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PRENTISS FINDLAYOn Television

TV, radiohighlightsof 2004

It’s almost time for out withthe old and in with the new.But first, take time to replay

a few radio and TV momentsfrom 2004. This highlight reel,composed of events listed in noparticular order of importance,was compiled while recallingthose TV ads for Celebrex thatshowed folks who “Celebrate!” thedrug. Wonder if they’re still par-tying now.

Liberal talk radio began broad-casting recently at WSSP 730-AM,the same frequency where conser-vative talker Rush Limbaugh wasonce found. Now, 730-AM is hometo Limbaugh nemesis Al Franken.Limbaugh and company moved toWSC 94.3-FM. The stations sharethe same ownership. Apparently,ratings and revenue are apoliti-cal.� Clear Channel Radio’s WALC100.5-FM began playing Christ-mas music nonstop on Nov. 5.WSUY 96.9-FM and WCSQ 92.5-FM followed suit on Nov. 19 and21, respectively. Ho! Ho! Ho! Ornot.� “Dick Clark’s Rockin’ NewYear’s Eve” was sidelined whenClark suffered what was de-scribed as a mild stroke. RegisPhilbin was named fill-in host.Maybe it’s time for ABC to re-in-vent this program.

� Dan Rather said he will retireas CBS News anchorman March9. Remember his recent discredit-ed report questioning PresidentBush’s service in the NationalGuard? His retirement and thereport are unrelated. Or so hesays.� Indiana Pacer Ron Artest wentafter a fan in the stands during agame against the Detroit Pistons.The resulting melee gave basket-ball two huge black eyes and ESPN plenty of juicy program-ming.� A jury recommended that ScottPeterson die for the murder of hiswife and unborn child. The passelof cable TV pundits that the trialbirthed finally had to find some-thing else to talk about.� Ken Jennings lost on “Jeop-ardy!” after winning more than $2million. He went home to SaltLake City, presumably to plan hisnext game show appearance.� Charleston lawyer AkimAnastopoulo starred in a success-ful, new syndicated TV courtshow, “Eye For An Eye.” O.J.Simpson house guest Kato Kaelinsigned up to host the show.

� Ashlee Simpson got caught lip-synching on “Saturday NightLive.” Her “Pieces of Me” per-formance debacle was blamed onill health and a technical glitch.� “Desperate Housewives,” asteamy, nighttime soap, becamethe hit of the fall season for a des-perate network, ABC, thus givinghope to all the actors who losttheir jobs because of reality TV.

BY CHRIS NORDEN

Of The Post and Courier Staff

“So many things I could have doneBut clouds got in my way”— Joni Mitchell, “Both Sides Now”

Our tour guide was the first tovoice what all the rest of uswere thinking. “QUITE UN-PLEASANT!” he yelled out.Though just a few feet away

from us, his voice was being blownaway from him so hard that we couldbarely hear him.

“TREACHEROUS,” intoned the re-tired London HR consultant.

“Yes. Could be LETHAL!” acknowl-edged the holographic ink chemistfrom just outside of Manchester.

Frigid, wet 50-mph sustained windswere shoving rain through every seamand micropore of our waterproofs, fill-ing our backpacks with water andturning our hiking boots into squelch-ing, sodden bricks. The guide had cir-cled up our group of eight hill walkersat the rocky 4,012-foot summit of CarnMor Dearg, high in the storm-shroudedScottish Highlands, to assess our situa-tion. The weather conditions hadgrown so increasingly vile, they nowthreatened to consume us.

“ALL RIGHT, AN ATTEMPT HEREAT DEMOCRACY, PEOPLE!” theever-cheerful, stalwart guide calledout to us through the stinging, viciouswet.

“We can continue on along this ridgetoward Ben Nevis,” he cried, pointing10 feet to his left into fog-shroudednothingness, “or we can cut our lossesand return the way we came.”

Ben Nevis, Gaelic for “venomousmountain” and Britain’s highest peakat 4,406 feet, had been the goal of theday’s expedition, but neither it nor theway to it were in any way visible inthe frigid, hard-blowing mist. Today’shike, my first in Scotland, was DayOne of a weeklong “strenuous gradewalking holiday,” the goal of whichwas to hike the most spectacularridges of Scotland’s North-West High-lands without venturing into rock-climbing territory. Already, 80 mphwind gusts had begun slamming intous, forcing us to hit the ground untileach blast subsided.

