T.V. Alert

Friday, May 9th, 2008 @ 10:44AM

What do you think he looked like?

I’ll be on KUED, channel 7 tonight with a commentary on the image of Joseph Smith.  The show is Utah Now and it’s at 8:30pm with a rebroadcast at 11:30am Sunday morning. 

Here’s a link to their website.  http://www.kued.org/productions/utahnow/

Let me know what you think.

Thanks for listening,

Bill

The Bus Incident

Thursday, May 8th, 2008 @ 11:28AM

These damn things are big!

I was riding my bike yesterday north along 15th East when I got just about to 9th South.  A UTA bus cruised by me and turned right on 9th South as I was about to do..  But just as he turned, he stopped.  No bus stop near, no one in the way, no pedestrian or car to yield for....he just stopped.  Well, I was right behind him about to make the same turn and I needed to get by him.  I had two options; turn and pass between the bus and the curb or go behind the bus and pass on the left in the lane of traffic.  I chose the latter option because that’s what I would have done in my car.  Well, just as I pull around from the rear of the bus and start up the street, the bus starts up again and proceeds on it’s way to the stop sign.  This, of course, forces me to drop back and fall in behind the UTA bus.  I was slightly perturbed, but no big deal.  The bus in enormous and I’m a guy on a little bike.  But I wondered why the hell he had stopped and why he started up again so abruptly. 

So I’m behind the bus.  He turns left to head along Guardsman toward the U of U.  There’s a stop light and again, I catch up with the bus.  This time I ride along the right side of the bus, next to the curb, up to the cross walk.  Just as I get there, the driver opens the bus door and I hear him call out, “Sir?  Sir?” Just then the light turns green so I head into the intersection as does the bus which then passes me and goes off on it’s route. 

Here’s the speculation.  I ignored the bus driver when he called out.  It was time to move because the light had turned green.  And, I was sure that the driver was about to bawl me out about something.  He was going to admonish me about some rule of the road he’d felt I’d broken.  I ignored him because I knew if he’d chastised me I would have thrown down right then and there.  It would have been an argument and the exchange of colorful words.  Those damn buses are big!  As a bicyclist you really need to watch out for them.  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve nearly been clipped by one coming up behind me.  I suspect it happens to bicyclists quite a bit.  Does anybody know? 

Mr. Bus Driver...whenever I’m on the road with you....I try to be cautious and courteous.  Please just let me have a little tiny piece of the road.

Thanks for listening,

Bill

I’m On the TV Again.  (I think)

Thursday, May 1st, 2008 @ 1:56PM

This is a spy. Her name is Valerie Plame.

I love being a guest editorialist on the Utah Now Program on KUED.  This week Utah Now is interviewing Valarie Plame the ex CIA agent who was outed by the Bush administration through columnist Robert Novak.  Plame and her husband, former ambassador Joe Wilson, are suing Carl Rove, Dick Cheney over the affair.  My commentary is on the value of having a fall guy when you set out to destroy someone’s reputation.  If I don’t make it on the show this week you’ll be able to see my editorial anyway on the spiffy new Utah Now web site.  Here’s a link to that.  http://www.kued.org/productions/utahnow/

Utah Now is Friday night at 8:30pm on KUED channel 7 with a rebroadcast on Sunday morning at 11:30am.  See you there.

Thanks for listening (and for watching)

Bill

Lunch With My Best Friend

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 @ 2:08PM

It's pretty sad when my producer is my best friend.

Richie and I went to the Soup Kitchen in Sugarhouse.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been there.  My wife took me there sometime in the late 90’s when we were first dating.  The chicken noodle soup was great and because Gina said she loved the fry sauce there ("cause they don’t put nothing in it. no weird spices") I had half an order of french fries.  They, also, were very delicious.  When we arrived at the Soup Kitchen, a woman in line in front of us looked like she recognized me, so I said “hi.” It was Angela, there with her fiance Ryan.  She’d heard me talking about the Soup Kitchen on the air and thought she’d come too.  She and Ryan are getting married in Mexico some time soon.  Ryan is really getting a good deal; the best part of the bargain.  Oh, and if you’re wondering...I bought Richie’s lunch.  Next time we’re going out for soft serve ice cream.

