8:07 PM Fri, May 16, 2008 | Permalink
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Last night on WHAS, Ken Schulz said his goodbye to viewers and all of his friends here at WHAS. After the 6pm news, Ken stayed here for about an hour and a half, taking phone calls from people. The one call that came into the newsroom that surprised the most of us was from Chuck Taylor's son, who still lives in Louisville. Many of us who've been here awhile remember when Chuck would bring his son to work with him and he'd hang out in the newsroom with us. But we haven't seen or heard from him since Chuck's funeral in 1997. He talked to Ken and wished him the best last night.
This week at WHAS TV, we say so long to our long time friend and longtime meterologist Ken Schulz. Ken, as you know by now, is taking early retirement. He's been here 30 years. I've had the unique experience (and pleasure) to work with Ken for 21 years. Before that, as a high school intern here at WHAS, it was a blast watching Ken and Chuck Taylor banter back and forth.
There's one memory I have that has kept recurring in my mind the past year, ever since Ken starting working toward this retirement date of May 21st. In fact, I'm sure my other co-workers think I'm nuts, because I'll walk around the station and just start laughing for no apparent reason.
Back in the early 90's, we had just started our 4 hour Saturday Morning Newscast. Ken was filling in one morning for Beth Andrews. Not alot happened on saturday mornings, so at the beginning of each hour, I would open with an adlib about sunrise, and when you could expect it that day...useful information to anyone up at the hour.
So it's 7am on this particular Saturday Morning and sunrise is set for something like 7:15am. But I end up botching the open. For the life of me, I can't talk. I end up saying something like, "If and when the sun comes up in a few minutes, it should be a great day."
Ken is sitting next to me. At that moment, the director takes a two-shot, which is a wide camera view showing Ken and I sitting next to each other. Before I can even close my mouth, Ken says, "Well Doug, I can tell you one thing. If the sun doesn't come up in the next few minutes, I can guarantee what your lead story at 8AM is gonna be!" Ken had me in stiches. He zinged me good and it was just so funny.
I can honestly say I've never worked with someone so quick-witted, so comfortable on the air. It came from Ken's years on morning radio and the relaxed, fly by the seat of your pants way of broadcasting.
I'm sure Wayne Perkey has more brutal Ken stories because Wayne would usually botch the time of day or get all tangled up in his adlibs, and Ken would just zing him right back.
Ken and I have always said that the best thing about his career change is that finally, for once in a long while, he's going to be able to enjoy a summer thunderstorm or a winter snowfall (even a one inch snowfall !) without having to race downtown to the station.
This week, we're throwing goodbye parties for Ken here at the station and outside of the station as well. The stories will be flowing. And there will be a lot of laughing. That, I think, is the best way to say so long to Ken Schulz after 30 years.
Ken , sure miss you buddy
It was very evident that your leaving was political . I'm sure not the WHAS11 fan I had been .
Hope to see you back on the tube
The summer of the Nicole Brown Simpson murder and the subsequent infamous "chase" of O.J. through the streets, my family was trying to put a new roof on our house. No TV stations locally were broadcasting the weather because they were all broadcasting the network news from California. We HAD to know if it was going to rain before we stripped off the old roof. As a last desperate measure, I called WHAS and was connected to Ken. He graciously gave me his entire weather report over the telephone! I think he was glad someone was interested in the weather. There was no rain in the forecast, and our roof came off and went on without a hitch. Thanks again, Ken, for that bit of help, and for 30 years of wit and weather.
Ken, You've always had a great attitude and you were a pleasure to watch. Thanks for 30 great years. Hopefully I'll run into you at Kroger sometime and I can shake your hand. You will be missed. May God Bless You and Your Wonderful Family.
I know this is late in coming but I really wanted to say goodbye to Ken.
You kept our family safe for so long. I can't imagine what it's going to be like to watch the weather without you but I know that WHAS will keep us in safe hands.
Of course, we all loved Chuck Taylor and were very sad when he passed away, but it was very comforting that you were there, Ken, to carry on with the weather. You never missed a beat.
Now, I will have to get used to tornado season without you and that might be a tad hard to adjust to. You don't know how many times you sent us to our basement to stay safe, even when the sirens didn't sound you kept us safe.
God bless you and your family and thank you for the many years that you gave our community.
Mrs. Deborah Atwell
mr ken, i was 12 when you cameon , you always made me feel safe , i so hope you do well, i will miss you , i hope we will be safe , with out you
I will really miss Ken... he was my absolute FAVORITE weather man for a lot of years, the one I trusted the most. When it came to severe weather I always felt safe watching him... he had such a calming affect. I lived through the 1974 tornado and don't "do" severe weather very well but Ken always had that calm demeanor that made me feel like everything would be "okay".
Thanks so much Ken for all you did for us in Louisville. I, personally, will really miss watching you and I don't think anyone else will compare.
Good luck to you and your family. ENJOY!
We both feel like we knew Ken personally as he has been a part of our lives for so long. Ken, God Speed in your new career. With your wonderful personality you will suceed in anything you do in life. The best of everything to you and your family. WHAS will never be same without you!
Ken I wish you well in your edevors and have a wonderful retirement good luck
WHAS and Ken Schultz have always been my "go to" station for weather. After living in Shelby County all my life, I moved to Frankfort in the mid-seventies. How thrilled I was to still have WHAS TV. We of course had always appreciated Ken's radio work. Ken has always been calm, level-headed when giving out information of impending storms, etc. We have all learned a great deal from his informative explanations of what was going on in our area. Ken, you're one in a million. You, Melissa, Gary, Rachel, and Doug are like family to your viewers. Best wishes on your new career with Humana. They are very lucky to get you. Will you still be available for Crusade duty? God bless.
I just want to wish Ken the very best. Everytime a severe weather outbreak occurs or just to get the daily forecast, I watched Ken. When giving the severe weather, he was very calm and knew exactly what was going to happen which kept me calm too. Good luck Ken in all of your future endeavors. You will be missed greatly!
i would just like to say thank you ken for all the great weather forecasting you have done,you have kept me and my family safe (and entertained) since we moved here in 1996.we wish you and yours all the best and enjoy your retirement.you will surely be missed. you rock!
My husband and I want to wish Ken the very best in his career change. We will miss him bringing us the weather as he is so comfortable delivering it. We have watched him for so many years, he is like an icon on WHAS11. One door closes and another opens.
No matter what Ken does in life he will doe it well.
God Speed, Ken.