Phrenology (from Greek: φρήν, ''phrēn'', "mind"; and λόγος, ''logos'', "knowledge") is a pseudoscience primarily focused on measurements of the human skull, based on the concept that the brain is the organ of the mind, and that certain brain areas have localized, specific functions or modules. Following the materialist notions of mental functions originating in the brain, phrenologists believed that human conduct could best be understood in neurological rather than philosophical or religious terms. Developed by German physician Franz Joseph Gall in 1796, the discipline was very popular in the 19th century, especially from about 1810 until 1840. The principal British centre for phrenology was Edinburgh, where the Edinburgh Phrenological Society was established in 1820. In 1843, François Magendie referred to phrenology as "''a pseudo-science of the present day''."

Phrenological thinking was, however, influential in 19th-century psychiatry and modern neuroscience. Gall's assumption that character, thoughts, and emotions are located in the brain is considered an important historical advance toward neuropsychology.

Phrenologists believed that the mind has a set of different mental faculties, with each particular faculty represented in a different area of the brain. These areas were said to be proportional to a person's propensities, and the importance of the given mental faculty. It was believed that the cranial bone conformed in order to accommodate the different sizes of these particular areas of the brain in different individuals, so that a person's capacity for a given personality trait could be determined simply by measuring the area of the skull that overlies the corresponding area of the brain.

As a type of theory of personality, phrenology can be considered to be an advance over the old medical theory of the four humors. Phrenology, which focuses on personality and character, should be distinguished from craniometry, which is the study of skull size, weight and shape, and physiognomy, the study of facial features.

History

The first philosopher to locate the mental abilities of the brain was Aristoteles. However, the first attempts to measure skull shape scientifically, and its alleged relation to character, were performed by the German physician Franz Joseph Gall (1758–1828), who is considered the initiator of phrenology. Gall was one of the first researchers to consider the brain to be the source of all mental activity.

In 1809 Gall began writing his greatest work ''"The Anatomy and Physiology of the Nervous System in General, and of the Brain in Particular, with Observations upon the possibility of ascertaining the several Intellectual and Moral Dispositions of Man and Animal, by the configuration of their Heads''. It was not published until 1819. In the introduction to this main work, Gall makes the following statement in regard to his doctrinal principles, which comprise the intellectual basis of phrenology:

That moral and intellectual faculties are innate

That their exercise or manifestation depends on organization

That the brain is the organ of all the propensities, sentiments and faculties

That the brain is composed of as many particular organs as there are propensities, sentiments and faculties which differ essentially from each other.

That the form of the head or cranium represents the form of the brain, and thus reflects the relative development of the brain organs.

Through careful observation and extensive experimentation, Gall believed he had established a relationship between aspects of character, called ''faculties'', to precise ''organs'' in the brain. Gall's most important collaborator was Johann Spurzheim (1776-1832), who disseminated phrenology successfully in the United Kingdom and the United States. He popularized the term ''phrenology'' (from the Greek word "phrenos" meaning "brain": compare with the word "schizophrenia").

Other significant phrenologists included the Scottish brothers George Combe (1788–1858) and Andrew Combe (1797–1847), who initiated the Phrenological Society of Edinburgh. This Edinburgh group included a number of extremely influential social reformers and intellectuals, including the publisher Robert Chambers, the astronomer John Pringle Nichol, the evolutionary environmentalist Hewett Cottrell Watson and asylum reformer William A.F. Browne. George Combe was the author of some of the most popular works on phrenology and mental hygiene, e.g., ''The Constitution of Man'' (1828) and ''Elements of Phrenology''.

