Bob Andelman, aka Mr. Media, has passed away.
Robert Stephen (Bob) Andelman
October 9, 1960 – February 24, 2020
journalist, author, talk show host
From the St. Petersburg Catalyst obituary:
Journalist and author Bob Andelman, a longtime presence in St. Petersburg media, died Monday after a short battle with a rare form of cancer. He was 59.
A former music and culture writer for the Tampa Bay Times (when it was called the St. Petersburg Times) and the now-defunct Tampa Tribune, Andelman also covered area music for Tampa Bay Weekly, Pulse and Players. His byline appeared in Newsweek and Business Week.
He was the author or co-author of 16 books spanning a range of topics including sports, business, entertainment and even self-help.
Andelman was known internationally for his Mr. Media interviews with writers, musicians, celebrities and others from the world of entertainment and popular culture. He began the Mr. Media website in 1995; the podcast – with more than 900 recorded interviews – launched in 2007.
A couple years ago Crowdfire, a social media trend site, threw its spotlight on Bob:
Bob Andelman is not your run of the mill podcaster. He’s the man behind the decades old production, Mr. Media, established in 1994 as a weekly newspaper column. Bob has gone on to write hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles, has authored and co-authored more than 16 books, and has a venerable archive of more than 1,300 interviews with erstwhile figures from pop culture over the years.
He’s dabbled in business, culture, and the arts and has collaborated with various business leaders to help pen down their own inspirational stories as a ghostwriter with full credits.
The BlogTalk Radio introduction to Bob’s interviews:
What is Mr. Media® Interviews? The curiosity of Terry Gross, the skepticism of John Oliver, the unpredictability of Howard Stern, and, on occasion, the zen of Jon Stewart! Since February 2007, more than 1,300 exclusive Hollywood, celebrity, pop culture video and audio podcast and print interviews by Mr. Media®, a.k.a., Bob Andelman, with newsmakers in TV, radio, movies, music, magazines, newspapers, books, websites, social media, politics, sports, graphic novels, and comics!
Here at The Daily Cartoonist Bob’s interviews with comic creators was regularly noted in the Alan Gardner years; while those of us at the newly revived TDC had just begun a relationship with Bob.
We are saddened by the loss of a gentleman and friend.
Damn shocking news. I had the honor of being the subject of one of the over 900 interviewees that Bob “Mr. Media” gave. He was gracious, thoughtful & a true enthusiast. After the interview, he called me to say thanks. He was such a gentleman.
So sorry to hear this. Bob was such a pleasant man and really loved comics and cartoonists. I’m so sorry I never met him in person, but he did a wonderful, thoughtful, and kind interview. A Dio, Bob!
Bob was the publisher of my latest book, Tales From The Trumpster Fire, which came out just last November. We were in constant contact every day, multiple times a day during the final stages. He also interviewed twice on his podcast. He became a very good friend. He was a gentleman and a big advocate for cartoonists.
I knew he had health issues and he was very self-conscious of his appearance, which there wasn’t anything wrong with. I constantly reassured him he didn’t have anything to worry about with his podcast image. During the entire time we were doing the book, he was dying and he never told me. On top of that, he put so much work and effort into the thing. Maybe it was something he needed to do. Today, I kinda like to think that.
I’m going to miss him terribly. I sure would like to talk to him.
-Clay Jones