Bill Tush

William John Tush, III (born October 16, 1948) is an American news journalist and humorist. In high school, Tush showed an early interest in broadcast performance and started working in radio professionally while a Junior in High school. Tush went to work in Atlanta, Georgia for Ted Turner, first as an announcer, later developing Tush, a comedy show broadcast on Turner's WTBS SuperStation.

Early life and education Tush was born October 16, 1948, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the only child of Apolonia "Pauline" (née Kirzyc) and William John Tush Jr.

Living in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Tush attended Arsenal Washington Vocational Technical High School, graduating in 1966.

While in high school, Tush showed an early interest in broadcast performance. He said that as young child he was drawn to radio announcer's voices. "They came alive to me...I was much more comfortable with them than I was the people in my real life."

Tush chose not to attend college in order to continue his professional broadcasting career.

High school announcer While attending high school, Tush conducted the morning audio announcements, using the name "Tush the Great". Tush was a staff member of the Washington Highlights, the high school's newspaper as well as an editor of the school's yearbook The Cavalier. His senior yearbook entry said he "plans to get into the radio".

Early radio station Tush built a low power broadcast radio station in his parents' attic. Using the call letters "WJTC", Tush and a friend broadcast rhythm and blues music and high school news after school on weekdays and all day on weekends. "On a good day, the signal could be heard over the entire block".

Commercial broadcaster while in high school While a junior in high school, Tush was hired by a nearby Latrobe, Pennsylvania radio station as a utility broadcaster, working as a disk jockey, news announcer and engineer, filling in for an employee who had been drafted. Tush said he found himself playing recorded crop reports and hosting the station's "Mid Morning Polka Party".

Tush was drafted in 1969, served in the U.S. Army, spending six months in Vietnam as a communications specialist. He also worked simultaneously on KQV, again using the name Bill Williams to avoid listener confusion.

Atlanta years In 1974, Tush traveled to Atlanta, looking for work. He was hired by WGST AM as a disk jockey playing the station's oldies format. "It was a strange place to work" Tush said. One day, after playing the Johnny Bristol song "Hang on in There Baby", a station employee walked in, picked up the record from the turntable and broke it, saying "I hate that record". The station was WTCG Channel 17. Tush walked into the station carrying his reel-to-reel demo tape and asked if the television station needed any announcers. They did.

It was rebroadcast at 5 am

One stunt saw Tush and his crew promoting the addition of "a new, award-winning weatherman from Cleveland, Ohio". A week-long promotion built audience interest. The day the new "weatherman" started, Tush placed an older announcer who worked off-air for the station in front of a weather map. When the "weatherman" was given his cue that he was on the air, the announcer introduced himself, grabbed his chest and "died" on air, causing another false panic on set.

Tush television show Hoping to capitalize on Tush's growing national fame from the satirical overnight newscasts, Turner told Tush to develop a comedy show for WTBS. "I want you to do a show. It can be variety, it can be comedy, I don't care. I'll pay you $100,000 a year to promise you'll never leave". Tush said "Of course, I'll do that. I won't leave". Turner continued, saying "We're gonna have everything: comedy, singin', maybe even wrasslin'. You're gonna host it!"

Filmography Down to Earth (TV) as a news reporter The Rising Son (TV - Adult Swim) as Pontius Pilate Showbiz Today Tush The Legend of Chick Chandler