The American brothers Lorenzo Niles Fowler (1811–1896) and Orson Squire Fowler (1809–1887) were leading phrenologists of their time. Orson, together with associates Samuel Wells and Nelson Sizer, ran the phrenological business and publishing house ''Fowlers & Wells'' in New York City. Meanwhile, Lorenzo spent much of his life in England where he initiated the famous phrenological publishing house, L.N Fowler & Co., and gained considerable fame with his ''phrenology head'' (a china head showing the phrenological faculties), which has become a symbol of the discipline.

thumbnail|250px|right|1848 edition of American Phrenological Journal published by Fowlers & Wells, New York City.In the Victorian age, phrenology as a psychology was taken seriously and permeated the literature and novels of the day. Many prominent public figures such as the Reverend Henry Ward Beecher (a college classmate and initial partner of Orson Fowler) promoted phrenology actively as a source of psychological insight and self-knowledge. Thousands of people consulted phrenologists for advice in various matters, such as hiring personnel or finding suitable marriage partners. As such, phrenology as a brain science waned but developed into the popular psychology of the 19th century and functioned in approximately the same way as psychoanalysis permeated social thought and relationships a century later. Beginning during the 1840s, phrenology in North America became part of a counter-culture movement evident in the appearance of new dress styles, communes, mesmerism, and a revival of herbal remedies. Orson Fowler himself was known for his octogonal house.

Throughout, however, phrenology was rejected by mainstream academia, and was for instance excluded from the British Association for the Advancement of Science. The popularity of phrenology fluctuated during the 19th century, with some researchers comparing the field to astrology, chiromancy, or merely a fairground attraction, while others wrote serious scientific articles on the subject. The last phrenology book in English to receive serious consideration by mainstream science was The Brain and Its Physiology (1846) by Daniel Noble, but his friend, William Carpenter, wrote a lengthy review article that initiated his realization that phrenology could not be considered a serious science, and his later books reflect his acceptance of British psycho-physiology.

Phrenology was also very popular in the United States, where automatic devices for phrenological analysis were devised. One such ''Automatic Electric Phrenometer'' is displayed in the Collection of Questionable Medical Devices in the Science Museum of Minnesota in Saint Paul.

During the early 20th century, a revival of interest in phrenology occurred on the fringe, partly because of studies of evolution, criminology and anthropology (as pursued by Cesare Lombroso). The most famous British phrenologist of the 20th century was the London psychiatrist Bernard Hollander (1864–1934). His main works, ''The Mental Function of the Brain'' (1901) and ''Scientific Phrenology'' (1902) are an appraisal of Gall's teachings. Hollander introduced a quantitative approach to the phrenological diagnosis, defining a method for measuring the skull, and comparing the measurements with statistical averages.

In Belgium, Paul Bouts (1900–1999) began studying phrenology from a pedagogical background, using the phrenological analysis to define an individual pedagogy. Combining phrenology with typology and graphology, he coined a global approach known as psychognomy.

Bouts, a Roman Catholic priest, became the main promoter of renewed 20th-century interest in phrenology and psychognomy in Belgium. He was also active in Brazil and Canada, where he founded institutes for characterology. His works ''Psychognomie'' and ''Les Grandioses Destinées individuelle et humaine dans la lumière de la Caractérologie et de l'Evolution cérébro-cranienne'' are considered standard works in the field. In the latter work, which examines the subject of paleoanthropology, Bouts developed a teleological and orthogenetical view on a ''perfecting evolution'', from the paleo-encephalical skull shapes of prehistoric man, which he considered still prevalent in criminals and savages, towards a higher form of mankind, thus perpetuating phrenology's problematic racializing of the human frame. Bouts died on March 7, 1999, after which his work has been continued by the Dutch foundation PPP (''Per Pulchritudinem in Pulchritudine''), operated by Anette Müller, one of Bouts' students.

During the 1930s, Belgian colonial authorities in Rwanda used phrenology to explain the so-called superiority of Tutsis over Hutus.

Empirical refutation induced most scientists to abandon phrenology as a science by the early 20th century. For example, various cases were observed of clearly aggressive people displaying a well-developed "benevolent organ", findings that contradicted the logic of the discipline. With advances in the studies of psychology and psychiatry, many scientists became skeptical of the claim that human character can be determined by simple, external measures.

