• These are a few of my favorite things. . . that happened while interviewing celebs • Notorious B.I.G. almost ruined an interview with his eyes closed • The guy from Fountains of Wayne versus the guy from Wayne, N.J. Brian Wilson Brian Wilson was still under the spell of a weird therapist, Eugene Landy, … Continue reading Odds and Sods – Brian Wilson, Biggie Smalls, Bob Dylan, Tupac, Snoop, Rodman, Will Smith
Tag: CNN
CNN Showbiz Today
• Old saying in the business: “Sports is the toy store of journalism.” If that’s true, then what's news about entertainment? • Would there be no turning back? Would the journalism gate-keepers ever let me back into the hard news fraternity? • I'm a part of CNN at its post-Gulf War peak During my time … Continue reading CNN Showbiz Today
These Are Days – 10,000 Maniacs, Natalie Merchant, Michael Stipe, Cat Stevens and Salman Rushdie
• Idle googling turns up not one but two Natalie Merchant profiles • Idle gossip about her and Michael Stipe had to be addressed, I guess • An unplanned blog post. Surprise! The ROTR will return to hibernation. In a spasm of boredom the other day, I googled my name and up came a YouTube … Continue reading These Are Days – 10,000 Maniacs, Natalie Merchant, Michael Stipe, Cat Stevens and Salman Rushdie
Oye Cómo Va, Carlos?
• From Woodstock to the Waldorf, I’ve been in Carlos' fan club • His Hall of Fame Induction • Tea time in the lobby By the time I got to Woodstock in August of 1969, all I knew about Santana was a nugget picked up in some alternative music paper: the band was managed by … Continue reading Oye Cómo Va, Carlos?
SXSW
• Austin’s annual music festival makes for a pretty routine CNN piece • The biggest name to interview there was Matthew Sweet. But that’s the point * At least I survived another visit to Texas without being hauled into court Me & Texas just haven’t always gotten along. There was that time a sneaky prosecutor … Continue reading SXSW
A Beach Boy’s Life
• Not an ideal time to interview an idol of mine • Under the spell of a quack, Brian Wilson visits CNN • This piece was no fun . . fun . . fun It’s most unfortunate for me that the two times I was in the close presence of the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, … Continue reading A Beach Boy’s Life
Assignment: Garfunkel
• Now it can be shown: Art Garfunkel bails on an interview • He opened up to the NY Times, then shut down at CNN • I didn’t set out to ruin his day I wrote about Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon’s erstwhile partner, a year ago January in a piece about unpleasant experiences I had … Continue reading Assignment: Garfunkel
Not On Walden Pond
• A transcendental television moment with the Eagles' Don Henley • The difficulty of making a green new deal with a determined developer. • Sour grapes about no Concord stand-up I can’t possibly complain about a career that took me around the world, let me meet and talk to fascinating people and rewarded me handsomely. … Continue reading Not On Walden Pond
Happy Birthday, Barbra
• Why she found Grammy world friendlier than Oscar land. • The Prince of Tides junket revisited. Can you spot the error? • Shooting her “through the grease.” I lumped Barbra Streisand into a category of diva, along with Beyoncè, Madonna, Janet Jackson, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Mandy Moore, and the Spice Girls in a blog … Continue reading Happy Birthday, Barbra
Elvis had the Flu
• But a 1994 interview went forward anyway • Brutal Youth, boxed sets and bootlegs • You’ve heard the story, now see the video In a blog post here last year, I told the story of what a trouper Elvis Costello was when he showed up for an interview with a temperature over 100 and … Continue reading Elvis had the Flu
It’s a Wrap
• No, not this blog. My career, pretty much • How it sputtered, as journalism atrophied and news organizations crumbled beneath me • Few photos here . . I wasn’t around some of these places long enough The first media outlet to shut down and leave me (and other newsies) out of work was Air … Continue reading It’s a Wrap
Missing a Role Model
• Danny Schechter, the News Dissector • In 1973, I wanted to work for him. In 1997, I focused CNN on him • In 2020, I miss him I was driving a cab in Boston in 1973, after my first taste of doing radio news in Toledo, Ohio, ended abruptly. I listened to WBCN-FM, as … Continue reading Missing a Role Model
R.E.M.embered
• This one goes out to the band I love • My date for an early R.E.M. concert has a Rapid Evaluation Mishap • I finally get to interview them . . after they lose their drummer The first time I saw R.E.M. perform live, my date pronounced them D.O.A. My arrival at network radio … Continue reading R.E.M.embered
Whitney Houston, Rock Star?
