THE BEST, THE WORST, THE MEDIOCRE OF SEATTLE TALK RADIO, 2005
OUR FIRST YEAR has been quite a year in talk radio. We've seen the half-hearted emergence of liberal talk; we've seen the mighty KIRO writhing like a piglet on a platter, stations reformatted, programming tweaked and molested; out of town bigwigs from making decisions for local littlewigs; talk hosts hired and fired, slapped down by judges; charged in a felony; burrowed, borrowed, belittled, banished.
THANK YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU to the tippers, the sources, the insiders, the threep doats- whose secreted, sensational and accurate information not only always checks out, but have made us more than just another screedblog or Air America fansite. Special kudos and accolades to Mike Siegel, Mike Webb, Michael Medved, Frank Shiers, Dori Monson, Tom Delay, Tom Clendening, Dan Sytman, Dave Boze, George W. Bush, John Carlson, Kirby Wilbur, Rev. Ken Hutcherson, Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Dave Irons, Lou Pate, Dino Rossi, Rabbi Daniel Lapin for just being who you are. And a special mention to Allan Prell.
We've divvied up the goodies into seven categories: TALKERS, READERS, ABSURDERATA , COMMERCIALS, BLATHERING, QUOTES and RADIO STATIONS. Click & read.
TALKERS
MOST UNINTENTIONALLY HILARIOUS TALK RADIO BIOGRAPHY: Stayin' Alive, Stayin' Alive with Bill O'Reilly...he can get down.
BEST PERFORMANCE AFTER GETTING FIRED: Mike Siegel to the Seattle Post Intelligencer: "'I felt it was time to make a change." We won't go into the inherent good sense and advisability of making a change after you're fired, but we do need to say: the medical hair restoration field has lost good friend.
GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT/HONORABLE MENTION: With a poem by Mother Theresa, and some uplifting homilies and goodbyes, the cheerful Seattle sports broadcasting icon, Tony Ventrella wrapped up his talk radio career- which turned out to have lasted the length of a normal pregnancy- and left his KIRO evening talk show, canned, and kindly. There was hardly a ripple across the airwaves.
NOT WITH A WHIMPER AWARD Allan Prell, fired in the middle of the week at KIRO, staged a demonstration in front of the station attended by Dori Monson, Dave Ross, Frank Shiers. He chained himself to a mailbox, wrapped himself in a flag, threw off the chains of oppression to the cheers of a dozen fans. In contrast to the beloved local Ventrella's slipping away into the night, newcomer Prell's departure generated thousands of letters and emails to KIRO; and as many new readers to BlatherWatch.
BLATHERWATCH'S BIGGEST REGRET FOR 2005: Not giving Allan Prell more of a listen. We live and die by acquired tastes: over the years we've developed a palate for raw oysters, retsina, Blue C Sushi, weird meat, Ira Glass, uni, Tucker Carlson (OK, we're lying about the uni). But like so many others, we gave Prell only a cursory listen when he replaced Dave Ross in the nine-ta-noon, and listened up only after he was fired from the hapless KIRO. He's an extraordinary talker whose audience and appeal was way larger than we or his bosses ever knew. We participated in his trashing and we're sorry.
THE SOUND & FURY AWARD goes to those perennial award winners John Carlson (KVI m-f, 3-6p) and Kirby Wilbur (KVI m-f, 5-9a) who thought up and put on it's feet, the terrible anti-roads initiative 912. They tub-thumped it, fund-raised it, and broke election rules to promote it. In Nov., voters decided all their bloviation signified nothing.
REASONED RIGHTIES: the shows of Kirby Wilbur (KVI m-f, 5-9a) and John Carlson (KVI m-f, 3-6p), for all their philosophical and political deficiencies, remain the most respectful oases on conservative talk for liberals. We appreciate that.
