While Couric will be making stops all over town, today was all about Cleveland’s food scene. During an interview that will air sometime in the coming weeks, I was asked to describe the food scene, how we got here, and how it has had a positive effect on the city’s perception to outsiders.
We discussed the history and the present-day status of the West Side Market, which we toured on and off camera. Couric was visibly impressed not only with the architecture and history, but also the food and the people behind the counters. In between selfies with adoring fans, “America’s Sweetheart” managed to put away an impressive amount of food.
Along the way, Couric ogled the ravioli at Ohio City Pasta, learned how to make a sausage sandwich at Frank’s Bratwurst, learned about the fresh seafood at Kate’s Fish, attempted to eat a five-pound gyro at Steve’s Gyros, learned how to fry up Polish pierogis at Pierogi Palace, chatted about Hungarian kielbasa at J & J Czuchraj Meats, snacked on dichotomy popcorn at Campbell’s Sweets and noshed on bread at Mediterra Bakehouse.
After all that, it’s obvious why she refused my suggestion to stand on the large scale for a post-feast weigh-in.
Couric’s enthusiasm for the people, place and food really came through so I’m certain that our city will be well represented come air date.
This article appears in May 10-16, 2017.
Stupid selfies? With adoring Katie fans? All three of them?
Of course this irrelevant, aging, brtttle Dallas Cowboy cheerleader’s gushing “enthusiasm” came through. It’s her shtick. It’s what she gets PAID to do. So glad this has-been is no longer employed by any of the networks. Oh, wait…but she’s with YAHOO…whatta laugh. Hey, it’s a job, right?
Unfortunately for millions of nightly viewers at CBS, Dr. John LaPook is still ensconced as their “TV medical expert”…years after Katie got the axe from the Evening News. He originally came in on her coat-tails, as he was her late husband’s primary doctor while her spouse unsuccessfully battled cancer..
Katie forced the suits ( the CBS News producers) to fire a literate well-qualified, and highly capable on-air physician-reporter. And replace her with the Pookster. Why? Because…she was an intelligent female…so Katie hated her guts.
They got along like two cats in heat, so the other woman had to go. That is the kind of airheaded bitch you are sucking up to, Doug. Katie only gives a damn about one thing…Katie.
Chuckles the clown
Nothing wrong with LaPook…a highly-respected gastroenterologist in Manhattan, except a case of chronic nepotism. . His father-in-law is Norman Lear, the television legend and creator of CBS hits “All in the Family” and “Maude.”
Until 2006, his evening-news job was previously held by Elizabeth Kaledin, a practicing journalist who had covered the medical beat for the network since 1996. Ms. Kaledin was still under contract when Dr. LaPook replaced her, and the contract was not renewed when it expired.
“I have spent 20 years working to get to this point, only to be replaced by someone with no journalistic or media experience, only because he’s her husband’s doctor”, she was quoted at the time of her job loss. “And up to this point, I’d never pissed anybody off.”
Thanks, Katie. And thanks ever so much to you, too, Doug.
Chuckles the Clown
Has anybody else seen the episodes they’ve done in other cities? I have. They’ve all deserved a laugh track. They’ve all come off as fantasy pieces written, directed and produced by their city chamber of commerce. They’re BS. Cleveland’s won’t be any different, why would it?
I’m concerned about the racial ramifications of this. Scene, can you explore how race might have impacted Katie Couric’s visit to Cleveland? Why didn’t she visit East Cleveland? Is it perhaps redlining?
Nothing more appropriate than a guy who seemingly spends his entire life in the comments sections of every local town publication he can find making fun and ridiculing someone with a job most would kill for, just because it’s not the very best job in the world. She’s getting paid $10 million per year at Yahoo and it’s not even a full-time gig. I think she’s doing ok.
Do you drink Dos Equis, because you’re clearly the most interesting man in the world. Is there any topic at all that you don’t have first hand knowledge of? Abortion rights, sports talk, inner-city development, television production, politics, the arts …..it doesn’t matter the topic, you seem know more than anyone about it, or at least feel the need to spout off like you do. You’re amazing!
getoverit – sounds like you really need to getoverit. Not sure why you’re so concerned about race when she is doing a positive promotion piece for the city. Race is not a concern, and it never should be. If you’re so scared of whatever race it is, maybe you should go somewhere far far away where your the only person to inhabit that area, because it seems that you don’t play well with others.
Can anyone in this town find the positive in anything? Someone of national note came and did a positive profile on one of Cleveland’s gems, the West Side Market. What should every story on Cleveland focus on the negative and all that’s wrong in our city? If every news story focused on the crime and problems of the inner city no one would ever bother to visit downtown or bring business to Cleveland. Enough of the glass half empty crowd that tends to dominate places like this discussion board.
Somebody piss in your cornflakes, Abe? Why the hate? You spout off just as much as I do, in bigger blocks of type. Ever heard of paragraphs? First thing they taught us in J-school.
Hey, I have so much free time, I perused your profile…ya know what? You rant just as much as I do, only without stopping for breath…probably more keystrokes in your four dozen comments, Abe, than in my 900+. Whose fault is it that you came late to the party?
Guilty as charged, Abe. I do spend too much time here. But hey, I’m retired…and I don’t care for fishing or golf. Gotta do something. So I type. So hey, sue me.
As for spending what little time I have left in the comments sections of every local town publication I can find , you’re confusing me with some other pontificator. Never assume…just makes an ass out of U and ME. Mostly U. You probably have me confused with Roldo Bartimole.
Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has one. But only some of us are one. Or talk through one.
Hey, Tribe and Cubs again? Ya think? It’s early yet. We’ll know more by August. Toodles!
Chuckles the Clown