Two titans of television news have left the studio for Heaven

 Many of us living in the 518 grew up with investigative reporter John McLaughlin, first on WTEN, then, at the end of his career, at WNYT. McLaughlin, a graduate of LaSalle Institute in Troy and Siena, began his career in print journalism at the Troy Record, back when it was a respectable newspaper, in the mid-60's, before moving permanently to television around 1972.

During his 40+ years at WTEN, McLaughlin served as a co-host for the annual Cerebral Palsy telethon, and hosted a pair of public affairs programs that usually aired on Sunday mornings.

WTEN morning co-anchor Christina Arangio looks back at McLaughlin's career, queued up by afternoon co-anchors Lydia Kulbida & John Gray.

McLaughlin passed away at 83. His last gig was doing radio ads for a local business a few years ago.

CNN founding father Robert E. "Ted" Turner has also passed away.

Turner launched CNN in the summer of 1980, and watched it evolve, or, maybe as of today, devolve. Turner also owned the Atlanta Braves & Hawks during the 80's and part of the 90's, and even took a chance on being the 1st owner since Connie Mack to double as manager, but that didn't last. Ultimately, Turner sold CNN, Cartoon Network, and the rest of his television empire, to Time-Warner (now Warner Bros. Discovery, and soon to be Paramount-Warner, barring any last minute miracles), in the mid-90's. Turner's biggest contribution to children's television was the launch of Captain Planet on TBS and in syndication in the 90's.

Wrestling fans will recall that Turner enabled Eric Bischoff to open World Championship Wrestling's bankroll to better compete with the now-WWE. This lasted for 3 years before WWE took over and defeated WCW, buying out the rival in 2001.

Turner was 87.

Rest in peace, gentlemen.

On The Shelf: An unlikeable anti-hero, and two TV favorites return

 Free Comic Book Day has come & gone, and we're taking a look at some of the goodies that arrived last weekend.

Amp Comics has the license to adapt Stephen J. Cannell's early 80's adventure series, The Greatest American Hero, getting cooperation from series star William Katt. That's the good news.

Image courtesy Amp Comics.

The bad news? While the story is set in modern times, after Ralph Hinkley (Katt) has retired, and reconnects with his son, in the process meeting his granddaughter, artist Alper Geicel, a relative newcomer, doesn't connect with the reader, which makes one long for cover artist David Mack to do the interiors as well. Oof. Anyone expecting something along the lines of the original series will be disappointed.

Rating: B--.

The former WB/CW series, Supernatural, has landed at Dynamite, and the company decided to reissue the 1st issue for Free Comic Book Day. Fans of the Winchester brothers will be happy to see them back in action. Given that there was a crossover with Scooby-Doo late in the run, it won't surprise anyone if eventually, Dynamite picks up the license for Scooby, too, hoping for a sequel. We'll see, but, given how Dynamite has solicited titles as ongoing, only to see those books cut down to miniseries (i.e. Thundarr), I wouldn't get my hopes up.

The opener proves that the guys are gullible enough to fall for a con. Not what I wanted to read.

Rating: B.

Archie Comics collected a quintet of 5 pagers for World of Archie, their Free Comic Book Day entry. Always on the pop culture tip, this collection includes Betty & Veronica spinning off from the Archies to form Rock Candi, and, later, setting up shop selling merch based on a send-up of singer Sabrina Carpenter, unaware that the other Sabrina, our favorite witch, has a similar kiosk running. A time travel spoof with our Sabrina closes out the volume. September, and Oni Press taking over the franchise, can't come soon enough.

Rating: B-.

Another of the new Vertigo titles from DC is End of Life, which pretty much guarantees that its lead, hitman Eddie Stallion, is destined to meet his end once writer Kyle Starks decides to finish his story. Stallion's tale is not one of redemption, but, rather, being on the run after a job goes sideways. Oh, does it ever.

After reading the first three issues, I got the sense that had this been written in the 90's, you could've made a movie out of this with Vanilla Ice as Eddie, and Edward Asner as his pop. Wishful thinking, I know, but there is no way you can cheer for Eddie, not when the title implies the end of the story.

Rating: B--.

