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A couple weeks ago I spent a Saturday binge re-watching the most recent episodes of Larry David’s “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”  It was the 10^th season of the HBO comedy and one of its best.  The story arc was Larry wanted to open a ‘Spite Store’ to compete with a coffee business, “Mocha Joe’s” that he had issues with.  David’s joint was called “Latte Larry’s.”

Each episode had its usual conflicts and peccadillos of daily annoyances that drive the lead character nuts and there were plenty of laughs along the way.  The two best shows being “The Ugly Section” and “Elizabeth, Margaret and Larry.”  The latter of those two featured studly former “Mad Men” star Jon Hamm doing character research for a movie and morphing into a junior Larry David.  As good as Hamm is at drama in film and TV, he’s equally adept at doing comedy.

One of the extra things that made this season enjoyable was how David featured some of my favorite B list actresses.  In the past Larry has clicked with me on this measure with roles for stars like tall and lovely Brenda Strong and the sultry Rebecca Creskoff, but this season was better.

Putting them in alphabetical order, “Curb” had a part for the saucy Sasha Alexander.  She’s been on shows like “Friends” and showed off plenty of herself on the series “Shameless.”  With “Curb Your Enthusiasm” Sasha played the no nonsense chief executive officer/ girlfriend to Richard Lewis.  Earlier in the season Lewis had another gal pal played by Isla Fisher who worked as a “professional crier.”

The next actress in the cue is Jane Krakowski.  I’ve always had a thing for the former co-star of “30 Rock” and other shows & movies.  Jane also played a role in the Dixie Chicks (sorry, ‘The Chicks’) music video for “Goodbye Earl.”  On ‘Curb’, Jane portrayed a frisky widow who liked Larry and possessed an allegedly “magical” lady part.  And the kid who played the son of a dermatologist added more hilarity to “The Ugly Section.”

Teri Polo, co-star of the “Meet the Parents” movies among other roles did a nice turn as another love interest for Larry.  The scene where he video records on a cell-phone all of their steps in a romantic session in an effort to avoid a sexual harassment lawsuit is another piece of true to life comedy gold.

Finally there was still ANOTHER girlfriend for Larry played by former “Rules of Engagement” star Megyn Pryce.  I like Megyn not just for her cute looks but her comedic timing and her speaking voice.  She’s fun to watch and seeing her play a woman who lost weight but goes back to enjoying lots of food made the episode she was in even better.  Was Megyn’s character yoyo-ing up in weight?  Who knows for sure?

So besides featuring these actresses of lesser fame, the past season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm” had other high spots, including Larry mocking Jeff’s wife Susie for her stove pipe hat as he quoted Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address.  Then there was the painting of Susie he commissioned for her birthday which was both funny and scary. Larry’s ex-wife Cheryl confronting him about sleeping with her sister was also a gut busting laugh.

There is going to be an 11^th season of ‘’Curb” and you have to think the current Covid 19 Pandemic is going to play a major part in the season’s story arc.  And forgive my ‘enthusiasm’ but I can’t wait for the fun to begin.

NEXT BLOG- A Tribute to Tom Petty.

I have a few different things I’ve watched and listened to that you might want to check out.

“I Want My M-TV” Documentary on A&E.  This ninety-minute show tells stories on how things fell into place to start the channel back in 1980.  We see the growing pains, the development of new artists and how established stars became even bigger deals once they took to making music videos.  The story of how the M-TV people got Mick Jaggger and Pete Townshend to do promos for the struggling operation is a really cool one.  So throw on your parachute pants, dig out a Swatch or two and feather out your hair for a fun trip through the 1980’s and beyond.

“I Want My M-TV” tells us things we didn’t know about the iconic 1980 upstart and brings us plenty of memories too.

A couple weeks ago Bruce Springsteen released “Letter to You” which is the title track of a new album he has coming out October 23rd.  The mid-tempo song is O.K. and while there are other new tracks to check out, Bruce is also tagging three never before released tunes written over forty -five years ago.   The whole set of songs was recorded live in the studio with the E Street Band in a short span of days.  Considering how tainted and over produced Springsteen’s more recent albums have been, this is good news.  Still, the magic will be in the songs themselves. Can a seventy-one year old Bruce Springsteen still write material that reaches fans?  That’s the question I wait to answer.

New Springsteen music starts with the title track “Letter To You.”

Remember the band Semisonic?  They brought us the late 90’s hit “Closing Time” and “Chemistry” which in my opinion was their best song.  Well, after many years away from each other the trio is back with new music.  Last week CBS’ Anthony Mason interviewed Semisonic lead singer and writer Dan Wilson. I saw and heard more about the guy’s other impressive songwriting credits.  (Adele, Dixie Chicks & Carole King among others) We’re never too old to hear new music from a band.

