12/31/2007 @ 10:00am PST Monday Morning, December 31st! On this last day of the year, an eBay item, and another look back into my photo archives as I get ready for my 41st year in Los Angeles radio! "PHOTO GALLERY" - Disco Fever Stars from 2006 and Jennifer Flavin-Stallone!
Here it is, New Year's Eve, and a little more significant today than usual to me. It's the last day of my contract with Clear Channel, and although there may be something down the road with them again, nothing immediately is happening. So my plans are to look elsewhere in the Los Angeles market for a new employer.
Radio is a very funny business. Someone once told me, "you're hired to be fired". Another industry friend said "You're not really in radio until you've been fired at least 3 times". It's a business that depends on ratings and revenue, and there's more pressure than ever when it comes to revenue. Wall street, bankers, accountants and the bottom line now rule what once was a very creative industry, that was run by the creative people.
When I came to L.A. in 1967, the axiom was "It takes money to make money". Radio stations spent money on marketing and promotions first, and knew whatever their investment was, it would reap rewards that far exceeded the expenditure. My first few years in L.A., I was called into the manager's office at least 5 times to be told they were giving me a raise. They appreciated my hard work and realized that I was a big asset to their station.
I know for a fact that budgets in radio are now cut to the bare bone, yet there are rumors of even more cuts coming and more radio people being fired in 2008. None of my radio friends that are still working got raises to renew contracts, and in many cases, escape clauses in their deals permit the owners a much lower payout if you're fired. It's a very tough time to be in broadcasting.
All that being said though, I love what I do! I'm looking forward to being on the air somewhere on the dial in the coming month of January, if circumstances all would work out with whatever new station I make a deal with. It's been too long just writing my thoughts on my website. I realized that the other day when listener Marie sent me this eBay link. Thank you for all the emails that continue to come in, especially from all of you who have followed me since my earliest L.A. days at 93/KHJ. For those of you who liked the KHJ Rose Parade float picture from 1970, here's another one from a year earlier in 1969 when I was named the San Pedro Fisherman's Fiesta Honorary Commodore. I wonder what has happened to the Fiesta Skipperettes who are in the picture with me? If you or anyone knows, tell them hi and email me some time. I love connecting with all of you who've known me since my start in L.A. and want to find out just how you're doing now.
The Skipperettes from left to right are Donna Taylor, Jill Mosely, and Maria Marinovich, and we're all 38 years older now, Wow!
And here's a couple of KHJ music survey covers from my brief 1977 return to KHJ!
KHJ's address was 5515 Melrose Avenue and Henry Winkler worked right next door at Paramount Studios, so he stopped by one morning before going to the set as the "Fonz" on "Happy Days", and Donna Summer's gold record for "I Feel Love" was her first top ten hit since her 1975 debut with "Love To Love You Baby". It was just the beginning of a string of Disco smashes for Donna!
In today's "BUZZ" link, Britney's got a lot coming up in 2008, "Treasure" still the #1 movie, but there was a big surprise of a limited release film, Jimmy Fallon gets hitched, Nicole Kidman, Jamie Lynn Spears and J.K. Rowling rumors examined, a Miley Cyrus contest scandal, and wait till you see the Vanessa Hudgens and Ashley Tisdale video at an L.A. drive-thru yesterday. "CLIPS" has part 2 of my visit with Rose Parade TV host Bob Eubanks, "GALLERY" with pictures from the Disco Fever concert in 2006 and Sly's wife, Jennifer Flavin Stallone. "TALKBACK" has a very funny email and picture from a fellow radio personality in Fortaleza, Brazil.
Have a very Happy New Year! Remember, no drinking and driving. Stay safe!
Charlie
12/28/2007 @ 10:45am PST Friday Morning, December 28th! Today on the "NEWS" link, an historic 1970 Rose Parade photo of all of us KHJ Boss Jocks riding the first radio station float ever in that parade. "PHOTO GALLERY" - David Cassidy & former Miss USA, now TV host, Shandi Finnessey
With the New Year and the annual Pasadena Rose Parade coming up, I've been working on my archives these past 3 and a half months, and found this 1970 photo of the KHJ float in the Rose Parade. This picture was taken, it appears, in the assembly line of the floats just before we turn right on the corner to head down Colorado Boulevard!
