2019 LIU Post & WCWP Homecoming Weekend October 21, 2019
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Football, History, Internet, Interviews, Jazz, Media, Military, Music, News, Personal, Photography, Radio, Sports, Travel, Video, Weather.2 comments
Other recaps: 2008, 2009, WCWP 50th Anniversary (2011), 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Another WCWP Homecoming Weekend has come and gone at LIU Post. This is a recap of all three days of the campus radio station’s alumni-hosted block of programming, including coverage of the LIU Sharks‘ Homecoming game against the Saint Francis Red Flash.
Before the proper recap, an explanation about what’s changed since last year. Starting with the fall 2019 semester, Long Island University athletics for the Brooklyn and Post campuses have merged, which means one color set, one team name, and one big move to NCAA Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision). The LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds and LIU Post Pioneers are now, collectively, the LIU Sharks. Now, the recap.
Two days in advance, I scheduled an Uber pickup at my house on Friday at 10AM. The driver was prompt, parking at the curb. With my equipment in tow, I hopped in the backseat and the drive began. I was dropped off at the Abrams Communications Building, home to WCWP, at 10:28. I set down my equipment and set up my laptop in studio 3 on one of the computer tables. After visiting the campus bookstore in Hillwood Commons, I returned to the station and set up the tripod, camcorder, and shotgun mic in studio 4. I was going to record the first show of Homecoming Weekend: Art Beltrone’s PostScripts talk show. Back by my laptop, I connected a portable radio tuned to 88.1 FM to an audio recorder and began recording at 11:50. Then, I walked into studio 4 and waited for PostScripts to begin.
To my left was this banner:
The Long Island University colors are blue for Brooklyn and gold for Post. As you’ll see in the Saturday pictures, the campus’s green signs were all painted sky blue.
Show time:
Art’s first guest was Joan Yonke, the LIU Post Campus Director of Employer and Alumni Engagement (I accidentally left out the “Employer and” part in the show video):
Art’s next guests were Jeff Kroll, who engineered the show…:
…and his wife Pat, who coordinated the guests:
After playing the Krolls’ (and the Yonkes’) wedding song, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” by Frankie Valli, a milestone was acknowledged:
Exactly 58 years ago – October 18, 1961, at 12:15 PM – WCWP signed on as an AM carrier current station. Art Beltrone was the first student voice ever heard on its air. In honor of the occasion, the sign-on was played at 12:15 in 2019.
Art listened fondly:
When the first non-student voice, Dennis Sullivan, tossed back to Art on the tape, Jeff cued Art in the present:
Following “Hello, Dolly!” by Louis Armstrong, Bill Mozer dropped by:
Jeff Kroll joined in the conversation:
For the last hour, Art spoke to fellow alumni and Vietnam Veterans, Jack Cassidy and Mike Padula:
Jack Cassidy:
Mike Padula:
Art, Jack, and Mike also spoke to guests over the phone, including John LiBretto, Jim Harley, and Ron Zappardino. I had to leave studio 4 at 1:30 to set up for my show, Instrumental Invasion with Mike Chimeri, in studio 2.
Here are portions of PostScripts, some of which were photographed above:
When 2PM came, Art handed off to me, I played a legal ID, and began my show. I thanked Art and all of his guests, then played my first song: “Flash Back Friday” by bassist Julian Vaughn, guitarist Nick Colionne‘s nephew.
As the song played, I went back into studio 4 to take a picture of Jack Cassidy, Jeff Kroll, Art Beltrone, and Mike Padula:
While my second song, “Illuminate” by Steve Oliver, was playing, Pat Kroll took the obligatory photo of me at the board in studio 2:
There was also time for Art’s friend Ed Keller to take our picture:
The show proceeded from there with little to no hiccups. Here were my surroundings:
During my show, Bill Mozer moved the livestream webcam from studio 4 to 2. We spoke while I was off mic. One of the liners I played was of Dan Ingram, legendary New York DJ and commercial voice talent, while visiting the station in 1968. Back then, the university was known as C.W. Post College. The liner went like this:
Hi there, Kemosabe. This is Big Dan Ingram. Whenever I’m on the Merriweather campus, and my bosses in New York don’t know about it, I always listen to WCWP, at 88.1, in Brookville, New York. Love it.
“Merriweather” referred to Marjorie Merriweather Post.
Bill, who worked with Dan at WABC, remarked that he was never “on the Merriweather campus” – besides that day – so he therefore never listened to the station. I replied that he was humoring the students that recorded him.
Bobby Guthenberg, a.k.a. Bobby G., complimented my playlist on Facebook, and my friend Ryan Grabow texted me after I played “Silver Arrows” by the Rippingtons. When he would appear on The Mike Chimeri Show 15 years ago, he’d always say “a ripping good time” whenever I played a Ripps song. Coincidentally, the next song I played was “Dear Friend” by Patrick Bradley, a fitting title.
Before I knew it, I was signing off and playing my last song: “Nu Som” by Mike Stern and Jeff Lorber Fusion.
Here is the show aircheck…:
Direct link
…transitions, with the aforementioned Dan Ingram liner…:
Direct link
…and the video:
Jeff Jensen was next at 4PM:
Here are a couple of his talk breaks:
I headed home just before 5:00 and was home half an hour later. After editing the airchecks that you heard above, day 1 was complete.
I started my Saturday by editing videos, synced with the aircheck audio, and photos. Then, I got ready to return to LIU Post. While waiting to turn onto Northern Boulevard, I took out my camera so I could photograph what once was green and now is blue.
It was 1:05 when I turned into the campus’s east gate:
MyWCWP, which was WebRadio WCWP when I was a student, was renamed The Wave:
The Wave is also the name of a Southern California radio station that used to play smooth jazz: 94.7 The Wave. Since I’m not on this Wave, there’s no smooth or contemporary jazz to be found.
During the second quarter of the Sharks’ Homecoming game against Saint Francis, I walked over to Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium to take in some of the action:
I was given media access, which allowed me to go up to the press box…at least at first. Saint Francis did not bring a crew to broadcast the game, but LIU did, from the roof. To get there, you had to climb this ladder:
Jeff Kroll (right) and Neil Marks (left) called the game:
A view from the top:
Considering the Sharks were winless coming into the game and were unlikely to score while I was on the roof, I left after I took the above pictures. Before I left, I had Pat Kroll take a photo of me:
2:25 PM UPDATE: Jeff informed that the NEC (Northeastern Conference) had a room in the press box for the video feed and conference announcers. He added:
The video equipment is also used for all play reviews. Cameras manned by WCWP students! Ours was the only radio broadcast of the game.
The walk back to WCWP:
Pioneer Lane is now Shark Street:
The Sharks fell to 0-6, blown out by the Saint Francis Red Flash 30-0. It was 9-0 after three quarters, but SFU exploded for 21 points in the first six minutes of the fourth. Factoring in the Pioneers past, this was the team’s first loss on Homecoming since 2011. It was also the first loss Jeff and Neil called since the Pioneers lost to the Iona College Gaels 9-2 in 1989.
Air traffic was moderate and a couple of planes were low enough for me to get high resolution crops. This is a DHL plane:
I think this might be Alitalia:
After the dust had settled on the Sharks’ loss, studio host John Zoni ran the “highlights”…:
…and listed the scores elsewhere in the NEC:
Due to a lung infection early in the week, Bernie Bernard was unable to make it up from Florida. Bobby G. and Mike Riccio expanded their show to fill in for her. Due to the short length of the football game, the show began at 3:45, 45 minutes early.