We were essentially in the midst of acold hurricane. The HR consultant,who had been this way before, chimedin with what we could expect were weto continue. Though Ben Nevis’ summitwas just a few miles ahead, he said, avote to continue on would require us toascend even further into conditions hegrimly termed “considerably nasty.” Inseeming punctuation to his assessment,our sodden, aching bodies were treatedto another surprise gust that blew usoff our feet.

AP

News anchorman Dan Rather

PROVIDED

Jude Law and Ashlee Simpsonon Saturday Night Live.

Into the clouds

PPHHOOTTOOGGRRAAPPHHSS BBYY CCHHRRIISS NNOORRDDEENN//SSTTAAFFFF

Walkers ascend the Saddle of the Forcan Ridge in the Kintail Mountains high above Glen Shiel, Scotland.

Scrambling in the mistup the narrow Forcan

Ridge in the KintailMountains high above

Glen Shiel, Scotland.

The tides of Lochbroom head toward the Summer Isles at sunset from this romantic vantage point along the cliffwalk at Ullapool, Scotland.

Hiking the Highlands

of North-West Scotland

SECTION F SUNDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2004

See CLOUDS, Page 2F

See 2004, Page 2F

� Aletha Smoak of Ravenelswitched lives with an Arkansasmom for the ABC reality show“Wife Swap.” The Arkansas momwas a tree-hugger horrified byGlenn Smoak’s deer hunting. Mrs.Smoak couldn’t stand the messi-ness of the Arkansans.� Conway mortician Marvin La-timer became a reluctant houseguest on “Big Brother 5” on CBS.Afterward, he said the experiencewas hardly brotherly.� Sylvia Jefferies of Charlestonmade her debut as a pole danceron the WB series “One Tree Hill.”� WCSC-TV sports anchor andnewscaster Warren Peper lost hisjob of 30 years. His fans were

stunned.� Janet Jackson bared a breastfor a split second during the Su-per Bowl halftime show. The mo-ment became the “wardrobe mal-function” seen around the world.� Shock jock Howard Stern,weary of being fined for his show,said he’s moving to satellite radio.He claimed the government madehim the fall guy for the Jacksonincident.� CNN’s “Crossfire” and ABC’s“The View” broadcast from theCollege of Charleston.� Old school rhythm and bluesruled at Star 99.7-FM, which be-came the hottest new radio sta-tion in town.

Prentiss Findlay covers radio andtelevision for The Post and Courier.Contact him at 937-5711.

Regaining our footing, the guidecalled out for votes. The six Britsexpressed theirs, one by one. Thechemist then turned to me andpolitely quipped through drivingrain, “Now let’s hear from ourfriends from the Colonies!”

In a low crouch and feeling justa tad overwhelmed at this point, Iwordlessly deferred my turn tothe only other American in thegroup, a rugby-playing Washing-ton, D.C., appellate lawyer who,although an athletic and strap-ping fellow, was now hunchedover to my right in a near ball.His argument was succinct, spo-ken through a slack and shiveringjaw:

“Get down ... fastest way down... take off wet clothes ... warmpub!”

A LAND OF MEMORIESAs a vacation destination, the

Scottish Highlands is not for thefaint of heart, nor for those whofear cold and wet. Its mercurialweather is legendary, and in thesummertime, its drying bogs giverise to clouds of the feared High-land Midges, small biting gnatsthat travel in merciless packs andmake our Lowcountry no-see-umsseem like Care Bears.

But for travelers with an eye forromance, beauty and a sense ofadventure, the Scottish Highlandscan reward with memories thatcannot be collected anywhereelse. For when Highland cloudsclear away (and they do, eventu-ally), they reveal a landscape thatis quite possibly the most haunt-ingly beautiful of any on the faceof this Earth.

Wild, windswept white-sandbeaches with cold, Caribbean-turquoise waters enchant solitaryvisitors just miles from primevalstone landscapes of quartzite andsandstone, crashing waterfallsand silent glens.

Whitewashed fishing villagesand crumbling castle ruins linedeep Highland lochs. Scenic sin-gle-track roads urge explorationof endlessly rising and fallingcoastlines. Downy beds and warmpubs draw you in the eveningswith their fresh salmon from coldScottish rivers and ales andlagers from Scotland’s finestbreweries.