SINATRA REMEMBERED– If you want to kick it ‘Old School’ then try out Netflix’s Frank Sinatra documentary “All Or Nothing At All.”  Plenty to learn there to from one of popular music’s greatest.

THE VOW  – Every Sunday night I watch “The Vow” and by the end of the hour all I have to say is, ‘Wow!’  The Vow is a nine-part true crime series on HBO revolving around the sex cult NXIVM and its leader Keith Raniere.  So far there’s been five episodes seen and this story is nuts.  We’re talking about women and men dedicating themselves to a bizarre regimen of sacrifice, mind control and forced labor.  Oh, and the women starved themselves to impossibly skinny weights and allowed themselves to be branded with the initials of Raniere and his co-conspirator former “Smallville” actress Allison Mack. Yes, I said BRANDED, not tattooed but branded!

“Dynasty” actress Catherine Oxenberg helped produce this series as her own daughter India was deep into the NXIVM organization.  There’s more to learn about what went on in this twisted cult that makes the weirdness of Scientologists seem like the Boy Scouts.

Meat isn’t always murder– Finally, if you catch Mc Donald’s current TV commercials, the voice describing the food is that of character actor Brian Cox.  So?  Well, the actor describing the tasty sizzling meats from Mickey D’s is the guy who played Hannibal The Cannibal Lester in “Manhunter.”  This was a few years before Anthony Hopkins made that role famous in “Silence of the Lambs.”   So just picture people eating Hannibal Lecter describing burgers from Mc Donald’s and you get an odd juxtaposition. 

Currently, actor Brian Cox narrates the tastiness of Mc Donald’s meaty burgers.

And here’s Brian Cox as the first creepy Hannibal The Cannibal Lecter in the late 80’s movie “Manhunter.”

NEXT BLOG- An appreciation for Season 10 of “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

I’m a lifelong movie fanatic and that love for film was instilled in me at an early age by my parents.  My father in particular had excellent taste in quality cinema and a deep knowledge of film history.  I’ve seen hundreds of movies, some with family, some with friends, on dates and many by myself.  I actually prefer seeing films alone because then I’m not paying attention to my movie partner’s reactions. I’m totally focused on what’s happening on the screen. Also, I like seeing my movies during the daytime because as Woody Allen said in “Crimes and Misdemeanors”, “It feels like playing hooky.”      

With that, I thought I’d list some of the more memorable times I’ve had while watching movies.  This is by no means a comprehensive list of the best films I ever saw, just a look back at special times experienced in the dark of a movie theater.

“The Godfather” 1972- When Michael Corleone has his wedding night scene with his first wife, that was the first time I ever saw female nudity on screen.  My mom told me to shield my eyes but this eleven-year old boy still saw plenty.

“Deliverance” 1972- My dad and I saw this intense movie and while the Ned Beatty scene was unforgettable, so was the rest of the story. Burt Reynolds was never watchable as both a badass outdoorsman and then a whimpering injured victim of the river’s rapids.  Dad used to say it was one of the best and worst movies he ever saw.  He was never so right.

“The Exorcist” 1973- I saw this shocker with my mother and sister. Like everyone else, this devil possession story blew me away. Little Regan’s exorcism was fascinating and unforgettable. Still, the one scene I could not watch was when Linda Blair was undergoing medical tests and had a catheter placed into her neck and blood spurted out. That was too real for me.

“Jaws” 1975-  I got my parents to take me to this first ever summer blockbuster on the first weekend it opened.  I think I jumped out of my seat about five times but when we see Hooper check out the hull of Ben Garner’s trashed boat, whoa!

“Rocky” 1976- My dad took me to see this underdog boxing classic.  When Rocky Balboa got up from the canvas in the fourteenth round it was beyond inspiring. Trainer Mickey begged him to “Down! Down! Stay Down” but Rocky refused and got back up to fight some more. I loved how he gestured to Apollo Creed to come and get him again and Creed has this bewildered look on his face.  For the final round my dad, me and half the Oak Brook theater were out of our seats cheering on as if we were watching a real fight in person!

“Carrie” 1976- Remember the opening shower scene when Carrie White had her first ever period? Oh my God. I was in the theater seated between my mother and father and wanted to die right on the spot.

“Rocky 2”- 1979  Seeing a sequel be better than the original movie is unusual.  But THE best scene is when Adrian comes out of her coma and whispers to Rocky to “Win.” As the bells and music swelled and Rocky starts his intense work-out, I had chills running up and down my spine. 

I’ll share more of my movie moments in future blogs.

