Mike McKay's Blog

I would like to thank the academy....

mmckay — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 15:23:00 GMT

Great news everybody!

Good Morning Utah has been nominated twice for an EMMY Award in the category of "Best Morning Show" by the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (what a mouthfull). The awards will be presented on October 6th... in Phoenix, Arizona so cross your fingers for us.

I know it sounds cliche'... maybe even smarmy... but it really is an honor just to be nominated. So many people work very hard (and get up at an inhuman hour of the day) to make the show happen. So many people you don't see on the tv screen. It's an opportunity to give them a big thank you to the following (in no particular order):

George, Julie, John, Carl, Carleen, Ian, Dave, Rebecca, Hallz, Pam, Ryan, Gina, Sean, Ben, Suzanne, Warren, Stevo, Adam, Ryan P. and Joe Bugg.

... and on behalf of Erika, Todd, Dan and Christiana.... I say thanks to all of you for watching... making us part of your day and inviting us into your home.

Until next time...

West Valley CFI

mmckay — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 14:05:00 GMT

No... it's not a new, Saturday night crime drama on tv.

CFI.... Continuous Flow Intersection. The first of it's kind in the western part of the country. That's according to the folks at UDOT. They say it's been going on in Mexico for the past few decades... but the big questions remain:

What will the learning curve be like for Utahns? How big of a commuter headache will it be for residents in West Valley City? How long will it take to get used to the idea of crossing over into lanes for on-coming traffic in order to make a left-hand turn from Bangerter Highway on to 3500 south?

I've read the press releases from UDOT... I've watched the tutorial on UDOT's website...(www.udot.utah.gov/cfi)... but I'm thinking the best way for me to get a good grasp of what's going on is to actually drive through that intersection.

My guess... (and it's just a guess) is the biggest change we'll have to get used to is having to stop for a red light just after going through the intersection. If you're going north or south on Bangerter... you have to pause for all the traffic lining up in the CFI turn lanes.

UDOT says the whole CFI thing is a lot cheaper... and has less of a construction impact than building a whole big interchange. My concern... other than the learning curve... is safety. Will confusion about the new way of getting through the intersection lead to more crashes?

Like I said.... I'm gonna take a drive through the intersection for myself. We'll see what happens... and I'll report back to ya.

Until next time...

Diva Moments

mmckay — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 15:35:00 GMT

OK.... back at the ol' blog again.

Just wanted to take a moment to address a serious mis-conception that might be circulating among our viewers. Contrary to what some of you may be thinking.... none of the news anchor types here at ABC4 is a diva!

Not once have I ever seen Ross Becker demand that the brown M&M candies be removed from the candy dish on the set. Never have I seen Randall Carlisle stomp off the set because the lighting doesn't accentuate the green in his eyes properly. Barb Smith and Erika Edberg?... nary a peep from either of them should they suddenly run out of make-up thirty seconds before we go to air. I repeat.... none of us are divas!

That's especially true for me!

... and I have the floor crew on Good Morning Utah to thank for it. I am held to a "one diva moment per week" clause in my contract. All the camera operators go to great lengths to keep me in line should I have a momentary lapse of professionalism.

One per week... that's it!

I had my diva moment for the week on Monday. Someone had forgotten that I only drink Fiji water on set... not Arrowhead! (IDIOTS) I stormed off the set during a commercial break and announced... "I'll be in my trailer!". I was eventually coaxed back after the floor crew explained to me that I could earn "diva credits" by bringing in doughnuts... or some other kind of breakfast treat. Very kind of them indeed. Very kind..... hmmmm.

The question now is... where can I pick up doughnuts at 3:00am? Guess I'll have to have my personal assistant pick them up for me. I'll send my driver around to pick him up.

Right after my mid-day massage and pedicure....

Until next time...

We Take It Personally...

mmckay — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:06:00 GMT

When you report the news on a daily basis, there's the temptation to "dis"...