Here's a closer view of all of us KHJ personalities then. From left to right, Scotty Brink, Sam Riddle (next to the guitar), Robert W. Morgan (head turned), The Real Don Steele (waving), Humble Harve (hidden behind Don), Charlie Tuna (very front of the float), Bill Wade (sunglasses) and Johnny Williams (looking to his right).
You've seen all the emails in the "TALKBACK" section of this website referring to hearing me on 93/KHJ back when I first started in Los Angeles radio in 1967. This parade float is one of the reasons why. KHJ was regarded as the #1 station in the U.S. at that time with huge ratings, 20+ ratings shares were the norm in some surveys. By comparison, today you can be #1 in Los Angeles with anywhere from a 4.5 to a 5 share.
As a result, the Rose Parade for the first time (and as far as I know the only time), allowed a radio station to have their own float in the parade. I remember the cost was quoted at about $25,000 for the float itself, pretty expensive in those days. You notice the American Flag colored egg starting to crack open on the back of the float, an eagle holding the mast of an American flag was supposed to rise out of the "hatching" egg and then go back down, and have the sequence repeat itself while we rolled along Colorado Boulevard for the next 2 hours.
But something went terribly wrong and just as we turned the corner on Colorado Boulevard, right in front of the national television audience and all the local stations covering the parade, all that rose out of the cracking egg was a puff of smoke....something went wrong and we never did see the eagle that day, just the shell of what was to have been a spectacular salute to America!
The night before had been equally unexpected. All of us had met at the radio station on Melrose Avenue, and limos took us to a camper stocked with food, drinks and some stronger beverages at the parade site, to ward off the overnight chill of Pasadena before the sun came up. I don't drink the hard stuff, but most of my fellow Boss Jocks did and not just a little....a lot. We had a brand new rookie Program Director at that time, Jim O'Brien (who died later in a skydiving accident in the 80's), and he had no idea how to control all these high profile personalities who, as the night wore on, became even more out of hand with each passing hour and drink.
The next morning, while loading us on the float, The Real Don Steele slipped (some beverages impair your balance), and cut his forehead on the black balance post you see in front of each one of us, that are there for us to hold onto with the starts and stops of the float. Blood was spurting all over, and we were trying to keep it from getting on his custom made suit from Cy Devore Tailors in Hollywood (KHJ would always buy us all custom tailored suits for every major appearance, from the leading menswear store of that era, Cy Devore). Fortunately, the blood stopped flowing as we started the parade, but those along the route probably noticed Don's head wound that day and wondered what happened.
Great memories and a lot of sadness, as I look back with Robert and Don having passed on a decade ago too, but I'll always have 93/KHJ as the benchmark of what a radio station could and can be. And those who listened back then know what I'm talking about.
Coincidentally, in the "CLIPS" section today, the first of a two part interview with Bob Eubanks (from KRLA, our rival radio station in those days), as we talked about his career highlights, including bringing the Beatles to the Hollywood Bowl, and his annual duty as host for KTLA's #1 rated annual coverage of the Rose Parade. "BUZZ" today has another Hollywood couple breaking up, another actress in court Monday for a DUI, Jessica Alba makes it official, Amy Winehouse in court again and the Jib Jab guys have a hilarious year-end video. "GALLERY" with photos of my friend and former teen superstar, David Cassidy, and "Dancing With The Stars" former contestant and Miss USA 2004 Shandi Finnessey! I'm still posting some of your responses to my recent mass email update on me in "TALKBACK", and they continue to come in. If you want to be part of the next email update in January, just click on the link in the "TALKBACK" section and send me your email so I can include your address.
Have a wonderful weekend, and I'll be back this Monday to wrap up the year!
