Jim Thistle

I was extremely saddened this afternoon when I heard about the passing of Jim Thistle. Jim Thistle was a professor of mine during my senior year at Boston University. He taught Broadcast Journalism for Non-Majors. Prof. Thistle was a pioneer in the Boston local news industry and each story, each lesson was given by a true master.

During one class, I was assigned a story about the pigeon problem in Provincetown (say that three times fast). It was an end-of-the-newscast type of story, so I made it light and funny. It was really hokey. While I was trying to read the story during the newscast, Prof. Thistle kept making these coo-ing sounds in my earpiece. It was impossible to keep a straight face.

As graduation neared, I often turned to Prof. Thistle for advice and he readily gave it. His experience in television was immeasurable and I was smart enough at the time to know that each story had a reason, a purpose. Each was like gold.

Soon after my Red Sox internship ended, I was incredibly stressed about what I was going to do for work. I had run into Prof. Thistle shortly before my internship ended, once again asking for advice. He told me to send him my resume and I did. Within a week he called me saying that WLVI-TV (Channel 56) was looking for an Assignment Desk Editor and passed along my resume. I interviewed and got the job. Prof. Thistle saved the day. I only ended up staying there for a couple of months, but because of that opportunity, it opened the door to other jobs I would have never have known about otherwise. To Prof. Thistle, I am eternally grateful.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Thistle family. They can take comfort in knowing Jim Thistle was a man of great integrity and with the purest heart. His satisfaction came from the success of others. He will be greatly missed.


WCVB Tribute
BU Tribute/Donations to the Jim Thistle Scholarship Fund

Quote of the Day:
"The smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention." -Duguet

Billy #22 (Last Play at Shea #2) - THE GREATEST CONCERT EVER!!!

Honestly folks, I am still shellshocked over what I just saw. I wrote in April 2006 after the last Madison Square Garden show that I would be content not seeing another Billy show, because it was so close to perfect. Scratch that, because I saw Billy play WITH FREAKIN' SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY AT SHEA STADIUM!!!!!!!!!!!! There might be a mention of this in the notes. Here's the setlist:

Star Spangled Banner
Miami 2017
Prelude/Angry Young Man
My Life
The Entertainer
Summer, Highland Falls
Zanzibar
Allentown
Ballad of Billy the Kid
New York State of Mind (with Tony Bennett)
Root Beer Rag
Goodnight Saigon
Don't Ask Me Why
Keeping The Faith
The Downeaster "Alexa"
This Night
Movin' Out
Under The Boardwalk/An Innocent Man
Shameless (duet with Garth Brooks)
She's Always A Woman
Captain Jack
Lullabye
River of Dreams/A Hard Days Night
Walk This Way (with Steven Tyler)
We Didn't Start The Fire
It's Still Rock 'n Roll To Me
My Generation (with Roger Daltrey)
You May Be Right
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
Only The Good Die Young
I Saw Her Standing There (with Paul McCartney)
Piano Man
Let It Be (with Paul McCartney)

* FREAKIN SIR PAUL MCCARTNEY!!!! IN SHEA SHADIUM!!!! I SAW A BEATLE IN SHEA STADIUM!!!!!!! Cheryl is my witness, when Billy announced Sir Paul and he came out on stage, I voiced this guttural scream that I did not know I was capable of making. There were rumors, but to actually see Sir Paul come on stage, in Shea Stadium and start playing "I Saw Her Standing There", it was truly unbelievable. And before playing "Let It Be" Sir Paul made a couple of comments and you could hear a pin drop. 60,000 people were silent to hear Sir Paul speak.

* Also unbelievable, seeing Steven Tyler, on stage with Billy Joel. This was a total surprise. Steven sang "Walk This Way" and was excellent. Another highlight was seeing Billy play with the scarves on the microphone stand after Steven left the stage.

* I love the Who. And when Roger Daltry came out to sing "My Generation", I was in hysterics. At the end, Billy pulled a Pete Townsend and smashed a guitar. So amazing.

* "Shameless" is a favorite Billy song and I had never heard it live. It was great to see Garth Brooks too. That was nice.

* "Summer, Highland Falls" is always a treat. It is my favorite Billy song.

* There were times the stadium was actually shaking. The energy was absolutely amazing.

* Cheryl and I had MUCH better seats for this show. Though it pained me to pay more than face value, StubHub came though and we got really lucky with our seats. There were 4 seats down from us empty the whole show. It makes me sad that 4 Billy fans probably missed out on great seats because of greedy, greedy scalpers.

* God, this was such an incredible show. I feel so lucky to have seen it.

Quote of the Day:
"She was just seventeen / if you know what I mean" - Sir Paul McCartney's first words in Shea Stadium, July 18, 2008, "I Saw Her Standing There"

Billy #21 (Last Play at Shea #1)

This was a big Billy event at Shea Stadium. Cheryl and I had a great time. Setlist followed by notes:

Star Spangled Banner
Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)
Prelude/Angry Young Man
My Life
Everybody Loves You Now
The Entertainer
Zanzibar
Allentown
Ballad of Billy the Kid
New York State Of Mind (w/ Tony Bennett)
Big Man on Mulberry Street
Root Beer Rag (Instrumental)
Movin' Out
Goodnight Saigon
Don't Ask Me Why
This is the Time (w/ John Mayer)
Keeping the Faith
Downeaster "Alexa"
Stand By Me into An Innocent Man
Boys of Summer (w/ Don Henley)
She's Always a Woman
Captain Jack
Lullabye
River of Dreams w/Hard Days Night interlude
Pink Houses (w/ John Mellencamp)
We Didn’t Start The Fire
Still Rock and Roll
You May Be Right
Please Please Me
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
Only the Good Die Young
She Loves You
Take Me Out To The Ballgame
Piano Man
Souvenir

* Cheryl and I were far, far away. We had to rely on the video screens to see the Piano Man. Also, the lights stayed on where we were sitting and had some chatty people in front of us.

* This is my 21st time seeing Billy Joel and I heard three songs for the first time: Root Beer Rag, This is the Time and Souvenir. See, this is why I keep going.

* It dawned on me about the time Billy said he hasn't put out new material in 15 years that I have officially been going to Billy shows for half of my life.

* Throughout the show, I camera guy came around our section and the section next to us, shooting b-roll for the DVD. If I do make it to the DVD, I really hope I'm not dancing. That would just be a bad situation for everyone.

* It was a completely sold-out filled stadium. It really was a sight to see. It was so great to be amongst so many people who appreciate Billy's music as much as I do.

* Highlights were Captain Jack and This is The TIme. The one-two punch of Miami 2017 and Angry Young Man was a real treat.

* I am so excited for Friday. The bar has been set very high.

Quote of the Day:
"Some folks like to get away / take a holiday from the neighborhood" -Billy Joel, "New York State of Mind"