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

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

Anderlman talks about the Sox moving to WBZ which echos whispers at the 
park. The new owners are not pleased with Entercomm.

I have been told that WEEI is the top billing station in the city which 
would echo WFAN and WIP Philadelphia as the top bills. I don't think 
losing the Sox would cripple WEEI but it would be a major dent.


On Tue, 13 May 2003 9:43AM -0500, Kevin Vahey wrote:
> 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.