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Access Atlanta > Blog > Archives > 2006 > February > 13
Monday, February 13, 2006
Friends, fans turn out to toast ‘Crash’ Clark
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Christopher “Crash” Clark arrived at his own “Crash Bash” party Saturday “already pretty wasted,” he said.
“I appreciate everybody who showed up,” added the always colorful Clark in a moment of clarity at Central City Tavern, where the party was organized by a fan. Clark was fired in December by 99X for allowing a woman to perform a sex act on a patron at a bar in exchange for concert tickets. “I love you all and will be back!”
Among the attendees were current 99X morning co-hosts Fred Toucher and Jimmy Baron, Baron’s wife and Ralph Reed spokeswoman Lisa Baron, and former 99Xers Chris Williams and Whip, now at rival station the 105.3/The Buzz. A surprise appearance: former 99X stunt guy Rich Shertenlieb, who recently left a gig in Dallas to do his own morning show.
“I never want to be him but thank God he exists,” Shertenlieb raved to Buzz about Clark. “He’s a walking, talking story.”
What about rumors that he, Toucher and Clark are shopping around a new show nationally if Cumulus, soon to take over as owners of the struggling 99X, dumps Toucher? “No comment,” Shertenlieb said, with a grin.
Unusual UPN cameo
Like many singers, Destiny’s Child star Michelle Williams apparently couldn’t wait to act. But she gets major points for not going the usual pretty-cameo route on her three-episode arc on UPN’s “Half & Half” starting tonight.
As hotshot record producer Naomi Dawson, Williams is a rival to “Half” star Rachel True’s character, Mona. Making things worse for Mona, her best friend Spencer (Chico Benymon) has the hots for Naomi.
But it turns out Naomi has a secret, too — she’s HIV-positive. The resulting storyline is powerful without being preachy. The episodes support KNOW HIV/AIDS, a joint venture between CBS and Viacom, in partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation. “Half & Half” airs at 9:30 p.m. Mondays.
New WSB-AM talker
WSB-AM realizes that local talk-show hosts Clark Howard and Neal Boortz are not going to be around forever. So execs are giving 32-year-old Chicago native Chris Krok a chance to develop and potentially take over for one of them down the road.
Krok starts tonight with the low-pressure 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. shift, a time when listenership is low and he can learn the town.
“I will be taking a lot of local calls and I love callers who disagree with me,” Krok told Buzz. “I’m very visceral, very passionate.”
Krok (yes, he says that’s his real name) refused to be pigeonholed politically: “I take positions based on how I react to them, not what the majority tends to think.”
Former boss Steve Konrad at KSTP-AM in Minneapolis/St. Paul didn’t offer much clarity: “He’s a good guy, outspoken, but not particularly political.”
Krok, married with a child and a second on the way, admits to a bad habit: He’s a big smoker. “My wife would like me to stop but I can’t. I love smoking so much!”
Soldiering on with INXS
INXS’ new leader singer J.D. Fortune has struggled recently with bronchitis, forcing the cancellation of a few dates.
“He’s scribbled notes to us all day yesterday,” guitarist Tim Farriss told Buzz. “He didn’t talk at all.” (Fortune won last year’s reality show competition “Rock Star: INXS” to replace the late Michael Hutchence as lead singer.)
Farriss blamed the cold weather in cities they’ve recently played, such as Toronto.
“There’s been a bug going around,” Farriss said. “I’m on antibiotics right now. We’ve come from 95 degrees in Sydney [Australia] to minus 6 in Detroit. It’s playing havoc with us.”
Will Fortune be OK by the time the band hits Atlanta Feb. 22? “He’ll be fine. It’s a lot warmer down there.”
The second edition of “Rock Star” is slated for this summer, though CBS isn’t sure what band will be attached. (Van Halen is one of the rumors.)
Interested? Go to rockstar.msn.com/Season2 or show up 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 6 at the Velvet Underground in Hard Rock Cafe downtown.
All-Star Game gig on tap
Rashan Ali, Hot 107.9 morning host, has been a Hawks’ roving sideline reporter this season, interviewing celebrities such as Nelly and Ludacris, and players. The NBA liked her so much, the league invited her to do the same thing during the NBA All-Star Game weekend Feb. 19 in Houston.
Her former boss Ryan Cameron, now at V-103, is the public announcer for the Hawks. “People ask me all the time about that, but we’re all good,” she told Buzz.
Celebrity birthdays
Actor George Segal (“Just Shoot Me”) is 72. Actress Stockard Channing is 62. Jerry Springer is 62. Peter Gabriel is 56.
If you have a tip, call 404-526-2749. Or fax 404-526-5509. Or e-mail: buzz@ajc.com.
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