Steve Wilkos

We just wrapped up our first week of my national tour to promote the upcoming launch of “The Steve Wilkos Show” as well as to drive awareness to The St. Baldrick's Foundation which is dedicated to fighting children’s cancer.

I don’t want to jinx myself but I’ve got to say it, so far everything has been amazing, the stations, the fans and the people supporting the Foundation.

Everyone seems to know that this show is coming and I think that’s such a good feeling, especially when we are working with Headblade to use that momentum to help St. Baldrick’s.

Right from the start in New York, we were able to get people to come out and shave their heads in an effort to make people aware of kids with cancer.

This is a problem that touches me in so many different levels, including that my nephew has cancer.

New York is also great in that just walking down the street, you run into so many “Springer” fans, and everyone seems to know that I’m getting my own show and wishing me luck. I took my family here a couple of weeks ago for Promax and we got flooded with fans. My wife was laughing and said she was going to take the kids and play “you entertain everybody.” So, I was able to stay and take pictures and meet some terrific people.

It’s strange to see how many people know me, in Chicago of course, where we tape the show, people everywhere recognize me. But to see that elsewhere in the country is truly amazing.

We also had a good turnout in Baltimore, where we got some kids to come up and shave their heads and got a lot of good messages across. The one thing about Baltimore, is that everybody always says I look like baseball great Cal Ripken Jr., who is a legend, and I’ve even been confused with him a number of times!

One of those times goes all the way back to 1982, when I was still a cop. I walked into a store where they make suits, and they immediately started putting suits on me, which were made for Mr. Ripken.

The funny thing is that he’s the one guy I’ve never met. I did meet a woman that is best friends with him and was telling her all kinds of Cal Ripken stories where people assumed I was him.

She invited me to play in Cal’s charity golf tournament and meet him and I’m looking forward to doing that, especially since the charity is Badges for Kids. That’s right up my alley.

This week I’m in the west coast, visiting San Diego, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Sacramento. I’ll keep you posted.