Paul Douglas speaks about 'recent unpleasantness'

Meteorologist Paul Douglas just can't seem to stop causing excitement in the TV world, as proven by his off-camera "Saturday Night Live" episode.

On Monday, Douglas was still on the East Coast, where he was Friday when I broke the story about his bio disappearing from WCCO-TV's website, an augur of his shocking dismissal in the latest round of CBS budget cuts. While he did not respond to a Friday call, he left me a voice mail Saturday and two columns' worth of e-mails over the weekend.

"Still in New York, hiding from authorities and CBS bounty-hunters," Douglas joked in one e-mail. "I triggered a small 'scene' at 'SNL.'

"Man, are these guys wrapped tight! All I did was snap a picture of the set, before the dress rehearsal actually began. An NBC aide hovered over me, demanding that I erase a (forbidden) picture; this suit descended on me and stood over me for 3 minutes while I called up the picture. He had to physically see me DELETE it, with his own eyes. That was awkward. What, like I'm going to sell this to TMZ.com or People? Good grief. I paid a small fortune for two seats; I thought it was a reasonable expectation that I could grab a few permanent memories of our evening at 30 Rock. Oh well. ... I learned the hard way!"

Douglas and his wife, Laurie, have been blown away by the community response to the "recent unpleasantness," as he called it.

"Never happened before, but I ran out of room for my voice mail messages," he said. "It's nice, seeing that kind of response from friends. It's the closest you can come to sitting through your own funeral. A little surreal, but the outpouring has been tremendous."

Both KARE11 and KSTP-TV "graciously allowed me to say goodbye on their air, but I didn't think that was appropriate (although I appreciate the gesture very much). We are still working out the details of the termination (I had 9 months left on my contract when they fired me one week ago today). Black Monday. No, I don't think I'll be saying goodbye on WCCO's airwaves (as much as I'd love to see my friends in the newsroom and get some closure on this thing). My hope is that we'll be able to work things out professionally and quickly, in light of what has happened."

Douglas said that when Black Monday first happened, his and Laurie's first reaction was: We're moving.

Then they got "stuck in a massive two-hour traffic jam on the Washington beltway after landing at Dulles, and took it as a sign," he wrote.

"We both love to travel, but Minnesota will always be our base, where we hang out most of the year. Too many friends, too many business partners, too good a work ethic, weather far too interesting for me to ever leave again."

One of Douglas' favorite quotes is: "The best way to predict the future is to create it."

Douglas still is the featured meteorologist for the Star Tribune. He's got enough millions and creativity to finance his next career move beyond TV.

"In a few years we'll look back and laugh at what we were watching, how we were communicating, how we got business done, how we received news, weather, sports. There is a tidal wave sea-change coming, a true information revolution that will transform the way we communicate and surf for news that matters in our lives. I'm looking forward to being a part of this Next Big Thing. The timing is nearly perfect. I'm sticking around, and with a little luck and serendipity Minnesotans will be hearing back from me again soon, wearing a few different hats, trying something new, and hopefully, in a way, better."

Douglas expects to be on TPT2's "Almanac" at 7 p.m. Friday for his previously scheduled appearance to talk weather. I'd predict a change in emphasis in this segment from the weather to the weatherman.

And there are conflicting rumors in local broadcasting circles that another big name is about to be dropped at WCCO.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. More of her attitude can be seen on Fox 9 Thursday mornings.