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When I first came to DC almost 15 years ago - I was the TD then a director/TD for Black Entertainment TV (BET) - whom Atlantic Video had as our biggest client.

I used to TD "Video Soul" each day live and was reminded today of those days when a much younger co-worker said to me in the break room here - "what's the word".

I said "Word up!" which was a catch phrase from a Cameo video and he laughed. He recognized it from the video. I told him I worked with Cameo 2-3 times here and they were hilarious and fun to shoot with. He said - he didn't think they were as old as -I- am!

It brought back to mind - Tulsa's GAP Band. Used to be in Tulsa - they were on the tail end of any promo or TV ad for a concert of national rock n soul artists playing in Tulsa, almost by default. I worked with them on Video Soul 2-3 times but it was like we came from 2 different worlds though the GAP Band was on the rise and ditto then my fledgling career in Tulsa. I had never seen them perform before BET. In Tulsa we did not realize then that their following was growing BIGGER outside of Tulsa, always chalked them up as local wannabe's. It's amazing how distance from Tulsa changes perspectives.

I also worked with jazz lovesong balladeer Jeffrey Osborne here at BET and reminded him of a tour to OKC in the early 80's and a appearance at KOCO where for reasons unknown - he did a lip sync of a rising single on a public affairs show hosted by Ann Abernethy. He said the label was just trying to get out before the public and get his name known. Did a lot of these. Ann was clueless about him and his music - but it filled up time on a show....

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Yes, I remember the Meadowgold Milkman. Sartain mentioned that he did, too. Also, I remember Lorenzo and even went to see him once. I am glad someone else remembers him.

I don't remember KOTV ever having live audiences for any of their shows. Probably did, though.

For Lewis Meyer. Never did care for the show a whole lot but I do remember him chasing us out of his store when we were kids because, as he said, we were not paying customers. And, as an adult, I never was, at his store. In addition, he was the only person to never donate things to various causes. I asked him to donate a gift certificate or book once and he said it was against his policy. Maybe that wasn't altogether true, but that is what he told me. I certainly remember his interview on Carson's show. Was he nervous! (Who wouldn't be?)

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I remember when Terry Young was doing the weather on my weekend newscasts at Channel 8 and dived out of plane (with a chute), for some reason. Terry was very good and didn't need a TelePrompter. I actually ran a prompter for another KTUL-TV weekend weatherperson for a time.

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Terry Young - another 8 alumn surfaces!

Do you remember when Terry was running for one of his elected offices, he rode with the garbagemen on their routes? Good video moment for a candidate - probably better than David Boren and his Broom Brigade of the '70's.

We thought T.Y. wasn't a bad weekend weatherman and a halfway decent reporter/producer. His Generation Gap days I didn't remember.

What are you doing now?

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Oh man, I'm trying to remember something funny that has happened during one of James' weathercasts that I've seen, but I'm drawing a blank. I do remember several funny instances. In OKC sometime in the mid 80's, the legendary Jim Williams as doing the midday weather at KTVY (now KFOR), and tried to switch to the satellite loop, and up popped looping images of what appeared to be a steamy movie. It took him awhile to realize what it was, and chuckled before moving on. I think younger guys would have turned blood red. I also remember seeing Gary Lezak at KWTV (now chief met at KSHB in Kansas City) wearing a greenish tie in front of the chroma key. He took it well, and actually point out temps through the "hole" in his body.

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Terry, do you know what Jan and Judy are up to these days? Speaking of that, what are you up to?

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I really enjoyed working with the entire news crew at KRMG as well as with the late David "It's nine o' clock. Set Your Waterbury" Stanford. Occasionally he'd bring his roommate's dog (a beautiful yellow Lab named Griffin, or Grif) into the studio while David did his talk show. Grif would always sit under David's console and David would always tells his listeners about Grif's "smile."

Apparently one night Grif decided to move his bowels while he was in David's side of the studio. David was always a relaxed, professional and very placid man but I had never seen him so mad as I did that night.

I also remember my meeting the great Johnny Martin. It was pretty intimidating because he always kept his studio darkened, so I had a hard time adjusting my vision going from harsh neon hallway lights to a completely darkened studio. Both of them were such nice men and I do miss them.

