Triad Today

If you’ve ever had a prescription filled you can probably thank Inmar. If you’ve ever used a coupon to save money, you can probably thank Inmar. In fact, Inmar has an indirect impact on our everyday lives by creating and operating intelligent commerce networks, and managing billions of dollars of transactions for trading partners engaged in everything from retail to healthcare. And while Inmar uses technology to make our lives better now, the company is also working to ensure that our lives run smoothly in the future as well. One way they do that is by nurturing young talent, and encouraging today’s students to pursue careers in Science Technology Engineering and Math (S.T.E.M.) tomorrow.

First, Inmar opens its doors to school groups for tours of the company’s headquarters, located in Winston-Salem’s aptly named Innovation Quarter, as part of its S.T.E.M. program. “Teachers love bringing their students here to Inmar. We let them talk to our engineers, our analytics folks, and to our data scientists,” said David Mounts, Chairman and CEO of Inmar. “That lets them learn about and envision themselves in those types of careers. It’s a breakthrough moment for them, and creates motivation and inspiration for them” Such events and activities allow students to further explore their interest in the STEM arena.

For example, through its “Math Matters” program, Inmar demonstrates to young students how math matters in the real world regardless of the career they choose. Inmar also participates in a Robot Fun Run at Innovation Quarter in which middle school students “coach” engineers and technologists from area companies to build and program a LEGO Mindstorms robot, and then the teams compete to score as many points as possible on a thematic playing surface. Inmar also partners with the Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont in co-sponsoring an all-girls robotics team to compete in the NC First program. “The robotics competition is the premier engineering challenge for high school students,” said Mounts. “Teams of students working with teachers and mentors conceptualize, design, build, program, modify and test a robot to participate in the annual competition. Last year we had six girls come into the program, and this year already we have 20 girls interested in joining the team.”

Then there’s the Analytics Forum, sponsored by Inmar and the Wake Forest University School of Business Marketing, in which the brightest university students from around the globe compete in teams to provide solutions to real world marketing situations. “The capabilities enabled through data analytics will touch almost every area of business across all industries, so we must ensure that students emerge from our universities with a sound understanding of this evolving area,” said Mounts. “This exercise provides an opportunity to apply classroom learning and creative team-based problem solving to a real world situation in a competitive setting, which is very much like what they will encounter post graduation.”

And as a way of bringing all these educational activities full circle, Inmar offers a comprehensive, 10 week intern program for college students who want to pursue a career in technology data science, analytics, supply chain, and finance. Appearing on Triad Today, Inmar corporate counsel Mark Johnson told me, “The intern program allows us to go onto campuses and identify top candidates early. We are competing with many other great companies for many of these same skillsets. It also gives the student time to see how they fit into the Inmar culture.”

Speaking on a corporate video, intern Yu Wang, a student at the University of Pennsylvania said, “The environment Inmar provided promotes open collaboration, and made me feel like I was really contributing to something worthwhile.” Said Johnson, “Our interns not only bring the newest skills and knowledge, they also bring a new perspective, different ways of thinking and operating. When your company is focused on innovation, diversity of perspective and experience is very important.”

From a purely selfish standpoint, Inmar’s involvement with students of all ages helps the company nurture a qualified and enthusiastic labor pool for the future. But Inmar’s commitment to innovation now also demonstrates a selfless desire to strengthen the area economy, and improve quality of life for people all over the world.

For more information on Inmar’s educational outreach programs, contact solutions@inmar.com. Girls interested in joining the robotics team, can come to Inmar headquarters at 635 Vine Street on any Tuesday night at 6:30pm.

Every Halloween season for the past twenty-four years, Piedmont North Carolina has been haunted by a very tall, very scary looking man with half his face painted like a skeleton, sporting spiked red hair, and with a giant snake draped over his shoulders. He is affectionately known as Bone Daddy, and you’ve no doubt seen his image on billboards and in countless newspaper ads. However, if you’re very brave, you can see him and hundreds of his fellow monsters in person at Woods of Terror on Church Street, now through November 8. Earlier this month I spent some time with Bone Daddy’s alter ego when Eddie McLaurin visited Triad Today.

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JL: You look scary in your monster costume, but you look normal here in the studio.

EM: I have two sides, the business side and the scary side.

JL: So you’re bilingual, as Barney Fife might say.

EM: (laughs)

JL: What’s the first Halloween costume you ever remember wearing?

EM: I dressed up as The Crow, from the movie starring Bruce Lee’s son Brandon.

JL: Who or what led you to create Woods of Terror twenty-four years ago?

EM: I visited a couple of friends of mine at a haunted house that they were working at, and one of the guys said, “I thought I’d be making more money.” And I said, “Well let’s open one up ourselves and I’ll pay you more.” And that’s where it started.

JL: How many people or “monsters” do you typically employ during Halloween season?

