Ron reagan, jr. on KIRO today

Ron Reagan, will try out today for KIRO's key 9 ta noon spot, which hasn't had a permanent host since Allan Prell was defenestrated in September.

Trying out Reagan is another Big Idea of the suits who are really running the desperate KIRO ship up onto the tide flats. While BlatherWatch has been hard on program Director Tom Clendening and General Manager Dave Pridemore, we're now told that these two have zero authority and that the real geniuses are Entercom CEO David Field, pulling the strings from Bala Cynwyd with Group Manager Jerry McKenna reactively jerking like an ax murderer in Seattle.

Don't blame Tom & Dave, says our guy.

We're not sure just what Tom & Dave do all day, but our source says adamantly that the brilliance we've been seeing in the past year comes from way upstairs. This includes moving and keeping Dave Ross in the coitus interruptus of the PM drive; Prell's, Erin Hart's, Mike Webb's, Tony Ventrella and Mike Siegel's firings; inflicting the FM schlock-jocks Ron & Don onto the tender sensibilities of a liberal evening AM audience; and putting 1-ply toilet paper in the ladies' rooms.

Trying out Ron Reagan is one of their better decisions. Their other Big Idea- and you won't believe this, but we swear to Buddha we're not kidding here- was to hire either Walter Cronkite, or Dan Rather, or Aaron Brown! None of them are radio guys, nor are they presently working. The latter, naturellement, was the extent of their availability to li'l ol' KIRO radio in Seattle, WA. We're not sure whether any of these TV titans were actually contacted, but they were in a game plan or two until soberer heads prevailed.

John Procaccino, who's been holding down the morning fort, growing in the job, and being real nice in the hopes he'll get the nod, will be helping them pick his replacement- it's like Saddam Hussein making his victims dig their own graves. 

Maybe the 9p to 1a will be the consolation prize for John.

Last time they tried this, it was former City Councilwoman Judy Nicastro whom Procaccino ended up interviewing for 3 hours, keeping him in the alpha position and making her look pretty lame. It'll be interesting see how the male dominance works between these two low-key liberals.

Reagan, 47, the only son of President and Nancy Reagan has lived in Seattle since 1994, but has kept a low local profile. His latest venture into national TV as talent ended in November when the MSNBC news show Connected Coast to Coast co-hosted by Nixon biographer and archetypal blonde, neocon snarler/babe Monica Crowley was cancelled after a 9 month run.

Oddems:
~~When Reagan moved to Seattle to help start a now-defunct TV production company called Eagle Island productions, Seattle newsies, ourselves included, tried in vain, to get an interview. He was the interview no one could get. When he got the MSNBC show last year (done live at Microsoft in Redmond) the network flacks started approaching local media offering interviews. The Seattle media, (the effete and above all, pure journalists we are) got wind of the stench of promotion,and Ron Reagan suddenly became just another media whore and few took the offer.

~~Because he was an actor and a ballet dancer, (he quit Yale in 1976 to join the Joffrey) he was, for many years, rumored to be gay. He's been attacked by the gay press for not coming out. He and his wife, Doria have been married for 24 years. "Pretty good for a gay guy," laughs Reagan. His half (witted) brother, Michael, the worst talk show host since Sen. Pam Roach, used to introduce himself on-air as "Not the dancer." Ron told The Advocate last year, "I guess it's because I'm a man and a ballet dancer. If I had been a truck driver, nobody would have brought that up." Being portrayed as a closeted gay man, he said, "can be used as a weapon against my father, even posthumously."

~~Once on his the short-lived syndicated TV talker "The Ron Reagan Show," he interviewed Charles Manson in his cell. Manson began preaching his goofy spiritual "message," and at one point, turned to Reagan and asked, "Do you believe in God?" Reagan responded, "No, I do not,"  This remark reverberated though Republican and atheist hearts, nationwide. Doria is a Buddhist.

