UPDATED: dr. laura is out; dennis miller is in at kvi

Dr. Laura, is being tossed out of the Seattle market once again.

In another admirable but probably pointless re-shuffling of the deck chairs, KVI will put Dennis Miller in the 9a-noon slot, in early February. Maybe they decided one negative, sharp-toothed scold (Laura Ingraham. m-f, 3-6p) was enough -- if so, we'd have to agree.

Laura has never lasted long around here (she was on The Buzz in the '90's). Miller started on KKOL and lasted until that station's recent flip to a business-news format. He has never been properly promoted in this market. KKOL with its transmitter problems couldn't give Miller a real go.

Unfortunately, most of The Dennis Miller Show will be delayed for Seattle, and the three hours run out of sequence. Fisher Program Director Dennis Kelly writes: "KVI will carry the final hour of Miller LIVE from 9-10a. The first two hours of the show will be played at 10a-12n. Because the show is built on stand-alone hours, many stations in the Pacific time zone are airing it this way." 

(Dr. Laura: take on the day somewhere else).

Miller's schtick is smart, low-key sarcasm, with libertarian, security-mom politics, and LA-centric insiderism. His elongated, arcane, pop-culture references, are rumored to be funny by them what have the pop-culture background to understand him. (gotta admit, as Westerners, we like a little LA blather once in a while -- the NY variety is ubiquitous in talk media).

But this show is better than you'd think -- Miller is likable on the radio -- not the stiff jerk he seems to be  spouting right-wing comedic lines while Bill O'Reilly feeds him the straight-man lines, calling him "Miller," while straining to be one of the guys. Dennis seems uncomfortable and embarrassed sometimes in these weekly appearances with the Big Fat Head.

But he's got interesting show-business friends many of whom are comedians like Jon Lovitz and Dan Carvey. The Washington Post's Howard Fineman is on regularly; and because he's a 911 conservative, Miller walks the rare line of just right-wing enough to snare such as Ann Coulter, and be a useful tool for Fox News' pundits as a representative of Hollywood culture.

To his credit (but knowing the location of the butter in relation to his bread) Miller frequently defends Hollywood which is not the evil place it's cast on Fox News, and is, of course, where he lives and eats.

Dennis Miller has done about everything there is to do on teevee,SNL, stand-up, Monday Night Football, game shows, commercials and a series of talk shows on HBO, and CNBC.

Comments

[Cory]

Miller is smart and funny. Perhaps, the lone voice of sanity in Hollywood. Great add for Seattle

[dana]

I might actually listen, which I haven't done (to KVI) in years. He may be right wing but I doubt he's a Big Pants disciple; Miller actually has some WIT.

[Upton]

Miller is washed up, on the downside of his career. Obviously, I won't be listening to him because he's turned into a pig.

[joanie]

The 9-12 slot means he'll compete with Ross and Hartmann. I tried to like Miiller a long time ago but his style got boring after a while.

And as for Jon and Dana, I don't listen to talk radio to hear Hollywood.

[Brian]

Good move!
Now there will be something other that Dave to listen to in the mornings, Dr.Laura is a skank.

[Tommy008]

finally some Ross Relief. do your ealize that this annoying Prius-driving elitist started on KIRO when I believe the Seafirst Tower ("the box the Space Needle came in") was still te tallest building in town. We've moved on.

[Coiler]

He didn't last long on tv. His shtick grew old on SNL and CNBC. He did a 'dori' after 9/11 and found another meal ticket.

"In recent years, Miller has become known for his conservative political opinions, emphasizing a hawkish stance on U.S. military action and campaigning for Republican presidential candidates."

"He appeared on Star Search, where he lost out to fellow comedian Sinbad after the two tied with judges' scores, but Sinbad won with a higher studio audience approval rating."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dennis_Miller

[chucks]

And where is Sinbad today?

[Duffman]

Appearing infrequently at the EQC.

[Coiler]

probably in your VHS collection. ROTFLMAO?

[Mango]

It's just pathetic he has to go on billo's show every week. I like him on the radio but the TV appearances are painful.

[KS]

Miller would be boring to progressives in general because he doesn't spout their talking points - his conservative side shows periodically. His guests are good and he is socially liberal, which means he will have an array of guests from both sides of the political spectrum.

I have a yearning to listen to Tom Leykis or Adam Corolla every so often when I am not in the mood to listen to the standard political talk show. Miller is a cross between the generally apolitical free format as exhibited by Leykis and Corolla and the standard talk show. It will be an improvement for listeners over Dr. Laura.