EM: We run a staff of about 175 people, and a hundred of those are actors.

JL: Woods of Terror must have a tremendous impact on the local economy along Church Street.

EM: Yeah we do. The local store owners say their business goes up 35% when we’re open.

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Abbey Morgan, general manager of Uptown Charlie’s restaurant confirms McLaurin’s assessment, saying, “When Woods of Terror is open, we see customers come in before and after they go to the attraction, and we have our staff work longer shifts to cover for more customers.”

But McLaurin’s business also has an impact on local charities, like the Cone Health Cancer Center.

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JL: I understand you’re hosting a special fund raiser to fight breast cancer?

EM: My mother-in-law had breast cancer, so ten years ago I came up with “Terror for Ta-Tas.” The event takes place every October which happens to be breast cancer awareness month, as well as Halloween season. This year’s “Terror for Ta-Tas” is October 10, and part of the proceeds will go to Cone’s Cancer Center and their “Finding Your New Normal” program. It’s a great way for the community to have some fun at Woods of Terror, and support the Cancer Center at the same time.

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“Finding Your New Normal” is an eight week program that includes a variety of activities for women, including exercises, group discussions, and guest speakers. Some of the topics covered include: Spirituality and Self Care; Emotional Health; Nutrition; and Sexual Health and Relationships. “Terror for Ta-Tas” helps us educate women of all ages about breast health, early detection, and treatment,” said Lisa Morrison, Cone’s breast cancer coordinator. “Woods of Terror especially helps us reach teenage girls and young women, and the event also raises much needed funds to keep this program going.”

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JL: Eddie, you seem very committed to your work and to helping others. Who was the biggest influence in your life?

EM: Probably my grandparents because of their honesty and integrity, and the things they instilled in me. My dad also taught me a lot about hard work. If I hadn’t been taught those things, Woods of Terror wouldn’t be open. It’s a big challenge to keep this place open, it’s a lot of work, and it’s a year-round process.

JL: Is there anyone who shouldn’t come to Woods of Terror?

EM: If you’re on crutches with a broken leg, or if you have a heart condition, then don’t come. Also, Woods of Terror is PG 13, so if your kids are too young to watch horror films, they’re not going to like our place. We’re really there for adults and for teenagers 13 and up. They’ll have a great time.

JL: I think I’m too young.

EM: I think you’ll do alright.

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Woods of Terror, located at 5601 North Church Street in Greensboro, is open every weekend in October and some weekdays closer to Halloween. Check their website, WoodsOfTerror.com, for dates, show times and ticket information.

Robert (“Bob”) Gordon Van Horn was an unassuming man, not given to boasting, and devoid of any ego. If you spoke with him, you’d never know that he was a popular TV personality, a creative innovator, or a war hero. As our mutual friend Dave Plyler told me, “Bob saw fierce combat in World War II at the Battle of the Bulge for which he earned a purple heart and a bronze star, but he never discussed his service.” Several years ago I called Bob to invite him to be a guest on my Triad Today show. I wanted to recognize him for his contribution to local television, especially as a host who entertained and influenced countless thousands of children who watched him on WSJS-TV (now WXII). Bob’s wife Margaret and I tried our level best to persuade him to join me for the interview segment, but Bob politely declined. He just didn’t want to toot his own horn. Then, two weeks ago I called again to see if Bob would at least agree to be interviewed by phone for one of my newspaper columns. Margaret answered the phone and broke the bad news to me. Bob was under hospice care and battling congestive heart failure. It’s the same disease that ultimately took my mom’s life last year, so I knew what Margaret was trying to say without saying it. A few days later on Friday, September 11, Bob died in the same way he had lived: quietly and unassumingly. Bob Gordon was 90.

Bob was born and reared in Winston-Salem and attended Mineral Springs High School before joining the Army. In 1953 he went to work for WSJS-TV as the station’s first announcer. He also built sets and props, ran camera, and when WSJS needed a host for a new kids’ show, Bob did that job too. Over the decades that followed, Bob’s program aired at various times and days, first as a Monday through Friday entry, and later as a weekend show. Throughout his tenure on air, Bob always managed to entertain and educate his audience. As a prop master, Bob knew how to make anything, whether it was folding a dollar bill into a bow tie, or showing us the best way to put a Moravian Star together. He also had a sidekick to witness his handy work, a ventriloquist’s dummy named Van (later named “The Great Scott”). But no matter whether he was demonstrating a folding trick, revealing a secret code, or introducing a chapter of Radar Men from the Moon, Bob always seemed to have fun, and he never talked down to his young viewers. His quiet demeanor and self-deprecating style was evident to anyone who tuned in, and his trademark smile came easily and often, almost as if he was embarrassingly amused at what he had just said.