THE FARTER OF OUR COUNTRY PROFOUND EXUDATION TROPHY: Rush Limbaugh. He's a rank professional, and no amount of damage control could help the Maha Rushee's odiferous image this year after three separate incidents of public flatus. Limbaugh's personal flatulence was widely exposed as a more serious problem than the verbal variety heard daily on the radio. Around the office, Limbaugh was nick-named 'Limberger' after his gassy exudations seriously downgraded staff working conditions at EIB. From our Oct. 4 post: Limbaugh's flatulence first made headlines when he let loose in a broadcast cubicle as 2nd Lady Lynn Cheney was visiting his show. Relations between their staffs got rough after someone on Cheney's staff leaked the story to the tabs. In June, Big Pants reportedly passed gas in a limo he shared with four interns from the Heritage Foundation, causing one of them to resign rather than ride back to the office with him. Insiders report that flatus was what drove ex-wife Marta into a separate residence on their Palm Beach estate long before their actual divorce. His present girlfriend, CNN anchor Daryn Kagin, is said to be considering an intervention. The gas, while rarely fatal, is seen as a health hazard by environmental scientists--of whom, of course, Limbaugh has always had nothing but scorn. Now we know why- he couldn't pass the fresh air standards we reasonably expect from industry.
ENDORSEMENT SLUT OF THE YEAR AWARD goes, of course, to Dori Monson (KIRO m-f, 12-3p). Besides vying for the Gutter Helmet Ambassador To The Whole World, sopped up an astounding share of the lucrative endorsement ads on Entercom stations and TV this year. How does he do it? Nobody knows. Does it make him beloved among his peers? Nope.
TOP-RATED KIRO TALKER: Lou Pate (overnight m-f, 1-5a). This says more about how KIRO's problems than it does about Pate's popularity. Nonetheless, with no local live competition and broadcasting during hours favored by the crack community and long-haul truck drivers, Pate pulls down some pretty impressive 9 to 15 shares. He's what we call a fuck-you conservative; he's libertarian, anti-religious, pro-pornography, and he got his politics in reaction to political correctness. And he's got a loyal following of guys just like him.
The MIKE SIEGEL MEMORIAL HYPOCRISY OVER DEMOCRACY AWARD goes to Lexus liberal and freshly fired KIRO talker Mike Webb, who professes to be gay, who finally stopped on-air endorsements of Rockstar, the homophobic energy drink produced by homophobic Russell Goldencloud Weiner and his homophobic father, the demented mega-talker Michael Savage (KTTH m-f, 3-6p) only after months of plaguing by BlatherWatch and others. Despite self-describing as a "liberal with a capital 'L,'" he actively took part in the successful decertification of his own union in his KIRO workplace.
THE MIKE WEBB MEMORIAL HYPOCRISY WITHOUT SHAME AWARD: goes to...Mike Siegel, after months of French-bashing, and calling for a boycott of all objets French in a cheap mimicry of his friend and former mentor, Bill O'Reilly, took an elongated vacation in where? En France, naturellement...
MOST ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FOR THE LEAST ACHIEVEMENT: Bryan Suits, (KVI m-f, 6-9p) wrote brilliantly after being selected BlatherWatch's Top Narcissistic Local Talk Host: I, I, I'm just overwhelmed! I don't know what to say. I need to thank John Hiefield for producing the darn thing every night. And of course Kris Olinger for giving me the shot in the first place (I didn't have to sleep with her, but I woulda!)
And of course, Jeremy Grater, Phil Vandervoort, Dori and Dave and the whole crew at Eastlake. And I gotta mention Paul Moyer! Paul was a big doofy brother who let me do sports talk! And boy could he HIT! Am I right?! Have another beverage ya nut! Right back atcha!
Also, I have to thank George Bush for a great career move. If you are a real right winger, well in my book you need to get your ass on the ground in the SHIT! I mean, what's better for my career in 2004? Sit in a studio and tell OTHER people to go get killed, or do it yourself?
Finally, I have to thank me for being me. I could take the easy way out and rip off an established host, but that doesn't last. And besides, I'm in the business to amuse myself anyway. So as I'm fond of saying "Bring on the acronyms and obscurata!"
