Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Time for a laugh

Most of you will remember Williard Scott. He was a regular on the Today show for about fifteen years and is now retired. He continues to substitute for Al Roker from time to time.

For many years before that he was a disc jockey and very popular weather guy for the local station owned by NBC in Washington.

Those of us who worked with him back then loved him to death. He was an extremely funny man on camera, and even more so off. Here is my favorite Williard story.

We had a disc jockey at the station who billed himself as "The Magnificent Greek". "It's the end of the week with the Magnificent Greek" he announced every Friday.

Magnificent loved to cruise around town in his Cadillac convertible and wave to his adoring fans...none of whom were his fellow workers.

So one day he drove into work and parked his showboat in the back parking lot... with the top down. Not a cloud in the sky. And then he headed to his windowless studio deep in the bowels of the building.

And hour later Williard arrived in his pickup truck. He spots the Greeks new Cadillac with the top down... and his day is made.

Williard calmly walked into the building, went to his locker, put on his yellow rain slicker and matching hat, grabbed his umbrella and headed for the shower.

Five minutes later, sloshing down the hall, Williard walks into the Greeks studio while he is on the air. Shaking his umbrella he says " boy I sure didn't see that one coming!!"

Magnificent looked up at Williard, hit the commercial button, went over his desk, sprinted down the hall... and out into the sun drenched parking lot.

He never spoke to Williard again after that day.

5 comments:

Ginnie said...

Well, I see you're back in form, Bud. What a great story. I can just imagine the look on the disc jockey's face...that was one "magnificent Greek" with egg on his face !

OldLady Of The Hills said...

LOL, LOL...Very cute story...Kind of mean, in a way, though wasn't it? I always liked Willard Scott...He has one of those---what I call, "Morning Voices" or "Breakfast Voices"....I remember while in High School I used to listen to "JACK & GENE"---Jack Lescoulie and Gene Rayburn. They had a Morning Radio show and they both had these 'Morning Voices' or as I said 'Breakfast Voices'...at least, they did to me and they helped me begin my day and face another day in school, which I hated and dreaded for twelve years....! Willard has/had that kind of energy and vocal enthusiasm, too, like they did.
And a sound that to me was always "Breakfast"....! Strange, huh, Bud?

kenju said...

I remember Willard; what a great story! And Naomi brought back Jack and Gene, whom I didn't know from radio - but early TV! Someday I'll tell you about when I met Dave Garroway.

KGMom said...

What a wonderful story. Having watched Willard on the Today show, I am not at all surprised to read of his prankster streak. He looks like he would have been mischievious.

KGMom said...

What a wonderful story. Having watched Willard on the Today show, I am not at all surprised to read of his prankster streak. He looks like he would have been mischievious.