what was worse than bush tonight? seattle talk radio

Local talk radio coverage of the State of the Union address was, not unlike the speech itself, sadder than usual this year. Noteworthy were those missing from the broadcast night- those experienced voices we've always heard in past après le bain discussions.

Kirby Wilbur and John Carlson hosted from live remotes at dueling Ruth Crist's Steakhouses in Bellevue and downtown. Sizzling platters could be heard passing by as the KVI choir sucked up the lipids and shouted the hosannas for their President and baked potatoes with sour cream & chives.

Sheriff Rep. Dave Reichert phoned it in sounding like a little duck, but otherwise it was just the quacking of the main KVI hosts, Wilson and Carlbur. Fortunately, we didn't hear much of this, but we did listen long enough to hear the Quote Of The Night: "Hillary," Kirby Wilbur said, "looked to me like The Anti-Christ."

(Which would, if true, be great for Democrats. The Anti-Christ, according to the Revelations myth, will rule the entire world for quite a while, which ain't bad, except the R's are way ahead of us on the take-over-the-world track. And besides, Kirby's wrong- most Biblical scholars today believe David Hasselhoff is The Anti-Christ). 

A meme of all the right-wing talk hosts was how bitchy and mean Hillary Clinton looked and  in general is. Liberals may be mad at her, but the neocons are after her but good. Wilbur and Carlson tried to hook Sen. Maria Cantwell onto the Hillary Bitch Wagon, saying she looked glum and snarly during the speech. (Bitchifying female Democratic politicians is Republican "Swift-Boating for the Gals").

Dumb & Meaner (Boze & Sytman) double-handedly spread the Republican mudhoney on KTTH. We have T-shirts older than these two, and though energetic like jackrabbits, they coulda used some help. The fired KTTH talker Mike Siegel whose age would have given him more credibility by default could have helped ground these gleeful, jeering, quick studies reeking of The Gap and eau de National Review.

It woulda been loverly to have had somebody else sharing the mic- preferably someone who's been voting longer than The Simpsons have been on the air. And we're loath to say this, but Michael Medved would have lent gravitas and credibility to this night down at the KTTH Korral. (OK- it woulda all been neocon bullshit, but at least it would've had some depth- which is why we always wear boots down at the Korral).

KIRO's coverage was anchored, hosted by, (can you believe it?) New York Hock Hokey Hawk Vinnie who, for some reason, is broadcasting from Detroit. The full-time help, Dave Ross, Dori Monson, Lou Pate (that's all that're left!) were MIA. Where was the 2nd string, the full-time fill-ins like Procaccino or Shiers, Ryder or even the pitiful Ron & Bomb? We would've welcomed any one of them.

We were even praying that gardening guru Ciscoe Morris or super chef Tom Douglas might be called in to hold forth on the Bush speech (Ciscoe says he loves bushes, Douglas says he's more interested in the State of the Onion).

But no.

We got Vinnie and Vinnie got Carl Jeffers on the phone from wherever the hell he lives, and sweet Jesus if Vinnie didn't get Jeffers (on this political night of nights) to start talking sports. These two master bloviators, jockeying for words edgewise, addressed the vitally significant issue: why are professional athletes more likely to be Republicans? They analyzed down the jock socioeconomic scale; from PGA golfers sitting on corporate boards to basketball ball players come up from the ghetto who are now Bush Pioneers. It was riveting. (no, it wasn't)

Another bust of a night on Seattle radio. We shoulda stood in bed.

Comments

[joanie]

God only knows! I used to try to listen to him but he was always trashing Seattle. He talked about absolutely nothing except how much he hated it here.

For a long time I quit listening. Then, one night I turned him on and he was doing this paranormal stuff. You know, spooky stuff and parapsychology. Did someone get to him at that time and warn him that he better clean up his act? I didn't like the new Pate any better but at least he was putting some effort into hosting a real show.

I've always wondered about that? Does he still do that stuff or is he back to being awesomely obnoxious?

He always was more comfortable with put-downs and negative BS.

[Critter]

joanie...

You must have caught him on an off night if he was talking about anything other than HIMSELF.

No, he hasn't changed. He's only gotten worse! Ever see a leopard changes his spots? Not me.

Pate spends four hours a night knocking Seattle, Seattle women, ALL women, blacks, Asians, Indians, Mexicans, Christians, the Pope, KIRO, his bosses, and anybody else who gets in the way of his constant love affair with HIMSELF.

He is the most arrogant, puffed up, full-of-himself, rude, obnoxious, human-like (and that's a stretch), I've ever heard in my life.

