THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 17, 1994 TAG: 9407150226
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Rush, move over. And Larry King, look out.
The glib Sidney M. Oman, former mayor of both Chesapeake and Elizabeth City, N.C., will be taking over the daily ``Pat Murphy Morning Talk Show'' on WTAR-AM 790 from 9 to 10 a.m. Thursday.
The show's producer asked Oman to anchor for several days, but Oman could only make it on Thursday. The rest of the time he will be on vacation in Nags Head.
Oman said he met Murphy when the broadcaster was a guest on his WCTV-Channel 23 talk and interview program, ``Sounding Board,'' co-hosted by Dennis McCurdy, program director of WFOS-FM 88.7.
``(Murphy) called me at home the other morning and wanted me to do the show,'' Oman said. Never one to shy away from radio or television, Oman accepted.
Is he worried about the program's freewheeling style of callers, phoning in and commenting on anything under the sun?
``I never worry about things like that,'' Oman said, laughing. ``I've been in politics too long.''
He added that when he was mayor of Elizabeth City, he hosted a weekly call-in show where he received spontaneous comments and calls from disgruntled citizens, curious voters and city gadflies.
``I loved it,'' Oman said emphatically. ``I was able to talk to many citizens who were confused on matters of government. It allowed me to tackle problems and ideas head on.''
Oman said he will not prepare for the show. Instead, he'll just rely on his knowledge and years of political, public relations and media experience.
``I'm going to go in cold, it's better that way,'' he said. ``I just plan to have fun with it. I just hope we'll talk about other things than O.J. Simpson, there's other subjects to discuss.''
One last thing Oman hopes to clear up when he hosts the show: Who's this guy Sid from Chesapeake?
``There's a guy who regularly calls Murphy's show and identifies himself as Sid from Chesapeake,'' Oman said. ``People keep mistaking him for me. But it's not me. I'm hoping he'll call. I'd just like to know more about him.''
- Eric Feber ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Sidney M. Oman will be hosting the ``Pat Murphy Morning Talk Show''
on WTAR-AM 790 from 9 to 10 a.m. on Thursday.
by CNB