rev. Jesse Jackson on a tour of the Ivory Coast. Never mind that Payne’s bosses publicly promised to limit her participation in stories involving Jackson after he had pulled strings to get her an immediate appointment at the Mayo Clinic. “If he hadn’t called, I know I would have had to wait months to get in,” Payne told me.
The result was an unabashed puff piece by Payne on Jackson’s royal treatment in the West African kingdom. How bad was it? So bad that Channel 9 removed the video from its website before anyone could link to it.
25
01 2010
blogs.vocalo.org
The people running WGN are idiots. Just upload the Payne-Fleury-AA-admission video to your site already, guys! It would get a ton of hits. (I would love it if one of the esteemed commenters here on this site would have DVRed it or TiVoed and could upload it to YouTube. Does anyone have the 2008 clip where she slurred her words on-air? I’d love to see that clip uploaded to YouTube as well.)
And the DNC episode should have been enough to get Allison fired. That kind of partisanship would have cost any magazine or newspaper reporter his/her job, and most broadcast journalists as well (of course standards for that kind of thing are lower in TV and radio than in print). Allison ought to be ashamed of herself. And WGN ought to be ashamed of itself.
Robert:
After I read your column last week, I felt I needed to respond with something I experienced first hand.
I have always respected Allison as a journalist and long time anchor on one of Chicago’s most legendary stations.
What I witnessed was quite frightening.
I was a visitor at WGN Studios in December and met Allison and saw her interaction with her colleagues. I was quite shocked at her behavior. It seemed like she could barely stand still, licking her lips incessantly and slurring her way through a conversation. She was acting very unusual. These did not appear to be the results of a stroke or alcohol abuse, rather medication or over-medication. I could not understand how anyone could put this woman on the air in that condition.
From a public relations standpoint, it’s always fascinating and disappointing when public figures criticize reporters and claim their quotes were taken out of context, instead of telling the whole story, telling it truthfully and telling it early. Whatever the truth might be — and I have no idea what the truth is in this case — Payne’s credibility, like that of any public figure, is strained when she attacks people who write about her.
I give Payne credit for using Facebook to offer her side of the story (as opposed to remaining silent); it’s just too bad she didn’t appear to consult a p.r. person for advice on how to present her viewpoint in a way that would credibly educate the public about whatever her condition(s) might be.
Sadly, this comes as no surprise to this viewer. I’ve witnessed a number of newscasts in the last couple years when Allison looked and acted completely stoned.
I find this quote from her fascinating, “probably five years since the last time I went on a big drinking binge.”
Does that mean she’s been on small drinking binges since than?
I guess so!
And Rob, you left out her other connection to Jackson Sr., that she was dating & for all I know may still be involved with one of his sons.
This is a once talented woman that has serious personal problems that have & are still affecting her job performance, which in her case is very public.
I wouldn’t be surprised if she gets Warner Saunders as her flack.
I guess I’m a bit confused, too. So, then, did she spend time at the MAYO CLINIC for alcohol addiction?? Why is it that she couldn’t be suffering from BOTH conditions? Is it really being suggested that she may not have any a series of mini-strokes at all?
I don’t get it. Why couldn’t she have sought help for possible alcohol abuse 20 years ago AND in recent months suffered a series of mini-strokes?
what about me?
i was wonderful on wgn radio from noon to 3 yesterday. best part: having bob sirott as the recorded staff announcer introducing me. this allowed me the opportunity to suspect on the air that a young indianapolis weather guy named letterman would listen to the big 89 from up in chicago (back when wls had the luster) and must have gotten some of his shtick from bob. the vocal mannerisms are eerily similar.
as for this post, i admit to a great attraction to allison payne. well, she writes in all capital letters. i write in small ones. she says “mini-strokes,” i say “addiction.”
by the way, what do allison payne and tiger woods have in common? they both may or may not have an addiction that they mask with mini-strokes. (well, the part of tiger’s golf game that separates him from the rest of the field is his putting, which in golf parlance is called a mini-stroke.)
