The Name Game

  Naming Names!

 Ever watch those movies where
the 'Feds' or the gangsters are
confronting someone, usually
sitting in a chair, with bright
lights in his or her face?
 They demand that their suspect,
or hostage, name names.
 The suspect, or hostage, begins
by claiming they don't know
anything.
 At that point the going gets
tough and the subject starts
talking!
 I wouldn't be a good suspect or
hostage!
 I remember dislocating my left
little finger playing softball
one time. Somebody drove me to
the hospital where a doctor, at
least I think he was a doctor,
took hold of the end of that
finger. I knew what was coming
and promptly let him know I'd
tell him anything we wanted to know.
 He pulled it anyway to put it
back in place.
 I guess his only question had
already been answered when I gave
the nurse my insurance card.
 All of this leads me to the fact
that I had somebody ask for my
telephone number the other day.
 I explained that it was, and has
always been listed.
 That surprised the gentleman!
 He was under the impression that
most people in radio and TV didn't
use their real names on the air.
 I think that use to be true in
the 'old days. But not so much
now.
 There's usually a good
reason for a broadcaster to use
a pseudonym (or alias). In most
cases it's because the person's
given name is difficult to
pronounce or hard to remember.
 Sometimes the reasons are just
unknown or, at least, unsaid.
 That said here are a couple,
past and present, who you may
know or remember.
 WDAU's John Perry was born
John Persico. Don Bruce, the
former WILK DJ is really Bruce
Fenstemacher.
 The late George Gilbert of WARM
fame was actually George Schumacher.
 Then there are some who kept their
name even though it might have
sounded unusual on the air. The
best example may have been my late
friend and one time WDAU reporter
Jim Mustard!
 Of course many of you tune in to
area talk radio every day to check
out those traffic reports offered
by 'Rusty Fender.' Or perhaps you
listen to that very popular 'Oldies'
DJ Shadoe Steele on Saturday nights.
 Both of them, of course, are
Dale Mikolaczyk.
 Although I also went by
'Double D' during my DJ career I
always also used David DeCosmo.
 If anyone every asked why I simply
explained...'"It came with the set!"
 Hope all your NEWS, whatever your
name, is good!