Sam Champion Goes from Eyewitness to the Morning

Sam Champion, the WABC 7 ~~meteorologist~~ weathercaster (thanks for correcting, Toby) (not the band), will be the new Good Morning America weathercaster. Crain's reports that since Champion has been at WABC for 18 years, "his imminent departure could hurt the station as it competes with WNBC and WCBS." Gothamist would have to agree - Sam Champion is a cornerstone of the local NYC weather. The only current city weathercasters we know off the top of our head is Janice Huff. (Sure, we know Dr. Frank Field - and his son Storm - and Mr. G, but that's from their days on WCBS and WNBC.) We suppose Sam is eyeing the Al Roker transition (remember when he was the WNBC 4 weatherman?) but we'll miss seeing him on Columbus Avenue before and after his tapings.

And for something bizarre, this is a YouTube clip of Eyewitness news personalities during the 1990s (we think) set to the "Growing Pains" theme song, sharing that laughter and love.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in Arts and Events on August 22, 2006 12:34 PM

Comments [rss]

Daniel

Yeah - An AMS Seal is like having a medical degree??? Please - who cares? Like pointing at a map and recognizing where its going to rain is that tough. Get some perspective kids.

He is yummy and gay as the day is long and I think that's great!

Stan

Wouldn't it be great if WABC brought Lloyd Lindsay Young back to New York. Just planting a seed....

sean417

And Sam will have to be careful about who he dates now - and hope that the info about all his boyfriends doesn't go national - especially the stuff on his latest one, the former (?) escort - see jossip.com

Toby

Re: the AMS seal.

Quite simply having an AMS or NWA seal shows that the meterologist has actually meet established standards of training for meterology. You would expect people in other professions, say doctors, lawyers, and plumbers, to have taken training to meet established standards, why not your meterologist?

lizsamandbill

You're correct, No AMS flag next to his name.

Liz cho did a little congratulatory thing at six.

And, John bolaris must like chocolate, roz abrams commented on how nice he smelled.

How did a guy like that get to be a lady's man? and is he still because the nyc market ain't philly.

itsrainingmen

What about Mr. "G"?

Kevin Walsh

Champion schmampion, CBS TV bumped Craig Allen.

The most accurate weatherman in town is Nick Gregory.

www.forgotten-ny.com

Jim Norton

Ramoooooone!!!!!!! Show Sam Champion a glory hole.

MissPinkKate

HEEEEEEEEE IS SAM CHAMPION, MY FRIENDS!

I love him. Be still, my beating heart.

Aristocrat

Looks like someone has a hard-on for AMS Seals. Ok, we get it already for chrissakes. Seal or no seal, they all seem to get it wrong at the same time, and I'm still picnicing in the rain.

MT

I guess this means we won't see Sam on the dancefloor at 7 a.m. anymore. Crobar will never be the same.

Frederika

Mike Woods... I've been laughing at that moron for a long time - So glad Opie and Anthony finally got word of him and mock him constantly...

Jeebus

Sam Champion is a Nazi!

Look at that wavy store-brought blond hair.

Toby

Dave Price, like Sam Champion, has no meterological training and of course no AMS seal. You can check the list of AMS seal holders at on this page of the AMS website. Just because Sam Champion goes on that big idiot Larry King's show pretending to be a weather expert, doesn't make him a meterologist.

As for John Bolaris, I asked around and apparently he and Tiffany McElroy worked at the same station in Philadelphia where they first hooked up. Perhaps someone over at Phillyist knows some of the tales (or would it be in this case tails) of Bolaris' womanizing that are alleged to occur down there.

msk

Come on, no love for Dave Price??? He's my favorite NY weatherman, and now he has hit the big time... :)

leatherweather reporter

I didn't know John Bolaris has a thing for light chocolate. I like Heidi jones, she's almost always in a skirt.

Are you sure bout SC not having the AMS seal, I always thought it was there? I'll check today.

Bob A Booey

We all know he's gay but I never found him to be stereotypically swishy.

Dirk

Middle America is ready. They loved Will & Grace.

dunkerman

But is Middle America ready for the gayest weatherman in the history of NYC gay weathermen? I love the guy, but his happy go lucky days of walking in speedos at the Pines are over.

Toby

Sam Champion is not a meterologist. He has no meterological training, and so it would make sense that he would not have a seal of approval from the AMS or NWA. I seem to recall reading somewhere that he was brought to WABC to be an anchor, but did such a horrible job that they booted him weather. He seems to do a good job pretending that he actually knows what he is talking about, but I really don't find him convincing, not that there is anything wrong with that. About the only weather person I like on 7 is Heidi Jones, who is on weekend mornings and is an actual meterologist, with their best sports anchor, Jenna Wolfe.

Also, Al Roker, who does hold an AMS seal, is an actual meterologist. Al did do both Today and Live at Five for a little while, with Janice Huff (who is an AMS seal holder) doing weather at 6 and 11. And how can you forget about WCBS's John Bolaris (who is an actual meterologist) who has a couple of kids (out of wedlock) with WPIX's Tiffany McElroy and God knows how many other ones with untold numbers of women. Apparently, the story is that he was run out of his last job in Philadelphia for that, well that and apparently predicting a blizzard that never happened which made him persona non grata there.