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Paul brings Robin in to test out his cool web cam! Expect the unexpected when these two get together. Robin even tests her vocals and sings Paul a serenade...you don't want to miss this!Watch the video below and see for yourself.
Paul gets up close and personal with you straight from WGN's very own weather office! Tune in to get an exclusive tour from Konrad himself.
Ok.
It's cold and snowy.
It is also Chicago and Winter.
If you don't like it...please keep it to yourself.
(I'm hearing enough already from my wife who comes from San Diego, my neighbors from Arizona and the mailman Brazil.)
Chicago has always been made up of tough, hearty souls.
And we need to keep it that way.
I am beginning to worry that we have allowed to many warm weather wusses to move into Chicago.
(Anna-Puerto Rico Val-Los Angeles Larry-Uranus)
If you live in Chicago, YOU"VE made a decision to live in the cold and snow for 5 months of the year.
Don't take it out on me.
Toughen up!
Don't go soft on me.
A quick word for some of you sissy, fickle complainers...
Take a quick trip to California or Florida and look at all of the other of oddball, sally's out there.
Would you rather be cold or live with a bunch of pervert freaks.
Alright!?!
Ok...now get out there and have some fun.
Boy...I have turned into my old man.
Have nice day.
Konrad
Robin is hot to trot on this video.
Take a peek.
Click on the original.
Sure it is nice and everyone there is so young and happy.
However, she is interested in doing a video like that one here at the station.
Nice idea until you start looking around at the old buggers who are collecting mold around here.
Outside of me & Skilling, we are not an office filled with young hotties. (Especially now that Juan Carlos Fanjul has left.)
So, she is going to try to get all of us to sing along on a video with her.
I put up a sign up sheet in the cafeteria yesterday and so far only one taker.
Bob from engineering (pictured below) is willing to go.
I can't wait.
Hello
Happy New Year.
People have been asking me about the Morning News team's New Year resolutions.
Well, here is an exclusive look.
Robin has vowed to try to get in the sack with Ch. 7's Mr. Food in '08.
Larry is going to start acknowledging me when he sees me in the hallway.
Valerie is going to cut back on her foul mouthed cursing and breastfeeding in the newsroom.
Pat is going to stop giving Robin wedgies.
Anna is going to stop shooting & cooking the squirrels in her back yard.
Dean is going to stop smuggling illegals across the border.
And finally, I am going to stop hijacking Skilling's clothes and towels while he's in the shower.
Have a great new year.
Konrad
Today I woke up feeling awful.
I wake up at 2:45am Mon-Fri.
In general waking up at that time is an awful thing.
But this morning I felt a little extra awful.
I felt a little nauseous and congested.
I think I might be pregnant.
I'd call in sick...but it's 2:45am.
I don't want them to have to call Ramsey out of his local saloon and ask him to sober up quickly for a 5am show. (It's not going to happen.)
Anyway, when I got to the office today, I didn't feel any better.
So, I played HURT and was SMART about it!!!
I made the decision to stay quarantined in the weather office so as to not infect my coworkers.
I think this was a wise and noble gesture that shows a level of care, respect and love for humanity.
My hope is that WGN management here considers this as they seek to find their Employee of the Month for November. (How could they overlook this sacrificial contribution?)
I have always been an advocate of calling in sick regardless of my health...but today I played HURT!!!
I think it was good for company morale and I would like to be honored for it.
Anyway, let's see if my streak of 136 straight months of not winning Employee of the Month comes to an end with this generous act.
Bend at the knees,
Konrad
Just a quick thanks to all who offer up kind words here.
Thanks.
We all look at the feedback daily to get some sort of gauge of reaction.
So your comments are read and considered.
I appreciate the faithfulness and loyalty that so many of you have shown to us over the years.
On an unrelated note, things seem to have settled down around here.
The boss man has apparently moved on from the explosion of anger that he dumped on us last week.
(See earlier blog entitled "Trouble" for more info.)