NEXT BLOG- Some things I’ve been watching and listening to that you might want to check out.

Having worked in radio for over twenty years and being a lifelong music aficionado there’s lots of useless trivia and tales on songs and artists I’ve picked up along the way. Often times I assume EVERYONE is aware of these little tidbits (especially in our high-speed internet/information age) but I can sometimes be wrong on that.   So here are a few stories you may or may not know about some past popular songs.

“HOW LONG” – Ace  While this 1974 hit sung by the great Paul Carrack sounds like your basic “My lover has been cheating on me” tune, that is not the case. “How Long” was written about Ace bassist Terry Comer who was sneaking around playing in other bands. The rest of the group got wind of Comer’s musical duplicity and they felt like they were being cheated on.  So “How Long” WAS a cheating song but not about issues between a man and a woman.

SUNSET GRILL- Don Henley Most people know this hit was about a REAL place.  The Sunset Grill was a burger joint on Sunset Boulevard owned for many years by the same immigrant family before they sold it in 1997. The new owners tore it down and rebuilt the place. The song was said to be about the different types of people who frequented the place and wondering why so many chose to live in L.A. That answer is found in the last line of the song, “All our friends are here.”  In concert Don Henley has often mentioned that the food served at the Sunset Grill was, “Bad for the heart but good for the soul.”  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used that line when talking about other places to eat.

NO SUGAR TONIGHT The Guess Who This might be my favorite story behind a song of all time. Back in 1970 Guess Who guitarist Randy Bachman was walking in Berkeley California and came upon some biker dudes.  Randy wanted to slip across the street to avoid any hassles but then a car came screeching around the corner and it pulled up to the rough looking guys sitting on their Harleys.  A woman got out of the car and got into a heated argument with one of the bikers.  Lots of screaming and lecturing ensued and as the woman left her man she yelled out, “One more thing honey, you’re not getting no sugar tonight!” Bachman heard this and knew he had a great song title.

KILLING TIME- Clint Black  Back in 1988 Clint Black was signed to a deal with RCA records. However, after Black and his band recorded all their tracks there seemed to be a long delay in releasing his debut album.  Anyway, one evening Clint and his songwriting partner and guitarist Hayden Nicholas were driving to a gig in Houston and sharing frustrations over waiting for the album to be issued to the public.  Clint said to Hayden, “This killing time is killing me.”  Both of them looked at each other and knew they had a great frame up for a song.  The two of them turned it from a ‘waiting on our album’s release’ song to one about killing time over “a love that’s passed away.”  Once “Killing Time” was recorded, RCA went nuts for the tune. The song was included at the last minute on Clint’s debut disc and it became the title track for the album and a number one hit!

So there you have stories about some songs from the past.  I have a few more to share, and they’ll wait until another blog.

NEXT BLOG-     Memorable Moments at the Movies

It’s time for a new round of “Have You Ever.” This is the “Medical History” edition.  So get out your health insurance records and figure out which ones you can say “Yes” to.

HAVE YOU EVER:

HAD A TATTOO REMOVED?

GONE THROUGH A ROOT CANAL?

HAD AN MRI?

GOTTEN PLASTIC SURGERY?

BEEN A PATIENT IN ICU?

HAD A GROWTH REMOVED BY A DOCTOR?

FAINTED?

HAD CATARACTS?

HAVE YOU EVER:

TAKEN ANTI-DEPRESSANTS?

WHAT ABOUT MEDS FOR ANXIETY?

HAD A BODY PART REPLACED (KNEE, HIP, ETC.)?

HAD A TONSILLECTOMY?

HAD AN APPENDECTOMY?

HAD YOUR GALL BLADDER REMOVED?

SUFFERED FROM FOOD POISONING?

BEEN TAKEN AWAY IN AN AMBULANCE?

HAVE YOU EVER:

HAD STITCHES?

BROKEN A BONE?

GONE TO DRUG OR ALCOHOL RE-HAB?

BEEN UNDER PSYCHIATRIC CARE?

HAD A COLONOSCOPY?

BEEN TREATED FOR CANCER?

HAD A PANIC ATTACK?

BEEN TREATED FOR AN S.T.D.?

I can answer ‘YES’ to 11 of these 24 items however HIPPA laws protect me from revealing which ones.  (But NO, I’ve never been treated for an STD!)

NEXT BLOG:  Some stories behind some popular songs.

It’s easy to recall the events I experienced on 9/11/01.  Tens of millions of others can say the same thing.^. The previous Sunday September 9^th I attended the wedding of my cousin Bills’ son and had Monday the 10^th off from work on the radio. The fall ratings period would start in a few days and we were discouraged from taking time off once the fall listenership started getting measured.  It was later learned those hijacking terrorists chose Tuesday and not Monday for their attack because they were aware how often Americans took three day weekends during the summer months. The killers knew most people would be back to work and in their offices by Tuesday.

