Rachel maddow: "amy goodman with animal noises"

I felt like I was railing on the outside of a locked door when it was all Republicans in power everywhere. But the closer we get to retaking the country, the closer the Democrats get to retaking the country, the closer we get to overtaking the traditional media in terms of content and influence.

We're always raving about Rachel Maddow, (KPTK m-f, 3-5p) whom we believe will be the no.1 talk radio host in an America in that future where the lemonade springs and the bluebird sings that'll burst forth on Jan. 21, 2009.

As that utopia unfolds, Rush Limbaugh will be fighting for drivetime spots on stations that read the school lunch menus every morning and Dori Monson will be selling dogfood full time.

Rachel's got the brains, education, sense of humor, irony, and optimism that adds up to a tight, news-serious yet human-hilarious show that makes us remember why we're liberals. We're not the only ones- she's got a metastasizing audience, and appears more and more frequently as atalking head all over the Tee Vee.

Her format's disciplined newscast in an easy-going conversational style that satisfies our wonkiness and our less noble need to laugh in the graveyard.

Buzzflash has done another of their terrific interviews- this time with Our Rachel.

Here are some tasty bites:

~ I was recently described in print as Amy Goodman with animal noises.

~  It used to be that it mattered whether you were reading Reuters or the AP, or The New York Times or the Washington Post, if we were talking about a specific issue in Washington. Now they're all baking the same cookies every single day. It's up to citizen journalism and populist journalism, like we're doing online and in progressive radio, to do basic, basic, basic reporting. It's embarrassing.

~ I really would like to replace people's NPR listening. I really feel like you can listen to my two-hour show, or you can just listen to the first super news-intensive half hour of my show, and it can really supplant any traditional news outlet that you're checking out for your daily news.

~ I'm also a total dork, and there's a lot of dorkiness, and animal noises, and humor.

~ I think the more power the Democrats take, the better off progressive radio is and progressive media is and the blog world is, in terms of its influence and the amount it has to talk about, and in terms of its chances of really competing with the traditional media for guests, and access to the people in power.
 
~ I don't take calls regularly, the way that a lot of hosts do ... I will take calls on hot issues where I know that everybody either needs to swap ideas or needs to emote about stuff that's in the news, like on the Scooter Libby commutation day... we opened the phones and let people talk about how they felt about that, and say how mad they are, and swap ideas about how to proceed. So on an issue-by-issue basis, we'll decide about opening the phones. But we don't every day. I know that's a controversial decision, but that's part of the decision to try to be real news-heavy, to be less discussion, more information.

~ [Liberals] need to be more than critical. We need to be also proud and enthused by the potential of this country. I feel like Bush has made me more patriotic.

~ I'm not sure people always know what a disproportionate impact people can have on how a host feels about a show just by participating in one of those feedback groups, just by commenting on a blog or sending an e-mail. But we all read that stuff, and it really does make a difference. So it's a way that you can hurt us. It's also a way that you can steer us or bully us. It does matter.

~ A big part of my job is to catalog what they're doing wrong, most particularly in the Bush administration and on the conservative side, but also the failure to have spine among those who ought to be the opposition party. I feel like I catalog what's wrong, and that doesn't make me feel like giving up.

~ I think progressive media becomes more influential and more important the more Democrats are in positions of power, because we get to be the truth squad on them. We get to be the ones who remind them of what their agreement is, and why they got the job that they have, and who their supporters are, and what they ought to be doing for the country.

~ It also means we get to put people on the air... who are of more consequence to what's happening in the country. When Democrats are iced out...  of the White House, [and] both Houses of Congress, then your greatest hope for booking somebody super-influential in terms of mainstream politics is to get the minority leader. And that's a different thing than getting the Speaker of the House.

Comments

[sparky]

That's DR Maddow to you ( PhD from Oxford University),...but what is neat about her is she hates to be called Dr.
Very very intelligent and approachable woman...I love her show.

[Todd Cory]

Rachel's show is one of my favorites as well. I liken it to "The Daily Show" on the radio... funny, informative and clever.

[sarge]

Rachel shows conservatives that liberals are patriotic, and demonstrates to liberals how it's OK to love their country.

[localblahblahblah]

"commenting on a blog or sending an e-mail. But we all read that stuff, and it really does make a difference. So it's a way that you can hurt us. It's also a way that you can steer us or bully us. It does matter."

I talk on the radio and I can relate. At the station where I work, everyone reads BlatherWatch and what we read in these comments makes a difference. We don't always like it, but we always hear you.

