Eric Slocum leaving KOMO under his own power

It could be a matter of another rodent exiting the marine transportation, but Eric Slocum, after six years at KOMO Newsradio (and over a decade as anchor on KOMO teevee) says he's leaving the Fisher auspices to write a memoir.

Or it may be, as he's written in one of his poems: "... what is perceived as vanity or greed may indeed be the will to live."

Here's his letter of resignation:

Dear Dennis.
  As I've discussed with you, during the course of my 32 years in broadcasting-- the six-years I've spent with KOMO 1000 Newsradio are the best of the best. I've LOVED the experience so very much.  Though I'll always remain a journalist and never truly retire from broadcasting, I've discussed with you my desire to take a year and a half to write a memoir.  THAT is a full-time job.  In order to do it properly, I have to leave KOMO, though I do so with only the deepest gratitude to you, Brian, Fisher and my beloved co-workers. You know that I'm here for as long as you need me for a smooth transition.
  A couple of things I want to make very clear to my co-workers:  I ADORE you.  You've taught an old TV-guy how to do radio and I'm so grateful for your help at every turn.  I've learned so much from each and every one of you.  I also want you to know that I've thought about this decision for many months and believe, deep in my heart, this is the right move for me.
  Hopefully, a year or so from now, after I have a bestseller on my hands (he says smiling and dreaming)-- I can return to KOMO 1000 Newsradio on a fill-in basis.  I'll always be a broadcaster in some way, shape or form.  You can't teach an old newsdog too many new tricks.
    I thank you, Dennis, for understanding my decision and helping me communicate it properly to my colleagues.
Sincerely, Eric

Comments

[AuthenticAndrew]

Memoir: one of the more ponderous self aggrandizing expressions of the mid-life crisis. Every boomer that ate gruel as a kid to one day enjoy steak dinners thinks they heroicly rose from adversity and that every bit of good fortune that came their way was orchestrated by themselves and now they're just dying to share their awesomeness with the hopeless morons that are soon to fill their shoes.

Dori Monson hasn't admitted to it yet but you know he's working on a memoir because he's constantly referring back on his chuildhood and early career as if it was a page ripped from a Great American Novel. Look for Dori T. Monson's self published memoir on Amazon.com in.. what is he 45?.. within the next 2-5 years.

[Ignoramus]

Eric has had a pretty interesting life. Not so many openly gay newscasters out there.

[AuthenticAndrew]

Oh, well that is something, or atleast it might be.

[TR @ WSB]

Good luck to Eric. He was a major anchor at KOMO (I seem to recall, 6:30 pm with Kerry Brock) when I started there in 1991. I used to dream about taking a sabbatical to write a book myself (fiction) but after about 200 stops and starts, I realized I'm only meant to write in short bursts, and therefore the Web's the perfect place. But I'm glad the art of the book's not dead yet; some stories need a lot of room for the telling.

[where's waldo]

You don't hear about someone leaving in such a positive fashion in radio. Wish all stations let their employees do this. I remember when I put in a resignation at a music station in the 1980's. The day before my last day, the program director took me off the air, afraid of what I might say on my last day. Glad that guy is out of the business. I never got to say goodbye to the listeners.

Dennis sounds like a fair guy.
Too bad Eric is leaving. He and Lisa make a nice team together.

[RobP]

Michael got it right - Eric isn't leaving to write a book - he's smart enough to get while the getting's good.

Why do you think he's staying until the end of September? Maybe because that's when the Mariners rights on KOMO ends?

>>Dennis sounds like a fair guy. <<
A comment that only could be made by someone who never worked for or with him.

[chuck]

Eric is queer? hory crap, really?
Is it ok if I still like him? He has been a positive influence in our area in both TV and radio.
Good luck in what ever you choose Eric. Because of honest, hard work, you do deserve reward.

[Dan]

Isn't his real name Dan? I seem to remember that when he started at KOMO they made him change his name to Eric because they already had a Dan (Lewis).

[marie]

You all have it wrong. Eric has been outlining chapters of his memoir for years. He's not leaving while the gettin's good. Do you really think he would have stuck with broadcasting for so many years if he wanted it 'good.' This business is a tough bitch and only the strong survive. He's led an amazing life and I think, 'authentic andrew', you'll eat your words when you read his book. I hope you're 'authentic' enough to apologize for the distasteful assumption you have made about my friend.

[yael]

Eric, I am sorry but today, I received by mistake, 3 copies of your poem book!!!! (From BLURB)

Did you received mine?
Let me know that,
Yael.

[MikeD]

You can hear him doing the 5:03 News on KTTH 770 now. Wow Talk about bi partisan!

[me.yahoo.com/a/lsFpiSFt3p8cig0sWPHKLhQBGipuBkdssJnot5ctt0oL]

Way way way back in the day, When he was in the Oklahoma City market, he was known as Dan Slocum. He was quite handsome, and his co-anchor (who was incredibly incredibly hot, I would kill to remember her name) used to flirt with him on air. They seemed quite close. Either she knew, and was providing "cover" for Eric, or it must have been a semi-shock to her. Our family always liked Eric (although he will always be Dan in my mind) and loyally watched his weekend broadcasts. We were very sad to see him go. However there were some cruel rumors flying around at that time. You have to remember this was before internet became a part of the popular culture, and this rumor about Eric persisted very strongly in the Oklahoma City market. Along with a connected RUMOR about one of the Mathis Brothers, siblings that run a HUGE furniture warehouse in OKC. I believe (although I do not know for a FACT) that it was this that made Eric go to Seattle. Oklahoma is a very very conservative state and those rumors probably had a part in pushing him off the station (again I'm not certain, justa good guess). Our family never cared about that. We thought he was a fine journalist. Wish Eric (Dan to me) the best (flaming gay, closet gay, or otherwise). A good human being.