For the record, it is far easier to absorb a beating as a team of three than individually.
If you are going to get into trouble at work, alway make it a point to get someone else in trouble with you.
It's a little more bearable.
Thanks again,
Konrad
Last Friday Robin, Larry and I were chewed out by management here for an issue that I am not at liberty to blog about.
However, it was a spectacular beating...like I have not received here in almost 6 years.
The boss man was furious and blew his top for almost 5 minutes straight without a breath.
It was like out of a movie.
It gave me a whole new appreciation for management and the miserable position that they are in...dealing with mopes like Larry and Robin.
I do not intend to get into anymore detail...other than to say...butts were kicked and I am sore.
However, it leads me to consider my other visits to the bosses office over the years.
I wanted to give you just a handful of some beatings that stick out in my mind. No particular order.
1. Calling the bosses "morons" on the air. The first time it happened was Spring of 1997.
It was the closest I have ever come to losing my job. It's a longer story...however, I was wrong and feel badly about what I said. Even though I was right...my methodology was wrong and immature. Eventually we were able to call them "morons" openly. But we did it with more respect and maturity.
2. I really got a beating for making a spectacular one-liner about the renaming of Northwestern's Dyche Stadium and the girls track team. It was a great comedy...but apparently in our pc world was insensitive and rude. I plead no contest. It was insensitive and crass. To this day I still think it was one of my funnier lines. When pressed about it...I told the boss "I have no idea what you are talking about...I never said anything like that." He proceeded to show me my performance on the video tape to refresh my memory. I took what I like to call a "personal day".
3. One time I typed into the weather crawl that our anchor at the time was not wearing pants.
So, it read...." Today Mostly Sunny High: 65 Bill's not wearing pants Tonight: Mostly Cloudy. The boss at the time apparently got a ton of calls and he wasn't in a good mood.
He let me have it and gave me some time to think about how stupid I was. No argument from me. I don't need time to think about it. He still gave me time.
The list goes on.
But enough for now.
I will post this today and see if the boss man orders it taken down from the site.
He's usually a level headed guy.
But if I am missing for a few days, he didn't think it was as funny as I did.
Konrad
People are never emailing me and asking me about how does Robin stays so beautiful.
Whenever I don't respond I always say "it's her diet".
One thing you can count on around here is that at 7am she is chomping down on Cheetos and a Diet Pepsi.
Yum.
I am not kidding or making this up.
Sometimes she likes to work in a bag of Fritos or a tuna sandwhich.
The good news is that she always chases it with a tic tac.
I asked her what she ate when she went home.
She said without any hesitation that her latest happy meal is a hot dog in the cafe at Costco.
So if you want to look as great as Robin....good luck.
Just try the old Crap-food diet.
See if it works.
Konrad
If you saw Monday's show, you saw us checking in with the boss man (News Director Greg Caputo) on his commute down the Edens.
As you now know, the Edens is under construction and everyone on the North Shore has their panties in a wad.
We talked with him on the phone during his commute to see how traffic was moving.
A good number of you never got to see his handsome face.
So, I thought I would show you his picture.
Thanks for your help Greg.
Konrad
ps. If you missed his work on the show...you can still catch him in the role of Inspector Duddlenuts in the Glenview Players production of Our Town.
Today Tom Negovan has said that he is going to blog about whatever.
Therefore, I am keeping this short.
Today's dirty word of the day is cunctator.
Konrad
Wow.
I must say I am more than surprised by the number of responses from my blog entitled "Is anyone reading this trash?"
I had no idea.
I literally thought maybe 3 or 4 people were looking at these things.
So, that being said, thanks for the generous feedback.
Now...2 more things.
The dirty word of the day is Cockalorum.
Also, because Robin has posted a picture of her two lovely daughters, I thought you would enjoy seeing my boy Klaus on his first day of school.
He's growing up fast and is looking more like his mother every day.
Thanks again,
Konrad
I am being told that everyone is getting their information off of the internet.
Frankly, I don't believe it.