Bobby flew solo while Mike was in transit:
Hanging out in the studio were Jay and Arlene Elzweig…:
…and Jett Lightning, who I wanted to get a picture with:
I would pose for more pictures later.
Mike Riccio arrived in time for Bernie Bernard to call in:
Wanting to be a part of the call, I got on my knees by Bobby’s mic, holding up a Rick Wakeman CD at one point:
Once Mike was at the controls, the playlist turned to artists that appeared at Woodstock:
I came on at one point to promote the rest of the weekend, including my second Instrumental Invasion that would air at 2AM:
The big WCWP Hall of Fame announcement was set for 6:00. Before then, I went outside to the barbecue for a burger and hot dog, and some cookies for dessert.
Then, I got to meet fellow alumni Joel Mahan and Jerry Reilly, posing here with Bill Mozer:
I was so glad to see M.J. Lonardo and K.J. Mills:
M.J. complimented me on my running, which I had been writing about on Facebook, with a few milestone posts on Twitter and Instagram.
2019 WCWP Hall of Fame inductee Pete Bellotti made the announcement:
Here’s how things looked on the livestream webcam during this segment (courtesy of Ted David):
The 2020 inductees are…:
Alan Seltzer and Christina Kay!
I stood in front of the camcorder and applauded the inductees:
With the announcement complete, I began to pack up for home, but not before taking the obligatory shot of Mike and Bobby:
John Zoni’s postgame and the segments from Mike and Bobby’s show can all be seen here:
Me with John Zoni:
Dan Cox:
I owe my career in radio to Dan. He was my Broadcasting 4 professor in the spring of 2001 and recommended me to then-station manager Judy Cramer the following semester. A few weeks later, on October 5, I was on the air for the first time.
Bill Mozer:
…and Pete Bellotti:
Joel Mahan wanted a photo with Pete, as well:
The last pic of the weekend for me was Bill Mozer and Alan Boritz, who followed Mike and Bobby at 10PM:
Bill photographed the weekend with his own DSLR camera. Via the WCWP Alumni Association Facebook group, here are his photos – with “no film in the camera” – starting with John Zoni during his 6PM show on Friday:
Jay Mirabile and Pete Bellotti during Friday’s 10PM DFK Show:
The picture was taken with Jay’s phone, but Bill cropped it.
On Saturday, it’s Art Beltrone and Jay Elzweig:
Grandfather Rock Chris MacIntosh:
Pat Kroll and Lew Scharfberg:
And at the mic for his 10PM show, Alan Boritz:
From midnight to 4AM, WCWP had the one-two punch of Strictly Jazz with Hank Neimark, John LiBretto, and Rita Sands – which they recorded in late August – and the second Instrumental Invasion with Mike Chimeri – which I recorded at home back on September 26. It was chocolate and peanut butter back to back. In SiriusXM parlance, they were Real Jazz, I was Watercolors. Hank told the aforementioned Facebook group he was listening to the station, including his own show, from Greece, expressing what a thrill it was.
Here is the aircheck for Strictly Jazz…
Direct link
…and Instrumental Invasion:
Direct link
And of course, the latter show’s transitions…:
Direct link
I try to work in as many of the notes I write on my playlists as I can, but some notes stay on the paper.
Unfortunately, Magick Mike Hendryx’s show didn’t run, making for the second year in a row where that’s happened to a file designated for Sunday at 4AM. Strictly Jazz reran at 6AM as scheduled.
I spent Sunday working on this post and periodically listening to WCWP. Like last year, Jay LaPrise (“la-PREE”) had the first live show of the day at 8AM. Here are his last two talk breaks:
Direct link
The ladies of Prison Break Radio, Jamie Mazzo and Sara Dorchak, were next at 10AM. Here are their first four talk breaks:
Direct link
Billy the Kid (Billy Houst) followed at noon. He was later joined by Joey C. (Joe Conte) and Big L Lou (Lou Raio). Here are talk breaks from Billy’s first hour:
Direct link
Bill Mozer photographed Billy…:
…Joey C. …:
…and Lou Raio:
Billy the Kid was followed at 2PM by Joe the Honerkamp. Here are five talk breaks from his show:
Direct link
And one picture of him by Bill Mozer:
That is his index finger, not the other one.
The last three photos in this post were taken by Pat Kroll.
At 4PM, Lew Scharfberg:
Direct link
Jeff Kroll ran the board:
6PM had a Homecoming Weekend edition of Rock ‘N’ Soul Gospel with Grandfather Rock Chris MacIntosh:
Direct link
Next to last was Alana at 8PM with The Rockin’ Sunday Show, following an introduction by Jeff Kroll:
Direct link
And turning out the lights on the 60-hour block was Jeff himself from 10PM to midnight, following Alana’s lead-in:
Direct link
I was singled out in Jeff’s credits:
Mike Chimeri! Oh, Mike, a great jazz show; in fact, two of them this weekend. And always with the pictures and the videos. Thanks so much, Mike.
Thank you, Jeff. This is a labor of love for me as I know putting together Homecoming Weekend each year is for you and Pat. If it means I have restless nights as my brain contemplates what tasks I have left to do, so be it. The fruits of my labor make it all worthwhile.
It was great catching up with my fellow alumni throughout the weekend. It warms my heart to be among you.
Thank you to those that stayed with this recap to the end. I leave with Jeff’s last words last night:
Thanks to all here at WCWP. It’s been a wonderful 2019 Homecoming Weekend. We’ll get the schedules together and see what happens a year from now. And it’ll be a new decade: 2020! Thanks for tuning in to the WCWP Homecoming Weekend.
And for posterity, the schedule:
Witnessing the final round of the 2019 PGA Championship May 21, 2019
Posted by Mike C. in Golf, Internet, Interviews, Jazz, Media, Music, News, Personal, Photography, Sports, Travel, TV, Video, Weather.2 comments
For the fourth year in a row, I attended at least one PGA Tour event; and for the third time in the last four years, I attended a round of a major golf tournament. Three years ago, it was the second round of the PGA Championship at Baltusrol. Last year, the third round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Sunday, I attended the final round of the PGA Championship (final leaderboard) at Bethpage State Park’s Black Golf Course, Bethpage Black for short. The Black previously hosted the 2002 and 2009 U.S. Open.
The 101st PGA Championship was the first to be played in May, after decades in which it was held in August and served as the last major of the season. Now, it’s the second. That means CBS holds the broadcast rights to the first two majors of the year, with Fox carrying the U.S. Open and NBC televising the Open Championship.
Bethpage State Park and its courses are only 15 minutes away from my Wantagh home, but going there for the PGA Championship by car required driving south to Jones Beach State Park parking field 3 or 4 for general parking:
My dad and I were directed to field 4:
From there, a shuttle bus took us east on Ocean Parkway, north on Wantagh Parkway to Exit W6, east on Merrick Road, north on the Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway (NY 135), east on Merritts Road (after exiting at a special ramp), and finally to the terminal outside Bethpage Black. We arrived at 12:30, two hours and five minutes before Brooks Koepka (“KEP-ka”), the 54-hole leader by seven shots, was to tee off:
The sun broke through the clouds for the first few hours, but the clouds eventually won out.
