My experience at Day 1 of 2019 New York Comic Con October 5, 2019
Posted by Mike C. in Animation, Art, Blu-ray, Broadway, Comedy, DVD, Internet, Media, Personal, Photography, Technology, Travel, TV, Video, Video Games, Weather.add a comment
Previous New York Comic Con recaps: 2012 Day 2, 2014 Day 1, 2017 Day 1, 2018 Day 1, 2021 Day 1
Thursday marked my fifth time at New York Comic Con, and third year in a row. It’s become tradition to attend, meet actors, and tour the show floor. NYCC is held annually inside the Javits Center in Midtown West.
I waited by my computer for about two hours back on May 5 to buy my Thursday badge. I didn’t know what guests would attend, but I found out a month later. The ones I was interested in meeting were Paul Reubens, James Arnold Taylor, Laraine Newman, Jennifer Hale, and Tom Kenny. Once again, this was my sole reason for attending because there weren’t any panels worth seeing.
One day removed from record heat, the weather that greeted me when I left my Wantagh home at 8:30 was cool and cloudy. As I stood on the LIRR station platform waiting for the 8:47 train, I briefly wished I brought gloves. Keeping with my train travel routine, I chose to sit in the first car. There were a few people seated ahead of me that were also on their way to New York Comic Con, but I didn’t want to bother them. I just listened to David Benoit and Friends and ate my protein bar with a can of orange seltzer.
The ride to Penn Station took about 45 minutes. When I exited at 8th Avenue and West 33rd Street, I greeted by persistent drizzle. It followed me all the way to the Javits Center. It took a while for the massive throng of attendees to get through security, but my search was quick and scold-less. After I was checked, I walked toward the entrance and then zipped my backpack compartments back up.
Once inside, I made my way to the autographing area:
It turns out there were two autographing areas: 1C and 1E. I was looking for Paul Reubens’ table in 1C, but he was actually in 1E. So, I walked toward there and waited in line at his table. Thank you to the staff members who aided me.
Like most 1980s children, I grew up watching Pee-wee’s Playhouse. I didn’t realize Pee-wee Herman was a character created and portrayed by Paul Reubens until the mid ’90s. That was the first time I saw Paul out of that character, on Murphy Brown.
I rediscovered Pee-wee’s Playhouse on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim in 2006, then rediscovered it again ten years later on Netflix. Watching it there wasn’t enough. I had to buy the series on Blu-ray, especially for the bonus features. I sometimes find myself quoting not just Pee-wee, but other series characters like Globey, Mr. Window (particularly when I see Lynne Marie Stewart [Miss Yvonne] on TV), Jambi, Pterri, Conky, Randy, and occasionally Clocky.
So, it was a thrill to meet Paul, albeit briefly, on Thursday morning. I told him I met Phil LaMarr last year. Phil played Cowboy Curtis in the Broadway run of The Pee-wee Herman Show. I had noticed Paul was making a surprised face while posing with attendees ahead of me, so I tried to do the same:
I look more shocked than surprised, but I still like it.
I returned to 1C to meet four voice actors:
First up was James Arnold Taylor:
I discovered James through Johnny Test, but learned more about his illustrious career through his website, JAT Vlogs on his YouTube channel, and appearance on the podcast Talkin’ Toons with Rob Paulsen. I told him I liked how for his Fred Flintstone voice, he combined Alan Reed’s original portrayal with Henry Corden’s subsequent version. I also expressed my love as the voice of Fox’s Sunday primetime promos, to which he said he recorded the latest set of promos in his hotel room the night before. There was one thing I neglected to discuss. I’ve never played a Final Fantasy game, but I am aware of an infamous cutscene he voiced as Tidus in Final Fantasy X. In the cutscene, Tidus let out a loud, wooden, staccato laugh: “haaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha!” James explained that scene in a March 2016 JAT Vlog:
I chose a character collage at his table to sign, and he wrote:
Mike – You’re awesome!!