To disconnect from the stories you're reading... to disassociate yourself in order to appear objective. The latest news on terrorists in the middle east... the most recent scandals in Washingnton, D.C.... or the latest celebrity to wind up in re-hab, etc... all make it pretty easy to do that. After all... it's happening "over there"... and to "someone else".

But that changed this morning when I got into the newsroom at about 3:30 this morning.

Everyone was talking about the bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Big news... lots of tragic video. All the major network news shows were covering the situation and we were planning to continue the coverage on Good Morning Utah.

I was sitting at my desk... trying to get my computer to wake up when I remembered that my co-anchor, Erika Edberg is from Minnesota. I walked over to her cubicle and in an off-handed sort of manner, mentioned the big news of the morning. She looked up from her computer screen and told me she had been on the phone most of last evening... talking to family members in the Minneapolis area. Hours of trying to account for everyone in her immediate... and not-so-immediate family.

"Are mom and dad ok?"... "What about my sister?... How is she going to make it in to work this morning?". It was very clear... the situation was having a direct impact on her. Her nerves were frazzled and she was tired. She told me the most frustrating thing about the whole situation was that cell phone coverage was spotty at best. You couldn't get through to find out what was going on. But it seemed that everyone in her family was safe and sound... as far as she could tell.

And then... we had to sit in front of a camera and bring all of you up to date on the tragedy.

Erika was her usual... professional... straight-forward self. That's one of the things that makes her so good at what she does. I wanted to get her to open up a bit. So when the time came at the end of the story to "ad-lib"... I kept asking her about her family. Just to bring it home. Just to make it a bit more personal. It seemed to work. I hope it made at least some of you stop for a moment to take mental inventory.

Or maybe count your blessings.

Because no matter how much Erika and I may try to "dis"... no matter how may times the news of the day may happen "over there"... there's something we need to remind ourselves:

We are all connected. We are all one.

Until next time...

It's all about the pie!

mmckay — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 13:35:00 GMT

With Reagan Leadbetter.... it's all about cake. Any kind of cake. As long as it has butter cream frosting. Cake makes her happy and she admits it.

With Mike McKay... it's all about pie*. Cream pie... fruit pie... it's all good. When Marie Callendar has it's annual pie sale... I'm first in line. Especially for the key lime pie. Another McKay favorite is peach pie. For years now, every time my birthday rolls around... it's gotta be a birthday pie and ice cream. Just stick the candle in the middle of it and get out of the way.

Pie... good pie, that is... is so much more flavorful than cake. So much more of a treat. Creating a good pie is more of an art form. It takes more effort. It requires more dedication... more love. I know... because I've tried making different types of pies and I readily admit, I'm not very good at it yet.

So, today on Good Things Utah... I'm in the kitchen making a sherbet pie. Not exactly sure what that is... but as long as it's pie, I don't care. Apparently, there's lots of fruit and lots of whipped cream in it. Mmmmmm...... (Sorry, I was having a Homer Simpson moment there.) Carol Medworth, our GTU kitchen coordinator is painstakingly walking me through the process. Carol is a saint. Having me in the kitchen requires extra patience. But she gives me the room I need to expand my horizons and explore. Then, she and a half dozen interns get to clean up after me! Cooking on tv is great. The only problem is figuring out a way to have the pie all to myself. Even though Reagan is a cake fan, I know she'll be leading the rest of the GTU girls into the kitchen to help me "taste test". Maybe Carol could squirt them with the fire extinquisher. And isn't that Todd Gross over there, standing just off set with a fork in hand? It's pie paranoia, people.

Until next time...

*(Editor's note: the word "pie" in Mike McKay's world is pronounced with a redneck twang, i.e. "paah". Used in a sentence...."That sure was some dang good paah, ma!"

So... I got a new cat.

mmckay — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 14:02:00 GMT

Big deal, you say?

Well, it is... if you know anything about adopting a pet. I love both dogs and cats, but I've mainly been a cat person.

About three years ago... I adopted my first cat from Salt Lake County Animal Services. Temma Martin made her weekly appearance on Good Things Utah and as soon as I saw the scrawny-looking, Turkish Angora... with one blue eye and one yellow eye... I knew I had to have her. She's been a great cat. But's she's a bit of a diva. Very aloof... not your typical lap cat.

