Fwd: MEDIA BLITZ BY JOHN MOLORI, 5/13/03

["Kevin Vahey" <kvahey@tmail.com>]

John Molori talks to Eddie Andleman

Btw has Scott stopped sending NERW by mail?


-----Original Message-----
From: Jomol3@aol.com
Subject: MEDIA BLITZ BY JOHN MOLORI, 5/13/03
Date: Tue, 13 May 2003 07:39:13 EDT

MEDIA BLITZ
By John Molori

Andelman sounds off on Safari, family and Boston sports media

      Eddie Andelman’s 14th Annual Hot Dog Safari will be held at 
Suffolk
Downs this Sunday from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.  The much-anticipated event 
has
raised over $2 million for The Joey Fund and cystic fibrosis research.

      The Joey Fund is named after the late Joey O’Donnell, son of 
Boston
businessman Joe O’Donnell.  “In 1985, I did a program on Channel 5 
called
Wrestling for a Cure,” explains Andelman, the host of AM 1510’s 
“Eddie and
Jags Show” weekdays Noon-3:00 p.m.

      “Joe brought his son to the event and he loved it.  Three days 
later, he
was dead from cystic fibrosis.  This disease is one of the largest 
killers of
children in the world."

      Nearly two decades ago, author Frank Deford's daughter Alex had a 
cystic
fibrosis attack in Andelman's home during a visit.  Alex and Joey remain 
the
inspirations for Andelman's event.

      In the past 14 years, Andelman has turned the Safari into a 
research
gold mine. Last year, the event raised over $300,000.  The same number 
is
expected this year.

      The 2003 Safari will feature 13 different hot dog companies, 
15,000
meatballs, turkey dogs, buffalo dogs and 20,000 buffalo chicken wings 
from
the 99 Restaurants.  Interactive games and activities are also slated.

      Tickets to the Safari are $15.00 at the door and $10.00 in 
advance.
Check out www.hotdogsafari.com for more info.

      AM 1510 The Zone will broadcast from the event all day long with
Andelman on the air from 8:00 a.m.-11:30 a.m. WB56 will have live 
coverage
from Noon-3:00 p.m.

     Ex-Bruin Ray Bourque is one of this year’s Grand Marshals.  
Critics have
panned Andelman for choosing a hockey player given his on-air disdain 
for the
game.

      Andelman takes issue with that saying, “Over the past 25 years, 
I’ve
helped many hockey players get out of debt.  My dispute has always been 
with
Harry Sinden.  Will McDonough tried to get Harry and I to bury the 
hatchet,
but I always wanted to bury it in Harry’s head.

      “The guy treats people like dirt and denies that he gets any 
financial
gain from keeping the Bruins' payroll down.”

      Andelman stops short of calling the Safari his legacy.  For that, 
he
turns to his sons Daniel, David and Michael.

      The Andelman boys have achieved media success with their Phantom 
Gourmet
show, an NECN staple moving to UPN38 with reports on WBZ-TV in 
September.
Despite critics' cries of nepotism, Andelman states that he has never 
played
any role in the show's development or success.

      He does believe that the Andelman name has hindered the career of 
son
Michael.  “The press and people in the business have been very unfair 
to
Michael,” says Andelman.

      "I’d like him to get more involved in the business, but he feels 
like he
is too identified with me.  When I hang them up, he might just move 
in.” The
younger Andelman turned down an offer to cohost AM 1510's Morning Press 
Box
due to anticipated claims of nepotism.

      Having talked with Michael Andelman on numerous occasions, I can 
say
that he is one of the truly funny and knowledgeable men in Boston 
sports.  In
fact, the criticism of Andelman and his family is way off base.

      Several Boston media types have benefited from a family name (see 
Gary
Gillis, Sean McDonough, Steve Burton).  Still, there is a pervading
resentment of anything Andelman.

      Eddie Andelman certainly does not dominate the airwaves the way he 
once
did, but he still provides listeners with relevant sports programming.
Moreover, he blazed the trail for the big money and exposure that his
contemporaries enjoy today.

       As always, Andelman has some pointed views on the current news in
Boston sports.   Last week on WBZ's Sports Final, multi-media 
personality Bob
Ryan said that he'd like to "smack" Joumanna Kidd, wife of New Jersey 
Net
Jason Kidd.

      Ryan’s comment was ill advised and insensitive, but the ensuing 
media
pile-on was equally grotesque.  Says Andelman, “I know Bob didn't mean 
what
he said. He was trying to be a personality and it bit him in the ass.  
He was
not thinking clearly."

      On Nets' coach Byron Scott's assertion that Boston is a racist 
city,
Andelman states, “Byron Scott never liked Boston.  He is a Laker.  I 
am of
the age where I saw Jewish, Irish and Italian people experience 
prejudice.
Racism is not strictly a black matter.

      “Boston is not a racist city.  It is an ethnic city.  The Celtics 
have
never been racist. What white player should they have benched, McHale, 
Bird,
Havlicek, Cowens?

      “The Red Sox were a racist organization under the Yawkey 
ownership.  In
death, the Yawkeys gave money to many charities, but I view that as 
blood
money that they owed in return for their racism.”

      Despite constant staff changes at AM 1510, Andelman does not regret 
his
decision to leave Sportsradio 850 WEEI.  He says, “There was no way I 
was
going to stay at WEEI.  I wasn’t happy, and outside of Dale Arnold and 
Ted
Sarandis, I did not respect my colleagues.

      “I don't like the way they do business.  I used to have a big 
party for
my WEEI co-workers at my house every summer, but I had to stop it.  I am 
not
a goody two shoes, but the people at WEEI are not the type of people I 
want
in my home.”

      “Personally, I think WBZ radio will take over the Red Sox 
broadcast
rights and that will be it. Who has more power and money Entercom or 
Viacom?”

       The departure of Sean McDonough from AM 1510 has not shaken 
Andelman.
“Sean is definitely leaving,” he states.  “He has always worked as 
hard as
anyone I've seen in this business.

      “He has not been happy with the Red Sox at all.  It was a money 
thing
all the way.  The funny thing is that (NESN play-by-play man) Don 
Orsillo
sounds just like Sean.  Sean will never be out of work.”

      Sources have told Media Blitz that Michael Holley has been offered
McDonough’s 3:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. slot at AM 1510.  Comedian Jimmy Dunn 
may
also be in the mix.

      Andelman is equally frank in discussing the bitter departure of 
Mike
Adams from AM 1510.  He states, “It was unfortunate. I like Mike, but 
I
thought it was wrong for him to talk about (AM 1510 GM) Mike Kellogg's 
past
substance abuse on WEEI.  Kellogg has three kids. You just don’t do 
that."

     “I really don't know why Mike Adams was fired.  He is as talented 
a
person as we've had in this market.”

      Andelman assures that the Hot Dog Safari will also be accessible to 
the
entire Boston market.  “We are expecting 45,000 to 50,000 people this 
year.
I’m not sure how much bigger we can get.  Where else can you take a 
carload
of kids and have affordable fun? We’ll never raise the price as long 
as I am
alive.”

John Molori’s Media Blitz column is published weekly in The Boston 
Metro, The
Providence Journal, The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune, The Lowell Sun and at
MethuenOnline.com.  John can be reached via E-mail at JOMOL3@aol.com.