the problem with allison payne (and wgn) is that she’s been involved in so much questionable behavior (including but not limited to her leapfrogging into the mayo clinic via the rev. jackson’s clout) that we can no longer tell when she is telling the truth. she is like the boy who cried bruce wolf.
i am concerned about society’s addiction to affirmative action, which in theory should remedy discrimination but in practice so often is perverted that we end up with sad cases like allison payne, who seemingly lives a charmed life because she does not have to live up to the standards that others in her profession do. but life has a way of biting you in the end. and she could very well end up quite bitter because a condescending society did not take her seriously and make her suffer the consequences of her actions. her rage is misdirected. she should not be directing her fury against the canary in the mine shaft who is the author of this post. she should be railing against a culture that does not take her seriously. it’s not a good thing when you can get away with things.
still, i do like the kind of woman who would write a check to channel 11 right in the middle of the show. because i’m the kind of guy who would demand channel 11 write a check to me, the taxpayer who has had to help fund all that unnecessary and dull programming.
i do like allison payne.
Oh well, she is just an anchor — a news reader really, so what’s the big deal? Isn’t it really a stretch to consider someone in that job a “journalist”? She just looks good and reads well… and, evidentally, doesn’t stop and think before she acts, as evidenced by her actions in Denver and with the Reverand Jackson.
Who are you to publish a post even implying a link between her past behavior and her struggle with alcoholism, without first trying to reach her yourself for some kind of comment or confirmation?
Kudos to your competition, Mr. Rosenthal, for actually reaching out to Ms. Payne.
If you did try to reach her, your bosses ought to have insisted that it be noted, high up in your first post.
Alison Payne is a very attractive woman who has an excellent ability to read someone else’s copy from a teleprompter.
And isn’t that what journalistic integrity, ethics, and talent is all about?
If they really want the ratings to skyrocket at WGN they should just let have all she wants of whatever it is she wants.
Joe The big deal is that WGN is a news organization and the pulic deserves more.(THE TRUTH). Letting Alison go on the air high is a bad decision. The show is hard to watch.
Since when Ivory Coast is a kingdom? Not even in a world where the blind are teaching the one-eyed.
Go Get ‘em Bob. Since when is it wrong to tell the truth.
Too much spin at WGN.
WGN-TV seems to have the same type of “MBA” managers that that WGN-AM uses.
The net result of their poor management skills will be to take the formerly great WGN franchise right down to tubes.
No one should be astonished to see the WGN properties sold off.
And surprise, surprise… all the managers responsible for WGN’s demise will turn on the spin machine and place the blame elsewhere. Actually they may blame you, Bob Feder.
So, Allison Payne admits to going on a big drinking binge as recently as five years ago? Yet, she was in AA 20 years ago? In other words, AA didn’t work for her.
Mr. Feder,
I will say this in Payne’s defense, because you have been notorious for attacking folks like Warner Saunders (among others).
Allison probably typed in all caps because that’s how the script on the teleprompter comes up. It is an unfortunate habit for those who work in the news business. Plus, I agree with Christian T above- you didn’t reach out to her for a comment. You just went on her Facebook page. How hard was it to send her a message? If it’s a fan page, then just write on her wall. If that didn’t work, the good ol’ fashioned e-mail would have sufficed.
I understand that you’re trying to be controversial to get page clicks, but this is a bit much.
Christian T. do you honestly think Phil Rosenthal was the one who did the reaching out? Please, this is called the Tribune Co. covering their collective arses.
You took it a little too far, Mr. Feder; from due journalistic diligence to being just plain mean. Addiction is a disease – the only disease you can be ridiculed for having.
What do Allison Payne and Warner Saunders have in common?
Speaking of WGN, how about their horrible morning newscast? It appears that both Robin and Larry never pre-read their copy.
One of my biggest peeves concerns the supposed need for two newscasters. One reads the first line of a news item, the second reads the next line of the same item, and on to the next story. Can’t ONE newsreader handle a single news item themselves?
Overpaid and under talented if you ask me.
IF I ACTED LIKE THAT ON MY JOB I WOULD BE QUESTIONED. IF IT CONTINUED, I’D BE FIRED. OH….BUT THEN IT WOULD BE A RACIAL THING. THAT EXPLAINS THAT.