James Arnold Taylor
5:05 PM UPDATE: James recorded another promo from his hotel room yesterday, as he shared on Instagram:
After James, I moved one table to the right (his left) and spoke to Laraine Newman:
You may know Laraine from her days on Saturday Night Live, and I’ve seen a handful of sketches from that time, but I’m more familiar with her voice over work. She was Queen Jipjorulac, Mark Chang’s mother on The Fairly OddParents. Mark Chang was voiced by Rob Paulsen as an energetic surfer dude with awkward syntax (pronouncing assistance “ah-sis-TAHN-say,” for example). When Rob interviewed Laraine for Talkin’ Toons, she mentioned Histeria!, the Warner Bros. edutainment animated series they co-starred in. I was not aware of the series when it originally aired, but my curiosity was piqued after that interview. Unfortunately, unlike the other ’90s WB series, Histeria! was not yet on DVD. When it was finally released years later, I bought it, watching for the first time over the 2017 Christmas vacation. I loved it! So, it was that DVD that I brought to NYCC for Laraine to sign. She was thrilled. I told her how much I loved the show and loved her characters: Miss Information, a bubbly Southern tour guide with a penchant for getting things wrong, and Charity Bazaar, a sad girl who frequently lamented, “I’m not happy.” I said I sometimes find myself saying that in certain situations.
Laraine signed the following on my DVD:
To Mike (Heart)
Laraine Newman
Laraine and the aforementioned Paul Reubens, Lynne Stewart, and Phil LaMarr are all alumni of The Groundlings improv and sketch comedy troupe. It’s where Paul created Pee-wee Herman.
Jennifer Hale was next:
Jennifer has a wealth of video game credits, but I know her mostly for her work as Ms. Keane on The Powerpuff Girls, various characters on Johnny Bravo, and T.U.F.F. Puppy. Someday, I will play some of the games she appeared in.
As with James, I chose a collage for her to sign:
To Mike!
Jennifer Hale
And finally, Tom Kenny:
Of course, Tom is the titular character on SpongeBob SquarePants. I love that show, but also love Futurama, where Tom’s credits include the all-purpose commissioner Abner Doubledeal and Leela’s bland eye doctor boyfriend Adlai Atkins, and the aforementioned Johnny Bravo, where he played Johnny’s (Jeff Bennett) nerdy friend Carl Chryniszzswics (“cruh-SIN-uh-wits”). He was glad to hear Carl get some love at the convention, as one attendee ahead of me had a drawing of Carl. We talked about his co-star, the late Larry Drake, who voiced Pops. I even imitated Pops (“Hey, Johnny!”). Tom told me about Larry’s horror film background, which I wasn’t aware of but glad to learn. Prior to Johnny Bravo, I only knew him from L.A. Law.
I thanked Tom for taking the time to meet with everyone in line, as the line extended down to one of the panel “chutes,” requiring security to let people know which side was the panel chute and which was the line for Tom (or “SpongeBob,” as the guard said). I brought my copy of the eighth season of SpongeBob SquarePants for him to sign:
10-3-19
Mike Ahoy!
Best fishes from “SpongeBob”
Tom Kenny
Thank you to Paul, James, Laraine, Jennifer, and Tom. It was a pleasure to meet all of you. Thanks, as well, to Anissa and her eldest son James, who I met in Tom’s line. It was nice to meet you, too, and I hope we can stay in touch.
After nearly four hours in autograph land, I was ready to head for home, but not before touring parts of the show floor:
Within 20 minutes of walking the show floor, I exited the Javits Center:
25 minutes after that, I was back in Penn Station where I boarded the 3:03 Babylon-bound train, which was packed with commuters. The crowd thinned a little at Jamaica, then further at Rockville Centre, but a handful of passengers exited with me at Wantagh one hour later. I was once again in the first car, which meant that I was on the east end and exited above Beech Street. (The first car westbound is just west of Wantagh Avenue.) After walking 20 minutes in the mist, I was home.
Once inside, I unpacked and photographed my autographed merchandise and my badge (with the codes blurred out):
I hope to be back at New York Comic Con next year. In the meantime, thank you for viewing this post.
2019 Long Island Retro Gaming Expo recap August 14, 2019
Posted by Mike C. in Books, Internet, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Technology, Travel, TV, Video, Video Games, Weather.Tags: bob neal, brown box, completely unnecessary podcast, coury carlson, cradle of aviation, frank cifaldi, Genesis, hardcore gaming 101, hg 101, ian ferguson, jeremy parish, kurt kalata, leonard herman, Long Island Retro Gaming Expo, long island tabletop gaming expo, marc duddleson, mega drive, microsoft, mlig, museum row, my life in gaming, NES, Nintendo, pat contri, pat the nes punk, phoenix iv, ralph baer, retronauts, retrorgb, rgb master class, rob russo, sega genesis, SNES, Super NES, Super Nintendo, the video game years, try, try4ce, ultimate nintendo, vghf, video game history foundation, xbox
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This is a long and comprehensive post, so buckle up.
Last weekend, I attended the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo for the third year in a row and my second year for both days.