I was producing the Big John Howell and Trish Biondo morning show at US*99. On Tuesday 9/11 we were having a regular broadcast when Trish came into my studio a few minutes before eight a.m. to tell me to tune my TV to the Today Show. I switched channels to see that first plane stuck in the side of the north tower of the World Trade Center.  I wasn’t even sure if it was an airliner or a private plane.  There’d been times when small planes crashed into office buildings or outdoor sports stadiums. Heck, the previous year WGN radio legend Bob Collins died when the plane he piloted had a mid-air collision with another small plane and crashed into the roof of a local hospital. John Howell told listeners about what was on TV but nobody knew what was happening. I stayed in my studio to screen calls and monitor the TV.

Less than twenty minutes later, while on the phone with a listener, I kept one eye on my TV screen and saw another plane hitting the World Trade Center’s south tower! I was frozen with shock. Howell announced what just happened and that we were under attack.  I wondered to myself if there was some computer hacking that took over the airliners’ controls and steered them into the towers.  Our phones were lit up, pulsing fast like my heart rate and I answered every call.  So many questions and updates from listeners kept coming in and it was crazy. 

 About a half hour after the south tower was hit came word that a jet crashed into the Pentagon in D.C.  A caller told me this and I flipped TV channels to get confirmation.  With the Pentagon attacked the first words that came to my mind were what Governor Connelly said when JFK’s motorcade was being fired on in Dallas in 1963, “My God they’re going to kill us all!” I truly remember thinking this.

My rationale was if the Pentagon is our country’s base for military operations/defense and it’s under siege, who the hell makes calls on how our country defends us?  We were in a world of shit. I was never more scared in my life than when the Pentagon got crashed into.  Was this the end?  Was this our end? 

Next was a local news report that a bomb threat had been phoned into Chicago’s Sears Tower and they were evacuating the entire building.  I picked up a hotline call from our GM Steve Ennen.  Steve, who heard about the Sears Tower evacuation, told me if the Hancock received the same ‘get out’ order we were to switch our transmission to simulcast sister station WBBM AM, Newsradio 78, then get out of the building ASAP.  I relayed this information to Big John on the air and noted that since the Hancock was considered to be one of the most recognized buildings in the world, I wouldn’t be surprised if we got a similar threat.

As I left the air studio an announcement blared out of a hall speaker from the Hancock Security people ordering everyone out of the building immediately.  I told John this news and Trish left the studio, grabbed her purse and was out the lobby door.  John and I were talking about the Hancock evacuation and he wanted to stay. I said, “John, we HAVE to go.”  He grudgingly agreed, signed off then switched our broadcast transmission to Newsradio 780.

Hustling into the morning show office I grabbed my briefcase and called my mother. I told her I was O.K., on my way out of here, and that I loved her.  Mom was puzzled. “What are you talking about?”  Turns out she was in her garden tending to her flowers and tomatoes and just got back in the house when I called.   She knew nothing about the planes and the unfolding chaos.  My mom told me to be careful getting out of the city and said she loved me too. In just about an hour’s time we went from a plane has struck one of the World Trade Center buildings to evacuating our building because the world went nuts.

Before leaving the 13^th floor, I needed a quick bathroom break.  When I got to the men’s room, the paralyzing fear I had over the Pentagon getting hit suddenly lifted.  I thought, “If this is it, and it’s my last day on this earth, I’m O.K. with it. I had a good life and if the worst happened, I’m ready for what’s next.”  Washing my hands, I smiled thinking if the Hancock got slammed by a jet right at this very minute, I could die like Elvis did, in the bathroom. 

John and I met up at the elevators and headed down to the Hancock lobby together.  The doors opened and I pivoted toward the parking garage elevators so I could get my car.  John walked to the street exit doors and saw I wasn’t with him.  He called out and asked if I was going to stay downtown and wait out the building’s evacuation.  I told John this might be the end of everything and I was going to be with those I love.  With that, my elevator door opened and I was on the way up to fetch my car to get out of Dodge.  It was very spooky to see a practically abandoned parking garage and my car was one of the last in the place.   

Minutes later while driving across Michigan Avenue en route to the hopefully safe suburbs, I saw so many people on the sidewalks on their cell-phones.  Nobody knew what to say or what to make of anything.  A couple months later Alan Jackson would come up with the best words to describe 9/11 with the song “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?” Alan nailed the mood and the feelings we all had in ways that can still be felt today. 

