The cover of the Sept. 25, 1975 issue of Whoot.

Caesars Atlantic City is celebrating 30 years in town. Resorts celebrated that milestone last year. Atlantic City Weekly has them both beat. AC Weekly began on this day, 35 years ago, June 19, 1974 as Whoot “The Entertainment Paper for Night Owls.”

A young Stockton College student named Lew Steiner had an idea for an entertainment paper to cover the Atlantic City nightclub (The Whoot Route) and dining scene. With the help and backing of his parents, co-founders Herb and Marcia Steiner, he brought that idea to life. When gambling became a reality in 1978, Whoot was already established as the go-to guide for what was happening in the AC region.

Lew and I knew each other from Ventnor and later as college students at Stockton, where we both worked for the school newspaper, The Argo. I began doing movie reviews for the Whoot in 1975, moved on to the Philadelphia Journal and Philadelphia Bulletin from 1978-80, then returned to my hometown weekly in 1983. I’ve been here ever since.

When you work for a weekly paper you tend to do a bit of everything. As well as all the fun, glamorous stuff like covering shows and interviewing celebrities, my Whoot duties included typing in ad copy on early photographic typesetting machines that had to have the type fonts placed in the machine manually, only four at a time. I helped opaque the page negatives by filling in the flaws by hand with a special type of Sharpie, often late at night. I remember one evening where I went to a show, covering a performance by Ann-Margret, then returned to the office around midnight to help finish the negatives.
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On June 19, 1974 a young Stockton College student by the name of Lew Steiner published his first paper. Called Whoot! – The Entertainment Paper for Night Owls, the first edition  — which was free as it is today under its new name Atlantic City Weekly — was 12 pages and featured a cover story on sports activities and beach badge info for the summer tourist crowd.

Inside the inaugural issue was a review of the film Serpico, there was a piece on the high price of gas (peaking at 54 cents for regular!), album reviews featuring Velvet Underground’s 1969 Live (…this new Velvet Underground album is one of the most pleasant surprises of the year”), Tangerine Dream’s Phaedra (”…at best, this is mediocre background music”) and Mott the Hoople’s The Hoople.

The Top Ten Records were listed:

1. “Band on the Run” — Paul McCarney (sic)

2. “Skin Tight” — Ohio Players

3. “Diamond Dogs” — David Bowie

4. “Mighty Love” — The Spinners

5. “Shinin’ On” — Grand Funk Railroad

6. “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” — Elton John

7. “Open Your Eyes” — Earth, Wind & Fire

8. “Claudine Soundtrack” — Gladys Knight & the Pips

9. “The Sting Soundtrack” — Marvin Hamlisch

10. “Sundown” — Gordon Lightfoot

Funny how a lot of those acts are still playing in Atlantic City.

Also in the first issue of Whoot! was info on “the recent Memorial Day Weekend,” a story on “Dinner Theater Sets Opening,” a comic called “100 and One Atlantic City Jokes,” movie-theater listings and a page devoted to a free concert to be given by Canned Heat in Atlantic City at the A.C. Convention Center Ballroom on June 29.

Not to mention the advertisements. They’re great! Here are a few of the advertisers in that first issue: Goodtimes at the Shore Mall, The Farmer’s Rag in Margate, Jerry’s Spirit Shop in Ventnor, Bachen & Eattock Bootery in Atlantic City, Oodles in Margate, and Russ Miller Record Shops in Atlantic City.

Whoot! became Atlantic City Weekly after nearly 30 years and this year (on Thursday, Sept. 24) we’re celebrating 35 years with a big bash and keepsake issue.

We are collecting recollections and comments from Atlantic City Weekly (Whoot!) readers that will be compiled in our keepsake 35th Anniversary Issue. We encourage you to share your story by sending an e-mail to editor@acweekly.com.

Whether a national healthcare program is hammered out in Washington or not, there is something you can do to help those in need, and that’s give blood. Call 1-800- GIVE LIFE if you have any questions.
Slumps in blood donations are typical from May through September as donors become busy with summer activities and may overlook donating blood. At the same time, blood needs can rise as increased roadway and travel-related accidents drain supplies, particularly around the summer holidays.
To make an appointment at a blood drive or donor center closest to you, please call 1-800-GIVE LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or visit here.