On Monday, October 1, 2007 the State of Michigan included phrenology in a list of personal services subject to sales tax.

Method

Phrenology was a complex process that involved feeling the bumps in the skull to determine an individual's psychological attributes. Franz Joseph Gall first believed that the brain was made up of 27 individual 'organs' that created one's personality, with the first 19 of these 'organs' believed to exist in other animal species. Phrenologists would run their fingertips and palms over the skulls of their patients to feel for enlargements or indentations. The phrenologist would usually take measurements of the overall head size using a caliper. With this information, the phrenologist would assess the character and temperament of the patient and address each of the 27 "brain organs". This type of analysis was used to predict the kinds of relationships and behaviors to which the patient was prone. In its heyday during the 1820s-1840s, phrenology was often used to predict a child's future life, to assess prospective marriage partners and to provide background checks for job applicants.

Gall's list of the "brain organs" was lengthy and specific, as he believed that each bump or indentation in a patient's skull corresponded to his "brain map". An enlarged bump meant that the patient utilized that particular "organ" extensively. The 27 areas were varied in function, from sense of color, to the likelihood of religiosity, to the potential to commit murder. Each of the 27 "brain organs" was located in a specific area of the skull. As a phrenologist felt the skull, he could refer to a numbered diagram showing where each functional area was believed to be located.

Pseudoscience

Coordinates	51°37′″N17°8′″N
Topics	Medicine, Psychology
Claims	Shape of the head determines character, personality traits and criminality.
Origyear	1800
Origprop	Franz Joseph Gall
Currentprop	Bernard Hollander, Paul Bouts, ''Per Pulchritudinem in Pulchritudine'' }}

Phrenology has long been dismissed as a pseudoscience because of neurological advances. During the discipline's heyday, phrenologists including Gall committed many errors. In his book ''The Beginner's Guide to Scientific Method'' Stephen S. Carey explains that pseudoscience can be defined as "fallacious applications of the scientific method" by today's standards. Phrenologists made dubious inferences between bumps in people's skulls and their personalities, claiming that the bumps were the determinant of personality. Some of the more valid assumptions of phrenology (e.g., that mental processes can be localized in the brain) remain in modern neuroimaging techniques and modularity of mind theory. According to Karl Popper, phrenology is viewed as pseudoscience since it neither makes risky predictions, nor provides the chance for others to prove if it is a real theory. Phrenology explains their diagnostic examinee broadly. Unlike science, it does not have an exact answer to support their predictions. Also, through advancements in modern medicine and neuroscience, scientists have universally concluded that feeling conformations of the outer skull is not an accurate predictor of behavior.

Popular culture

In Bram Stoker's ''Dracula'', several characters make phrenological observations in describing other characters.

Charlotte Brontë, as well as her sister Anne Brontë, display a belief in phrenology in their works.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's fictional detective Sherlock Holmes makes occasional references to phrenology; namely in "The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle" where he deduces the intelligence of a hat's owner by the size of his head and also, regarding his arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty, deeming that his highly-domed forehead is a mark of his superior intellect. Most importantly, in The Hound of the Baskervilles, Dr. Mortimer makes an examination of Holmes' skull, remarking on the dolichocephalic features and the ''supra-orbital fossa''.

The comedy-musical play ''Heid'' (pronounced 'Heed', a Scottish inflection of the word 'Head') by Forbes Masson alluded to the phrenology work of George Combe, citing the pseudoscience's influence on a young Charles Darwin as an inspiration for writers.

Several literary critics have noted the influence of phrenology (and physiognomy) in Edgar Allan Poe's fiction.

In the novel ''The War of the End of the World'' from Latin American writer Mario Vargas Llosa, one of the main characters is Galileo Gall, a phrenologist who had adopted his new name because of Galileo Galilei and Franz Joseph Gall, founder of the science of phrenology.

In the novel ''Moby-Dick'' by Herman Melville many references are made to phrenology and the narrator identifies himself as an amateur phrenologist.