John Hancock and The 8-Bit Guy weren’t at LIRGE LI Retro this year, but making return appearances were Bob Neal from RetroRGB, Jeremy Parish of Retronauts and Video Works, Kurt Kalata and Rob Russo of Hardcore Gaming 101, and video game historian and author Leonard Herman.
Among those appearing for the first time were Frank Cifaldi of the Video Game History Foundation, Pat Contri (a.k.a. Pat the NES Punk) and Ian Ferguson of the Completely Unnecessary Podcast and The Video Game Years, and the My Life in Gaming duo of Coury Carlson and Marc “Try4ce” Duddleson (as in the Triforce from The Legend of Zelda).
The Long Island Retro Gaming Expo is held at the Cradle of Aviation Museum along Museum Row in East Garden City, as indicated by these signs I took on the way there Saturday morning:
Based on the “date taken” info of the above pic, I arrived at the museum at 10:09. Before getting in line to get inside, I photographed a historic marker:
The weather outdoors was much better this year: sunny, warm, and comfortable. You could leave the rain gear at home or in your hotel room.
While on line, I passed a trailer with arcade machines inside:
This was the only time I noticed it. I was focused on what was in the museum.
I set foot inside Cradle of Aviation half an hour after arriving:
The rest of this post is divided into four parts:
- Panels
- Meeting and Greeting
- Pictorial Tour
- Pickups
Part One: Panels
After walking around the first floor for nearly 15 minutes, I made my way into the theater planetarium for the first panel:
It was Jeremy Parish (center) along with Kurt Kalata (right) and Rob Russo (left):
Titled “Love for the Unloved,” the trio discussed several underappreciated consoles, accompanied by Powerpoint slides.
Before we see the slides, here are close-ups of Jeremy:
Kurt:
…and Rob:
A few wide shots:
The slides of underappreicated consoles:
The slide for the Bandai WonderSwan went up, but they didn’t have time to discuss it:
9/26 UPDATE: The expo’s YouTube channel has posted video of the panel:
Next to speak was…
Frank introduced himself…
…and his work with Digital Eclipse…
…before moving on to the main topic:
Frank is pictured with Kelsey Lewin, who was at Game On Expo in Phoenix, Arizona, that weekend hosting a similar panel:
The last 35 minutes of the panel were Q&A:
10/10 UPDATE: Video of the panel was posted today:
I spent the next two hours touring the exhibits, buying games from vendors, meeting and greeting Frank Cifaldi, Coury and Try, Pat and Ian, and Leonard Herman. You’ll see photographic evidence in parts two and three. I made time in between to eat a few snacks from the Cradle of Aviation Museum’s Red Planet Café.
Pat and Ian had a panel after Frank’s, which you can hear in part in the latest Completely Unnecessary Podcast, starting 17 minutes in.
Then, it was on to Leonard’s panel, which was in Panel Room 2:
Leonard talked about the late Ralph Baer and Ted Dabney, and the friendships he developed with them.
After arriving on Sunday, I tried out Ralph Baer’s Brown Box with a man named Jeff:
I played poorly, but had a good time.
There were two panels that I attended on Sunday. First, the My Life in Gaming RGB Master Class:
As noted earlier, My Life in Gaming is run by Coury Carlson:
…and Marc Duddleson, better known as Try:
Coury and Try periodically ran excerpts from upcoming episodes profiling figures in the fields of video game modding, repair, and history:
Bob from RetroRGB, who was seated next to me, was included, but I kept his screenshot out of this post since he told me he didn’t like how he looked.
I found those excerpts enlightening. It put faces and voices to names I’d heard of in previous episodes. I was already familiar with Bob, Kevin, Frank, Ste, and Dan.
The excerpts can be seen in this unlisted link.
Time for Q&A:
I asked what it was like shooting the M2 documentary, seen here:
(NOTE: Unless you’re fluent in Japanese, I suggest selecting “English – Japanese Translation” in the CC [closed captioning] settings.)
More Q&A shots:
Coury made the panel available for listening here. (My attempts to embed it failed.)
After exiting the theater, Bob talked shop with fans:
10/30 UPDATE: Video of most of the panel (ending abruptly after 57 minutes) was posted today:
The second panel I went to on Sunday, my last of the weekend, was Jeremy Parish, Frank Cifaldi, and Coury Carlson:
It was like the finale of a revue where all the acts return to play together.
After introducing themselves for those that hadn’t seen their other panels, Jeremy, Frank, and Coury talked about what avenues are available for playing old video games.
