"I do the show the way I want to and if someone doesn't like it, that's fine, turn something else on," Allison told the Free Press all those years ago. He broadcast his show on his own terms, steering "Ask Your Neighbor" by his own compass that may have seemed outdated, but kept a community of listeners together. With corporations ruling radio, TV and print in 2020, Allison remained a gentle maverick until the end. Wayne State University's Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance, renamed in 2000 in conjunction with her $2-million endowment, stands as one of the family's best-known gifts. His real last name was Allesee, which was considered too ethnic by radio executives of the Eisenhower era.Īllison and his wife, Maggie Allesee, became a power couple of philanthropy in metro Detroit, working for numerous charities and civic clubs. He spent more than a decade in radio before landing in Detroit as a hip young disc jockey with a love of jazz. The Indiana native spent a few years in Los Angeles as a piano player before "Ask Your Neighbor" started. "You'd be surprised how many people write or say that we're an island of civility in a sea of rage, a place where you can be at peace," Allison told the Free Press. The show may not have been competitive in the ratings market in recent years, but It remained a beacon of gentle radio in a nation that had become difficult and divided. There were never any shock jock antics, no anger, indignation, or sarcasm. Everyone is treated with courtesy, from longtime fans to new listeners." They're not hustled off or chided for their opinions. As the Free Press wrote in 2000, "Callers get as much time as they need. "Ask Your Neighbor" stuck to a different set of rules as radio evolved. His son, Rob,will be hosting a commercial-free edition of the show on Thursday, said WWJ. More: Detroit's WDIV-TV morning news anchor Evrod Cassimy tests positive for coronavirusĪllison kept doing "Ask Your Neighbor," which he took to the smaller WNZK-AM (690) in the late 1970s, until just a few weeks ago. More: Detroit newspapers feel economic pressures of coronavirus at time they're needed most In 2013, he did a short-lived revival of the show for WADL-TV in Detroit. It was the "Survivor" of its day, in terms of local ratings. He also hosted Detroit's iconic 1970s TV game show, "Bowling for Dollars," a program that's hard to imagine in today's flashy, high-speed world of reality competitions.įilmed at the Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park, it features local contestants bowling for a modest cash prize in the range of a few hundred dollars. Essentially, it was a mass-market chat across the fence between listeners, mostly women, who shared recipes and queried each other for advice on things like recipes for cottage cheese pie and where to buy hard-to-find items in the era long before Amazon. WXYZ-TV (Channel 7) reported he had recently fallen at his home.Īllison was best-known as host of the radio show "Ask Your Neighbor," which began on WWJ in 1962. A cause of death wasn't revealed, but his health recently made his move to a nursing home necessary. "With a heavily landscaped miniature golf course plus options like axe throwing, virtual reality attractions and a full bar and scratch kitchen, High 5 will offer something for everyone, and we so glad to have them join The Farm.Allison, 87, died Wednesday afternoon, according to WWJ-AM (950). "Our goal at the Farm in Allen is to bring in a diverse tenant mix that will provide Allen and surrounding communities new and innovative options, and we have found that with High 5,” says Bruce Heller, President of JaR圜o, in a statement. The developers behind it all feel confident that the synergy of The Hub and High 5 will inaugurate The Farm in Allen as the entertainment mecca for Collin County. High 5 will be neighbors with the much-buzzed-about The Hub, an open-air entertainment venue from Seaside, Florida. What, no pickleball? The complex will also feature bars, event spaces, and will serve food and beverages. their signature “Up Top” boutique bowling lounge.The Allen location will feature traditional High 5 attractions, including:
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