Raging Cow
September 12th 2007
Chicago Sun-Times
September 12, 2007
Raging Cow
BYLINE: Robert Feder
Mancow Muller, who has been without a radio home in Chicago for more than a year, thinks he knows why.
And he’s going to court to prove it.
On Tuesday, Muller filed a $6 million lawsuit against his old station, WKQX-FM (101.1), owner Emmis Communications and his former bosses and co-workers, claiming that their actions have prevented him from getting back on the air in the market.
In his Circuit Court complaint, Muller accuses his old bosses of making “false and disparaging statements” about him that caused Crawford Broadcasting to withdraw an offer to hire him at WPWX-FM (92.3), an urban adult-contemporary station.
As part of an alleged pattern of “malicious acts” against him, Muller claims, Q101 aired a bit in which one of his former sidekicks pretended to be Muller talking about wanting to have sex with his twin 10-month-old daughters as soon as they turn 18.
The suit says Emmis disparaged him by sending advertisers “a package containing raw, bloody, rancid meat depicting the spoiled meat as ‘Mancow’—a dead cow.”
“When they [Emmis] let him go, they didn’t just let him go,” said Muller’s attorney, Michael Young.
“They went out of their way to interfere with his efforts to get back on the air in Chicago.
“Mancow is very sincere about this,” Young added. “He was most reluctant to take this step, but he felt that this was the only way to address his concerns.”
Marv Nyren, regional vice president and market manager of Emmis Radio Chicago, said he was unaware of the suit Tuesday, but called it “typical Mancow.”
“I have no idea what any of this is, but it sounds very frivolous to me,” Nyren said. “Obviously he’s looking for media attention. I feel very sorry for Mr. Mancow.”
Muller, 41, once among the top-rated and highest paid radio stars in Chicago, left alternative rock Q101 after eight years when Emmis declined to enew his contract in July 2006.
Since then, he has continued to broadcast his syndicated “Mancow’s Morning Madhouse” to other markets nationwide from leased studios in Chicago.
TRACKING :
Ponces on parade
? ? The reigning first family of Chicago television news will share the stage—and secrets of their successes in broadcast journalism—on a panel Tuesday at Loyola University.
Dad Phil Ponce of Window to the World Communications’ WTTW-Channel 11 and sons Dan Ponce of ABC-owned WLS-Channel 7 and Anthony Ponce of NBC-owned WMAQ-Channel 5 will hold forth at 6 p.m. at Lewis Towers, 820 N. Michigan.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Loyola’s journalism program, the Loyola chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Chicago Headline Club.
The Ponces’ World Tour will continue Oct. 2 when Dan and Anthony host the 2007 Chicago Emmy nominations party at Lawry’s The Prime Rib, 100 E. Ontario. It’s sponsored by the Chicago/Midwest chapter of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences.
? ? The Farnsworth House, the Mies van der Rohe masterpiece on the banks of the Fox River, is the subject of a splendid documentary airing at 8 p.m. Thursday on Channel 11. The story of how it was built and how it was preserved has never been told more beautifully.
“Saved From the Wrecking Ball: The Farnsworth House” is hosted by Channel 11’s Geoffrey Baer and produced by Chicago-based Towers Productions.
? ? Get well wishes to Dean Richards, entertainment critic and reporter on Tribune Co.-owned WGN-Channel 9, who had surgery Tuesday to remove his thyroid gland. He’s expected to be off the air recovering for the next few weeks.