The USGA calls their shop the Merchandise Pavilion; the PGA calls it The PGA Shops:
Having already purchased a cap and short-sleeve shirt, the latter of which I wore on the second night of Smooth Jazz for Scholars, and not wanted to lug a bag of merchandise all day, I waited until we left in the evening to get anything.
The defending champion, and, I hoped, the repeat champion:
The range:
Among those practicing were Lucas Bjerregaard, Erik Van Rooyen, and Rickie Fowler.
The obligatory photo op:
The practice green and media center:
The bridge to the range:
The bridge from the 18th green:
Another practice green:
Phil Mickelson walking up the bridge after his final round:
He shot 76 for the second consecutive round, finishing at +12.
The 1:05 group: Lucas Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open Champion…:
…and Lucas Bjerregaard:
The Lucases both shot 73 and finished at +3.
The electronic leaderboard/TV monitor:
The 1st fairway:
The 1st green:
I stood by the 2nd tee to watch three groups come by:
First, another group where the pair share a first name: Danny Lee:
…and Danny Willett, 2016 Masters Champion:
The Dannys both shot 77, with Lee finishing at +6 and Willett +7.
The Goodyear Blimp provided aerial coverage early on:
But cloud cover forced it to ground.
The second group I saw at 2 was Rickie Fowler:
…and Sung Kang, who won the AT&T Byron Nelson tournament the week before:
Fowler shot 77 to finish at +6, while Kang fared a little better: 72 to finish even-par.
The third was Jordan Spieth, who won the Masters and U.S. Open in 2015 and Open Championship in 2017:
…and Erik Van Rooyen:
Van Rooyen’s tee shot was way left:
Here’s where it ended up:
The 2nd fairway:
The 2nd green:
Spieth was one stroke better than yesterday, 71, ending up at -2. Van Rooyen shot 73 and finished at +1.
The 3rd tee:
The 3rd green and 4th tee:
The 4th fairway:
After that, I started to get hot – that’ll teach me to wear a jacket – and didn’t feel like walking the entire course. So, I headed for the 18th green. Along the way, I saw the 13th green:
14th tee:
14th green:
Back across Round Swamp Road, the 16th green grandstand:
15th tee:
16th green:
Somewhere in the distance is the 17th tee:
The 17th green and its grandstands:
The 18th tee:
18th fairway, which didn’t see many balls this round:
The 18th green and grandstands:
The TNT/CBS broadcast tower, overlooking the 18th fairway and green:
Jim Nantz and Nick Faldo called the action from 2:00 to 7:00. Spoiler alert: the championship ended on time, meaning 60 Minutes started on time.
The 18th fairway, seen from the greenside bunker:
Matt Kuchar after shooting 69:
He was one of a handful players under par for the round. He finished +1 for the championship.
After stopping at the adjacent concession stand for lunch/dinner, Dad and I returned to our spot by the greenside bunker:
We stayed there to the end. The stiff breezes cooled me off to the point where I put my jacket back on.
Between groups, the leaderboard would switch to the CBS feed (no audio). We watched as Brooks Koepka’s seven-shot lead almost evaporated, mainly due to four straight bogeys from 11 to 14, and Dustin Johnson, two groups ahead, drew closer, with five birdies and only one bogey through 15 holes. Even though I’ve rooted against players myself, I was startled that the fans around me, behind me by the ropes and up in the stands, were cheering Koepka’s demise. I like D.J., I even saw him triumph over Jordan Spieth in The Northern Trust two years ago, but I wanted Koepka to finish what he started. I’ve seen collapses in other sports, and the 2012 Ryder Cup, and I don’t like them. When Dustin Johnson faltered himself with bogeys at 16 and 17, I shook my head in affirmation and pumped my fist, not that anyone noticed. “Take that, fans,” I thought. But the fans cheered again when D.J. saved par at 18, chanting “D.J.! D.J.!” They cheered more as Brooks Koepka missed a short par putt at 17.
We’ll get to Koepka’s 18th hole in a bit. But first, here are some of the players that came before him, starting with Rory McIlroy, the 2012 and 2014 PGA Champion, as well as the 2011 U.S. Open Champion and 2014 Champion Golfer of the Year (winner of the Open Championship):
Like Matt Kuchar, McIlroy shot under par 69 and finished at +1.
When I went back to the concession stand for a chocolate chip cookie, I noticed there was another course map, smaller than the one by the entrance:
Back at the green, the Lucases, Glover and Bjerregaard:
One hole earlier, at 17, Bjerregaard made a hole in one while Glover chipped in for birdie from the bunker! I heard the roar, but didn’t know what it was until I saw on the leaderboard/monitor. It turns out my friend, guitarist and vocalist Matt Marshak, was there and saw both shots! How exciting!
Back at 18, Danny Lee in the bunker:
Rickie Fowler:
Jordan Spieth:
Dustin Johnson:
“D.J.! D.J.!”:
He finished with a 69, -6 for the championship. Spoiler again, Koepka survived 18 to win by two.
Luke List:
List had a rough day after three rounds under par. He shot 74 to finish at -1.
And that brings us to Brooks Koepka. His tee shot landed in the fescue left of the fairway:
His second shot landed back in the fairway.
After checking the distance…:
…he laid up and landed on the green, 12 feet from the hole:
The fans changed their allegiance to Koepka as he walked up to his ball:
After playing partner Harold Varner III putted out, an unfortunate 81 for him and +6 finish, Koepka putt from 12 feet:
…and made it:
As Jim Nantz said on TV, “It’s a Koepka coronation!” “Coronation” was the word I had hoped for after Saturday. Despite shooting a 74, his only round over par, he was crowned repeat PGA Champion.
Here’s how it looked on CBS:
I couldn’t see the trophy presentation from where I was:
Unfortunately, no one could hear it, either. Whoever was in charge of the speakers didn’t feed into the CBS audio. Only the TV audience heard Bill Macatee as he announced Rob Labritz was the low-scoring club professional, heard PGA of America President Suzy Whaley introduce Brooks Koepka as he returned to the green to receive the Wanamaker Trophy, and heard Koepka fielding Macatee’s questions. Fans in the grandstands cried “we can’t hear you!” and words to that effect. They cheered when it seemed like they were supposed to: when Labritz waved and Koepka raised the trophy. This could be why I’m unable to find video of the presentation online. This video has excerpts at the beginning, but that’s all we get. Otherwise, I have to consult my DVR, as I did yesterday morning.
5/26 UPDATE: One week later, the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship was played upstate, at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, televised on Golf Channel and NBC. Ken Tanigawa won by one shot. This time, the crowd at 18 was able to hear the trophy presentation hosted by Steve Sands. Oak Hill will host the regular PGA in 2023, as it did in 2013, 2003, and 1980. It first hosted the Senior PGA in 2008.
With no sign that the presentation would be redone for the fans, Dad and I headed for the exit:
Future PGA Championship sites:
Along the way, we went into The PGA Shops:
I had to get a commemorative 18th hole flag, as I had done for the two U.S. Opens. Yesterday morning, I unwrapped it and put it on my bedroom wall:
It replaced the flag from the 2009 U.S. Open:
…which replaced the one from 2002:
That one developed creases from being folded up for ten years.
