If you heard the last minute of Paul Harvey's morning drive feed this morning, YOU heard possibly-the-most-riveting minute of radio I'VE ever heard.
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Paul Harvey
- Thread starter Holland Cooke
- Start date
D
Don62
Guest
Holland,
I usually listen as my morning routine. I can't recall if I did hear him. I was so out of it and in a fog.
My luck to miss one day.
Describe what he said.
Thanks, sir.
I usually listen as my morning routine. I can't recall if I did hear him. I was so out of it and in a fog.
My luck to miss one day.
Describe what he said.
Thanks, sir.
RE "I can't recall if I did hear him."
You'd remember THIS.
HALTING radio.
He acknowledged that (paraphrasing), "IOU an explanation for" recent/frequent/unexplained absences the last year or so.
'Explained how he-and-his-wife Angel were to receive honorary degrees from a university tomorrow, but that he'd be appearing without her.
In a way my retelling cannot nearly give-you-the-flavor-of -- and with this familiar voice VERY near-tears -- he alluded to Angel near-death, leukemia.
Don62 said:Describe what he said.
You'd remember THIS.
HALTING radio.
He acknowledged that (paraphrasing), "IOU an explanation for" recent/frequent/unexplained absences the last year or so.
'Explained how he-and-his-wife Angel were to receive honorary degrees from a university tomorrow, but that he'd be appearing without her.
In a way my retelling cannot nearly give-you-the-flavor-of -- and with this familiar voice VERY near-tears -- he alluded to Angel near-death, leukemia.
D
Don62
Guest
Wow. That's something. I was expecting Holland to retell a riverting story Paul is known to tell.
That reminds me of a broadcast I once heard.
I used to listen to Agri Talk, a morning syndicated talk show covering agriculture. I think it airs 10:00 a.m. CT M-F. (I used to be in a line of work related to ag communications).
The host, Ken Root, a Midwestern broadcast TV and radio legend, almost broke into tears during the final moments of one show. He got all choked up and said something like thanks for listening. I'll be back next week.
Man, you could feel the pain he was feeling.
I of course had earlier heard that his mother died.
That reminds me of a broadcast I once heard.
I used to listen to Agri Talk, a morning syndicated talk show covering agriculture. I think it airs 10:00 a.m. CT M-F. (I used to be in a line of work related to ag communications).
The host, Ken Root, a Midwestern broadcast TV and radio legend, almost broke into tears during the final moments of one show. He got all choked up and said something like thanks for listening. I'll be back next week.
Man, you could feel the pain he was feeling.
I of course had earlier heard that his mother died.
Don62 said:I usually listen as my morning routine. I can't recall if I did hear him. I was so out of it and in a fog.
My luck to miss one day.
You can still listen to it. Paul archives one week of his morning and noon shows up on the front page of his website so this morning's report is still there. www.paulharvey.com
D
Don62
Guest
Thaniks for pointing me to that link, Salt.
D
Don62
Guest
Paul's report 5-30
Did anyone catch this morning's report?
The host of the station I was listening to it ended it halfway through, saying something like he didn't want listeners to bear through the report anymore. The host said he liked Paul Harvey.
Paul's voice sounded weak and half-alive. Is Paul ill?
Did anyone catch this morning's report?
The host of the station I was listening to it ended it halfway through, saying something like he didn't want listeners to bear through the report anymore. The host said he liked Paul Harvey.
Paul's voice sounded weak and half-alive. Is Paul ill?
R
Radio_Realist
Guest
Paul's voice sounded weak and half-alive. Is Paul ill?
He was born in September of 1918. He's almost 89 years old.
Don't be surprised if he sounds like someone who is almost 89 years old.
He was born in September of 1918. He's almost 89 years old.
Don't be surprised if he sounds like someone who is almost 89 years old.
R
Radio_Realist
Guest
Anyone want to take bets on how long it takes for someone to acuse me of "flaming" Paul Harvey by revealing his age?
D
Don62
Guest
I've heard Paul recently and he hasn't sounded that old and tired. It was a surprise to hear him today.Radio_Realist said:Paul's voice sounded weak and half-alive. Is Paul ill?
He was born in September of 1918. He's almost 89 years old.
Don't be surprised if he sounds like someone who is almost 89 years old.
I think he was ill or had llaringits (spell?) or something.
