ANNOUNCER: TONIGHT ON SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR, CINCINNATI AUTHOR JEFF SUESS.

STAY TUNED.

SHOWCASE STARTS RIGHT NOW.

[MUSIC] KELLAR: HI, I'M BARBARA KELLAR.

WELCOME TO SHOWCASE.

JEFF SUESS IS A WRITER, KNOWS LOTS OF WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT CINCINNATI AND HAS WRITTEN ABOUT THEM.

JEFF, TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF.

ARE YOU A NATIVE CINCINNATIAN?

SUESS: NO, I'M ACTUALLY NOT.

I GREW UP IN CALIFORNIA, MODESTO, CALIFORNIA, AND I MOVED HERE 25 YEARS AGO THIS SUMMER.

AND I'VE BEEN KIND OF A LIBRARIAN AND A HISTORY WRITER AT THE ENQUIRER.

I'VE BEEN WRITING ABOUT CINCINNATI HISTORY SINCE ABOUT 2012, SO ABOUT 11, 12 YEARS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SUCH A FASCINATING CITY THAT THERE'S SO MUCH HISTORY, ENDLESS TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT.

SO IT'S KEPT ME BUSY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

YOU DELVE INTO THIS, YOU'RE RIGHT, THERE'S SO MUCH, WE'RE SO OLD, EARLY 18TH CENTURY.

YEAH.

AND WHAT INSPIRED ME TO INVITE YOU TO THE SHOW, I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU BECAUSE TELL US, FIRST OF ALL, ABOUT THE TREASURE TROVE OF BOOKS THAT YOU FOUND AND WROTE ABOUT IN THE ENQUIRER.

SUESS: YEAH.

SO THE ENQUIRER ARCHIVES, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO HAVE TO RESEARCH EVERYTHING THAT ANY REPORTER WOULD NEED TO KNOW BACK PRE-GOOGLE INTERNET DAYS, THAT IF YOU WANTED TO KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, AUSTRALIA, YOU HAD TO HAVE A BOOK ABOUT IT.

SO WE HAD ALL THESE REFERENCE BOOKS, THOUSANDS OF REFERENCE BOOKS, AND OF COURSE EVERY CINCINNATI HISTORY BOOK YOU CAN THINK OF WE'VE TRIED TO COLLECT OVER THE YEARS.

AND WE HAD SOME OF OUR COLLECTION GOING BACK TO, YOU KNOW, 1851, YOU KNOW, THE HISTORY OF CINCINNATI IN 1851, PUBLISHED IN 1851.

AND WE HAD SOME OF THAT.

BUT THESE WERE ALL LIKE REFERENCE BOOKS THAT WERE USED.

SO THEY'RE NOT AN ARCHIVE IN THE SENSE OF JUST PRESERVING.

THESE WERE WELL USED, YOU KNOW, BEAT UP COPIES.

BUT SO WE HAVE ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

IF THERE'S ANY CONNECTION, IT'S ABOUT, YOU KNOW, A PERSONALITY LIKE RUTH LYONS, WE HAD A BOOK ABOUT HER.

IT'S THE, YOU KNOW, TONS OF STUFF ABOUT THE REDS AND, YOU KNOW, ALL SORTS OF -- AND ALL THOSE GREAT OLD HISTORY BOOKS FROM LIKE DANIEL DRAKE AND CHRIST AND ALBERTS.

THERE'S BIG TOMES.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAD THESE OLD, MUSTY, LEATHER BOUND BOOKS.

THAT WAS GREAT, ESPECIALLY IN THE PRE-DIGITAL AGE, TO HAVE ACCESS TO ALL OF THAT.

KELLAR: SO SOMEBODY STARTED COLLECTING THOSE FROM THE GETGO.

SUESS: WELL, WE HAD A GREAT LIBRARIAN NAMED HARRY PENCE IN 1902 STARTED THE ENQUIRER LIBRARY, AND BEFORE THAT IT WAS JUST MAYBE THE LAST FEW WEEKS WORTH OF PAPER THEY'D KEPT.

AND HE STARTED A REFERENCE LIBRARY.

AND HE WAS A LIBRARIAN FOR 50 YEARS.

AND THAT LIBRARY WAS THE FOUNDATION OF WHAT WE'VE HAD ALL THESE YEARS GOING UP TO NOW.

KELLAR: DOES ANYBODY ELSE LOOK INTO THOSE ARCHIVES NOW?

SUESS: IT'S PRETTY MUCH BEEN ME FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS.

YOU KNOW, THE -- I'M KIND OF THE ONE THAT REPORTERS WILL STILL COME TO AND SAY, YOU KNOW, "OH, I WANT TO KNOW INFORMATION ABOUT THIS."

AND AND TECHNOLOGY HAS CHANGED SO MUCH THAT EVERYTHING'S DIGITIZED.

THERE'S THINGS THAT MICROFILM HAS BEEN DIGITIZED, PHOTOS HAVE BEEN DIGITIZED.

AND WE HAD ABOUT 2 MILLION PHOTOS IN THE ARCHIVES.

KELLAR: OH, MY GOODNESS.

YOU MEAN ACTUAL PHOTOS?

SUESS: ACTUAL PHOTOS.

YEAH.

THOSE WERE ALWAYS FUN BECAUSE YOU LOOK FOR ONE THING AND YOU START FINDING A BUNCH OF OTHER THINGS, YOU KNOW?

SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A DELIGHT TO REALLY GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT STUFF.

AND THAT'S REALLY HELPED WITH THE RESEARCH BECAUSE I'VE HAD ACCESS TO THINGS THAT AREN'T -- THAT MAYBE EVERYONE ELSE HASN'T REALLY SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

SO I MIGHT FIND AN ARTICLE.

I FOUND A PAMPHLET, AS AN EXAMPLE, ON THE OLD ALLEN TEMPLE, WHICH WAS A SYNAGOGUE DOWNTOWN, AND LATER WAS AN AME, AFRICAN AMERICAN METHODIST CHURCH.

AND IT WAS A HISTORY OF IT THAT THEY PUBLISHED BACK IN LIKE THE LATE 60S OR EARLY 70S THAT WE HAPPENED TO SAVE IN OUR FILES AND NO ONE ELSE HAD THAT BOOK ANYMORE.

IT'S JUST NOT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD JUST FIND ANYWHERE ELSE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

SO THE ENQUIRER TURNED ALL THESE OVER TO YOU?

SUESS: WELL, WE MOVED OFFICES RECENTLY AND THERE WAS JUST NOT AS MUCH SPACE FOR THAT STUFF.

AND SO WE DONATED ALL OF THE PHOTOS TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND THEY ARE GOING TO BE SPENDING YEARS DIGITIZING THE PHOTOS.

AND I JUST MADE SURE THAT THE IMPORTANT BOOKS, WE DONATED STUFF THAT WE DIDN'T NEED ANYMORE, YOU KNOW, LIKE BOOKS ON AUSTRALIA, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING, BUT ALL THE COOL CINCINNATI STUFF, I JUST MADE SURE THAT THEY WEREN'T TOSSED BECAUSE THAT WAS THE IMPORTANT THING.

WE WANT TO PRESERVE THIS HISTORY.

KELLAR: YEAH.

BUT DO YOU HAVE THEM IN YOUR POSSESSION?

SUESS: YEAH.

KELLAR: DO THEY TAKE UP -- HOW -- HOW BIG OF...?

SUESS: A TOO MUCH OF MY HOUSE.

KELLAR: THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.

I WAS WONDERING WHERE IN MY HOUSE WOULD I PUT AN EXTRA LIBRARY.

SUESS: RIGHT.

I MEAN, WE JUST KIND OF -- THIS HAPPENED IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO DEAL WITH A LOT OF THESE THINGS.

SO I FELT LIKE I HAD TO BE A STEWARD OF THE HISTORY.

YOU CAN'T TOSS THESE THINGS.

YOU KNOW, THEY NEED TO BE SAVED FOR US.

KELLAR: AND I CAN'T IMAGINE A CITY OF OUR SIZE WHO HAS MORE, QUOTE, HISTORY.

I JUST TALKED TO ELIZABETH PIERCE AT THE MUSEUM CENTER ABOUT AN EXHIBIT ABOUT THE CINCINNATI AND THE ALL THE THINGS BUSINESS WISE.

THERE'S A WHOLE DISPLAY AT THE MUSEUM CENTER ABOUT JUST WHAT HAS COME ABOUT IN CINCINNATI BUSINESS WISE.

SUESS: YEAH, THERE'S TONS.

I MEAN, WE THINK ABOUT PROCTER AND GAMBLE, OF COURSE, BUT THERE ARE THINGS, LIKE, U.S.

PLAYING CARD COMPANY AND STROBRIDGE LITHOGRAPHY AND ALL THOSE, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LOT OF REALLY IMPORTANT BUSINESSES THAT HAVE COME OUT OF CINCINNATI.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE WERE A MAJOR CITY.

WE FORGET ABOUT THIS, THAT IN THE 1850S WE WERE LIKE THE SIXTH LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA.

KELLAR: EVERYTHING WAS HAPPENING HERE.

SUESS: EVERYTHING WAS HAPPENING HERE.

WE'VE GOT THIS -- THE NUMBER OF PRESIDENTS THAT HAVE COME FROM HERE, SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICES, FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES.

A LOT OF THINGS STARTED HERE AND THEY MAY HAVE MOVED ON TO NEW YORK OR CHICAGO OR THINGS, BUT A LOT OF THINGS HAVE SOME SORT OF ROOTS.

AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE LIKE DORIS DAY, YOU KNOW, STARTED HERE AND THEN MOVED ON TO HOLLYWOOD.

BUT, BECAUSE CINCINNATI HAS THE OPPORTUNITIES, YOU KNOW, PROCTER AND GAMBLE HAS BEEN A HUGE HELP FOR THAT SORT OF THING.

BUT ALSO, LIKE WLW WAS A HUGE RADIO, AND EARLY TELEVISION THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, BE THESE LAUNCHING PADS FOR OTHER THINGS.

KELLAR: WELL, WE LOVE THOSE BOOKS, BUT YOU HAVE EVEN MORE.

YOU HAVE IN EDITION TO ALL THE CINCINNATI HISTORY, TELL US ABOUT THESE BOOKS.

SUESS: THE ONES I HAVE HERE ARE MY MOST RECENT ONES.

I DID A CINCINNATI ILLUSTRATED TIMELINE.

IT'S A HISTORY OF CINCINNATI FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, FROM THE, LIKE, THE BURIAL MOUNDS THAT, YOU KNOW, AND LIKE THE SERPENT MOUND AND THOSE THINGS WITH THE ADENA CULTURE THROUGH FIONA AND FC CINCINNATI.

