Dan Gross | Cody's done at WURD
CODY ANDERSON worked his last day as general manager of WURD (900-AM) on Friday, Anderson confirmed yesterday. A former owner of WHAT (1340-AM) and before that a longtime host on WDAS, Anderson was with WURD for about five years, co-hosting mornings.
C
ODY ANDERSON
worked his last day as general manager of WURD (900-AM) on Friday, Anderson confirmed yesterday. A former owner of WHAT (1340-AM) and before that a longtime host on WDAS, Anderson was with WURD for about five years, co-hosting mornings.
He's been replaced by Kernie Anderson, no relation, who also worked at WHAT. Kernie Anderson began as general manager yesterday. With the recent demise of WHAT (1340-AM), known as The Voice of the African-American Community, which is now an alternative music station called Skin Radio, WURD has picked up listeners interested in its African-American talk-radio format.
Anderson says WURD owner Dr. Walter Lomax "was ready to make a management change, and I was ready to leave." He'll now focus full time on his PR firm ACG Associates. Lomax couldn't be reached for comment.
* In other WURD news, the Anti-Defamation League continues to complain to WURD about Brother Rob's program, as the People Paper's Wendy Ruderman recently reported. In a letter from the ADL's Barry Morrison to station management, Brother Rob on his July 17 program engaged in his "distasteful and offensive ridicule of whites, suggesting they engage in bestiality."
Wahlberg reads to his kids
Local moms swooned as actor Mark Wahlberg read to his children, Michael and Ella, Sunday afternoon while shopping in the children's section of the Rittenhouse Square Barnes & Noble.
His girlfriend, Rhea Durham, the kids' mom, was there. The "Invincible" and "Shooter" star is in town shooting M. Night Shyamalan's "The Happening," with John Leguizamo and Zooey Deschanel.
Beauty queen's a mom
Ashley Harder and her new baby share a birthday. The former Miss New Jersey USA gave birth early Sunday, her 21st birthday, to Ava Marie at a New Jersey hospital. Harder, as we exclusively reported Jan. 15, resigned as Miss New Jersey USA after discovering she was pregnant with boyfriend Gregg D'Antonio's baby.
The Camden Catholic grad is part of the CW Philly 57 Crew, appearing on-air and serving as a community ambassador. Ava Marie weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces.
Out and about
Eagles Hank Baskett, Todd Herremans, Matt McCoy, Trent Cole and the Big Kid Shawn Andrews were among Eagles at the Old City hotspot 32° (16 S. 2nd) over the weekend.
* NBC-10's Aditi Roy brought her par-
ents, visiting from California, to dinner at Striped Bass (1500 Walnut) Friday.
* Ava Gudonis, daughter of 610 WIP's
Big Daddy Graham, took the stage with LeCompt and belted out Journey's "Don't Stop Believin' " Sunday night at the Springfield Inn in Sea Isle. Graham is back in Sea Isle Saturday to play Coffee.Comedy (29 JFK), owned by WIP's
Steve Trevelise and wife Deneen.
Charitably minded
Alex's Lemonade Stands will be set up at local Starbucks from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today to collect money for the pediatric-cancer charity. Today through Aug. 27, area Starbucks will donate $1 from each sale of a $2 lemon cookie to the charity, founded by Wynnewood's Alexandra Scott, who died at age 8 in August 2004.
* The Ugly Moose (443 Shurs Lane) in
Manayunk was the site of a successful Saturday fundraiser for 2 1/2-year-old Lydia Frederick, daughter of NBC-10 cameraman Joe Frederick and wife Debbie, a former NBC-10 staffer. Lydia has neuroblastoma, the same disease that afflicted Alex Scott. The event, organized by producer Michelle Bradsher and photog Rich Notaro, raised more than $20,000. Attendees included NBC-10's Mike Strug, Tracy Davidson, Dawn Timmeney and Renee Chenault-Fattah, with husband U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, also 6ABC's Nydia Han, and Fox 29's Dawn Stensland and husband CBS 3's Larry Mendte. Also, NBC-10's Deanna Durante, whose parents offered a trip to their Seaside Heights beach house for auction. Many NBC-10 staffers who did not make the party contributed money to the worthy cause.
Marge moving on from CBS 3
CBS 3's Marge Pala has retired from the TV station where she's worked nearly 30 years. Pala started at KYW-TV in 1978 as an investigative reporter after working at the Wilmington News Journal. She took a leave from the station in April.*
Call Dan at 215-854-5963, or send e-mail to grossd@
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