Back at the Black, it was time to go:
With my iPhone’s battery at 10%, I turned it off for the shuttle bus ride back to Jones Beach. I charged it in the car on the way home and back in my room once I got home.
Bethpage Black’s next big event will be the 2024 Ryder Cup. The last thing I’d like to hear that Sunday, whether in person or on TV, is the “Olé” song, indicating Europe won again.
I’m so glad that Brooks Koepka held on to win the 101st PGA Championship. It’s his fourth major victory in the last eight he’s played. The win returned him to #1 in the Official World Golf Ranking. And he’s undefeated on Long Island, having won his second U.S. Open last year at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton. Congratulations, Brooksie!
Will Koepka get the three-peat at Pebble Beach next month? Will Dustin Johnson redeem himself after losing the lead in the final round the last time the U.S. Open was at Pebble? We’ll see.
6/16 UPDATE: Neither happened. Gary Woodland won by three shots over Koepka to win his first major.
Until then, I’ll leave you with videos…:
Todd Lewis’s interview with Brooks Koepka for Golf Channel
…and articles:
Mike Lopresti, PGA.com: Big-Game Brooks Koepka Goes Wire to Wire for First Repeat PGA Championship Since Tiger Woods
Ryan Lavner, Golf Channel: Little brother no more: Koepka sends message staring down DJ at the PGA
ESPN: Koepka struggles, holds off Johnson for PGA win
Kyle Porter, CBS Sports: Brooks Koepka finds his edge, exuding toughness in fourth major win
Greg Logan, Newsday: Brooks Koepka holds on to win at Bethpage Black despite struggling in final round
Hank Gola, New York Daily News: Brooks Koepka wins PGA Championship overcoming difficult course, hostile crowd
Mark Cannizzaro, New York Post: How Brooks Koepka avoided epic PGA Championship choke job
Perfect Bid: The documentary that set me straight May 16, 2019
Posted by Mike C. in Game Shows, Internet, Interviews, Media, Personal, TV.add a comment
About a decade ago, when I regularly watched The Price is Right, I would post about major accomplishments that I saw. One of those involved Terry Kneiss (“nees”), who went on a run that ended with him winning both showcases with a perfect bid. Host Drew Carey deadpanned in response, not at all excited by the achievement. Unaware of the circumstances, and considering how I reacted in a recording I made after bowling a 221 in 2002, I defended his reaction.
Two years later, Terry released a book called Cause and Effects, which defended his actions.
Three years after that, I heard Drew’s side of the story on a podcast: the tape clearly showed Terry got his exact prices from an audience member with a grudge. I updated my original post about Terry’s book with Drew’s remarks. I considered it closure to my years of watching The Price is Right. George Gray’s announcing delivery didn’t sit right with me and I no longer liked watch contestants lose on any game show. So, I stopped watching.
5/30 UPDATE: Watching old episodes of TPiR on YouTube last weekend led me to DVR Monday’s episode for comparison. Whatever distaste I had in the show when I stopped watching went away. I’m back on the bandwagon. I’m also watching Jeopardy! again to see how long James Holzhauer can last as champion. I’m in awe and wish I had watched sooner.
6/6 UPDATE: Never mind. Holzhauer was unseated after 32 wins and contestants lose too much on TPiR. I’m back off both bandwagons because tonight’s new champion, knocking off the woman that knocked off Holzhauer, says “please” nearly every time he makes a selection. I like assertiveness in contestants. Shorthanding category names and dollar amounts is also a plus. Picky, aren’t I? It’s the curse of having Asperger Syndrome: nonsense like this bothers you. Anyway…
This week on Netflix, while searching for Still Laugh-In: The Stars Celebrate, I noticed an entry in one of the queues called Perfect Bid: The Contestant Who Knew Too Much. So, that’s why the Cause and Effects post was getting hits on my blog. Yesterday, I watched it.
Perfect Bid profiles a “loyal friend and true,” Theodore Slauson. Ted became a fan of TPiR early in its CBS run and noticed that the same items were up for bids with the same prices on several shows. So, he kept track of those items through spreadsheets, word processing documents, and original computer software. Starting in the early ’80s, he regularly attended tapings, giving contestants in contestants’ row and on stage the prices of prizes. There were plenty of $100 bonuses awarded for perfect One Bids and Bob Barker gave him his due during the tapings. He even came on down once in 1992, winning One Bid and Punch-a-Bunch.
After his day as a contestant, he stopped attending tapings to focus on other things. He returned in 2002 and helped a fellow audience member win over $39,000 in cash and prizes.
When Drew Carey took over for Bob Barker in 2007, the rule that contestants could only appear once was rescinded. That opened the door for Ted to return. At the start of season 37, Ted went to a taping in the hopes of coming on down again. He didn’t, but Terry Kneiss did. The two met in line before the taping.
Perfect Bid notes that Ted was edited out of several camera shots during the show which aired in September 2008. The note came as an excerpt began from host Drew Carey’s appearance on Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show. The impression given to Drew by producer Kathy Greco, who Bob dubbed “Fingers” when he was the host, was that Ted was sent by Roger Dobkowitz, fired as producer the season before, to sabotage the show. Giving Terry exact prices was revenge exacted by a fan group. Drew later found out Ted was innocent, but didn’t know that as the show was taped.
Kathy stopped production after Terry and his fellow showcase contestant gave their bids, trying to make sense of what had happened. When taping resumed, Drew deadpanned the results, assuming the show would never air because of Ted’s involvement, shook Terry’s hand, and wrapped up the show. But it did air. In the aftermath, TPiR staff never used the same item more than once. The price one day will not be the price another day.
In the final moments of the documentary, Ted remarked:
You know, I’ve been called a lot of ugly names on the Internet, and in podcasts and things like that, and it’s just sad that people don’t know the whole story. So, I appreciate being able to tell it.
And I appreciate having seen Perfect Bid. It cleared the air about what happened on that September morning a decade ago. Thank you, CJ Wallis, for setting me straight. Thank you for interviewing Theodore “Ted” Slauson, Bob Barker, and Roger Dobkowitz. I highly recommend you watch it. This post only scratches the surface.
Sincerely, Mike Chimeri, a loyal friend and true starting with summer 1992 reruns.
2019 WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony May 14, 2019
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Football, Internet, Interviews, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Radio, Sports, Travel, TV, Video, Weather.add a comment
Other Hall of Fame ceremony recaps: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
Video of the ceremony can be found at the end of this post.
The eighth annual WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony was held Saturday afternoon in the Goldsmith Atrium at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of LIU Post. As you can see above, this year’s inductees were Lew Scharfberg, Fred Gaudelli, and Pete Bellotti.
The ceremony began at 1:10 with an introduction by WCWP Director of Broadcasting Dan Cox…:
…and a video narrated by Bernie Bernard, who was inducted in 2013:
This picture taken during a dissolve was a happy accident because it looks like Lew and Jeff Kroll, the Master of Ceremonies, are pointing at Pete:
Jeff at the mic as M.C.:
Dan had the honor of introducing two of the three inductees. First, was Pete Bellotti, currently of CBS Sports Radio:
Before Jeff’s interview and remembrances from the audience, Pete gave a speech:
Jay Mirabile had an interesting story:
Joe Manfredi, Director of Operations while Pete was a student, was complimentary:
Pete even acknowledged me when referencing the music I provided and hours of co-hosting for WCWP’s live broadcast from Bar Beach Park (now North Hempstead Beach Park) in 2006:
I was about 90 pounds heavier at the time, as I co-hosted with Eli W. Sen:
“It was a fun experience”:
Lew Scharfberg was next, following Jeff’s introduction:
Among Lew’s stories in his speech were the teletype bell ringing frantically on August 16, 1977, as news broke that Elvis Presley had died, and learning of the Dome Auditorium roof collapse during the Blizzard of 1978.