So last week, I decided to get her a companion. A subject, over whom she could rule.

I loaded up my kids and made another trip to SL Co. Animal Services. It really breaks your heart when you go inside the shelter and look at all the sad faces. All the dogs and cats... and even rabbits that end up in a cage.... discarded or abandoned. We took comfort in the fact that at least one cat was going to have a good home at casa de McKay.

We found her in cage 59.

I immediately knew we had the right one. Jet black... with bright yellow eyes. The perfect compliment to my other, pure white cat. She kept sticking her paws through the grill of the cage... seemingly trying to reach out to me. She wanted to play. She wanted to get the h*** out of there! Couldn't blame her. The kids agreed... and after the inital "get to know you" session with our prospective pet... and the $65 dollar adoption fee (which covers shots and the spay), we had a new addition to our family.

Now if I could just get her to let me sleep at night.

Ella... (I named her after my favorite jazz singer) is still a kitten. Four months old. Full of life... spunk and curiousity. And she likes to sleep right under my chin. Not good, if you have to get up in the morning at 2:45. But she brings a lot of joy. A new face... and a new subject to pay homage to the queen diva in my home. Two cats and one Mike Mckay under one roof.

And now you know why I look the way I do in the mornings on Good Morning Utah.

Until next time...

Check out "Sicko"!

mmckay — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 14:16:00 GMT

A couple blogs ago, I was bemoaning the fact that Hollywood had nothing to offer me this summer. Nothing besides the usual, computer generated, kid-level humor... or the latest in a long line of sequels that are leaving me feeling less than enthused to say the least.

Then, I saw "Sicko"....

I know... I know what you're thinking. "I can't believe Mike McKay would go see that left-leaning, blow-hard"... or "Michael Moore is anti-American"... etc. blah... blah... blah.

Roger and Me.... Farenheit 9-11... Bowling for Columbine... I've seen them all... and I will be the first one to tell you Michale Moore's style of fim-making is in your face. In some cases, completely over-the-top. But, in my opinion... there's no denying the issues Moore is trying to get us all to examine. He's trying to get us out of our comfort zone... out of our complacency for two hours.

Sicko would be a good introduction to Michael Moore. His usual, over-the-top manner has been reigned in... (there was only one point in the movie where I caught myself rolling my eyes). His humor is still intact. So is his ability to hit you over the head with issues we all hear about in bits and pieces through the media... but seldom take the time to evaluate in-depth.

You may like Moore... you may hate him. You may consider him to be the anti-christ. But there is no denying what Moore brings to the table in "Sicko". This country's health care system is in critical condition... and after seeing Moore's prognosis... my thought weren't about by own health care situation, but my kids'. What's the situation going to be like when they reach adulthood? When they have their own families?

Ed Murrow once said that the job of the media back in his day was to hold a mirror to our society and let the mirror show our situation, warts and all. I think the same could be said for Michael Moore.... warts and all.

So, take it from Mike McKay. Forget the rat in the kitchen and the cars that change into alien robots... forget living free and dying hard... forget Clooney and the boys. Do yourself a favor and check out "Sicko". I wouldn't call it the "feel good movie of the summer"... it's not meant to be. It's meant to make you sit up straight... take a deep breath and say "ah"... and then maybe run for the border.

Until next time...

Happy birthday to.... GMU!

mmckay — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 14:32:00 GMT

One year ago today.

One year ago... I was given the opportunity to be a part of a brand new morning show on ABC4. It took me about ten seconds to make the decision to do it. After 22 years in radio... I was looking for a change. Looking for a new start and a new challenge.

Like a lot of you... if I'm not feeling challenged, I get bored. When I get bored... it's a dangerous thing. But I can honestly say I have never been bored since Good Morning Utah hit the airwaves. Never ever.

