We have nothing new about Randi Rhodes, (KPTK m-f, 6-9p) but here's what we know: she's still missing.
Nancy Skinner she was called in to cover for on short notice, and has been behind the mic every since.
This message appeared on the site of her syndicator:
Nova M continues its efforts to rectify the technical problems that have caused an interruption in Randi's ability to broadcast THE RANDI RHODES SHOW. Randi has made every effort to assist Nova M in order that the show can be returned to the air immediately. However, despite her daily concern and intervention, there is nothing more that Randi and her team can do. We truly regret the inconvenience resulting from this situation, and hope to have it solved without further delay. ~~ Randi Rhodes and Anita Drobny
Technical problems? We've never heard of such a glitch that could keep a syndicated talker off the air for five days...
But everything is a little bigger than life and time in the life and times of Randi Rhodes. Events seem always to be melodramatic and mysterious, and many times they end with her working somewhere else.
In April, she called Hillary Clinton "a fucking whore," among other things, while speaking on AAR's behalf at a promotional event at a San Francisco affiliate.
A source at AAR told BlatherWatch, "[Air America CEO] Kireker was apoplectic."
"Maybe it's from her being alone in a radio studio so much with no audience... Randi loves the sound of an audience laughing at her jokes ... She loses her good judgment, especially if there's drinks. This is not the first time."
They suspended her for a week or two before she quit and headed to the fledgling Nova M owned by Sheldon and Anita Drobny, who were some of the co-founders of Air America.
Dripping with Schadenfreude, Brian Maloney at the conservative Radio Equalizer concludes without any direct knowledge that Rhodes is "Locked in an apparent battle with syndicator Nova M Radio and its chief executive, the infamous Sheldon Drobny."
The liberal, deep-pocketed the Drobnys are only infamous to righties like Brian Maloney and Michelle Malkin don't like their politics.
That Randi's fighting with Nova M might be a fair guess, though: the funny, smart-mouthed Brooklyn native, and radio pro, is notoriously and delightfully volatile
They probably demanded she take a paycut.
Her career is irrelevant now. What demon is there left to slay? Maybe she'll follow Cheney back to Wyoming and criticize his putt.
Posted by: AuthenticAndrew | February 10, 2009 at 12:54 AM
I was a Randi fan until the Clinton attacks. Then she lost her credibility with me and I started tuning past her.
Posted by: Ted Smith | February 10, 2009 at 02:59 AM
Well, Nova M DID have some issues at the start of the year with both Randi and Mike Malloy so I was okay with the thought of tech issues. THEN Mike Malloy was off the air Monday night February 9 with a fill in......
This after Mike spent last week talking about how liberal talk radio was yet again in deep trouble of being dropped in some markets. Guess we will find out but as a subscriber to NovaM they better get them back on the air NOW or I am not renewing.
Posted by: Cato the Younger Younger | February 10, 2009 at 04:18 AM
"They probably demanded she take a paycut.
Her career is irrelevant now. What demon is there left to slay? Maybe she'll follow Cheney back to Wyoming and criticize his putt.
Posted by: AuthenticAndrew | February 10, 2009 at 12:54 AM"
LOL.
Of course, if you recall what Cheney did when his 'best friend' got between him and a flock of birds she may want to rethink that putt 'strategery' ....
I doubt the next 8 years of Obama rule will bode well for her and her core listener group as they want red meat.
My prediction: She'll come back to Radio. A few bizarre incidents will occur (still remember when she fell down and her last minute replacement that night was suggesting she was a victim of a Cheney Plot -no doubt financed by Haliburton) and she'll have continued MIAs.
At some point it will be more than she is worth and they'll let her go. She'll be relegated to some little station.
Really, does anyone listen to Randi right now for anything of substance?
Posted by: Puget Sound | February 10, 2009 at 04:54 AM
and if you missed it, here she is getting stood up by Michael Moore and waddling off with a 'well, he had no idea...'
ouch
Posted by: Puget Sound | February 10, 2009 at 04:59 AM
I don't think she has been the same since she was assaulted by right wing thugs. And no, she did not 'fall down.' That is from the physician who patched her up. It was a vicious assault.
That's what right wingers do, first they viciously attack, then they make fun of you afterwards. Lord sometimes I really do think we're in the Last Days. I'm praying for her.
Posted by: storsie | February 10, 2009 at 07:45 AM
Randi's site is up to day - homework and all. She's taken off before.
Also, I don't listen to her as much as I used to nor Malloy either. More podcasts of Peter B. I get tired of the ranting just like I do on this blog. Long-winded people get boring.