Close-ups of Jeremy:
Frank:
…and Coury:
Wide shots:
Part Two: Meeting and Greeting
I caught up with Frank Cifaldi after his Saturday panel. I told him I was in a similar situation preserving photos, videos, and documents digitally. Then, Try took our picture:
After that, Frank took a picture of me with Coury and Try:
I caught up with Leonard Herman his table before his panel:
I was finally introduced to Pat Contri:
…and his colleague Ian Ferguson:
I spent a lot of time at the table shared by Coury, Try, Pat, and Ian, along with Ian’s wife Vani. I watched as fans came by to meet them and had in-depth conversations with them. The topics ranged from games to travel to video production to my running. Coury was surprised that I had run 8.8 miles early Sunday morning.
I briefly spoke to Bob Neal from RetroRGB once I got back to the table after the RGB Master Class and Try took our picture:
Following my last panel, I briefly spoke to Jeremy Parish, complimenting him on his recently-wrapped Virtual Boy Works series. After 21 proper episodes on the 22 releases (13 in North American and Japan, 9 exclusive to Japan), he posted this retrospective:
Ryan, a staff member I grew accustomed to in the theater planetarium, took a picture of me and Jeremy before I left for the weekend:
Part Three: Pictorial Tour
This is a pictorial tour through all three floors of the expo, starting on the first floor:
This game is actually part of the museum, unaffiliated with the expo:
The second floor:
Among the musical performers were the band Consoul, who played music from several video games:
At the time, they were playing the main theme from Super Mario 64. For reference, here is the original music:
…and the third floor:
Meanwhile, the Long Island Tabletop Gaming Expo was occurring on the other side of the museum:
Next year, the Tabletop Gaming Expo will be held separately on April 18.
Time to go:
A parting shot:
Part Four: Pickups
Saturday’s pickups:
Sunday’s pickups:
Yes, even these count as pickups:
Summing up in writing, the pickups were:
Nintendo Entertainment System:
- The Adventures of Bayou Billy
- American Gladitators
- Blades of Steel
- The Bugs Bunny Birthday Blowout
- Golf
- Gyromite
- Gradius (“GRAHDius”)
- The Legend of Kage (“KAH-ghay”)
- Lee Trevino’s Fighting Golf
- Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!!
- R.C. Pro-Am
- Super C
- Track & Field
- Track & Field II
I played Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! at friends’ houses, but never had that version. I only had plain Punch-Out!! with Mr. Dream replacing Tyson after the licensing agreement wasn’t renewed. Now, I have the original. I don’t have R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy), but that won’t stop from using two controllers to play Gyromite. I already do it with sports games.
Super Nintendo Entertainment System:
- Gradius III
- Paperboy 2
- Pilotwings
- Pitfall: The Mayan Adventure
- Saturday Night Slammasters
- Wario’s Woods
- Zoop
I had Pilotwings 64 for the Nintendo 64, but never the original for Super NES. My sister took Wario’s Woods to her new apartment a couple of months ago, so I bought a new copy to replace it. Paperboy 2 is worth getting for the music alone, as seen in Jeremy Parish’s review last June:
Sega Genesis:
- Columns
- Dynamite Headdy
- Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker
- Paperboy
- Road Rash
- Shaq-Fu
- Super Monaco GP
- WWF Super WrestleMania
Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker was my most expensive pickup; more than Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist last year. I remember Super Monaco GP in the arcade room at Baldwin Lanes. According to Joe Redifer of Game Sack, the Genesis port is better than the original. (Since I cued the video to the relevant portion, I can’t embed it.) I bought a loose cart on eBay in 2016, but I now prefer to have Genesis games in their original boxes. So, I bought one in its box on Sunday. The same goes for Columns. I bought Super WrestleMania to complement the Super NES port I’ve had since childhood. Coincidentally, today marks 30 years since the Genesis was released in North America. Last October 29 was the 30th anniversary of the initial Japanese release as the Mega Drive. And last Tuesday marked 25 years since I purchased a Genesis of my own. It was the Sega Sports bundle with a seat cushion and NFL Football ’94 Starring Joe Montana.
Microsoft Xbox:
- Tetris Worlds
I played the Game Boy Advance version a lot in the mid 2000s. I never knew it was ported to other consoles. I like to collect Tetris games for as many consoles as I can. I even bought the unlicensed Tengen arcade port for NES that predated Nintendo’s official version. It reminded me of playing the arcade machine at Kutsher’s Hotel and Country Club in March 1995.