Charlie
12/27/2007 @ 10:25am PST Thursday Morning, December 27th! A lot of worrisome news today coming from the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto! How does it affect us? "PHOTO GALLERY" - Actress/Comedienne Kathy Najimy and Singing star Donny Osmond
We woke up to the news a world away today of the assassination in Pakistan of the former Pakistani Prime Minister, who the United States had invested considerable time and diplomacy in promoting reconciliation between her and the current President of that country, Pervez Musharraf. Why should we care about what's going on that far away?
Well, for openers, we have sent Pakistan billions of dollars in American financial assistance and enlisted them as an ally in the war on terrorism. Oh yes, and they are a nuclear-armed country. This country has an unstable government and if the wrong people disrupt things, and the power shifts again with one of their President's key opposition leaders dead, who could get control of the nuclear weapons?
As a result, the stock market plunged downward, gold prices went up and oil is approaching $100 a barrel with gasoline expected to top $4 a gallon this coming year. And this puts an already nervous public more on edge, wondering about the future of their homes, economy, terrorism, Iraq, and what future presidential candidate can get us back on track. The mantra optimistic people have been using is "it'll be great in 2008", but when news like this happens, you have to wonder.
Health Care is another huge concern for the majority of Americans, and my friend Dave Anthony sent along this story which really illustrates where we are right now.
"Two patients limp into two different American medical clinics with the same complaint. Both have trouble walking and appear to require a hip replacement. The first patient is examined within the hour, is x-rayed the same day, has a time booked for surgery the next day and, within two days, is home recuperating. The second sees the family doctor after waiting a week for an appointment, then waits eighteen weeks to see a specialist, then gets an x-ray, which isn't reviewed for another month and finally has his surgery
scheduled for 6 months from then. Why the different treatment for the two patients?
The first is a Golden Retriever. The second is a Senior Citizen."
Here's another one of those fun links you can show your creativity with a penguin!
Click on the link below, type in your own message and you can email it to a friend.
Watch this until Sylvester catches Tweety...(wait for it. It's worth it)... After Tweety is caught, scroll down to the bottom of today's news...
Here's a Blast from the Past! One of the pictures I ran across in my archives!
When I was part of the weekend line-up in 2005 on the Fabulous 690 AM in addition to my KBIG morning show (left to right-back row: Lou Simon, Brad Chambers, Charlie Tuna, Gary Owens, and Jim Duncan. Down in front, Steve Tyrell and Daisy Torme)
Finally, in today's "BUZZ", another young Hollywood actress arrested early this morning, Fergie is engaged, Stu Nahan's last appearance on television and Paris will have to continue to work for a living. "CLIPS" has financial whiz Suze Orman with some money advice, "GALLERY" features pictures of the very funny Kathy Najimy, Donny Osmond and me with the "original" Charlie Tuna in "Faces of L.A." and more emotional emails from all of you in the "TALKBACK" link today. Thank You!
Charlie
Oh, and before we finish this column today, for those who finally scrolled down from the Sylvester - Tweety Bird chase......
0-2 seconds - there's hope for you 2-5 seconds - having a bad day? 5-10 seconds - are you maybe just a slow reader? 10-20 seconds - remedial classes are nothing to be ashamed of 20-30 seconds - it is recommended that you don't breed. 30 sec-1 min - you probably can't read this anyway. So why bother? 1-2 min - the equivalent of the average house plant 2-5 min - Good afternoon Jessica Simpson 5 min -1 hr - Dead people score in this range 1hr plus - Congratulations. You have a negative IQ. To find out what your prize is, watch Bugs until he finishes his carrot..
12/26/2007 @ 9:45am PST
This was an idiot test. How long did you watch?
0-2 seconds - there's hope for you
2-5 seconds - having a bad day?
5-10 seconds - are you maybe just a slow reader?
10-20 seconds - remedial classes are nothing to be ashamed of
20-30 seconds - it is recommended that you don't breed.
30 sec-1 min - you probably can't read this anyway. So why bother?
1-2 min - the equivalent of the average house plant
2-5 min - Good afternoon Jessica Simpson
5 min -1 hr - Dead people score in this range
1hr plus - Congratulations. You have a negative IQ. To find out what your prize is, watch Bugs until he finishes his carrot..
