10/19/2006

I’ve been getting a lot of e-mails from you guys since starting this blog- at svengoolie@wciu.com - and we hear from a wide variety of Sven fans- all of you who watch us on Chicago’s WCIU- plus the viewers who see us on our other Weigel Broadcasting stations. Then- thanks to the internet- we hear from old school Svengoolie fans from all over the country, who happened to “google” me (how dare you! I hardly know you!) and find this site. It’s really great to hear from people who watched my original “Son of” show, who no longer live in the Chicago area, and are happy that I’m still doing the program. Their fond memories make me feel very honored that the goofy stuff I’ve done has meant that much to them.

I’m always surprised when I run into local celebrities who not only know who I am, but actually watch the show! For some reason, our local sports guys love Svengoolie! When I was part of a Chicago Bulls game’s half-time “Simon Says’ contest- I was out on the floor before the game, and hear someone yelling “Sven!” It was Johnny “Red “ Kerr- who proceeded to tell me chicken jokes! Years ago, I was at a White Sox “Turn Back the Clock” game, with a bunch of local celebs, plus Jerry “Beaver” Mathers and Ken “Eddie Haskell” Osmond (“gee, Mr. Goolie, that’s a lovely tuxedo you’re wearing”)-and I see Jack Brickhouse. I’d never met him, but had been watching and listening to him all my life! A true Chicago broadcasting legend. I wanted so badly to just say hello to him, and finally worked up the courage, kind of fearing what his reaction would be to this guy in the strange outfit and make-up. I walked up next to him, stammered “ex-excuse me, Mr. Brickhouse…”-and Jack turned around and said “Hey-Rich! Boy, this is like talking to an old friend!” We had a nice conversation that I will never forget, and I was so flattered that he knew all about me! And, of course, the late great Tim Weigel was a big fan- I always remember the sound of his laugh. And, I haven’t even gotten to Steve “Mongo” McMichael…

Let’s go from a Monster of the Midway to a monster worthy of being our “Countdown to Halloween” movie pick for today-“The Blob!” You have to love this 1958 Steve McQueen classic- as a gelatinous ooze from space grows and grows, invading a small town and devouring everything in its path! Nobody wants to believe the story of the teenagers who’ve seen it- and soon, the Blob has reached massive proportions! The attack on the movie theater is a favorite scene (watch for the grinning extras running out of the theater-and for Andy Griffith’s future Mayberry sweetheart Helen- Aneta Corsaut- as the film’s leading lady.)

That’s the blog for today- I’ll write more tomorrow- but now, for some reason, I have an odd craving for Jell-o…