[sartoon]

Rachel Maddow is just another East Coast elite liberal and a lesbian to boot. If you think she will replace Rush, you are smoking crack. If a
Democrat is elected to the White House, conservative talk radio will have another boom like it did when Clinton was in office. The country might go to hell, but conservative talk will thrive. Maddow will get bored and go back to the campus.

[coiler]

And Larry Craig will still be a closeted gay republican from lily white Idaho with no radio show, whaaa!

[Sam]

The reason she will never be number one is because the type of people who would normally agree with her would rather become outraged listing to a conservative than become educated listing to a progressive.

[sparky]

Sartoon, Rachel is a transplanted Californian who just happens to be working in NYC at the moment.

Sam, help me out with that crystal ball of yours and tell me what the lottery numbers are for this saturday and I will cut you in on the prize money!
Otherwise, you are merely assuming what my listening tastes are in radio.

[Sam]

Ok, I'll bite...

Oh, I'm sorry Sparky. I thought we were allowed to express opinions here. I didn't realize we needed to approach writing a post on Blatherwatch like we were writing a doctoral thesis. Next time I'll be sure to conduct proper research before I post, then submit my findings, with references and footnotes.

Wait, I'm getting something here....

4 19 22 24 33 37

[Andrew]

The only problem I have with your opinion is the lack of supporting evidence or reasoning to back it up.

But I can give you some: She didn't get stellar ratings in the past, why would she now? Lesbian charm?

[sparky]

Of course you can have your opinion..I didnt say you couldnt. And I can have mine. And my opinion is that you are assuming!

I will use those numbers Saturday..thanks!

[mark]

Like listening to a madhouse - I think I will pass.

[sparky]

Most if not all the commercials on KPTK are unlistenable. I especially hate the one playing for the 5th Ave. theater production of Lone Star Love. The fake Okie accent used by the announcer is almost as annoying as the fake Russian accent she used for the last show they had in town. Gack. I hit the FM button for some music for a couple of minutes until the commercials are most likely over.

[Stephen Braden]

Actually, Mark, the commercials they have on KTPK are far easier to listen to than most of the ads they have on KIRO (the station I used to listen to until they booted all of the liberals off the air). I am a proud consumer of Sacred Grounds coffee, which I wouldn't have known about unless I listened to their spot on KTPK, and some of the other ads are pretty entertaining.
Plus, those ads for the 5th Avenue Theater are helping to put asses in those seats, and is advertising a theater company which is the biggest employer of the arts here in Seattle. I am proud to be working for the 5th, and am glad that they advertise on what has become my favorite radio station.

[sparky]

that was my little blurb, not Marks.
I do like the coffee commercial....
I think the 5th avenue can advertise all it wants but jeebus, cant they just tell us when the the show is and what its about without the assinine accent? Or get someone who is at least good at it?

What do you think of the ad where the icky sweet Mom tells her wittle man about saaaaaand?

[Fred Owens]

"Rush Limbaugh will be fighting for drivetime spots on stations that read the school lunch menus every morning."

Insult Rush all you want, and I will agree. But don't mess with my local radio station, KBRC in Mount Vernon, which reads the school lunch ever day.

KBRC is actually owned by a real guy -- I forget his name, but I met him once and he was not a giant media conglomerate or even very smart.

[joanie]

The ad that makes me turn down the volumn is that Laura Link-liar ad about making money? I don't even remember, as soon as that nasally voice emits from the radio, it's gone. Sometimes they air two and three times in half an hour. Talk about overkill.

I, also, don't think Rush is gone. Conservatives love hate talk and there will always be hate talk around. It is in their DNA. They are addicted to it.

We liberals - fact hounds that we are - will have to keep blogging, listening to the few resources we can get and continue to watch Moyers, CSpan, Fareed ??? and NOW. What else is there?

I'm sorry. KUOW is too affected/effected?-no, affected - for me. I tried listeninig yesterday and it just doesn't do it for me anymore. I stream what I like.

[joanie]

Sparky, I like the saaand ad. I teacher little ones and that's how we talk.

Sounds ok to me. :)

[neo-realist]

I'm sorry to disrupt the Maddow lovefest, but as a radio talk show host, I believe she is overrated. While I consider her to be a very educated and intelligent reader of headline news, I don't believe Maddow is a real artist on the air. Listening to her, most of what she does is read the headline articles that pretty much anybody who reads daily kos, truthout, raw story or salon.com could or has read for themselves. A real radio artist imo will talk about the news, interpret it, then engage in intelligent or at least charismatic give and take conversation with the audience, e.g., Jon Elliot, Mike Malloy, and Thom Hartmann. Maddow interviews important people in the news on her show, but hell, I could hear what she does with the exception of the Dr. Maddow questions she answers (without talking to the questioners)on NPR or WABC, granted with a non-progressive slant.