Always the tinkerer, Bob is also credited with designing and building WXII’s first remote truck from scratch, several years before they were commercially available. In fact, there was nothing Bob couldn’t do at the TV station, including filling in for a friend. One icy morning Dave Plyler couldn’t make it out of his driveway to host Today at Home, so Bob answered the call. Said Dave, “Bob had no fear. He easily made it to the television station and did a great job hosting my show.” Of course, Bob could host anything. That’s why on October 18, 1976, he was tapped to anchor a new morning show, called Daybreak. In addition to reporting the news and weather, Bob, a licensed pilot, also gave viewers a daily dose of aviation weather. The show aired from 6am to 7am, and was the first time WXII had broadcast live at that hour. In a 1976 interview, Bob told Jerry Kenion of the Greensboro Daily News, “I swore when I was in the Army I’d never take a job where I had to get up before 7am. Never say never.” Bob would host “Daybreak” for two years, then was laid off due to corporate downsizing. That led him to take a job as a crime prevention officer for the Forsyth County Sheriff’s office, a position he held until his retirement.

I always regretted not meeting Bob in person. When I worked at WSJS radio in the early 1970’s, I would often sneak over to the TV studio (radio and TV were in the same building back then) and see if I could catch a glimpse of Bob. Unfortunately we didn’t work the same shift, so our paths never crossed. Never the less, I felt like I knew Bob personally because I had grown up watching him on TV. I especially remember the “Halloween Spooktaculars” that he produced. Every October, Bob built spooky sets, then persuaded guys from both the TV and radio departments to dress up as famous monster characters and introduce classic horror films throughout Halloween night. The “Spooktacular” was so popular that WXII even pre-empted Johnny Carson for it. The show also kept a lot of kids off the street late, because we would collect our allotment of candy quickly, then rush home to watch the monster movies on channel 12.

Bob is preceded in death by North Carolina’s other legendary children’s TV show hosts: George Perry (WFMY’s Old Rebel); Fred Kirby (WBT’s singing cowboy); Uncle Paul Montgomery (WRAL’s jazz artist); and Brooks Lindsay (WSOC’s Joey the Clown). His passing earlier this month should serve as a reminder of the pioneering work they all did to make growing up just a little more fun.

Of course there’s no way to know exactly how many young lives Bob Gordon touched and influenced, but talk to folks over 50 who grew up around here, and you’d be hard pressed to find anyone who didn’t remember that kind, gentle man in the slightly tilted white cowboy hat, with the self effacing smile. Bob Gordon was a class act, and he will be missed.

During their first 25 years in business, Crumley Roberts has stood up for thousands of people who were injured through no fault of their own. As such, Crumley Roberts attorneys often help clients who have been involved in accidents which they could not possibly have prevented. But as the law firm begins its second quarter century of service, it also wants to focus on protecting people from things that CAN be prevented. That’s why Crumley Roberts CEO Chris Roberts and his wife Kimberly, the firm’s Vice President of Cultural Development, have committed themselves to a culture of wellness, both within the company, and throughout the communities they serve in North and South Carolina. In 2013, for example, they established “C.R.E.W.”, the Crumley Roberts Employee Wellness program.

Appearing on Triad Today, Kimberly Roberts told me, “The purpose of the program is to assist our employees in achieving balance in their lives to whatever level they choose to participate. There’s a focus on physical, spiritual, emotional, environmental, and occupational health. We have nearly 200 employees, and to date, we have over 97% participation in the program.”

And those numbers aren’t surprising because “C.R.E.W.” offers a variety of services and activities, including a subsidized smoking cessation program, a flu shot clinic for staff and their families, and regular lunch and learn events. Crumley Roberts also pays half the cost of an in-house Weight Watchers program.

“The wellness initiatives at Crumley Roberts have empowered me to finally pursue a healthier lifestyle, and as the program has continued to evolve, I have seen my personal health and wellness continue to improve to a level that I never dreamed I could attain,” said Crumley Roberts staffer Donna Gardner.

But Crumley Roberts’ commitment to a culture of wellness extends far beyond their employees. For example, Kimberly has spearheaded the law firm’s involvement with “Go Red for Women”, and, this year, Crumley Roberts became a major sponsor of the American Heart Association’s “Life is Why” campaign.

“Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, but fortunately it is 80% preventable. That’s why Crumley Roberts is helping the American Heart Association educate women about making healthier lifestyle choices,” said Ms. Roberts.

In particular, Crumley Roberts is working with the American Heart Association to make all adults more aware of the seven major risk factors for heart disease and stroke, those being: smoking, weight management, cholesterol, high blood pressure, blood glucose, nutrition, and physical activity. The law firm also supports a number of initiatives to keep young people healthy, including efforts to reduce childhood obesity, and activities like bike safety rodeos that promote safe ways to exercise.

“We are thrilled to have such an incredible partner who realizes that prevention of heart disease goes well beyond the walls of their employee wellness program, but also sees how they can impact the entire community,” said Ruth Heyd, executive director of the American Heart Association in Guilford County. “Working with the Roberts family and their team is inspiring. They are trailblazers in this community for their substantial support, and we are blessed to have them involved with our local heart association.”

And Crumley Roberts’ involvement in promoting a culture of wellness continues to grow as the firm grows. “Our advertising slogan is ‘We Stand Up for You’, but it’s much more than just a slogan,” said Chris Roberts. “We only hire attorneys and staff who care about the community, and we’re all standing up for anyone and everyone who can benefit from adopting a healthier lifestyle.

Hopefully, that means saving lives in the process.”

For more information on heart disease, visit www.heart.org. To learn more about Crumley Roberts’ wellness initiatives, visit www.crumleyroberts.com.

During my forty years in broadcasting I’ve known anchormen to say that TV is in their blood, but Neill McNeill is the first one to tell me TV was in his baby formula. More on that later.

Neill McNeill, a native of Raeford, had an interest in radio and television from an early age. While attending UNC Chapel Hill he reported and anchored at WKFT in Fayetteville, then upon graduation, he landed a full time job with WGHP-TV. After filling in on the morning and noon news programs, Neill became the regular anchor of various weekend and weeknight newscasts before succeeding long time evening anchor Fred Blackman, who retired in 2001. Today, 32 years later, Neil co-anchors four newscasts each day, reports and produces the “Newsmakers” series, and writes or edits many of the stories he reads on-air.

Because of his longevity, Neill is perhaps the most popular television personality in the Triad, but he is also well liked and respected by his colleagues and management. “Neill is an extremely knowledgeable journalist and an overall great guy,” said his co-anchor Katie Nordeen. “He’s been a mentor to me over the past two and a half years and I’m lucky to call him a friend.” WGHP General Manager Jim Himes added, “Neill is a skilled and seasoned journalist who really knows the Triad. His stories give perspective and have great depth. It is wonderful to have such a leader inside our newsroom to help coach and teach. We look forward to another 32 years!”

Neill and I spoke by phone late last month.

 

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JL: What did your parents do for a living?

NM: Dad worked in the planning department at Burlington industries, which was the largest employer in Raeford. My mom was a public school music teacher. She also directed the choral groups, taught music theory, and music appreciation. I sang in all of her choral groups. She was a big inspiration for me. She got me in front of people doing narration parts, and that helped me develop an interest in performing in front of people and telling stories.

JL: When did you catch the news bug?

NM: Probably in junior high. Every night at 5:30 we’d eat dinner while watching Andy Griffith, then we’d all move into the den at 6 o’clock and watch Charlie Gaddy on WRAL News and Rich Brenner doing sports. One of the reasons we watched Charlie religiously is because my mom and dad listened to him on WPTF radio. In fact, Mom claims to this day that she used to feed me my bottle and listen to Charlie Gaddy in the morning.

JL: Who specifically influenced you to go into broadcasting as a career?

NM: It was a minister in the Presbyterian church I grew up in. His name is John Ropp. I remember listening to his radio sermons on Sunday mornings. What a great voice he had,and what an effective minister he was. He would share stories with our youth group about how much fun radio was. But again, growing up watching Charlie Gaddy and Rich Brenner was a big influence. I don’t even know how to describe being able to work beside Rich for 26 years. He’s a guy I grew up watching ,and he would later become one of my best friends.

JL: Neill McNeill is such a great name for TV. Is that your real name?

NM: It is my real name. I was named after my father and he was named after a great uncle. Whether it’s a good name for TV is a matter of opinion. When I first applied at WITN in Washington, North Carolina right after I got out of school, the news director said to me, “Have you ever thought of changing your name?” Later on a news consultant asked me the same thing. So if I had it to do over again, I’d probably use my middle name which is Adams, and I’d go by Neill Adams. But I was always worried about what my family would think if I changed my name. Once I asked my mom, “What if I had called myself Neill Adams?”, and she said, “I would have been cool with that” (laughs).

JL: How has local TV news changed over the past 32 years?

NM: Technology has been the biggest change. We now have these portable units that can send high definition video and audio back to the station from the field, and you don’t need a live truck. I wish we had those twenty years ago.

JL: What’s the most difficult story you ever reported?

NM: That was when I got the first interview with Phil Bradshaw, who was the husband of Sandy Bradshaw who died in the plane crash in Pennsylvania on 9/11. That affected me emotionally because here’s a guy my age who had two young children, and all of a sudden his wife was just gone.

JL: What’s the most rewarding thing about being a news anchor in the Triad?

NM: Being able to tell good stories and helping to change people’s lives for the better.

JL: Have you ever been confused with another local TV personality?

NM: Yeah, WXII’s Cameron Kent a couple of times, and Cameron will tell you he’s been confused with me too. I also get confused with our morning anchor Brad Jones. People will say to me, “Hey Neill we enjoy watching you in the morning!”