Bill Mozer misremembered one anecdote…:
…and had to be corrected by Dan:
He accurately recalled another:
Neil Marks ribbed Lew, leading to an impassioned defense…:
…but was also complimentary:
Dan Cox chimed in:
The obligatory camcorder shot to use as a cover photo for my YouTube channel:
…and the obligatory alternate perspective:
Lew’s son Dan gave a moving speech:
I told him afterward, “you’re a good son.”
Last up was Fred Gaudelli, who is the executive producer of Sunday Night Football for NBC Sports:
Fred had plenty of stories from his days at C.W. Post, working his way up through ESPN, introducing what became the 1st and 10 line, producing Monday Night Football and Sunday Night Football.
At one point, Dan played a clip of Fred calling a furious comeback by the Post Pioneers against James Madison in 1981:
They rallied from 21 points down with two minutes to play, winning 37-36.
Jeff’s closing remarks:
I want to thank everyone for being here today. That’ll do it. That’s it for the 2019 WCWP Hall of Fame induction. Thank you, folks.
Photo ops, starting with the three inductees:
The three inductees with Dan Cox, Bill Mozer (2013), and Jeff Kroll (2015):
Pete and his wife Bridget:
Pete with Dan Cox and Joe Manfredi:
…and me:
The early-to-mid-2000s era of WCWP:
The Scharfbergs:
Dan quickly introduced me to Fred before he left, and took a picture of us:
I posed with him 16 years earlier after he and fellow alum Dan Reagan (“Reegan”) spoke to the broadcasting class I was in:
My parting shot was of Pat and Jeff Kroll:
Pat was inducted last year along with Muffet Provost and John Commins.
Jeff was kind enough to drive me home. We had an interesting conversation along the way, and he recognized my driveway from all the times I’d photographed it after shoveling snow. (Here’s one example.)
Congratulations to Pete Bellotti, Lew Scharfberg, and Fred Gaudelli, the 2019 class of the WCWP Hall of Fame.
Here is the video:
Thanks to Dan Cox for providing the introductory video and highlights of Fred’s play-by-play. My video was shot on a Panasonic HC-V770 camcorder with a Takstar SGC-598 shotgun mic. I periodically switched to my Tascam DR-03 recording from the platform to fill gaps between raw video files and compensate for panning to the audience.
2018 LIU Post & WCWP Homecoming Weekend October 15, 2018
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Football, History, Internet, Interviews, Jazz, Media, Music, News, Personal, Photography, Radio, Sports, Travel, Video, Video Games, Weather.add a comment
Other recaps: 2008, 2009, WCWP 50th Anniversary (2011), 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
In all the years I’ve recapped WCWP Homecoming Weekend, this is the first where I consolidate all days into one post. With Sunday photographic help from Pat Kroll, I’m recapping all three days of WCWP’s special block of programming, including coverage of the LIU Post Pioneers‘ Homecoming game against the Saint Anselm Hawks.
I left for the Abrams Communications Building, home to WCWP, at 11:00 on Friday morning. I was there within half an hour and I immediately got out my equipment. There were shows to record, including one for me to host.
Unlike the previous three years, I was not the first show of the weekend. That honor went to 1960s Post Scripts, hosted by Art Beltrone and Jay Elzweig, who were with WCWP when it began:
Art Beltrone:
Jay Elzweig:
The show was packed with interviews and had occasional music.
The first guest was William Rozea, part of C.W. Post College’s first graduating class in 1959:
Also among Art and Jay’s guests were Jarron Jewell, LIU Post’s senior library assistant for archives and special collections:
Rita Langdon, LIU Post Executive Director:
Mark Bilker, another member of the Class of 1959:
Alan and Carol Fritz from the Class of 1966:
Bernie Bernard, Class of 1972:
Dan Cox, Class of 1985, and WCWP Director of Broadcasting:
Art, a Marine Corps veteran, presented Dan with banner from Vietnam, part of the Vietnam Graffiti Project.
…and Edward Keller, a Vietnam Graffiti Project volunteer and fellow Marine:
1960s Post Scripts concluded with “Yesterday” by The Beatles, which led into my show, Instrumental Invasion with Mike Chimeri.
As my second song played, I took a picture of Art Beltrone and Jay Elzweig:
Before he left, Art gave me a copy of Vietnam Graffiti: Messages from a Forgotten Troopship, by him and his wife Lee.
My setup in Studio 2:
I had Jeff Kroll take a picture of me at the board. He suggested I have my headphones on:
I belong to a few Discord servers and my fellow members know I’d be on. I gave them all a shout-out at one point during my show, including the servers’ proprietors: Norm Caruso a.k.a. the Gaming Historian, Game Dave, and Anna a.k.a. Circuits & Coffee. I gave Game Dave a personal shout-out after playing a Keiko Matsui song because he recommended her music over in-game music in one of his videos. I couldn’t recall which one on the air, but it was for the Famicom game A Week of Garfield (relevant portion at 7:40, unless you want to watch the whole thing):
Now that you’ve seen that video, here is my aircheck video:
If you just want the audio, click here for it. Click here for the transitions, and a PDF of the playlist.
From one Mike to another: Magick Mike Hendryx (Mike Schanzer) followed me:
Pat and Jeff Kroll:
After the above picture, I packed up and got a ride back home. After a pasta dinner, I got to work editing Friday’s video and audio. I decided to wait until downtime after arriving back at Post on Saturday to edit Friday’s pictures.
Here is my Friday video, featuring plenty of 1960s Post Scripts, followed by two talk breaks each from my show and Mike Hendryx’s show:
I left for LIU Post at 12:30 on Saturday afternoon. Once on campus, I set up my equipment at WCWP, edited pictures on my laptop, and then headed to Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium for part of the Pioneers’ game against Saint Anselm.
I spent much of the second quarter in the press box. Calling the game were Jeff Kroll and Neil Marks:
Video of the game was also streamed online with WCWP audio:
The scoreboard console:
A defensive stop:
The Pioneers’ third touchdown drive:
“Touchdown, Pioneers!”
The extra point:
That’s the end of the first half:
The Pioneers went on to win 37-6. If this was their last game against Saint Anselm, as they are heading to Division I FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) next season (likely under a new name), they won all 15 of them. Highlights can be viewed here.
The next few pictures were taken on the way back to WCWP:
Ted David took this great picture of me:
Banners and trophies inside the Pratt Recreation Center:
Back at WCWP…:
Jett Lightning, Lew Scharfberg (standing), Ted David, Bill Mozer, Jay Elzweig:
As usual, Bernie Bernard was on after the game:
Lisa Seckler-Roode regailed Bernie with many stories from her days working for record companies and as a personal assistant to The Who guitarist Pete Townshend:
Bernie – or rather, Maura – with her fellow reverend, Fr. Michael Tesmacher, who she and I know as Mike Tes:
Mike and I have known each other since 2002 when we worked on the public access show, The Long Island Rainbow Connection.