12/26/2007 @ 9:45am PST Wednesday Morning, December 26th! So how was your Christmas? If you didn't get what you wanted, you might want to write a letter to Rudolph next time! I've got the details! "PHOTO GALLERY" - Nancy O'Dell from "Access Hollywood" & Supermodel Cheryl Tiegs!
Hope you had a great Christmas and a wonderful holiday weekend! If you missed the Southgate Children's Christmas Lane Parade early yesterday morning on Channel 13 that I co-hosted for the 18th straight year with Xiomara Galindo, it's already starting to show up on YouTube!
And if you didn't get what you wanted for Christmas, maybe next year you should write a letter to Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Have some fun and fill in the blanks on this link-be sure and put an answer to each question and wait till you read the result.
Oh, here's a total aside from everything. Santa Anita racetrack's opening day today. I mention that because my mom who's visiting from Nebraska has always been a big fan of horse racing. Pictured below is our favorite quarterhorse:-)
The hundreds of email responses continue to come in as a result of my first Charlie Tuna Update mass email a few days ago. You can see a few of the early responses in the "TALKBACK" link today, more will be posting as the week goes along. Thank You as always for your thoughts and wishes! I'm really starting to bear down now in my home studio getting ready for the New Year and hopefully a new local radio job and some national radio syndication too! It's been a very long 3 and a half months waiting for my contract to finish, so I can look at some new opportunities.
In today's "BUZZ" link, Will Smith is very upset and I'll tell you why, "National Treasure" - a huge success at the weekend box office, a Country music superstar gets a big lawsuit settlement, the top selling celebrities on ebay, and deleted scenes from the Simpson movie on DVD. "CLIPS" has the actors studio cast with a holiday classic, and "GALLERY" photos today (like the one recent email mentioned), have pictures of me with more beautiful women!
Have a great day, and I hope you don't have to wait too long in the exchange lines today!
Charlie
12/25/2007 @ 8:32am PST Christmas Morning, December 25th! Merry Christmas Everyone! Hope you had a chance to catch me co-hosting the Southgate Children's Christmas Lane Parade on Channel 13! Enjoy your day and check out the smiles I've got for you today!
12/24/2007 @ 10:55am PST Christmas Eve Morning, December 24th! Last night, we launched my first mass email Charlie Tuna update! Some of the replies, and a last gift idea encore if you're stuck! "PHOTO GALLERY" - Kevin Bacon, Jayne Atkinson from "24", and Debbie Gibson!!!
Wow! Hard to believe tomorrow is Christmas already, and just a week until 2008. Last night, thanks to my older son Daniel, I sent my first Charlie Tuna mass email update. I love my daughters, Michelle and Christy, who are very techno savvy too, but between my youngest son Bryan (this website's designer) and Daniel who helped me get Charlie Tuna.com and set it up a decade ago, they've been the ones to guide me and educate me in the daily exploding world of new technology for the past 10 years. I couldn't have done any of this without them.
There was a little technical glitch or two last night, as Daniel figured out the new mass email program for me, (like the web host for mass emails doesn't allow you to send out more than 2000 an hour, to avoid any spammers using their service), but all the kinks are now worked out for the next update in January in which I hope to announce a new radio home for me in Los Angeles, and some national syndication possibilities as well. As I mentioned in my email, my Clear Channel contract is up next Monday, December 31st, so I have to look for a new job or jobs in this case.
No one in the history of Los Angeles radio has even worked at half the number of stations I have in my 40 year career, 16 so far. That record is thanks to you listeners! If you didn't listen, and help with the ratings I've had, no one would hire me. Now it looks like I'll be setting the bar a little higher with another new set of call letters. Who....I don't know yet, but there seems to be some interest and I need to get back on the air.......I've really missed all of you!
One statistic stood out from the thousands of mass email bunches that went out overnight. A lot of you are off work till January, I can't tell you the hundreds and hundreds of "Out of Office AutoReply" responses the email generated, but it was a lot. And as expected, a lot of you have changed your email addresses or moved on from the company address you originally emailed me from, so I'm deleting those names from my address book and hope if you're reading this and want to be included on the next email, you'll get in touch with me.
