Chapter LI (For The Good Times) Chapter LI 2/19/23 (51)

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After returning from the CKY reunion, I started thinking about how it all started in Winnipeg but ended up in three countries, five states, four provinces, and twenty-two cities.
However, if pressed about where I liked living the most, I must admit that San Diego was the best. (What’s not to like about what’s pictured above?)

Ever since I was a kid, I’ve dreamed about living in California, and I’ll never forget the day that I woke up and realized that if I didn’t move to California right now, I probably never would.
As I said in some previous chapters, the only way I could get to live there was by finding a client somewhere in California where I could also office.

Luckily, the Shadek family, who owned KOGO/KPRI in San Diego and KLLS in San Antonio, became my first client and made it possible for me to move to San Diego.
I loved San Diego, and it took me over two years to get over the feeling that I was on vacation.
When I first arrived, I bought a house in Coronado that needed a lot of remodeling, so I lived with Tom Shadek, the owner’s son, and his girlfriend, Rose, in La Jolla until my place was livable.
 
(Shown on top)

Meanwhile, we were doing two brand-new formats.
In San Antonio, it was the “Class” format, modeled after KVIL in Dallas, and in San Diego, we were doing an experimental format called the Radio Magazine on KOGO

The Radio Magazine, which was the brainchild of the legendary Jack McCoy, was not only very experimental, but it was also very fun.
However, I needed one of the new formats to pop so I could afford to live in San Diego.

News Director Greg Tantum headed up the News Page of the Radio Magazine and surrounded himself with characters like Mike Dewey, Steve Tom, Lee Mirabal, and Perry Allen.
The only thing these people had in common was they were all crazy. Luckily I liked crazy. (Greg pictured above with a few of his news folks) Doing an outstanding job of the Sports Page was Jerry Gross whose feature “Could It Be,” I loved, and Bob DeCarlo hosted the morning edition.
Bob was doing a lot of stuff, like trying out for the San Diego Clippers, so I was sorry to see him leave, but Tampa Bay was calling. (Bob pictured above with me at Duffy’s)

Luckily, I talked movie star Martin Milner into replacing Bob when he left for stardom.
Throughout the rest of the day, we had Shotgun Tom and Mad Dog Maddox handling the music pages, with Captain Stan in the chopper doing the Traffic Page and Reid Reker acting as the Assignment Editor.

After only being in San Diego a short while, Tom Shadek graciously gave me his huge office, which was right across the hall from Ed Shadek, the company’s president. (Ed pictured above)
After Tom moved to the other end of the building, I discovered he’d left his fridge behind, which would be put to good use very soon..

As I said, I lived with Tom Shadek for a while, and after hearing that I liked to play racquetball, he challenged me to a game.
I told Tom that I played racquetball all the time, so he may have trouble keeping up, but he just laughed and said that his younger years should more than makeup for his lack of experience.

Unfortunately, after playing several games, Tom was not doing as well as he expected, so he called a time-out.
He claimed that the reason that he was not playing well was that he didn’t have a good incentive.
When I asked what he had in mind, he said, “Whoever loses the next game has to buy the winner his favorite adult beverage.”
His choice was Chivas Regal; mine was Canadian Club.

Tom didn’t get another point, so the fridge in my office not only had a bottle of Canadian Club in it so we could have a toddy at the end of the day, it also had a bottle of Chivas.
Before long, we were going through gallons of liquor as more and more of the staff popped in to have a quick one before heading home.

“Toddy Time” in my office at five was becoming so much fun that Greg and a bunch of the early edition folks started coming back in the afternoon for the good times.
My office was large, but it sure wasn’t big enough for this crowd that showed up every afternoon. We were elbow to elbow, and you could hardly hear yourself think.

Although I do remember hearing Ed shouting from the doorway, “DO YOU PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THE FCC STATES THAT THERE IS TO BE NO ALCOHOL CONSUMED AT A RADIO STATION?”
When we assured Ed that we were well aware of thAT ruling, he nodded his head, smiled, AND went back into his office and closed the door. Here’s to the good times!

 

2 thoughts on “Chapter LI (For The Good Times) Chapter LI 2/19/23 (51)

  1. Bob DeCarlo: George, it’s a shame that the highest interest rates in the history of the United States put a crimp in the Shadeck’s budget and cut our run short. When we started getting listener calls from L.A. and as far as Santa Barbara, we knew we were onto something. The Radio Magazine was a blast! Thanks for the memory. (For The Good Times)
    Geo: The Radio Magazine was one of my favorite projects, Bob, but unfortunately but fortunately for me, the “Class” format exploded so I didn’t have the time to work on it as much as needed.

    • Greg Tantum: George your genius captured that Lightening and MAGIC in a bottle (in more ways than one….or two or…..). Maybe it’s time to go back into the lab. My golf game isn’t getting any better. (For The Good Times)
      Geo: I think your right about getting back in the lab, Greg, but the other stuff I’m not so sure of. The thing of it is, my juices are flowing again and the only difference now is, I’m wiser.

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