I have to wrap it up, but once again, it's an honor just to be nominated.
LONGEST LEAP IN THE SHORTEST SPACE 2005: David Boze from producer of the Mike Siegel Show to his own show in the same spot. He and Dan Sytman (who forsook his day job as Medved producer) were promoted to do the morning drive (KTTH 5-9a) and overflow the narrow shoes of industry midget, Mike Siegel, who they elbowed out of the way and then trod on the corpse. KTTH tags them the "Dream Team," but we prefer "Dumb & Meaner." Siegel had no listeners and the boyz are successfully bagging the same audience. Tune in for politically incorrect shock value jokes and caffeinated, non-stop, tag-team, right-wing blather sullied rarely by callers-in.
LONGEST LEAP IN THE LONGEST SPACE, 2006: Al Franken, (KPTK m-f, 3-6p) the comedian turned Air America talk host to the U.S. Senate race in Minnesota against the damaged Norm Coleman, whose close ties to the wounded Bush administration is hurting him. There has been a talk host in Congress before, but to our knowledge, never a comedian- a situation that's needed amending ever since Strom Thurmond left. Although he does an excellent impression of Thurmond, that's where the resemblance ends. Franken is funny on purpose, intelligent, liberal, keeps his hands off women in elevators, and will be relatively young for a U.S. Senator.
BEST SYNDICATED TALKER is between Thom Hartmann, (KPTK m-f, 9a-12p) and Big Eddie Shultz (KPTK m-f, 12-3p). Hartmann is a smart, passionate, lettered, even-tempered liberal who was brought out to Portland, Ore. by KPOJ and does a local show down there as well as his national. The big red-headed Ed is a great white liberal hope for liberal re-establishment in the red states and those with reddish mindsets. An ex-pro footballer, manly man, and a hunter, he talks the talk of the better-red-than-deaders, but he's smart, progressive, well-informed, and has the populist passion so attractive to heartlanders.
THE MOST RIDICULED LOCAL TALKER: and the winner is...KIRO's self-congratulatory, smugger-than-thou, annoying beyond the call of duty Frank Shiers, (Sat 7-9p, Sun 4-7p) which should be no surprise to anyone who reads our comment strings. A nimble-brained, self-congratualtory voice-over guy from KBSG and part-time music jock, KIRO colleagues complain that Shiers came out of nowhere and gobbled up all the fill-in work which did little to endear him to said colleagues.
THE LUCKIEST FILL-IN HOST LOCAL TALK RADIO: John Procaccino, who ISN'T FRANK SHIERS! but is permanent fill-in for the 9-ta-noon, can be stiff or soporific; dispassionate and harmless, warm and sincere- sometimes to distraction. But when he took over the fill-in following a stint by Shiers, the sign of relief was audible through the urban ether and there was hardly a murmur from the tough morning audience. Why? because John Procaccino ISN'T FRANK SHIERS!
SECOND MOST RIDICULED HOST: is Dori Monson, (KIRO m-f, 12-3p) of course.
BEST TALK SHOW HOST IN SEATTLE: is Dave Ross, who should be in Congress or in a slot with a smaller spot load. Arguably the most successful talker in Seattle, we picked him because his politics are right (left, that is) he's smarter than we are, he can sing, and he treats people with respect.
READERS
READER COMMENT OF THE YEAR: was posted by Lazy Murrow (who we know to actually be Edward R. Murrow's lesser brother- they named the I-90 Bridge after his mother Lacey). He wrote punfully in a way that BlatherWatch would never dare- although this deep trench is where our dark heart really dwells.
"Poor KVI. Their big fish runs for governor but returns to the spawning ground, gulping for air. In the next election, they carry Dino Rossi's water... all the way down the drain. The station surfaces briefly to wash over the court challenge, but like all their groupers they desperately grab onto the Shark fin, and end up on a quick dive back to the bottom. Once there, they fart out a few anti-tax gas bubbles -- which only makes them look shellfish.