And just because we complain, Pate assumes we listen to his Zzzzzzz show. Not true for me.

I always hear his insults as I'm whipping through the stations; which proves to me he's the same ol' same ol' because what are the chances he'd be insulting someone just as I whipped by unless he's doing it all the time? (Sorry for the run-on sentence).

But the worst was the way he dissed and/or humiliated Bryan Styble a couple nights ago. How can KIRO employ (or keep on the payroll) somebody who trashes another one of their talk show hosts; and especially a host KIRO has hired to sit-in for Pate?

It's just beyond me.

[Fluffycat]

After the way KIRO management is runnng the station into the ground, this surprises you???

[it]

Hmm...For folks who claim to only be "whipping through the stations" and others who claim they do not listen to Pate, you sure seem to know everything he says. Folks we must stick together. The Lou show is successful and kept on because of ratings, that's it. I see many of you posting on other progressive sites, such as Webbs, spouting off about him as well. Obviously you listen more then you say. Do as I do and simply turn it off. No one forces you to listen. It is apparent you are not doing so. One must deduce, you actually enjoy the show on some wierd level. Second, many of you post way to much on this sight. It is time to get out and get some air.

[Tommy008]

No, we really are NOT listening to Pate, even though we may know what he's up to, very superficially. It only takes a few seconds or a minute out of four hours to tune in and hear some outrageous crap from Lou ,since, like Critter says, he's DOING IT ALL THE TIME. If he had a decent replacement I could easily by listening to the new guy 14-16 hours a week. Sure, occaisionally we turn into a "trainwreck" on his show, like the disgraceful 150 minute humiliation of Brian Styble, that's so awful we sit transfixed for a couple hours like gawkers watching the bodies being brought out. But only an illogical, narcissistic dunce like Lou Pate assumes that lots of complaints mean- "ooh, liberals and more liberals glued to the radio speaker for four hours a night of me".

[sparky]

I sleep when he is on...problem solved for me.

[joanie]

I understand Tommy's point. I am a cruiser/surfer of the radio dial. A lot can be gleaned in five to fifteen minutes of Pate, Monson, Shiers, all of whom I dislike but do try to listen to from time to time.

For me, any radio seems better than no radio but these three often cause me to reject that notion as I cannot listen for long.

[sparky]

KING FM is really nice when voices get to be too much to listen too...
The coolest thing is that digital cable on TV provides about 50 channels of every kind of music you can think of, including international, and they are commercial free. Great for background music...

[it]

Sure sure you are not listening regularly. Ok ok. If saying it makes you feel better. Hey I am on your side. The problem is you have way to much info on the contents of his show to be a casual listener. It is way obvious you are drawn to this guy, otherwise you would not discuss him so much. I, myself back up my actions by not listening. Obviously you do not realize, it is you who are the ingredient to his success. Now I have to get back to work. There is more to life then obsessing over Lou Pate or any other radio DJ.

[joanie]

If you are so disgusted with it and us, why are here?

[Critter]

To the all-so-knowing it:

Exuse me? Are you hiding under my bed when I'm flipping through the stations? When I say I was "flipping" though the stations, that's exactly what I meant. I do not lie, Mr./Ms. it, so I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your accusations to yourself. Opinions I don't mind...accusations I resent.

Also, I said somewhere on this blog that "I don't listen to him ANYMORE," which implies I used to listen.

So quit sneaking into my bedroom every night and watching my every mood. And while you're at it....FLIP THIS!

[Tommy008]

Right on Critter. And don't accuse me either, It, because you're simply wrong. The people that prop up Lou's show( and I have my doubts about these "high ratings"), are the non-thinkers that listen for an hour or moore a night, not the hit-and-runs like me. Lou Pate is a man who didn't even know what the Wahabi sect of Islam was, during the height of terrorism talk. He's simply not bright enough to attract anyone who thinks critically to listen for more than 15 minutes of his show. Notice I didn't say "liberal" because I consider myself an independent, and I resent his simpleton's cheap shot of labelling anyone who doesn't like his show as a "liberal".

[it]

The fact is, you all quoted numerous statements from Lou. Most recenty from his show from just this past Wednesday night Thursday morning No accusations, just the facts in your own words.

Here goes. From different posts. In your own words.

Critter: "Sorry to change the subject but did anyone listen to Lou Pate last night (Wednesday?
Lou, Gary (his producer) AND the callers spent at least 2 1/2 hours knocking Bryan Styble! They wouldn't even use his name; Lou kept saying: "The B word" instead of Bryan."

Above is an alleged direct quote of Lou from Critter.