See also

Anthropometry

Craniometry

Characterology

Pathognomy

Personology

Physiognomy

Psychognomy

localization of brain function

Brodmann's areas

neuro-imaging

faculty psychology

References

External links

''The History of Phrenology on the Web'' by John van Wyhe, PhD.

''Phrenology: an Overview'' includes The History of Phrenology by John van Wyhe, PhD.

The Phrenology Pages, a Belgian site advocating phrenology.

Phrenology Today! Russian portal, advocating phrenology. Articles on so-called modern phrenology.

Examples of phrenological tools can be seen in ''The Museum of Questionable Medical Devices'' in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S..

Joseph Vimont: ''Traité de phrénologie humaine et comparée. (Paris, 1832-1835)''. Selected pages scanned from the original work. Historical Anatomies on the Web. US National Library of Medicine.

Jean-Claude Vimont: ''Phrénologie à Rouen, les moulages du musée Flaubert d'histoire de la médecine''

''Phrenology: History of a Classic Pseudoscience'' - by Steven Novella MD

''Historical Deadwood Newspaper accounts of C. R. Broadbent'' well known speaker on Phrenology and Physiology visit Deadwood SD 1878

The Skeptic's Dictionary by Robert Todd Carroll

''Who Named It?'' Franz Joseph Gall Biography of Franz Joseph Gall and his creation: Phrenology.

''Phrenology'' by George Burgess (1829-1905) George Burgess, Phrenologist in Bristol, England 1861-1901.

''History of the Phrenology Bust as developed by Spurzheim''

George Combe's ''Elements of Phrenology''.

Psychophysiognomy Today! Polish portal, advocating psychophysiognomy. Articles on modern psychophysiognomy and the current use of psychophysiognomy in the personal consultation CVonVideo

Phrenology Tools of the Trade.

''Early accounts of Phrenology practice''

''Brain and Mind'' (electronic magazine on Neuroscience) ''Modern Phrenology'' Offshoots of Phrenology: ''Crainiology'' and ''Anthropometry''

Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Course material.

Category:Obsolete scientific theories Category:Pseudoscience * Category:History of neuroscience Category:History of ideas Category:History of astrology Category:History of psychology

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Coordinates	51°37′″N17°8′″N
Name	Black Thought
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Tariq Trotter
Origin	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Birth date	October 03, 1971
Genre	Hip hop
Years active	1987–present
Label	DGC/Geffen/MCA RecordsDef Jam Recordings
Associated acts	The Roots, Money Making Jam Boys, Black Star, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common
Website	www.myspace.com/blackthought }}

Tariq Trotter (born on October 3, 1971), better known as Black Thought, is an American hip-hop artist who is the lead MC of the Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots and occasional actor. Black Thought, who co-founded The Roots with drummer ?uestlove (Ahmir Thompson), is widely lauded for his complex and politically aware lyrical content, and his sharply honed live performances.

Early life

Black Thought was born Tariq Trotter and attended the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts and Millersville University. In 1987, Trotter became friends with drummer Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson and formed a drummer/MC duo performing on the streets of Philadelphia and at talent shows. Trotter would subsequently spend some time as one of two MCs in the group The Square Roots: the other one was Malik B., who Tariq met in college. In high-school, Black Thought converted to the Islamic sect of The Nation of Gods and Earths.

The Roots

The Square Roots renamed themselves the Roots and released its debut album ''Organix'' in 1993, to prepare for a concert in Germany. The Roots signed to DGC and followed up with ''Do You Want More?!!!??!'' in 1995. Recorded without any sampling, the album was more popular among alternative music fans than those of hip hop. Around the release of the album, the Roots performed at the Lollapalooza alternative music festival and Montreux Jazz Festival. ''Illadelph Halflife'', the band's 1996 album, became its first album to chart within the top 40 spots on the Billboard 200 because of the successful single "What They Do". ''Things Fall Apart'' followed in 1999, the year the band played at the Woodstock 99 concert.

