BlatherWatch email has readers wondering outloud: where's Mike Siegel? His producer, Dave Boze, the Skagitonian pride of Hillsdale College and Michael Medved's humor-challenged call screener Dan "the Tool" Sytman have been filling in this week on Siegel's morning show (KTTH m-f, 6-9).
Every time Siegel's missing these days, the rumors fly. His ratings are always so low, (last book he went from 16th to 21st place in the market) that rumors of his demise have been around as long as he's been in this spot.
Boze answered our inquirely politely, saying that Siegel had gone on a cruise he'd advertised for months.
(It was only last month Siegel returned from a grand tour of France. He and Bill O'Reilly for the last couple of years have pushed for the boycott of goods and services of that fair country for opposing the Bush Doctrine of Ungrammatical Adventurism. And now there was Siegel, prancing Provence, and phoning in wine & cheese recommendations like the liberal elitist dilettante he really is. BlatherWatch tirelessly jabbed him for his hypocrisy, but he didn't even seem to notice--we were disappointed and kind of hurt. O'Reilly still claims he singlehandedly devastated the French economy with his 'embargo.' It wasn't an embargo at all but rather, an attempt at a boycott of French imports by folks who 1) never bought them in the first place and 2)wouldn't know a chateauneuf du pape from la plume de ma tante.
KTTH isn't exactly booming. This speck in the eye of media
mega-dwarf Entercom has been functioning as a support system for the Rush
Limbaugh show for going on 3 books now. Rumors abound--including one
that would have them putting Big Pants over on KIRO, their larger failing station, closing KTTH mikes, and sending Siegel and others packing their vocal chords and heading for the unemployment offices they claim they don't believe in.
(Right-wing talkers like to call unemployment benefits 'welfare,' but it's a laugh to see them out there bellying-up to the hand-out window on Rainier Avenue the very next day after they're fired).
When Siegel was gone last time, Boze and Sytman were a hit with listeners who found their hardass, caffeinated tag-team style refreshingly different from Siegel's hardass, caffeinated loner style. Listeners expressed to us (and we hear they wrote the station as well) that they'd love it if the two young-uns would take over the spot.
We'd like that too, though it probably wouldn't pry us away from NPR's Morning Edition (KUOW,m-f, 5-9a) or Air America's Morning Sedition (KPTK, m-f, 5-9a). Or get us to not check out Kirby Wilbur (KVI 5-9a) when he scores a good interview or broadcasts in the nude.
The lack of decent local programming (Siegel is the only local, besides 2nd stringers like Boze and Sytman) on KTTH is a major reason this station hasn't been able to make anything out of the huge advantage it had when it stole Big Pants from KVI.
(That's also the reason that Air America's KPTK is sucking. We've tirelessly jabbed them for their stupidity, timidity, parsimony or whatever it is on this detail and they didn't even seem to notice--we were disppointed and kind of hurt).
The KTTH daytime lineup is absolutely stellar. Limbaugh- Medved-Savage-O'Reilly...it doesn't get any better than this in talk radio.
Posted by: umo | August 31, 2005 at 02:56 AM
A drug addict, an effeminate heterosexual, a homosexual deep in denial, and a bully. Nice set of heroes you've got there, umo. Says a lot about you.
Posted by: Lazy Murrow | August 31, 2005 at 04:22 AM
too bad Umo, you're one of about 6 people who think so...KTTH went from an overall 15th to 21st place--Even Rush dropped from 3rd to 18th in the last book--it doesn't get any lower than this in talk radio.
Posted by: blathering michael | August 31, 2005 at 08:09 AM
Larry,
Do you have something against those kinds of people?
Posted by: MNM | August 31, 2005 at 12:09 PM
"--it doesn't get any lower than this in talk radio."
blathering Mike, tell it to Air America.
Posted by: Food Critic | August 31, 2005 at 05:21 PM
Lazy sez "A drug addict, an effeminate heterosexual, a homosexual deep in denial, and a bully." Heck, that's what liberals generally associate with. I thought Limbaugh was a recovering addict. I seem to recall that he fessed up about it. At least he didn't wave his finger in our faces and lie about it like that phony Clinton did. Guess that doesn't count anymore unless it's one of the Hollywood type, who number in the thousands, that contribute generously to loony left causes.