Robert,
I’m with the overwhelming number people on your side…..
You’re a good person.
Don’t change!!
-JTM
Ryan A – you are absolutely wrong in your post to Rob. If Allison Payne admits ON THE AIR of an addiction, she’s fair game. If a pro athlete, a politician or anyone else in the public light admits to an addiction, it is the responsibility of the press to report the news in a responsible fashion. Rob Feder has ALWAYS reported in a responsible fashion. There is nothing in his report that would think otherwise.
In these days of cut backs and changes in radio and TV, I wouldn’t doubt for 1 second that her admission was prompted by her agent so she would difficult if not impossible to fire.
Payne was probably trying to “bond” in a commonality with the hockey player when she opened the door on her past. She is responsible for what happens from her disclosure. You just cited them, along with her on the air behaviors. She is not the first Chicago newscaster to go on the air in an altered state.
Being brutally honest here, yeah I think the whole thing is a crock and sadly it’s obvious she has problems. Like you I hope she gets the help she needs and shame on WGN for putting her back on TV when she shouldn’t be.
It’s great to have you back Mr. Feder…
Brian Pearson
Deacon Grooves Media
+1, Bruce Wolf, +1. I’m on Rob Feder’s side on this one too.
My biggest concern is her outing of an AA member and his sponsor who apparently is also her sponsor. I don’t believe the folks at the Mustard Seed will be very happy about this. Other AA members take heed – membership is anonymous.
AA Tradition 11: Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films” Obviously, not everyone in AA adheres to this (including many actors, movie critics and VH1 TV show hosts) which then brings us to Tradition 12: “principles before personalities”…meaning not everyone is perfect and let’s focus on our principles rather than judging people…
so bascally there is no right or wrong here as AA is concerned. Don’t drink. There ya go.
Christian T. #
01.25.2010 07:20
9
“Who are you to publish a post even implying a link between her past behavior and her struggle with alcoholism, without first trying to reach her yourself for some kind of comment or confirmation?
Kudos to your competition, Mr. Rosenthal, for actually reaching out to Ms. Payne.”
Are you kidding? She confirmed everything she needed to confirm on live television! The only thing getting in touch with her could possibly do is avail her the time to spin it somehow– which her statement does– very awkwardly. It’s almost comical. The whole situation makes me wonder how long a white female anchor who is average-looking and very average on the air would have kept her job under similar circumstances. We all know the answer, don’t we?
Pete, above, is exactly right. Payne not only outed her sponsor, but also another member of Alcoholics Anonymous. It’s anonymous for a reason, and she was irresponsible in doing so.
Additionally, she clearly did not grasp the 12 steps if she was going on drinking binges as recently as 5 years ago.
Alcoholism is a lifelong struggle, so for Payne to write off her addiction simply because she is a successful television anchor does a serious injustice to addicts out there who may look to her as an example of a fellow addict. She is clearly not seeking out help, and avoiding the issue instead of confronting it head on.
Certainly, your journalism here, Mr. Feder, is not “nice,” per se, but when has being nice been the point of journalism? I applaud you for writing a piece that could be seen as controversial, and perhaps, showing Payne that she should seek out help sooner than later.
This is the 75th anniversary of AA and if Bill Wilson, our founder, could see this screed he would be rolling over in his detox center (or asylum in 1935)!
It is supposed to be an anonymous program – this story raises a number of issues: Payne outting herself in pubic; Payne naming Theury and Payne naming a sponsor! The AA program clearly states: that “AA has no opinion on outside issues lest problems of money, property or prestige divert us from our primary purpose.” It also says: “We need always maintain personal anonymity at the level or press, radio, tv or films.” (or Internet!) Yikes, Mike
Sorry, Theo Fleury (not Theury). But let’s keep him anonmyous too please!
Whose fault is Ms. Payne’s slurred speech, blurry vision, licking and smacking her lips (a trait cats and dogs have right after they have eaten…perhaps what Anonymous “observed” was merely poor table manners) spinning in her anchor chair, sitting with the Democrats, and writing in ALL CAPS?