AND IT COVERS EVERYTHING FROM POLITICS TO SPORTS TO MAJOR EVENTS, YOU KNOW, THE FLOODS AND 37 AND 1997, BIG PERSONALITIES AND KIND OF LIKE PINPOINTED 350 OR SO OF THE KEY MOMENTS IN CINCINNATI HISTORY.

AND IT'S ALL ILLUSTRATED, SO THERE'S AN IMAGE FOR EACH THING.

AND THAT AGAIN, THE ENQUIRER ARCHIVES WERE KEY FOR FINDING PARTICULARLY STUFF OVER THE LAST 50 YEARS BECAUSE SOME OF THE OLDER STUFF IS PUBLIC DOMAIN PHOTOS YOU CAN FIND IN THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS OR THE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

BUT TO FIND PHOTOS OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, JOHNNY BENCH AND THE REDS, YOU PRETTY MUCH NEED TO EITHER PAY A TON OF MONEY OR -- KELLAR: IF WE DON'T HAVE SOME OF THOSE, WE'RE IN SAD SHAPE.

SUESS: BUT YOU HAVE TO COVER ALL THAT STUFF.

AND THEN IT WAS ALSO KIND OF CHALLENGING, YOU KNOW, THE BIG EVENTS, LIKE I SAID, THE FLOOD, YOU KNOW, THOSE THINGS WE ALL KNOW.

BUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS IN THE LAST 20 YEARS THAT ARE GOING TO RESONATE 50 YEARS FROM NOW?

YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO READ THIS LATER AND SAY, YOU KNOW, "OH, YEAH, THIS WAS A CHRONICLE OF THE CITY."

SO I HAD TO KIND OF PINPOINT, LIKE, WHAT ARE -- WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE STILL GOING TO BE REMEMBERED?

AND, AND SOMETIMES IT'S MINOR, RELATIVELY MINOR THINGS THAT ARE MEMORABLE, LIKE, YOU KNOW, EVEL KNIEVEL JUMPING OVER THE GREYHOUND BUSSES AT KINGS ISLAND, BUT THAT EVERYONE REMEMBERS THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT BECAME A PART OF THE FABRIC OF CINCINNATI'S HISTORY.

SO YOU INCLUDE THAT STUFF.

KELLAR: YEAH.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THOSE STORIES THAT THE TIMELINE IT WOULD BE A FABULOUS GIFT FOR NEW PEOPLE TO CINCINNATI OR SCHOOL KIDS.

SUESS: SCHOOL KIDS.

THERE'S A FEW FRIENDS I KNOW HAVE USED IT FOR THEIR LIKE HOME SCHOOL KIDS AND STUFF LIKE THAT BECAUSE THEY'RE EACH PAGE KIND OF HAS A, YOU KNOW, A NUGGET OF TEXT, YOU KNOW, TRY TO CRAM AS MUCH AS I COULD, BUT MAKE IT READABLE.

AND WITH THE IMAGE, IT MAKES IT SO THEY'RE DIGESTIBLE AND NOT A HUGE THICK.

I MEAN, IT'S DESIGNED FOR READABILITY.

LIKE I SAID, IT COVERS SO MANY DIFFERENT FACETS OF THE CITY.

THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO PUSH WITH THE TIMELINE IS THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT THE CITY IN ITS ENTIRETY AND WHAT'S GOING ON AT DIFFERENT TIMES.

SO YOU START SEEING THE CAUSE AND EFFECT OF THINGS, LIKE YOU SEE HOW PROCTER AND GAMBLE COMES OUT OF PORKOPOLIS BECAUSE THEY USE THE BY-PRODUCTS OF IT.

KELLAR: ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER.

SUESS: AND ONE OF THE SURPRISING THINGS, FOR INSTANCE, I FOUND IS THAT IN THE 1880S WAS THE ERA PF WHERE CINCINNATI WAS REALLY BECOMING VERY CULTURAL, BUILDING MUSIC HALL, THEY GOT THE ZOO AND THE ART MUSEUM AND THE MAY FESTIVAL, ALL THESE GREAT CULTURAL THINGS GOING ON.

BUT IN THAT SAME TIME WE HAD THE COURTHOUSE RIOTS, WHICH WAS THERE WAS A LOT OF CRIME GOING ON IN CINCINNATI.

AND WHEN THE PUBLIC WAS NOT HAPPY WITH, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE WHERE THEY FELT THAT THE GUY SHOULD HAVE HAD A HARSHER CHARGE AGAINST IT, THEY RIOTED AND CHARGED THE COURTHOUSE AND THE JAIL.

AND THEY ENDED UP BURNING THE COURTHOUSE AND DESTROYED ALL THE RECORDS.

AND A RIOT WENT ON FOR THREE DAYS.

AND WHEN THE NATIONAL GUARD CAME IN, WITHIN THE FIGHTING OF THAT, THERE WAS OVER 50 PEOPLE WERE KILLED.

KELLAR: WHAT YEAR WAS THAT?

SUESS: 1884.

SO THIS IS A HUGE, MAJOR EVENT IN CINCINNATI HISTORY.

AT THE SAME TIME THAT ALL THESE CULTURAL THINGS KELLAR: ALL THESE GOOD THINGS WERE HAPPENING.

SUESS: RIGHT, YEAH.

AND SO WE THINK -- IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE GOOD OLD DAYS, YOU KNOW, WELL, PARTS OF THE GOOD OLD DAYS ARE WE REMEMBER THE GOOD STUFF AND FORGET ABOUT THE BAD STUFF.

KELLAR: I THINK THAT SORT OF THING, THE TIMELINE IS PERFECT FOR PEOPLE WHO LEARN SOMETHING AND PERFECT FOR PEOPLE SUCH AS MYSELF WHO CAN REMEMBER THINGS.

YOU REMEMBER THAT YOU KNEW ABOUT THIS OR THAT AND YOU TOTALLY FORGOTTEN, LIKE, THE COURTHOUSE.

RIGHT?

I HAD -- THAT WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SOMETHING I COULD HAVE PULLED UP IN MY MEMORIES.

SUESS: YEAH, THAT WAS ALSO A CHALLENGE.

I HAD TO LOOK AT A LOT OF DIFFERENT SOURCES AND SAY LIKE, "OKAY, I DON'T WANT TO MISS SOMETHING MAJOR."

SO I HAD TO KIND OF SEE.

SO I WOULD LOOK AT LIKE A SPORTS LIST AND SEE WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT EVENTS, YOU KNOW, AND ASK AROUND, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE INCLUDING EVERYTHING YOU POSSIBLY CAN WITHOUT FOCUSING TOO MUCH ON ANY ONE THING.

KELLAR: YEAH, BUT YOU DID INCLUDE THE ARTS.

SUESS: OH, ABSOLUTELY.

THE ARTS.

IT WAS A STRUGGLE TO NOT HAVE TOO MUCH REDS, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF REDS HISTORY.

BUT YOU WANT TO -- BUT THEN YOU START THINKING, YOU KNOW, OKAY, IF I HAVE EVERY REDS WORLD SERIES, I HAVE TO HAVE EVERY BENGALS SUPER BOWL AND I HAVE TO HAVE EVERY -- KELLAR: WELL, UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.

SUESS: YEAH.

AND SO, BUT YOU KIND OF THINK ABOUT THOSE THINGS AND YOU'RE, LIKE, OR IF I'M FOCUSING ON THIS CHURCH, AM I GOING TO DO THIS ORGANIZATION?

AM I GOING TO USE THIS?

KELLAR: THE DECISIONS ARE THE HARDEST PART.

SUESS: YEAH, I SPENT PROBABLY AS MUCH TIME, AT LEAST AS MUCH TIME PLANNING OUT THE BOOK AS IT WAS PHYSICALLY WRITING EACH OF THE THINGS AND THEN THE PHOTOS.

YOU KNOW, YOU GO THROUGH THOUSANDS OF PHOTOS.

WELL, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT I'M GOING TO RUN, YOU KNOW?

WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT TELLS THAT STORY AND IT'S FUN.

BUT THEN YOU START, "OH, WAIT, ONE OF THESE DAYS I ACTUALLY HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND WRITE THIS THING."

KELLAR: YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.

WELL, IN THE OLD DAYS, THE NEWSPAPER ALWAYS HAD SOCIAL, BIG PAGES OF PICTURES OF PEOPLE, PARTIES AND THE GALAS FOR THE DIFFERENT ARTS ORGANIZATIONS OR CHARITIES, AND WHICH THEY DON'T DO ANYMORE.

BUT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN A LOT OF THAT STUFF.

SUESS: OH, ABSOLUTELY.

THERE'S A LOT OF THAT.

AND IT'S GREAT TO BE ABLE TO FIND, YOU KNOW, THOSE LITTLE PHOTOS AND THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVE KIND OF GOT LOST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY FILED THINGS, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SECRETS OF THE ARCHIVES IS WE USED TO FILE PHOTOS UNDER PEOPLE OR THINGS OR CINCINNATI.

AND SO IF YOU HAVE A PICTURE OF AN ORGANIZATION, YOU'RE LIKE, "WELL, WHERE DID THEY FILE THAT?

IS IT UNDER THE ORGANIZATION'S NAME OR IS IT THE MOST FAMOUS PERSON?"

AND WHEN YOU GO THROUGH THE ARCHIVES, YOU'D FIND SOME INTERESTING THINGS.

AND MY FAVORITE FINDS IS I FOUND A PHOTO ONE DAY OF JAMES N. GAMBLE, WHO WAS THE ONE WHO, THE GAMBLE FAMILY WHO ACTUALLY CREATED IVORY SOAP.

BUT IT WASN'T FILED UNDER GAMBLE.

IT WAS FILED UNDER THE OTHER GUY'S NAME.

KELLAR: OH, PROCTOR?

NO, IT WASN'T PROCTER.

IT WAS HE HAPPENED TO BE IN A PHOTO WITH A, LIKE, AN ASSISTANT DEAN FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI, SOMEONE THAT HAS BEEN LOST TO TIME THAT NOBODY REMEMBERED, BUT IT WAS FILED UNDER HIS NAME.

I JUST HAPPENED TO RECOGNIZE GAMBLE AND IT WAS AN OLD PHOTO.

I MEAN, A LOT OF THE PHOTOS IN THE EARLY, EARLY DAYS, LIKE, EARLY 1900S THOSE LOST TO TIME.

YOU KNOW, OUR ARCHIVES REALLY WENT FROM WORLD WAR II ON.

SO WHEN YOU SEE A PHOTO THAT'S FROM, LIKE, THE 1920S, IT STANDS OUT.