If you happen to be reading this right now...will you please hit the "comment" button and either add a comment or just type in anything. I'm curious about who is reading this stuff.
I don't think anyone is.
In the meantime, from here on out I am going to add a dirty word to my blog until there is such an uproar that I am asked to quit. We'll see how many people are really reading this.
Today's dirty word is:
ass kisser
Thanks,
Konrad
OK...
The answer to the most asked question I have received this week is "Where's Larry?".
The answer is "He is at Square Dance Camp.".
Most people don't know is that Larry is an avid square dancer.
Even the boss here at WGN has no idea.
Ever since 8th grade gym class he has loved square dancing.
He met his wife at the Square Dancelapooza convention in Fargo 1996.
They were in the middle of a Salamander Left when they hooked arms and they haven't let go since.
Larry loves it so much he tried to get them to incorporate into an exercise class at The East Bank Club.
He figured if they're already doing Jazzercise and Hip Hop Abs...why not the Squared Squats?
He loves to wear the flannel shirt, bandana around the neck and the old 10 gallon hat.
So, next time you see him...give him a do-si-do.
He'll be back next week.
Lord willing.
In general, I am a law abiding citizen.
I also am willing to admit when I am wrong.
For instance, in the last month I have been pulled over twice by Chicago's finest on my way into work.
It's a little speed trap on Western Avenue set up to entangle generally safe drivers like myself.
(For the record, neither time was it my fault.)
What's nice is that it is the same police officer each morning who pulls me over.
I can't fully read his name on the tickets...but it is something like Officer Tim Winton or Walters.
I must say, he is very kind, thorough, knowledgable and pleasant.
He does a very professional job.
Kudos to him.
He's the kind of guy you want to have breakfast with.
I was really starting to feel connected with him.
In some ways I was hoping to speak with him again and show him some pictures of my wife and kids.
Turns out that this morning, he stopped my colleague Valerie in the little trap where he normally pulls me over.
Initially, I felt a little betrayed.
Why her and not me?
What's the deal?
I thought we were developing something special.
I was a little hurt and angry.
But the more I think about it, I'm happy that he is getting to know more of my friends and coworkers.
It will give us more to talk about and maybe even deepen our friendship.
I am going to give him the make and model of Larry and Robin's car and ask that he look into visiting with them too.
What a great guy.
People always ask me about Tom Skilling.
They want to know what he is like.
I always say the same thing.
He is the smartest, nicest guy on the planet.
He is clearly the best at what he does.
However, he does come with a few quirks.
Sometimes he gets so caught up with what he is doing he loses track of the world around him.
Yesterday he must have really been in the zone.
He never got around to eating his lunch or dinner.
Here is an exclusive look at Tom's soup.
This is something you won't see on any other website.
Enjoy.
Konrad
Wow...
I just came back in from the WGN-TV party celebrating our partnership with Weatherbug.
As I imagine you may have heard, our partnership with Weatherbug gives us real time weather data from well over 100 sites in Chicagoland and thousands of places around the country.
Now that is a good reason for a par-tay.
Let me just make this statement.
Until you have partied with the WGN-TV Weather Wieners...you have not partied.
Holy Crap!!!
My memory is not too clear of what happened...but let me try to paint a picture.
Skilling was on the move.
Shakin' and bakin' on the dance floor.
The crowd is cheering
"Tom Skilling...The Forecast...Tom Skilling...The Dewpoint...Tom Skilling...Our hero."
It was totally nuts.
Women were all over him.
Then comes Jim Ramsey.
The guy is a machine. Automatic.
He has his shirt unbuttoned all the way.
Working the room.
Pretty soon he and Skilling are on the dance floor together.
Ramsey is up on Skillings shoulders shouting something about straight line winds in Oklahoma and El Nino.
The rest of us weather schmoes knew to just stay back and let masters
work their magic.
Finally, late into the night...and I mean late...we all went back to Skillings place and watched the Weather Channel until like 8pm.