Thanks for listening,
Bill

T.V. Time

Wednesday, April 16th, 2008 @ 1:19PM

Would you like to know how Ron Jeremy and the pay day loan industry are alike?

I’d like to know too.  I’ll have something to say about it on Utah Now on KUED Channel 7 this Friday night at 8:30pm.  Let’s all be there.

Recipe of the Week (which doesn’t happen every week)

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 @ 12:49PM

Eating Asparagus

Asparagus is always good.  My favorite way to have it these days is broiled.  Here we go, with thanks to Cook’s Illustrated Magazine

2 bunches of asparagus
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper

Move oven rack to position closest to broiling element and turn on the broiler.
Wash and trim the asparagus.  Toss with oil and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl.  Lay in one layer on a rimmed pan and place under the broiler for 7 to 8 minutes or until the asparagus starts getting brown spots on it.  About half way through the process, shake the pan so it boils evenly.

Now, serve the asparagus hot or cold with a vinagarette.  Or, make the following delicious sauce for it.

6 slice of bacon
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
2 T minced red onion
1 T chopped Italian parsley

Cook the bacon until crisp, chop into small pieces, and set aside.  Whisk the other ingredients together in a small bowl.  When the broiled asparagus comes out of the oven put it on a serving plate and let it sit for a minute or two.  Then pour the sauce over it and sprinkle with the chopped bacon.  Serve it up baby cause it is too good.

Going Crazy Due to Intense Broadcast Irritation

Monday, April 7th, 2008 @ 12:13PM

This is what I must have looked like this morning.

It's bad enough, getting up extra early to be on time for a Utah County 6am broadcast from Utah Valley State College but then things go horribly wrong and the morning is ruined. 

We had technical glitches aplenty today...we were bumped off the air nearly a dozen times in four hours.  I'm amazed that any of you stayed listening to the show.  As a matter of fact, I'm sure many of you left.  Well, you're all welcome back tomorrow when we will be in the safe cofines of our studio were things usually remain on a fairly even keel. 

But, If I look mean or pissed off during a morning show broadcast, you can generally bet that technical difficulties are the reason.  Thanks to all of the nice folks at UVSC.  You were just as nice and understanding as could be even with all our whining about this and that.  Thanks for the food and for the hoodies, mugs and shirts.  We think you are a great school.

Thanks for listening,

Bill Allred

Reading Poetry In Front of Folks

Friday, April 4th, 2008 @ 10:34AM

Little Bill is a great son. James Dickey is a great poet. This is James Dickey, not Little Bill.

I was asked to come and read a couple of poems for the Favorite Poem Project at Weber State University.  The organizer of the event is a friend of the program by the name of Ashley.  Ashley asked if little Bill wanted to come along and read a poem too.  This was for an audience of people attending a literary conference at WSU.  Little Bill said, “sure, I’d like to go.” And so yesterday off we went to Ogden for poetry reading. 

The boy made me so proud with his rendition of his favorite poem The Captain and His Crew by Kent Frates. LB (Little Bill) told the audience that his was his favorite poem because, “I’m quite a pirate enthusiast.” He read loudly and clearly and gave a quick from the waist bow when he finished to warm applause. 

I read two poems by James Dickey.  Most people know him only as the author of the book Deliverance upon which the movie was based.  I’ve not read the novel, but the movie is terrific.  And so are Dickey’s poems.  They’re easy to find at the bookstore or the library.  Here are the two I read; “Pursuit From Under” and “The Leap.”

I know most people don’t read poems, but give him and these a try. 

Thanks for listening,
Bill Allred

Recipe of the Week

Friday, March 28th, 2008 @ 11:05AM

Beef Teriyaki (thanks to Cook's Country)

I made this for dinner last night and it was great and very easy to do.  I ate the leftovers for lunch right before I did this entry.  It was good again.  Highly recommended.  By the way, this photo is just one I found on line and doesn’t really look that much like what I prepared at home

1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 C sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh grated ginger
2 t corn starch
2 T cider vinegar
3 strip steaks
2 t vegetable oil
scallions sliced thin
toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1.  In a bowl, mix together soy, sugar, garlic, ginger, corn starch and vinegar.

