~~back to the radio doldrums. Yikes, this is the slow time- summer in the radio business. Summer vacations, bum listenership. Dave Ross in his new/old ayem spot, John Procaccino filling in for Ron Reagan both having a helluva time scaring up callers.
Wish somebody would get fired, arrested, light themselves on fire like a Buddhist from the old school. It sure would help if Rove would get indicted.
~~Too darn many ripe tidbits come in over the Blathertransom that we can't go with because we've only got a he said; or- despite an item's intrinsic beauty and corroboration, we judge it nobody's business. Or if the truth could not only set us free, but get us killed, what with the talk Mafia out there busting kneecaps. We heard a juicy one we'd love to think is true about the right-wing talk host with an alleged illegal working as a houseman- he said. There's another about a conservative talk host who now has a wife and kids, but supposedly, he said, had a boyfriend in college. A producer's perfectly lasered private parts seem to be very public parts- at least the bare facts seem to be well-known around the KIRO newsroom- at least that's what she said. A very married local rightie has a girl in every port- even in the landlocked city of Cleveland. There's the talker who's schtupping his producer, the newsie who was allegedly once a stripper, another off-air exec, he said, turned tricks before she was radio- that's one we'd love to verify. Down in Category C.2: there's KOMO guy who looks at porno while on the air; an intern schtupping a board op, an Entercom intern schtupping an Entercom intern; a board op smoking joints in a stairwell; a PD who looks lustfully at saleswomen; an off-air personality who haunts the Lusty Lady; another with a jones for Fritos. Yawn. Will the doldrums ever end?
~~It's been a year since Lou Pate, the former KIRO overnighter, Mike Webb, the former liberal, and Mike Siegel, the former KTTH morning guy pushed decertification of their union to a vote and got AFTRA thrown out. It passed by one vote. Note the single adjective these three talk hosts share- former. With the legal the interim between the votes now passed, certification can be reconsidered. And it will, we're assured by someone who's working hard toward that end. Hard to say how a new vote would come out, but with the 3 perpetrators now all gone, it's entirely possible the employees could bring back basic union standards to the Entercom workplace. Ironically, John Sandifer, the union guy told us that the union would have "gone to the mat" for Webb if he'd asked for representation after his firing from KIRO which he bitterly decries, today. Both he and Siegel were fired after the decertification. These corporations just ain't grateful to those who do their dirty work.
~~Fox Radio's Billo Reilly threatened a boycott of Mexico if the country's foreign secretary, Luis Ernesto Derbez makes good on a promise to sue if evidence emerges that the National Guard is directly helping to detain Mexican citizens trying to illegally enter the United States. This according to Media Matters. O'Reilly warned Derbez, "If the Mexican government files one lawsuit in the U.S.A., one, pertaining to the National Guard, I will call for a total boycott of Mexican goods and no travel to your country. O'Reilly claims he "bought down the French economy," with his bogus 2003 boycott of goods and travel after France's opposition to the Iraqi War. In reality, O'Reilly's battle against France, won him only victories in the ratings war on cable TV and the radio. Brie and chablis sales were unwavering.
~~Mike Webb is steaming live on his website, weeknightly; but some of
his fans are worried about him. Our man Bell, says. "I'm still a
supporter of this guy; but it's getting to be a chore, lately. Mike
isn't taking any callers, even though his website still has his phone
number posted...but when one calls, one is asked to leave a message."
It's true, when we call, the line is always busy. He has some guests,
but mostly his "show" is him reading interminally and tirading against Bush.
He claims to be carried over "Progressive Networks," but google it up
and it sends you to his website. Bell writes: "... he's basically
installed in his ivory tower, above reproach, except for e-mailing
him--sometimes he reads his mail on the air, but not often." Santa
Cruz, New Haven? Those are the markets Webb told The Seattle Weekly he
was in, though nobody in those places have ever heard of him and
there's no corroboration on the web of the 9 radio stations across the
country he claims to be heard on. His latest idea for Progressive Networks programming: a talk show on recovery from
addiction issues- at least that's what he said.
~~"A Former Atheist in the Foxhole," Dan Restione writes on his KIRO blog: "After slamming both fists down on the counter and shattering the solemn silence of the newsroom with a choice oath, what was my next move? I was powerless to fix the situation- there was no knob to twist, no fallback plan to swing into place, not a single order to bark out that would make an iota of difference. So on the spiritual plane, I grabbed the Red Phone and punched GOD-1-1...praying with all my heart that the Ultimate Being doesn't have caller I.D. I got the message machine, which is what I always get and hey, if I had that many calls every minute of every day, I'd been screening a lot myself. I babbled a plaintive entreaty in most urgent and sincere voice. Left my number. Marked the message urgent. Hung up and returned to the physical plane." The dude's got a way w/words, dunnee?
Feet in the stirrups O'Reilly, here comes a smear! (or two)
Billdo says: "I will call for a total boycott of Mexican goods and no travel to your country"
Will we see yet another ass-picked O'Reilly journal to prove his success? Should we expect to see "The Mexico Business Review"?
But thankgod that Billdo won't have to boycott his favorite exports: Luffahs & Falafels. (Though I'm sure a boycott on Arabic goods can't be that far behind)
Posted by: Nate | May 23, 2006 at 03:08 AM
Billdo....lololol
Posted by: sparky | May 23, 2006 at 05:50 AM
It sounds like Mike is sinking into the depths of some kind of mental illness....
There are lots of things Dave and John could be talking about from the national scene. Hello? Health care, education, treating our troops right after they come home, energy policies, how the constitution is being disassembled bit by bit, wiretapping the media, etc etc etc. This is my beef with "local" programming..after awhile, there is nothing left to say about the monorail and sound transit and Tim Pyeman. Apparently there are people who agree with me if DAVE isnt getting callers. Thom Hartmann does a 3 hour local show on KPOJ before broadcasting his national show, but he manages to tie local issues into what is happening nationally and locally.