Some of the first email responses to my update are in the "TALKBACK" link today, but there are hundreds more coming in as I write this morning's news blog. The ones I can share, will be posted over the coming week, as well as any other emails. I was again overwhelmed by your kind words and wishes.
I'll leave you today with that last minute gift idea from about a week ago that I mentioned you can surprise your special someone or someones with, and it's not that expensive. What better present than a song!
First listen to what I got, just click on the arrow below to play!
In today's "BUZZ" link, the top 10 movies you saw this weekend, and there was one big surprise bomb, a celebrity wedding, celebrity baby and a couple of celebrity couples helping thousands of people, Queen Elizabeth is posting on YouTube and you can see it, and what celebrity besides Keifer is spending Christmas and New Years in jail? "CLIPS" has a 1975 visit from Santa Tuna taking calls, "GALLERY" with Kevin Bacon singing for my birthday 3 years ago, Jayne Atkinson from "24" with "Jack Bauer" news, and Debbie Gibson in studio instead of "Only In My Dreams"! "TALKBACK" as I mentioned earlier has some of the first email replies from last night's update.
And now to you and yours, my wish for a very Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a safe Happy New Year! I'll email you as soon as I know where I'm going to be on the radio. Don't forget you can wake up with me tomorrow (Christmas Morning) with the Southgate Christmas Parade on Channel 13 5:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Tivo, DVR or VCR it, and play it back later if you're not going to be up that early. Talk to you then!
Charlie
12/21/2007 @ 9:00am PST Friday Morning, December 21st. 4 day weekend coming up for most of you, and gas prices will be the #1 thing on your mind, plus are you thinking about moving out of California? "PHOTO GALLERY" - "Desperate Housewives" Mrs. McClusky and Revlon Run/Walk's Lilly Tartikoff!
For the second consecutive year, the rise in gas prices was the most interesting news story in the United States. A poll shows that more than half of Americans (52%) said in May that they tracked rising prices at the pump very closely. The Pew Research poll shows that the massacre at Virginia Tech was the second highest-interest news story of the year, drawing a 45% rating in April. Other top stories included late July's deadly bridge collapse in Minneapolis (41%), and October's wildfires in California (40%).
In early January, the situation in Iraq and President Bush's troops surge proposal each scored 40%. But the poll found that by December, just 28% on average paid very close attention to news about Iraq.
Meanwhile, YouTube’s reach keeps growing… In a Harris survey, 65% of adults say they’ve watched a YouTube video, compared to 42% the year before. 43% said they have watched a video on a TV network site, followed by 35% on news sites.
One of the more frequent email questions I get since I've been off the air the past 3 months is if I moved back to Nebraska. The answer of course is no, but a new census report shows-- California's population continued to grow even though there was an exodus of people heading to other states. The annual study showed that 89,000 more people moved out of California than moved in. California's population did grow in 2007 thanks to births and the arrival of more than 200,000 immigrants.
The chief economist for the Department of Finance said “People who are leaving the state, are probably doing so because they believe they'll do better elsewhere.”
And finally, A Harvard professor thinks he's figured out how to make a flying carpet. The Professor (with a really long name-- Lakshminarayanan Mahadevan), writes that it would be possible to make a rippling sheet that could generate enough horizontal resistance to stay airborne.
The catch: The sheet couldn't be more than 4 inches long or a tenth of a millimeter thick. It would have to vibrate about 10 times per second, pushing itself through the air in a manner reminiscent of a manta ray moving through water.
In scientific terms: "As waves propagate along a flexible foil, they generate a fluid flow that leads to a pressure that lifts the foil, roughly balancing its weight".
And that weight, as you can imagine, would be mighty small indeed. The forces needed to make a heavier carpet fly heavy enough to carry an Arab street urchin would be so enormous that "computations and scaling laws suggest it will remain in the magical, mystical and virtual realm". There was no word when he would attempt to make that magic carpet ride.