Meanwhile, the few sane listeners KVI has left can't fathom all this trolling, to which they exclaim, "Abalone!" Many of them cut bait and run.
Cod knows why KVI's ratings are in the tank. It's like they're floundering and no one is left to pick up the Pisces. Must be some kind of fluke.
Either that, or the people have spoken, and KVI is hard of herring."
READER OF THE YEAR: is Sparky, gentle heart from someplace that's not Seattle with her blather-loyalty, reasonable nature, common sense liberalism, maturity, family values, and the down-to earthiness to, when necessary, call a penis a penis...there are others we don't know what we'd do if they'd quit writing: Ogreish conservatives like Lump, ExDem, and Scrilla; reasoned, (though just as deluded) conservatives like Michael B; radio pros like Umo and Peaklimiter, and the beloved liberals who don't hate our freedom like Andrew, Fremont and Chris, Joanie, Cyn, and Windy. We love the relationships we have both on and off-line with these folks.
READERS/MIA: Duane, Scott- we miss you guys, sort of...Jeez, Scott ran off Duane, then Scott fell off the face of the earth...
ABSURDERATA
The JEFF GANNON CUTE BUT STUPID FAUX JOURNALIST AWARD goes to Stefan Sharkansky who isn't a journalist, but plays one on the radio. Stefan, who attended the Matt Drudge Junior College of Journalism, has extinguished himself by distinguishing himself as the last man to die for a mistake.
BEST WAY TO BECOME AN AUTHOR/2005: the Dino Rossi/Republican Party Starving Writer's Method: 1. Be rich. 2. Start up a publishing company. 3. Dictate your lifestory into a tape recorder. 4. hire a hack to put it in sentences and paragraphs. 5. Flog it on right-wing blogs, go on talk radio, and buy yourself into chain bookstore "readings" and "signings," and Voilà! You're an author! and can be consider yourself something other than a political loser already running for office 3 years out.
BOOTY AND THE BEAST: the terrific horse sex story out of Issaquah this summer was hardly mentioned by BlatherWatch- it was off topic and ignored by most talk hosts except, predictably, by Dori Monson. However, it was mentioned in a comment string and we gleaned hundreds of google hits from world wide readers clamoring for info. Couldn't help think of George Carlin's excellent advice: "Don't sweat the petty stuff and don't pet the sweaty stuff."
THE MIKE WEBB HELL HATH NO FURY AWARD: goes to Dave Irons, whose rages were so brilliantly exposed by David Goldstein over at horsesass.org. Dave and David answered the eternal question: what could be a worse rap for a politician than sleeping with the livestock? Well, beating your mom of course! We salute Dave for his stunning lack of self-control and David for making a real difference in the re-election of County Executive Ron Sims. We salute Chris Vance and the Republicans for picking such a pathetic candidate.
COMMERCIALS
WORST RADIO COMMERCIAL 2005: In the jingle jungle of radio advertising we trek through daily thickets of problem skin testimonials: "People don't stare at my rashes anymore;" unwanted, unsightly hair removal strategies; the sad spectacle of Ivy League educated Michael Medved and Al Franken sharing their intimate Select Comfort Bed "sleep numbers" (plus those of their wives) with the entire world; Dori Monson whoring just about every consumer product he might need for his suburban lifestyle and battling Kirby Wilbur over the title of No.1 Gutter Helmet Guy; the late, great Mike Siegel using his considerable clout and law degree to advocate for hair transplants, snore buzzers and The General's sweet potato pies. (Siegel's mantle of Nature Bee's guy was passed to Dave Boze, KTTH (m-f 5-9), a comforting succession). But for us, the ad that distinguished itself (and KIRO, the only station we heard it on) was the one for Therabreath and their definitive Bad Breath Bible, Dr. Harold Katz's magnum opus on halitosis. It's The Shocking Truth That The 'Big Boys' Of Oral Care Hope You Never Find Out! and a $19.95 value absolutely free if you were one of the few listening to KIRO for a few days last Summer. We got our copy and believe in a strict interpretation of this Bible, the precepts of which rule our daily oral routine. The folks on the bus are grateful, too.