In 2000, the Roots won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for "You Got Me", with guest performances by Erykah Badu and Eve. The Roots' album ''Things Fall Apart'' was nominated for the Best Rap Album award. For Jay-Z's acoustic concert for the television program ''MTV Unplugged'', The Roots provided instrumentals. Succeeding albums were ''Phrenology'' (2002), ''The Tipping Point'' (2004), ''Game Theory'' (2006), ''Rising Down'' (2008), and ''How I Got Over'' (2010).

Other work

Films in which Black Thought starred in include ''Bamboozled'' (2000), ''Perfume'', ''Love Rome'', and ''Brooklyn Babylon'' (both 2001).

Thought has also made guest performances on several other records including "Pimpas Paradise" by Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley, ''Team'' by Dilated Peoples, ''One Day It'll All Make Sense'' by Common, ''Reanimation'' by Linkin Park, ''Pick a Bigger Weapon'' by The Coup, ''The Rising Tied'' by Fort Minor, Mos Def & Talib Kweli's Black Star album and ''A Ma Zone'' by Zap Mama.

Black Thought recorded a solo album to be titled ''Masterpiece Theatre'' and released in summer 2001, but the project was scrapped after learning that the album wouldn't count towards The Roots' current contract commitments. Most of the songs demoed wound up on The Roots' ''Phrenology'' album. In 2006, he began working on a collaborative project with producer Danger Mouse titled ''Dangerous Thoughts''. In a June 2008 interview with Brian Kayser of the website ''HipHopGame'', Black Thought spoke of yet another solo project, which will come out on the label Razor and Tie. He stated that there would be the possibility of Questlove working on production. In 2008, Peta2.com nominated Black Thought as among the "World's Sexiest Vegetarians".

In February 2011, Black Thought, along with 10.Deep and his side collective "Money Making Jam Boys", which includes Dice Raw, S.T.S., Truck North, & P.O.R.N., released the mixtape titled ''The Prestige''.

Discography

''The Talented Mr. Trotter'' (2011)

Appearances

1995: "Meiso", ''Meiso'', DJ Krush

1996: "Da Jawn", Kollage, Bahamadia

1997: "Get This Low", ''The Psycho-Social,'' ''Jedi Mind Tricks''

1997: "Stolen Moments, Pt. 2", ''One Day It'll All Make Sense'', Common

1997: "Listen To This", Listen To This, Walkin' Large

1998: "It's About That Time", ''Soul Survivor'', Pete Rock

1998: "Live From the Sretch Armstrong Show", ''Lyricist Lounge Volume One'', Various Artists

1998: "Super Lyrical", ''Capital Punishment'', Big Pun

1998: "Tabou (Roots Remix)", ''Princesses Nubians'', Les Nubians

1999: "Burnin' and Lootin'", ''Chant Down Babylon (Post-Humous Remix)'', Bob Marley

1999: "Respiration (Flying High Remix)", ''Respiration 12"'', Black Star

2000: "Cold Blooded", ''Like Water for Chocolate'', Common

2000: "Hurricane", ''The Hurricane Soundtrack'', Black Thought, Common, Dice Raw, Flo Brown, Jazzyfatnastees and Mos Def