Quick hits: I've come to the conclusion that Archie Comics artist Dan Parent has taken to drawing covers of Sabrina in fishnet stockings & knee boots in response to DC's sexy sorceress, Zatanna, who, thanks to Jamal Campbell, has ditched the boots for heels at long last. Now, if Campbell can find Zee a boyfriend not named John Constantine, we'd be all set...............IDW is going with a modern day retelling of Zorro with Zorro's Legacy, out in July. The Howard Chaykin penned Zorro series appears to be off the calendar for the moment........Over at DC, writer Jeremy Adams has split up the Wonder Twins, with Jayna going it alone alongside Green Lantern (Hal Jordan), who otherwise is ready to pop the question to on-again, off-again lover Carol Ferris (Star Sapphire), while Zan appears in Emperor Aquaman, with the bigger story being that the twins don't need to touch to activate their powers anymore. The stories will merge later this year, but if this doesn't lead to Jayna dating Beast Boy of the Titans (which would require him to split with Raven), I don't know what does........With Planet of The Apes vs. Fantastic Four wrapping up later this month, Marvel plans to send a Predator to the ape world in July. What next? Aliens?....After Muppets Noir wraps next month, Dynamite with try a Red Sonja Noir miniseries in July. Stop the pain!

Donald Trump wants Hakeem Jeffries impeached. Guess what, Dumb Donald? That ain't happening

 With mid-term elections six months away, president Trump wants House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) impeached for calling the Supreme Court "illegitimate". All Jeffries was doing was pointing out the hypocrisy of the GOP-dominant Court after a controversial vote on voting rights favored the GOP.

"WAAAAHHHH! He's gotta go! WAAAAHHH!!"

Let's say the Democrats flip the House of Representatives in November. Jeffries conceivably could be the 1st African-American Speaker, replacing Mike Johnson. Trump, of course, is scared that this could in fact happen.

Small problem. Sitting Congressmen cannot be impeached. Expelled, yes, like George Santos, but not impeached. Of course, Dumb Donald, twice impeached himself, doesn't comprehend how governmental rules work. He just exploits his office for personal gain (and to enrich his family). As far as calling for Jeffries to be impeached just for speaking his mind, Trump has to remember that a 3rd impeachment may be headed his way if the Democrats do take over in November. Not just the House, but also the Senate. And, again, there's this little caveat to his whining......

Be careful what you wish for, Donald. Karma may be coming for you this time next year.

A tale of two New Yorkers

 One became a cherished sports icon upon returning home, and finished his career at the end of 2024. The other should've stayed retired when he had the chance, and now is fighting for his life.

John Sterling, the radio voice of the Yankees from 1989-2024, and host for several Old Timers Day events at Yankee Stadium, as well as the host-narrator of Yankeeography on the YES Network, has passed away at 87. Sterling had previously called games on TBS for the Atlanta Braves & Hawks, the latter when WTBS carried their games. In the course of his career, Sterling also called some NHL games, as well as college football, and if memory serves, his last college football broadcast was also on YES a few years ago.

MLB Network offers this retrospective.

And, then, there is America's Disgrace, Rudy Giuliani.

The former mayor, attorney, and chief sycophant to Donald Trump was admitted to a hospital Sunday, but spokesman Ted Goodman would only divulge that Giuliani was in stable, but critical, condition, leaving everyone in the dark about Giuliani's actual condition.

Update, 4:08 pm (ET): Goodman announced today that Giuliani is in the hospital to be treated for pneumonia.

Trump didn't exactly help the cause by blaming left wingers for Giuliani's condition in a post on Truthless Social in the last 24 hours. Giuliani gave up what dignity he had left by casting his lot with Trump during the 2020 election, amplifying false claims of election fraud, which Trump is still whining about 5 1/2 years later. When Giuliani began appearing on TV again about a decade ago, you could already see that his best years were behind him. But if he thought Trump would help him with his legal bills, well, he should've known that Trump is the biggest cheapskate this side of Jack Benny's radio-TV persona.

I've a feeling Giuliani may soon join Sterling in the afterlife. The Yankees, to be sure, will memorialize Sterling themselves, just as they have for other broadcasters in their employ.

Rest in peace, John.