YEAH.

SUESS: AND SO THAT WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE FINDS OF, YOU KNOW, THIS WOULD HAVE -- NO ONE WOULD HAVE EVER FOUND SUCH A THING BECAUSE THEY HAD NO REASON TO KNOW IT WAS THERE.

KELLAR: THE GAMBLES WERE A GOOD OLD IRISH FAMILY.

THEY STARTED IN IRELAND.

THE FAMILY HOME IS IN IRELAND.

SUESS: YEAH, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S -- SOME OF THOSE FAMILIES, YOU KNOW, THE GAMBLES AND SOME OF THOSE.

IT WASN'T JUST THAT THEY MADE A BUSINESS IS THAT THEY LIVED IN CINCINNATI AND THEY, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, GAMBLE WAS THE SAME JAMES N. GAMBLE, WHO WAS THE ONE WHO PAID FOR NIPPERT STADIUM.

RIGHT?

YOU KNOW, AND IS NAMED FOR HIS GRANDSON WHO DIED.

YOU KNOW, WE DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT THAT.

KELLAR: THAT WAS THE NIPPERTS?

SUESS: YEAH, THAT WAS THE NIPPERTS.

YEAH.

AND SO YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE GAMBLE'S AND THE NIPPERTS MONEY AND ALL THOSE ALL THOSE NAMES THAT COME UP, THE LONGWORTH'S NAME THAT COMES IN A TON OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

THE EMORY'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S -- KELLAR: THE EMORY'S THAT'S -- THEY WERE SO IMPORTANT.

BUT THAT'S A FAMILY NAME THAT'S GOTTEN KIND OF PUSHED ASIDE AND PEOPLE DON'T.

SUESS: YEAH, YOU DON'T HEAR THEM THAT MUCH ANYMORE.

KELLAR: I'VE DONE WHAT I CALL A SERIES TALKING ABOUT CINCINNATI FAMILIES AND THE EMORY'S ARE ONE THAT I HAVEN'T DONE.

WELL, I GUESS I HAVE SOME OF THEIR DESCENDANTS, BUT THEY-- MARY EMERY, WHO BUILT MARIEMONT.

SUESS: MARIEMONT, YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, AND THE EMERY AUDITORIUM.

AND, YOU KNOW, AND PREVIOUSLY JACK EMERY BUILT CAREW TOWER AND TERRACE PLAZA HOTEL.

AND THE FAMILY BUSINESS IS STILL AROUND.

IT'S BEEN BOUGHT, MERGED AND STUFF.

IT'S THE EMERY OLEOCHEMICALS NOW, BUT YEAH, THAT'S A FASCINATING STORY.

IT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE BY-PRODUCTS OF THE PORK INDUSTRY AND THEY BUILT OFF OF IT.

BUT INSTEAD OF JUST STICKING WITH THE COMPANY, THEY WENT INTO REAL ESTATE AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS AND HAD A HUGE IMPACT.

I MEAN, WHAT'S A MORE ICONIC BUILDING IN CINCINNATI, YOU KNOW, CAREW TOWER AND MUSIC HALL?

BUT YOU KNOW, BUT CAREW TOWER IS HUGE.

IT'S DEFINED CINCINNATI.

KELLAR: EXACTLY, YEAH.

SUESS: THAT'S A BIG IMPACT.

KELLAR: AND THEN WE HAVE THE BENGALS.

SUESS: YEAH, THE BENGALS BOOK, I CO-WROTE THAT WITH RICK PENDER AND IF YOU -- RICK IS -- RICK'S AROUND EVERYWHERE.

KELLAR: HE'S BEEN ON SHOWCASE.

SUESS: AND RICK HAS HIS MOST VARIED CAREER AND WRITING CAREER OF ANYBODY I KNOW.

KELLAR: HE GETS AROUND.

SUESS: HE DOES.

AND RICK AND I WERE ASKED, WE BOTH HAD WRITTEN FOR A PUBLISHER AND THEY WERE WANTING TO DO A BOOK ON THE HISTORY OF THE BENGALS.

AND THEY BOTH -- THEY ASKED BOTH OF US IF WE KNEW ANY WRITERS WHO WOULD BE WILLING TO DO IT.

AND WE SAID, "WELL, WE'LL ASK AROUND WITH THE SPORTS PEOPLE."

BUT EVERYONE WAS BUSY COVERING THE ACTUAL SUPER BOWL, YOU KNOW.

AND SO WE SAID, WELL, WE CAN DO IT, IF WE DID IT TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY HAD A REALLY QUICK -- WE ONLY HAD TWO MONTHS TO WRITE THE BOOK AND PUT IT TOGETHER.

KELLAR: THAT'S FAST SUESS: AND THAT AGAIN, LIKE WITH THE OTHER TIMELINE BOOK, THIS IS AN ILLUSTRATED TIMELINE.

AND WE HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PHOTOS ARE TELLING AS MUCH OF THE STORY AS POSSIBLE.

AND SO YOU START GOING THROUGH HUNDREDS OF PHOTOS AND SAY, "WELL, WHICH STORY, WHICH ONE SHOULD WE MAKE BLOWN UP TO BE REALLY BIG AND DRAMATIC PHOTOS?

WHICH ONES ARE JUST, YOU KNOW, A GUY WITH HIS HELMET OFF?"

YOU KNOW, THESE ARE THINGS.