Once the Hancock evacuation was lifted, John Howell did make it back on the US*99 airwaves and did a stellar job updating listeners on the insanity of the terrorist attacks.  He took calls and provided a smart, calm and measured voice of sanity during an insane day.  I admired what he did but at the same time was fine with getting the hell out of the city and taking everything in from the TV reports at home.

The day after the planes hit, concrete barricades surrounded the Hancock and every car coming into the parking garage needed to be searched at street level. I had to pop my trunk for inspection and the guards used long poles with mirrors on them for security to check for bombs under every vehicle about to drive up the ramp. This went on for a couple of weeks.  Within a month, all Hancock workers had picture ID badges that were to be worn at all times and everyone was on high alert. “Vigilant” was the new watchword.

 We all knew 9/11 would change hundreds of millions of lives forever.  However, the depth and scope of those changes were way beyond what anyone ever anticipated.  To this day, it’s pretty scary to think nineteen hi-jacking terrorists could have such an effect on the world.  Alan Jackson’s song was a profound moment to come out of 9/11 and while the world turns in a different way these days, I’m just glad we’re still here to live in it. 

NEXT BLOG- A new round of “Have You Evers”

The following is an excerpt from my book “Raised on the Radio” (which I’m still tinkering with)  It being Labor Day weekend I thought to share some memories of my days as a slider seller.

In 1977 at age sixteen, I began working part time in nearby Lombard at White Castle, home of the greasy bite sized ‘sliders.’  Most of my friends had similar jobs which were easy for teens to find.  Back then, it wasn’t IF you were going to work, it was WHERE.  My pals Bobbo Ciciora and Todd Beja ended up working with me at the castle for a time. My pay started at $3.30 an hour and considering the minimum wage at that time was $2.30 an hour, it was a decent job. This was 1977 when a movie ticket would cost no more than $2.50 and gasoline was around fifty cents a gallon.  White Castle took good care of their employees with even part timers getting a week’s paid vacation after working there a year.  Working on holidays like Thanksgiving, New Year’s Day and Easter we earned double time pay. 

When Todd Beja moved on to a different White Castle in nearby Villa Park, a box of frozen White Castle burgers and a couple boxes of buns mysteriously fell into his car one night. Todd would end up hosting a late spring “Slider Party” at his parents house during our senior year of high school. It was a raging night of food, beer and fun!

 I saw some unusual things while working at that fast food joint. One weekday afternoon a wedding reception took place in the White Castle dining room.  About thirty people bounced in, the bride in her gown, groom in his suit and everyone else dressed like they just came from church. They even brought in a wedding cake and champagne.  The bride told us she dared her man to have the reception at White Castle and he went with it. She kept telling her new husband, “I’ll never marry you again.”  We burger makers even posed in some of the photos with the wedding party.  I sometimes wonder if that couple is still married today, probably not.       

Working the occasional weekend late hours of 11 pm til 7 am, I got a glimpse of what adult party life was like. White Castle was open 24/7 and the bars would stop serving booze by 2:00 a.m. so we’d have lines out the door til about 4 a.m. I mean just ask Harold & Kumar about the joys of late night castle burgers when you’re high or liquored up. Working those graveyard shifts exposed me to a heavy stream of drinkers and stoners. Customers’ slurred words and laughing loud at just about anything said was the norm for those hours.  Some of these sloshed folks were pretty funny and while serving their food we used to take notice of who came through our doors with the worst cases of bloodshot eyes.   Cleaning the men’s restroom on that shift was the worst. Drunks pissed in the sink, on the floor, walls, toilet paper roll and every once in while they even managed to squirt a little in the toilet bowl.

I can’t count how many times I went to take garbage out to the parking lot dumpsters in the middle of the night and found drunken Castle patrons passed out in their idling cars. They usually had a door open with their bagged food still sitting on the car hood or roof. I would reach in, turn off the ignition and let the pooped party animals sleep it off. They’d later wake up to cold burgers and fries which may have been a great hangover cure. 

In the summer of 1979, I was planning to quit White Castle in August because full time college classes were coming. However, I was shown the door a couple weeks early. On a slow overnight shift, a man was giving me his order a bit quick and I told him to slow down so I could get things right.  He raised his voice to me and was in as crabby a mood as I was.  I looked the guy in the eye and being the stupid 18 year old I was said, “If you ever yell at me like that again, I’ll knock you on your ass.”  Well he screamed for my boss to come out and deal with this hassle.  The night manager was given the story of what went down, I admitted to my part and was sent home for the night.  Two days later I was summoned to meet with the castle supervisor to be let go.  My first firing.  Lesson learned, the customer, even a jerk customer, is ALWAYS right.  