During the Past year, GMU has evolved... tightened up... and gone through some growing pains. Gratefully...the response has been good, for the most part. On the positive side, (if you'll indulge me for a moment, here)... I honestly believe we've got a good thing going from 5 to 7 every weekday morning. We have good people putting together a good show. The trick is keeping the momentum going. Gotta make the shift from second... to third gear.

On the down side... we know what we're up against. We know you're busy in the mornings with the kids... dog... husband, etc. We know you have choices. Radio... the internet... and gasp!... other morning tv shows. We know we have to come to the breakfast table with something no one else can give you. Are we up to that challenge?

I think so...

Happy first anniversary and congratulations to the staff here at GMU... and a big, sincere "thank you" to all of you who make the choice to tune us in every morning.

Until next time.

btw...

If you go see "Evan Almighty" at your local theatre... be sure to stick around for the closing credits.

THOU SHALT DO THE DANCE!

It's a girl's world... get used to it.

mmckay — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 13:42:00 GMT

I just got a laugh from reading Chris Vanocur's blog on being an honorary Good Things Utah "chick".... and all I can say to Chris and all the rest of you is...

Welcome to my world!

I've been the announcer for Good Things Utah for a little more than a year... but I've also been the "token male" on the show. Whenever the girls need a male perspective on the issues they discuss.. they turn to Mike McKay for his input.

Not that it does any good.... because I've learned over the weeks and months of being part of the show that it's all about the girls.

Don't get me wrong! I love being a part of Good Things. It's a totally different experience from anchoring news and traffic on Good Morning Utah. It's fun and it's still new. But I can only describe the whole thing in one way:

It's like drowning.

Seriously. I've had to learn, you don't fight it. You don't try to swim against the current. You just have to take a deep breath... relax... and let the estrogen envelope you. Then everything's ok. And let me tell you... it's something only a real man can accomplish! Suddenly... you're not repulsed by the fact that the main topic of conversation on the show is "kids throwing up in the back seat of your car".... or "look how tan my legs are getting from that new Jergens tanning lotion!".

I'm not even phased by Nicea putting her leg behind her head! At least... not any more. Reagan can blab about her cracked heels.... Angie can yack about how tough her morning drive was on Bangerter Highway... and Marti can go on and on about how much she loves her dog, Radar. I can handle it. It's all good.

It's all Good Things Utah.

Until next time...

There's a lesson in there...

mmckay — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:14:00 GMT

Just a few thoughts on that tragic story about the bear attack in Utah county...

First... our hearts go out to the family of victim. What a tragedy. It's a good reminder to all of us. As we head outdoors and enjoy all the natural beauty that is Utah... we have to remember, it is the outdoors... as in wildernesss... as in wild animals out and about. There are risks involved. Whether you're hiking a trail in red rock county or as in this case, camping with your family in the mountains... we need to take the time to educate ourselves about what it means to be out in nature. Talk as a family about ways to stay safe... and still have a good time. Hopefully, we won't have any more tragedies like this one.

Second... I just want to give kudos to our Good Morning Utah reporter, Dan Salmon. (We call him "Fish"... among other things.)

He was the only morning news reporter on the scene of the bear attack. We in the tv news business pride ourselves on being first with a breaking news story... but that's not what I'm talking about. Fish was there with the details on a story that could happen to any of us and he really brought it home. He didn't hype it... he just talked to a spokesman from the DWR... pointed to a message board flyer warning of bears in the area and gave us the facts. He also kept the story moving along with updates as the morning progressed. Simple and effective.

I think people who watch tv news in the morning appreciate that. Way to go, Fish!

Until next time...

Gotta vent just a bit...

mmckay — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:10:00 GMT

Is it just me... or is Hollywood not living up to hype lately?

I'm not talking about the latest news on Paris Hilton, although I hear she's "really growing" while sitting in the ol' grey bar hotel. I'm talking about movies. Those summertime blockbusters that are supposed to have us all flocking to our local cine-plex. I'm feeling a little let down, to be honest...

