Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Here's Johnny!
About 20 years ago, when FirstNews was first hitting the airwaves, it soared for a number of reasons: The creative ideas of our news director and producer. The integrity and warmth of anchor Maria Antonia. And, the swaggering good humor and entertainingly delivered information of Johnny Rowlands. All of those factors plus great photographers, directors, engineers and graphic artists made the very first morning newscast in Kansas City really take off. It was in those early days, I received my station nickname. It grew out of my contribution to the program. Joel "Dead Weight" Nichols.
Anyway, I got to thinking about those early days after Johnny Rowlands took time to visit with my Broadcast Performance class last night at Johnson County Community College. The students were so relieved to finally have someone with a truly successful broadcast career lead the class for a change. Johnny is a Kansas City legend starting with his days as one of the town's leading rock and roll DJs. He was the first to hit the air, and the air, doing traffic from his plane for local radio stations back in the early 80s. In 1988, he flew onto FirstNews. Now, you can read more about Johnny's illustrious career and historic work chasing and documenting tornadoes here at TheKansasCityChannel.com, on his bio page. It's a little bit like reading a script treatment for a new Indiana Jones adventure. Instead of recapping all those hijinks and making myself feel even more inadequate than usual, let me share a few my own Johnny Rowlands encounters.
I first met Johnny, face to face, at a charity casino night. That evening, he offered to teach me how to fly. Now, I have a brother who had a long, honored career in the Air Force and another who is a recreational pilot. When I was a little kid, I took plane rides fairly often with a family friend. But, as I grew up, I started to be a little less brave. Eventually, I started to share my oldest brother's attitude toward flying: it's okay but if there were another way to get from point A to point B, I'd probably do that. So, two brothers love to fly, two--not so much. The two that do think the two that don't, lack courage. The two that don't consider the two that do, Up-In-The-Air-Heads. Speaking of my brothers, Johnny made a great first impression on one of them, Mark. Our first Christmas after moving to KC, we (by "we" I mean my wife and I, not Johnny Rowlands and I) drove home for a visit. I took a tape of FirstNews. Mark's comment: "Well, I really like the traffic reporter. He's funny and concise. Great." When I asked what he thought of my performance he said "Oh, are you on the show, too?" He wasn't being mean. He was just applying our mother's advice to "say nothing if you can't be nice."
Not long after meeting Johnny, we visited Blue Valley High School as part of career day. Remember, this was about 20 years ago and I had about two pounds of dark hair and only one chin. I certainly did not exude experience and expertise. Basically, the seniors looked at me like I was a total loser. It was a look I grew used to as my own children hit their high school years. They were fascinated by Johnny, though. He knew rock stars and flew a plane. I had a rock head and looked plain.
Johnny was the long-time main Kansas City host of the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. He had done that for years before FirstNews started. Labor Day of '88, I took on the overnight shift on the show. The other emcees got some well-deserved rest during that period but, not Johnny. He stayed up and made the wee small hours a fun, fast-paced part of the program. It also stopped me from making too many ill-advised three-in-the-morning comments like "As you head out to change your oil, why not stop at the phone and call in a pledge...."
Over the years, we've been in parades together and at many public events representing Channel 9. Aside from work, I'm not allowed to socialize with any of the big-shot TV personalities...they all have that clause in their contracts. So, when the opportunity presents itself, like at Tuesday evening's class, it's a pleasure to catch up with Johnny Rowlands, Channel 9's Rock Star in the Sky. That's what he makes me call him.
Anyway, I got to thinking about those early days after Johnny Rowlands took time to visit with my Broadcast Performance class last night at Johnson County Community College. The students were so relieved to finally have someone with a truly successful broadcast career lead the class for a change. Johnny is a Kansas City legend starting with his days as one of the town's leading rock and roll DJs. He was the first to hit the air, and the air, doing traffic from his plane for local radio stations back in the early 80s. In 1988, he flew onto FirstNews. Now, you can read more about Johnny's illustrious career and historic work chasing and documenting tornadoes here at TheKansasCityChannel.com, on his bio page. It's a little bit like reading a script treatment for a new Indiana Jones adventure. Instead of recapping all those hijinks and making myself feel even more inadequate than usual, let me share a few my own Johnny Rowlands encounters.
I first met Johnny, face to face, at a charity casino night. That evening, he offered to teach me how to fly. Now, I have a brother who had a long, honored career in the Air Force and another who is a recreational pilot. When I was a little kid, I took plane rides fairly often with a family friend. But, as I grew up, I started to be a little less brave. Eventually, I started to share my oldest brother's attitude toward flying: it's okay but if there were another way to get from point A to point B, I'd probably do that. So, two brothers love to fly, two--not so much. The two that do think the two that don't, lack courage. The two that don't consider the two that do, Up-In-The-Air-Heads. Speaking of my brothers, Johnny made a great first impression on one of them, Mark. Our first Christmas after moving to KC, we (by "we" I mean my wife and I, not Johnny Rowlands and I) drove home for a visit. I took a tape of FirstNews. Mark's comment: "Well, I really like the traffic reporter. He's funny and concise. Great." When I asked what he thought of my performance he said "Oh, are you on the show, too?" He wasn't being mean. He was just applying our mother's advice to "say nothing if you can't be nice."
Not long after meeting Johnny, we visited Blue Valley High School as part of career day. Remember, this was about 20 years ago and I had about two pounds of dark hair and only one chin. I certainly did not exude experience and expertise. Basically, the seniors looked at me like I was a total loser. It was a look I grew used to as my own children hit their high school years. They were fascinated by Johnny, though. He knew rock stars and flew a plane. I had a rock head and looked plain.
Johnny was the long-time main Kansas City host of the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon. He had done that for years before FirstNews started. Labor Day of '88, I took on the overnight shift on the show. The other emcees got some well-deserved rest during that period but, not Johnny. He stayed up and made the wee small hours a fun, fast-paced part of the program. It also stopped me from making too many ill-advised three-in-the-morning comments like "As you head out to change your oil, why not stop at the phone and call in a pledge...."
Over the years, we've been in parades together and at many public events representing Channel 9. Aside from work, I'm not allowed to socialize with any of the big-shot TV personalities...they all have that clause in their contracts. So, when the opportunity presents itself, like at Tuesday evening's class, it's a pleasure to catch up with Johnny Rowlands, Channel 9's Rock Star in the Sky. That's what he makes me call him.
Posted at 3:14 AM
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