Friday, May 28, 2010

Memorial Day

Memorial Day Weekend is here! Have a great one!

Here's the man I honor on this day- my father.

Lt. Stanley J. Kihn, U.S. Army, 289th Infantry, 75th Division, wounded in battle December 26, 1944, Battle Of The Bulge, awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in the Ardennes Forest while recovering in a Field Hospital somewhere in Belgium.

Dad's letters from WWII are incredible. I plan to publish them someday, but in the meantime, here's a direct quote from one dated Jan 1, 1945:

"...the Germans kept coming, wave after wave, and the boys, green in battle, mowed 'em down, until it got so you couldn't reach out of your foxhole without touching a dead German..."

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge opened on this date in 1937. Construction began on January 5, 1933, at the height of the Great Depression.

Workers overcame many difficulties: strong tides, frequent storms and fogs, and the problem of blasting rock 65 feet below the water to plant earthquake-proof foundations. Eleven men died during construction. On May 27, 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge opened to great acclaim, a symbol of progress in the Bay Area during a time of economic crisis. At 4,200 feet, it was the longest bridge in the world until the completion of New York City's Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in 1964. Today, the Golden Gate Bridge remains one of the world's most recognizable architectural structures.

Tragically, it is estimated that over 1200 people have committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. It is the most popular suicide spot in the entire world. The fall takes over 4 seconds and the jumper hits the water at 75 mph, a speed that renders the surface of the water like concrete. 98% of those who jump die on impact. I once talked a guy out of jumping during my first year on the air. He called in while I was on 7-midnight and claimed to be a jumper. I asked why. He said because his girlfriend left him. I told him that was the dumbest reason to jump I ever heard. If I felt like that every time I broke up with someone, I'd be dead twenty times over by now! I suggested he call a buddy and go have few cold ones. He called back the next night and thanked me. Apparently she just wasn't worth it! I have since met this guy at gigs over the years and he always refers to me as "the guy who saved my life" but I'm not really. He is. I just pointed out the obvious.

The bridge is still the #1 tourist spot in the Bay Area. I always take out of towners there for sight-seeing, even my mother when she was still alive.

Once, when my son Ry was about 10 years old, we bought some balsa wood gliders and walked out to the middle of the bridge and threw them off. They sailed forever before hitting the water- must have been miles! What a thrill. You can't do that anymore. There are laws now that prohibit throwing anything off the bridge- much less balsa wood airplanes.

The Golden Gate Bridge has always represented the California dream to me. When I first came here from Baltimore, I went out and saw it and it filled me with wonder. I knew I was in God's country. Anything was possible here. Is that still the dream? Is it still possible? I don't know anymore.

Remember the words of the immortal John F. Kennedy when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but rather, what you can do for your country!" My God, what an idea! We need to get back to that philosophy.

On tomorrow's show- comedian Pablo Francisco!

John Wayne and the KGB

One of my all-time favorite movie stars, John Wayne, was born on this date in 1907. He was 6'4" and weighed 250 pounds.

He hated communism. A lot. He was an American patriot who believed strongly in personal freedom.

His iconic image had been painted and sculpted by many famous artists including Norman Rockwell and Andy Warhol.

But he was much more than just a movie star and the airport in Anaheim.

Did you know that John Wayne was nearly assassinated by Russian agents of the KGB? It's an incredible story, but true. I just read a new biography about John Wayne by Michael Mumm called John Wayne, The Man Behind The Myth, and I learned these facts (gleaned here from Guardian.co.uk).

From a review at Guardian.co.uk, Nick Walsh writes:

Joseph Stalin ordered the KGB to assassinate John Wayne because he considered his anti-communist rhetoric a threat to the Soviet Union, according to a new biography of the film star based on interviews with Wayne's close associates and the movie legend Orson Welles.

Stalin apparently learned of Wayne's popularity from the Russian filmmaker Sergei Gerasimov, who attended a peace conference in New York in 1949. Michael Munn, a film historian and author of John Wayne - The Man Behind The Myth, said Gerasimov told Stalin of Wayne's fervent anti-communist beliefs.

"Stalin decided that he would have him killed," said Mr Munn, who says he was told of the plot by Orson Welles at a dinner in 1983. Welles had said that the KGB was given the task of assassinating Wayne.

