[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4825]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO JOHN LANIGAN

 Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I wish to honor John Lanigan, the 
longtime northeast Ohio radio personality, who will broadcast his final 
show on WMJI/Cleveland on March 31, 2014.
  John and I haven't always agreed on all of the issues, but he has 
always been well-read and outspoken, and his at times sharp-witted, 
controversial personality captured the attention of Cleveland 
listeners, whether you agreed with him or not.
  John grew up in Ogallala, NE, and got his start in radio broadcasting 
while still in high school. He worked in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, 
and Colorado--where he would work the overnight shift in Denver and 
then travel to Colorado Springs for the dayshift--before coming to 
Cleveland in 1970.
  He was hired at WGAR to replace Don Imus, and, within a year, the 
show's ratings had nearly doubled, no doubt thanks to his trademark 
style of interjecting jokes in between songs.
  John would go on to Tampa for 2 years, but returned to Cleveland and 
WMJI in 1985, where he made his mark.
  In 1989, comedian Jimmy Malone appeared on the show, and the 
``Lanigan and Malone Show'' was created soon after. No topic was off 
limits for John--politics, sports, music, and entertainment--he covered 
it all. And, if you were a guest, you had better come prepared because 
John was always ready to fire off the tough questions.
  John would occasionally take the show on the road to DC and broadcast 
live from my office in the Senate. I would arrange for guests like 
then-Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama, to come on and be 
interviewed with me.
  While John cemented his loyal following on the radio, they came with 
him when he took his skills to the silver screen, hosting a weekly TV 
show named ``Prize Movie'' on WUAB.
  While he is not on the air, John dedicates his time to benefitting 
his adopted city. He volunteers for the Our Lady of the Wayside, an 
organization that serves hundreds of children and adults with 
developmental disabilities throughout northeast Ohio, even winning 
their Starlight Guardian Humanitarian Award in 2012.
  John came to Cleveland nearly 40 years ago, and though his talents 
could have taken him to any big city in the country, he chose to stay 
in Cleveland. He won the ear of his listeners and viewers because they 
could trust him.
  It is that admirable trait that we will miss with his retirement, but 
it is also what has earned him this retirement--and no more early 
morning wake-up calls.
  John, I wish you all the best in your retirement. Thank you for all 
you have done for your listeners, viewers, and for the city of 
Cleveland.

                          ____________________