Three years later, a similar customer/fast food employee confrontation played out on the big screen in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”  Judge Reinhold played the role of me as he told his irritated customer, “Mr., if you don’t shut up I’m gonna kick 100 percent of your ass!”   Cameron Crowe wrote the ‘Fast Times’ book and screenplay and it was almost as if he was in White Castle with me that night back in 1979.

NEXT BLOG: My experience on 9/11.

It was five years ago, Tuesday September 1^st 2015, when Fox Lake Police Lieutenant Joe Gliniewicz, was found shot to death in a remote spot of the Village he patrolled.  This was a major story on the TV news with reporters, helicopters and drones covering every aspect of the situation.  I was working from home at this time and watched all reports that came in every day on the news.

That morning at 7:52 a.m. Gliniewicz (nicknamed G.I.Joe for his macho gung ho law enforcement style) radioed in he was pursuing three suspicious men near an abandoned cement plant in a marshy area of Fox Lake.  This locale was a minor crime area, the worst things happening being an occasional broken window and low money weed dealing.

Three minutes later, Gliniewicz made his last radio call as he asked that back-ups should be brought in for support.  G.I. Joe calmly told the dispatcher,”Yeah, you better start someone.”  Officers were on the scene in less than five minutes and after seeing their fellow officer’s empty car they did a search of the road and weeds to find Lieutenant Gliniewicz’s lifeless body with a gunshot wound to his torso. 

Five years ago this week Fox Lake Police Lieutenant Joe Gliniewicz was found shot to death while on patrol. His ‘story’ never added up.

In short time FBI & ATF agents and nearby county and city cops spread out in a two mile perimeter to close in on the killers.  Hundreds of law enforcement men and women were on this case.  Less than twelve hours later, two thirds of this manpower was called off.  There was still a pursuit for the shooting suspects but it appeared to be less intense. 

This is when my spider sense started tingling.  There were cop killers on the loose, why not go full bore to finding them?  Earlier that summer two convicted murderers (but not cop killers) escaped from an upstate New York prison and were on the run for over three weeks before one was killed in a shoot-out and the other was apprehended.  The manpower and intensity of that tracking was much bigger than that for the now dead Fox Lake police officer.

There was confusion of whether G.I.Joe’s service revolver was taken by the killers and who owned the gun found near his body.  All that takes is a 30 second call or text to dispatch to check the .40 caliber gun’s serial number to confirm or deny if this was the cop’s pistol.  Again, there was more curiosity on my part.

On the second day after Gliniewicz’s death the exact area where his body was found was re-visited by investigators.  They used a weed whip to clip down the high grass in search of more evidence.  THIS time they cordoned off the spot with police tape and barricades. Why didn’t do this from the start?  More bad smells of curiosity were coming to me.

It was reported that the suspects had to have escaped on foot, their exit route was limited to one dusty road. Everywhere else was a marshy mess. By Friday September 4^th, after reviewing the timeline of events and checking out the terrain with Google Earth as well as news footage, I came to the conclusion that Officer G.I. Joe Gliniewicz had taken his own life.  I would never waver from this hypothesis. 

Every few days there would be new updates on the case that would further make my case for suicide.  This was way before learning about Gliniewicz’s extremely messed up disciplinary reports on his employment.  Those details would not come out for weeks and after hearing about his drunk driving, threats to peers and numerous reprimands and suspensions from work I couldn’t believe this guy was still a Fox Lake cop let alone a lieutenant almost ready for retirement!

I kept telling friends, including my next door neighbor who is a part time policeman that nothing in this case added up.  Officer Gliniewicz was a fitness buff, super tough and street wise; yet he lets three young men grab his own gun and shoot him twice? The first bullet mostly hit his bulletproof vest and the fatal shot went under his vest and into his chest quickly ending his life. This was beyond reasonable doubts and highly unlikely.  

One big shoe to drop was a week in to the investigation when the three “suspicious men” G.I. Joe was tracking were cleared of any wrongdoing.  At the time of the ‘murder’ the trio were eating at a nearby restaurant.  There was security camera footage, eyewitnesses and a time stamped dining receipt to confirm their innocence. Upon hearing this I got the sick feeling that Gliniewicz must have seen these three men not too far from where he shot himself and planned to pin his ‘murder’ on them.  Two months later I was proven right.

I don’t want to get much into the pomp of G.I. Joe’s wake and funeral.  Of course his services were a major local and national story with police from all over the country in attendance to honor the fallen officer. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner ordered flags to be lowered to half staff.     