~~Reagan first came up from LA to do a story on Seattle grunge, and later announced on national television that "Seattle is the coolest place in the known universe." He and Doria, a clinical psychologist, moved to the Magnolia neighborhood not long after.

Ron's the good Reagan. He’s a reasonable, well-spoken, passionate liberal who’s bucked the Republican Party and his conservative family traditions. He spoke for his mother and countless other families of such devastating diseases as Alzheimer's in his passionate pro-embryonic stem cell research speech at the Democratic Convention in 2004. President Reagan, of course, died from its ravages and George Bush halted federal funding of the research on "moral" grounds.

The speech moved a lot of people, shone light on another issue George Bush is on the wrong side of, and pissed off the anti-abortion zealots who have the Republicans by the grassroots. Right-wing radio has always trashed Reagan as a fag and a traitor.

Reagan is a seasoned actor, TV host, reporter, (on ABC's Good Morning America) political analyst, commentator. dog show emcee and producer; which says little about how he might be as a radio talk host. Maybe he's too low-key for morning radio as some say, or...maybe not.

We’ll certainly be listening

Comments

[Ted Smith]

I caught Ron's anchoring of the dog show. He was articulate, funny, and smooth, and his commentary appeared to be unscripted. Even if it was, his delivery didn't show it. He might be a hit if he can stand working for incompetents.

[sparky]

I like Ron Reagan and he did well on TV but I cant imagine him doing KIRO for very long...

[Puget Sound]

He may start off as local but have thoughts of going national at some point given his name recognition. It worked for Medved and Michael Reagan so why not him?
He is smart and willing to engage in debate. Hopefully he translates well to radio. A year from now it will probably be praised as either a great choice or something the program types at KIRO had wished never happened.

[The Anti Kiro]

At least Reagan is open to both sides of an argument. Let's give him a shot and then we'll comment.

KIRO needs to get brave and sack that afternoon cowardly bastard Monson who cheapens the broadcast with his shallow arguments and lispy sophmoric statements. He calls himself a libertarian despite the fact that he fails to adhere to its principles. Get rid of the boat anchor and put on someone inspiring!

[ExDem]

This one is totally off topic, but it was just too funny to pass up. This is the kind of stuff they would make up at the Onion or Scrapple Face, but alas, it actually happened.

Barbra Streisand has launched a new spelling error-ridden dispatch on the Internet -- a dispatch that mocks President Bush for being a "C student!"

In her February 28th, 2006 essay, Streisand flubs 11 words, a personal record.

• Irag
• curruption
• dictatoriship
• crediblity
• Adminstration
• warrented
• desperatly
• preceedings
• ouside
• subpoening
• responsibilty

And this time around, Streisand makes four spelling errors -- in one sentence!

["In the 1970’s, during the Nixon Adminstration, serious political curruption arose and the Republican leadership stepped up and took responsibilty by holding hearings and subpoening administration officials."]

Streisand has not seen fit to run a spellcheck on the rant as of Noon, March 06.

"The arrogance of this C student," Streisand says of Bush.

[Critter]

I thought Aaron Brown was in tight with CNN. I noticed he was MIA a little while ago. Did CNN let him go? Anybody know?

I think Ron Reagan is a good choice. Hope that works out (even though I don't listen to radio at that time).

[sclub]

I can understand trying out Ron Jr., but he was dull on MSNBC. No passion. Cronkite? He still alive?

[TomF]

OK, so we all read The Drudge Report.

Ron Reagan isn't a half-bad idea. He's handled a weird dog's breakfast of TV assignments smoothly and professionally, he's a cool personality (Marshall McLuhan cool, not Lindsay Lohan cool) and he respects his audience. I'll be interested.

The brainstorming sessions on Eastlake Avenue that raised the idea of 89-year-old Walter Cronkite holding down 9-12 must've been a stone riot. It goes to show how untethered and amateurish KIRO management really is. Why not try for Prince Charles? Muhammad Ali? Hell, Barbra Stresand? None of them are doing much, and I'm sure they'd love to talk to soggy, backwards little Seattle three hours a day.

