Les was a 5-time winner of the Buckeye Newshawk award, but he really coveted the Silver Sow award. When he won it, he also wins what some at the station might have considered an even better prize – a date with the lovely Jennifer. Loni Anderson was a Minnesota native who actually auditioned for the role of Chrissy Snow on “Three’s Company.” I’m kind of glad she didn’t get that one – Jennifer was allowed to be smart AND beautiful while Chrissy was not. In fact, she refused to play that stereotypical dumb blonde role and was so persuasive in her argument that Hugh Wilson said, “Let's make her look like Lana Turner and be the smartest person in the room.”

music, music historyAmy LivelyJanuary 4, 2026WKRP, 70s music, 70s podcast, 70s tv

Episode 47: Dick Clark's Entertainment Empire

So, what was the New Year’s Eve show in your house? I had pretty young parents, so I am pretty confident that Guy Lombardo was not quite their cup of tea…It was always “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” in my house and Clark produced the first one in 1972 with his co-hosts, Three Dog Night. That means Three Dog Night had the distinction of having the first song played on “American Top 40” and “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” Clark was definitely taking aim at the king of New Year’s Eve traditions, Guy Lombardo, who played big band music on his New Year’s Eve special. For many years, if you didn’t have plans on New Year’s Eve, Guy Lombardo from The Roosevelt Grille, and then for the last couple of years, the Waldorf-Astoria, was appointment TV. But Clark thought it was too dated.

Episode 27: That's Entertainment! TV Variety Shows of the 70s

Is there anybody out there who could pull off a musical comedy variety show nowadays?

“Nobody. It’s not possible because the audiences got to the point where the desire is on reality and the desire is on shock. And the Donny & Marie Show was (built) on simplicity and innocence, and we just don’t have that anymore. Nobody could pull that off — not even Donny and Marie” — Donny Osmond