The 411 on RHOF

Veteran radio talker Jim Bohannon reprises his RHOF announcer role:  The Radio Hall of Fame inducted 8 new members Saturday night at the Renaissance Hotel in Chicago, but the big news came in the pre-show warmup, when Museum of Broadcast Communications founder and president Bruce Dumont announced that the state of Illinois is on the verge of handing over a 6 million dollar grant which will allow completion of the Museum, including the Radio Hall of Fame, both of which now exist virtually, at Radio Hall of Fame  and Museum.

The original grant had been held up, literally, when a certain former Governor whose name rhymes with son of a bitch tried to extort kickbacks from the museum in exchange for the grant.

Inducted are libertarian talk host Neal Boortz, weirdo records dj Dr. Demento, blind DC announcer Ed Walker, urban DJ turned tv host Wendy Williams, Westwood One chairman Norm Pattiz, the Puerto Rican Bob Hope Jose Miguel Agrelot, Pulitzer prize winner Studs Terkel, and the voice of the Phillies, Harry Kalas. Agrelot, Terkel, and Kalas were inducted posthumously.

Boortz was presented by Rush Limbaugh, resplendant (?) in a black and white mega-houndstooth sport coat. Comedian Dennis Miller, while presenting Pattiz, noted that Rush was in such a rush to leave because "he had to return his coat to Ecuador."

The show set 2 records this year, first for the only 2 hour RHOF broadcast to date, and second, for the most on-stage kisses (1) and kisses attempted (2). The successful pucker came when TV weatherman Willard Scott planted a big smacker on the head of his partner from the "Joy Boys of Radio" days, Ed Walker. The miss came when Chicago DJ Jonathan Brandmeier aimed one in the direction of announcer Jim Bohannon. The host for the evening was overnight talker George Noory, who said he looked forward to the day when space aliens visited the RHOF show.

No--I'm serious. He really said that.

It took place at the Renaissance Hotel in Chicago, which announcer Jim Bohannon noted was "right in the shadow of the new Trump Tower, which just had its new inscription placed on the outside of the building: 'Batteries Not Included'."

More photos here.