Tommy008: "Herr Pate returned to the KIRO airwaves last night with a loud cry of "Screw you all!" then preceded to mock the death of Coretta Scott King, joking, among other inanities, that he'd met Dr.King before he was married in a gay bar."

Above Tommy008 with another alleged direct quote from Lou

Tommy008: "I turned off Lou Pate right after he purposefully dissed Styble by laboriously thanking everyone BUT Bryan for covering his show while he was away. I had no idea he would stoop to 2 and a half hours more of that crap."

Says he turned him off, but continued to listen for two hours? I know, you turned it off and came back later. Then how did you know it was consistent for an entire two plus hours?

Tommy008: "I've heard him mock Frank Shiers, in a completely gratuitous cheap shot. This is where you obviously need management to step in when a host violates basic rules by nightly trashing the city that feeds the station, trashing the station itself, and especially trashing fellow talkshow hosts at the station, which is a famous nono among broadcasters. Pate is the only talkhost who I've heard violate that "code of honor" rule like this."

Can Tommy008 say "I've heard" a few more times? Not bad for a guy who does not listen.

And finally Joanie who just happened to tune in.

Joanie: "For a long time I quit listening. Then, one night I turned him on and he was doing this paranormal stuff. You know, spooky stuff and parapsychology."

There are more references to many of you listening to this jerk, but my point has been made and proven with the help of your own words. I rest my case.

Obviously a nerve has been struck. The truth hurts. Remember we progressives need to stick together. We have lost two soldiers recently. We cannot fight amongst ourselves and prop up the other side. By your obsessive compulsive way of listening to Lou, you are helping him. By mentioning him on other sites, you are giving him exposure. There is no such thing as bad publicity. Please try to limit your obvious obsession with this mouthpiece of the right.

[joanie]

Since you choose to take my words out of context to make your point, I'll add what I said next. "Is he still doing that stuff?"

Wouldn't one infer from that question that I'm not listening to him?

[Tommy008]

It- I found out that Lou talked about Styble for two and one half hours after I turned him off after reading someone else's post here who heard it. Understand now? As for the substance of your tiresome post, my final word on the subject was in my last post. Reread it.

[Critter]

Mr./Ms. it:

Your post proved absolutely nothing to me, except that you are capable of cutting and pasting comments by other posters. And to what avail? I guess you were bored. And I really doubt that anyone here wanted to read that stuff a second time around!

Also, I never said I didn't listen to him. Obviously I have heard him or I wouldn't know what a jerk he has. I just can't take too much of him in one fell swoop. Besides, who appointed you the "radio" police?

And, if you don't like or believe or want to hear what we post on this blog, then just boogie on down the road and harrass someone else. I for one am done with you.

By the way, I stand by my FACTUAL post of which NONE was alleged. If I said Lou said it, he said it!

So, Mr. it, or Mr. Pate, or whomever you are, it's been a real displeasure doin' business with ya.

Toodles!

[joanie]

If you like Shiers, you're welcome to him. They tell me there's someone for everyone out there.

[Dana]

That's a BIG "if", Lou, especially considering the ratings of KIRO, in general, are going down fast.

You FINALLY had the manhood to post under your own name...if that's really you.

[sparky]

Lou is on top of what is left of KIRO...that is a good thing? Being the top maggot on a pile of poop doesnt sound too appealing to me.

[Tom Colvin]

Prove to us it's you, "Lou". What famous celebrity's apartment near Central Park in N.Y.C. did you do remodeling work on in the '70's. You said you also met him.

[blathering michael]

Don't get excited folks, tht wasn't really him...whomever it was has been expurgated...

[Tommy008]

The new KIRO PD closed the door to the conference room and turned to gaze upon the long table of faces. "There'S a new sherrif in town folks,"he barked. "And I'm him. Pate- you're out of here. I'll have security escort you to your car." Two burly security officers rose from chairs in the back of the room, and stood menacingly behind Lou Pate. "But my ratings," he cried!" The new PD broke him off with harsh, mocking laughter." You're beating out a couple of tape players on the other talk stations' pal. You're a horses ass. You're history. Now get moving!" Pate angrily rose and attempted to carry off a swagger as he walked out of the room, followed by the two guards. "Seattle sucks!!' he yelled in the hall as ......to be continued

[joanie]

Love it! But, don't let me interrupt!

[Tim]

Wow. Does that fantasy come with Vaseline?

[speech writing]

Wonderful article, thanks for putting this together! "This is obviously one great post. Thanks for the valuable information and insights you have so provided here. Keep it up!"