In today's "BUZZ" link, the rest of the late-night hosts are just about all back to start the new year, more Jamie Lynn and Britney Spears drama, did Criss Angel perform a little magic with Pamela Anderson, The Duff sisters caught on a video scuffle and the Knight Rider car on ebay. "CLIPS" today has a greeting for your holiday visitors, "GALLERY" with photos of a Desperate Housewife star we're not sure survived the tornado, and Lilly Tartikoff who started the Revlon Run/Walk. "TALKBACK" has more emails with you flashing my career back before my eyes. Thank you for remembering!
See you on TV - Christmas Morning 5 to 7 a.m. on Channel 13!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!
Charlie
12/20/2007 @ 8:55am PST Thursday Morning, December 20th! Southgate Children's Christmas Lane parade time announced...and it's early! Plus the Top 10 quotes of the year with a YouTube video of #1. "PHOTO GALLERY" - Singing legend Bill Withers & a Congressman and Assemblyman.
Yesterday I found out about the Southgate Christmas Parade time that I taped with my annual parade co-host, Xiomara Galindo from Fox, on December 9th. It's a community effort that is financed by the Southgate Chamber of Commerce who not only have to pay for the Parade costs and Production, but also have to buy the time on television. This year it's scheduled to be on a "little early", from 5 to 7 a.m. Christmas Morning on Channel 13. So set your Tivo, DVR, or VCR to roll at that time and I promise you, it's a great parade! You can play it back while you're opening presents or if you happen to be up early, watch it "live"! And yes, the weather will be exactly like the day we taped it.
Charlie & my co-host for the past 18 years Xiomara Galindo, Parade Producer Bill Lomas!
IT'S A TIME FOR YEAR END LISTS AND TODAY "DON`T TASE ME, BRO" TOPS THE `07 BEST QUOTE LIST
1. "Don't Tase Me, Bro…" the phrase that swept the nation after a college student used it to stop campus police from throwing him out of John Kerry Q&A, was named the most memorable quote of 2007. Here's the video from that incident!
2. The tortuous answer by Lauren Upton during the Miss Teen America contest in August, when asked why one-fifth of Americans are unable to locate the United States on a map:
"I personally believe that U.S. Americans are unable to do so because some people out there in our nation don't have maps and I believe that our education like such as in South Africa and Iraq and everywhere like such as and I believe that they should our education over here in the U.S. should help the U.S. or should help South Africa and should help Iraq and the Asian countries so we will be able to build up our future for us."
3. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country."
4. Shock jock Don Imus’ comments about the Rutgers University women's basketball team: "That's some nappy-headed hos there."
5. "I don't recall." -- Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' repeated response to questioning at a congressional hearing about the firing of U.S. attorneys.
6. "There's only three things he (Republican presidential candidate and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani) mentions in a sentence: a noun and a verb and 9/11." -- Sen. Joseph Biden, speaking at a Democratic presidential debate.
7. "I'm not going to get into a name-calling match with somebody (Vice President Dick Cheney) who has a 9 percent approval rating." -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat.
8. "(I have) a wide stance when going to the bathroom." -- Idaho Republican Sen. Larry Craig's explanation of why his foot touched that of an undercover policeman in a men's room.
9. "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man." -- Biden describing rival Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
10. "I think as far as the adverse impact on the nation around the world, this administration has been the worst in history." -- Former President Jimmy Carter in an interview in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette newspaper.
On today's "BUZZ" link, the SAG award nominations announced early this morning and we've got 'em for you, Tony Parker is suing the website with the French model alleged affair allegations, the latest on Jamie Lynn Spears pregnancy, two actresses who won't take their clothes off, and the artist who has the #1 CD of the year. In "CLIPS", a cute Christmas Eve story, "GALLERY" has a Congressman, California Assemblyman and singing legend Bill Withers, and "TALKBACK" features more listeners patiently waiting for my return next year.
Thank you for your support with your emails. It does mean the world to me!
