Pirate Radio Was Disappointing

What I was expecting was the story of the thumb-our-nose station and what it did. What we ended up seeing was a concept in search of a story.

pirate radio poster.jpgHelaine and I headed into New Haven last night to see Pirate Radio. Regardless of reviews I was compelled to see it because of my own radio background. Radio was my calling as much as my occupation.

Disappointment. You don’t have to feel obliged as I was.

Pirate Radio is loosely based on Radio Caroline, one of the seaborne broadcasters in the era before commercial radio (and with it top-40 radio) was established in Britain. Since the movie took place on a ship the photography was mainly ‘tripodless’ and often too shaky for my liking.

What I was expecting was the story of the thumb-our-nose station and what it did. What we ended up seeing was a concept in search of a story. There really was no overarching theme.

I asked my friend Ed Symkus, who reviews movies for a living, to give me his opinion.

I liked the film a lot. I doubt it will be on my Top 10 list — it’s not great. But it has a sensibility that spoke right to me, and I’m sure will to you. More than half the fun is hearing what keeps popping up next on the soundtrack. A freewheeling ensemble film with lots of intertwining stories rather a straightforward one. And it turns into an action-thriller! Really!!! I love radio.

criterion theater new haven.jpgYes to sensibility and soundtrack. Yes to ensemble, though Phillip Seymour Hoffman&#185 was underused in a role where he seemed comfortably toasted and not much more. I would have to disagree with the action-thriller characterization… and I suppose with liking the film a lot. I liked it a little.

Let’s go back to the soundtrack for a second. The movie is loaded with songs you seldom hear played loud anymore. Though it was the era of the Beatles and psychedelia, much of the music was marvelously pedestrian pop. God, I love that stuff.

If there’s any good news here it’s that the story of Radio Caroline and the real pirates of the North Sea has yet to be told. That would be worth seeing.

&#185 – They could have saved big bucks on this movie by using my friend Woody Hoyt instead of PSH. Every time Hoffman was on screen all I saw was Woody–honest.

My Life As A Thief

After Ann joked about my enjoying being on TV I said, “If I get up in the middle of the night and open the refrigerator door, when the light comes on I do three minutes.”

Since this entry was published I have received a few corrections which are added at the bottom

I have been on-the-air professionally for 40 years. Some things I say I’ve said before… many times. There’s a line I used tonight and I absolutely remember its origin and who I stole it from!

First an explanation. If you watch me on TV you know I sometimes stop in mid sentence to make a quick reference then move on. That’s what I did tonight.

After Ann joked about my enjoying being on TV I said, “If I get up in the middle of the night and open the refrigerator door, when the light comes on I do three minutes.”

That line or a reasonable facsimile, was spoken by Joel A. Spivak, a news anchor at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia in the mid-70s&#185. It was in a promo back when news personalities were promoted for their personality.

I remember liking his delivery in the promo. It was nicely done. At the time that was my station to watch.

I’ll bet I’ve used that line 20 times in the last 25 years. Other than Helaine there’s probably no one else who remembers I’ve said it before.

If you read this Joel A., thanks.

&#185 -Joel A.’s dad was a famous jazz horn player, Charlie Spivak.

Correction:

Brandon Brooks: Geoff… sorry old friend, but you are wrong. it was not joel a spivak, it was ralph penza. bet ya dinner on it. it was a good promo tho… (at the end he says.. well, maybe not three minutes….)

Woody Hoyt added: Milton Berle dies at the age of 93

U.S. News & World Report | April 8, 2002 ‘ “Open the refrigerator and the light goes on, I’ll do 20 minutes.” That’s how Milton Berle joked about his yen to entertain.’

“I’m a born entertainer, when I open the fridge and the light comes on, I burst into song.” – Robbie Williams

I do twenty minutes every time the refrigerator door opens and the light comes on. Debbie Reynolds

So, this line has a long and cloudy history. I still used it knowing it wasn’t mine.

And now in November 2011 comes more on this entry:

One of your readers was right: it wasn’t Joel Spivak who made the When the light comes on in the refrigerator, I do a three-minute standup comment, it was my dad, Ralph Penza. He did it for a WCAU-TV promo. We still have the 3/4″ cassette somewhere. And the player we used to watch it on!

But I’m delighted you’ve gotten use out of that line. I’ve used quite a few of his lines over the years, too.

He was the best.

Cheers,

r. scott

Comment 5,000

Earlier this afternoon Woody Hoyt posted comment 5,000 on this blog. Wow. Even I’m impressed… and it’s my blog. Actually, I’ve heard from a few people how tough it sometimes is to post comments, so the 5,000 number is even more significant.

Thanks to Woody and all of you who’ve taken time to add your two cents to this little ad hoc community.