Posted by chicagomedia.org on July 15, 2009 at 11:37:31:
A Treat for Trick
By Marisa Pozo for WGN-TV's Jeff Hoover
on July 15, 2009 8:14 AM
As a fat, pasty kid from St. Joseph, Michigan who grew up watching Bozo on WGN-TV about 3-inches from the screen while eating Archway windmill cookies, I never dreamed that one day I would be working at the 'ol number 9 and answering my phone to hear a security guard tell me that Cheap Trick is waiting for me in the lobby. It blows my mind...or at least what's left of it after meeting Wizzo, Dr. Lester Fischer and the Empire Carpet Man.
The craziest thing is that after Cheap Trick was done performing one of their classic tunes, "I Want You to Want Me" and their latest single, "Sick Man of Europe, " the lead singer, Robin Zander and the lead guitarist, Rick Nielsen asked me something that truly shocked me. In a hushed tone with intense looks on their faces they asked me in unison..."Can we meet Tom Skilling?"
Well, I thought that they were goofing around with me so I laughed and started to walk them back to the green room. They didn't budge. They were serious. They wanted to meet him. And they weren't about to leave without a handshake.
Quickly, I spun around and lead them to the Weather Center. As I opened the door, I said, "Usually people want to meet Cheap Trick, but today, Cheap Trick wants to meet Tom Skilling."
To see Tom, Robin and Rick standing together admiring each other's work and making small talk about the weather was really amazing. Of course, it would have been better if I had one of those windmill cookies in my hand.