A prominent Russian filmmaker, Alexei Kapler (who was imprisoned for an affair with Stalin's 16-year-old daughter, Svetlana), had told another Russian filmmaker, Sergei Bondachuk, about the order. Bondachuk was sceptical at first, but after Gerasimov confirmed the story, Bondachuk told Welles.

Mr Munn said Wayne had also told him that his friend, the stuntman Yakima Canutt, had "saved his life once". Mr Munn later asked Mr Canutt what he had meant by this comment. The incident is thought to have taken place in the early 50s.

"Yakima told me that the FBI had discovered there were agents sent to Hollywood to kill John Wayne," said Mr Munn. "He said the FBI had come to tell John about the plot. John told the FBI to let the men show up and he would deal with them."

Wayne then apparently hatched a plot with his scriptwriter at the time, Jimmy Grant, to abduct the assassins, drive to a beach and stage a mock execution to frighten them. Mr Munn said he did not know what transpired, but heard the two men stayed in the US to work for the FBI.

A further attempt to kill Wayne was made in Mexico on the set of the film Hondo (which was released in 1953), led by a communist cell, according to Mr Munn.

Wayne also told Mr Munn about an attempt to kill him by an enemy sniper while he was visiting the troops in Vietnam in 1966. "One of the snipers was captured," said Mr Munn, "and said there was a price on John's head, put there by [China's communist leader] Mao Tse Tung."

Wow! What a story! What other actors can you name that have been targeted by the KGB? It's like something out of 24. Did you get the part where the hapless Russian filmmaker had an affair with Stalin's 16 year old daughter? What a death wish! Plus, the guy was a Jew! A Jew in Stalin's Russian having a fling with the dictator's underage daughter? Outrageous! He was later thrown in prison for life, of course. But what was he thinking?

Anyway, I thought you might enjoy that little bit of Hollywood history.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Support The Troops Day!

Tuesday 05-25-2010 10:11am PT

I will be singing at the Giants game at AT&T Park this Sunday May 30th at 1:00pm vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks for SUPPORT THE TROOPS day. Now, I just checked, and the situation is this- I will be singing "God Bless America" and "Take Me Out To The Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch. I WON'T be singing the National Anthem (my usual performance) for some reason that was not revealed to me.

But, that's cool. I am more than happy to do those two songs...

Of course, it's quite an honor to sing at the ballpark any day, and I always jump at the chance to see some great baseball.

It will be SUPPORT THE TROOPS day at AT&T Park. Operation Care and Comfort (one of my favorite charities) will be on hand to collect donations and items to send to the troops at all the entrances. Patrons can make cash donations OR bring items to be shipped, which are always popular. OCC has also arranged for a goodly number of military families to view the game. There will be lots of men and women in uniform. Come out and shake hands with the troops! Everyone who donates at the ball game will get a special gift from Operation Care and Comfort.

Operation Care and Comfort has been doing a great job sending care packages to our troops all over the world. So far they have sent over 585,000 pound of stuff! That's not just talk! That's a lot of work, and Julie DeMaria, Cookie Crissman and their band of volunteers work very hard. I try to contribute every month and I recommend you do the same. After all, these troops are the ones who keep us safe and guarantee all those freedoms we take for granted every day. God bless 'em. They are our children, our sons and daughters, our nephews and nieces, our neighbors and co-workers, and they are in harm's way. Anything we can do to help them is greatly appreciated.

So, come on out to AT&T Park on May 30th, this Sunday, and help support the troops and see some great baseball at the same time. Oh, and you can also hear me do my best Kate Smith impression!

Wish me luck!

The pitching match-up depends on whether or not Wellemeyer pitches in his spot in the rotation, if he DOES, then Tim Lincecum will be on the mound for the Giants on Sunday, and if he DOESN'T, then it will be Matt Cain on the mound. It's too early right now to tell and these projections are based on my own feeble information, but hey! It's looks good either way!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Boulder Creek Guitars, Harley Davidsons, and Slash!

Monday 05-24-2010 10:34am PT

The Boulder Creek Solitaire acoustic guitar is up for auction at eBay right now, all proceeds go to The Leukemia and Lymphoma society.

This guitar also comes with a guitar lesson! If you're a beginner, I'll give you your first guitar lesson in life, or, if you are advanced, my son Ry (a professional guitar teacher- college trained at Cal Arts) will handle the chores. Ry is involved with teaching guitar in the Bay Area and is one of the best guitar teachers around for advanced and beginners alike. The lesson will be included with the price of the guitar so whatever the final bid might be, the guitar lesson comes with it.