Charlie
12/19/2007 @ 9:50am PST Wednesday Morning, December 19th! A hot last-minute gift idea that just came out this year, and the biggest advertising blunders of 2007! Yes, Jessica Simpson's on the list. "PHOTO GALLERY" - Rob Estes and "According To Jim" beauty, Courtney Thorne Smith
Well, here's a last-minute great gift idea that's also a sign of our times, A Visa medical gift card. What with the soaring health care costs every year that passes, what better suggestion than a present that will help pay for those unexpected and sometimes very expensive charges.
We will be spending more than $26 billion on gift cards this year, and the medical gift card can be used for doctors' visits or deductibles, prescription co-pays, contact lenses and even elective surgery. The card is issued by Visa, so it can be used anywhere Visa is accepted for health-related services. They are not sold in stores and need to be purchased online or over the phone for up to $5,000.
TOP 12 ADVERTISING BLUNDERS OF THE YEAR FROM THE EDITORS OF "FORTUNE"
Procter & Gamble
The parents of two Florida toddlers sued Procter & Gamble after they are surprised to find images of their children on packages of Luvs diapers. The parents say they were paid a "nominal fee" at a casting call but were promised an additional payment if the photos were selected.
Cartoon Network
To build buzz for its animated show Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Turner Broadcasting's Cartoon Network places electronic lightboards throughout Boston, triggering a bomb scare that shuts down two bridges, an expressway, a subway station, and a stretch of the Charles River.
Google
To test Google's ability to block harmful advertising, Belgian IT security consultant Didier Stevens posts an ad that reads "Is your PC virus-free? Get it infected here!" It is accepted by Google and displayed 259,723 times 409 web surfers actually click on the ad.
Chrysler
Chrysler pulls an online ad in which a dog urinating on its four-wheel-drive Dodge Nitro gets electrocuted and goes up in flames, followed by the tagline "Charged with adrenaline."
Pizza Hut
Jessica Simpson stars in commercials for Pizza Hut's Cheesy Bites pizza, then tells Elle magazine that she's allergic to wheat ... and tomatoes ... and cheese.
The Virginia Tourism Corp.
The Virginia Tourism Corp. scraps an ad campaign featuring people making heart symbols with their hands after it's noted that the gesture is also the gang sign of Chicago's Gangster Disciples.
The Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays trumpet the arrival of designated hitter Frank Thomas with a TV commercial in which the 6-foot-5, 275-pound slugger - nicknamed "The Big Hurt" - is seen pillow-fighting with a small boy. He swings so hard he sends the child flying from the bed. Though the boy pops up unhurt, the ad is banned by the Television Bureau of Canada.
The European Union
To highlight its role as a patron of the arts, the EU posts a mashup on YouTube featuring two dozen sex scenes from movies it has funded, followed by the line, "Let's come together."
Intel
To promote the speed of its Core 2 Duo Processor, Intel releases a print ad featuring six bare-shouldered black sprinters crouched in their starting positions beneath a white guy dressed for the office. The company's director of global marketing said, "We made a bad mistake. I know why and how, but that doesn't make it better."
Taco Bell
After flopping in a previous run for the border 15 years ago, Taco Bell tries again, opening an outlet in Mexico City. This time the company takes out half-page newspaper ads announcing, "It is a fast-food alternative that does not pretend to be Mexican food."
Iberia Airlines
Spanish national airline Iberia advertises its service to Cuba with a cartoon featuring dark-skinned Cuban women in bikinis bottle-feeding a tourist baby as he sings, "Feed me, mulattas ... come on, little mamas, take me to my crib." The women then transport the baby to the beach, dance for him, and massage him. After an outcry, the commercials are pulled.
Swiss Newspaper SonntagsZeitung
SonntagsZeitung, a Swiss newspaper, publishes a two-page ad for Gucci Eau de Parfum that turns out to be a hoax by a prankster who took a picture of himself posing naked next to a bottle of the high-end scent.