BEST RADIO AD 2005 goes to Zan the Rad Dyke Plumber on KPTK. She's "changing the world one toilet at a time," and that makes us feel better. Also that she's a local businesswoman supporting liberal radio. The conservatives have their tight-sphinctered Laura Kiel- we've got Zan.
THE JACK ROBERTS MEMORIAL CELEBRITY BOUGHT & PAID FOR CUP Sleep Country founder Sunny Kobe Cook (known affectionately in radioland as "the mattress back") has shuffled off to the pastures of inspirational speaking and winters in the southland. Jack "We won't be undersold!" Roberts is in the Big Appliance Showroom in the sky (we hope not in the oven!). Admittedly, the new crop of "celebs" don't come up to the sheer neverendending noisomeness of these pioneers, but we needed to salute and celebrate a few who are trying. The Cup goes to CEO Barney Aldridge, the "We're nice people, too" guy from Benchmark Lending. Despite being a capitalist running dog, he's got the regular guy thing down and we're guessing he's in for the long haul. Runner-up: Laura "Yeah, that's it, that's the one!" Kiel, co-owner of Kiel Mortgage with her husband, Dan, (they're also prominent Republican donors) made the error of singing a line of her irksome jingle in a commercial that actually runs on the air, blowing her chances for No. 1.
BLITHERING BLATHERPOSTS
SWEATY SEX AND TINY TIGHT TEENAGE TUSHIES: A parent speaks out on freaky dancing, Christian erotica, and locking Kevlar underwear.
TALK RADIO'S 3 MOST NARCISSISTIC TALK-JOCKS 2005 /Seattle Edition
TALK RADIO'S 5 MOST NARCISSISTIC TALK-JOCKS 2005/National Edition
BEST POEM ABOUT FEMA: "If You Need Us, We Can't Help You" by "Michael Brown," former FEMA director.
READER'S POLL/WORST TASTE: BOLD "Feeding Tubes Are Hot!" Unmitigated gall.
EDITOR'S PICK/WORST TASTE: "The Celebrity Death Channel" Is nothing sacred?
MOST POPULAR POST/BLOGOSPHERE Endless Summer, President Bush: Where the Cocyxx Meets the Lucite: UPDATE: it's Xmas week and he's still brown as a berry.
2nd MOST POPULAR POST/BLOGOSPHERE "Been There, Said That? Then Don’t Go There! IMMEDIATELY! Words, words, the musical fruit...
OUR FAVORITE POST "George W. Bush: Puddin' Packin' Prez" What would we do without him?
MOST SCARY, YET HILARIOUS POST: "Sweet Jesus!...Sean Hannity for President?"
WELCOME AL FRANKEN: A Seattle Radio Market Analysis Just For You Seattleiana through "frozen squid bladders."
QUOTES
QUOTE OF THE YEAR/TALK HOST: goes, of course, to recently canned KIRO talker Mike Webb who told the Seattle Times' Christine Clarridge after he was charged in a felony insurance fraud case, "It would take an absolute idiot to try to defraud someone like that."
QUOTE OF THE YEAR/READER: an anonymous reader who wrote: [To talk radio programmers] "...originality is like a duck on a new carpet." Sorry dude, we've already stolen that one.
BEST ADVICE OF THE YEAR/20TH CENTURY: Wendell Johnson, "Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use."
BEST ADVICE OF THE YEAR/OF ALL TIME: King George V, "Always go to the bathroom when you have a chance."