This is a beautiful guitar. I own several Boulder Creek Guitars and they are outstanding instruments. They have a revolutionary new way of bracing the underside of the top of the guitar so it resonates like you wouldn't believe, plus you probably noticed that there is no sound hole in front. The sound hole is located on top of the guitar! What does that mean to you? It means lively, bright, clear, sharp guitar tones!

This acoustic guitar features an exotic spruce top, rosewood sides and back, and the famous "Cabo Sunset" sunburst finish. It has a Dreadnought style body. It also has a built-in pickup so you can run it through an amp or a sound system.

The bidding is on now at eBay! Make your bid today! It wraps up at the end of the week. The link is on the Morning Show Page on this website.

Nothing like an auction, is there? The idea that you could actually get a bargain is a hell of a motivator. It's for a great cause, too- to destroy cancer!

And it's all on eBay!

No more will you have to endure the unpleasantness of the smoky backrooms of the auction house of old Shanghai, full of smarmy men of indefinite lineage and questionable breath, shouting gibberish in foreign tongues. No more will you have to put up with the smell of cheap cologne mixed with the scent of angst. Never again will you be forced into uncomfortable positions with cruel shoes and even crueler socks. Because now, you can make your bid on this fine guitar out in the open on eBay, with the light of reason splashed across your face.

So, shake off the yoke of oppression and breathe free!

Thanks to everyone who showed up at House Of Thunderin Morgan Hill for the Harley Days of May on Saturday and participated in our Harley Davidson Motorcycle give-away. Tons of people were there. I saw more black leather than at a Judas Priest gig! Rob Halford included!

Oh, and speaking of black leather-

On Tomorrow's show- SLASH!

Friday, May 21, 2010

Ralphie May/House of Thunder/SJ Sharks

Friday 05-21-2010 10:09am PT

We had comedian Ralphie May on the show this morning and I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. Ralphie was hilarious! I got a cramp from laughing! He's appearing the Improv this weekend and I recommend his show- it's fresh, topical, and very funny. Ralphie's rapid fire delivery is infectious. I predict Ralphie becomes a big star. He's just too funny to not make it.

I will be at the HOUSE OF THUNDER in Morgan Hill this Saturday at 12:00 noon for the big HARLEY DAYS OF MAY. 98 people will try their keys, one of which will unlock a new era in your life with a new "Street Bob" Harley Davidson motorcycle.

If you're in Morgan Hill this Saturday, you should stop by and say hello at HOUSE OF THUNDER. Also, a few keys will be held out for people who show up in Saturday- just so they can have a chance to win the bike too.

We'll have two bands playing live and bar-b-que up the wazoo! Drop in and have lunch and check out some hot r&r, plus possibly even win a motorcycle!

And last but not least, the Sharks travel to Chicago to play the Blackhawks tonight in game 3 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and they really need to win. It is very important that you root for the Sharks tonight. Of course, that game (and every Sharks game, playoffs of not) will be broadcast right here on KFOX. Dan Rusanowsky will do the play by play with his sidekick Jamie Baker. The pressure is on. The Sharks are down 2-0 and it is imperative that they win tonight!

This game should be an epic struggle. The Sharks need to win one of the next 2 games in Chicago to bring the series back here to San Jose. Make some noise even if you're alone at home!

McCartney/Dolley Madison/Praying Mantis

Friday 05-21-2010 10:07am PT

First things first:
Sir Paul at At&T Park! On tomorrow's show- McCartney Tickets!
This is the toughest ticket in town and we got 'em! I don't know if you've checked the prices but these tickets are not cheap! And you can win them tomorrow! For free!

OK, back to normal...
Yesterday, my first batch of praying mantises hatched! I got a couple hundred healthy little buggers! I kept about a dozen and let the rest go in the yard. I'll have more updates tomorrow and maybe even some video!

And so it begins again...

My favorite First Lady of all-time was born on this date in 1768. Dolley Madison was married to James Madison, fourth President of the U.S. (It was her second marriage.) James was 17 years older than Dolley and a confirmed bachelor.

She was a plucky woman with a strong personality, but the reason I really like her was what she did during the war of 1812. When the British troops invaded Washington D.C. in the War Of 1812, they intended to burn the entire city down. Dolley loaded up all the expensive silverware, jewels, and valuables from the White House and secertly shipped it to Maryland for safe keeping.

Then, in a burst of patriotism, she took down the portrait of George Washington and removed it from the White House before the English troops torched it!

