Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
October 3, 2006
WPHT 1210-AM host Michael Smerconish managed to host his 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. radio show and appear on “The Today Show” at the same time recently. Smerconish explains how he pulled it off.
“I stayed in New York City the night before my scheduled appearance on “Today.” I did my show from the CBS radio studios in New York City from 5:30 a.m. until 6:45 a.m. At 6:45, we played an interview I conducted the day before while a car picked me up and took me to the NBC studios. I did my “hit” on “Today” from 7:09 to 7:16. Then I returned to the CBS radio studio to take live reaction on the taped interview and continue with the show until 9 a.m.”
Since Smerconish’s first appearance on “Today” around six months ago, he’s enjoyed a flurry of television appearances, such as the shows “Scarborough Country,” “Hardball,” and “Your World With Neil Cavuto.”
If/when he gets his own national show, he says he won’t be leaving Philadelphia.
“I have four children. We aren’t moving!”
WPHT enjoyed its highest ratings in around a year in the last ratings period for eighth place overall for listeners 12-and-over.
Terry Crews and Tichina Arnold, who were visiting Philadelphia last week to promote the season premiere of “Everybody Hates Chris” on the CW Sundays at 7 p.m. are excited about their new network. “It’s a fresh start for everybody. Before, UPN was on in around 60% of the country. CW has 95% coverage,” said Crews, who plays Julius, the main character’s father on the show.
This isn’t the first time Crews spent time here. The former NFL player (L.A. Rams, Washington Redskins) played three weeks with the Eagles at the end of the 1996 season.
Arnold, who plays Chris’ mother, Rochelle, is enjoying sitcom success for the second time. She played Martin Lawrence’s foil, Pam on “Martin” in the 90’s.
Guest stars this season include Whoopi Goldberg, Wayne Brady, and Ernest “What’s Happening” Thomas.
Philly Gets Pink’d
For the month of October, almost one-hundred buildings in the Tri-State will light their exteriors pink for the fifth annual “Lights for the Cure,” to raise awareness for Breast cancer. CBS3 will feature the buildings this month during the 11 p.m. news.
With Lori Delgado moving to the NBC10 morning news, Denise Nakano will move from the weekend morning news to Delgado’s place on the WB17 news at 10 p.m. Aditi Roy gets promoted to fulltime anchor in the weekend morning slot.
Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers made a semi-successful debut as the new “Weekend Update” team for the 32nd season opener of “Saturday Night Live.” In case you were wondering, here are the other teams throughout the history of the show: