Friday, April 14, 2000
'At Home' most at home here
BY John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer
As Gary Sullivan's radio and TV exposure has expanded from Cleveland to Orlando, he hasn't forgotten about his hometown.
“Cincinnati calls still dominate the radio show,” says Mr. Sullivan, 46, whose Saturday call-in fix-it show now airs on 25 stations.
“Cincinnati callers have availability to all eight lines, while the (toll-free) 800 lines only ring four of them,” he explains.
Thanks to the growing empire of Clear Channel Communications, the nation's biggest radio company, Mr. Sullivan's expertise now reaches from Lake Erie to the Gulf of Mexico.
• He will be broadcast At Home with Gary Sullivan from the Florida Home & Garden Show in Orlando 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday on Clear Channel's WKRC-AM (500). It also airs on Clear Channel's Florida network, plus WONE-AM (Dayton), WTAM-AM (Cleveland), WFYI-AM (Columbus), WSPD-AM (Toledo), WGST-AM (Atlanta) WLAP-AM (Lexington) and WHAS-AM (Louisville).
• Mr. Sullivan's The Hardware Store, which has aired on Time Warner cable for three years, makes its broadcast debut on Clear Channel's WKRC-TV Sunday (12:30 p.m., Channel 12). Mr. Sullivan tours the Morrow workshop of furniture maker David T. Smith on the show.
The Kruse Co., a Fairfield hardware distributor, bankrolls the series, which also premiered on Cleveland's WKYC-TV (Chan nel 3) two weeks ago. This is the fourth year Kruse will tape 40 episodes of the show.
The Hardware Store, filmed on location throughout the Tristate, also plays at 6:30 p.m. weekdays and 1:30 p.m. weekends on Time Warner's HGTV (Channel 48), and 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and 1:30 p.m. Saturdays on Northern Kentucky's Insight Media HGTV (Channel 57). It also airs on Time Warner cable in Columbus and Dayton, and on Insight in Louisville.
The 1971 Moeller High School graduate says he hasn't tried to take the show national. “As crazy as it sounds, I haven't pursued it because I've been so busy,” he says.
One thing sort of led to another since he started a call-in show on old WCKY-AM 14 years ago.
Now he's president of 17 Hader stores (15 here, and one each in Columbus and Pennsylvania) and does “Hometeam” reports for Channel 12 news.
Although his exposure has increased, the variety of homeowners' questions hasn't changed much, he says.
“Everybody does the same paint chores and the same wallpaper chores. And the floor leaks the same way in Florida.”
His goal has been to offer simple neighborly help.
“From the beginning, I've tried to be the guy on the other side of the fence offering advice, and not being too technical,” he says.
“I do have a passion for it. In most cases, a home is someone's biggest investment. And it's very gratifying to help people.”
ENQUIRERING MIND: This Enquirering mind wants to know: What does former President Gerald Ford think of the “Ex-Presidents” cartoon on Saturday Night Live?
“Betty and I don't stay up that late,” replied Mr. Ford during a press conference promoting The American President, which premieres 3-5 p.m. Sunday on Channel 48.
“A politician, at whatever level, if he has any common sense, will not react adversely. You smile and enjoy it and walk away,” he says.
The former president also sidestepped a question about the impact of nightly jokes about presidential candidates by David Letterman, Jay Leno or Comedy Central's Daily Show.
“What I think, or what other presidents think, is immaterial. It's going to happen. So you might as well just sit back and enjoy it.”
AROUND THE DIAL: Lisa Simpson plays mom to The Simpsons Sunday (8 p.m., Channels 19, 45) after her mother gets hurt skiing. Hank Azaria (Fail Safe) provides the voice of the ski instructor, while Dan Castelanetta does Homer's voice.
RADIO HIGHLIGHT: Why This Night, A Passover Special airs 7-8 p.m. Sunday on WVXU-FM (91.7).
KIDS' STUFF: 'N Sync, Cincinnati's Nick Lachey, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lopez and the Goo Goo Dolls will perform at the 13th annual Kids' Choice Awards (8 p.m. Saturday, Nickelodeon).
Mr. Lachey from 98` and Ms. Simpson will sing their duet, “Where You Are,” during the live telecast from Hollywood Bowl. The other 98` guys will appear on the show hosted by Rosie O'Donnell, Frankie Muniz and LL Cool J.
Awards will be presented in 25 categories.
Mammoth find slows sewer plant
Teacher program praised as model
Louisville remains upset as Cincinnati calms down
Park opens; coaster doesn't
Bill would open organ donor database
Bishop to consider cathedral changes
Commissioners may reopen pilings debate
Ex-police officer sentenced to 8 years for drug offenses
Grandparents get advice and encouragement
Indians seek own holiday
Charters taking publicity in stride
Estate battle near end: Charities must pay tax
Patton, McConnell keep silent on call tax
Report criticizes costs of sprawl
Stars join movie to be made here
Fence rules encourage homeowners to be good neighbors
What makes people want a fence?
'At Home' most at home here
GET TO IT
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Historical groups build future
Jail pulls plug on phones
Jets' noise to be gauged
Latest deadline for finding Kenton County jail site: July 1
Man faces rape charges
Schools want critic's input
Teacher turnover climbing