Is it the fault of RFeder? Bruce Wolfe? Hal NewHousesalesmaner? Is it MY fault? The fault of her viewers?
Let’s ask Pat Robertson, shall we?
I have no issue with Mr Feder, he handled this the right way. I have no issue with WGN or Tribune, they are standing behind someone they believe in. I have no issue with Allison, I wish her inner human strength to tackle this issue. For all the insensitive including a comment from a message forum operator which coldly stated “I think those two should just sit down and have a nice cold drink together. Oh wait…..” with a picture of 2 alcholic drinks, I hope this never touches any of you or anyone you look up to. Before you can be respected maybe all the insensitive involved can take a lesson from Mr Feder how to report/comment yet be tactful.
I don’t know which is funnier. Having an addiction or having a stroke. Oh. Wait. Neither of those are funny. In fact, both suck. I wouldn’t want to have either. So maybe having a bit of compassion for Ms. Payne would be the appropriate response. But then, that’s not nearly as much fun as cracking drunk jokes or making racialist comments, is it?
I agree with Rev. Pat.
Like Mr. Feder, I don’t happen to have a medical degree, so I wouldn’t presume to know exactly how the strokes have affected her mannerisms and behavior. Brain injuries, and I presume, any medications she may be taking, can have varied affects.
As for alcoholism -it’s a lifelong disease.If she is indeed still struggling with either issue, kudos to her employer for offering a supportive environment. I am definitely not on board with this mean-spirited attack journalism.
Mark, Feder wrote the initial column in a way that raised questions about whether it was alcoholism, and not mini strokes, that were behind her behavior on air. If he is going to even loosely imply such a linkage, he owes it to her to go beyond her casual on-air statements and question her directly.
Was alcohol abuse behind your behavior?
Did you have mini-strokes at all?
12 step sponsors are always to be the same sex as the one being sponsored. She had a male sponsor? The whole thing sounds like a sham. Is she two-stepping the program? She’s cured, yeah right.
Reading this story and thread, all I can piece together is that Ms. Payne is still on the air because of her linkage to Reverend Jesse Jackson. Would be nice if WGN-TV would stand up to Payne, in spite of this Jackson connection, and tell her that on-air news-reading is not something she can do for them any longer.
There are likely many people who could do her job well – without issues. If this offends Rev. Jackson, maybe the next news-reader could do more stories on his infidelity. It’s about the only time he ever shut up for awhile.
First time posting here… an honor.
Wow, this just goes to show you how up Sam Ziphead and Randy Michaels have ruined the Tribune Co. beyond repair… just like Jeff Zucker and Ben “I shoot coke up my nose” Silverman wrecked NBC… Big Media strikes again.
As for the alcoholism, why in the hell should I care about someone who makes six figures in a job anyone would kill for, especially these days? There are people in worse shape that need help… She put herself in this situation. Maybe Allison Payne should go out for drinks with the backstabbing Jay Leno, the two-faced, hypocritical unfunny jerk who threw Conan O’Brien under the bus…
And to the race-baiting commenters, last I checked, the four idiots I mentioned are keeping their jobs despite their screw-ups, so why shouldn’t Ms. Payne? Don’t give me this “she’s kept her job because she’s black” bull****. She’s a class act compared to Michael Wilbon of The Worldwide Leader in B.S. , who says things on “Pardon The Interruption” sometimes that are just unbelievable. Proof that Warner Saunders actually has illegitimate children…
But who cares, really? From the perspective of this African-American, Chicago media is a utter freak show run by imbeciles – no matter what the color, and if Allison Payne does retire, don’t be surprised if her replacement is the annoying Tyra Banks. She can tems up with the equally annoying Jim Belushi to anchor the 9 p.m. news on WGN, but no one will notice because local news is already a perverted joke.
Keep up the great work Rob, I’ve always loved reading your columns – don’t let the humanoids get to you.
“Feder wrote the initial column in a way that raised questions about whether it was alcoholism, and not mini strokes, that were behind her behavior on air. If he is going to even loosely imply such a linkage, he owes it to her to go beyond her casual on-air statements and question her directly.”
