Rick Tasetano Dies

[Nermel]

>>>Newsradio 1000 KTOK-AM<<<

Rick was a very nice guy and still was a volunteer with Oklahoma County Emergency Management.


Former longtime KTOK meteorologist Rick Tasetano died early today. Details are not yet available and funeral services are pending. KTOK was notified of Rick's death by the family. He had been ailing in recent months.

[dismayed]

Man, that brings back some memories... Rick Tasetano with the storm tracks and traffic from Captain Perdue in Red Rover.

[Martin]

oh man.... totally forgot about jim perdue the red rover. when i was growing up, my folks had the radio permanently stuck on ktok... good times.

-M

[SoonerDave]

I've wondered what happened to ol' Rick.....he was also big into ham radio, was he not?

Rick Tasteano succeeded Gene Collett (sp), and was arguably the last true "station" meteorologist before local radio started affiliating with local TV weather departments. I remember one of the weekend hosts on KTOK used to get into some banter with Rick and called him "Rick Tossapiano," all in good fun.

And some people here will remember that Gene Collett succeeded none other than Gary England....yes, that Gary England.

KTOK was as much a part of my house growing up as anything I can imagine...heck, I remember when Bob Riggins (sp) played music! and they had the 10-Spot Jackpot...and the venerable Al Eschbach started his nightly, one-hour sports radio talk show at 6pm weeknights with Lou Staples...back when Eschbach was sportswriter for the Oklahoma Journal....

-SoonerDave

[solitude]

I've wondered what happened to ol' Rick.....he was also big into ham radio, was he not?

Rick Tasteano succeeded Gene Collett (sp), and was arguably the last true "station" meteorologist before local radio started affiliating with local TV weather departments. I remember one of the weekend hosts on KTOK used to get into some banter with Rick and called him "Rick Tossapiano," all in good fun.

And some people here will remember that Gene Collett succeeded none other than Gary England....yes, that Gary England.

KTOK was as much a part of my house growing up as anything I can imagine...heck, I remember when Bob Riggins (sp) played music! and they had the 10-Spot Jackpot...and the venerable Al Eschbach started his nightly, one-hour sports radio talk show at 6pm weeknights with Lou Staples...back when Eschbach was sportswriter for the Oklahoma Journal....

-SoonerDave

Ahh yes! Good memories. Who was the drunk (most of the time) flake at night that always said he'd be back "If the creek don't rise and the...."

[Filifan]

Ahh yes! Good memories. Who was the drunk (most of the time) flake at night that always said he'd be back "If the creek don't rise and the...."

I believe that was John Dale

[SoonerDave]

I believe that was John Dale

No, I don't think that's who he's talking about.

John Dayle was a curmudgeonly old fella who basically believed the whole world was out to get him. He was a "we never went to the moon" type. He was on the warpath against a LOT of people over the years, perpetually angry type. I don't know if that was a radio persona or if that was really him. It seemed quite genuine.

The guy I think he was talking about was a host named Carlton Cordell, who was pretty much the polar opposite of Dayle. Good ol' boy, joker, very light hearted and genuine, and developed quite a following on KTOK for a time. He was a delightful screwball. He used to tease some callers, telling them that electrons were leaking out of their electrical outlets, and the funny thing was that maybe one out of ten people might believe him and call in for more details.

There was one night I listed to ol' Carlton when he started his show one night with a warning that Oklahoma was under attack from the Mexican Navy...

Remember, too, that this was back in an era when local radio was still a pretty big deal, local talent, not a "polished" radio-school type, just a fun guy who had an affinity for the radio. This was back, if I'm not mistaken, when Ken Gaines was KTOK's general manager.

The most recent older host KTOK had was Mike McCarville, who retired last year. He was part serious/issues-oriented, and part humor, but not like Cordell...

For those who watch OETA's movie special, host B.J Wexler was a former midday host on KTOK. Super nice guy.

Actually, Al Eschbach's evening sports show was arguably the first of its kind anywhere in the country, and was quite groundbreaking in that it proved you could actually talk sports for a solid hour every weeknight. It obviously helped that KTOK was the anchor station for the OU football radio network at that time......The original "co-host," Lou Staples, committed suicide and was replaced by a fellow named Ed Sossen....

[SoonerQueen]

If I'm not mistaken John Dayle passed away a couple of years ago. Bob Durgin is still in the business and is working at a station in Harrisburg Pennsylvania. Carlton Cordell played the hotel desk clerk in the movie Bullit. I listened to KTOK all the time back then. They had local talk until the Nightcap show came on late night.It was all good and they had their own weather dept. It was a well rounded station with talk, news,weather, sports, and entertainment.

[DaveSkater]

That's sad, I really came to respect Rick when he was on. Great meteo guy.

R.I.P Rick