I was in the car, listening to a top of the hour network radio newscast at 3 am, when I learned the news.
It's hard to believe. Meat Loaf's best known album, "Bat out of Hell" was released in 1977. I was in high school. It seemed like every classmate loved "Paradise by the Dashboard Light." I'm going to upset some people here. The song was OK. I felt it was a tad over rated and way too long.
I was really a fan of "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth" and "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad."
Meat Loaf was more than music. He was a showman and an actor.
I'm glad he was around. I'm sorry he's gone.
Comedian and actor Louie Anderson died Friday. Cancer. 68.
Let's go back to 1995. I was anchoring the noon news at the CBS station in town. Anderson had a sitcom about to premiere. He sat in a studio in Los Angeles and did a series of live interviews with local news anchors around the country. I did my research. I knew what his life was all about, including a book called "Dear Dad, Letters from an Adult Child." It's safe to say there was a strained relationship between father and son. I asked him about his new tv show, and about the book. Louie seemed impressed that a small town, local news anchor took the time to go beyond the standard fare.
A few weeks after the interview, a signed and personalized copy of the book arrived at the station. I still have it. I'm sure Louie did that for every anchor on his list that day. Still, it was a kind gesture. The tv series didn't last. The memory of Louie's kindness endures.
There was a long list of projects after 1995, more tv work, an animated series, and even an Emmy. Louie Anderson hosted "Family Feud" for a while, and I thought he did a decent job, much better than the dumbed down, dirtied up version we have now.
I hope Louie and his dad are having a good talk today.