Dolley- we need more like you today!

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Brooks Robinson Tribute

Wednesday 05-19-2010 10:36am PT

Yesterday was Brooks Robinson's birthday and I missed it! Brooks Robinson was my childhood hero- he played 3rd base for the Baltimore Orioles, and was a Hall Of Famer. Maybe the greatest third baseman to ever play the game.

Here's Brooks after winning the World Series.

I grew up watching him play at Memorial Stadium.

How many baseball players have been immortalized by Norman Rockwell? The name of this painting is "Gee, thanks Mister!" I got Brooks's autograph many times growing up. As a matter of fact, I could have been one of the kids in that picture.

Here are a list of Brooks's accomplishments from Wikipedia:

15× All-Star selection (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971,1972, 1973, 1974)
2× World Series champion (1966, 1970)
16× Gold Glove Award winner (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975)
1964 AL MVP
1970 World Series MVP
1966 MLB All-Star Game MVP
1972 Roberto Clemente Award
1970 Babe Ruth Award
1966 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
Baltimore Orioles #5 retired
Major League Baseball All-Century Team

Brooks Robinson Tribute

Wednesday 05-19-2010 10:36am PT

Here's Brooks after winning the World Series.

Here are a list of Brooks's accomplishments from Wikipedia:

15× All-Star selection (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971,1972, 1973, 1974)
2× World Series champion (1966, 1970)
16× Gold Glove Award winner (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975)
1964 AL MVP
1970 World Series MVP
1966 MLB All-Star Game MVP
1972 Roberto Clemente Award
1970 Babe Ruth Award
1966 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
Baltimore Orioles #5 retired
Major League Baseball All-Century Team

Sharks Street Rally Today!

Tuesday 05-18-2010 11:09am PT

There will be a big KFOX Sharks Street Rally today at 5:00-6:45 in front of the HP Pavilion on Autumn Street. I'll be there! Tim Jeffries will be there! YOU be there! If you're going to the game, show up a little early and help us pump up. You'll love it.

We lost game one to the Blackhawks, so it is mucho importante that we all show up and scream our fool heads off tonight at the Shark Tank, and what better way to get in the groove than a big old street rally in front of the tank?

Look for the KFOX team, we will be giving away 18,000 white pom-poms with "For Those About To Cheer, We Salute You!" written on one side and "This Is Sharks Territory!" on the other. Hold them high and shake 'em when we need a boost!

After the Sharks win, they'll be heading to Chicago for next 2 games. Let's win tonight so we can go to Chicago tied at one game each instead of down by 2.

Use all of your mojo, and all of your magic and special powers and skills to power the Sharks to this important win tonight.

I'll see you at the rally later today! Come on up and say hello. And, by the way, in case you didn't know...
GO SHARKS!

Friday, May 14, 2010

Go Sharks!

Friday 05-14-2010 9:56am PT

The Sharks open the next round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this SUNDAY at NOON right here on KFOX, the official radio home of the SAN JOSE SHARKS!

All I can say is- GO SHARKS!

This is it!

In all the excitement earlier this week I didn't mention that NATE THE GREAT turned one year old on May 12. My grandson is one year old and I am so proud of him! He is amazing and I love him!

Have a GREAT WEEKEND EVERYBODY!

I'll see you next week!

Thursday

Thursday 05-13-2010 10:24am PT

Thursday, day of joy, day of light, day of love... Thursday, day of potentialities... Day of dreams... Welcome to the magic that is THURSDAY!

Thursday comes on tiny footsteps through the cow field, Thursday has many suitors but one marries Thursday, because Thursday is a lonely day. A day or reflection. A day of meditation. Thursday’s not putting on any airs, it knows its place in the week. Not as glamorous as Friday and nowhere near as cool as Saturday, Thursday has it’s own style.

Thursday is often seen having lunch with mysterious Asian women at trendy restaurants that no one knows the name of. Thursday speaks several languages and is quick to point out other people’s faults. For, at its core, Thursday is a non-confrontational day, a day for Polish food, a day to pick up the dry cleaning, a day to flush the colon.

Famous people are often born on Thursday, creative people like Shel Silverstein and Ersil Hickey. It’s all in how you serve it- Thursday, it’s not just for meatloaf anymore.

Mr. T. says, "I pity the fool who disrespects Thursday..."