One thing I'll say for Randi, she's got a lot of information about current topics. No rant for rants sake on her show. But, she has got an ego!
But, I wouldn't ass-ume anything either. Not many places for her to go for big money. I wouldn't think so anyway.
Posted by: joanie | February 10, 2009 at 08:20 AM
Interesting, Michael. According to LTR ( your link below, left) Randi was already embroiled in contract negotiations with AAR at the time of the Hillary incident, and AAR used it as a reason to say they dumped her. According to his sources, she quit.
She looked pretty happy on the CSpan show during the inauguration celebration. She has a new boyfriend and she looked happy and relaxed. She broadcasts from her home in Florida, like Big Pants does. Sure would like to be a bug on the wall at AAR, especially since Thom Hartmann has chosen to be carried by a different company. Rachel has moved totally to television, etc.
Things with NovaM may or may not be nefarious..we will see, I guess. She will turn up somewhere. She has tons of fans.
Posted by: sparky | February 10, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Oh, and it wouldn't be the first time that the Radio Fertilizer spread his effluence around areas about which he knows little. They would love him down at the beauty parlor.
Posted by: sparky | February 10, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Evidently, novaM made some bad decisions when they moved their Phoenix station and the associated uplink equipment
from the MM message board
Nova M's flagship station in Phoenix (which is also the network's headquarters) moved from 1480 KPHX to 1190 KNUV last Thursday. With that, they had to move all their equipment to a new building.
That's why their internet stream sounds tinny, and why Randi and Mike aren't able to do a live show (because Nova M's satellite uplink is down).
Mike's homepage says that he might be able to do a show by tonight or tomorrow night.
It was more than the move. Apparently they fired the guy who did the technical work. I believe his name is Billy Foster. That made it difficult to get up and running at the new station.
Posted by: Coiler | February 10, 2009 at 11:28 AM
Aw, now you have ruined all their conspiracy fun....heh
Posted by: sparky | February 10, 2009 at 11:43 AM
Over on the Randi message board they are saying it was a lightening strike on thier tower.
Posted by: Nevets | February 10, 2009 at 04:22 PM
Mike is scheduled to be back tonight to crush some more republican nuts.
Posted by: Coiler | February 10, 2009 at 04:49 PM
I have never heard of a radio station going down like that except for the local high school station (Nathan Hale) that goes down from time to time.
I would hope that they would get a private investigator to check out this Billy Foster. Is he in the employ of right wingers?
Progressive radio has suffered one disaster after another. How many times do these things happen before we start to recognize that it's not coincidence?
Posted by: storsie | February 10, 2009 at 05:30 PM
I believe in a fairy-tale ending for Randi; living happily, ever after with her hot, rich, (younger?) BF.
A girl can dream, can't she? I feel so much more hopeful since the election, anyone can achieve anything!
Posted by: AprilMayJune | February 10, 2009 at 09:52 PM
Randi introduced him to the crowd on that CSpan show..his name is Howard and yeah April I guess he is really wealthy. She adopted her niece when her sister died of cancer and she deserves to have a life.
Posted by: sparky | February 10, 2009 at 11:24 PM
She's in the same gutter she wound up in when she stumbled drunk down a NY street. And no she wasn't beaten up by right wing thugs. Right wingers could care less about this irrelevant and obnoxious leftie loser. Good riddance.
Posted by: cloey | February 12, 2009 at 05:33 PM
For a bunch of people who "dont care" about her, there sure are a lot of people on this blog who never miss an opportunity to say something nasty about her.
Posted by: Brian | February 12, 2009 at 06:47 PM
I'm a long way listener and Randi Rhodes-fan from Stockholm, in Sweden.
Every time I listen to her and hers calls I learn something new.
Hope she should be back soon.
About Nova M's former technician Billy Foster. He leaved Nova M Radio when Jeff Farias leaved.
Foster is now helping Jeff Farias broadcasting his show on Internet, 3 hours per day.
www.thejefffariasshow.com
Posted by: Dennis Nilsson | February 13, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Yes, her show is packed full of information, Dennis, Nice to have you listening in to American radio.
The only foreign radio I can understand is Canadian and British.
Posted by: joanie | February 13, 2009 at 01:19 PM
No! There's a message on the Nova M site that pretty much says she's gone.
Posted by: janet kotler | February 16, 2009 at 01:20 PM
THat 1:19 joanie is not me. I must be as much a celebrity as Randi!
Posted by: joanie | February 16, 2009 at 01:34 PM
Never mind. That was me. WRong thread! Must be my weakened condition.
Posted by: joanie | February 16, 2009 at 01:36 PM