Tag Archives: Hearne Christopher Jr.
Hearne: Star Poised to Announce New Publisher!
This just in….
Any minute now – any second even – the Kansas City Star will announce the name of its new publisher. The dude who will replace the dearly departed Mark Zieman. The guy who will decide the fate of embattled Star editor Mike Fannin.
A gentleman who – surprise, surprise – is coming in from outside the newspaper. From another market.
Stay totally tuned!
Hearne: And the New Publisher of the Kansas City Star is…
From the Idaho Statesman – the Idaho Statesman? – Mi-Ai Parrish!
That’s right. Forget about the dude part. Blessed mother of god, they hired a hottie!
The $64 million question: will touchy-feely Star editor Mike Fannin be able to resist keeping his mitts off of her?
Hearne: Movie Critic Robert Butler Pre Spanks Ex Boss, The Star
Who’s minding the movie store at the Star?
One has to wonder. Especially after reading exiled Kansas City Star movie critic Robert W. Butler’s story last week about the demise of the founder of the AMC Kansas City FilmFest. A report that came out a handful of days before the newspaper’s watered down version of the tale appeared on Sunday.
"Longtime KC film fest leader steps down," shouts the Star‘s headline. "Jubilee founder Fred Andrews cites health reasons; board promises to continue his mission."
Hold it right there!
I’ve seen some news coverups, but this baby takes the cake.
Today: Time to Put an End to Unnecessary Police & Liquor Raids in Westport
In the words of Rodney King, "Can’t we all just get along?"
That’s how Westport businessman Bill Nigro feels about the recurring weekend night raids on bars and restaurants in Westport spearheaded by KC Liquor Control and backed by uniformed members of the Kansas City Police force.
Totally unnecessary, Nigro says.
Task forces of police and badge-toting officials descend on local establishments during prime time weekend business hours, demanding to examine their liquor, food and health licenses. All the while, scaring off customers, interrupting the flow of business – and in at least one case – not allowing a customer to enter the business.
"I know the doorman at The Union of Westport has had to produce his liquor card for either police or Liquor Control at least three times in the last three weeks," Nigro says. "How often do you get asked to see your driver’s license? Places in Westport get checked almost every month. They want to see our business licenses. They want to see employee’s liquor cards. They want to close us down. I don’t understand."
Hearne: Former KCTV News Director Weighs in on Katie Horner Exit & Bonnaroo
Maybe it’s just me…
But I strongly suspect lots of people in local TV news would be at least somewhat surprised to learn mild-mannered, former Channel 5 news director Don North just got back from spending three days with his wife and friends partying like banshees at the rock fest known as Bonnaroo.
Eminem, Arcade Fire, Widespread Panic, Buffalo Springfield, The Strokes, Henry Rollins, Lewis Black, Bela Fleck, Loretta Lynn, Scissor Sisters, String Cheese Incident and about a zillion other bands. A four day camping and music wilding, spread out across 700 acres in Manchester, Tennessee.
Forgive me in advance for asking, but how much dope did North smoke on the three day rapture?
Hearne: Marilyn Maye Hospitalized, Father’s Day Week Shows @ Jardine’s Canceled!
This just in…
Legendary KC crooner Marilyn Maye was rushed to a hospital earlier today and her weeklong series of sold-out shows at Jardine’s for Fathers Day week – slated to begin tomorrow – will have to be rescheduled.
"I’ve got bad news," says Jardine’s owner Beena Brandsgard. "Marilyn’s in the hospital. The shows are all canceled. She has three kidney stones."
Today: The Reason Why Sporting Kansas City is Major League Soccer’s Worst Team
It’s not like what I’m about to tell you is a huge secret…
Not to the players on the soccer team known as Sporting Kansas City. The worst overall soccer team in Major League Soccer for the past three years.
Forget the non-excuse excuses offered up by team management earlier this week. Yes, it was super dumb front-loading the schedule with nonstop away games.