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We were sitting around the other day talking about funny things that have happened during weathercasts. I remember the day after the devastating Memorial Day weekend floods, more severe weather was moving our way. Dan Satterfield (c'mon Dan, I know you remember this) was doing a weather update when a new warning was issued. As all the stations did at the time, channel 2 took a live audio feed from the National Weather Service office in Tulsa. About halfway through the bulletin from the weather service, the guy reading the bulletin at the NWS stumbled and couldn't recover, said something to the effect of, "disregard." This was followed by a loud crash and some expletives before the audio feed was killed.

Channel 2 switched right back to Dan in front of the chroma key. Dan, looking rather stunned, said something or other about getting that information straightened out and he'd get back to us.

I distinctly remember my parents and me exchanging laughs just afterward.

See you at the party in November. ja

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This is a great web site. Need to put a few of my remembrances in the hopper, too.

I started as "weekend weatherman" at KTUL in June, 1970, while also working in news at KAKC radio. Moved into the KTUL news department in August, 1970 as a full time employee. Worked in news and did weather until April, 1975. Elected County Commissioner in 1976 and Mayor in 1984.

Interesting tid-bit: While serving as County Commissioner in 1980, I was called by Sadie Adwon, then GM at KTUL, and was asked to come back to the station to do weekend weather for three or four weekends while they were waiting for their new meteorologist for weekends. His name was Travis Meyer. Believe it or not, I was Travis' immediate predecessor.

I also was the producer of Generation Rap, the topical show done by Judy Hagedorn and Jan Kizziar. I booked all the guests. My favorite was an almost washed up Criswell (of Criswell Predicts). Never have seen anyone wear as much make up in my life.

Thinking back over all the years....my first TV experience was as a guest in the gallery on the Uncle Hiram Show on KVOO (when they were operating our of the old Akdar Building).

My Cub Scout Den (Den 21, Pack 42, Holmes Elementary School!) was featured on Spanky's Club House on KOTV. I was Sargeant of Arms that day!!! Will never forget going to the old Municipal Theater with a mayonnaise jar full of money collected for the local March of Dimes telethon. Sky King (Kirby Grant) was here for the telethon, as was Raymond Burr (Perry Mason). My brother and I were waiting in the audience to give our money to Sky King. My mother, watching TV from home, got worried that we hadn't been on yet, so she called in. Raymond Burr called us up from the audience and made us give the money to him, instead of Sky King. What a bummer!

Question: does anyone remember Richet Rule the former Disney artist who did a five minute program for Meadow Gold Milk? Also, do you remember Lorenzo the Clown?

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KWBT debuted with real programming last Sunday. Enjoying the reruns of Columbo and Quincy quite thoroughly. Nice signal, too. Should be on TCI cable in the next couple of weeks. It's good to finally have it on the air. The radio commericals with the Walter Cronkite impersonator got old pretty quick.

I don't think Wichita's WB 33 is on the air yet.

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TV addicts!

Is the new KWBT channel 19 on air yet? What about you West Tulsans - can you pick up channel 33 from Wichita yet?

If you need a poorly rationed version of what Nick at Night is showing - GoodLife TV (Formerly Nostalgia TV) is now showing the Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, Make Room for Daddy, plus an "Adam"-less Bonanza twice daily (no Adam on Bonanza 'cause they only bought the last 3 years of the series).

Though after watching a few Ozzie & Harriet shows - NOW I know why my Dad never would let us watch this zzzz of a show when growing up in the 50's....

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I remember Mr. Mystery wearing a brown paper bag over his head, not a ski mask. Did I miss something? It hurts to ask the memory brain cells to reach back that far!!! I do remember Leo pickin' at the pe-an-er. I was a proud member of the "save Mazeppa campaign" SMC for short, from Fayetteville. I saved the newspaper clipping: it saiz: " Dr Mazeppa Pompazoidi, MC for the show, said on the air 3 weeks ago that his show would go off the air if his station did not receive 10,000 postcards saying 'I like Mazeppa and Semun-up' within 2 weeks". The local group, fearing that procrastination or forgetfulness on the part of viewers would doom the show to extinction formed a plan of action.