Jeff Jensen and his son, Jackson:
Bernie and Lisa:
Ward Henry watching Bernie’s next-to-last aircheck of her show:
Bobby G. (standing) and Mike Riccio were next:
They hosted their special Homecoming countdown show:
Joining them was Jett Lightning (center):
Mike Riccio:
Bobby G.:
Jett Lightning:
Mike and Bobby:
Before I left, I had Pat Kroll take a shot of me and John Zoni, both of us with our glasses off:
John hosted the pregame, halftime, and postgame shows. He’d go on to host a music show at midnight.
Here’s the Saturday video:
After transferring photos, videos, and audio files to my computer and eating a late dinner, I went to bed early. I woke up at 5:30 AM. My second Instrumental Invasion of the weekend was scheduled to air at 6AM. When I accessed the WCWP app on my iPhone X, I heard silence (except for light static). Apparently, there was an automation glitch that kept the scheduled 2AM and 4AM pre-records from running. At 6AM, I briefly heard the start of the 4AM show, then 12 more seconds of silence, and finally my show. Here is the aircheck, the show transitions, and the playlist.
Bobby G. informed me on the WCWP Alumni Association Facebook group that the show also aired at 2AM, which was its original slot before a change was made two weeks ahead of Homecoming. So, not only did my show air without a hitch, it aired twice! Bobby called it an “extra bonus.” Jeff Kroll added, “Yessir BONUS time!”
I listened to the entire show. I lied in bed, looking up at the ceiling for the first 45 minutes, then went to the computer to edit, which I continued to do long after the show ended.
Jay LaPrise (“la-PREE”) hosted Sunday’s first live show from 8 to 10AM. Here’s how he signed on.
I may not have been at WCWP in person on Sunday, but I was there in spirit, not just with my show, but with the show’s filename on the stream page for several hours afterward:
As the day progressed, I periodically recorded more airchecks. Here are two from Billy the Kid (Billy Houst), on from noon to 2:00.
Joe Honerkamp was at the mic from 2:00 to 4:00. Here he is with his daughter Diana:
Lew Scharfberg and Bill Mozer, with a photobombing Neil Marks:
Jeff and Pat Kroll, and Lew Scharfberg:
Neil Marks’s wife Lita:
Jeff Kroll assisting Neil Marks at the board during his 6:00 to 8:00 show with Pat Kroll:
Pat and Neil during their show:
From 8:00 to 10:00, Alana hosted a special Homecoming edition of The Rockin’ Sunday Show:
Jeff Kroll had the last shift from 10:00 to midnight:
And with that, the 41st annual WCWP Homecoming Weekend is in the books. It was a weekend I won’t soon forget, nor will my fellow alumni. I’ll leave you with the kind works Ted David left on my Facebook timeline:
May I publicly acknowledge C.W. Post alum Mike Chimeri. As I mentioned on the air during Homecoming Weekend on WCWP Saturday, his Friday jazz show was worthy of any shift at the former CD 101.9 or the current Watercolors channel on SiriusXM.
Add to that his superior skills as a photographer/archivist and he’s one amazing guy. I spent some time with him Saturday at the station and then down at the football game. Just a super talented guy, pleasant company and proud to call him a friend and “fellow alum!”
Thank you very much, Ted.
My experience at Day 1 of 2018 New York Comic Con October 5, 2018
Posted by Mike C. in Animation, Art, Audiobooks, Baseball, Comedy, Internet, Interviews, Media, Personal, Photography, Sports, Technology, Travel, TV, Video, Video Games, Weather.add a comment
Other New York Comic Con recaps: 2012 Day 2, 2014 Day 1, 2017 Day 1, 2019 Day 1
Yesterday marked my fourth time at New York Comic Con, held annually at the Javits Center in Midtown West. It was also my second consecutive year at NYCC.
I’d been looking forward to going ever since I bought my badge in June. Grey DeLisle (a.k.a. Grey Griffin), Phil LaMarr, and Richard Horvitz were among the voice actors that would be signing autographs, recording video or audio messages, and taking pictures with fans like me. Like last year, this was my sole reason for attending. None of the panels interested me.
I woke up at 5:30 in the morning. I spent the next three hours watching the American League Wild Card Game on DVR (the Yankees won handily), a couple of episodes of season six of Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In on Amazon Prime, working out, and of course, getting ready to leave for the day.
My mother drive me to the Wantagh LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) station at 8:30 for an 8:47 westbound train. When I went there last Saturday on the way to see Chieli Minucci & Special EFX at The Cutting Room, the elevated track platform was partially closed off while the west half of it was being renovated. Little did I realize that renovation would complete two days later. Finally, after two years, when boarding a Babylon-bound LIRR train at Penn Station, you no longer have to ask if you’re in one of the six cars that lets out at Wantagh. When the east half was being renovated, only the last six cars could exit. When the west half was under renovation, you had to be in one of the first six cars.
I didn’t feel like taking out my DSLR until I got to the Javits Center, so I used my iPhone to take pictures on the platform:
It felt good to sit in the first car again.
The train ride to Penn Station took nearly an hour. Upon exiting, I walked up West 33rd Street to 10th Avenue, then north to West 35th to enter the Javits Center’s south side:
I endured a quick bag search (including emptying my pants pockets and holding up the contents) and tapped my badge in. Unfortunately, I was scolded for not moving beyond the area where the badge was tapped when I replenished my pants pockets. I felt like a fool, but felt better when I got inside and relayed my situation to an empathetic staff member when she asked if I needed help finding something.
Off to the autographing area:
I was third in line to meet Grey DeLisle at Table 1 after waiting about 45 minutes before her scheduled arrival.
As she and Richard Horvitz arrived, they spoke to each other in their respective voices on The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy. Richard was Billy and Grey was Mandy.
Grey was very nice. In my brief time with her, I told her I’d been a fan of hers since Clifford the Big Red Dog and three Butch Hartman cartoons – The Fairly OddParents, Danny Phantom, and T.U.F.F. Puppy. She did the voices of Emily Elizabeth (Clifford) and Vicky (FOP) for me, which led me to respond as Mark Chang, voiced by Rob Paulsen, whom I met last year. Then, we posed:
After we said our goodbyes as Vicky and Mark, I headed to Table 6 for Phil LaMarr:
I let him know how the chronological order in which I’d seen his work: Futurama, Family Guy, MADtv reruns on Comedy Central, and Butch Hartman’s Bunsen Is a Beast. He was complimentary of Bunsen, and I lamented that it was a shame the show was canceled after only one season.
I concluded at Table 3 with Richard Horvitz:
We didn’t have time to chat, but I’m still glad to have met him. Shortly before our picture, I saw him record a video message for a fan as Zim from Invader Zim. As with his conversation with Grey as Billy and Mandy, it put a smile on my face and made me laugh. I applauded when he was finished.
After that, I headed back to civilization, so to speak…
…and walked the show floor:
I happened to pass by the SYFY Wire stage…
…as Cher Martinetti spoke to the creator/showrunner and cast of the new Netflix series, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power:
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The creator/showrunner is Noelle Stevenson, who was accompanied by Aimee Carrero (Princess Adora/She-Ra), Karen Fukuhara (Glimmer), and Marcus Scribner (Bow).