Thursday has its own website. It's on Facebook and MySpace too. Thursday is looking for more friends. Thursday doesn't have any roadies, but it knows who to call to get things done. Most people can afford Monday through Thursday, it's Friday, Saturday and Sunday that are too expensive.

Thursday is the Etch-A-Sketch of days.

The Thighmaster was invented on a Thursday. So was the Hula Hoop. Thursday has earned its beans and now expects them to be counted. Holding the spot between Wednesday and Friday, Thursday maintains order within the week. What would life be like without Thursday? Chaos! Wednesday would crash right into Friday, all the stuff that didn’t do Monday and Tuesday would get blown off. So, show some respect for Thursday.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

To Serve Man....... What is Radio?

To Serve Man

Wednesday 05-12-2010 10:40am PT

What is Radio?

A lot of people ask me, they say, hey Greg, you’re in radio, what’s it like? How do you do it? I mean what’s involved? Well, to those individuals I say, I’m glad you asked. Radio is very simple and at the same time very complex, it involves gentle rocking motions and occasionally the formation of ideas, but lets not get ahead of ourselves here, the whole thing about radio is this: it’s free.

I play music and talk on this end, and you tune it in and listen on that end. It’s that simple. But how do the sounds get there, you may ask? Good question. The sounds get there by way of billions of tiny bugs, called micro-schlubs, who fly at supersonic speeds and carry miniature cd players on their backs. Well, not exactly. It's weirder than that.

There are 2 types of radio waves: AM and FM- Amplitude Modulation and Frequency Modulation. They are broadcast from the radio tower and travel out in all directions.

But they don't stop there. Some of those radio waves keep going, pass through the earth's atmosphere and keep going into outer space. In fact, there may be aliens out there right now listening to shows I did 10 years ago (they must be out around Jupiter by now, traveling along quite nicely, heading out of the solar system.)

Is E.T. listening? Does he dig Led Zep? Don't laugh. They could be out there. I just read where Stephen Hawking said that we shouldn't be advertising our place in the galaxy- because if there really are aliens out there, they may not be as friendly and moral as we imagine. In fact they may be into conquering and occupying, and stripping natural resources. It might be a bad scene.

Remember the Twilight Zone episode called "To Serve Man" where the aliens come and take us back their home planet. They leave a book behind, which is finally translated. The title? To Serve Man. It's a cook book. They want to eat us.

Spoken Word Geek

Tuesday 05-11-2010 10:46am PT

How did I come to be on the radio? It's in my blood. I grew up listening to the radio. I had hit records back in the 80's because of radio. I am a real radio junky. Oh, and by the way, I love my job. The hours are brutal but the rewards are great and I feel like we have a special relationship. Being on the radio is a privilege. It's sacred. I can't believe I've been here for over 13 years. I'm truly a lucky guy.

But what about my background? It's in music, right? Well, sort of...

When I was a kid I had a cheap little tape recorder that I got for Christmas one year and I used to make fake radio shows with my cousin. I understand those tapes still exist somewhere.

I grew up a spoken word geek. What's a spoken word geek? Well, I used to get spoken word records out of the library and take them home and pour over them. They had mostly poetry- TS Elliot, Dylan Thomas, E.E. Cummings, Carl Sandburg, and such. You had to be there...

When I got a little older I discovered a guy on the radio who used to broadcast from New York on station WOR every night. His name was Jean Shepherd and he was a monologist. He's the guy who wrote A Christmas Story. Well, Jean Shepherd was a legendary radio personality and basically invented talk radio. He told autobiographical stories. That's it. He just told stories. I loved the guy. Used to listen every night in my room.

Then a friend turned me onto Lord Buckley- the father of hip talk. There are no words to describe Lord Buckley- you just have to experience it. People tell me my own radio style is somewhat influenced by Lord Buckley. I don't know. Check out Lord Buckley.

I had a cousin who owned a Ken Nordine Word Jazzalbum and it blew my socks off. Ken Nordine had a voice for the ages and some of his classic bits- like Flibbity-Jib, and Reaching Into In- are still as fresh as the day they were recorded.

And then there was Lenny Bruce. Lenny influenced my whole generation of comics and DJ's. Lenny's voices were incredible. He was cutting edge for his day. I remember seeing him on TV once and really being impressed. Religions Incorporated and Thank You Masked Man are hall of fame quality bits. Lenny was cut from a different cloth.

So, if you want to know my major radio influences, they are: Jean Shepherd, Lord Buckley, Ken Nordine, and Lenny Bruce.