WGN Weather. We rock the world...
Konrad
Party...Party...Party.
p.s. Look for pictures to come soon in the photo gallery. I doubt they caught the best stuff.
Hello,
Last night Skilling debuted the new Weather Bug Network here at WGN.
Everyone I run into who asks about it says..."What is it? What's the big deal?"
Well here is the big deal:
The WGN WeatherBug Network has access to 150+ local weather tracking stations in the Chicagoland area, part of a national network of 8,000 tracking stations.
With this network, we'll be able to provide you with real-time weather data on-air and online 24/7.
Now to the average schlumpot it might sound like it's no big deal...
But to Skilling...the guy is bouncing off the ceilings here telling me and anyone else who will listen that he can tell you the temperature right now anywhere from Ponka Lonka, Idaho to Aroma Park, Illinois.
Gosh that guy is fun.
Anyway, I am using it in the mornings now and hopefully it will be of benefit to you.
The data is pretty cool and useful.
Take a few minutes and poke around at it.
It's pretty exciting.
Please keep your clothes on.
Konrad
You may have seen the story out today about a 48 year old Connnecticut man who died in a parking lot while trying to win a dance off competition.
He had a few beers in him and the opposing dancer had just done a flip that wowed the crowd.
He felt like he could reach back and answer the flip with one of his own.
Off came the shirt and crowd was roaring for him to give it a shot.
He did.
Except that he landed face first into the ground, had a heart attack and died.
Wierd and tragic all in one.
It is for this reason alone, that I am now considering giving up my days of shirtless dancing.
I am 42 years old.
I have a wife and two children...and I think this might have to end.
As some of you know, Larry and I (and sometimes Dean Richards) have big dance off competitions up at Larry's house on the North Shore.
We have done it for about 4 years now.
Every Friday night we get a box of wine and "rock the world" in his driveway.
Well, now that Larry is 40...we are thinking of quitting.
Larry's wife Lisa has been trying to get us to stop for a long time because she says we play the music too loud and it's embarrassing.
We both think she is jealous because she is not as good as us and won't even come out to watch anymore.
Anyway, we are beginning to rethink it...maybe call it quits when we hit 45 or 47.
Just thought I would share.
Konrad
I enjoy looking at the blog here every once in awhile.
However, oftentimes it seems like it's not personal.
I want to know more about the people and what's going on behind the scenes here.
So, in that spirit, I will begin revealing personal information about people until they do it themselves.
I'll start with Larry.
Larry is tallish...6'2" to 6'8".
Married for 6 years to the lovely Mrs. Potash.
His favorite color is maroon. (you should see his smoking jacket)
Favorite food is Apple Pie.
His barber's name is Val.
He showers twice daily.
Does not have his nails done by anyone but himself.
He does come to me to get his legs waxed.
He was once arrested in 1983 and has given me vague answers as to what it was for.
All he will say is "it included 3 football players, 2 women, his 1974 ford pinto and headlights."
(I don't know for certain...but my hunch is that he is a sick freak.)
Finally, I asked him what is in his car CD right now...he said "A lecture on St. Augustine".
At that point I stopped asking him questions because it is clear...he is such a freak that I need to protect his reputation.
I now understand why he doesn't share too much personal stuff.
Next Time...the dirty sides of Dean Richards.
I'm having a problem with how decisions are being made in the hiring of our local TV newspeople.
Let me start off by stating that I am not a fan of the news media.
I don't trust them.
However, I have now come to a whole new level of disgust about this industry.
It has come to my attention that the last 3 major news hires in Chicago...all have one thing in common.
And you need to be aware of this.
Pictured below are the 3 latest hires in the Chicago TV Market.
Hello TV news directors!!!!
Don't think that you can sneak this by me and the greater Chicagoland viewership without consequence.
We are no longer going to accept hiring people just because they look a specific way or have a particular letter in their name.
If you didn't see it...(Hello!!!! Wake up and smell the coffee)
News people are now being hired just because they have the letter "Z" in their name!!!