JL: What was the most embarrassing thing you ever did on air?

NM: The most embarrassing thing I’ve ever done on air wasn’t on WGHP, it was on WFMY. Early on in my career we were doing a live shot at the airport and so was WFMY. We had just finished our live shot and I thought Channel 2 had finished theirs as well. So I walked over to their camera and waved into the lens.

At that moment, WFMY went live from that camera to go into a commercial break. My news director had a talk with me later and said, “Try and stay off the other station” (laughs).

JL: What would you have been if you hadn’t gone into TV news?

NM: Probably a lawyer. I think a lot of the same skills apply. I’ve also thought sometimes about the ministry. I would enjoy the speaking part of being a minister, but I don’t know if I would be very good at the pastoring part.

JL: 32 years from now, when you’re still anchoring the news in the year 2047, what would you like for your lead story to be?

NM: I’d like to say, “We’ve found a cure for cancer, we’ve cut childhood abuse numbers tremendously, and we’ve gone three years without a mass shooting.”

I hope I’m around for that broadcast. In the meantime, if you see Neill on the street, please don’t call him Cameron or Brad. And for God’s sake, don’t let him get near WFMY’s camera.

As sometimes happens, two ironic or eerily connected stories occupy news headlines on the same day. Such was the case last Wednesday when James Holmes was officially sentenced for murdering twelve people and wounding 70 others at an Aurora, Colorado movie theatre in 2012.

Holmes was given 12 life sentences, plus another 3,318 years without parole. Meanwhile, as closure came for one massacre, another was unfolding 1,300 miles away. WDBJ-TV reporter Alison Parker and photojournalist Adam Ward were conducting a live interview on location in Moneta, Virginia when they were gunned down by their former colleague Vester Flanagan.

Flanagan (aka, Bryce Williams) was fired from WDBJ two years ago after he demonstrated behavioral problems, including repeated incidents of aggression toward fellow employees. His was a pattern of disturbing behavior, dating back to his last two television jobs in San Diego and Tallahassee, where he got into physical altercations with staff. According to a “manifesto” he faxed to ABC News immediately after shooting Parker and Ward, Flanagan indicated that he had been bullied, and was the victim of racism at WDBJ. But, in fact, that harassment never took place, except inside Flanagan’s sick mind. Nevertheless, he took out his wrath on Parker and Ward by discharging seventeen point-blank rounds at them from his .40 caliber Glock handgun. They died instantly. Flanagan later took his own life.

In the aftermath of the WDBJ shooting, Ms. Parker’s father vowed to fight for gun control. Good luck with that. Congress is noted for its inaction when it comes to handgun reform. They failed to act after Columbine, Fort Hood, Virginia Tech, Charleston, and even after one of their own members was shot. And for all the blame that Republicans receive for hiding behind the Second Amendment, let’s not forget that following the Newtown massacre, President Obama’s Democrat-controlled Senate refused to enact his gun control legislation.

Not long ago I asked Governor Pat McCrory if he favored stricter gun laws, such as increasing the age for purchasing a handgun, requiring that the applicant be gainfully employed, and extending the wait time to allow for more thorough background checks. McCrory told me that we did not need new laws so long as local sheriffs continued to be responsible for background checks. He has a legitimate point. For example, a federal background check will red flag someone who has been convicted of a previous crime. But a county sheriff can deny a gun purchase if he simply thinks an applicant is not of good moral character, even if that person has never been convicted of anything. Who knows, perhaps if sheriffs in Virginia, California, and Florida had had more shared information available, and more latitude with investigations of moral character, Vester Flanagan’s history of workplace aggression might have kept him from purchasing the Glock that killed Parker and Ward.

On the other hand, there are enough guns in circulation now that Flanagan might have obtained one without going through a legitimate dealer anyway. Just look at the statistics. As of 2010, the population of the United States was 306 million, but according to the Congressional Research Service, there are 310 million firearms in America. Those astounding numbers make it easy to believe the CDC who says that over 11,000 people are murdered by a handgun each year, and another 21,000 commit suicide with a handgun. Last week’s tragic incident in Virginia is an example of both categories. But Flanagan’s murder/suicide act is not just a by-product of guns. It is first and foremost a by-product of mental illness.

So why then did WDBJ hire Flanagan in the first place if he had a history of behavioral problems? Former WDBJ News Director Dan Dennison released a statement saying that “the station had no idea of his (Flanagan’s) shortcomings.” Seems plausible given the nature of the TV business. In other words, had one of Flanagan’s former employers blackballed him to Dennison, he or she would have been open to a lawsuit. Ok, but why didn’t WDBJ just fire Flanagan at the first sign of trouble? Once again you can thank the legal system for that obstacle. In the corporate world, there are strict guidelines an employer must follow before discharging an employee, or else risk being dragged into court on civil rights violations. A TV station manager can’t even force a troubled worker to undergo psychological treatment as a condition of continued employment. Such treatment can only be suggested. In other words, the laws that are in place to protect the rights of sane people, also keep us from dealing expeditiously with insane people.