[TomF]

Critter, Aaron was let go by CNN some months ago. It was probably the most publicized change in network TV news next to Peter Jennings' death.

[Critter]

Re: Streisand per ExDem

"And this time around, Streisand makes four spelling errors -- in one sentence!"

Spelling errors??? That list looked like typos to me; which is not exactly spelling errors. We ALL make typos. And who's to say Streisand typed that? I rather doubt it. :)

[Critter]

TomF:

Ouch!! Thanks for the explanation and the whoopin'. I guess I'm just not as observant as most. Maybe I was doing something more important than following the hirings and firings of TV/Radio celebs.

[HenryH]

Anyone been around long enough to remember that Michael Reagan did a week long stint at KVI before deciding to go national? This must have been around '91-92. Funny coincidence.

[TomF]

Critter, it's hard to imagine anything more important than that.

[Critter]

TomF said:

"Critter, it's hard to imagine anything more important than that."

How sad is that?! :-(

[TomF]

Kidding!

BTW, Ron Reagan is being positioned as Proccacino's "special guest," not a trial host... John P. is still the titular host of the program. Not really a fair test of Ron's ability to drive the air single-handedly.

[Seabeck]

Will it be called the "Ron and John" show, or the "John and Ron Show?"

They should sprinkle in traffic and weather "on the threes."

[JDB]

This could be interesting. It still doesn't explain allowing Dave Ross to waste away in the afternoon slot, but at least it shows some sign of life at KIRO.

[The Anti Kiro]

WOW...it's like a university professor with a high school student. John is probably a nice guy but really doesn't come close as an intellectual. I think it's John Procacinno RIP 2005-2006.

How about comparing Reagan with Monson or god forbid Ron and Don? Simply outclasses everyone at KIRO except for traffic man Ross.

[JDB]

Off topic, but I had to pass on the fun that happens when you make evening people do early morning radio.

Today Bryan Suits was subbing for Kirby. Two revelations: First, Bryan was paired up with a women (forgive me, I forget her name, but she has been around for a bit), and with a pairing, he is actually livable. It sort of brightens him up.

Second, they were discussing the South Dakota abortion law. Sadly, Bryan is probably not use to being up so early anymore, which led him to say at around 8:30 and the end of the show that the law outlawed "all rapes, except when the women's life is in danger."

That would be a very interesting law indeed.

[The Anti Kiro]

WOW...it's like a university professor with a high school student. John is probably a nice guy but really doesn't come close as an intellectual. I think it's John Procacinno RIP 2005-2006.

How about comparing Reagan with Monson or god forbid Ron and Don? Simply outclasses everyone at KIRO except for traffic man Ross.

[sparky]

Critter, Aaron was replaced by an extended version of 360 with Anderson Cooper.

I like Anderson Cooper but I liked Aaron better.

[Goldy]

If Ron doesn't work out I'm always willing to give it try.

And if Clendenning wants to appease the Entercom gods back in Bala Cynwyd, he should know that I grew up in Bala Cynwyd. Graduated Cynwyd Elementary and Bala Cynwyd Jr. High. Who knows, perhaps it's fate?

[sparky]

How do you pronounce those, by the way?

[sig]

it's pronounced kinwid

[sparky]

Ex-Dem...you, and Mr. Drudge, must be running out of things about which to be outraged.

That memo, written to Richard Gephardt, was sent back in 2002!!!!

A four year old memo.

My, My.

Ms. Streisand's webmaster's reply:

It seems that when the Republicans don't like what you say, they attack you on the lowest and least pertinent level. At least, that was the way a Republican source leaked a private memo which had been sent by Barbra Streisand to House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt. The manner in which this memo was leaked obliterated the imperative message of the note by drawing attention only to the fact that a few words had been misspelled.

The story behind the misspelled words is explained here only because those spellings were used as a ruse to avoid addressing the real substance of the memo. The questions raised in that note are far more pertinent to the decisions Americans will be making this November. The memo was DICTATED BY MS. STREISAND ON THE PHONE as she was rehearsing for her performance at a recent gala to raise funds for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Unfortunately, it was taken down and typed by a new employee who sent out a first draft before it had been reviewed by Ms. Streisand or checked for spelling. On top of that, as Barbra ruefully recalls, "It was also faxed to a wrong number.. my luck, a Republican."

[ExDem]

Nice try Sparky, but you're looking at the wrong mistake-filled posting by Barbra.

Try this from the NY Daily News:

Drudge spells it out for Barbra

Songstress Barbra Streisand spells her first name funny, and that's her prerogative. But right-leaning cybergossip Matt Drudge — who delights in tormenting Streisand for errors on her political blog, barbrastreisand.com — believes the Democratic diva desperately needs spell-check.

Drudgereport.com yesterday gloated: "Barbra Streisand has launched a new spelling error-ridden dispatch on the Internet — a dispatch that mocks President Bush for being a C student!"

Drudge reported that in an anti-Bush dia­tribe, "Streisand flubs 11 words, a personal record." Among the errors: "Irag," "curruption," "dictatoriship," "warrented" and, yes, "desperatly."

Yesterday, a couple of hours after Lowdown alerted the Streisand camp to Drudge's spelling feint, her online polemic was corrected. And Streisand's PR rep, Dick Guttman, sheepishly explained: "The errors … are regrettable and have resulted in a change in how the actress' own contributions to the blog will be posted." He blamed the mistakes on the company that operates Streisand's Web site: "The errors occurred in that entity's typing of the original dictated material. Henceforth, Ms. Streisand's office will post her essays directly."

Drudge quipped: "Ah, the perils of Internet journalism!"

*********************************

But, if she wants to lecture people on being arrogant C students, that's her right. And we all maintain the right to laugh out loud at people like her.

[David Tatelman]

You guys don't remember that Aaron Brown actually got his start on the radio here in Seattle, when he was known as "Skip" Brown. I can't remember the station, but Aaron would be great on the morning shift.

[sclub]

<>

Yeah, Shannon took a pass on him for a local show.

[sig]

jesus. who wants to talk about barbra streisand? this is about Seattle radio, goddamnit. just like an ex democrat (whose decison to go repug has the intellectual weight of turning your life over to jesus) to change the subject and go off on a tangent, just when there's a KIRO liberal talk show host of significance to talk about.

[Andrew]

Prococcino described his show as the "gigantic" show. I don't know how such intangibles come to have sizes but I'm glad his show is finaly huger than Dori Monson's "big show".

[The Anti Kiro]

Here we go again!

Dori Monson taking a single sentence headline and blowing it up into a "sky is falling down" hysteria...

He steals everything from the Drudge Report, now that's show prep!

This guy reminds me of Doug Bruckner from the days of a "Current Affair" and "Hardcopy" whereby a dog taking a poop was sensationalized to sound as if an entire city's water supply had been polluted! Give me a break Monson!

With Reagan here, your days are numbered!

[Andrew]

OK, lets make a game out of this, the first thing from Drudge to be quoted. I say he mentions the Barry Bonds doping first because he has an affection for sports stars who get into trouble.

[sparky]

auntie kiro..come to the light...turn your dial....There are other stations worth listening to....come to the light....

[Seabeck]

So nice "the Taters" are pre-empted by some sports pre-game at 11:30. (You can still listen online).

Serius Seattlelite radio looking better every day...

[sparky]

Whatever, Ex-Dem. It apparently is quite important to you that in 2002 there were typos on her webpage. Be it ever thus.

[chris]

exdems fact checkers originate in the Ayn Rand sweatshop for school children whose levys failed.

[ExRat]

It's interesting that as exdem's and his conservative ilk’s world comes crashing down around them that he resorts to bashing Streisand’s spelling. I guess that the best they can do at this point! By the way exdem, we have exceeded 2300 US killed in YOUR WAR! Your war of CHOICE!

[ExDem]

I didn't choose this war. I agree with Pope John Paul II - all war represents a failure of mankind.

But it is funny to laugh when someone like Barbra writes a diatribe last week criticizing someone for being an arrogant C student, but she cannot seem to communicate with correctly spelled words. And then she posts it on a public website. I don't think it's a big deal, just funny. Some may even say arrogant.

[Andrew]

Atleast us liberals tried not to fail, more than can be said for you.

If you want to talk about the short comings of some liberal wind bag I'll be more than happy to post Ann Coulter's greatst hits for you.

[Puget Sound]

Sure are a lot of Drudge Report fans out here...

[Tommy008]

That silly little priss and Lapinist "superiorist", Michael Medved is right now taking shots at Michael Savaage. The putz doesn't have the balls to name him but he's talking about talk hosts who mention their bad Chinese meal , bottle of wine, or Doctor's exam form the day before. (Savage talked about his Doctor's exam last night, and a bad Chinese meal, and bad wine in the past weeks). These personal things are exactly what elevates Savage's show above those of simpering, superior sissies like Medved, and one of the reasons Medved, syndicated by a wacko Christian talk network, hovers around 150 stations to Savage's 350 , even with a several year head start on him

[Critter]

sparky:

Yeah, I just figured that out. I'm a little slow, I guess. :)

Yes, I like Anderson Cooper, also. I liked Aaron when he was local, but didn't care for him as much on CNN. I do think Cooper is doing a great job.

[Andrew]

Wouldn't Aaron Brown's going to local market radio be a huge demotion?

[Critter]

Anybody who spends time picking on Barbra Streisand's typos, must be trying desperately to avoid more serious topics such as Dubai; to name just one.

[Critter]

Andrew:

I can't imagine Aaron Brown would take a position with KIRO; or any radio station, for that matter. Yes, I would consider that a major demotion.

[Tommy008]

Monson fully betrayed his petty, mean spirit to his audience last summer, when he mocked Celine Dion's passionate comments in a tv interview about the Katrina flood victims. The nasty little man took particular glee in mimicing Dion's mispronunciation of helicopters as "helicopsters", as he played the cut over and over. He tried to portray her as some sort of hypocrite for not giving away free tickets to her shows to looters (who she defended as people who never had anything and "just wanted to touch something" like expensive tv's), but completely ignored the fact that she had just given one million dollars to Katrina relief. This Streisand thing is just more of Monson's gleeful, mean pettiness.

[Andrew]

It's like ex Presidents, you'd think if they loved governing so much they might want to become a mayor or a senator, but no, they can never stoop to that level. Their days of governance are simply over.

Maybe it goes to show that being president isn't quite as much about "public service" as it's about status, power and legacy. The simple fact that someone wants to be president is reason enough to disqualify them. They deserve awards for their vainess.

[The Anti Kiro]

Celine Dion is French Canadian so her native language is French. That idiot Monson doesn't have a clue about foreign languages. It again demonstrates the true lack of intellectual thought by this simpleton.

[The Anti Kiro]

Have you ever noticed that Monson and Ron & Don disble their Instant Message to the Host at the KIRO website?

Apparently it's because they get bombarded with hate messages.

You're right, I need a new station.

[Andrew]

Ya that was outrageous. I leave my radio on KIRO because I'm too lazy to change the station and AA is kindof a disapointment, but after he did that I boycotted his show for a few months on principle. I felt dirty chancing upon his show after that.

I don't care that Monson makes personal attacks as much it bothers me that thousands of his yokel-like listeners such as ExDem froth at the mouth, breathing heavily with delight at the news that some Democrat did something to make themselves look stupid - all the while America is rappidly handing over world power status to China and India.