• Maybe if by "rock" you mean something else entirely • In a 1998 interview, the heat was on • A gorgeous visage . . . revealing what? This is not about Whitney Houston's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It's just triggered by it; it reminded me I have a CNN … Continue reading Whitney Houston, Rock Star?
More Q and A
• Interviewing myself again? (I'm an easy “get”) • The first time I did a Q & A with myself, I was rattled by the tough line of questioning. • I’ll try to do better this time. The following has been edited for clarity and brevity. Mark, was there ever a story that you’ve completely … Continue reading More Q and A
Joe Pesci, Pop Singer
Mob guys don’t “sing” – but Cousin Vinny did “The Irishman’s” standout performer – or one of them – releases an LP He’s funny. “I'm funny how? I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you?” I was concerned Joe Pesci might shoot me in the foot. He was making a record store appearance … Continue reading Joe Pesci, Pop Singer
Odds and Sods – Brian Wilson, Biggie Smalls, Oasis, Bob Dylan
• These are a few of my favorite things. . . that happened while interviewing celebs • Notorious B.I.G. almost ruins an interview with his eyes closed • The guy from Fountains of Wayne versus the guy from Wayne, N.J. Brian Wilson was still under the spell of a weird therapist, Eugene Landy, and extremely … Continue reading Odds and Sods – Brian Wilson, Biggie Smalls, Oasis, Bob Dylan
Showbiz Today, CNN – Pt. 1
• Which do you choose, a hard or soft option . . . in news? • Old saying in the business: “Sports is the toy store of journalism.” If that’s true, then what's news about entertainment? • Would there be no turning back? Would the journalism gate-keepers ever let me back into the hard news … Continue reading Showbiz Today, CNN – Pt. 1
Showbiz Today, CNN – Pt. 2
• A part of CNN at its post-Gulf War peak • Covering show business like it's a . . . . business • When celebrity breaks out, we break in! For the next twelve years, spanning the nineties, I had a most amazing time as a CNN correspondent. “No heavy lifting,” is how I … Continue reading Showbiz Today, CNN – Pt. 2
Overtime Hockey – Pt. 4
• Skating with Marty Brodeur; dodging ruts at Madison Square Garden • Playing the Red Army • Taking the worst photo of Bobby Hull the Golden Jet ever saw Marty Brodeur plays forward – in his goalie skates – better than you’d think. Unless you know that, when he was twelve he had to choose … Continue reading Overtime Hockey – Pt. 4
Glyph? TAFKAP? Sir? Yo? • I Forgot I Interviewed Prince
Tonight we’re going to party like it’s 1997. See a recently “unearthed,” rare interview with...y’know...whatshisname. Prince!
The Lost Bowie Soundbite
• Do you remember the movie, “The Linguini Incident?” I didn’t think so. • On a dusty old cassette, a bittersweet revelation: David Bowie’s unfulfilled dream • Another recollection from my distant pasta I have shoeboxes full of audio cassette tapes I haven’t listened to in 30 or 40 years -- interviews done for radio … Continue reading The Lost Bowie Soundbite
The Unreliability of Memory – Marc Maron, Sean Lennon, Mike Gittleman
• What goes on behind one’s back when interviewing the son of a Beatle • What this has to do with one of the sweetest jerks I ever worked with • Crying while blogging: very difficult. During a workout this weekend, I was listening to WTF, Marc Maron’s podcast. His guest was Sean Lennon, and … Continue reading The Unreliability of Memory – Marc Maron, Sean Lennon, Mike Gittleman
Bolton Bombed
• Michael Bolton showed me how to generate a smash hit • I lobbed a lot of softball questions at the pop star • Can’t anyone here play this game of giving him a decent pitch to hit? The pop star was popping up. And hopping mad. It was driving him crazy, his long blond … Continue reading Bolton Bombed