It is a landscape that just criesout to be explored on foot. But be-cause a warm sunny day in Scot-land can turn to driving rain orsnow in a matter of minutes, it iswise if you are planning on doingany big hill walking to have aguide with you who is expertly ac-quainted with local terrain andhazards so you don’t have to be.Which brings us back to our littlegroup ...

“I’ve looked at clouds fromboth sides now

From up and down, and stillsomehow

It’s clouds illusions I recallI really don’t know clouds at

all”— Joni Mitchell, “Both Sides

Now”

Our guide shut off his favoriteJoni Mitchell tape as he pulledour North-West Frontiers Walk-ing Holidays transit van up to thebase of the mountain du jour.Squinting through the drizzle atthe cloud-shrouded heights of thelegendary Liathach (Gaelic for

“The Gray One”), he stated his as-sessment of the conditions: “Grim.But not abysmal.”

It was Day Five of our trip, andby this point, that had become a“good report.” The only sun wehad seen in all this time was abrief flash of it for a few minutesacross a distant hillside. The

British members of the group —all experienced Scottish hill walk-ers — said they had never beforeexperienced in the Highlands any-thing like the intensely wet, sod-den conditions we had borne thepast five days. The Highlandsweather is noted for changeabili-ty, not for consistency.

But all was not lost — at leaston my end. An injury I’d sustainedearly in the trip eventually re-quired medical treatment, caus-ing me to need to visit the hospi-tal in Ullapool, Scotland, on mylast full day, while the rest of thegroup went off to conquer one fi-nal summit. I was released fromthe hospital early in the afternoonto find that it had stopped raining.

And the sun was shining. ANDthe owner of North-West Fron-tiers had pulled his car up to meon the street and was offering mea free two-hour driving touraround the area!

Over the next two hours, withsky, wind, clouds and light aliveand ever-changing over the High-land landscape, I experienced theScotland of dreams. HERE werethe castle ruins and the fishingvillages that I had read so muchabout. In front of me, flocks ofHighland sheep were blocking theroad, delighting me with their

bleating. And over there were theturquoise bays and sugarloafmountains looking just like thehulls of massive upside-downships! After returning to Ullapool,the evening’s sunset indulged inevery mood of the spectrum whileblowing wind cool and freshagainst my cheek.

Somehow, being slammed intothe side of Carn Mor Dearg by 80mph wind gusts six days ago justdidn’t really seem to matter allthat much now. I had persistedthrough a week of strenuous Scot-tish hill walking, and Scotland had rewarded me with imagesthat will stay with me for the restof my life ... and lure me to re-turn.

I recall one great moment whenat the conclusion of our day onLiathach, as our guide was climb-ing into the van, he turned back tome for a moment, smiled mis-chievously and said:

“Hill walking. It’s like having

fun. Only different!”That’s what I call an understate-

ment.

IF YOU GONorth-West Frontiers Ltd.,

based in Ullapool, is the leadingorganizer of walking holidays andhiking vacations in Scotland’sNorth-West Highlands.

In addition to their “strenuousgrade” trips, they also offer a fullvariety of “moderate” and “inter-mediate grade” packages to themost scenic spots in the area. Of-ferings include special-interesttrips focusing on photography andnatural history.

Trips run with a minimum offour, maximum of eight walkersand include an expert guide; ac-commodations and breakfasts incomfortable hotels, guesthousesand B&Bs; and transport duringyour holiday (that very likely willbe not quite so sodden as mine).The easygoing “moderate grade”trips also include all your dinners.www.nwfrontiers.com, (+44 1854612628).

Getting there: ContinentalAirlines (800-231-0856) operatesconnecting flights fromCharleston via Newark to Scot-land’s major cities, Glasgow andEdinburgh, and can arrange yourconnecting flight onward (withBritish Airways operated by Lo-ganair) to Inverness, the High-lands’ major transportation hub.North-West Frontiers will pickyou up at the airport. Or if you’replanning on exploring the High-lands on your own, you can rent acar through Hertz and Avis out ofInverness Airport.