Viewers Beware!!!
This is no coincidence.
I have lived and worked in this market for a combined total of 30 years and have never seen 3 people in a row hired with the letter "Z" in their names.
I'm sure this is an idea that has been pushed by consultants.
These are the same consultants who pushed NBC 5 to hire the "All-innuendo News Team" of Pete Sack, Dick Johnson and Ophelia Boosom 5 years ago.
This won't work either.
There's only one original Z...and she is real deal.
My old lover...or as I affectionately call her "Hot-Z-Tot-Z"
Pam Zekman
Chicagoland viewers ...don't fall for it.
Count yourself warned.
Konrad
I've known some of my coworkers for over 10 years.
It seems the more I know them...the harder it is to find things I love about them.
However, in the interest of Valentines Day...here is my best attempt.
What I Love About My Co-workers by Paul Konrad
1. Val is an optimist and a snappy dresser.
2. Pat Tomasulo is a good driver and has hope for a better future.
3. Ana is from Puerto Rico, full of energy and seems to live life fully.
4. Dean sees a lot of movies and talks to me in the hallway.
4. Larry can type fast.
5. Robin eats Fritos.
I think that should do it.
Until next time... All My Love,
Happy Valentines Day
Konrad
Today is my day to blog.
I am supposed to share with you what I am thinking about.
Well here is all I have in my head.
My family is gone on vacation and I have run out of food at my house.
I will be going to the store today to buy groceries.
Here is my list:
1. Skim milk
2. Cereal
3. toothpaste
4. Snap peas
5. Fresh green beans
6. Bread
7. Chicken breasts
8. Windex
9. Minneolas
I hope this was inspiring and met your needs as a blog reader.
Next week I will tell you about how I folded the laundry.
Konrad
A lot of people ask me what do we do after the show.
Well, right after the show we go into a "Post Show Meeting".
We discuss what went right and wrong on that day and then start discussing what needs to happen for tomorrow's show.
For the longest time the meetings were miserable, long and totally frustrating.
That all changed about 8 months ago.
We finally convinced management that they didn't need to attend this meeting.
We also started serving fruit juice to help us concentrate and focus.
Ever since the meetings have been a lot more fun and lively.
I've attached a few photos of our post show meeting.
You can see we are really getting more done and still having fun.
This first picture shows Robin showing Larry how happy she is about his idea of interviewing Alan Greenspan on worries over inflation.
Here is a picture of me, Larry and Robin after we decided we should probably have a guest on the show to talk about the Governor's Budget plan.
The only reason I show this is in an effort to help others.
I hope this will prompt other office workers who are bogged down with long, boring meetings to begin to think outside of the box.
There are two key things to making this successful new business approach work for you.
1. Find a way to get management out of the way...
2. Find the right kind of fruit juice...
Hope this helps.
Courage,
Konrad
I am having problems.
I was supposed to post a picture on the blog for Robin.
She gave me her camera with a nice image of two Chicago policemen who rescued a family in a fire.
Unfortunately, I couldn't get it to download on to my computer.
After 45 minutes of working on it I quit.
I am posting this picture because it is already loaded onto my computer and I want to go home.
You might recognized these two beautys.
This was a going away party for former sports guy Mike Barz.
We all had a nice time.
We recently were able to get Robin's eyeballs uncrossed.
We took her to a specialist in Rockford and he did wonders.
We miss Mike around here.
However, we love Pat.
We are especially happy that Pat generally keeps his hands to himself.
Happy Days.
Konrad
Today is the annual Holiday Party here at WGN.
I have a 10 year track record of missing it.
Here is my list of the 5 reason I won't attend .
1. Skilling shows up and is always trying to get me to arm wrestle him in front of the ladies.
I can't win and he knows it. He's a showboater and likes to rub it in.
2. After just one egg nog, Larry starts to babble on about his new hair weave and how hot Dean Richards looks in a red sweater.