2.  Heat oil in nonstick pan over medium high heat.  Brown the steaks about 5 minutes each side.  Make sure they are well browned but you want them to be medium rare.  Put the steaks aside and cover with foil. 

3.  Wipe out the nonstick pan and add the soy sauce mixture.  Heat for about 2 minutes. 

4.  Cut the steaks into thin strips and drizzle with the soy mixture.  I like to serve this over rice...sprinkle with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

Thanks for listening
Bill

Horton Hears A Who

Tuesday, March 25th, 2008 @ 12:52PM

A movie your kids will like and you won't hate.

I liked this movie more than I thought I could or would.  Jim Carrey as Horton was probably the least interesting voice actor in the production.  Steve Carell as the mayor of Whoville was great as were Carol Burnett as the Kangaroo and Seth Rogan as Morton.  Also great...Will Arnett as Vlad the vulture.  But I really loved the little hedgehog character, Katie. 

The character was voiced by a young actress named Joey King.  What was the deal with Katie?  A floating hedgehog.  Trippy is the word that comes to mind.  Thoughts?

Thanks for listening,
Bill Allred

Let’s Lunch At Work

Thursday, March 20th, 2008 @ 12:15PM

Eat in style with a bento box. (traditional)

I want a bento box to bring my lunch to work.  I rarely eat lunch out.  I’d rather be chained to my desk with a homemade lunch or leftovers from home.  But I want to do it in style.  I struggle with the best way to bring my lunch.  Ziplock bags are wasteful.  And I want to be stylish and efficient.  That has led me to the bento box.  I’m kind of leaning to the modern, westernized version of the traditional japan lunch box.  Like this here

But what about it?  Does anyone out there use a bento box for lunch.  I need advice and is there somewhere I can get one locally.  I’m all about instant gratification.

Thanks for listening,
Bill

I’m On the TV Again.

Friday, March 14th, 2008 @ 11:10AM

This is Lisa Randall and she's way smarter than you and me and all of our friends put together.

You can see me and this smart woman on KUED channel 7 tonight at 8:30pm on Utah Now.  Lisa Randall is a physicist and she can think circles around me.  She wrote a book that I tried to read called Warped Passages:  Unravelling the Universe’s Hidden Dimensions.  Doug Fabrizio talks to Ms. Randall at length on the show and then I come on and shoot my mouth off about Randall’s theories.  Here’s a link to the Utah Now website http://www.kued.org/productions/utahnow//

I hope you watch the show and make comments here and at Utah Now.

Thanks for listening.

Bill Allred

Bill’s Top Ten Movies

Thursday, March 13th, 2008 @ 10:52AM

These aren't in any particular order. Also, I don't think these are the best movies ever made, but all of them had a big influence on me and opened my eyes in an unusual way.

Raising Arizona (1987)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Magnolia (1999)
Wizard of Oz (1939)
Breathless “A bout de souffle” (1960)
Women In Love (1969)
Don’t Look Now (1973)
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
The Ruling Class (1972)
Journey To the Center of the Earth (1959)

I know most of these are older movies and there is only one comedy (Raising Arizona) but these are the films that shook me...moved me when I saw them at an early age.  The Wizard of Oz opened my eyes to the magic of movies.  Citizen Kane is fascinating for its brilliant film technique, its story, and the sheer megalomania of Orsen Wells.  Breathless was my first real experience with modern French cinema.  Don’t Look Now is creepy and has an erotic love scene between Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland that got me all hot and bothered at the time.  Journey To the Center of the Earth is great for lots of reasons but it’s the first time I became aware of composer Bernard Herman’s film scores.  I love The Ruling Class for Peter O’Toole’s bravura performance.  Women In Love has Oliver Reed and Glenda Jackson and Magnolia is a sprawling mess of emotion and it has frogs raining from the sky. 

There they are.  Thanks for listening,

Bill Allred

Why Is It So Cold In Nana’s Basement?

Wednesday, March 12th, 2008 @ 10:56AM

I'm grateful that we have Nana's to go to when we can't stay at home. And why can't we stay at home? Because our house looks something like this.. .

Twice in a week now we’ve had to sleep over at Nana’s because of remodeling at my house.  If I seem grumpy or mean (more than usual) on the radio it’s because of that, I think.  We are accepting casseroles and covered dishes of all kind at the Allred home because I’m too tired to cook.

Thanks for listening,

Bill

The Vanocur Group

Friday, March 7th, 2008 @ 11:30AM

I'm on the TV Sunday morning.

Please watch this on Sunday morning, Channel 4 at 9:30am.  I really like doing this show but it’s pretty hard.  Chris is great...a precise host who runs the show with grace, humor and insight.

Bruce Baird is really good.  He always has a quote at the ready and has had a wealth of experience in Democratic politics. 

When Dave Owen is on, he’s pretty much the same on the Republican side; smart, witty, and he has a wealth of experience. 

On this week’s panel, a new guy...Alan Dayton.  Dayton is the former Deputy Mayor of Salt Lake County and a noted local conservative Republican.

There’s “the always reliable for a quip” Tom Barberi.

And then me.

Do I fit in with this group? What do you think I bring to the party?  Please feel free to rate my performance and then leave your comments here.

Also, isn’t that Chris Vanocur a good looking guy?

Thanks for listening,
Bill Allred

Guns!  Guns!  Guns!

Thursday, March 6th, 2008 @ 12:06PM

Do you love them? Do you hate them?

I don’t know much about guns and I don’t own one.  I think fewer people, not more people should have them.  I don’t want the bad guys to have them and I don’t want the good guys to have them that much either.  That’s because the good guys lose their guns in burglaries to the bad guys.  And the good guys sometimes don’t take care of their guns and the kids get a hold of them and accidents happen.  Or occasionally the good guys go a little wacky with anger or jealousy and use their guns on family members much to everyone’s regret. 

But, I must confess that I have a little fascination with guns too, just like every red blooded American.  Many of them are kind of handsome, pretty, nice to look at and nice to hold.  And if I had a gun, nobody would mess with me and I wouldn’t be afraid of anyone.  A gun would give me nerves of steel and impeccable judgment.  And the more guns I had, the bigger and stronger I would be.....

You see why I don’t own a gun?  I can’t be trusted.

Thanks for listening,

Bill

BTW:  If you want to know more about guns, contact our friend Clark Aposhian at FairWarning Training.  http://www.fairwarning.biz

My Uniform

Friday, February 29th, 2008 @ 12:30PM

What else does a man need to wear?

I think I need to start wearing a uniform; pretty much the same thing every day.  Why waste time thinking about what to put on your body?  I’m doing to go with jeans (button-fly 501’s for the most part) and a black T-shirt...year round too.  I’ll wear the long sleeve black T in the winter and the short sleeve in the summer.  No logos, just a plain black T.  I think I look good in that combo and it will free me from the necessity of even having to look in the mirror. 

If it’s good enough for Lou Reed, it’s more than good enough for me.

Thanks for listening,

Bill

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee

Wednesday, February 27th, 2008 @ 11:53AM

I am no how 2 spel gud.

I had a great time last night as a celebrity speller in this show at Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah.  It plays through Sunday and it’s a very entertaining evening of theatre.  Go, go, go.  Get your tickets at http://www.kingtix.com or call 681.7100.

I was on stage with the professional actors and three other audience members.  The whole thing was designed to keep me on stage for as long as possible.  The moderators gave me two pretty easy words to spell.  Then, I got a very difficult word that I’d never even heard before.  I tried my best to spell it phonetically and, the moderators on stage and the rest of the cast seemed to be shocked.  I actually spelled the word “CATTERJUENES” correctly.  I blew them away with my spelling prowess and I blew the audience away.  Everyone bought it including me.  The next word I was asked to spell was even harder and I was not given a chance to spell it.  As I began, they rang the bell on me and said wrong....thanks for playing....and escorted me off stage.  My part was done for the evening.  But, I thought, wow...Bill...you were a great speller. 