Posted by: sparky | May 23, 2006 at 08:05 AM
Hey, the one about the conservative with the wife and kids and a boyfriend in college is right up that conservative alley - they love reformed anything! Just proves their point that it is a choice! He could be their poster boy!
I think Dave is getting his audience back slowly - there is a market for local and he's doing both.
Well, looked at his line-up today and it still shows Monday! That's the junior league Tina operates in! Sorry, but I emailed her about something else and got a "poor me-I'm overworked" email back. I wasn't impressed at all.
But, I like Dave. My radio is currently tuned to Thom, however. So what does that say? :)
Posted by: joanie | May 23, 2006 at 09:49 AM
Dave is a nice person. People like him.
Thom is better radio.
:-)
Posted by: sparky | May 23, 2006 at 09:53 AM
Love your links, Nate....
Bla'M, you're such a tease...you know we are salivating to hear the gruesome gossip with REAL NAMES! Too much journalistic integrity, s/he said....
Posted by: Fremont | May 23, 2006 at 10:36 AM
Wow, what an intrigueing tidbit about Webb. I've heard him mention , in addition to this supposed Progressive Networks, that he was broadcasting from the "top floor of the building" as if he was in the big Progessive Networks Building downtown. Did it ever occur to anyone else that Mike Webb could be a great inspiration for a David Lynch movie? In Lost Highway the jazz musician went to prison for killing his wife.In the Webb-based movie, an angry gay talkhost goes to prison after committing insurance fraud, subsequent to a car crash incurred while he was awol from the studio for a "munchy run" DURING HIS AIRSHIFT. Even hardcore Lynch fans would have a hard time with their suspesion of disbelief over that last detail. After the accident, his arrest for fraud is revealed by an insolent, cheeky internet radio gossip blog, which is how the station suits find out about it. In between his firing and his trial, the fired host does a show from the basement studio in his house. The show is actually no more than the former host speaking over his own website, but he's now gone into a kind of fugue state and has actually convinced himself that an imaginary radio network called Progressive Networks has hired him to broadcast from their building in downtown Seattle over stations in Santa Cruz, Madison, and five other cities. In Lost Highway , one morning the guards go to the jazz musicians jail cell , only to find a completely different man inside. In the Webb-inspired film, the guards go to his cell one morning only to discover- Brian Maloney.
Posted by: Tommy008 | May 23, 2006 at 01:57 PM
>>I've heard him mention , in addition to this supposed Progressive Networks, that he was broadcasting from the "top floor of the building" as if he was in the big Progessive Networks Building downtown.<<
Progressive Networks is the original name for what is now Real Networks. Perhaps Webb is using a studio in the Elliot Ave. HQ.
Posted by: RobP | May 23, 2006 at 02:35 PM
Brian maloney....or Lou Pate...lololol
Posted by: sparky | May 23, 2006 at 02:48 PM
Bryan Styble is a FREAK!!
Posted by: ontheinside | May 23, 2006 at 04:17 PM
"..a board op smoking joints in a stairwell.."
When did Board Ops start getting paid enough to afford pot? Can't be all that great. Super dry shake or sumptin'. 4:19:30 prehaps?
Hm.
Posted by: Frank Shiers' #1 fan EVAH EVAH! | May 23, 2006 at 04:41 PM
I wonder if that is Sal smokin' the joints.....
Posted by: sparky | May 23, 2006 at 06:22 PM
Sal...lol
Posted by: stodge charger | May 23, 2006 at 06:34 PM
RON FISH: Breakfast- the official most important meal of the day.
ROBERT BARTRAM: It shall forthwith be decreed that all Toilet Paper Dispensers will roll outward, not inward.
BILL BRASKY: The official position for all male urination in the United States shall be standing."
Some fun stuff in response to Congress making English our official language. More on Franken's site.
Posted by: joanie | May 23, 2006 at 07:30 PM
"Democrats shouldn't celebrate too soon
Posted by David Postman at 04:56 PM" It is all so discouraging.
Posted by: joanie | May 23, 2006 at 08:04 PM
Some people will always see the glass as half empty
Posted by: sparky | May 23, 2006 at 09:02 PM
News flash: Mike Webb makes up crap!
Posted by: sclub | May 24, 2006 at 01:50 PM
no way!
Posted by: sparky | May 24, 2006 at 03:26 PM
Good grief you're information isn't even close to being accurate but big surprise coming from a liberal piece of garbage trash like you people. First of all and formost of all Bill Oriley isn't on the radio you idiots he has a tv show which is something that you might actually know if any if you liberal hippy piece of trash losers would actually get off of welfare and get a job and be able to afford a tv. Second of all why are you quoting media matters??? Isnt it funny that the only way a far left website can find an article that supports it's own opinion is by going to ANOTHER far left liberal website??? Give me a brake!!! Oh well at least I can sleep well tonight knowing that we have less than two years left if your far left socialist agenda with your obamacare and anchor baby bull crap ruining this once mighty nation. Get ready my liberal scumbag friends because the honest hardworking freedom loving Americans are coming for you and you're not going to see the light of day for years!!! Enough with the lame street media and all your communist ways. This is the time for REAL change and if you don't like it may I suggest you go to canada or Mexico to be with all your America hating friends and leave the god blessed USA to those who actually love it and don't want to turn it into the homo loving welfare eating discrace that all of you lecture want it to be!
Posted by: RedRachel | February 02, 2011 at 05:50 PM
Your concern is noted.
Posted by: sparky | February 02, 2011 at 07:26 PM