I could not agree more. There’s nothing wrong with reporting what Allison Payne said on air. But it’s beyond shoddy journalism to not reach out to her directly for comment when implying that her mini-strokes were a cover for alcoholism. Especially when Feder states that it’s something her co-workers long expected.
Feder’s blog has become a haven for unreported, journalistically questionable stories. Take the WGN window for example. He complained about it and took a pot shot at the Tribune, but never called the Trib to see why the window wasn’t replaced. (Even though listeners knew the reason…it’s was a permit issue. The city wouldn’t let the sidewalk disruption until the Saturday after New Year’s…the exact day it ended up gettig replaced, though Feder gave himself credit for its replacement.)
Media critic heal thyself.
Tina – On air, Gary Meier was told that the window was special ordered and would take months to come in. This was stated on Meier’s show sometime in December. There weren’t many fabrications/lies surrounding the window not being replaced. Instead of taking months to replace as reported, it was replaced after Rob’s publicizing the problem. So, who’s to say that Rob didn’t have anything to do with the expediated replacement of the window?
You and several others on here: Get off his nuts, already, will ya??
What was not reported was that the strokes/drinking was a result of Ms. Payne’s very nasty break-up from a long term romantic relationship with Jackson’s son, Yusef. She took it very hard (and it was Yusef’s fault – he was two timing and eventually married another woman – of the Caucasian persuasion to boot !), Jesse felt bad and clouted her into the Mayo Clinic without the standard long waiting time.
My question is how will the media play this ? They take a hands off / circle the wagons’ approach when it comes to publicizing one of their own, but will camp out on the doorsteps of other folks, saying they are just doing their jobs, no matter how much what they report ruins lives.
Except for Amy Jacobsen, the media will not put their own members on blast such as Hosea Sanders problems, or Marion Brooks whoring around with the Mayor of Atlanta or Don Lemon’s lifestyle or Cheryl Burton’s past as a few examples.
Keep digging Rob, I enjoy your posts
I would point to Rob’s former Sun Times colleague Neil Steinberg as an example of someone who handled his alcohol problem with rather exceptional candor and grace. The man didn’t hide. He didn’t point fingers. I think only a blind idiot would say he hasn’t noticed the occasional bizarre hitch in Allison Payne’s delivery over the past five or six years. She really shouldn’t be so disingenuous. Viewers aren’t stupid. We’re not blind. Idiots at times? Sure. But not blind.
Who cares? As an AA member myself I am appalled that Ms. Payne would even bring up her sponsor’s name, name of the club she went to, etc. We’re not supposed to be talking about any of that. If she was working a good program, she’d know that. She put herself before the group, which tells me where her head is at and why she went on a drinking binge five years ago (I believe I read that in Sun Times article). All of these media/celebrity types need to stop using AA as a publicity tool and remember what it’s about. (PS Ms Payne, if you don’t want people like Feder dissing you don’t publicly bring up your problems. Alcoholics and drug addicts not working a good program tend to blame others for their own actions)
I also remember another bizarre on-air incident involving Allison Payne in August 2008 during the 9:00p.m. news. After the weather report she gave Tom Skilling a tin of cat food for one of his cats and remarked that she doesn’t see him much so she had to give it to him on the air. Don’t they work in the same building? Skilling’s reaction showed that he did not know what to think of it. If she has a problem I hope she gets help but she and her bosses need to think about how she acts on television because it reflects poorly on her and WGN.
I am worried about Allison Payne. I know more than most and I predict she is self medicating to the point of exhaustion and possibly to lethal doses. I know WGN-TV has tried their “alleged” best to help her. i.e. giving her time off to attend rehab, but this maybe out of their rehlm. If they care about her LIFE they need to approach this issue once again. Ignorant are they who ignore this very serious, life-threatening problem. She is not capable of helping herself so they need to step in. Thanks you Feder for brining this issue to the forefront.
Broadcasting folks with dependency issues aren’t the problem. They don’t represent even a fifth of the trouble with Chicago TV news.