RADIO STATIONS
TIMIDITY IN THE FACE OF REALITY DIXIE CUP goes to Infinity Broadcasting, owners of KPTK, and GM Jim Trapp, Seattle's Air America affiliate who refuses to hire local liberal talkers. Industry people we talk to all believe that if local conservative talk does well in liberal that local liberal talk can do even better. After bringing in Thom Hartmann to do a local show, and actually investing a little in their programming, KPOJ is kicking ass in Portland. Why is KPTK so chickenshit? Why have they let pass the opportunity of moving in on foundering KIRO and KTTH? As they say in Hawaii: "Dumb is why."
WORST NEW RADIO TAG goes to KTTH, who whittled theirs down from the merely pandering: "YOU DESERVE THE TRUTH to the modest, yet arrogant: "THE TRUTH." We'd love to be able to tune in to a single station for The Truth, but unfortunately, KTTH programming includes Rush Limbaugh and Bill O'Reilly, whose obfuscation has been exhaustingly documented. Putting ourselves in the hands of such doctrinaire connivers as Bill Bennett and Michael Savage is more than iffy, too. The Real Truth is that talk radio programmers and successful talk hosts give not a rusty fuck about the truth- it's all about generating calls and hanging on to listeners. Bottom line is the bottom line: THE TRUTH is just another buzz word to sell Gutter Helmets.
WHEREDEEGO? WHYDEGO? Kirby Wilbur's (KVI m-f, 5-9a longtime producer Kelly Meniss just up and disappeared one day last month. Management reportedly made accusations that seemed ridiculous to all onlookers, then frog-marched him out the door with his stuff in a cardboard box. Where was Kirby?...out for doughnuts, is what we're hearing.
I knew Sparky would win something...As far as KPTK, they still could bring in a local host as Franken will no-doubt run for Congress, (theres still time while KIRO is on the ropes)
KPTK also needs to fill in more local ads and less PSA's that repeat every half-hour about COPD coughing and Junior Achievement...
Posted by: chris | December 28, 2005 at 02:51 PM
Some of the PSA's on KPTK are really weird...
Am I alone in my amazement that "pesticides in your children's classrooms" have become a major problem in this country?
And that kids need to have breakfast EVERY DAY so as not to lose vital minerals needed to keep focus?
Posted by: Trip | December 28, 2005 at 05:14 PM
For me, the single most teeth grindingly bad commercial of '05 has to be the Lomas Lasic Eye Surgery Center.
"Do you want to be driven completely insane? OF COURSE YOU DO!"
I couldn't help but imagine how that recording session went down:
"no...speak faster...with passion"
And I couldn't imagine how much sick quiche the ad executive made on that sale; what was it, 4-5 times/hour for several months? Sheesh!
On a sidebar, I'd be interested to hear from ad executives for KPTK. How aggressive is the station towards cultivating ad revenue, and how difficult is it to court yer big money gutter helmeted guys?
Posted by: Chad Stanley | December 28, 2005 at 05:14 PM
My favorite ad is by the Portage Bay Cafe, offering the Geoge Bush Special: If you make 200k of better, you get a nice discount. Pretty funny.
Posted by: markingtime | December 28, 2005 at 06:36 PM
Dave Ross the best talk show radio host? a lefty? He struck me as a trianglating weenie. Shortly before the monorail vote went down, he had mostly anti-monorail people on his show. He also said that we'll probably never know if Bush lied about WMD's. You gotta be kidding.
Posted by: Peter | December 28, 2005 at 07:44 PM
Golly! I never won anything before!!
I will add to the list of awful commercials...the " See Clearly Method" which eschews wearing glasses so you can see ( " have you noticed that when you start to wear glasses, your eyesight gets worse over time???") the lady who marvels that just last week she had ugly curled yellow toenails, and the one that sends me screaming is the one where the actress talks like a baby when she explains what SAND is to her "son." Maybe the sales staff is young and they aren't aware of businesses that are progressive...why not try places like Trader Joe's?
Posted by: sparky | December 28, 2005 at 08:25 PM
The worst commercials of the year on Seattle Radio have to be the ones for that car dealer in Idaho. Not only are they products of the "if you yell at your listeners, maybe they will do business with you" school, but they're in Idaho! How many people are going to buy a new car that they have to drive more than 300 miles to get it home?