AND THEN AGAIN, WE HAD TO PICK ALL WHAT ARE THE KEY MOMENTS?

WHAT ARE THE GAMES THAT PEOPLE REMEMBER?

BUT THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

AND BECAUSE OF THE TIMING, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO INCLUDE THE RECENT SUPERBOWL.

KELLAR: JOE BURROW.

SUESS: YES, WE HAD JOE BURROW.

KELLAR: I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK YOU IF YOU GOT HIM.

SUESS: SO WE GOT -- IT'S UP TO DATE THROUGH THE THROUGH THE SUPER BOWL.

IT WAS PUBLISHED LATE LAST YEAR, SO WE DON'T HAVE THE MOST THE CURRENT SEASON, BUT IT IS THROUGH THE SUPER BOWL SO THERE'S A LOT OF PHOTOS AND THAT WAS A LOT OF FUN TO GO THROUGH.

KELLAR: DID YOU INTERVIEW THE PLAYERS?

SUESS: NO, JUST BECAUSE OF THE TIMING.

WE HAD TWO MONTHS AND THEY WERE ACTUALLY IN THE SUPER BOWL.

BUT WE HAD -- WE KIND OF TREATED THIS THE SAME WAY WE DO A LOT OF OUR OTHER HISTORY.

SO WE JUST RESEARCH IT.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE RELIED ON A LOT OF THE OTHER REPORTING AT THE TIME.

SO WE KIND OF COVERED THE NEW DAYS, CURRENT DAYS, THE SAME WAY WE DID THE EARLY DAYS BEFORE WE WERE EVEN AROUND.

AND WE READ ALL THE BOOKS AND ALL THE NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND WE TRIED TO HAVE THEIR VOICES IN IT.

WE DO A LOT OF QUOTING OF PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY WERE THE ONES WHO WERE THERE.

IT'S THEIR LIVES.

BUT THEN WE ALSO WANTED TO GET A BIT OF THAT FAN EXPERIENCE.

AND SO WE INCLUDE THINGS LIKE WHEN HUEDEPOHL HAD A HU-DEY BEER, YOU KNOW?

STUFF LIKE THAT, JIM BORGMAN CARTOONS, YOU KNOW, THAT STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT PEOPLE REALLY REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE A BENGALS FAN.

KELLAR: I ACTUALLY AM OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE KNOWN L.D.

WARREN.

SUESS: OH, YES.

YEAH, I NEVER MET HIM, BUT YEAH, HE WAS A CARTOONIST BEFORE BORGMAN.

KELLAR: PRETTY SURE HE WAS A PULITZER PRIZE WINNING CARTOONIST.

HE WAS VERY, VERY, VERY GOOD.

FAMOUS.

AND THEN HE WAS FOLLOWED BY JIM BORGMAN, WHO WAS JUST AS -- I MEAN, THE ENQUIRER HAS HAD SOME.

IT'S A SHAME THEY DON'T HAVE THE CARTOONS.

SUESS: YEAH, CARTOONISTS ARE REALLY DIFFICULT FOR NEWSPAPERS TO KEEP.

WE HAD A FREELANCER FOR A WHILE, KEVIN NECESSARY, WHO DID SOME GREAT STUFF IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO.

BUT IT'S A FREELANCER, YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO KEEP THAT AS A, YOU KNOW, A FULL TIME JOB.

THERE AREN'T THAT MANY LEFT ANYMORE IN THE INDUSTRY.

KELLAR: CAN YOU GIVE US ANY HOPE FOR THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY?

SUESS: YEAH, THE NEWSPAPERS ARE JUST CHANGING.

THAT'S THE THING, THEY'RE TRYING TO ADAPT TO, YOU KNOW, THE DIGITAL MEDIA.

IT'S HARD WITH THE PRINT PRODUCT BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE EXPENSE AND GENERATIONS OF PEOPLE WHO GET THEIR NEWS FROM THEIR PHONES AND NOT, YOU KNOW, A PHYSICAL PAPER.

AND SO AS THE COMPANIES FIGURE OUT HOW TO -- NOT ONLY HOW TO REACH THE AUDIENCE, BUT HOW TO SUSTAIN A STAFF AND ALL OF THAT, USING THAT MODEL.

AND THEY'RE FIGURING -- TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT.

BUT IT'S THE INDUSTRY, IT'S NOT A CINCINNATI ENQUIRER THING.

KELLAR: OH, WE UNDERSTAND THAT.

BUT THOSE OF US WHO WANT TO WANT A PAPER IN OUR HANDS AND WE KNOW IT'S GOING TO GO BUT I LOVE NEWSPAPERS.

I READ THREE DAILY NEWSPAPERS EVERY DAY AND TWO WEEKLIES.

SUESS: WELL, THANK YOU.

KELLAR: YES, RIGHT.

I'M ONE OF YOUR BEST CUSTOMERS.

BUT IT IS GETTING LESS AND LESS AND COVERAGE IS DIFFERENT.

SUESS: YEAH, IT'S NECESSITATED BY THE CHANGES OF THE -- AND WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THEY PRINT PAPERS IN DIFFERENT CITIES NOW.

SO IT'S NOT ALL BEING JUST EVERYTHING PRINTED HERE ANYMORE LIKE WE USED TO HAVE.

SO, THAT MEANS THE DEADLINES ARE DIFFERENT, WHICH MEANS YOU AFFECT, YOU TELL A STORY DIFFERENTLY.

YOU KNOW, SPORTS IS AN EXAMPLE.

WE FOUND THAT PEOPLE AREN'T NECESSARILY LOOKING FOR THE NEWSPAPER TO FIND OUT WHO WON THE GAME BECAUSE THEY ALREADY KNOW WHO WON THE GAME.

INSTEAD, THEY WANT TO READ ABOUT THE PLAYERS AND WHY THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DO THIS.

AND THAT CHANGES THE COVERAGE.

AND IT'S LESS ABOUT JUST REPORTING EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE KNEW, YOU KNOW, WHO WON THE GAME LAST NIGHT.

I WANT TO KNOW THE STORY BEHIND THAT, YOU KNOW.

KELLAR: BUT COULD I MAKE A NOTE TO THE SPORTS PEOPLE?

SUESS: SURE.

KELLAR: THAT THEY NEED THE REDS, YOU KNOW, ARE ON THIS FABULOUS WINNING SPREE.

AND THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE PAPER UNTIL LIKE TWO DAYS LATER.

SUESS: YEAH, WELL THAT'S THE DANGER OF -- OUR DEADLINES ARE SO EARLY THAT A NIGHT GAME.

KELLAR: BUT NO, THE SUNDAY GAME WAS A 2:00 GAME, SO IT WAS OVER ABOUT 5:00.

SO WHEN'S THE DEADLINE?

SHOULDN'T THAT HAVE BEEN IN?

SUESS: YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S JUST IT'S THE JUGGLE OF, YOU KNOW, I MEAN.

KELLAR: I'M NOT TRYING TO -- SUESS: YEAH, YEAH.

I'M NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THAT, BUT YEAH, NO, IT'S JUST IT IS, IT'S DIFFICULT.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO WRITE STUFF WELL IN ADVANCE TO BE, YOU KNOW, EDITED AND THE PAGES DESIGNED.

BUT ONLINE STUFF CAN HAPPEN INSTANTANEOUS.

WE CAN LITERALLY PUBLISH.

IT'S THAT WEIRD, YOU KNOW, DICHOTOMY OF PRINT IS LATE, BUT DIGITAL WAS SO IMMEDIATE THAT WE CAN PRINT A STORY ABOUT, LIKE, THE REDS GAME WITHIN MINUTES OF THE GAME BEING OVER.

I MEAN, YOU CAN'T -- THAT'S FASTER THAN WE'VE EVER HAD BEFORE.

KELLAR: BUT COULDN'T YOU PUT A HEADLINE OR SOMETHING?

SUESS: WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHEN THE PAGE WAS ACTUALLY SENT TO THE PRESS.

KELLAR: WELL, IT WAS A SUNDAY GAME SO MAYBE THAT'S.

SUESS: YEAH.

SUNDAYS ARE, YOU KNOW, HARD TO STAFF.

KELLAR: AND I JUST -- I JUST WANT US TO WHEN, YOU KNOW, THE REDS HAVE BEEN, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD SUCH A BAD TIME FOR SO LONG AND EVERYTHING WAS SO DOWN, DOWN, DOWN.

AND NOW WHEN IT WAS BOOMING.

SUESS: YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO DO BIG THINGS LIKE THAT.

KELLAR: YOU'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SPORTS PEOPLE.

SUESS: NO, NO, BUT IT'S THE, IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL TRYING TO MAKE SOMETHING.

WE ARE ALSO FANS OF THIS.

WE WANT TO MAKE IT MEMORABLE.

I KNOW WE HAVE PLENTY OF REDS FANS IN THE STAFF, YOU KNOW, AND THE BENGALS WAS A BIG THING, BUT WE HAD -- SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GET EXTRA PERMISSION.

WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO SOME OF THE PLAYOFF GAMES, FOR INSTANCE, WE HAD TO GET ARRANGEMENTS WITH THE HIGHER UPS TO ALLOW FOR A FRONT PAGE, YOU KNOW, DONE LATE BECAUSE IT WAS HOURS AFTER THE ACTUAL DEADLINE AND THEY HAD TO HOLD AND STUFF.

SO IT'S A COMPLICATED PROCESS THAT I'M NOT PRIVY TO ALL OF THOSE DECISIONS, BUT I'M JUST LISTENING IN TO CONVERSATIONS IN THE NEWSROOM AND STUFF.

IT'S LIKE IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE.

KELLAR: WHO ARE THE HIGHER UPS.

WE NEED TO CALL THEM.

SUESS: WELL, IT'S JUST IT'S THE INDUSTRY, LIKE I SAID, SO MANY THINGS AREN'T EVEN DONE IN CINCINNATI ANYMORE.

KELLAR: YEAH.

SUESS: BUT YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF GREAT REPORTERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS AND EDITORS.

KELLAR: I KNOW.

I'VE KNOWN SO MANY, SO MANY WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO'VE BEEN WITH THE ENQUIRER.

AND IF THEY'RE STILL ALIVE, THEY'RE STILL FRIENDS, BUT SO MANY OF THEM ARE JUST LONG, LONG GONE.

SUESS: WELL, I'VE BEEN THERE NOW 24 YEARS, SO I -- KELLAR: THAT'S A GOOD LONG TIME.

SUESS: YEAH, AND I'VE KNOWN A LOT OF THE GREAT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS FROM THE, YOU KNOW, THROUGHOUT THE LATE 90S, EARLY 2000 THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT I'M FRIENDS WITH AND STUFF.