Last week, Mental Health America issued a statement, saying that “there is currently solid, bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress to address our mental health system…Now is the time to erase the discrimination and stigma surrounding mental illness…and to intervene effectively to save lives…” It’s a nice sentiment, but, given Congress’ track record, I won’t hold my breath for reform of any kind until I see it enacted.

For now, America is a victim of its own unwillingness to develop effective gun laws and comprehensive mental health services, and its propensity for creating legal obstacles that tie our hands when it comes to early intervention. It’s no wonder, then, that we lead the world in homicides and prison populations. Let’s face it, we’re mainly good at two things: killing and sentencing. We need to get better at preventing.

In his book, Eighty is Not Enough, Dick Van Patten described the role he played in the film Westworld, as “bumbling.” Fact is, Dick often portrayed characters who were meek, non-confrontational, indecisive, easily intimidated, and yes, bumbling. But in real life, Dick Van Patten was anything but those things. He was opinionated, passionate, compassionate, had a great sense of humor, loved women, loved kids, loved sports, and could hold his own with just about anyone on the tennis courts or at a poker table. The one thing common to both his on screen and off screen personas, though, was his trademark smile. It was genuine and infectious, and I will miss it. Dick died on June 23 from complications of diabetes. He was 86.

I first met Dick in 2009 when I produced and moderated A Salute to TV Dads for the Television Academy. Dick was one of nine iconic TV Dads I brought together for a lively and comical discussion of their lives and careers. The panel included such luminaries as Dick Van Dyke, Bryan Cranston, Bill Paxton, Patrick Duffy, and Jon Cryer (Video clips from the event can be viewed on my website JimLongworth.com). Dick and I talked on several occasions prior to that Father’s Day gathering, and I called him on his birthday in the years afterwards. Of course it was always difficult to catch Dick at home because he was either working, playing tennis, or spending time at the track. He also managed to compile a trivia book, and pen an autobiography.

Dick was not just busy, he was relevant to audiences across nine decades. He performed in over 600 radio programs, 27 Broadway plays, 24 feature films, and scores of television series, including starring in seven. But before he discovered acting, young Dick’s passion was animals. I asked him about that at our TV Dads event.

JL: I read somewhere that your dad used to take you to the pet store every weekend when you were a kid.

DVP: Yeah, I wanted to have my own pet shop when I was a kid. My father would take me every Saturday and I would buy a different pet. Once I bought a baby alligator for a dollar. We kept it in the bath tub, but it got bigger and bigger, and finally nobody could take a bath. So my grandmother said, “Get rid of that alligator!” So I took it the Central Park Zoo, and it’s probably still there today because alligators live for a long time (audience laughs).

Dick’s love of animals continued, and in 1989 he co-founded the Natural Balance Pet Foods company. He also raised money for guide dog schools. And while his dad facilitated a life-long devotion to animals, Dick credits his mom with setting his acting career in motion.

JL: I understand that your mom entered you in a photogenic contest when you were a kid, and you actually won it. I also heard that the judge of the contest was none other than Eleanor Roosevelt.

DVP: Yeah, it was Eleanor Roosevelt and Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia. My mother was a real stage mother, thank God, and I’ve had a great life because of her. The first job she got me I was acting in a Broadway play called Tapestry in Gray when I was just 7 years old.

After that, there was no turning back. Dick was constantly in demand, performing regularly on radio and on stage during the 1930’s and ’40’s. And though he was becoming well schooled in dramatic arts thanks to his mother, Dick’s dad made sure he was well rounded in other areas.

JL: Who first told you about the facts of life?

DVP: I was 14 years old and my father told me. And I was thinking, “Oh boy, I hope he’s right!” (sustained laughter from the audience)

JL: I also have it on good authority that at age 16, you dated a stripper and she made you get a tattoo. Is that true?

DVP: Yeah that’s true (laughs). It was on my arm, it was a horseshoe. She made me get it, it was stupid. She said, “I bet you’re not brave enough to get a tattoo.” And I said, ‘No, I’m brave enough.’ I was trying to impress her. In those days they didn’t use the electric needle, they used a real needle, and I can’t stand blood. And the blood is streaming down my arm, and she says, ‘Does it hurt you?’ And I said, ‘No, no.’ What a dopey thing to do. Oh, and then, I thought I would make out with her or something. NOTHING!” (laughter and applause)

No worries though, Dick made out fine (pardon the expression) with his lovely wife Pat, who he met while copying off her paper in school. And later, he managed to have two great families. One with Pat, and one on the hit show Eight is Enough, where he became beloved by audiences of all ages. Kids from both families came up on stage during our Father’s Day event, and had special words for the head of their respective clans.