2000: "Network", ''Plain Rap'', The Pharcyde

2001: "Hard Hitters", ''Expansion Team'', Dilated Peoples

2001: "Zen Approach", ''Zen'', DJ Krush

2002: "Clap!", ''Next'', Soulive

2002: "Guerilla Monsoon Rap", ''Quality'', Talib Kweli

2002: "X-Ecutioner Style", ''Reanimation'', Linkin Park

2004: "Live From The PJs", ''Revolutions'', The X-Ecutioners

2005: "Appreciate", ''Love and Life'', LaToya London

2005: "Flutlicht", ''Sinnflut'', Curse

2005: "Pimpa's Paradise", ''Welcome to Jamrock'', Damian Marley

2005: "Right Now", ''The Rising Tied'', Fort Minor

2006: "Love Movin'", ''The Shining'', J Dilla

2006: "My Favorite Mutiny", ''Pick A Bigger Weapon'', The Coup

2006: "Yes, Yes Y'all",''Timeless'', Sérgio Mendes

2007: "Clean Up", ''Deep Hearted'', Strong Arm Steady

2008: "Give It Up", Thee Adventures Of A B-Boy D-Boy, Muja Messiah

2008: "Hold Tight", The Million Dollar Backpack, Skillz

2008: "Cause I'm Black", ''Super Gangster (Extraordinary Gentleman)'', Styles P

2009: "Hot Shyt", "Back to the Feature", Wale

2009: "Live Forever", ''Velvet Ballads'', Cradle Orchestra

2009: "Philly Boy", Rádio do Canibal, BK-One

2009: "Reality TV", Jay Stay Paid, J Dilla

2009: "Slow Down", Chiddy Bang

2010: "Philadelphia Born and Raised", Meek Mill

2010: "Ill Street Blues", More Demand 2, STS

2010: "In tha Park", Apollo Kids, Ghostface Killah

2010: "Philly Sh*t Remix, Young Chris, Meek Mill & Eve

2011: "The Masters of Our Fates", Raekwon

2011: "Too Long (Prod. DJ Corbett)" (Saigon) (From Sai's Album The Greatest Story Never Told)

2011: "Million Star Motel", Pennies In A Jar, Nikki Jean

Filmography

''Bamboozled'' (2000)

''Brooklyn Babylon'' (2001)

''Perfume'' (2001)

''Brown Sugar'' (2002)

''Love Rome'' (2004)

''Explicit IIIs'' (2008)

''In NorthWood'' (2009)

''Night Catches Us'' (2010)

References

External links

TheRoots.com - Official website of The Roots

Black Thought discography

Category:Living people Category:African American actors Category:African American rappers Category:American vegetarians Category:Def Jam Recordings artists Category:Geffen Records artists Category:Millersville University of Pennsylvania alumni Category:Members of the Nation of Gods and Earths Category:Rappers from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Category:The Roots members Category:1971 births

de:Black Thought es:Black Thought pl:Black Thought pt:Black Thought

Coordinates	51°37′″N17°8′″N
name	Willard Scott
birth name	Willard Herman Scott, Jr.
birth date	March 07, 1934
birth place	Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
occupation	Weather presenter, television personality, radio personality, Clown.
years active	1950–present
spouse	Mary Dwyer Scott(1959 – 2002)
children	Mary and Sally
sagawards	}}

Willard Herman Scott, Jr. (born March 7, 1934) is an American media personality and author best known for his television work on NBC's ''The Today Show'' and as the creator of the Ronald McDonald character.

Early years

Scott grew up in the Rosemont section of Alexandria, Virginia, and attended George Washington High School. He showed an interest in broadcasting as a 16-year-old, working in 1950 as an NBC page at WRC-AM, NBC's owned-and-operated radio station in Washington, D.C. Scott then attended American University, where he worked alongside fellow student Ed Walker at WAMU-AM, the university's radio station (1951–1953). Scott became a member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity while at American University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and religion.

The ''Joy Boys'' radio show

From 1955 to 1972, Scott teamed with Ed Walker as co-host of the nightly ''Joy Boys'' radio program on WRC-AM. (This was interrupted from 1956-1958 when Scott served on active duty with the U.S.Navy.) Scott routinely sketched a list of characters and a few lead lines setting up a situation, which Walker would commit to memory or make notes on with his Braille typewriter (he was blind since birth). In a 1999 article recalling the ''Joy Boys'' at the height of their popularity in the mid-1960s, ''The Washington Post'' said they "dominated Washington, providing entertainment, companionship, and community to a city on the verge of powerful change". The ''Joy Boys'' show played on WRC until 1972 when they moved to cross-town station WWDC for another two years. Scott wrote in his book, ''The Joy of Living,'' of their close professional and personal bond which has continued to the present, saying that they are "closer than most brothers".