Musical Interlude: All You Fascists Bound to Lose (2026)

 In 1944, during World War II, Woody Guthrie wrote "All You Fascists Bound to Lose", which may have been a rallying cry for the US during the war.

82 years later, actress-singer Bette Midler gathered a group of her Hollywood friends, including Barbara Hershey and Saratoga native David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) for an updated version of "Bound", adding contemporary lyrics & images taking aim at-----who else?-----president Trump.

How soon d'ya think Trump'll start whining about this?

Sports this 'n' that

 Maybe the Mets could learn something from what happened in Philadelphia earlier this week.

Rob Thomson was fired, the 2nd manager in 4 days (Alex Cora), replaced by bench coach Don Mattingly, who had come over from Toronto in the offseason. Philadelphia has since opened some distance between themselves and the last place Mets, amid speculation that Mets manager Carlos Mendoza may be the next to go, at least if you follow the drama on reddit.

Mattingly previously managed Miami and the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is the kind of experienced voice the Phillies needed.

The Mets, meanwhile, continue to be plagued by injuries. Luis Robert, Jr., one of their off-season acquisitions (Chicago White Sox) went down earlier in the week, and after Saturday's loss to the Angels, infielder Ronny Mauricio went to the IL with a thumb injury. Redditors are blaming David Stearns for some of the off-season moves, including letting professional leech Scott Boras Badenov con Pete Alonso into chasing the money to Baltimore. Alonso has been struggling, and someone suggested a trade to bring him back to Flushing.

Alonso is back in New York this weekend, but, aside from a home run on Friday, the Yankees have held him in check. The Mets will see Alonso later this season.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani mistakenly assumed Trae Young was still with the Atlanta Hawks ahead of the 1st round of the NBA playoffs. Young was traded earlier this season.

So, the Knicks blew the Hawks out of the playoffs on Thursday, winning game 6 by 57 points. The game was actually over in the 1st quarter. In Atlanta!!!

Bank on this. Braves fans will pick up the gauntlet for the Hawks when Los Bravos play the Mets later this season.

The PGA tour is at the Doral Country Club, owned by president Trump, this weekend, and, how's this for a surprise? When the players reached holes 16-18, there were no fans in sight! Meidas Touch explains:

Welp, if Trump didn't initiate the current conflict with Iran, and actually learned how to comport himself as president instead of being an elderly man on his 4th or 5th childhood, that wouldn't happen. People see the Trump name on the building, and turn away. Why should the world's worst golfer own a course? At least grand-daughter Kai (Don, Jr.'s daughter) learned the game the right way.......!

We're reading that the Saudis are pulling their financial backing from the LIV golf tour, in its 4th season, and 2nd with broadcasts on Fox (moving over from CW) after this season. Hmmmmm. People were speculating that the Saudis might not renew their contract with WWE when that runs out later this year. And speaking of WWE......

NXT fans were jumping for joy upon learning earlier this week that the PLE's for the Tuesday brand will begin airing on CW this summer. Since the network is looking for some weekend programming to complement the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts series, and fill the void created by LIV golf's departure last year, this is great news. Last month's Stand & Deliver streamed on YouTube, but this is even better. Apparently, the new deal starts with the Great American Bash in July, after the former WCW event had been set up as a 2 part episode of the weekly NXT series the last couple of years.

The once prestigious National Wrestling Alliance is back on television, as NWA Powerr began airing on Comet (check listings) this weekend. Broadcasts will mostly air Saturday afternoons at 4 pm (ET), though a special episode aired Friday night. Unfortunately, the quality of wrestling, while it seeks to revive the studio wrestling aesthetic from the territory era, has suffered under Billy Corgan's ownership. The former Smashing Pumpkins frontman should be happy with the new deal, though, as that should bring more eyeballs to the NWA & Comet.

Classic TV: The series premiere of Hee Haw (1969)

 When Canadian singer-songwriter Bryan Adams wrote "Summer of '69" in the mid-80's, I don't think he had Hee Haw in mind.

The series was launched in the summer, June specifically, of 1969, which led directly to season 2 in the fall. Actor-singer Sheb Wooley (ex-Rawhide) wrote the theme song for the show, but was not credited. In the opener, Wooley queues up a number by his alter ego, Ben Colder, among the highlights.

Here is the 1st episode: