Shots from Matt Lauer's 'Today' show gig in Boston

Where in the world is Matt Lauer? He was reporting from Boston yesterday.

NBC's "Today" show co-host Lauer, in town on Wednesday, June 3 to address the 2009 senior class at Harvard, interviewed former governor Mitt Romney at Faneuil Hall and revisited some of the haunts he frequented while working for WHDH including the Bristol Lounge at the Four Seasons and Ned Devine's for breakfast.

“Harvard is an indestructible American brand—like Lehman Brothers and General Motors,” Lauer quips to the graduating Harvard class. According to the Harvard Crimson here, he was a major cut-up during the ceremony.

--Copyrighted photos by Ryan Miner, Beantown Photo

The week in quotes from Hollywood in the Hub

"I was really overjoyed to find that more and more people because of the Internet the world is smaller place, people can get the content with immediacy so that that wall--that culture gap that used to be there--isn’t there. It’s not like when people in Boston were wearing what people were wearing in California three years ago."

--Arlington homeboy and "My Best Friend's Girl" troublemaker Dane Cook takes a backhanded jab at Boston's fashion sense while praising the immediacy of the Internet.

"I'm from Boston, and having a baseball bat with you at all times is a very Boston thing."

--Newton native Eli Roth, currently in Cannes promoting his role in Quentin Tarantino's new WWII film "Inglourious Basterds," says his bat-wielding character engaged in a violent revenge plot in Nazi-occupied France feels oddly comfortable.

"The news out here is very much reporter driven, meaning we have to bring stories to work every day and work our sources. In Boston, many times we would rip from the paper and follow the headlines."

--Brandon Rudat, former newscaster at WHDH-TV, spills that he's more than a headline-stealing news reader over in Los Angeles.

“I was there in the room while the whole thing went on, but I’m not going to tell you what happened. I will say that I was caught up in the moment, with tears in my eyes and was left breathless when the bride walked into the room.”

--Wedding stylist Chad Michael Peters refuses to give the bride's fate away in the upcoming Boston-set episode of the CW's "Hitched or Ditched."

"It's an honor. We get to showcase our talents and do it in a fun setting with friends."

--Michael Schlow, executive chef and co-owner of the award-winning Radius and Via Matta restaurants in Boston, says his upcoming stint on Bravo's "Top Chef Masters" helped him sharpen his skills.

Readers sound off on shake-up at Channel 7

Comments are pouring in regarding the recent shake-up at WHDH-TV. As previously reported in Loaded Gun, Channel 7 kicked openly gay newscaster Brandon Rudat to the curb on Wednesday, Feb. 11 after he sided with ousted anchor Randy Price's criticism of the station's flashy approach to the news.

Here's a sampling of the discussion:

"I suspected something was 'fishy' with the sudden announcement of Price's 'retirement,' since there wasn't the typically celebratory build up to the announcement. Nothing had been said about Rudat being gay and out, but it didn't take much imagination to figure it out. Those eyebrows!"

The commenter continues, "Too bad that WHDH has to be all flashy with the news. It's very evident that the focus isn't on just reporting news in the best possible way, and that the management of WHDH, like so many other news stations, is caught up in the 'ratings game.' Seems like reality TV has taken over the nightly news as well. Best of luck to Price and Rudat. Hopefully they'll find other assignments in Boston."

Here's another comment: "It is a very sad day in Boston. Randy Price delivered the news in a "mature" professional manner. The immature news "readers" on this station of late are an insult to serious news. But I guess if you look at it. Channel 7 isn't interested in serious news or its delivery. So it's time to look for another news source. Channel 7you will reap what you sow. Fluff."

And another Channel 7 slam: "Randy was the only thing that made that station worth watching and somewhat respectable, although they do put some meaningless trash on T. For them to insult and crap on their best card is pretty pathetic. Now that is some loser management. I'm not watching for sure."

One more from Loaded Gun reader Alan: "Pathetic treatment of the only person who brought any class and seriousness to that flimsy station. On to another local station for sure."

Randy Price leaves anchor desk at WHDH-TV

Randy Price, a co-anchor at WHDH-TV and a longtime Boston-area TV news personality, is leaving his post at Channel 7 "effective immediately," reports Scott Kearnan at Bay Windows.

Price, who officially left on Friday even though he had three years left on his contract, co-anchored his last normal evening news slot on Thursday.

Price, currently living in Kittery, Maine, first made a splash in 1983 as a morning anchor with WBZ-TV. In 1995, he hit a turning point in his career after police arrested him on his second drunken-driving charge. Since the incident, he's been sober for 13 years. In 1996, he joined WHDH as a freelancer and eventually moved into the evening news chair in 1998.

Considered to be the country's first openly gay newscaster, Price has been a trailblazer in the GLBT community. In 2007, he led the state's fight for equal rights for same-sex partners when he married his significant other, Mark Steffan, in front of the Massachusetts State House.

Price, who was replaced on Friday by the 10 p.m. co-anchor on CW56 Kim Khazei, consistently scored high ratings in the 11 p.m. position with Frances Rivera.

In a recent feature also written by Kearnan in the January/February edition of Boston Spirit Magazine, Price weighs in on his life in the public eye.

"As a public person, people learn a lot about you," he tells Kearnan. "At some point you’re either going to be out, or you’re going to be a liar."

UPDATE: The Boston Herald reports that Price was ousted from WHDH-TV. “I’m gone,” Price tells the Herald this morning. “I’ve reached the point where I really can’t contribute in the way that they probably want me to contribute.”

Click here for more on Price.

Photo source WHDH.com

Ryan Schulteis comes out in Boston Spirit Magazine

Move over Randy Price. There's a new TV gay in town. Ryan Schulteis, a general assignment reporter with WHDH's 7News and my latest on-air crush (sorry Anderson Cooper), comes out in the upcoming January/February edition of Boston Spirit Magazine.

Scott Kearnan, a former colleague of mine at EDGE and the current arts editor at Bay Windows, interviews Schulteis for the GLBT magazine's spotlight on Boston's gay media.

In the feature story, Schulteis chats with Kearnan about recently coming out to his family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Kearnan also talks with a handful of other openly gay media types including the Boston Globe's Johnny Diaz and Emily Sweeney and, of course, long-time gay trailblazer and WHDH anchorman Price.

For the record, I'm slotted to write a GLBT travel piece for an upcoming edition of Boston Spirit Magazine.

Click here for the lowdown on Schulteis.

Schulteis photo courtesy WHDH.com

ANTM's CariDee English takes it off at The Estate

Local fans of Tyra Banks' "America's Next Top Model" have a reason to jump for joy this holiday season. Why? Model CariDee English is slotted to host a lingerie fashion show at The Estate right before the ball drops at midnight on Wednesday, Dec. 31.

For a mere $100 for VIP admission, fans of the buxom blonde from Fargo, North Dakota can sip champagne, nibble on hors d'oeuvres and chat with the Cycle 7 winner of "ANTM." The New Year's Eve event kicks off at 10 p.m. General admission is $75.

English, who made an appearance at the WHDH-sponsored Boston Health & Fitness Expo back in 2007 to talk about her lifetime struggle with psoriasis, is slotted to host and produce a show on MTV scheduled to begin shooting in April 2009.

Click here for the lowdown.

Conan O'Brien stalked by Boston priest

A Catholic priest from Boston has been arrested in Manhattan on charges of stalking late-night NBC talk show host Conan O'Brien.

Police confirm that 46-year-old David Ajemian was arrested at 30 Rockefeller Plaza last week while trying to enter a filming session of NBC's "Late Night with Conan O'Brien."

The priest allegedly wrote the talk show host threatening notes on parish letterhead, contacted his parents and showed up at his studio.

His creepy message: "I want a public confession before I ever consider giving you absolution -- or a spot on your couch," he wrote.

Court papers say Ajemian, who has been placed on leave and ordered by the Archidocese of Boston and asked to no longer minister publicly, referred to himself as "your stalker priest."

Click here for the article on WHDH.com.

Boston's Daily Dose_10.31.07

Has Salem turned into Spooky World?
SOURCE: Boston Globe

Dane says 'Ewww' to A-Rod
SOURCE: Boston Herald

Singin' in the brain
SOURCE: Weekly Dig

Real ghosts busted on Sci-Fi
SOURCE: BostonNOW

'A Civil Action' lawyer wants relaxed poker restrictions
SOURCE: WHDH-TV

Boston's Daily Dose_08.13.07

David Beckham sits out another MLS game
SOURCE: WHDH-TV

WEEI sports hosts given time to 'reflect'
SOURCE: Boston Herald

Questioning Merv's sexuality
SOURCE: Boston NOW

Bringing sexy back, indeed
SOURCE: Boston Metro

Journey into hell
SOURCE: Boston Phoenix

Boston's Daily Dose_08.07.07

And now, back to the news
SOURCE: Boston Globe

Bring back the divas!
SOURCE: EDGE Boston

BU grad spills Bean on starring on FX's 'Damages'
SOURCE: Boston Herald

AMC makes plays for sports dramas
SOURCE: Boston NOW

Boys will be B-Boys
SOURCE: Boston Metro

Boston's Daily Dose_08.06.07

Moxie thirsting for a revival
SOURCE: Boston Globe

No bad rap here: Hub hip-hoppers feted
SOURCE: Boston Herald

From man bands to bull riding
SOURCE: Boston NOW

Tweeter Center brawl a hit on YouTube
SOURCE: WHDH-TV

Hey, Ma, look what I made!
SOURCE: Weekly Dig

Boston's Daily Dose_07.24.07

Gavel comes down on ex-Superior Court Judge Maria Lopez

SOURCE: Boston Herald

Gay marriage foes back down

SOURCE: Boston Metro

D'oh! Simpsons contest prompts fraud allegations

SOURCE: Seven Days

Small plane lands on a Massachusetts highway

SOURCE: WHDH-TV

Pimp gets put away for eight to 10 years

SOURCE: Boston Now

Boston's Daily Dose_07.19.07

Columnist wishes Harry Potter would disappear
SOURCE: Boston Herald

Voters allowed 'none of the above' option?
SOURCE: Boston Metro

WBUR has done a 180 under Paul La Camera
SOURCE: Boston Phoenix

School custodian gets trip of his life
SOURCE: WHDH-TV

Rail riders will be able to track trains
SOURCE: Boston Now

Boston's Daily Dose_07.16.07

Boston ranks No. 6 in top cities for young professionals
SOURCE: WHDH-TV

Boston mourns the death of homeless icon, Mr. Butch
SOURCE: Boston Phoenix

Would they recognize Condi?
SOURCE: Boston Metro

Grammar vandal goes after public stop sign travesties
SOURCE: Boston Globe

Rolling out a new kind of toilet paper dispenser
SOURCE: Boston Herald