Check out the "BUZZ" link for the latest on the BREAKING BUZZ NEWS we had for you yesterday-Jamie Lynn Spears...16 and pregnant, and Britney's denial, plus even more proof offered by the French model about her Tony Parker hook-up, Amy Winehouse's latest debacle, more celeb baby stuff, all the late-night guys are back in January, and pictures of stars with and without the miracle of photoshop. "CLIPS" today has your healthy holiday foods, "GALLERY" with some pics of Rob Estes and Courtney Thorne-Smith, and "TALKBACK" features a fan who found a 38 year old aircheck of me on KHJ. Thanks again for those emails, they're fun for me to read and I answer them all.
Charlie
12/18/2007 @ 8:56am PST Tuesday Morning, December 18th! So.....what have you saved for a rainy day like today? I've got a bunch of prevention tips that could save you some grief this holiday season! "PHOTO GALLERY" - Emmy award winning actress Rhea Pearlman and David Arquette!
With the disturbing news the other day the DWP had to drain two Los Angeles reservoirs because of possible cancer causing contaminants, maybe the next few days of rain will help make up a little of the drought deficit we've had over the last year. Look for mandatory water conservation next year if we don't have some more storm events like this one.
Long range forecast for Christmas Day is (I told you so)...mostly sunny and high's in the 60's just like it was on December 9th when we taped the Southgate Christmas Parade that plays back on Christmas Day. For some reason, the weather has always matched whatever it was like the day we taped it, for 18 years now.
Now some tips to save you grief this holiday season from a corporate attorney.
1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.
2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED".
3. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the numbers, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
4. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a P.O Box, use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a P.O. Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. (DUH!) You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.
5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.
Unfortunately, I as an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:
1. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.
2. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., were stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).
But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)
3. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.
By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away. This weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.
Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, etc., has been stolen:
1.) Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
2.) Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
3.) Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289
4.) Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
Who Says That You Can't Walk On Water???
And If You're Putting On A Few Extra Holiday Pounds, Use This Excuse!
In today's "BUZZ", the late-night guys are gonna be back to start the New Year, and wait till you see the pictures of Michael Jackson and Carmen Elektra, Pamela Anderson...is she or isn't she getting a divorce, Tony Parker's French model isn't done talking, New DVD's out today, and Julia Roberts can't shake the paparazzi. The "CLIPS" section has a voicemail from Santa for me, "GALLERY" pics include Rhea Pearlman and David Arquette, and "TALKBACK" has some feedback about this column yesterday.
Enjoy the rain today, it makes everything a little fresher!
The Skipperettes from left to right are Donna Taylor, Jill Mosely, and Maria Marinovich, and we're all 38 years older now, Wow!
With the New Year and the annual Pasadena Rose Parade coming up, I've been working on my archives these past 3 and a half months, and found this 1970 photo of the KHJ float in the Rose Parade. This picture was taken, it appears, in the assembly line of the floats just before we turn right on the corner to head down Colorado Boulevard!
Here's a closer view of all of us KHJ personalities then. From left to right, Scotty Brink, Sam Riddle (next to the guitar), Robert W. Morgan (head turned), The Real Don Steele (waving), Humble Harve (hidden behind Don), Charlie Tuna (very front of the float), Bill Wade (sunglasses) and Johnny Williams (looking to his right).
When I was part of the weekend line-up in 2005 on the Fabulous 690 AM in addition to my KBIG morning show (left to right-back row: Lou Simon, Brad Chambers, Charlie Tuna, Gary Owens, and Jim Duncan. Down in front, Steve Tyrell and Daisy Torme)
0-2 seconds - there's hope for you 
Wow! Hard to believe tomorrow is Christmas already, and just a week until 2008. Last night, thanks to my older son Daniel, I sent my first Charlie Tuna mass email update. I love my daughters, Michelle and Christy, who are very techno savvy too, but between my youngest son Bryan (this website's designer) and Daniel who helped me get Charlie Tuna.com and set it up a decade ago, they've been the ones to guide me and educate me in the daily exploding world of new technology for the past 10 years. I couldn't have done any of this without them.
And finally, A Harvard professor thinks he's figured out how to make a flying carpet. The Professor (with a really long name-- Lakshminarayanan Mahadevan), writes that it would be possible to make a rippling sheet that could generate enough horizontal resistance to stay airborne.