Here's an example: Ocean's 13. I checked it out over the weekend at the Gateway. The trailers looked slick. Flashy. You just can't go wrong with Clooney and company. Or so I thought. Half-way through the movie, I'm looking at my watch (never a good sign) and wondering what that big booming noise was coming from the theatre next door. Maybe I should have gone to that one instead. Maybe I should have visited the local video store instead. Ocean's 13 was ok... just ok. Barely worth the $7.50 to get in the door.

So, what about the other so-called block-busters? Shrek the Third? Not interested in jokes about bodily functions. Pirates? Eh.... I was totally let down by the second one. I'm almost afraid to speculate about the new Simpsons movie. I'll be in line for that one... but I'm trying not to get my hopes up. Maybe that's my problem...

I set the bar too high. Erika Edberg tells me I'm too hard to please.

Not true... Clint Eastwood does it. His "Letters from Iwo-Jima" had me in a puddle of tears at the end. Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle do it. "Reign Over Me" was phenominal! I couldn't stop talking about that one.

Fine then. Guess I'll keep shelling out bucks (or scrounging around the station for free movie passes), hoping Hollywood will give me a good enough reason to keep patronizing Larry Miller's establishments.

In the meantime... here's a movie tip from ol' McKay. "Harold & Maude"... 1970. Ruth Gordon and Bud Cort (the guy who played Radar in the original M*A*S*H movie). Great story.... great music,courtesy of Cat Stevens... back before he became Yusaf Islam. And that's another story... for another time.

Until next time....

Random Thoughts...

mmckay — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:37:00 GMT

OK everyone....

How 'bout some quick observations as we head into the weekend:

First... this whole starting Good Morning Utah at 5am thing is kicking my butt. I'm surprised. I didn't think getting up a few minutes earlier in the mornings would make that much of a difference... but man! I'm definately feeling it. I'm sure the McKay body clock will adjust... and life will be good eventually. I console myself with the fact that Erika, Todd and the whole morning crew are feeling the same. Check us out!

All the rain lately has been kicking my butt as well.

The top is off the Jeep... and that means with all the rain we've been having lately, I'm basically driving around in a hot tub on wheels (minus the heated water). It's gonna take me days to get all the water soaked up out of the floor-boards and the carpet dried out. My kids won't even attempt to ride with me until it's completely dry. They know better. Many times, we've driven down the freeway... in the middle of a down-pour... and felt as if were driving through a car wash. I've gotta check with Todd Gross to find out when temperatures get back into the 90s... where they should be!

Also... tomorrow is the first day for the farmer's market in downtown Salt Lake City... (at Pioneer Park, to be exact). It's every Saturday from 8am to 1pm through the summer and fall. Can I just give it a cheap plug? It's wonderful... it's fun... it's people with their dogs... and it local. Local as in local farmers, local artists and local businesses... all bringing their best to one location. If you have the chance to go... please do. It's something I've enjoyed doing for the past few years now. And take the kids!

Until next time...

5am... Bring it on.

mmckay — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 13:11:00 GMT

Heads up, everybody...

Beginning Monday, June 4th.... Good Morning Utah starts at 5:00am. That's a half-hour earlier. That's 30 more minutes of GMU. A bonus for all you early bird viewers.

So... what does that mean for us? The talking heads in front of the cameras... and the hosts of hard-working, behind-the-scene types?

It means losing even more sleep. It means even less of a social life.

Now... I'm not fishing for sympathy. I am trying to figure out how starting the show 30 minutes earlier my morning routine. I'm sure Erika and Todd (and evryone else on the crew for that matter) are as well.

I've been dragging my butt out of bed to do an early-morning shift for many years. Since the mid ninties, as a matter of fact. That was all during the good ol' radio days when you could do your job behind the mic in a t-shirt and shorts. Nobody cared.. as long as you sounded good. Nobody cared if you shaved... just bring it baby! You simply had to be sharp mentally.

Nowadays... it's all a bit different every weekday morning. Now, it's pouring over scripts and writing headlines, of course. Being sharp mentally is still a factor. Personally, I rely heavily on my good friend, caffeine.

But that's just the beginning.