Non-games:
- The Legend of Zelda official keychain
- My Life in Gaming pin
- My Life in Gaming sticker
- Night Trap: 25 Years Later (Blu-ray) (signed by Coury and Try)
- Pat the NES Punk, Volumes 1 to 4 (DVDs) (all signed by Pat)
- Ultimate Nintendo: Guide to the NES Library: 1985-1995 (signed by Pat, Ian, and Frank)
- The Video Game History Foundation sticker
- Phoenix IV bookmark
Pat’s merchandise is available here. As with Phoenix IV last year, I will review Ultimate Nintendo when I finish reading it. And I’m enjoying Pat’s DVDs. (8/31/19 UPDATE: I enjoyed them. I watched later videos on Pat’s YouTube channel, as well as all ten episodes of The Video Game Years on Amazon Prime Video.)
This was another successful and enjoyable year at the Long Island Retro Gaming Expo. Thank you to everyone I met, met again, and bought from. Until next year.
David Benoit at My Father’s Place June 17, 2019
Posted by Mike C. in Comedy, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Travel, TV, Weather.add a comment
Friday night marked my second time in My Father’s Place at The Roslyn Hotel. The first time in March was to see The Rippingtons. This time, I saw one of the musicians from their first album: David Benoit. I saw David as part of Dave Koz’s 20th Anniversary Christmas Tour in December 2017 and at Smooth Jazz for Scholars in April 2018, but hadn’t seen him solo since October 2012, five days before Hurricane Sandy, at The Iridium. Furthermore, it was the first time I’d seen David on Long Island since his Christmas show at IMAC in December 2008, my last time there before it closed the following June.
I arrived at My Father’s Place at 6:30, entering from The Roslyn Hotel lobby and taking the elevator down to the lower level where it and 1221 at MFP are situated. The hostess recommended a table in the center. Considering the way the piano, bass, and drums were arranged, I opted for that table. I ate a cheeseburger and french fries, then waited for 8:00 to come.
Once again, there was an opening comedy act: Sherry Davey:
I was familiar with Sherry’s work, having seen her on an episode of NickMom Night Out, a signature show when Nick Jr. aired a late night programming block for adults. Sherry lives in nearby Port Washington and she incorporated many local references into her set. She also talked about getting remarried, online dating, millennials, her daughters, her nephew, her parents, and living with heart disease. I noticed in her website bio that one of her daughters is autistic. I’m on the spectrum myself, diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome 20 years ago. That could be why I’m so passionate about the music of David Benoit and other artists that I’m into.
After 20 minutes, Sherry’s set was over and it was time for the David Benoit Trio.
David led the trio on piano…:
…with Roberto Vally on bass:
…and Merrick native Dan Schnelle on drums:
Including the encore, the set ran 73 minutes. Here’s what they played:
1. Every Step of the Way
Originally heard on: Every Step of the Way (1988), The Steinway Sessions (2017)
2. Só Danço Samba
Originally heard on: So Nice! (with Marc Antoine) (2017)
3. Sienna Step
Originally heard on: David Benoit and Friends (coming later in 2019)
4. Vernazza
Originally heard on: David Benoit and Friends (coming later in 2019)
5. Kei’s Song
Originally heard on: Freedom at Midnight (1987), Conversation (2012) (as “Kei’s Song Redux”), The Steinway Sessions (2017)
6. Waiting for Spring
Originally heard on: Waiting for Spring (1989)
7. Dad’s Room
Originally heard on: Professional Dreamer (1999), The Steinway Sessions (2017)
8. If I Were a Bell
Originally heard on: Heroes (2008) (bonus track on Japan release; not worth importing unless you don’t have the U.S. release)
9. Cast Your Fate to the Wind
Originally heard on: Waiting for Spring (1989)
10. Beat Street
Originally heard on: Full Circle (2006)
11. Strange Meadowlark/Blue Rondo a La Turk (Dave Brubeck medley)
Originally heard on: Digits (1983), The Steinway Sessions (2017); Heroes (2008)
12. Freedom at Midnight
Originally heard on: Freedom at Midnight (1987), Earthglow (2010) (subtitled “The Schroeder Variations”)
13 (Encore). Linus and Lucy
Originally heard on: This Side Up (1985), Happy Anniversary, Charlie Brown! (1989), Here’s to You, Charlie Brown: 50 Great Years! (2000), The Steinway Sessions (2017)
I can’t wait to hear how “Sienna Step” and “Vernazza” sound on the new album when it comes out, likely by September. I will definitely play something from it on my Homecoming Weekend show in October. In the meantime, I’m falling in love with The Steinway Sessions.
