Posts Tagged ‘Mike Bush’

What’s up with KSDK, Channel 5?  An unknown youngster is in the anchor chair and several reporters who appear to be high school students are on camera.  Usually, when Mike Bush is on vacation, the station pops in the anchor chair recognizable talent. All that is being offered is, “Mike Bush has the night off.”  Do I smell a story?

With a drastic vacancy in office buildings and emptiness in the hallways of hotels, the Renaissance Grand Hotel has been no exception other than Saturday night when the local Emmys took place.  As for the hotel, let’s be reminded of Ogden Nash‘s line, “Progress was a good thing once but it went on too long.” There was no end of fascination during the presentations, although big names of news anchors, reporters, sports and weather on-air talent seem to be a thing of the past.  Cable penetration, pubic TV, production houses, universities and online video websites have forced the competition and its out-of-town judges to use the same measuring stick against free commercial network affiliates, due in part to the recession or just the need for a full house. Conspicuously on hand for the event were KSDK’s Mike Bush and Fox2′s Mandy Murphey, but MIA were Larry Conners, Vickie Newton, Dave Murray, Russell Kinsaul, Leisa Zigman, Cindy Preszler and a few news reporters. But there were teams of talent from Springfield, Mo.,, Kansas City and Little Rock.  Strange that the entire Channel 4 management and on-air team weren’t on hand, while the station’s promos tout, “We’re 4 St. Louis.”  Presenter Patrick Clark, trimmed and slim, came in from L.A., carrying his guitar to the stage. WIL Radio’s deejay Cornbread grabbed an Emmy for Best Commentary/Editorial on KSDK and quipped, “I thank KSDK  for giving a fat man a chance to express himself.” Shocker of the night: Channel 4′s David Souza, Jr., nabbed an Emmy, while he said of his missing female colleague, “I told her to keep her ass at home – there was no need to come.” Ted Koplar revealed that his World Events Productions will be back in 2011 with a global release of 26 new animated episodes of “Voltron” in partnership with Mattel Toys and a full-length theatrical movie of robotic action. Yesteryear chief of KPLR, Hal Protter, confided that he and CW Network in Burbank have parted ways.  Protter joined Koplar to back-pat Spencer Koch’s marketing exec Suzi Schrappen, who was inducted to the 2010 Emmy Silver Circle. Not to be outdone by Oprah’s gifting audiences with exotic trips and cars, Schrappen got guffaws for having servers pass out hundreds of Fox2/KPLR 11 branded cookies during her presentation.

Whenever I feel I’m out of touch with reality, I hit the charity circuit and the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy telethon at Grant’s Farm was a must.  Music blaring, a marathon of phone calls, Grant’s Farm gendarmes returning your stare with contemptuous flicks of the dead eyes and KSDK’s Mike Bush and Heidi Glaus, along with staffers from the station, working with desperate vitality.  On the sidelines, the columnist cornered Mike’s wife, Claudia, who offered that her husband recently signed a five-year contract extension “with a reduction in salary.”  So, no entity is immune to budget cuts. With their son, Ryan,  Claudia enthused over Mike’s mom, Lois Bush‘s, upcoming reunion with the family in time for Rosh Hashonah.  While Claudia is a Catholic, she intimated that Lois is working on converting the children to Judaism, albeit their son Matthew‘s recent marriage in a cathedral.  Daughter Jennifer, 25, is working as a researcher at Columbia U. in NYC, specializing in psychology of eating disorders; son Daniel, 21, is a senior at Mo. State U. majoring in electronic art.  Elsewhere, Jennifer Feldman, Channel 5′s assignment editor, heaped praise on the station’s chief, Lynn Beall, who happens to be national veep for the MD Association, for having plunked down $800 for a Camp Star to be used by the kids afflicted with MD. Heidi Glaus, escorted by vet cameraman Ed Thornhill into the arena of giving, said her day began with her regimen of exercise and a turkey sandwich during the telethon.  MD’s regional director Toni Hails lamented, “Participation (of volunteers) is down this year. Some people are afraid to ask to help.”

Deanne Lane with Mike Neidorf

Speaking of broadcaster Costas, his annual outing at the Fox Theater to benefit Cardinal Glennon Medical Center, raised an estimated $500,000 Saturday night via a concert with Jennifer Hudson and comic Jimmy Fallon and a dinner.  That’s where the columnist cornered Deanne Lane, former Channel 5 anchor-turned-tubthumper for Centene Corp.  Lane chirped that her and hub Gregg Goodrich‘s son, Griffin, has turned 16 and is on Kirkwood High baseball team. Asked about rumors that she and Gregg had gone splitsville, Lane shot back, “We’ve loved each other since we met in the fifth grade.”  Neidorf left his wife, Neomi‘s kosher kitchen to sup, kibbitz and network among the crowd.  Dining there were Claudia and Channel 5′s Mike Bush, who updated the columnist on their three children, including their son, Matthew, who will marry Elizabeth Herrmann at the Old Cathedral, to be followed by a pouring at Kemoll’s.  Ebulient prez of the medical center, Sherlyn Hailstone, said she hopes to improve the hybrid cardiac cath lab for premies with congenital heart problems. She added, “Another phase of expansion will be a radiology lab and a pediatric intensive care unit.”  Dr. Philip Alderson, dean of St. Louis University’s school of medicine, expressed his vision, “We want to make Father Biondi’s dream come true to become the top Catholic medical center in the U.S.”  Dr. Alderson also said that a new track and field is in the works for the campus. Gina and Jeff Schindler were there with Abby and John Eilermann, chief of McBride & Son homebuilders.  “Banks realize it’s best to work together with people who’ve made it through (this recession)”, John said.  Meanwhile, McBride is jamming with its Paddington Villas in Chesterfield.