You can watch the interview here:
I walked by the stage during this interview. I was curious about this series after seeing The Power of Grayskull documentary, but now I’m all in. I’ll definitely be watching.
11/20 UPDATE: I have unfortunately fallen off the bandwagon. While I wish nothing but the best for the series, it plays out like a soap opera, and I’m more into episodes with self-contained plots. I don’t know how I would have managed watching the Rocky & Bullwinkle cartoons when they were new with story arcs lasting several weeks. The “Jet Fuel Formula” arc took 20 weeks, “Upsidasium” lasted 18 weeks, and “Missouri Mish-Mash” played out over 13 weeks. Now, back to the recap…
I pre-ordered Mega Man 11 for PlayStation 4, but have yet to play it.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is on my Xbox One wish list:
Having seen all I wanted to see on the show floor, I headed down to the main entrance:
Then, I left:
It’s a good thing I didn’t wear a jacket because it was warmer than it had been in the morning.
Within 20 minutes, I was back at Penn Station, where I boarded a Babylon-bound train. An hour later, I was back in Wantagh.
I walked about a mile and half home, listening to Marion Ross’s memoir on Audible along the way.
Once I had unpacked my things at home, I took a picture of my badge (blurring out the codes):
It was a nice few hours at New York Comic Con. Thank you to Grey DeLisle, Phil LaMarr, and Richard Horvitz. It was a pleasure meeting you all.
2018 WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony May 7, 2018
Posted by Mike C. in Internet, Interviews, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Radio, Travel, Video.2 comments
Other Hall of Fame ceremony recaps: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019
As usual, I took pictures and video, the latter of which is at the bottom of the post.
The seventh annual WCWP Hall of Fame Ceremony took place Saturday afternoon in the Goldsmith Atrium at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of LIU Post. It was my first time back on campus, and in the atrium, since seeing the Dave Koz 20th Anniversary Christmas Tour in early December.
Like last year, I arrived at Tilles a half hour before the ceremony. I immediately mingled with all that had gathered in the atrium as I set up my equipment. I noticed there was a mixer behind the platform where the interviews would take place. I went to the Abrams Communications Building, the home of WCWP, to ask Director of Broadcasting Dan Cox if he had an 1/8″ to 1/4″ cable so I could record from the mixer to my Tascam DR-03. He had a 1/8″ cable and an adapter, so I was set. When I got back to the atrium, I connected the cable and adapter to a line out jack, checked the levels, and started recording.
Shortly after 1:00, the ceremony began with an introduction by the aforementioned Dan Cox…:
…and a video narrated by Jim Cutler:
2015 inductee Jeff Kroll hosted again:
Dan Cox returned to present the first of two new awards. The WCWP Lifetime Achievement Award was given to “Grandfather Rock” Chris MacIntosh:
He shared some stories from his 37 years hosting Rock & Soul Gospel:
Back in 2016, the one year I couldn’t attend, WCWP’s sage secretary Ann Gaffney, a.k.a. Mrs. G, was posthumously inducted to the Hall of Fame. Her daughter Cathy Turner accepted on her behalf.
Cathy returned this year to present Kristina Huderski with the Ann Gaffney Student Service Award:
Kristina graduates this Friday.
2014 inductee Ted David recorded a message to the inductees from Florida:
2012 inductee Hank Neimark and 2017 inductee John LiBretto introduced Muffet Provost (“pro-VO”), then interviewed her over the phone:
Muffet was unable to attend due to impending surgery.
It was hard to make out what she was saying through the Atrium speakers, but she’s a little clearer in the video below.
2017 inductee Neil Marks introduced Pat Kroll (née Champion):
Pat read a thank you speech…:
…then reminisced with Jeff and Neil:
The obligatory view from my camcorder:
Jeff read a message from Joel Feltman:
Pat’s friend Joanne had a few words:
2015 inductee Bruce Leonard introduced Rev. John Commins:
None of us realized this at the time, but the year on the plaque is wrong. I should be ’73, not ’79. John noticed the error at his hotel afterward. Jeff Kroll promised on Facebook that John will receive a replacement plaque with the correct year.
5/28 UPDATE: John’s replacement arrived a few days ago. He took a picture which he shared in his Facebook timeline:
Jeff presented John with a CD of WCWP’s coverage of the Bar Beach (now North Hempstead Beach) Fireworks broadcast from 1987:
Jeff shipped the original cassettes to me last month and I remastered them.
A shot of John’s wife Marilyn while he shared the story of how they met:
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for joining us today at the seventh annual induction to the WCWP Hall of Fame!”:
Dan had Pat and John sign one of the posters:
Bruce, John, and Jeff posed with 2016 inductee Joe Honerkamp before he left:
John also prayed for Joe’s healing following a recent accident:
The cake:
Chris MacIntosh with his award:
Chris with Jay Mirabile:
Kristina Huderski with her award:
John LiBretto, Diane Hudson Taylor, Hank Neimark:
I had to pose with John and the CD I made for him:
My friend and hype man Jay Mirabile:
Pat Kroll and her mother Marion:
Pat and John:
The Krolls and the Commins’:
I always enjoy capturing these events and mingling with my fellow alumni. I feel deeply loved and appreciated. They’re my second family. I love you all. Congratulations to Muffet Provost, Pat Kroll, John Commins, Chris MacIntosh, and Kristina Huderski.
Here is the video:
Thanks to Dan Cox for providing the audio cable and adapter, and the introductory video. Thanks to Ted David for posting his segment to Facebook. My video was shot on a Panasonic HC-V770 camcorder with a Takstar SGC-598 shotgun mic. The audio from the mic can only be heard a few times. (A sound check in the auditorium disrupted Dan’s introduction a few minutes in, which is why there’s a jump dissolve.)
2017 LIU Post & WCWP Homecoming, 2018 Hall of Fame Announcement October 16, 2017
Posted by Mike C. in Airchecks, Audio, Football, Interviews, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Radio, Sports, Travel, Video, Weather.add a comment
Other recaps: 2008, 2009, WCWP 50th Anniversary (2011), 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019
Later in this recap, I share the aircheck from my pre-recorded Homecoming Weekend show that aired early yesterday morning. To see and hear my live show on Friday, along with other photos and audio from the three hours that followed my show, click here.
I didn’t arrive at LIU Post until 1:20 on Saturday afternoon, but I was already there in the form of voiceovers I recorded for Pete Bellotti’s WCWP Homecoming Weekend show prior to the Post Pioneers’ Homecoming game against the Southern Connecticut State Owls. As with my show yesterday, my VO garnered rave reviews from my fellow alumni when I arrived at the Abrams Communications Building. Pete Bellotti led the praise followed by John Commins, Bill Mozer, and Jay Mirabile, who ran the board during Pete’s show.
My segments, along with any references Pete and Jay made to me, can be heard here:
The “smooth jazz”/”Weather Channel music” bed they played was “Shakin’ the Shack” by Dave Koz on Lucky Man (1993), his second album.
After putting down my equipment and posing for two pictures, which you’ll see later, I made my way to Bethpage Federal Credit Union Stadium to take some pictures.
Skies were partly to mostly cloudy while the air was warm, especially when the sun peaked through, and humid.