"The show must go on!"
WHAT A PRO this guy is.
I had sent him several scripts I wrote for an ABC-affiliated client station.
He got 'em THE DAY AFTER he half-choked-up on-air telling us about Angel.
We got 'em THAT DAY.
http://members.aol.com/cookeh/WDAY85.mp3
WHAT A PRO.
HC
www.HollandCooke.com
WHAT A PRO this guy is.
I had sent him several scripts I wrote for an ABC-affiliated client station.
He got 'em THE DAY AFTER he half-choked-up on-air telling us about Angel.
We got 'em THAT DAY.
http://members.aol.com/cookeh/WDAY85.mp3
WHAT A PRO.
HC
www.HollandCooke.com
D
Don62
Guest
I agree. PH is a pro. A real class act. My posts weren't meant to criticize him.
Gill Gross filled in on today's a.m. broadcast, but I heard Paul this afternoon. His voice sounded fine.
He must have experienced some throat illness or trouble the other day.
Gill Gross filled in on today's a.m. broadcast, but I heard Paul this afternoon. His voice sounded fine.
He must have experienced some throat illness or trouble the other day.
RE "Gill Gross filled in on today's a.m. broadcast"
He seemed uncomfortably flattered when I told him this, but I think Gil Gross is THE most talented person on radio in the USA today.
He's sure MY favorite Paul Harvey fill-in.
The Fred Thompson thing may be for-the-best.
More than one affiliate conveyed to me that he sounded plodding.
He seemed uncomfortably flattered when I told him this, but I think Gil Gross is THE most talented person on radio in the USA today.
He's sure MY favorite Paul Harvey fill-in.
The Fred Thompson thing may be for-the-best.
More than one affiliate conveyed to me that he sounded plodding.
D
Don62
Guest
Re: RE "Gill Gross filled in on today's a.m. broadcast"
Why didn't that show last longer? Why did it end?
I loved Gill Gross' national call-in evening radio show. It was more general interest, like Tom Snyder or Larry King. It seemed very balanced, though I think Gill wasn't terribly conservative.Holland Cooke said:He seemed uncomfortably flattered when I told him this, but I think Gil Gross is THE most talented person on radio in the USA today.
He's sure MY favorite Paul Harvey fill-in.
Why didn't that show last longer? Why did it end?
RE "I loved Gill Gross' national call-in evening radio show. "
Wasn't that GREAT?
Three reasons:
1. Baseball,
2. Basketball,
3. Hockey.
Many AM stations' play-by-play makes getting-on-a-roll tough because consecutive nights are pre-empted.
Wasn't that GREAT?
Don62 said:Why did it end?
Three reasons:
1. Baseball,
2. Basketball,
3. Hockey.
Many AM stations' play-by-play makes getting-on-a-roll tough because consecutive nights are pre-empted.
Don62 said:I've heard Paul recently and he hasn't sounded that old and tired. It was a surprise to hear him today.Radio_Realist said:Paul's voice sounded weak and half-alive. Is Paul ill?
He was born in September of 1918. He's almost 89 years old.
Don't be surprised if he sounds like someone who is almost 89 years old.
I think he was ill or had llaringits (spell?) or something.
I too was stunned by what I heard yesterday morning. Paul definitely sounded like he had gotten sick. I kept wanting to clear MY throat the entire broadcast. Yet he motored through it, dutifully and evenly, if nothing else. I'm sure if you awaken to go to work at 2:30 in the morning (it must be something like that) there are not too many people you can call upon to take over for you.
As for Gil Gross, I think he is or should be the heir to the Harvey program. I remember the first time I heard Gil working for Paul 17 years ago, and thought he was a very funny guy. He is definitely my favorite. It is true, he is far less conservative than Paul or Fred Thompson. He is a fill in for KGO-AM frequently in the mornings (I think he has to be one of the hardest working people in broadcasting with his West Coast network news responsibilities too.) Anyway, in listening to Gil in the talk show format, admitedly through the "left coast" paradigm, I would say he's fairly middle of the road on most things. I seldom hear him with some major axe to grind politically. One might say politics go hand and hand with Harvey's programs and to a degree that's true. Yet the essence of the program is less about politics and more a blend of news, irony and human interest. Gil pulls those things off in an extremely entertaining way.