The group initially sent in a case of empty 7-up cans. which Mazeppa opened on the air the 1st week the campaign started. A stagehand threw the empty case, which bounced off Mazeppa's head. M. then opened a letter from the group taped to the case. SMC then purchased a large quantity of postcards, which they addressed and sold for cost.... Although at the end of the 1st week Mazeppa announced he had received only 4 postcards, the 2nd week his entire cast was shown wallowing in thousands of postcards!" Woo hoooo,it was Fayetteville Napalm Security!

As for Lewis Meyer, what can I say? I was born in 1952 in Northwest Arkansas, we got 3 tv stations. My dad ALWAYS had Lewis Meyer on when I woke up Sunday mornings. He was soo cooool.. I was just learning to read, but he always had cool books he was excited about, and he inspired me to read more and learn about everything. Guess what? Fast forward 40 years, and I still am reading and learning something new every day. What was his motto? "The more books you read, the taller you grow?" Ouch. Miss him.

Great site, y'all. I've sent to a coupla friends!

You might be thinking about the Unknown Comic with the paper bag...I'm pretty sure Mr. Mystery had a stocking cap. Mazeppa even describes it in one of the sound clips on Mazeppa page 1.

Thanks for the great info about the write-in campaign.

Y'all come back and see us, y'hear?

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Ken Place - worked briefly as a cameraman at KTUL in the 70's. Somehow he went to Hollywood and if you have seen "The Big Chill" - he plays the cop that hassles William Hurt about drugs. Haven't seen him in anything else...

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I remember seeing Sartain and the star of Black Sheep Squadron (Ken Place of Tulsa? Not sure) on a local benefit tv show and Sartain was aggrevating the other guy. Finally, Gailard did phony eye poke on the guy, who got up and left the set. I've always wondered if it was a set up or if it really was a conflict on the air.

I'll bet you are referring to Jeff MacKay, a Tulsan who was in the cast of Baa Baa Black Sheep (later revived as Black Sheep Squadron) as Lt. Don French in 1976-78. He also appeared on Magnum, P.I., and Tales of the Gold Monkey in the 80s.

I remember G.Ailard appearing on a local telethon in the late 70s, and showing some of the material that is now on the Lost Tapes of Mazeppa. It was probably the same telethon, and I remember Jeff MacKay appearing, but I missed the incident you are talking about.

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KOTV 50th ANNIVERSARY REUNION is set for November 27, 1999. 9a.m. to 11a.m. at KOTV studios for coffee, rolls, etc. Then 4p.m. to whenever at the ADAMS MARK...'headquarters hotel' for the reunion... Bob Hower and Bob Losure have provided some video for showing and area for still photo display will be available. Mike Miller is trying to track down and early day blooper video of Ch. 6.

We will provide KOTV associated talent at FINALES from 6p to 10p on Friday, November 26. LeAnne Taylor will not be available but she recommended Paul Serrell and Beth Rengel. Hopefully, Lee Woodward will be in command performance...and I don't remember whether Lionel sings or not.

We're still building a contact list...names, addresses, phone/FAX/e-mail numbers. Any assistance will be appreciated.

Send to my e-mail address or to: KOTV 50TH, P O BOX 35004, Tulsa, OK 74153.

Don't contact KOTV. The reunion is organized by 'alumni' but with KOTV cooperation.

TTM has been of big help as Guestbooks are gleaned for names and reminiscences.

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Well, shucks...just missed Armin Sebran (Yehudi Menu). He was working for an outfit called SchoolVision in Texas up until this summer. Maybe he will turn up again soon and get in touch with his roots in Tulsa TV.

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See the attached - Gannett here has made a bone-head decision. Buried in the Sports section is this story about Ken Broo being dismissed. Ken is probably the most original sports guy in town.

The following is copyrighted by the Washington Post - don't turn me in for "re-transmitting it" here, please.

Channel 9's Broo Is Dismissed
By Leonard Shapiro
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, September 17, 1999; Page D10

Ken Broo, the lead sports anchor at Channel 9 since April 1996, was fired yesterday by station president and general manager Dick Reingold, who offered no specific reason for dismissing a sportscaster who won two local Emmy awards in June.

"I'd prefer not to discuss that," Reingold said. "Ken did everything he could to keep us competitive. I'd just prefer to leave it at that."

