Watch CBS News

Get to know Mike Pintek

Get to know Mike Pintek through 10 Questions posed by KDKA Program Director, Marshall Adams!

Mike Pintek starts his day earlier and enjoys prime-time TV without a Tivo now that he's hosting noon-3 pm weekdays on NewsRadio 1020 KDKA. The new shift means Mike might be the only KDKA personality in history to have worked, in some form between news and talk duties, every time slot on the station – and that includes weekends and overnights! Mike's seen a lot during his nearly 28 years at Some Place Special. Recently we threatened to make him eat a box of moldy Farkleberry cookies unless he answered these questions administered by KDKA's program director, Marshall Adams.

Q: So exactly when did we hire you?

A: 1982 and 2009 – two tours of duty!

Q: 1982 must have been a heckuva time to cover news in Pittsburgh. What was your first assignment as a reporter?

A: My earliest memory from 1982 was going to the City-County Building to meet Mayor Caliguiri – the shortest politician I'd ever met, but a great mayor of the city of Pittsburgh! While we were there, I picked up and reported on a very X-rated police report on a vice bust at a Liberty Avenue porn parlor!

Q: You've been here a long time. By now, shouldn't you be the CEO or something?

A: Who do you think the CEO reports to? Let's just say the CBS Board of Directors is a smokescreen.

Q: What is the oddest thing to ever happen to you while on the air?

A: During an overnight show on Satanic messages embedded in rock 'n' roll songs, the lights in the studio suddenly flared up and blinked – and our phone system blew out. It scared the daylights out of me!

Q: Actually that happened again this morning during school closings, and we've got building maintenance working on it. You're now filling the vacancy left by Fred Honsberger. What's your favorite memory of Fred?

A: There are many! Like the time in Harrisburg when he got our news car stuck in mud during an Easter egg hunt promotion that went really bad! We were about to be attacked by angry parents! Fortunately, we got away in time – thanks to me getting out in the mud to push! Another typical Fred thing was to make bizarre faces at me to make me laugh while I tried to record news reports. He'd get me laughing so hard that he had to do the recording himself!

Q: Cigna & Honz in the morning: Was it really that bad of an idea?
A: Is that really a question?!

Q: When you start your show at noon, is the seat still warm from Marty?

A: No. Marty is so wound up that he doesn't use a chair. He just keeps bouncing around the studio – off the walls, the ceiling, the floor…

Q: Bigshot talk show hosts like you must get huge perks. What's your favorite?

A: I'm hoping to someday become a "bigshot host" so I can find out about those perks. I'll have to ask Larry Richert about that.

Q: Have you heard "Pants on the Ground"? What is UP with that guy?

A: General Larry Platt is awesome, especially considering he's – what? – 62 years old! I've pulled my pants up, but I still can't get that song out of my head!

Q: What's the best thing about moving to noon-3 pm?

A: Sunshine, and having my evenings free!

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.