The Kansas City Star's resident Flat Earther has been a little adrift since the election ate his brain. Like a new retiree, McClanahan has had to learn what to do with the free time that comes with no longer sucking Paul Ryan's Rand sac. Then again, a writer more conversant with the nuances of 21st-century media - and less beholden to the hoariest conservative talking points - might be excited to stake out fresh turf at the dawn of President Obama's second administration.
Not E-Tom.
The latest thing steaming up his little glasses is a golden oldie: climate change.
Jabulani Leffall abruptly quit as host of KCUR 89.3's Central Standard on Wednesday after an unfocused show in which he stumbled over words, made strange declarations about a "new world order." He ended the show a bit early and signed off with this:
"This is a new world order on Central Standard, and my last broadcast at KCUR 89.3 FM. I'm Jabulani Leffall, signing off in the words of Gil Scott Heron: The revolution will not be televised. The revolution is live."
He did not tell KCUR management before the show that he was going to quit. In the aftermath of his on-air resignation, Leffall has not made public comments. Late Friday afternoon, a close friend told The Pitch that Leffall's behavior on the air was not the result of substance abuse.
"I can confirm for you without a doubt that it's not drugs or alcohol," the friend said. The friend also said that Leffall will likely want to speak publicly about what happened when he is able to.
During his last show (listen here), Leffall interviewed Susan Crawford, author of Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age. Leffall rambled and said odd things, and opened the show by saying, ""That's the type of world we live in right now. A new world where everything is live."
Leffall took over KCUR's 10-11 a.m. time slot from Kansas City radio legend Walt Bodine in October 2010.
CBS Sports launched the 24-hour network in more than 100 markets nationwide today. Hosts Jim Rome, John Feinstein and Doug Gottlieb (the former ESPN host has been a regular guest on 810 AM sports shows) are the names you're most likely to recognize (a current schedule is available here). Damon Amendolara is among the local hires, hosting the D.A. Show between 1 and 5 a.m. Kansas City has received a lot of national attention for its sports teams in the past year, so perhaps it's appropriate that 2013 kicks off with a national sports talk station.
The show's initial episodes have him traveling the country to meet with local chefs in an attempt to use local cooking techniques on species that threaten a given ecosystem. The first show looks at the Asian carp problem in Louisiana and finds the solution in Cajun cooking. Eating the Enemy premieres on Animal Planet Thursday, December 27, at 10 p.m. A second episode finds STRETCH and Texas chefs barbecuing wild boar. It airs immediately following at 10:30 p.m.
Finally, ESPN and director Michael Bonfiglio have fixed the greatest shortcoming of American cinema: the lack of documentaries about Bo Jackson. You Don't Know Bo, a film retracing Jackson's career as a cultural phenomenon, baseball player and football player, airs Saturday on the network.
"This film will examine the truths and tall tales that surround Jackson, and how his seemingly impossible feats captured our collective imagination for an all-too-brief moment in time," the film's description promises. My sarcastic opening to this post aside, it is funny to think about Jackson's popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
And there is one question above all others that I hope the documentary answers: Why, why, why were the CPU right-handed hitters unable to hit the curveball when you pitch in the Bo Jackson Two Games in One Hit & Run? It ruins the baseball part of the game because you can throw a perfect game almost every time. Alas, we'll probably never know. Bonfiglio will probably focus on topics like Jackson's choice to play both sports, how he never won a championship in any sport and his relatively short career.
But if we're talking about Bo Jackson, that calls for YouTube clips. After the jump, revel in some videos of Jackson's best moments in the spotlight.
Pearce penned a first-person piece earlier this month for The Pitch about his own struggles to make friends ("Can't a Guy Just Make Some Friends Around Here? Maybe."). He's currently living in Los Angeles, working as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. You can listen online or at 89.3 FM.
Some believe it started as an east-west split, with St. Louis favoring “ee” and Kansas City “uh.” Popular belief holds that the southern half of the state is “Missourah,” with Highway 70 serving as a sort of Mason-Dixon line, and still others contend that “Missouree” is city, “Missouruh” is country.
Do you lend any credence to the idea that Kansas City helped fuel the debate, or does another one of the explanations hold more water as to why we say Missouree or Missourah?
It's been a rough few days for Kansas City commentators — last week, Royals announcer Joel Goldberg (the man on the opposite end of the media spectrum from Whitlock) claimed that his account was hacked after a tweet that read, "I'm gonna love you and f*** you," went out Friday night. His account is now his own again. It's unclear why Goldberg was able to change his password, while Whitlock has been locked out of his account.
Whether you agree with Whitlock's mouth, it's how he earns the bread that he then eats. And it should be his decision whether to shut it.
We have to find a balance between decency and security. TSA has explained that it was within Dietrick's right to request a private screening. But common sense would suggest that a security agent would include that particular question before moving ahead with the screening. There are people on both sides of this equation — agents and passengers — and both are capable of making mistakes or behaving badly. But until each takes the time (which is difficult within the stressful context of a TSA screening line) to stop and see the other as human, we're going to keep having issues like this. Maybe we could shoot for, I don't know, a bit more awareness.
According to Businessweek, the only thing holding KC back from a better ranking is the city's high crime rate. San Francisco topped the list. St. Louis squeaked in at 47th, for its leisure pursuits and barbecue, but was also dinged for the highest crime rate among the 50 cities included.
Bring White Castle home; it was founded in Kansas. Any of the restaurants that will…
Dewey's Pizza (in Ohio and St. Louis), crust is doughy and light, toppings are amazing,…
Pappadeaux, Whataburger, Raising Cane's, Krystals
Portillos, Goodtimes burgers from Denver, Maggianos,
Chovy's Italian from Meadville, PA!
The Gaf has closed in Waldo
Which out-of-town restaurant would you lobby to bring to KC?
Kanrocksas single-day tickets now on sale
DelHi Soul Food Buffet closes in KCK
The Pitch's Questionnaire with T2 creative director Travis Schlitter
Police leave Union Station after suspicious package found
Where to celebrate American Craft Beer Week in KC
The Sucka Free Producer's Showcase is tonight at RecordBar