Posted on 08/11/2005 4:09:02 PM PDT by churchillbuff
Vince Vitrano, the Channel 4 reporter who specializes in fluff, sure knows how to make an entrance.
Worried that he might miss the first pitch for a recent media-league softball game at Dyer Park, Vitrano decided to arrive in style, hopping a ride on Chopper4 with Power Zoom.
Holy cow!
"There was much excitement and jubilation" when Vitrano landed, said one Channel 4 player.
"It was unbelievable - I thought they were shooting highlights," said a member of the Channel 12 team that was squaring off against the Channel 4 sluggers. "To see him jump out, I thought it was cool - dumb but cool."
And memorable.
"That will forever be remembered as the helicopter game," the Channel 12 player quipped.
The honchos at Channel 4 have been a little less enthusiastic in talking about Vitrano's off-camera theatrics with the oft-hyped chopper.
News director Bill Berra and general manager Mark Strachota did not return calls. And a reticent Vitrano offered up only this one-sentence mea culpa:
"In retrospect, that was not the wisest thing to do," said Vitrano, a Milwaukee native who has been with the station for more than five years.
According to insiders, back on June 29, the reporter had a live report from the helicopter early in the 6 p.m. newscast about the upcoming Summerfest activities.
But Vitrano, one of the few stars on the anemic Channel 4 softball team, was slated to play his game at 6:15 p.m. Rather than ride back to Timmerman Field, where the chopper is based, and arrive late to the game, he had the pilot drop him off at the park near 80th St. and Blue Mound Road.
It was a sight to behold - with the whirlybird landing just beyond left field - considering the number of wires and trees in the area.
"It was kind of weird that there was enough room for the chopper to land," the Channel 12 player said.
Vitrano was met with some cheers and applause, something sure to make a blow-dried TV guy's heart go pitter-pat.
It wasn't long, however, for the television folk on both teams to realize Vince might have stepped in it.
"I'm glad it wasn't me," said the Channel 12 source, adding, "If we had done that, we'd have lost our jobs."
Within days, Vitrano was confiding to friends and colleagues that this stunt would do little to advance his career. He is still on the air and wasn't suspended. We've been told, however, that he was taken to the proverbial woodshed, with Channel 4 big shots making it clear that the station's helicopter was to be used to deliver the news, not the newsman.
And to add insult to injury, the presence of Vitrano didn't have much of an impact on the field.
"We got smoked," recalled the Channel 4 source, who was unsure how badly they were beaten.
The Channel 12 ballplayer had a little better recall.
"We crushed them. It was 24-4, I think."
As long as he wasn't dropping turkeys out the door as her flew over.
Ron Burgundy could have pulled it off
Ol' Vinnie's a bit of a character. He takes his softball a bit too seriously.
"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."
More music and Les Nesman.........
"Thanks for that on-the-spot report, Les, and for those of you who just tuned in, the Pinedale Shopping Mall has just been bombed with live turkeys....Film at eleven."
Oh, the humanity!
There's no parachutes yet. Can't be skydivers... I can't tell just yet what they are, but...Oh my God, they're turkeys!! Johnny, can you get this? Oh, they're plunging to the earth right in front of our eyes! One just went through the windshield of a parked car! Johnny, this is terrible . . . Oh, the humanity! The turkeys are hitting the ground like sacks of wet cement! . . . Not since the Hindenberg tragedy has there been anything like this! I don't know how much longer I can hold my position here, Johnny....>click<Les? Les? Are you there?
Yikes, that does date me and the rest of us here.
Oh yeah. I couldn't have cared less about Loni Anderson.
Nerd babes are hot.
The show aired in 1978. I was 14.
Yes, Baily was the silent beauty of the show, kinda like Mary Ann on Gilligan's Island.
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