If the Harvey franchise is to continue after Paul is no longer able to carry it on, it needs to be re-invented somewhat to draw a younger demographic. I'm not sure where that might leave, "The Rest of the Story" actually. Paul Jr. does a nice job, but it might get a little disconnected having the responsibilities divided.
And it's no act!
The Gil Gross you hear on-air is the guy you meet.
EXTREMELY nice guy.
Which points to an opportunity for news people.
Listen to ABC's on-hour newscasts, in the evening, when Gil anchors out of Los Angeles.
He doesn't sound like he's reading copy.
(He is. He just doesn't SOUND like it.)
He's TELLING STORIES.
Often local news peoples' copy is arcane.
Minutes-of-the-meeting-type PROCESS copy.
Gil's copy relates CONSEQUENCE.
Sure, the verbose local stuff to-which-I-refer is, technically, CORRECT minutes-of-the-meeting. But, after hearing the story on-air, Homer or Marge Diarykeeper would think "Wha?"
Gil's work is A CLINIC in boiling-it-down.
Often, when I ask a local newscaster "What was that story about?" THE VERY NEXT THING he/she says would have made a better lead.
The Gil Gross you hear on-air is the guy you meet.
EXTREMELY nice guy.
Which points to an opportunity for news people.
Listen to ABC's on-hour newscasts, in the evening, when Gil anchors out of Los Angeles.
He doesn't sound like he's reading copy.
(He is. He just doesn't SOUND like it.)
He's TELLING STORIES.
Often local news peoples' copy is arcane.
Minutes-of-the-meeting-type PROCESS copy.
Gil's copy relates CONSEQUENCE.
Sure, the verbose local stuff to-which-I-refer is, technically, CORRECT minutes-of-the-meeting. But, after hearing the story on-air, Homer or Marge Diarykeeper would think "Wha?"
Gil's work is A CLINIC in boiling-it-down.
Often, when I ask a local newscaster "What was that story about?" THE VERY NEXT THING he/she says would have made a better lead.
A
Al Johnson
Guest
The Paul Harvey franchise requires Paul Harvey. When he hangs it up or checks out, it's over. When any of the subs are on, including Gil Gross, it is not the same. Paul Jr. was doing fill ins for a while, but for some reason that stopped. His copy sounded like the old man's copy but he didn't have the old man's delivery. The other subs sound like they are reading wire copy.
Harvey is the last radio commentator. Now he is unique. Once people like him were the norm. Each guy who read news had his own style and his own spin. Radio news was about good writing and good delivery. Now it's about short writing and sound-bites.
Even back then, in the era or commentators not talk show hosts, voices from the right still dominated the air waves.
Paul Harvey was not unique nor original. His style was taken from Walter Winchell and Bill Stern. His slant comes Colonel McCormick's Tribune.
Commentators are mostly forgotten. You can see H. V. Kaltenborn in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Elmer Davis and Drew Pearson in "The Day the Earth Stood Still." You can hear Winchell on "The Untouchables." Each was original and when they stopped broadcasting their franchises ended. It's not like getting somebody else to read the nightly news. These people were the news, as Paul Harvey is still for his listeners.
Harvey is the last radio commentator. Now he is unique. Once people like him were the norm. Each guy who read news had his own style and his own spin. Radio news was about good writing and good delivery. Now it's about short writing and sound-bites.
Even back then, in the era or commentators not talk show hosts, voices from the right still dominated the air waves.
Paul Harvey was not unique nor original. His style was taken from Walter Winchell and Bill Stern. His slant comes Colonel McCormick's Tribune.
Commentators are mostly forgotten. You can see H. V. Kaltenborn in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." Elmer Davis and Drew Pearson in "The Day the Earth Stood Still." You can hear Winchell on "The Untouchables." Each was original and when they stopped broadcasting their franchises ended. It's not like getting somebody else to read the nightly news. These people were the news, as Paul Harvey is still for his listeners.
D
Don62
Guest
Paul Jr. was on the air today. He sounded fine.Al Johnson said:The Paul Harvey franchise requires Paul Harvey. When he hangs it up or checks out, it's over. When any of the subs are on, including Gil Gross, it is not the same. Paul Jr. was doing fill ins for a while, but for some reason that stopped. His copy sounded like the old man's copy but he didn't have the old man's delivery. The other subs sound like they are reading wire copy.
Your other points are valid, though.
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