Where to stay: If you opt fora self-made Highlands vacationinstead of one of North-WestFrontiers’ packages, try basingyourself out of one of these lodg-ings:� Riverside Hotel is modestlypriced and just around the cornerfrom the memorable views to-ward the Summer Isles acrossLochbroom. Full Scottish break-fasts are included with yourroom. Riverside welcomes hillwalkers and is an easy four-blockstroll to Ullapool’s harbor. $35-$48. www.riversideullapool.com,(+44) 1854 612 239.� Glenfield Inn. More upscale, butfurther up the hill from the centerof Ullapool, Glenfield’s guestshave free access during their stayto the excellent LochbroomLeisure Centre (health club),where the sauna would be partic-ularly comforting after a longday on the Scottish Hills. $106-$183. www.british-trust-hotels.com, (+44) 1854 612 314.� Inver Lodge Hotel. Up the coastfrom Ullapool, in the quiet fishingvillage of Lochinver and close tostunning white-sand AchmelvichBay, this new hotel offers modernluxuries and spectacular views to-ward the Western Isles. $154-$240. www.inverlodge.com, toll-free from the United States: (800)860-5760.

For more information:� www.escapetotheedge.com� www.visithighlands.com/northern-scottish-highlands� www.assynt.info

Chris Norden works in the MarketingDepartment of The Post and Courier.E-mail him at cnorden@postandcourier.com. His photographs of Scot-land (and the Swiss Alps) are availableas fine art prints and cards throughwww.chrisnorden.com.

ARTS & TRAVEL

CYAN-AOOO MAGENTA-OAOO YELLOW -OOAO BLACK

CCYYAANN--AAOOOOOO MMAAGGEENNTTAA--OOAAOOOO YYEELLLLOOWW--OOOOAAOO BBLLAACCKK

2F.Sunday, December 26, 2004 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The Post and Courier

CLOUDS from Page 1F

2004 from Page 1F

CHRIS NORDEN/STAFF

Achmelvich Bay, a short drive north of Ullapool, Scotland, dazzles with white-sand beaches and cold turquoise waters that add a touch of the Caribbean to the Scottish Highlands.

CHRIS NORDAN/STAFF

Hill walkers, led by Scottish Highlands expert guide Ben Lowe ofNorth-West Frontiers Hiking Holidays (in camouflage jacket), beginthe second day of their “Ridges of the North-West Highlands” tourin the Kintail Mountains high above Glen Shiel, Scotland.

CHRIS NORDEN/STAFF

The fishing village of Ullapool, Scotland, is the largest town andmain tourist center for the North-West Highlands and the ferry portfor departures to the Summer Isles and Isles of Lewis and Harris.

Into the clouds

CHRIS NORDEN/STAFF

The ghostly ruins of Ardvreck Castle, former stronghold of the MacLeods of Assynt, stand just north of Ullapool along the edge of LochAssynt, Scotland.

’04 highlights‘The Real World’ is headed to Texas for 16th season

BY DERRIK J. LANG

Associated Press

NEW YORK—Dude! MTV’s“The Real World” is headed toAustin, Texas.

“We’ve been thinking aboutAustin for a long time,” co-cre-ator and executive producer JonMurray told The AssociatedPress on Wednesday. “It’s a greatcollege town. It’s a great musictown. It’s just a really youngplace. People go to college thereand just don’t want to leave.”

The show brings together sevenstrangers between the ages of 18and 24 to live in a swanky loft or

house and films them around theclock, at home and on the town.

The 16th season’s seven castmembers will start getting realin the Lone Star state early nextyear.

The 24 episodes will begin air-ing in June.

“Austin has a small-town feel,but it has a lot of things going forit in terms of diversity and enter-tainment that make it feel metro-politan,” Murray said.

Murray wouldn’t say where thehouse is, and he was tightlippedon the identities of the sevenstrangers, though he said his cast-ing staff did “a bit of an outreachto people returning from Iraq.”

“We always look for a diversecast,” Murray told the AP. “Theidea of someone who was in Iraq,well, that would certainly meetthat criteria. Ultimately, we

choose from people who apply.” Murray promised “The Real

World” homestead in Austinwould be just as unique and pala-tial as the pier in Seattle, the loftin New York, the mansion in NewOrleans and the former bank inPhiladelphia, the location of thelatest season.

There will be a hot tub, someantiques and maybe even someneon or cowboy kitsch from localstores.

But don’t expect a horse.“In the past 16 seasons, the cast

haven’t done a good job takingcare of fish, so I don’t know abouta horse,” said Murray.

“Austin has a small-townfeel, but it has a lot ofthings going for it interms of diversity andentertainment that makeit feel metropolitan.”

Jon Murray