Now, for groups of pictures of each band member, starting with David Benoit:
Roberto Vally:
…and Dan Schnelle:
The end of the encore:
I hung out in the lobby for about 15 minutes, mingling with David, Roberto, and Dan. Dan introduced David to his mother and grandparents. That was when I learned he was originally from Merrick. I perked up, telling them I grew up and live nearby in Wantagh.
Roberto asked me to send him the pictures I took of him, which I did on Saturday, including this one:
Two guys from the South Shore:
Lastly, me and David:
On the subject of his song “Dad’s Room,” I told him how much I enjoyed “Secret Love” on Waiting for Spring, which was a duet with his father Bob on rhythm electric guitar. He appreciated that, picking up on the story he told during the set of how that album was recorded in one day for budgetary reasons.
I had a great watching David, Roberto, and Dan perform. Thanks to all of you. Thanks also to Sherry Davey for relatable jokes and hilarious impressions.
I’m in an episode of The Gaming Historian! May 31, 2019
Posted by Mike C. in Audio, History, Internet, Media, Personal, Video, Video Games.1 comment so far
Last Tuesday, Norman Caruso, a.k.a. The Gaming Historian (website), put out a call on his Discord chat server, which I belong to, for people to read a newspaper review blurb for an episode on The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening, a Game Boy game released in 1993.
I recorded two takes to one WAVE file and e-mailed it to him. For posterity, here is that file.
Two days later, he announced that he chose my submission and posted a rough cut to his Patreon supporters, of which I’m one, as well as on Discord. Yesterday, the final cut went public. Watch below:
My part, the first take of my submission, can be heard about nine minutes in. Here’s the audio from that part.
I’m also in the credits:
As a result of this video, though not necessarily because of me, The Gaming Historian YouTube channel surpassed 600,000 subscribers!
Thank you very much, Norm, for the opportunity. I greatly appreciate it.
7:53 PM UPDATE: About 90 minutes ago, Norm tweeted the following:
As I type, the video has over 236,000 views! That will surely continue to grow. I’m glad to have been part of a record-setting video.
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. (9/21/20 UPDATE: It will be held in 2025 after the 2020 Ryder Cup was postponed to 2021, moving all subsequent Ryder Cups back to odd-numbered years and the Presidents Cup back to even-numbered years.)
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! (9/21/20 UPDATE: BK is a better nickname.)
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, 2020-21, 2022, 2023
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.
Lisa Hilton at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall: 2019 edition January 12, 2019
Posted by Mike C. in Animation, Blu-ray, Comedy, DVD, Hockey, Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Politics, Sports, Travel, TV, Video Games, Weather.add a comment
Previous Lisa Hilton recaps: June 2011, January 2014, January 2015, January 2016, January 2018
Thursday night, for the fifth time in six years, I made my way to the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall to see jazz pianist Lisa Hilton perform.
Unlike last year, I didn’t leave the house early so I could eat dinner before arriving at Weill. I went about my typical Thursday routine, including eating a pasta dinner around 5:00. At 5:40, my mom drove me to the Wantagh LIRR station. It’s a good thing I chose to leave at that time because unbeknownst to me, the 5:59 train was moved up to 5:55 starting on Monday:
The other arrival times are unchanged.
It was cold and windy on the platform, so it’s a good thing I wasn’t there long.
The train arrived two minutes late, at least on clocks set to the official U.S. time:
Just like the snowy night I saw the Bob James Trio at the Blue Note, the Rangers and Islanders were playing each other. Then, the game was at Barclays Center, current home of the Islanders. This time, it was at Madison Square Garden. Thus, Rangers and Islanders fans were prevalent on the train. Ordinarily, I would have stayed on all the way to Penn Station, but getting to Carnegie Hall isn’t as direct as Blue Note. I could have taken the 1 train from Penn to 59th Street-Columbus Circle, but I would have to walk a few blocks south and east from there. In the afternoon, I consulted Google Maps to determine what subway line I should take instead of the 1. They suggested I exit at Woodside and take the 7 train to Queensboro Plaza, then transfer to the N or W trains to 57th Street and 7th Avenue. That’s what I did.
I arrived at Woodside at 6:46 and proceeded to the adjacent subway station:
I lost my sense of direction and stood in position for this Flushing-bound train:
I figured out where I was facing when the doors wouldn’t open on my side.
The correct 7 train arrived at 6:52:
12 minutes later, I stood in Queensboro Plaza:
Google Maps suggested the N train on the way and the W train going back. I ended up doing the opposite. The W train arrived before the N, two minutes after I got off the 7:
By 7:15, I was at 57th Street:
I took the southeast corner stairway:
The stairway faces south, so I had to turn north and then east:
It wasn’t long before I reached my destination:
Foolishly choosing the stairs over the elevator, I (somewhat) breathlessly arrived on the fourth floor and stood in the lobby until the hall doors were opened:
The audience was allowed in at 7:30.
After finding my front row not-quite-center seat, I took a few pictures of the stage, knowing I’d have to put the camera away until afterward:
A security guard reminded me there was no photography during the show, and I assured him I was only taking before and after. I know the rules and willingly play by them. (I didn’t tell him that.)
Lisa and her two bandmates walked on stage at 8:04. Yes, for the first time, this was a trio performance. Luques (“lu-KEZ”) Curtis was once again on acoustic bass with Mark Whitfield Jr. on drums. Mark alternated between sticks and brushes depending on the song.
The first nine songs were all from Lisa’s latest album, Oasis, released on December 7. The concept is similar to that of her previous album, Escapism: escaping the craziness of the real world. At the Oasis, you can take your mind off the political turmoil and extreme weather dominating the news. A case of extreme weather is the Woolsey fire in Southern California, which forced Lisa to evacuate her Malibu home. She eventually returned home to no damage, but others weren’t as fortunate.
I’m right-of-center politically, but I can’t stand politics’ insane tribalism. It’s our way or the highway, whether “our” is Republicans or Democrats. And don’t get me started on the politics of personal destruction. One wrong move will destroy your life. I also have a pessimistic view of my party’s chances in elections and I take hyperbole from left-leaning politicians and pundits personally.
Since late September, I have paid little attention to the news. I know what happened on November 6, and that my left-wing friends gloated triumphantly, but that’s mostly it. Some news comes to my attention by overhearing what someone is watching in another room, from newspapers on display at the supermarket if I fail to avert my gaze, or reading Chuck Lorre’s vanity cards at the end of episodes of his sitcoms. I keep my head buried in music, sports (but not sports debate or news magazines), documentaries, cartoons, sitcoms, tech reviews, and video game or console reviews and retrospectives. Ignorance is bliss.
I used to occasionally post political links or videos, such as for Prager University, on Facebook, but I stopped a year ago. Now, I don’t talk politics at all on any of my social media (I seldom did on Twitter since my account is public) or with family and friends, unless we agree. I’m a people-pleaser; I want to be everyone’s friend. I don’t want politics to come between us.
Lisa promised that the songs we were about to hear would be uplifting. There wouldn’t be any songs with titles like “F U Donald,” as John Scofield had with Combo 66 in November.
The set ran about 70 minutes. Here’s what Lisa Hilton’s trio played:
1. Adventure Lands
This made me think of the times I went to the Adventureland amusement park in Farmingdale when I was growing up.
2. Oasis
Mark Whitfield Jr. provided a swing beat at times. At one point, I followed Luques Curtis’s fingers on the bass.
3. Twists of Fate
Lisa credited Count Basie and Thelonious Monk among her inspirations for this song.
4. Watercolor World
5. Vapors & Shadows (also on Horizons, 2015)
In a quiet moment, Mark lightly clacked the drums. Lisa and I seemed to lock eyes briefly.
6. Lazy Daisy
This brought to mind a hippie daisy floating downstream or lying in an inner tube in a water park lazy river, like the one at Splish Splash in Riverhead. That was another park I frequented growing up, but I haven’t been there in almost 20 years.
7. Just for Fun (also on In the Mood for Jazz, 2003; Nuance, 2010; and Getaway, 2013)
Lisa’s gliding up and down the keys made me laugh.
8. Sunshine States
There was a Latin flavor befitting the two Sunshine States, California (officially the Golden State) and Florida. It was reminiscent of Chick Corea, and the end felt like “Tequila” by The Champs, just as “Hot Summer Samba” did last year.
9. Sunday Morning (also on Midnight in Manhattan, 2006)
10. Waterfall (from Cocktails at Eight, 2000)
11. Meltdown (from Sunny Day Theory, 2008; later on Nuance, 2010; and Escapism, 2017)
This song is a comment on a hectic life, being driven to a meltdown or breakdown. It had a frantic, heavy metal-like pace, and also brought to mind boss music in a video game. There were occasionally staccato Morse Code-like notes.
12 (Encore). Zero Gravity (from Escapism, 2017)
Coincidentally, earlier in the day, I watched the fourth Futurama film, Into the Wild Green Yonder (2009), on Blu-ray. One of the special features involved series executive producers Matt Groening and David X. Cohen talking about their recent Zero G flight. They and their fellow passengers, including Matt’s son Will, experienced periods of weightlessness.
As it turned out, no one else was seated in the front row, not even in the handicap seats. I could have moved, but chose not to.
1/18 UPDATE: Lisa posted a picture from the set (taken by photographer Ryan Nava) to Facebook, her website, and her newsletter last night:
Here’s the Facebook post, which ends with a link to her web post:
1/29 UPDATE: Lisa posted two more of Ryan Nava’s pictures to social media yesterday:
When the house lights went back up in Weill Recital Hall, and the audience began to leave, I said aloud, to no one in particular, that was a great show. Steve, who was seated one row behind me, agreed. I told him it was my fifth time, he said it was his first. We spoke a little more, then went our separate ways. I proceeded to the lobby to meet and greet Lisa and Luques. I didn’t see Mark, though. As I let other audience members talk to them for a while, I shared my enthusiasm with Adam and Vicki. Adam was seated a row or two behind me and told me he noticed that I was taking notes. I let him know it was for the recap you’re reading right now, and shared some of the notes with him. He was nice enough to take a picture of Lisa and me before I left:
I rightly took the elevator back down to the first floor.
By 9:46, I was back in the 57th Street subway station:
My N train for Queensboro Plaza arrived at 9:54:
Ten minutes later, I was among a massive throng of passengers (whom I didn’t photograph out of privacy) waiting to board the 7 train:
It took another ten minutes for that 7 train to arrive, and a couple more minutes before the doors were opened. I barely fit into the cramped car I walked into. There was little relief between stops as few people got off. Flushing was likely the majority destination.
The late arrival of the 7 train at Woodside meant I missed my LIRR train for Wantagh.
The good news is I would only have to wait about 20 minutes for the next Babylon-bound train:
The bad news is it was an express train that only stopped at Woodside, Jamaica, Valley Stream, and Freeport, with no other stops before Babylon. My dad was nice enough to drive 15 minutes out to Freeport to pick me up because I wasn’t about to wait until about 11:15 for a train that would stop at Wantagh.
After waiting upstairs out of the wind for 15 minutes, I proceeded to the track 4 platform and waited for my train:
Brrr! Each gust was tough to endure.
I was relieved to board the warm train at 10:47:
Once again, there were Rangers and Islanders fans aboard. And once again, the Islanders won. This time, 4-3. As a Rangers fan, this has been a tough season. (8:20 PM UPDATE: The game was part of a home-and-home. The Rangers won 2-1 at Barclays Center earlier today.)
The train was scheduled to arrive at Freeport by 11:15. Instead, it was there at 11:23. My railcar was a few blocks from where Dad was. Once inside his car, the drive back to Wantagh took 15 minutes, the same length it took to get to Freeport. Home sweet home.
Thank you to Lisa Hilton, Luques Curtis, and Mark Whitfield Jr. for the fifth great night of music in six years. (I couldn’t make it in 2017.) Thanks, as well, to Steve, Adam, and Vicki from the audience; and of course, to my parents for transportation to and from the train stations.
Mike Chimeri’s Music Collection audio remixes December 20, 2018
Posted by Mike C. in Internet, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Video.add a comment
Over the past few months, I’ve periodically taken the audio from episodes of Mike Chimeri’s Music Collection, my short-lived YouTube series, and remixed the files in Adobe Audition. By adding song excerpts, while dubbing in corrections and taking out end-of-video calls to action (8/26/19: I dubbed in another correction for episode 2), episodes have gone from as short as 5:08 on video to as long as 23:30 in audio. I’ve remixed six of the eight episodes so far and will update this post if and when I complete the final two. I hope you enjoy them.
Click on the “original video” links (blog posts with embedded video) for an episode’s album list.
Episode 1: 6 Albums from 1981
Remixed audio
Original video
Episode 2: 1970s Debut Albums
Remixed audio
Original video
Episode 3: 8 Albums from 1992
Remixed audio
Original video
Episode 4: 2000s Debut Albums
Remixed audio
Original video
Episode 5: 9 Albums from 2000
Remixed audio
Original video
Episode 6: Albums by Sidemen
Remixed audio
Original video
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, 2021, 2022
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.
MikeChimeri.com 