Arch-Nemesis No. 1 Is Out the Door

I have absolutely no idea why Steve Shadley, the news anchor for Chicago's WBEZ, "is out after six years at the public radio station," as Robert Feder reported today in the Sun-Times (low in his column). But I can hardly contain my joy that I shall never again hear his mewling, limp, teeth-gratingly annoying voice on the radio.

Steve Shadley has been my nemesis, the embodiment of all that I loathe about Chicago. Every time I heard his voice interrupt a perfectly good "All Things Considered" broadcast, it heralded five agonizing minutes of utterly boring and uncompelling reportage from WBEZ's local radio geniuses about lost cats in the suburbs or some goddamned tree virus that threatens Lincoln Park's greenery. And then when he'd come back to update listeners on the actual NPR news that was coming up, the guy would try to take credit for it: "Coming up, we'll tell you about John Bolton's rough and tumble confirmation hearing today." No you won't Steve. National Public Radio, and their talented, bright anchors and correspondents in Washingon will tell me about Bolton's confirmation. You, Steve Shadley, will sit in a booth in Navy Pier and introduce the 27 traffic reports WBEZ broadcasts every half-hour. Good riddance.

We can only pray that Mike Miner is next.