OT (again) Mostly of interest to South FL folks.
Rod Peterson -- Ormond Beach
>I think I'm probably the only one here who grew up in South Florida (at least that I'm aware of), but we veterans of the '60s from there will be shocked at the double whammy handed us within the last few weeks. First, just before Christmas Chuck Zink died, age 80. Then a week or so ago, Rick Shaw announced his retirement from radio. I just learned about both moments ago.
Okay. All of the rest of you will be wondering, “what's the big woop?” Well, Chuck Zink only spent 50 or more years on radio and TV in Miami, and all of us who were kids in the '50s and '60s remember him as Skipper Chuck who hosted an afternoon cartoon show (featuring Popeye), which shows were popular back in the day (much like Howdy Doody, which I also used to watch when I lived in Western NY).
Rick Shaw was strictly a radio personality—DJ—who was the evening guy for WMAQ—at the time, the Top-40 station in Miami (by the way, Larry King was on in the area at that time, too). I'm actually surprised that he was still on the air. He's also been doing high school reunion gigs for years banking on that '60s nostalgia. It worked. He must have been at the last four of ours. Anyway, he's only 68, but he's been on the air for 50 years according to the note I got.
There are certainly better known personalities from the past, particularly in the bigger markets, but this was the market I knew, so these guys meant something to me. Frankly, when you add in Ralph Renick (newscaster who passed away a few years ago), you're talking about the three biggest media personalities in the Miami area for a long time, maybe ever. I'm sharing this for any lurkers who may have lived down there at one time or another and hadn't heard the word.
Now, back to…what is it we do here?
Rod
just the slightest tear in my eye as a couple of eras end.