Son Nels said, “You mean a lot to me Dad, you know that. You’ve made life a lot of fun for us, you and Mom.”

Dick’s son Vincent added, “My father is fantastic. he taught me so many things in life, and he’s always been very supportive. I love you Dad.”

Adam Rich, who played Dick’s on-screen son recalled, “Dick bailed me out of jail once. That’s above and beyond a TV dad (laughter). But Dick has always been more than a TV dad to me. He’s been like a real father, and I truly love him with all my heart. Dick Van Patten is one of the nicest people you’d ever wish to meet, and if you were ever lucky enough to meet Dick, he would meet you with a huge smile, and kindness, and great respect, and he treats everybody the same.”

Diane Kay, Dick’s TV daughter, added, “He’s my favorite friend and a wonderful actor. He set the standard for professionalism on our show, and he was the glue that kept all of our cast together. Dick used to tell us, ‘Remember, THESE are the good old days’. And so, I remember them.”

So do we all.

Once upon a time there was a star athlete who went to all of the frat parties with all of the most popular girls. Year after year, a less popular girl kept asking the big star to her party, but he turned her down for the more popular girls.

Then after a while, the star player started playing really badly, so as punishment for his sorry play, the boy’s frat brothers told him he would have to attend the less popular party if he wanted to stay on the team and keep coming to the popular parties. So the has-been star called up the unpopular girl who he had snubbed for many years, and told her he would do her a favor and attend her party after all.

The unpopular girl and her girlfriends were orgasmic over the news, so they went all out to make the popular boy feel like a big star again. The less popular boys who had faithfully attended the less popular party all these years felt hurt and demeaned. The girls who had been snubbed all those years didn’t realize that their dream date was only coming to their party because he was forced to. Maybe they were just in denial, or maybe the orgasm was worth the humiliation. No matter. The degradation was done.

Thus is the fabled saga of the Wyndham Championship and the has-been star athlete it had always coveted.

Sure, the presence of Tiger Woods will draw larger crowds and more media attention to the Wyndham, but at what cost to the integrity of the City, the event and its organizers? From the 1940’s through the 1980’s, The Wyndham (aka The Greater Greensboro Open) was a premiere, prestigious event that attracted golf’s top professionals: Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson, Gary Player, Billy Casper, Chi Chi Rodriquez, Ray Floyd, Tom Weiskopf, Lanny Wadkins, and of course, regional favorite Sam Snead, who won the tournament a record eight times. In fact it was Snead who encouraged the big stars to join him in Greensboro.

But about the time Slammin’ Sammy got long in the tooth, the Wyndham got short on big stars. Just try and name the guys who have won Wyndham over the past ten years. Do the names Brandt Snedeker, Arjun Abwal, or Camillo Villegas ring a bell? The Wyndham desperately needed Tiger during its post-Snead era, but Woods thought he was too good for Greensboro.

At one time, Tiger was the greatest, most dominant player in the world, and it would have been a wonderful gesture for him to honor Snead and the other old pros by attending the Wyndham every year, and bringing along his top flight fellow players. He could have even asked Arnie, Jack, Lee and Chi Chi to join him in Greensboro for an annual pro-am event to benefit a local charity. None of that happened because Tiger didn’t give a shit about the Wyndham.

Wyndham organizer Mark Brazil told the media, “It’s really neat that he (Tiger) is coming… at the end of the day he doesn’t have to come.” But Brazil is mistaken. Tiger HAS to play in Greensboro, and he has to win the tournament if he’s going to rack up enough points to compete in the FedEx Cup championship. In other words, the has-been athlete has to attend the less popular party, or else his frat bothers won’t let him back on the team.

For most of his life, everything has come easy to Tiger Woods: his talent, his recognition, his success as an amateur, his multi million dollar deal with Nike before he ever swung a pro club, his success as a pro, and his sex with strangers, the latter of which caused him to lose his wife and his golfing mojo.

Following a series of scandals, Tiger told reporters on February 19, 2009, “I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to … I felt I was entitled.”

Well, thanks to the fawning Wyndham, Tiger is getting away with something again. He’s getting away with making us locals look stupid for honoring his snubs over the past 20 years.

The Wyndham has a proud tradition. It’s just too bad it had to lose that pride over an arrogant frat boy like Tiger Woods.

Despite what the mainstream media tells you, there are not 17 Republican candidates running for president.

In fact there are over twice that many declared candidates, including such household names as George Bailey, Skip Andrews, and Brian Russell. But George, Skip, and Brian are not what we refer to as top tier candidates, so you’ll never see them participating in a nationally televised, prime time debate. Of course, you didn’t even see the top 17 either. Only the so-called top ten Republican candidates were invited to take part in last week’s FOX News debate, and that was about ten too many for my liking. Nevertheless, I’ll try to be objective, and handicap the field as it stands right now.