The team skittered into its first home game at the new stadium with but one win in 10 tries.
But playing a poorly-planned road schedule with all those losses and ties isn’t really the problem.
It’s the coach, Peter Vermes.
Hearne: What To Do While You’re Not Watching Soccer @ Livestrong Sporting Park
For starters, you’d best not smoke – unless you find yourself on the roof of the owners box (more on that later)…
With more than 11,000 season tickets sold – versus 3,000 and change last year – there’ll be lots of fresh faces soaking up soccer and sun in KCK this summer. But given the sorry state of the team’s play, they’re going to need to find something to do.
I mean, besides watching soccer.
Not a problem. You can shop. The Wi Fi at Livestrong Sporting Park is top notch, so be sure not to forget to bring your smart phone. There are concerts with local bands before the games (don’t miss the Beautiful Bodies in October).
There’s more…
Hearne: Stanford & Sons Pet Squirrel Hope Flies the Coop
About Stanford & Sons comedy club’s unofficial new mascot…
You know, baby squirrel Hope that office manager Christy has been caring for and bringing to Stanford’s in the Legends.
"Oh, now she can’t come to work because somebody in the comments section said it was illegal," grouses Stanford’s Craig Glazer. "So the squirrel’s not at work anymore. I mean, she’ll be back at some point but my secretary got upset and didn’t want to risk it."
There’s more…
Today: KanRocksas Powering Up, Rocking On Despite Cold Shoulder From Buzz
In a perfect world, KanRocksas music fest would have ads running every which way but loose all over radio station The Buzz...
After all, The Buzz is the one local station that caters to most of the artists booked for the two-day festival August 5th and 6th at Kansas Speedway. However, Buzz owner Entercom has refused to allow KanRocksas to buy ads for the event on its airwaves.
Because two weeks later, the station is selling tickets to its own single day Beach Ball competing event at nearby LiveStrong Park.
Hearne: Would You believe MLS Attendence Better Than NBA & NHL?
It’s not exactly new, but with Sporting Kansas City’s first game in its new digs Thursday, it’s worth a reminder..
For all the red-blooded American sports fans who love to diss the sport we call soccer, attendence last year for Major League Soccer actually surpassed that of the NBA and NHL. That’s right, boys and girls. Lowly American professional soccer somehow slipped past pro basketball and ice hockey.
Bull hockey, you say?
Check it out.
Hearne: The Envelope, Please. KSHB Poised to Unveil New News Anchor
So much for focus groups…
It’s no secret that KSHB TV, Channel 41 has been on the lookout to hire a replacement for veteran, outgoing news anchor Elizabeth Alex. Alex is slated to bail at month’s end for a position at a local children’s shelter and to spend more time with her souvenir, boy toy husband from Romania.
So who’s gonna get the gig?
Star Search: News Beat Patrol, Cheerleading Royals & Distorting Sporting
I’ll make this brief because, as many of you know, I’m bullish on Star sports scribe Sam Mellinger…
And I know that being a columnist with a finite beat like sports is a mixed blessing. On one hand it’s a somewhat sexy subject, a lot of people follow the local teams and and you can say almost anything you want because they’re public figures. On the other, you’re stuck writing about the Royals for six months.
Today: ‘The 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts of All Time’
Here we go again, but this time for all the money…
Talkers Magazine – the talk radio trade pub for folks like Tom Becka and Chris Stigall – has unleashed its list of Top Talkers to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the magazine.
Think of it, 20 years of talk radio dating to the year 1991. And that’s just for the magazine.
Guys like Dave Dawson, Mike Murphy and Mike Shanin rummaging around local airwaves well before that.
I can’t recall the exact date, but I remember when a young freelance writer named C.J. Janovy, working then as an office temp, had the bright idea in the early days of the Pitch to round up a blowhard by the name of Rush Limbaugh and hang him out to dry.
Did she ever.
C.J. taught El Rushbo a lesson he’d never forget.