Posted by: listener | December 28, 2005 at 08:32 PM
Strange, of your Three Most Narcissistic Talk-Jocks, two are gone. Coincidence?
Posted by: JDB | December 28, 2005 at 11:56 PM
"Quit freakin', call Beacon" really grates on me. I may remember the rhyme but I'll call another commercial line. (I don't remember what they sell!)
Posted by: joanie | December 29, 2005 at 12:39 AM
Reader Comment of the Year? And I didn't even have to slip you a fin! Pour me a sardini, I'm all at sea! And best fishes to you Michael, I'm hooked on this blog and I'll continue to drop a line now and then.
Posted by: Lazy Murrow | December 29, 2005 at 01:21 AM
http://webpages.marshall.edu/~hartwel1/humor/stories/wet_dream.html
The power of Adotta compels you!
Posted by: Trip | December 29, 2005 at 02:10 AM
(FULL LINK)
http://webpages.marshall.edu/~hartwel1/humor/stories/wet_dream.html
Posted by: Trip | December 29, 2005 at 02:11 AM
http://webpages.marshall.edu/~hartwel1/humor/stories/
wet_dream.html
Posted by: Yeah yeah | December 29, 2005 at 02:12 AM
I must say I am disappointed. No mention of Mr. Bryan "Rhymes with Bible" Styble anywhere! Couldn't you have made up a Worst category especially for him? I thought we were in agreement that he stinks!?!
Seriously though, great list - keep up the good work next year!
Posted by: willis | December 29, 2005 at 02:25 AM
Great dig at Drudge and Sharkansky! What right do they have to have a blog?! Don't go changin' old boy!
p.s. Stealing company laptops and putting them on Ebay usually gets anyone fired from Fisher. You know who to ask.
Posted by: Scrilla | December 29, 2005 at 04:30 AM
Listener sez, "The worst commercials of the year on Seattle Radio have to be the ones for that car dealer in Idaho. Not only are they products of the "if you yell at your listeners, maybe they will do business with you" school, but they're in Idaho! How many people are going to buy a new car that they have to drive more than 300 miles to get it home?"
How many people? Over 6 thousand a year. Employs over 80 internet sales people. Largest Dodge dealer in the USA. Has a shuttle pick up customers at the Spokane airport for those who fly in. One price, no haggling. Sells a lot of cars to customers who live far more than 300 miles away.
Posted by: Lump | December 29, 2005 at 07:43 AM
AND BEST BLATHERBLOG OF THE YEAR TO MICHAEL HOOD, GENIUS AND MULTI-TALENTED WRITER, WHO WAS ACTUALLY CREDITED FOR THE MIKE WEBB STORY IN TODAY'S ISSUE OF THE SEATTLE TIMES...IT'S ABOUT TIME.....!
Posted by: FREMONT | December 29, 2005 at 08:59 AM
Lump, that's interesting. I wonder why they dont include that information in their commercial? If I knew I only had to go as far as Spokane and was provided a free shuttle that would make a difference. Otherwise, it does sound kind of odd to advertise so far away. On that same note, I drove from Everett to Vancouver ( WA ) to buy my truck because the sales tax there is still only 6. something...anyone know what the sales tax is in Idaho?? Do we still have to pay exise tax when we buy big ticket items out of state?
Posted by: sparky | December 29, 2005 at 09:25 AM
I wanted to thank you for the honor of being selected "LONGEST LEAP IN THE SHORTEST SPACE 2005" winner. I shall treasure it always. Or briefly. Or not at all. In any case, I am thinking that my award may bare a close resemblance to the Marisa Tomei Oscar for "My Cousin Vinny." Blatherwatch has forgotten that while I did hold the title of producer of the Mike Siegel Show, I also hosted weekdays 5-6am and, until Limbaugh came to KTTH, 11am-12noon. Armed with this not-so-new information, I will not hold it against Blatherwatch if it should choose to give the award to some more deserving recipient.