Here is the schedule for the Atlantic County blood drive.

Atlantic County

Monday, June 29, 2009

Boardwalk Hall
2301 Boardwalk
Foyer
Atlantic City, NJ  08401
Hours: 10am – 4pm

Friday, July 03

Ramada Inn – Hammonton
308 S. White Horse Pike
Conference Center – Room 115
Hammonton, NJ  08037
Hours: 8am – 1pm

Atlantic County Community Donor Center

Pleasantville Donor Center
850 N. Franklin Avenue
Pleasantville, NJ  08232
Days/Hours:  Thursday:  12pm – 7pm

Rants and raves about burning topics that have caught my attention midweek, be it greedy corporate shenanigans, frustration or joy in regards to the Philly sports teams, a movie or DVD that has fired up my imagination, an intriguing personality, or my on-going battle to lose weight in our fast food world. — Lori Hoffman, Associate Editor, Atlantic City Weekly

Paris at the Borgata's mur.mur. (Photo by Tom Briglia)

Last week it was Paris Hilton making a splash by appearing at the Borgata. This week DJ Samantha Ronson is appearing at the Borgata on Saturday and some fans are hoping that her ex-girlfriend, Lindsay Lohan, shows up to party. Officially scheduled to host the Pool After Dark at Harrah’s Resort Saturday, July 25 is Lauren Conrad, former star of The Hills.
It seems that Atlantic City is fighting back against the recession by continuing to cultivate its burgeoning nightclub culture designed to bring a younger audience to town. Hook ’em with great DJs, and celebrity hosts and they might just start enjoying gambling as much as they enjoy indulging in the after dark activities.
Caesars is joining the nightclub scene in a big way July 4 with the opening of Dusk, with a celebrity partner, DJ AM, who is sure to head up the fun opening weekend as well as be a regular visitor.
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In a funny blog post (about an unfunny subject) on the Rock Turtleneck blog there’s a list of “Rock’s Six Greatest Smokers.”

The blog post reads:

“A few days ago Congress passed a bill giving the FDA unprecendented control over the tobacco industry. Curiously, all tobacco flavorings are to be outlawed (they make smoking appealing to young people), except for menthol, which is reportedly the preference of our cig-sneaking leader Barack Obama. That’s power for you.
This law will no doubt save many lives. But what has gotten lost in the talk of the dangers of smoking is that some rock musicians have been able to turn cigarette smoking into an art form. So in celebration of this dying (literally) art, Rock Turtleneck is counting down Rock’s Six Greatest Smokers.” Check out the list.

Taylor will be at Ego at Trump Taj Mahal all summer

Singer Doreen Taylor has signed an exclusive contract to perform at the Taj Mahal’s Eho nightclub from July 3 to Sept. 5. She will be appearing every Friday and Saturday from 5-9pm.

Malcolm Tent

UPDATE: Local punk accordion player (who opened up for the Ramones in a pizza shop in Pittsburgh back in the ’70s) Malcolm Tent will take over Stockton College’s airwaves this afternoon at 5pm (Wed., June 24) for a live radio concert. If you can’t get the station 91.7 to come in, you can listen live to live Webcast on wlfr.fm. The live broadcast was supposed to be last Wednesday, but has been rescheduled for this afternoon. Enjoy!

We have our own URL on Facebook now. Bookmark www.facebook.com/acweekly.

It has been quite a year for Katy Perry. Last summer she was touring with the Warped Tour, touting her debut single “I Kissed A Girl.” Just about a year later she  a headliner at the Borgata’s Event Center on Thursday, July 30. Tickets go on sale Saturday, June 20, 10am. After being dropped from record labels three times, she had her breakthrough after signing to Capitol Music Group in 2007, and releasing her first mainstream album, One of the Boys. Besides the single “I Kissed a Girl,” “Hot N Cold” was also certified three-time platinum in the United States.

Donald Trump and Randall Pinkett on our Dec. 22, 2005 cover.

According to the latest reports, Donald Trump wants back in Atlantic City.

The Associated Press reported earlier today that Trump wants control back over the bankrupt Atlantic City casino empire that bears his name.