Days prior to his Dec. 2011 debut as morning host at WGN-AM 720 in Chicago, Jonathon Brandmeier, in an interview with Chicago media critic Robert Feder, claimed he was capable of handling serious breaking news.
Absolutely, positively. I just absolutely can do it. I always consider myself a journalist. Ron Magers used to say, “Brandmeier will take a story and peck it apart like a chicken until he gets every feather off of it.” I feel like that’s what I do. They’ll have me and the great resources of the Tribune Company. These guys know what they’re talking about. Believe me, I know what I’m doing.
Luckily for those listening to WGN in the morning, Brandmeier hasn’t had to really handle an immediate breaking news situation — outside of a winter snowstorm or the morning after the Boston Marathon bombings (more on that later). I listened to Brandmeier this morning to see if he would discuss, or how he would handle discussing, yesterday’s devastating tornado damage in Moore City, OK.
Brandmeier began the show with staff meteorologist Tim McGill to talk about the situation. Ignoring some of the borderline humorous side remarks or connotations coming from either Brandmeier or his sidekick Buzz Killman, I thought the conversation was decent, for Brandmeier standards.
Any positive vibes I had went out the window as soon as I heard the theme music for the Wicked Witch of the West’s character from the “Wizard of Oz.” I understand the connection and that the tornado was such an important component of that movie. I get it.
What Brandmeier or someone on his staff apparently doesn’t get is that because that song is associated with an aloof movie character who ultimately was meant as comedic fodder, the playing of that song mocks the seriousness of the story, whether intentionally or not. This natural disaster killed or injured countless people and has shattered the lives of many more.
How appropriate was it for Brandmeier to congratulate a runner for completing the Boston Marathon — when considering how steep some of those hills are — during an interview the morning after the bombings!?
Thankfully, he wasn’t on WGN the day after Sept. 11, 2001. Is it too far fetched to imagine him asking one of the rescue firefighters “so… after learning of the attack, did you still slide down the pole while on your way out of the station?”
Memo to whoever is left running the Tribune Tower: It is high time to constrain your morning host and his staff. And if the consequence of that results in him leaving, so be it. His ratings have dropped significantly since joining the station, and if the rumors are true that he never got around to signing his contract, then what’s the hold on not upsetting him? It’s not like his leaving would cost the station that much, if anything.
More like an addition by subtraction.
Brandmeier’s time has come and gone. He seems to be unable to focus on serious issues. Even when I was young and enjoyed his humor his interviewing skills were atrocious. I am very disappointed that he hasn’t matured into an entertaining AM personality for us “Boomers!”
You hit the nail on the coffin. I was seriously hoping that Brandmeier would mature his act for such a prominent gig. WGN is not just some FM station…
From what I have been told, he has no desire to change his act.
And I can’t agree more about his sour interview skills.
Thank you for reading and for commenting!
Oh, lighten up. There are plenty of serious radio personalities making serious of serious things. John is hardly an insensitive clod.
And really, if you think what he did about the tornado was bad taste, then you must be new to Brandmeier. You think this is bad taste? You should listen to Brandmeier’s “Moo-Moo Song” from 1983. A song about a guy having sex with a cow. Bad taste, yes, but hi-larious!
Johnny, you can stay right where you are. Brandmeier is a highly gifted radio personality. It’s a shame people like these less talented have this nerve to bash JB!
To call for JB’s removal based on his handling of the tornado is wrong. The tornado show could have been better, but Johnny regularly conducts touching and sensitive interviews with folks about serious and tragic subjects. There is no way to expect him to make his entire show somber on short notice about a tornado in OK. Re 9/11- Have you ever heard the Howard Stern show as 911 developed? They made fun of it for an hour. And as a listener I didn’t think JB was insensitive to the tragedy. I was pissed he spent so much time on how to handle a tornado in your car.
@ Squirehogg… It’s not the tornado story alone for why I want Brandmeier gone from WGN Radio. I want him gone because I hate his 1980’s schtick he does each morning. He comes across as a phoney, who is either incapable or unwilling to modernize his act for 2013. That isn’t just me making stuff up. People within WGN are having these conversations; people who have worked at WGN at the time of Brandmeier’s hiring are having this discussion. There are a lot of people inside Tribune Tower who are disappointed with both his on air work as well as his demeanor behind the scenes.
I have a hard time listening to Brandmeier when he’s interrupted by ten minutes’ worth of crop reports and PSA’s. He and Buzz need to run uninterrupted.
It was so wonderful to turn on WGN and hear
Steve Cochran.. I have been an avid WGN
follower since Bob Collins. I have enjoyed all of
the hosts—but JB does not belong in the WGN
family. Please consider the people who care.
Thank you.
Tell Jonny that Zot Wildstar is looking for him.
I have tried to utilize, nonetheless it does not is effective in any way.