Medved a effeminate hetrosexual? Dude's way too smart for you guys. Savage, don't care much for him myself, at least he's not a flaming fag like Barney Frank. But I'd wish you'd quit picking on his kid as I really like Rockstar, especially with some Wodka. O'reilly? Only seems like a bully to those who cut and run as loonies and other cowards of the left generally due. If you can't beat em, just sit back and call em names. That will get you where you want to go. And as far as ratings, how do you feel getting your ass kicked by Country Western muzik? Most C&W is on the conservative side and not many whiny lefty cowboys out there. If your wrist is too limp, you can't hold onto the reins. Hell, you guys still think OJ is innocent.
Posted by: Lump | August 31, 2005 at 06:28 PM
"Fessing up" to a problem and taking resposibilty along with 'doing the time' are two different things Lump. Fat Pants is still facing charges in which he continues his faux outrage at being indicted, although from his rantings which rival Robertson and Falwell, its tough to determine how far along in 'recovery' he is. I can't imagine how his future 4th wife wll be able to keep the stash hidden from him.
Posted by: chris | August 31, 2005 at 08:17 PM
Chris sez ""Fessing up" to a problem and taking resposibilty along with 'doing the time' are two different things Lump. Fat Pants is still facing charges in which he continues his faux outrage at being indicted, although from his rantings which rival Robertson and Falwell, its tough to determine how far along in 'recovery' he is. I can't imagine how his future 4th wife wll be able to keep the stash hidden from him." Chris,is that really your post? I've reread it a couple of times and I'm overwhelmed. Why do you call him Fat Pants? I would guess you don't listen to him and get your info from the web. Just to mention him with Falwell and Robertson (both nutcases in my opinion) tells me so. I was under the impression that the outrage had to do with illegally seized medical records. Should he go to jail if it goes to trial and he's found guilty? Or sentenced to probation and monitoring as the libs get? Robert Downey Jr. comes to immediate mind. And so what if he gets married for the 4th time? Isn't that the American way? I think that being married to one of the most powerful men in American and receiving death threats from the nutcases to both you and your spouse on a daily basis might make it a tough go. BTW, I just read your post again and I think it's your best, none of the crap you usually put out. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: Lump | August 31, 2005 at 09:36 PM
Rush...the most successful talker in radio history.
Medved...the smartest & most knowlegeable talk host in the business.
Savage...Talkers Magazine ranks him 3rd highest rated host in national syndication. Author of 3 NY Times bestsellers.
O'Reilly...Most dominant force in Cable News analysis.
KTTH presents Seattle the best talk show lineup in existence.
Posted by: umo | August 31, 2005 at 09:40 PM
Why do you call Frank , Flaming Fag?
Downey did serve time in jail( you really need to go back and research the news when the judge sentenced him, he was led away on tv in handcuffs)and as far as I know he never came out and said btw, "Im a liberal" Rush is always promoting his neo-con way as more moral than anyone else, he truly does and certainly, the Clintons, love em or hate em are still married
You also claim the 'hollywood type' Does that include Arhnold and Reagan and Heston? You did know who fat pants is because of your reference to Barney Frank as a "flaming fag", so you opened the door on that one when you insisted you don't post vile remarks earlier....
your words here "Savage, don't care much for him myself, at least he's not a flaming fag like Barney Frank. "
Posted by: chris | August 31, 2005 at 10:14 PM
Chris sez "Why do you call Frank , Flaming Fag?" Because he is the effeminate limp wristed one.
I did fall off the wagon and posted a vile remark, and I'm sorry sometimes I lower myself to the screech of my fellow debators. I still am waiting for an answer on why Limbaugh is called fat pants. My example of Downey had to do with someone being given several chances to clean himself up and he continually fell back into his coke habit until the courts could no longer ignore the sentences and put his butt in jail. He certainly was given far more chances than you give Limbaugh who hasn't even been indicted but continually post remarks that sarcastically portray him a pill popper, which he admitted to, and a person who could not successfully rehab himself. And what about Arhnold? Came to the USA, didn't speak English and became a multi millionaire. Isn't that what the American dream is all about. He didn't sit around whining about how the playing field was stacked against him. And the Clinton marriage makes you feel proud because they're still together? Yuk!!
Posted by: Lump | September 01, 2005 at 12:13 PM