Washington, D. C., television roles

Scott spent the 1960s balancing his radio career with jobs as the host of children's television programs. He appeared on WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., playing characters such as ''Commander Retro'' and ''Bozo the Clown'' (1959–1962). In 1970, Scott began appearing on WRC-TV as a weekday weatherman.

"Ronald McDonald" character

Another television role he performed regularly from 1963–1966 and occasionally as late as 1971 was Ronald McDonald for a McDonald's franchise in Washington, D.C.. Scott wrote in his book, ''The Joy of Living'', that he originally created the Ronald McDonald character at the fast-food restaurant chain's request.

In Morgan Spurlock's documentary film ''Super Size Me'', Eric Schlosser claims that McDonald's replaced Scott on account of his weight, supposedly concerned about McDonald's image.

''The Today Show''

Scott was tapped by NBC in 1980 to become its weatherman for ''The Today Show'', replacing Bob Ryan, who replaced him at WRC-TV until 2010. After being inspired by a viewer request, Scott began his practice of wishing centenarians a happy birthday on-air in 1983.

During the 1980s, Scott routinely did weather reports on the road, interviewing locals at community festivals and landmarks. He also periodically did the program from Washington D.C., which he still considered his home. During this time, NBC executives told the bald Scott to wear a hairpiece. He complied when in New York, but refused when outside of the studio, resulting in a strange dichotomy on the air.

In 1989, ''The Today Show'' co-host Bryant Gumbel wrote an internal memo critical of the show's personalities. The memo was leaked to the media. Gumbel said Scott "holds the show hostage to his assortment of whims, wishes, birthdays and bad taste ... This guy is killing us and no one's even trying to reign him in." This garnered enough of a backlash that Gumbel was shown making up with Scott on the show.

Recent years

Scott had a small role as Mr. Peter Poole on the long-running NBC sitcom ''The Hogan Family''(1986-1991), where his character was married to Mrs. Poole, played by Edie McClurg. Scott also hosted the NBC telecast of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from 1987 until 1997 when he was replaced by Matt Lauer upon Scott's retirement as Today's full-time weatherman.

Although he is no longer ''The Today Show'''s full-time weatherman, Scott continues to appear twice a week on the long-running morning program to wish centenarians a happy birthday and to substitute for regular weatherman Al Roker during his absences. He appears from the studio lot of WBBH, the NBC affiliate in Fort Myers, Florida. He is also currently the commercial voice—taking over the job from the late Mason Adams—of Smucker's jellies which sponsors his birthday tributes on ''The Today Show''.

In 1985, Scott was given a Private Sector Award for Public Service by U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Other awards include:

"Distinguished Virginian", Virginia Association of Broadcasters (1990)

"Washingtonian of the Year", ''Washingtonian'' magazine (1979)

"Humanitarian in Residence", National Society of Fund Raisers (1985)

"National Partner in 4-H Citations", National 4-H, US Dept of Agriculture(1984)

In 1990 Scott was granted an Honorary Doctorate from Johnson & Wales University

In 2001, American University reissued some of the old ''Joy Boys'' radio broadcasts of the 1960s on CDs. He has also played Santa Claus at various White House events.

Writings

Scott has published several fiction and non-fiction books:

''The Joy of Living''

''Down Home Stories''

''Willard Scott’s All-American Cookbook''

''America Is My Neighborhood''

''The Older the Fiddle, the Better the Tune''

''If I Knew It Was Going To Be This Much Fun, I Would Have Become A Grandparent First''

He has also co-authored two books with Bill Crider:

''Murder Under Blue Skies''

''Murder in the Mist''

References

External links

Centenarian Birthday Biographies from a media production company's website

The Joyboys tribute site.

Willard as a top 40 DJ on the Great98 WRC tribute site.

Category:1934 births Category:American television personalities Category:American University alumni Category:Living people Category:McDonald's people Category:People from Alexandria, Virginia Category:Weather presenters Category:NBC News

ja:ウィラード・スコット pt:Willard Scott