As you can see, the press box is vacant:
I didn’t realize that there was a new press box. That’s where Jeff Kroll and Neil Marks called the game. Joel Feltman was the field reporter.
Shortly after I left the field, the Pioneers scored a touchdown. With the extra point, they led Southern 21-7.
On the way back, I stopped in the campus bookstore in Hillwood Commons and bought an LIU Post polo shirt, which I changed into at WCWP.
Bill Mozer wrote a familiar phrase on the whiteboard in Studio 3:
The next two pictures were taken before the field trip and shirt purchase, starting with Pete Bellotti:
Next, Jay Mirabile:
I had Bill Mozer take a picture of me in my new shirt:
Then, I took one of him:
John Zoni was the studio update reporter for the Homecoming game:
He provided those updates at halftime:
The Pioneers would go on to win 52-35. The Owls got within a touchdown twice, but Post hung on.
As always, Bernie Bernard, who earned her doctorate in theology the week before, followed the game:
As you can see, Grandfather Rock Chris MacIntosh dropped by:
For 36 years and counting, Chris has hosted Rock N Soul Gospel on WCWP.
At 5:00, the WCWP Alumni Barbecue began, and the 2018 inductees to the WCWP Hall of Fame were announced by Ted David.
Before the announcement, he posed with Chris:
The 2018 inductees are Muffet Provost, John Commins, and Pat Kroll (née Champion). Chris MacIntosh will receive the inaugural WCWP Lifetime Achievement Award. It will be for those that have worked at the station, but did not attend LIU Post.
Scenes from the announcement:
Ted David requested I take pictures of the inductees outside.
We started with John Commins and Pat Kroll:
John and Pat with Ted (a 2014 inductee):
John, Pat, and Chris MacIntosh:
John, Dr. Bernie Bernard (2013 inductee), Chris, Pat:
Then, Ted suggested I get in a few shots, starting with John:
John, me, Pat and Jeff Kroll:
The station transmitter:
Bobby Guthenberg, a.k.a. Bobby G., suggested I take a few pictures of John Commins and Bruce and Tamara Leonard, who had shows at 10PM and midnight, respectively. I took these in Studio 1:
John also asked for a picture with his wife Marilyn:
The WCWP sign in Studio 2:
Later in Bernie’s show, she interviewed May Pang, former secretary to John Lennon and Yoko Ono:
May will be appearing at the Heritage Trust Building on November 10 for An Evening with May Pang: Loving John Lennon. More information can be found here.
A shot from Bernie’s last aircheck, which featured (from right to left) Mike Riccio, Bobby G., and Alan Seltzer:
Prior to the picture, she interviewed WCWP alumna Fran Fried, whose appearance on Jeopardy! airs tomorrow.
Bernie then gave way to the aforementioned Mike and Bobby:
They interviewed me during their third aircheck. Here’s a vidcap:
After this, I edited photos, airchecks, video, and this post all on my laptop in Studio 3. I edited more yesterday. Conversation abound behind me and I soaked it all in. I also listened on the boombox as Mike and Bobby G.’s show continued in Studio 2.
Watch the finished video, with three talk breaks each from Bernie’s and Mike and Bobby’s shows, below:
The middle talk break from Bernie’s show is the Hall of Fame announcement. The video was monetized by Universal Music Group because of the beginning of “Pinball Wizard” during Mike and Bobby’s first talk break. Thanks to UMG for not making me remove the song.
I always enjoy catching up with my fellow alumni and meeting new people, like Joan Yonke, the Director of Employee and Alumni Engagement at LIU Post. She told me that she saw my recap of last year’s Homecoming recap when she was researching the position, which she began in July.
Congratulations to Chris MacIntosh on his WCWP Lifetime Achievement Award, and to 2018 WCWP Hall of Fame inductees Muffet Provost, John Commins, and Pat Champion Kroll.
Until next year, I’ll leave you with the aircheck from my pre-recorded Instrumental Invasion with Mike Chimeri that aired at 4AM yesterday, preceded by the end of Bruce and Tamara Leonard’s live! midnight to 4AM show:
I recorded the show on September 21, but put the songs and liners in my Adobe Audition multitrack session the day before.
Here are the transitions between songs:
And the playlist.
The 40th anniversary Homecoming Weekend concluded with Jeff Kroll at midnight last night. Here’s how he signed off:
My experience at Day 1 of 2017 New York Comic Con October 6, 2017
Posted by Mike C. in Animation, Art, Comedy, Internet, Interviews, Media, Personal, Photography, Technology, Travel, TV, Video, Video Games, Weather.Tags: Animaniacs, Javits Center, Jess Harnell, Jim Cummings, New York Comic Con, NYCC, Rob Paulsen, Tara Strong, Tress MacNeille
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Other New York Comic Con recaps: 2012 Day 2, 2014 Day 1, 2018 Day 1, 2019 Day 1
Yesterday, I was at the first day of the 2017 New York Comic Con, held annually at the Javits Center in the Midtown West section of Manhattan. It was my third trip to NYCC.
I almost didn’t go this year. When I planned on buying a badge (ticket) in June, I learned that fan verification was required. Unfortunately, fan verification was closed. Luckily, last month, I learned on the website that verification was open again. So, I immediately got verified and bought a badge for Day 1.
I woke up at 6:20 yesterday morning. I looked out my window and saw a picturesque sky. I took a couple of shots of it, without and with flash:
After that, I put my camera in my backpack, where it stayed for a few hours.
In between, my mother drove me to the Wantagh LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) station at 8:40. Nine minutes later, I was on a train bound for Penn Station.
50 minutes later, I exited Penn and walked to the Javits Center. Those that had a badge, including me, were directed to the green entrance via West 39th Street, five blocks north of where I’d been walking.
I made my way down to Level 1 to meet five voice actors and get professional photo ops with four of them.
First up was Tara Strong:
As you can see, I wore my Northern Trust golf tournament shirt. I got it back on August 27, after walking Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury to see the final round.
After Tara, it was on to Rob Paulsen:
Rob is a throat cancer survivor (knock on wood), having battled it last year.
And finally, Jess Harnell:
When I noticed Jess had his sunglasses on, I put my glasses on:
In all, I spent about four hours in five lines. It was a thrill to meet and chat with them all. I won’t get into the details of our brief conversations, but they were all very nice. Jess even gave me a hug.
I also enjoyed chatting with fellow fans – like Kelly, Sierra, Dave, and a few others whose names I didn’t get – while waiting in line. There was even a woman ahead of me on the Jess Harnell line who was not only dressed as one of his characters – Cedric from Sofia the First – but her name is Jess Warner! Her first name was the same as his, and her last name was the same as his Animaniacs character Wakko Warner. More on that below.
Afterward, I headed to the Epic Photo Ops area for a pair of professional photo ops. Since I had just met the actors at their autograph tables, there was a familiarity in the booth. It was like visiting old friends.
Jim Cummings suggested we “look intrepid”:
I love the outcome.
The second photo op was with Rob, Tress, and Jess, the stars of Animaniacs:
They were the Warner siblings: Yakko, voiced by Rob, Wakko, by Jess (as I noticed before), and Dot, by Tress.
All that remained was to walk the show floor on Level 3. But first, a few shots taken in the lobby on Level 2 after entering around 10:15:
The show floor:
I mostly focused on the video game developers section, as you’ll see below.