SO I FEEL FORTUNATE TO HAVE SEEN A LOT OF THOSE OLD -- PEOPLE WHO SPENT THEIR ENTIRE CAREERS, YOU KNOW, IN THE NEWS.

SO IT'S, YEAH.

I FEEL FORTUNATE.

KELLAR: JACKIE DEMALINE WAS GREAT.

SUESS: JACKIE WAS GREAT.

KELLAR: WE REALLY MISS THE REVIEWS, TOO.

SUESS: YEAH, THAT'S ANOTHER COMPLICATED.

IT'S TOUGH TO COVER EVERYTHING.

KELLAR: YEAH, I KNOW, I KNOW.

HERE I AM GRILLING YOU, AND IT'S NOT EVEN YOUR FAULT.

IT'S JUST THAT I LOVE NEWSPAPERS.

SUESS: OH, I'M THERE WITH YOU.

KELLAR: AND I, FOR ALL THE CRITICISM, MY DAY ISN'T -- IF I CAN'T READ THEM ON THE DAY OF, I KEEP THEM AND I MIGHT BE READING SOMETHING.

OF COURSE THAT MAKES ME A GOOD ENQUIRER READER.

SUESS: THAT'S RIGHT.

KELLAR: I CAN'T READ IT FOR A COUPLE DAYS LATER, BUT I WAS SO EXCITED ABOUT THEIR WINNING STREAK.

AND THEN NOT TO SEE IT WAS -- BUT I FORGIVE YOU.

YEAH.

WHAT YOU DO IS FABULOUS.

SUESS: OH, THANK YOU.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

LET'S TELL THE PEOPLE YOUR NAME IS SUESS, BUT IF THEY'RE LOOKING FOR YOUR BOOKS, IT'S SPELLED?

IT'S S-U-E-S-S. KELLAR: S-U-E-S-S. AND WHERE CAN THEY FIND YOUR BOOKS?

SUESS: A LOT OF GREAT LOCAL BOOKSTORES, YOU KNOW, JOSEPH-BETH, AND THE BOOKSHELF AND THE ROEBLING POINT AND ALL THOSE PLACES.

ALSO, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME AT JEFFSUESS.COM.

THAT WAY I CAN SIGN THEM AND PERSONALIZE THEM, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND I DO A LOT OF EVENTS AROUND TOWN.

IF YOU HAPPEN TO COME OUT BOOKS BY THE BANKS EVERY YEAR, I'LL BE DOING THAT AGAIN.

KELLAR: HOW OFTEN DO YOU WRITE A COLUMN?

SUESS: EVERY SUNDAY.

KELLAR: OH, EVERY SUNDAY, BECAUSE I ALWAYS READ THEM, BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN I READ THEM.

SUESS: YEAH.

SO THEY POSTED THEM ONLINE ON SUNDAY MORNINGS AND THEY'RE IN THE PRINT ON SUNDAY AS WELL.

KELLAR: OKAY.

SO PEOPLE SHOULD LOOK FOR YOUR COLUMNS ON SUNDAY?

SUESS: YEP.

KELLAR: YEAH.

DO YOU SOMETIMES RUN OUT OF STEAM AND YOU CAN'T THINK OF -- SUESS: WELL, I RUN OUT OF STEAM, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS ENOUGH TOPICS.

I MEAN, SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE," OH, I WROTE ABOUT THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF CINCINNATI.

WHAT ELSE CAN I WRITE ABOUT?"

BUT THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING.

THERE'S LITTLE, LITTLE NUGGETS.

AND I PARTICULARLY LIKE TO FIND THE THINGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TALKED ABOUT IN A WHILE THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT, LIKE, I'M GOING AND FINDING THE ORIGINAL STORY AND NOBODY'S TALKED ABOUT IT SINCE, YOU KNOW.

KELLAR: I HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE.

OUR TIME IS UP.

BUT I WAS ABOUT TO ASK YOU TO DO SOME CRIME STORIES, BUT IT'S -- OUR TIME IS UP.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING.

I REALLY ENJOYED TALKING TO YOU.

AND IF I HAVE ANY MORE COMPLAINTS, I'LL JUST CALL.

JUST CALL YOU.

IN THE MEANTIME, I'D LIKE TO HAVE ACCESS TO ONE OF YOUR BOOKS.

SUESS: SURE.

KELLAR: AND I CAN'T WAIT TO READ THE TIMELINE, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS REALLY FASCINATING.

AND AS I SAY, A GREAT GIFT FOR NEWCOMERS AND FABULOUS FOR KIDS.

I MEAN, THAT COULD GO FROM FIRST TO STRAIGHT ON UP.

SUESS: YEAH, I MEAN, READABILITY.

YOU COULD READ THE STORIES TO SOME OF THE EARLY READERS.

KELLAR: SURE AND THEY CAN SEE PICTURES.

SUESS: AND THERE ARE A FEW, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, THERE'S -- IT'S THE WARTS AND ALL OF CINCINNATI HISTORY.

KELLAR: BUT YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU FOR COMING.

SUESS: OH, MY PLEASURE.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

ANNOUNCER: JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF SHOWCASE WITH BARBARA KELLAR RIGHT HERE ON CET.

CAPTIONS: MAVERICK CAPTIONING CIN OH MAVERICKCAPTIONING.COM