Then there's the whole thing of "where's my tie?"... "why am I wearig brown shoes with my charcoal grey, pinstripe suit?" (thanks a lot, Erika...), "why are the bags under my eyes so puffy?"... "where's my make-up?"... and of course, "how's my pocket square?".

Yeah... I can hear all of you out there....

Oh, poor Mike Mckay! He can't find his powder foundation! Boo hoo... whatever will he do? Bwhaaaa haaaa haaaa......... sniff.

I know. I know. But I'm still getting used to all of this tv stuff.

I'm still getting used to the fact that I get yelled at if I slump forward and lean on the news desk because it interferes with my mic... (thanks, Carl.). I'm still getting used to the fact that there's certain way I have to stand in front of the "Live Drive Big Map"... or else the people in the control room start pulling the hair out of their collective heads. And perhaps the hardest thing for me to get used to is the fact that I'm not ad-libbing as much anymore. I have a script to follow or else Erika starts punching me in my left arm. Watch for it! You would never guess she's such a violent woman.

Bottom line..... I'm an old dog learning new tricks. Be patient with me. Especially now, since we have to do it all 30 minutes earlier every Monday through Friday.

Until next time.

Little Help, Please...

mmckay — Tue, 29 May 2007 13:09:00 GMT

So... we've got this show called Good Morning Utah.

And I'm not going to pull any punches here... I want you to watch. Every Monday through Friday morning. Erika, Todd and me.... we all want to become a part of your daily routine.

So how 'bout a little help. I want to know what you think. What are you looking for in your morning television news?

I have a few good ideas about what it takes to make a good morning show. Erika and Todd... same thing. We have management types here at ABC4 with good ideas. The station does reasearch... talks with focus groups, etc. We even hire consultants who fly into town every six months or so to tell us what you want in morning news. (They were just here a couple of days ago... as a matter of fact. No mention of my obsession with pocket squares.)

That's all fine and dandy. But it seems to me... one part of the puzzle is missing. That's you. Now, I've been in broadcasting long enough to know that it's human nature to sound-off only when something is going wrong. Something that's got your knickers in a twist. What I'm hoping you'll do here and now is help us build something. Give us some constructive ideas. Ideas for segments... stories to cover, etc. Are we too "hard news"? Are we too "fluffy"? Do you... or do you not like hearing about the "DCB"?

Looking for input, Utah. Just don't mention the pocket square. That's non-negotiable.

Until next time....

The Art of Chair-Dancing

mmckay — Fri, 25 May 2007 13:05:00 GMT

This is for all of you long-time, frequent viewers of Good Morning Utah...

A lesson on the theory of "chair-dancing"... and some helpful "how to" tips. I started doing the Friday morning chair-dance soon after I began anchoring the news. I'm sitting there, behind a big desk... and the thought occured to me... "Mckay... have some fun!" It was just a subtle way of putting a smile on my face and saying, "yeah... made it through the week again!". Problem is...I don't want to be the only one to acknowledge it's Friday... the weekend's here... and we're all in a good mood. I think I've converted our weather guy, Todd Gross. He's giving it a good, although geeky try. Now, if I could just get Erika Edberg to see the light. (Get with the funk... morning show momma!) For me... I think it all goes back to the fact that I'm a disco refugee. I'm not ashamed to admit it. (I think I still have a pair of "Angel Flight" slacks in a trunk somewhere).

First... the theory. Simple! It's Friday... and by the simple fact it is Friday... you're in a good mood, right? Get breakfast made... get the kids ready for school... brush your teeth, etc.... all while letting your body get into the groove. All while watching Good Morning Utah!

Now.. the lesson. Sitting at your breakfast table, or even while you're getting dressed... start off with the head-bob. Then, maybe let your shoulders sway a bit. Then, bring your arms and hands into action. No rules.... no right or wrong to it. Just feel it. Best part is.. you don't have to worry about moving your feet and stepping on someone's toes. Actual music playing doing a chair-dance is a nice touch... but not necessary.

The Friday morning chair-dance. My gift to you...

Until next time...