Today: Radio Station The Buzz Declares War on KanRocksas Festival
Whatever became of the nobler aspects of rock ‘n’ roll?
You know, the part where the promoters, radio personalities and stations actually cared about the artists, fans and listeners? As opposed to declaring war on one another over small-minded, petty, percieved self interests?
Remember the "Save the Buzz" campaign several years back to try and keep KC’s then failing, only alternative rock music station on the air? Parent company Entercom had marked it for extinction. Word leaked out. And no less than Entercom corporate overlord David Field rode to the Buzz’s rescue and vowed that it would continue.
Things like the radio station’s Church of Lazlo came to mean more than merely a repository for corporate cash.
Which brings us to Entercom’s fully declared war upon KanRocksas, KC’s largest two-day rock fest ever.
Hearne: Calling All Sports, KC Confidential Wants You!
Yeah, you…
Well, maybe. We’re looking for a few inspired folks. Starting with – big surprise – a sportswriter. Someone with some grit and edge and attitude. Somebody looking for a low-seven-figure income (kidding). Better yet, someone so consumed by an all-fired passion for sports he or she would be insulted to be offered any kind of money (kinda not kidding, but okay, still kidding).
Today: Rumors About Departure of Embattled KC Star Editor Appear Off Base
With Star publisher Mark Zieman hightailing it out of town for greener ($$$) pastures there’s been talk editor Mike Fannin might be close behind…
For months, Fannin has kept very odd hours and been noticeably missing-in-action in the newsroom, sources say. Combine that with a litany of potentially career-killing disclosures about Fannin’s personal life and it’s little wonder that the news tongues have been wagging.
It started with former Star columnist Jason Whitlock’s radio and television-aired accusations that Fannin had an "inappropriate relationship" with now-former Star sports editor Holly Lawton. Which dovetailed nicely, with the observations of others in the newsroom and overlapped with Lawton’s divorce and unexplained departure from the newspaper to take a position, uh, job hunting during the worst recession in decades.
Hearne: Time for Sporting Kansas City’s Front Office to Deliver the Goods…or Else
It’s gonna be an uphill battle…
The KC soccer team formerly known as the Wizards – now Sporting Kansas City – face a disturbing dichotomy. On one hand the team is in the well-heeled hands of the main men at Cerner.
New name, new stadium, a couple concerts, better media coverage and an army of suits selling tickets and attending to every sports marketing and operational need imaginable. A front office that rivals – if not exceeds in some ways – that of the Chiefs and Royals.
Trust me, these guys are s-e-r-i-o-u-s.
Former owner Lamar Hunt was a piker by comparison. Sporting has bucks to burn and is not afraid to burn them. On the other hand Lamar – frugal though he was – delivered results on the field.
Hearne: Star Dodges Poison Gas Bullet in Newsroom Nightmare
About that Kansas City Star fire drill Wednesday…
"We had a crazy evacuation," says a staffer of the early morning smoke out. "I walked in at 8:40 a.m. and there was a haze in the newsroom and the fire alarms were going off. Apparently there was a freon leak. And the first floor was all hazy, too."
Now the scary part…
"The fire alarms were going off for half an hour before anybody called the fire department," says the source.
Today: Former Merriam Councilman Dan Leap’s Peep Show Rocks On
Life goes on…
Controversial, hard rocking Merriam City Councilman Dan Leap is no more. Politically speaking, that is. Leap lost his bid for re-election in April and has returned full time to the business of making Guitar Lamps and working at the family heating and cooling biz in downtown Merriam.
Oh, and fronting for local rock band Pompous Jack.
"Dude, I ain’t on the council anymore," Leap says. "I lost by about 40 votes. I got beat by a school teach, an ex school teacher. I was there for eight years."
Leap narrowly lost his bid to become Merriam’s mayor two years back in a hotly-contested, threeway struggle that resulted in the winner conceding and apologizing for misstated facts in the final days of the campaign.