A significant issue in Chicago TV news results from having too many producers right out of J-school who know “the street” only as the place where the nightclubs are and who have never had an empathetic feeling for a person in pain in their miserable weed/coke/sex addled lives. They love to use crying victims/relatives/friends on screen ’cause it jacks them up almost as much as playing video games. Producing is a job to them. Feelings mean nothing.
And let’s say it once more: gangbanger shootings are NOT a tragedy nor newsworthy, unless they involve (non-banger) children (non-banger) pregnant women or the (non-banger)elderly. Another rule of thumb: a young victim’s momma will ALWAYS claim he was an honor student and “never ran wit’ those gangs in his life.” Truth be told, he not only ran wit’ ‘em, he probably shot people for them. “Innocent” is not a word I would use to describe them. “Failed to duck” is more applicable, although in a majority of cases “own gun misfired at wrong time” also works.
Whew. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.
It’s not alcohol. You’re all on the wrong track.
@James Dvorak:
You left out one other ridiculous & revolting constant on local TV news.
The tearful plaint from the victim’s family for the shooter/hit & run driver to turn themselves in to the cops.
Why would they do that, they’ll go to prison?
I’m not defending killings or hit & run, but come on, cut the BS!
@Scott: “On air, Gary Meier was told that the window was special ordered and would take months to come in. This was stated on Meier’s show sometime in December.”
This sounds like it would make for a fascinating late-night encore presentation.
Boris# – Who holds a grudge??
Actually, you wouldn’t criticize Garry’s having talked about the window if you heard the entire portion of his program where he talked about the boarded-up window. It was, like many of Garry’s segments, hilarious!!
Give Garry a chance, I think even you might find him humorous… then, maybe not.
@Scott: Perhaps you could put out a newsletter to expound on this hilarity. It could be like the Tischreden.
Boris# – One does not have to put out a newsletter to expound on the hilarity of Garry Meier. It’s self-explanatory in a common-sense vein.
Are you really here to discuss radio and entertainment – or to try to impress the unimpressed with your self-impressed irrational, out-of-syntax style of obscure vocabulary. I’d assume that most here don’t know of the German Tischreden – nor do they care. If people want puzzles, they know where to find them. The purpose of writing is obviously to communicate clearly – not confuse. For antiquated Tischreden references and other inappropriate verbiage, write yourself a letter, mail it, and be impressed when you receive it and open it. For a message board about radio and television entertainment, your writing is totally uncharacteristic of what readers expect. And yes, I’m confidently speaking for the masses because I am sure of this.
Your “look how I can impress you with my verbiage!” methods cause me to be embarrassed for you. It’s like you’re trying to ‘hang out’ with the good ole boys at a country saloon while wearing a tuxedo (that you found in the garbage).
Totally unimpressed here…
@Scott – Leave the other readers to decide for themselves whether they’re enjoying Boris’s vocabulary, and tone down the vitriol a notch. If you’re going to throw stones, though, your comment about Jackson was iffy. The “OMG Black Clout!” hysteria meme is so ’90’s. Let’s put that one to bed, please.
Ms. Commenter# – I’ll say what I want – when I want. If you don’t like my posts, don’t read ‘em, Sweetheart.
The Jackson comment obviously hit home. If you don’t like it, disregard it. After all the stones that have been cast my way by Boris in various posts, I resent you haven’t told him to get off ‘my’ back first.
You have a problem with criticizing equally, and I understand that’s because you were offended by the hard-hitting Jackson comment of which I have every right to make. It’s not totally illogical. If you think so, back your standing, don’t just b*tch about it.
When I feel I’ve been treated fairly by Boris, I’ll tone what I want – when I want. Get off your arrogant pedestal and quit telling this poster what to do and say. I don’t respond well to that as you can see.
Talk showbiz and I’ll continue interacting with you on here – keep talking trash to and about me, and you’re on silent, Sweetheart!
I’m out…
@Scott,
If I offended you, I’m sorry. That wasn’t my intent.I just happened to notice your comment in the conversation. I don’t know who did what to whom first, but if it’s as you say, perhaps Boris is another candidate for the “silent” feature. Keep in mind, you’re only responsible for one person’s behavior- yours.