Donald Trump
(billionaire businessman)

Had last Thursday’s debate been held in New York City, Trump’s bombast would have won him a lot more cheers from the audience. But the Cleveland crowd was pulling for their favorite son, Governor John Kasich, and they were in no mood to put up with the Donald’s nasty jabs, nor his propensity for bankrupting casinos and laying off thousands of people. In short, Trump’s star will continue to dim as he continues to show what a dim bulb he really is. Anger and arrogance may play well on a reality TV show, but not on the presidential stage. Like many men in power, Trump feels that he is not accountable to anyone but himself, and that act will start to wear thin with potential voters. My prediction is that his poll numbers will fall significantly by December, and he’ll drop out of the primary race if he sees he’s in danger of finishing fourth or lower in New Hampshire.

Jeb Bush
(former governor, Florida)

For all our talk about not liking dynasties, Americans are creatures of habit. That’s why we love to keep up with the Kardashians and the British royalty. And that’s why another Bush or Clinton will likely be our Commander in Chief by January, 2017. But, in all fairness, Jeb Bush has a lot going for him other than his family name. For one thing, he looks more presidential than any of the other GOP candidates, and he has a calming way about him. He was governor of a large state with a diverse population, and he successfully grew that state’s economy while improving its education system. He is thoughtful, intelligent, and understands the art of compromise. He has wisely distanced himself from his brother’s ill-advised invasion of Iraq, yet he is no apologist for the war on terror. Bottom line? Jeb is the odds-on favorite to capture the party’s nomination, and he has a good chance of becoming the third Bush to sit in the Oval Office.

Chris Christie
(governor, New Jersey)

When he’s the only guy on stage, or running a press conference, Governor Chris Christie can appear strident and intimidating. But because he shared a stage last week with Donald Trump, Christie actually came off looking presidential by comparison. But make no mistake, Christie is a dangerous man. He is a bully who angers when challenged by pointed questions from the news media. He escaped possible jail time for the “Bridge Gate” scandal because his underlings let themselves be thrown under the bus. And he continues to run New Jersey like it’s his own private business. A governor shouldn’t tell people to shut up, or bully and punish people who disagree with him. Neither should a president. Christie has zero chance of snagging the GOP nomination.

Scott Walker
(governor, Wisconsin)

Here’s a man who made his bones by attacking underpaid, under-appreciated teachers, and trying to bust up their union. Like many right-wing nuts in a position of power, Walker feels entitled to do whatever he wants, even more so after beating back a recall attempt by his detractors. To his credit, Walker is a radical who knows how to act rational when the cameras are on, and that makes him the biggest threat to Jeb Bush from within the Republican party. If Bush is the nominee, he may be forced to consider Walker as his VP in order to shore up some electoral votes in the North and Midwest.

Mike Huckabee
(former governor, Arkansas)

Mike came off as the most likeable guy in last week’s FOX debate. His home-spun philosophy plays well among all Republicans, and his sense of humor and genteel manner is not threatening to many who might otherwise disagree with his views. By GOP standards, he is imminently qualified to be president, but he doesn’t stand a chance of snagging the party’s nomination unless Bush and Walker split the vote, and supporters of lower tier candidates get behind Mike. In that regard, he would be a formidable VP nominee.

Other

In a year when immigration is a hot-button issue, you would think that Canadian-born latino Ted Cruz, or first-generation Cuban-American Marco Rubio, would have an edge in the presidential sweepstakes. But neither man is ready or qualified to run the country. While guys like Huckabee can think outside the box (proposing a fair tax for example), Rubio and Cruz only know how to spew the party line. If Joe Biden or Bernie Sanders is the Democratic nominee, then Cruz or Rubio might get the VP nod from Bush or Walker, but with Hillary on the ticket, then Carly Fiorina is the odds-on favorite to share the ticket with the Republican nominee. Meanwhile, Dr. Ben Carson is capturing the media’s attention because he is a black man running as a right-wing conservative. Still he doesn’t have the broad support among tea partiers to grab the top spot, and, for reasons just stated, he won’t get the second spot either. And then there’s Rand Paul. Like his father before him, Senator Paul has some great ideas, and I love the fact that he fights against ill-advised invasions of other countries, and invasions of our privacy. I really hate to make this about cosmetics, but Rand Paul just does not look or act presidential like Bush, Walker or Carson. Too bad.

Bottom line

After the North Carolina and Florida primaries on March 15, Jeb Bush will have all but wrapped up the nomination, and if Hillary is still the presumptive Democrat nominee, Jeb will tap (pardon the expression) Carly Fiorina as his VP.

Of course I could be wrong. After all, I also pick the Broncos to win the Super Bowl every year.