TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Answering Imus Question Simply Raises More

ADVERTISEMENT

By WALT BELCHER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 8, 2007

Those e-mails just keep rolling in from the peanut gallery. And the all-knowing, all-seeing couch potato stud never rests until he finds the answers to your most pressing questions.

For example, Bob Molloy of Tampa wants to know if the new Don Imus radio show will be carried in the Tampa Bay area. That's not a TV question, but it's close enough, Bob.

So far, Citadel Broadcasting, the Las Vegas-based radio company that owns WABC-FM in New York, has not said when or if Imus will be syndicated nationally. Beginning Dec. 3, you can hear the controversial old coot online at www.wabcradio.com

Imus, who appears to be older than Gabby Hayes, will bring back his nutty crew for a 6 to 10 a.m. weekday shift. Citadel owns more than 200 stations, but none is in the Tampa Bay area.

Imus has been off the air since CBS fired him over a racial slur he made about Rutgers University's women's basketball team.

Before we proceed to the next question, I have a couple of questions for you. Where does the term "peanut gallery" come from? And who was Gabby Hayes? Send your answers to wbelcher

@tampatrib.com. The three most colorful and thorough answers will each be rewarded with a leftover Elvira Halloween mask.

Next question: When is Bob Hite's last day at Channel 8? He will be missed. I remember when he used to do those funny "8 Country" reports. - M.L., Plant City.

The answer: Hite exits the anchor desk on Nov. 28 and heads to Colorado, where he will continue to do voice-over work and documentary film production. The station is giving him a monthlong send-off and is showing highlights of his 30-year career here. Included are many of his "8 Country" reports.

At 11 tonight, for example, is one of his singing reports. Hite would sometimes write amusing lyrics and sing along on his features. The one tonight is about a day of fishing at the Redington Beach Pier. Hite even interviews a talking fish on this one.

Got a question? Got a comment? Got a gripe? Seek the answer at wbelcher@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT