Philly girl goes south
New beginnings for former nude model/TV anchor
Former NBC10 news anchor Sharon Reed has landed a new gig in Atlanta.
WGCL-TV, Atlanta's CBS affiliate, has hired Reed as their primetime evening news anchor. She'll be moving from sister CBS affiliate KMOV-TV, in St. Louis, where she's worked since 2012. She starts work in the middle of next month.
"Every city has something special about it. Philly's got my hometown love, but I think the markets are similar in this regard," she told me yesterday during a phone interview.
"It's one viewer-one connection at a time, and that's what I've tried to focus on. I've been to Atlanta a lot and love the people there already, and if you want to make an honest, authentic connection, it'll serve you well with viewers."
In 2004, while reporting for another CBS sister station, in Cleveland, Reed stripped naked to pose for "Body of Art," a human installation photograph by New York artist Spencer Tunick.
She left Philadelphia in 2002 after owning up to making harassing and threatening Internet postings aimed at reporter Alicia Taylor, a co-worker at NBC10.
She's given us - and made - headlines for a number of news stories, including a stint on David Letterman. Asked about her past of making news, Reed said that broadcasters are no different from ordinary people.
"You ebb and flow in your career," she said.
"I'm certainly proud of my career and its growth and looking forward to the next chapter. Viewers just want somebody who's authentic and like them in that you don't have to be somebody on a pedestal . . . just somebody they can relate to."
In addition to Philly, Reed also has worked as an anchor and reporter in Baltimore, Miami and Cleveland. She and her 3-year old daughter will be moving to Atlanta next week.
Out and about
Frank Sinatra Jr. brought his orchestra members down from a Memorial Day weekend performance in the suburbs to enjoy some crab fries at a South Philly favorite.
Sinatra and Co. ate dinner Friday at Chickie's & Pete's (1526 Packer Ave.), where they feasted on mussels, clams, snow crabs and lobster pizza. This was a night before his performance at Valley Forge Casino (1160 1st Ave., King of Prussia).
I'm told that Sinatra was introduced to Chickie's and Pete's by longtime friend and local radio icon (and Frank Sr. fan extraordinaire) Sid Mark, of "Sounds of Sinatra" on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT.
Hats off to Old City fixture
Old City's Khyber Pass Pub has made the list of Esquire magazine's "Best Bars in America."
The June/July issue of the popular men's magazine features the annual list of the best watering holes from coast to coast, and now the Khyber has been added to its ever-growing roster. This coming month's list includes Esquire's favorites in the northeast part of the country.
"Back in the 1980s, the Khyber was where all the punk bands played," wrote Esquire's chief cocktail historian, David Wondrich.
"Nowadays, the bands are gone and it's a lot cleaner. But there's still a great rock-'n'-roll jukebox, decent New Orleans food (and cocktails) and a whole lot of craft beer on tap."
Congrats to Khyber owners Stephen Simon and David Frank.
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