Regarding Miss Payne being in her position due to Jackson – perhaps this only appears “questionable” because you are making a race and clout-based claim without laying down any of the facts that led you there. I’m not exactly sure what’s “hard-hitting” about that. Sounded more like “jumping to conclusions.” There seems to be a lot of that here, and to me, it’s troublesome.
What power does Jackson have in this realm? He can’t fine them (the station) or shut them down. He doesn’t have any special favors to offer. Bottom line, news is a big piece of the $$ pie for the station, and I can’t imagine management letting someone else make their decisions for them. Explain to me what Jackson could have said to them? “Keep her on air or…” Or what? Fill in that blank, please.
S
PS
How is “Sweetheart” capitalized there? Is it an official title? Should I be getting paid for being a sweetheart, and I just somehow haven’t got the memo? (I kid, I kid.)
Ms. Commenter#
While I appreciate your respectful response to my post to you, I think anyone one (including you) who thinks race doesn’t have some impact on who gets hired and fired these days is not being realistic. As far as Rev. Jesse Jackson is concerned, I feel that a person ‘close’ to him would be given preferential treatment over others. It’s not that Jackson could necessarily ‘do’ anything to the station, but I feel that there would definitely be a feeling that Jackson is a ‘boat that doesn’t need to be rocked’ – thereby, leave his ‘close’ friends/contacts alone. Lets face it, getting rid of Allison due to an addition problem of which Jackson tried to help her would be of concern to him – as he is ‘close’ enough to her to want to help her. I respect him for that and respect her for getting help. I just simply said there are others (without this type of problem) who could be in her spot, and I think the ‘Jackson connection’ plays into the station’s decision to keep her. I stand by this. Please respect my opinion as I respect yours. Thanks for responding.
@Scott: “When I feel I’ve been treated fairly by Boris, I’ll tone what I want — when I want. Get off your arrogant pedestal and quit telling this poster what to do and say.”
#
Funny, *you* seem entirely comfortable telling other people what to say, including weird rants about clarity of speech while invoking strange and incoherent phrases such as “out-of-syntax style” and “I’ll tone what I want.” These, too, I imagine are “self-explanatory in a common-sense vein.”
Boris# – Again, the details are needed in your claims. Please give specifics to what you’re b*tching about this time. As much as you try to convince others that you have an above-average intellect and vocabulary, I’m surprised you can’t figure out the meaning of some of these quoted phrases (that you’ve quoted in your last post). “Out of syntax” means you put words and sentences out of order and make the meaning difficult if not impossible to decipher without re-reading and often ‘guessing’ what you mean to say. As far as “I’ll tone what I want” was in reference to the poster telling me to ‘tone down’ my rhetoric. I maintain that I will tone (down or up) as I choose. I’m not quite sure why you found that confusing, but so be it. “Self-explanatory in a common sense vein” means that something explains itself if you utilyze common sense when reading something. You really needed help in comprehending these quotes?
Again, I’m confused by your responses and… out!
Dear Mr. Feder
I truly don’t know why you chose to point out publicly the private struggles of one of Chicago’s most beloved anchors. Would you like for someone to dig up your skeletons and post them publicly? Perhaps you have done a little Tigering around. Those sorted details do not need to be aired. Perhaps you would still be employed by the Chicago Sun Times if you were not such a jerk.
Nicole # – Your comments to Rob Feder are way out of line. His business is to report on Chicago radio and TV. This post is about just that! He wrote about the on-air performance of an anchor in an effort to explain the performance as it has been for a time. This post was informative to many. If you don’t want such information, click out or turn to another page in your newspaper.
In my decades of reading, being informed and entertained by Rob’s articles, I have found him to do his job expertly. He has a unique style and clarity in his written communicating that Chicago rarely sees. He is a professional who does his job extremely well. That is how he has lasted decades in such a competitive job and in such a competitive market.
While one might say that being a writer subjects one to over-criticisms such as yours, I, nonetheless, applaud him for being here and weathering the criticisms cast by readers such as you.