Yoichi Okamoto/Lyndon B. Johnson Library Photo via Encyclopædia Britannica
Carl Rowan, 1965
Carl Rowan, 1965
In the wake of my tumultuous 1995 exit from WNOV-AM radio’s controversial “Carter-McGee Report,” I landed on my feet in early 1996 at CBS Channel 58 as its “critic-at-large” and co-host of Sunday morning’s “Eye on Milwaukee.”
“Eye” was the fledging local channel’s first weekend news-interview show—the 9 a.m. lead-in for CBS’s Sunday morning program with Dan Rather, in the footsteps of the legendary Walter Cronkite.
Happily, I was warmly welcomed in the newsroom by anchors Mike Strehlow and Laurie Stevens, sports guy Dan Brady, weather reporter Brad Spakowitz and reporters Brian Knox, Paul Piaskowski and Darlene Dorsey.
Our “Eye on Milwaukee” hit the ground running as the city’s best, most professional Sunday interview show with Black and white co-hosts. Sharing equal time with nice guy Strehlow (formerly of WTMJ-TV’s Channel 4), I helped corral a long, impressive list of local and visiting newsmakers for our late Thursday afternoon tapings.
Among them were Shepherd Express editor Doug Hissom; Mayor John Norquist; Sheriff Richard Artison; Archbishop Rembert Weakland; pioneering Black journalist Carl T. Rowan; James Cameron of Milwaukee’s Black Holocaust Museum; Milwaukee Brewers vice president Laurel Prieb; Jaquline Shropshire of the Urban League Board; Milwaukee School Board President Leon Todd; Bradley DeBraska, president of the Milwaukee Police Union; Circuit Judge Russell Stamper; NAACP President Felmers O. Chaney; and County Executive Thomas Ament.
Tough, Respectful Interviews
Leaning on my experience as fiery ex-Councilman Michael McGee’s radio co-host—and my 1989-90 national TV jousting with volatile Morton Downey Jr. as his co-host on CNBC’s “Showdown”—I engaged our guests in tough, respectful interviews. Many made a point in acknowledging the professionalism by Strehlow and myself.
Most memorable for me was interviewing my journalist role model Carl Rowan who, more than anyone, paved the way for Black men and women in the major news media, and with Norquist and Artison. The latter two had faced-off in a recent mayoral election won by Norquist in a landslide.
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As “critic-at-large,” I commented during newscasts on interesting people and events. My faves were about Janet Cooke, Washington Post Pulitzer Prize winner who fabricated her columns; Downey, my former national TV adversary; and lack of original Black R&B artists in the music portion of that year’s Summerfest.
In the latter, I named active legendary vocal groups such as the Dells, Moonglows, Drifters, Arlene Smith and the Chantels and the Spaniels. I chose the latter’s famous “Goodnight Sweetheart, Goodnight” bass-voice intro to close the commentary, resulting in a large number of positive viewer comments.
On Sept. 11, 1996—in appreciation of the family ambiance at Channel 58 news—my wife, Susan Orr (of WYMS radio) and I hosted some of the staff for a buffet-TV-fight party at our Landmark on the Lake apartment. The main event was the pay-per-view of the first Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield heavyweight title bout.
In addition to Strehlow and his wife, Brady and his wife and other married staffers, among the many guests were the Shepherd’s Dave Berkman; community activists George Sanders, John Givens and Reuben Harpole; Bill and Marge Kurtz; Sheriff Artison; WYMS-FM jazz DJ Al Russell; close pals James Reed and Linda Loeder; the Landmark’s colorful doorman, Jean Louis; and various other long-time Milwaukee friends.
Although some of the women initially seemed more interested in our 11th floor view of Lake Michigan, they warmed to the occasion as the fighters went at it hammer-and-tong until Holyfield scored an 11th round TKO. A year later, I learned that many party guests were shocked hearing of mad dog Tyson viciously biting the ear of nice guy Evander in an infamous rematch.
In early 1997, I departed Channel 58 after being offered a columnist gig at America’s largest Black newspaper, New York’s Amsterdam News. It came from its dynamic publisher, the late Bill Tatum, famous for 163 consecutive-week front-page editorials calling for controversial Mayor Ed Koch to resign.
In retrospect, as a long-time print journalist, it was a big city offer I couldn’t refuse, resulting in a rewarding 15-years with the paper. Yet, in my hometown Milwaukee heart-of-hearts, I’ll always fondly remember my exciting TV time as co-host of Channel 58’s “Eye on Milwaukee.”