3. Robin starts the dirty-talk and then can't keep her hands to herself.
4. Pat Tomasulo walks around the room trying to show people how strong he is by lifting them up off the ground. It's cute...but after the 3rd time, it get's a little old.
5. All Val wants to do is to get everyone doing the "Electric Slide". I am a contrarian and not a group dancer.
She gets mad and then starts dog cussing anyone who doesn't want to dance with the "Fun People".
I've got enough problems of my own.
Getting involved with these boners any more than I need to will ruin my holiday spirit.
Merry Christmas
Konrad
A common question people who have been watching the show ask is..."What ever happened to..."
I want to give a couple of quick updates for those of you who might be interested.
I'll start with Bill Weir.
Bill left WGN about 8 years ago thinking he would hit it big in Hollywood or Los Angeles.
He is now homeless and living on the streets of Laredo, TX.
He developed a severe twitch and rash that ended his television career.
Every so often I see a story on him at ABC Network News.
What happened to Mike Barz?
Mike left a sports job here about 2 years ago and has just finished undergoing a complete sex change.
He is working in Vegas as a transgendered showgirl/stripper.
He loves his work and says he has never made more money and felt so complete.
(Larry & I went out and saw one of his shows. It was unbelievable!!!)
We miss him and wish him nothing but the best.
I think I saw a story done on him by either Oprah or Good Morning America. (Both shows are from the Devil.)
Roseanne Tellez
Roseanne left here after anchoring our show for about 8 years.
She was the absolute best & HOT.
Roseanne moved to Austria, became a nun and a nanny to a widower and his 7 children.
She spends her time teaching the children about singing, playing and love.
She and Captain Von Trapp fell in love and have started a whole new life together in Austria.
I understand there is some interest in doing a movie or musical on her life.
Randy Salerno
Randy is now working as a hand and leg model. He lives in Paris and is reportedly either sleeping with or romantically involved with Queen Elizabeth. They are apparently inseparable. I miss him terribly.
That's all I have for now. If I learn any more, I'll let you know.
Konrad
Lately I've run into more and more people who have been wondering if everyone on the show is as angry as it seems on TV.
In general the answer is no.
Robin is crazy angry...but in some way it's part of her charm.
She blames it on her "Crazy Parents". (Ask me, her parents seem normal)
Anyway, I don't think we're any angrier than anyone else who wakes up in the middle of the night.
As a matter of fact, I think all of us have a deep gratitude for where we are in our careers and for our friends, families and loved ones.
We also hold deep gratitude toward the people who decide to watch us every morning. So, thanks.
I really believe that each of us would say that we are humbled at how generous God has been with us...
So, in honor of Thanksgiving, I will confess that I am thankful for the 10 years I've been here. (I am especially thankful for Larry's weekly warm embrace. (Great hands))
I am especially thankful for the marvelous friendships that I have been fortunate enough to enjoy. (I am ready for Pat to move out of my extra bedroom...It's been 16 months now...get your own place buddy.)
This is a fun job and in spite of all we say... a great place to work.
I am thankful to be here.
Not.
Just kidding.
Konrad
p.s. Don't be mistaken...I am still very angry about being overlooked for employee of the month for 124 months in a row. I have been royally screwed!!!
Hello and Welcome to the Konrad blog.
I'm certain there is at least a little interest in what people are really like off camera.
Today I will focus on Larry.
Larry is the most disliked.
It is primarily because he is the tallest and stays at the station longer than the rest of us.
Besides that he is fine.
Larry cares deeply about the success of this show.
He has been on this show longer than anyone. I think 12 years.
He is a professional who cares about getting stories told correctly. (boy this sounds really lame)
Larry has some unusual ticks...
He eats other peoples food when they are not watching.
He wears no socks and shoes while anchoring the show.
He is one of my tallest friends and we have sleepovers when our wives let us.
He has only taken his 2 year old daughter out by himself 2 times.
He wears nail polish.
I am honored to have him as a my ballroom dance partner.
Konrad