The Village of Fox Lake called on all citizens to contribute money for G.I. Joe’s widow Melodie and his family. Everyone stepped up in grand fashion.  Over the next several weeks there were countless fundraising events for the Gliniewicz family happening all over Lake County, every one of them attended by his widow and children.  Forgive the cynicism but to me it seemed like a frantic cash grab, especially considering G.I. Joe was supposedly killed in the line of duty and a major insurance pay-out would be coming to his Mrs. G.I. Joe and family.  This all led to more curiosity on my part.

When talking to the press, Lake County officials insisted there were signs of a struggle at the death scene.  It was reported Gliniewicz’s can of pepper spray was on the ground near his body as was his police baton, as if there was a battle.  So you’re dealing with three guys and you try out the spray and baton but not your gun? This doesn’t add up!

It was known that for years Lieutenant Joe Gliniewicz ran Fox Lake’s Explorers youth group and he would stage crime scenes to show the kids how police investigations work.  So my thinking was, “I bet this guy staged his own crime scene!”

Two more puzzle pieces kicked in.  First there was Lake County coroner Dr. Thomas Rudd who told the press he could not rule out suicide in G.I.Joe’s death.  This created a major hubbub among the village and county officers.  There were rumors some Fox Lake officers first on the crime scene knew right away this was a staged scene and that county officials were purposely dragging their feet to arrive at the same conclusion.  More bad smells for sure.

The other puzzle piece was watching the Channel 9 Morning News as former U.S. Marshall turned security consultant John O’Malley became a frequent on set guest to discuss the Gliniewicz case.  Since the second week in September, former Marshal O’Malley would answer questions on new developments of the story; then he said the same words I did about this mystery, “It just didn’t add up.”  I was tracking the same way as an expert lawman.  

It wouldn’t be until November 4^th at a stunning press conference that the entire Joe Gliniewicz story would unfold.  He shot himself and staged it to look like a death in the line of duty; all to stop an investigation into years of money grabbing corruption from the Fox Lake Explorer’s Club.  There were audits and inquiries hanging over G.I. Joe’s head and more ugliness and pilfering than anyone could imagine.  To this day his widow Melodie faces legal charges of being in on her husband’s scams.

I look back at this story with sadness for the thousands of people in Fox Lake and surrounding areas who were to no fault of their own, taken in by the story of a disgraced and corrupt cop.

There’s also the self-satisfaction of me knowing pretty much from the get-go that there was way more to Lieutenant Gliniewicz’s story than what was first believed.  I’ve always had a good bullshit detector, something I inherited from my late mother. If she were alive when this story happened, she would have seen the same story I did. 

NEXT WEEK’S BLOG- Some stories behind popular songs

Back from a month and a half break. I literally watched my summer go by.  With no place to swim, few places to hang out with friends and little else going on, this bastard virus as I call it, kept me sheltered in the house to watch hours and hours of TV.  Worst of all, staying in so much I got practically no tan at all. 

Following the passing of comedy legend Carl Reiner I re-watched almost every Dick Van Dyke episode ever aired.  Mr. Reiner made countless big impacts in all aspects of funny business but the adventures of Rob, Laura and Richie Petrie, Buddy, Sally, Mel Cooley and Alan Brady were high water marks in television. My favorite episodes are still the Walnuts one and the time Laura outed Alan Brady’s toupee secret.

HBO’s six part docu-series “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” was a gripping real life drama.  Author Michelle McNamara, wife of comedian/actor Patton Oswalt was in the midst of writing a true crime novel about tracking California’s murderous ‘East Side Rapist.’ Sadly, Michelle passed away from an accidental drug overdose before the decades long assaulting man was arrested and convicted. However, her years long dogged work set the table for finding this rapist/killer. Ms. McNamara’s letter to the killer, written not long before her passing, predicted how things would end for him. It is spooky how her prophecy came true, almost word for word!

 ESPN kept re-running a 2018 Eagles concert that was fun to delve into.  The late Glenn Frey’s son Deacon and Vince Gill ably filled out the band and the 2 ½ hour show was worth several viewings.  With sports I’ve been watching some of the Sox and Cubs baseball but without the fans and the many game postponements due to the Covid virus, this 60 game season is the definition of an outlier.

Thanks to Netflix I caught up on all past seasons of Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.”  His two episodes with the late Bob Einstein (AKA Super Dave Osbourne) are as gut busting hilarious as it gets.

As far as new movies, the only one I watched and it was free via my service was “The Rental.”  In the vein of newer thrillers like “Get Out” and “Us” this one is about two couples who rent a beautiful home for a getaway weekend and come upon conflicts with each other and a mysterious killer.   And yes, besides swimming at East End Pool, I really missed going to the local theater to watch new films.

 Outside of TV watching, I enjoyed checking out songs I never heard before. 2019’s “I Hope” by Gabby Barrett was a great find for me. (I hate being late to the prom on these cuts) The ever popular Luke Combs posted a new song titled “Cold as You” but since Nashville recording studios are shut down, he recorded only an acoustic version.  I look forward to a full on band record of it at some point.

One thing I did not do was the final edit of my book, “Raised on the Radio.”  There was plenty of time but getting so wrapped up in the daily virus news coverage and taking needed breaks for laughs on shows just deflated any ambition I had to punch up my memoir.  In these crazy times, I’m actually O.K. with this.

At least twice a week I supported local businesses by ordering take-out meals. Every delivery was contact free and well executed.  I also saw the tearing down of four homes on my block as a large flood mitigation drainage project is about 75% completed.  It’s been loud, dusty and inconvenient but will benefit over 90 homes in the area when finished. 

Finally, the real highlight of my summer was I stayed healthy and Covid free. Without symptoms, I still got a swab test and in less than two days learned I was negative.  Not everyone can say that and my heart breaks for those affected with deaths and long illnesses from this bastard virus.

So what will happen come the summer of 2021? What shit storms will we deal with?   Who knows? But here’s hoping it’s a healthier and happier one for all.  And maybe I’ll get back my tan.

NEXT WEEK’S BLOG- The 5 year anniversary when I played true detective.

My summer break from teaching is here. Actually, it started last Friday at 3 pm so I’ve had a few days to figure out plans for the coming weeks. First, let me say that like all teachers and others working in education I really hope we can get back in the classroom with our students in August. Remote education was better than no education but nothing beats face to face, in person classes. I miss the students and the students miss us.  At our school, we teachers and support staff have already set up our rooms for the 2020-2021 school year, to the extent that we can.  Totally new protocols and plans for reintegration will be announced before the school year begins.   

A year ago at this time, I had a summer of swimming at East End Pool, seeing new movies in theaters and socializing with friends on my agenda.  This year, well, you get it, without me needing to rehash all the changes in our lives.

So what to do with my down time?  First off, I’m giving my radio memoir “Raised on the Radio” a final edit. Why has this project taken so long to finish?  Because it’s MY story, my life and it needs to be told just right. Of anything I ever publish, this book has to be letter perfect. 

All the stories I want to share are already in the book.  However I need to punch up and enhance some of the text.  Working in radio for twenty years was a total blast! Still, there are spots where I don’t convey that mood of fun and enjoyment.  I’m close, but I need to get there all the way.  Think of it as if you’re tuning a radio to an FM channel and you hear the music playing but with one little tweak of the dial, Boom!  The song’s sound comes across so strong that it knocks you off your feet.  Or for stereo buffs, think of your music sounding good but with the help of an equalizer, the sounds are brought out even bigger.

After “Raised on the Radio” is completed, I outlined some short stories I want to write and post up on this blog, in serial form. 

Outside of the literary works, once they’re open, I might get to the local cinemas to see a movie or two.  I’ve already seen a couple of new films On Demand. While the twenty dollar price is high, when watching at home, I do save on not ordering fifteen dollars worth of popcorn, soft drinks and tip to a server, so the money pretty much evens out.

 There are Netflix shows to catch up on, including stand-up comedy specials and documentaries. (Still haven’t bitten into “Tiger King” and I won’t) By late July there MIGHT be major league baseball for me to watch again and I will.  I’ve been binge watching reruns of “Shark Tank” episodes. For their first couple of seasons I was a devoted fan but kind of trailed off on that show, so now most “Shark Tank” reruns are new to me.     

As far as swimming goes, the pools are shut down so I’m looking to get out for a few lake swims somewhere. Much of that is dependent on what progress is made in keeping Coronavirus case numbers down.  I miss the water and really miss my ‘Summer Family’ at East End Pool. I considered getting a blow-up pool for the backyard.  Then the thought of seeing a grown man flop around in a little kiddie pool seemed,.wrong.

Shaggy hair and a fuzzy beard are signs for me to get my summer buzz hair-cut and buy a new electric razor.  I’m also pricing new computers with a web cam and other tech upgrades.

That’s the total sum of my summer plans folks.  We’ve been forced to lower our levels of fun and engagement and hope like hell that a safe and effective virus vaccine one day happens.  If a preventive measure from this bastard virus can be in place by next spring, great.  Otherwise, I might have to order that inflatable kiddie pool. God help us!

FYI-  I’M GOING TO TAKE ABOUT 6 WEEKS OFF FROM BLOGGING.  STAY SAFE & HEALTHY AND ENJOY WHAT YOU CAN OF THE SUMMER OF 2020.