But after some thought, and a few words with my son who’d seen the show in New York, I began to realize that the hard word I’d seemed to spell correctly was all a set up.  As far as I can tell, it’s not even a word.  I believed and so did the audience.  Ah, the magic of theatre.

Some of my favorite moments were hearing people talk about me when they didn’t know I was standing near.  My wife heard someone say, “boy Bill Allred sure isn’t very impressive when you see him.  I wasn’t expecting him to be so short.:” And as I was leaving the theatre I overheard a guy say to his wife, “I"ve never really cared for Bill Allred.”

Anyway, thanks to everyone who came to see the ‘Spelling Bee’ last night.  When I left the stage, they gave me a juice box to say thank-you.

P.S. If you go tonight when Doug Wright from KSL is the celebrity speller please contact me and tell me how he does.

Thanks for listening,
Bill

The Academy Awards

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008 @ 12:16PM

And the Oscar goes to.....

I think I’m in the minority, but I was pretty well satisfied with the 80th Annual Academy Awards show Sunday night.  It was a low key awards show, but I thought that was okay.  I liked the winners and I didn’t pay any attention to the losers.  John Stewart was good (Gaydolph Titler was the best line of the night) and most of the people who deserved to win, did. 

I was just a little disturbed by Daniel Day Lewis.  Did anyone else here that weird little laughing, humming noise he made several times when he was pausing for applause during his acceptance speech?  Maybe I was just tired. 

I’ve said in the past that I wouldn’t watch the Oscar ceremony because it keeps me up too late and I have to work the next morning but I’m changing my mind on this score.  I’ll watch the Oscars and then be there the next morning for all of you friends of the program.  I’m happy to watch rich Hollywood stars for you.

Thanks for listening,
Bill

Where Did All The DJ’s Go?

Friday, February 22nd, 2008 @ 12:12PM

Wolfman Jack was probably the world's most famous DJ at one time.

Now, it's probably Howard Stern. But what about all those DJ's you grew up with locally? What happened to Uncle Nasty and Straight Arrow? Where is Skinny Johnny Mitchell? Where is Jordan Mitchell? Who knows what became of Evan Lake, the Water Man? Has anybody seen the Red Rocker around? Scott McCormick anyone? Wasn't there a Shotgun Kelly in this market? Ugly Jerry...he was here and he was ugly but is he still alive? And there was a Mrs. Ugly too. Someone emailed me about Hans Peterson today. I know Tony Butler is still out there somewhere. I spoke with Michael G. Kavanaugh the other day in person. Gary Zane. Scott Gentry. Scott Christopher.

Some of you may remember a DJ from quite along time ago named Ray Kalusa. I got word the other day that Ray had died of a heart attack. And then, a few days ago, I was at a Megaplex Theatre and one of those home produced movie trivia things was on before the feature. It was hosted by Ray Kalusa. Back from the dead? No, I don't think so. Just an old piece of production.

Where do all the old (and not so old) DJ's go? The radio business gets done with a lot of them before they're ready to be done. But radio doesn't care. It just throws them away anyway.

We were talking about this on the RFH show Friday and maybe it's something we can pursue. Are there any DJ's that you want to know about or any that you can share some info on? We don't need to know about the Wolfman or Howard. We know one is dead and the other makes millions on the satellite. Sometimes we just get curious about all the little guys.

Thanks for listening,
Bill

I Been Hip-No-Tize!

Thursday, February 21st, 2008 @ 12:12PM

Vincent Lords made me his hypno-bitch.

I don’t know folks.  Vincent took me into the other room and made me very relaxed.  I felt a little groggy when he was done.  (It took about 10 minutes) And then I felt energetic and rested.  Could he have made me cluck like a chicken?  I don’t think so, but maybe.  He is a very persuasive man.  I’m still open minded.  I’d like to know your hypnosis stories.

Thanks for listening,

Bill