WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

It doesn't take much for fans of Jonathon Brandmeier to start buzzing about what's next for the longtime Chicago radio star.

^{Jonathon Brandmeier} 

Ever since he was released as morning personality at Emmis Communications classic rock WLUP-FM (97.9) last November, the mere sighting of Johnny B. at a radio station has been enough to send the rumor mill into overdrive --  and bloggers into a frenzy.

So when Howard Stern mentioned on his SiriusXM Satellite Radio show Thursday that Brandmeier had recently come by Stern's New York studios (and commented on a note from Brandmeier about an appearance they'd made together on "Donahue" in the 1980s), a new round of speculation began.

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If you grew up on the South Side and are of a certain age,‚  it feels funny to drive down east 63rd Street between Stony Island and Cottage Grove in the Woodlawn neighborhood and see block after block of emptiness.

But here's a way to see what the Woodlawn community and 63rd once looked like: check out "The Monkey Hustle," a 1976 film starring Yaphet Kotto as a kind of Fagin teaching black kids how to run rinky-dink hustles and street scams as they talk jive and slap five.

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I'm excited about this week's mission...

It starts with this new video that I'm about to officially unveil. Remember when I invited you all to "go nowhere fast" with me? And we met at the Belmont "L" stop and rode the train in a big circle together and sang and ate donuts and shared a proverbial moment? Well, I finally finished editing the video!  And it led me to this week's idea...

1. So first, watch the brand new video titled Amy's Train Mission.

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If you ask me, it's the best station promo in the history of television. OK, maybe I'm biased -- since "Perry Mason" is my all-time favorite TV drama. I admit I love the show. But I do believe the promo that turned up this week on Chicago's Weigel Broadcasting stations is as smart and funny and perfectly executed as any one I've ever seen.

^{Raymond Burr as Perry Mason}

The 60-second spot for Weigel's Me-TV and Me-Too channels cleverly incorporates a dozen references to "Perry Mason" (which airs twice daily on Me-Too) culled from the array of vintage sitcoms that air on Me-TV and dramas that air on Me-Too.

See for yourself: Here is the link.

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In honor of Mexican President Felipe Calderón’s visit to the U.S., and the fact Rick Bayless cooked him dinner last night at the White House, I'm replaying part of a series I did for "848" on WBEZ, entitled "Bite By Bite."  Each month, I would explore a given country's regional foods, via a handful of local restaurants. Hope you enjoy this culinary sound tour of regional Mexico in Chicago, and as they say, Buen Provecho!

Bite By Bite-Mexico

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Robservations on the media beat:

 

• Luke Palermo, a faculty member in the television department of Columbia College Chicago for more than 25 years, has been elected president of the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. He succeeds outgoing president Barbara Williams Perry, effective June 15. Palermo, who's been on the board of the local NATAS chapter for more than 15 years, said in a statement:

"It is indeed an honor to be elected president of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Chicago, and I am humbled by the wonderful men and women that have preceded me in that position. I enjoy working and planning alongside industry professionals and bringing‚ that world into my classroom.‚ I am very lucky to have the best of all worlds, my students, my teaching and my connection with television colleagues."

• Emily Barr, president and general manager of top-rated WLS-Channel 7, is getting a new boss: She's Rebecca Campbell, who was named Wednesday to succeed the retiring Walter Liss as president of the ABC Owned Television Stations Group.

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(Photo by Joshua M. Thompson)

The White House just released tonight's menu. I'm assuming Rick has been foraging, hunting and harvesting since he got there Monday morning:

• Salad of jicama with oranges, grapefruit and pineapple

• Herb green ceviche of Hawaiian opah

• Wagyu beef in black mole sauce with grilled beans, accompanied by black bean tamalon (a large tamal)

• Chocolate cajeta tart with toasted homemade marshmallows, graham cracker crumble and goat cheese ice cream

Good to know that I can head over to the corner of Clark and Illinois anytime to get this kind of food, but it would be so cool to see it served in the East Room. To the President.

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