PS. In all seriousness, I did not elbow Mike Siegel out, nor did I trod on his memory. Mike graciously congratulated me on the promotion, and I hope listeners heard the same graciousness when on the air, we wished him well in his future endeavors.
Posted by: David Boze | December 29, 2005 at 09:37 AM
we kid Dave Boze and Dan Sytman. Dave: thanks for the correction. We've heard your on-air graciousness concerning Siegel- my remarks were meant as a compliment- to help bolster the perception of your burgeoning clout in the local industry. I listen to you guys in the morning despite complaints from my family that I now get up pissed-off and mean. good job. look out Kirby!
Posted by: blathering michael | December 29, 2005 at 09:51 AM
This is a terrific blog, i'm so glad i found you! it's funny, and original and nobody else is doing this. i'm not even a liberal and i'll be back...
Posted by: gene33 | December 29, 2005 at 01:24 PM
This year end review is great, I realy like the dueling Mike Siegel and Mike Webb Memorial awards.
Posted by: Andrew | December 29, 2005 at 01:55 PM
You're an excellent writer. I loved the Parent Talk bit about freaky dancing.
Thanks to Mike Webb, I discovered this blog.
Posted by: Kublai Khan | December 29, 2005 at 02:10 PM
"Thanks to Mike Webb, I discovered this blog."
That's touching.
Posted by: Andrew | December 29, 2005 at 02:31 PM
now we know why Lou Pate is number one late night ! hooty hoo is anybody out there it`s time for Komo to getter done !
Posted by: Brian | December 29, 2005 at 04:43 PM
Sparky sez, " Do we still have to pay exise tax when we buy big ticket items out of state?"
You won't pay any Idaho tax but when you get home, Washington will drop your knickers for you and bend you over the hitching post to extract their taxes. I was wrong about the over 80 internet sales staff. There are over 80 sales people including the internet staff and floor managers. I was in contact with them over buying a 2006 truck, but they didn't have a firm date and even though they had over 200 trucks on order, they didn't have the one I wanted and I would have had to special order it. No problem with that except we weren't able to come up with a build date and delivery. Not their fault, but Dodge was a little slow on the draw for new models. They've got cars crammed into every vacant building in Kellogg. If they have the vehicle you want, it's the place to buy.
Posted by: Lump | December 29, 2005 at 05:06 PM
My favorite radio spot line is incorporated into an ad for a company that administers employee benefits...
"Isn't it expensive?? NO, it's easy!"
Posted by: J_P_K | December 29, 2005 at 05:33 PM
I'm not sure how to feel about being "honored" as one of the "Ogreish conservatives". Thanks, I think....
Anyway, I keep coming back, so obviously something about this little blog appeals to me. Out of respect for the focus of the blog, I've refrained from posting anything the past few weeks. I've tended to pursue discussions on political and cultural issues, when the true purpose of the blog is to discuss Talk Radio. But, I do continue to read....
Posted by: ExDem | December 30, 2005 at 01:13 PM
I worked hard for Dave Ross and agree he was a victim of a nasty smear. I would look to you though to call him out for refusing to relinquish his talk show giving both Democrat and Republican rivals a chance to chip at his armour.
Posted by: Mike Barer | January 07, 2006 at 03:01 PM
"...and the beloved liberals who don't hate our freedom like Andrew, Fremont and Chris, Joanie..."
Don't hate our freedom? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! To bad a couple of these people are the people that are doing everything they can to silence Rachel! What a load of liying trashloving liberal dog do!
Posted by: RedRachel | May 11, 2006 at 07:53 AM
In think it is time the institution limited internet access.
Posts from last year are being resurrected.
Posted by: Liz | May 11, 2006 at 08:25 AM
it just feels like it, Liz :-)
Posted by: sparky | May 11, 2006 at 08:58 AM