So where you live, do the local TV Weatherbimbos* have silly contrived names? I know they do, because I’ve lived in many cities, and every one had at least one example…
Here in LA, the best examples are Dallas Raines and Johnny Mountain, both on KABC channel 7. I can remember in Florida, there was a Sonny Daye. The rest have been erased to make room for more useful information, like the lyrics to The Banana Splits theme.
So who are the Sonny’s and Stormy’s and Wendy’s in your area? Do they have obvious fake tans like Dallas Raines? Cheerful and grandfatherly like Johnny Mountain? Or are they insidiously annoying like KNBC’s Fritz Coleman, who has a relatively normal name but an abnormally enormous ego?
(* A weatherbimbo can be male or female. Here in LA, the biggest weatherbimbo by far is Marc Kriski, morning show weatherbimbo on KTLA 5… a total airhead.)
In NYC we have Storm Field, if you can believe it. Thing is, it’s his real name. His dad was a NYC weather broadcast legend, Dr. Frank Field. (FYI, he named his daughter Gail – or Gale… not sure of the spelling.)
Our NBC weatherguy is Topper Shutt. Don’t think it’s made up, though – it sounds like it should mean something, but AFAIK it doesn’t. I didn’t know meteorologists from other areas had interesting names too.
Aha… then no wonder they kept trying to find some sort of vehicle for Fritz to vault beyond meteorology and become a game show host… or travel show host… or variety show host… or dating show host… or entertainment show host…
God, I can’t remember how many failed fluff programs he’s hosted in the 15 years I’ve been living here. I think KNBC finally got a clue that he was boringly unfunny, and only slightly less annoying than Christopher Nance.
Jillian Barberie (sp?) on the FOX 11 affiliate is worse than Marc Kriski. Not only is she on Good Day L.A. but now there’s a Good Day Live that is broadcast all over the country. Her evil and annoyance has begun to spread and it is only a matter of time before the apocalypse will begin.
Yeah, kasuo, read my post in the rant on local news programs and I address Jillian Barberie and the FOX11 Morning show specifically.
But I don’t consider her a weatherperson. Yeah, she does the weather, but so does the KPCC local anchor during All Things Considered.
Besides, I don’t hold any loathing for her, at least not compared to Dorothy Lucey, who only has the damn job because her husband is the producer. And it shows.
Man, that’s the second time today I’ve read a rant trashing my Jillian. I can’t start the day without my “Good Day L.A.” fix! Yeah, both her & Dorothy are total airheads, and they hardly ever cover actual news (I sure wish they’d drop those lame “Adopt a Puppy” spots, especially since Jill always adopts the damn dog for herself anyway!) – but I love how both of them rag incessantly on Steve Edwards through the whole show (poor Steve!) and, perhaps more importantly…both of them are HOT HOT HOT!!!
BTW, wasn’t there a “Stormy Weathers” meterologist once? I seem to vaguely recall one…
And let’s not forget Glen “Hurricane” Schwartz, a weird little fellow who wears bow ties and this nickname like a medal of honor. When you have to give yourself a nickname, you aren’t very impressive.
Got to admit CNN became less fun to watch without Flip Spiceland doing the weather, just to see the news anchors say that name with a straight face.
WBRC in Birmingham, Alabama has a weekend weatherman named Dr. Ted K. No idea about if the Dr. is legit or what the “K” stands for.
Not contirved but it stood out, WHNT in Huntsville used to have a cute weather girl named Lila Marigza. Actually, I liked the name because it was fun to say. I think she’s a regular news reporter in Nashville now.
And I have to admit to sometimes watching Good Day Live despite how awful it is just for Jillian Barberie. But the only thing worse than Dorothy Lucey’s facelift is her voice, at least now I know how she got her job…
Not a weatherman/woman/bimbo/etc., but MSNBC used to have an anchor named Gulstan Dart. I always thought the name sounded like a character on a David E. Kelly show or a model of car from 1964.
Glen Hurricane Schwartz in Philly: He was recruited as a reg newscaster, but they decided to give him an image and make it part of his contract. To counter and lend balance to their other ‘hip’ weather guy, they took Glen Schwartz, made him contractually obligated to use the name “Hurricane” and make him contractually obligated to wear a sport coat, round rim spectacles and bow tie.