Broo handled Channel 9's 11 o'clock show Wednesday night and was told of his dismissal yesterday, effective immediately. For now, Reingold said the station would move longtime Washington sportscaster Frank Herzog from his role as a reporter on the station's morning news show to handle weekday sportscasts at 6 and 11.

Broo's contract was scheduled to run out in October. He said last night that 10 days ago he told station officials he wanted to stay and asked if they wanted to keep him, but got no answer.

He said when he met with Reingold, he was not given any reason for his dismissal by the Gannett-owned station.

"There's nothing like getting fired in the middle of a hurricane," Broo said. "They complimented me for my hard work and handed me an envelope [with a check for his final weeks of his contract], and that was that. I didn't ask why. At that point, it wasn't important. They'd made up their minds.

"I think the station is struggling right now. I wouldn't think the ratings were a great factor. There are not many sports anchors in America who have an impact on the ratings. We're on at 6:52 p.m., and at that point, they're either watching you, or they're not."

Reingold said he had no permanent replacement in mind, and "we're really just beginning that process. I have no names, no preconceived notions."

Ken Mease, the station's veteran weekend anchor and reporter, handled last night's sportscasts and will continue on weekends. Herzog will step in full-time starting Monday, and, along with Mease, almost certainly will be a candidate to replace Broo.

Another possibility could be Bernie Smilovitz, a Washington native, former Channel 5 sports anchor and a popular sportscaster in Detroit, where he works for an NBC-affiliated station. Smilovitz could not be reached to comment last night.

Broo's departure also comes three weeks after former Redskins defensive end Charles Mann decided not to sign a new contract in order to pursue other ventures, including commercials, speaking appearances and even some movie or theatrical work.

Broo came to the station from Cincinnati, where he also worked as the radio voice of the Bengals in addition to handling sports for the local ABC affiliate. He replaced Warner Wolf, who was let go after an unsuccessful two-year run.

Broo will continue as a radio analyst for Maryland football games on WTEM the rest of the season and also will keep doing sports reports during weekday drive time on WHFS-FM.

While channels 9 and 7 chase Channel 4 both at 6 and 11 in what is generally considered close competition, ratings for the quarter hour when Broo went head to head against Channel 4's George Michael strongly favored Michael, especially during football season.

© Copyright 1999 The Washington Post Company

Mike Bruchas recently sent me a tape that included one of Ken's sportscasts for this website. The guy is great; he won't have any trouble landing a new sports gig. The caprice of management is a fact of life in the 90s (as well as most other decades). Ken, stay in touch, and let us know what you're up to.

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Just heard - AMOS POSTOAK - who worked studio and free-lance in Tulsa TV for many years, just died of a heart attack. Condolences to his family.....

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I remember when Jan and Judy, psychologist, were teachers at Rogers Hi. Whatever happened to Armin Sebran? He played Yahooti on Gailards show.

I didn't know the twins started at Rogers. No wonder Mazeppa did his takeoff "Teen Town Topics", based on their show.

I just sent an email to an "Armin Sebran", and I'm sure it's the same guy, but I hope his email address hasn't changed.

I also see that there is a book entitled "Gemini" about twins, undoubtedly by the same Judy Hagedorn, but nothing recent.

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Tulsa Radio Stuff

Pirate radio reminds me of when my old friend Jon Durkee (KRMG) and I used to broadcast from his house in Turley. Jon's dad let him set up a studio in his back yard in a portable building. At first we transmitted on walkie talkies with the talk button taped down and I would take the other one and ride my bike up the street to test the range. Later, Jon bought an FM wireless mike transmitter and used that. Jon went on to real radio and I went on to ham radio. As far as I can remember, there were never any real pirates in Tulsa. Several businesses are using Part 15 FM for advertising, AMC 20 Theater, Admiral Twin Drive-in, Video Revolution, and a church at 91st & Mingo. I'm sure there are others. Rhema uses AM during Christmas (1580 I think).

KWGS - I have a couple of KWGS surveys I will scan and send in. These were out just before they started the subterrania music. They played top 40 music for a little while.

Speaking of the Admiral Twin, went out there last weekend to see "Mickey Blue Eyes" with Hugh Grant and Tulsa's own Jeanne Tripplehorn. It proved to be very entertaining. Liked the FM sound system. Nice to have a Sam Adams at the movies.

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East Coast Delmarva weather report - the hurricane hit us with a bit of wind and a goodly amount of rain but not what we expected. NY/NJ/DE are in for a weakened version of it next. The media did not go as wacky as with the last storm - about 8/10 of what you in OK would see for tornado watches!

Since the O's game was cancelled last night and tonight - I am guessing G.S.Artain is not filming any location stuff till late tonight in Bladimore, MD unless they are shooting innadoors.

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Hey Mike Bruchas, did you weather the storm out there on the East Coast?

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Mike mentioned pirate radio stations. When I was about 14 or 15 years old I was already obsessed with being on the radio. One of my buddies was into Ham radio, so one day down in his basement we rigged up a little makeshift AM radio transmitter and hooked it to a 60 Watt light bulb. We took turns being disk jockey and listener for an hour or so until we became paranoid and shut it down; convinced the FCC had already dispatched a truckload of monitoring equipment to our neighborhood and were looking for us. In reality I doubt our signal got out of the house, much less out of the neighborhood.

As a kid, I had a Knight Kit 21-in-1 electronics lab from Allied Electronics. My favorite project was the AM transmitter. I put a rubber band around the rheostat controlling my slot car so that the car would continually go round and round, then laid the combo earphone/microphone on the track. Then I would go out in the yard and see how far away I could pick it up.

I, too, was convinced that if I hooked it up to my long wire antenna (exceeding regulations for a 100 milliwatt station), I would have an FCC truck with a rotating loop on the top out immediately, tracking my signal.

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A side note to Mike Bruchas' comment about possibility of TU getting a lower power for Classical Music.

KWGS manager Frank Christel advised some time ago that TU had applied for another FM frequency for Classical Music. Perhaps it has even been approved. Surprisingly, he had asked for call letters KTBA.

Note my e-mail address change. My other is of PRODIGY CLASSIC, which is no more as of 11:59p.m. October 1. The Y2K bug got it! However, we have been assured that all messages to the old address will be forwarded for a year.

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An add to Jim Back's great explanation - now the FCC is playing with micro-radio - like Low Power TV but to serve small under-represented audiences.

At first I heard there would be 2 classes of stations - 10 watt and 100 watt power - probably would work great in a big city but not in the country. Maybe TU could have a second lower powered station 10/100 watt mini-KWGS to play all classic music or a return to "subterrania".

Next I heard they would be 100 watt and an "empowered" 1000 watt stations. The issue is still up in the air. I have heard grousing from small-market AM owners about they being against 1000 stations.

1000 watt stations would probably be heard albeit weakly in Tulsa but now with so much internet radio - you have to wonder why this new radio class is needed. Except if you live in area without a lot of computer users, I guess. (We have Radio Free DelRay here as a neighborhood internet radio station.)

I think Tulsa and other locales still may have some "pirate" radio broadcasters - this used to be big in the Northeast U.S. - non-FCC licensed stations running semi-erratically out of someone's home with "alternative" programming (music, religion, nonsense) till the FCC caught them. Do you also remember during the CB craze - idiots playing radio on the CB bands?

Part of the plan here with micro-radio stations was to give "alternative programmers" that might border on being pirates, a chance to go legit. Also I think there would be a cap on ownership initially - you could not own more than 1 station in this class in a market. It was kind of like a local Goliath against a Clear Channel mega-station farm of licenses thinking. A different voice needing to be heard.

Knowing the FCC and political forces in DC - that would probably last about 1 administration.

When Mike Ransom and I visited Matt Bunyan at Starship in August - we broached this subject with him. He was following it but taking no action yet.

Who knows - you might see local merchants snap these up - not as an infomercial station but to reach their own select clientele. Wasn't this how radio started? The earliest stations owned by department stores, insurance companies and car dealers (hello KFMJ!)to woo their clients? Hello RADIO Starship?

Jim Back's explanation of "Clear Channel" AM radio is in Guestbook 20, just now archived; be sure to go back and take a look. Other topics touched upon in #20: Hal O'Halloran, KELi, and other radio topics; we learned that Gailard Sartain's 1st job was at KELi, why his tenure there was short, and what he is up to at the moment. There was discussion of the old Capri Drive-In, pro wrestling and other arcane topics...check it out!