I say this as a progressive myself

[sparky]

ewwwww joanie we will have to agree to disagree on that one. I think its terrible for adults to talk down to kids and use baby voices. Kids can understand you just as well if you talk in a normal voice and use a vocabulary they understand, without any sing-songy affectations. But that's just me.

[mick from pickle crick]

She might be Oxford-educated, but she still doesn't know the correct use of 'whom.' In the phrase "whom we believe will be the no. 1 talk host in America" that should be "who," not "who." Whom is the subject, and is attached to "will," not "we" and therefore the subjective form "who" is required. "we believe" is just a clause and if you take it out, it becomes more apparent: "who will be the no. 1 talk host in America."

[Stephen Braden]

Ah, sorry Sparky.
Yeah, they probably could've gotten a better voice-over artist for the Lone Star spot. Hopefully they'll do better with Into The Woods next month.
The "saaaand" spot isn't that bad, in my opinion. The one I really can't stand is that Barry White/breast feeding PSA. It was kind of funny the first time, but it quickly got old. I guess that could hold true for just about all the ads, really. The novelty kind of wears off after a while.
The Lewis & Clark Horizon Air spots I alway thought were funny. I just start laughing at the image of Richard Kind and Patrick Warburton in fur pelts, sitting in an airplane cabin!

But on the subject of Rachel Maddow. Her show kind of grew on me. I wasn't that impressed the first time I listened to her, but after a couple of weeks I found myself actually liking the show. She's had on some excellent guests, and Kent Jones always gives me a good chuckle during his spots.

[dogmandeux]

"Rachel Maddow, (KPTK m-f, 3-5p) whom we believe will be the no.1 talk radio host in an America in that future where the lemonade springs and the bluebird sings..."

Agreed. Nothing says "America's Future" like a posterized picture, citrus flavored sugar water and the call of the (western) bluebird:

http://audubon-omaha.org/bbbox/images/webl2.wav

[joanie]

I don't hear her talking down to the kid. I hear a soft and loving sound. You're right . . . it sounds different to my ears than yours. At first I didn't like it; but, it grew on me and now I like it.

The part where she says "Oh no, we don't eat sand" sounds so real to me. Funny, I know.

Geez, there are so many that I don't.

Re Rachel: I actually don't listen to her everyday. She can annoy me after a while. I hate to say that because I think she has a great show . . . but something in her delivery bugs me. I don't think Kent is that funny. I think that when she interviews people, she can go on too long. But, I'd sure hate to see her off the air because her program is really good. I think her fast-paced news style is perfect. Just wish she could smooth out or bring up the delivery a bit.

Oh well. I'm being too picky probably.

[sparky]

wonderfullll womannnnn
if you dooooo breast feeeeed a little baybeeeee...

What an earworm THAT song is..but it is hilarious if you think of Chef singing that on South Park.
But I agree, it is a terrible commercial.

Also, the Russian accent was on KGO no KPTK, my bad. But it is the same lady on the ad!

I love "Into the Woods"..I hope they just have an announcer and the show music in the backround on their commercial.

[Star the Wonder Dog]

Tommy 008
Great to see that you are still running the fingertips without anything to back it up.
So who cares that Dave or Dori have stayed local. Seattle is a pretty nice place to raise a family and the dough is fine.
People make trade offs like that all the time.
When have you ever made over $150 thousand a year on your own?
Try some of Tommy 008's own advice. How about YOU doing something and actually getting something published. Doubt it will happen judging by those message board story scribbles.
You ranted before about the publishing houses not recognizing real talent. Sounds like the talk of a never was.
And those radio critques.
Why don't you lay out Tommy 008's radio credentials.
When I see Tommy 008's stuff in Barnes & Noble I'll start taking you seriously.
Until then it is just blathering.
Sincerely
Star 'Wonder Dog' Monsen

[Kris Pueblos]

Hi, Please take off your comment about TILA.Com and me. I have never advertised through the radio ever, you're probably refering to tilamortgage.com, 2 different companies. We are based in Illinois and tilamortgage is based on Washington. Please get your facts straight before posting these kind of comments. And I'm not involved with any Nigerian scams nor I've ever spammed people. What I do is Affiliate Marketing through PPC and SEO. try going to tilamortgage.com and that's the company that's doing the commercials.

[PugetSound]

Hey Andrew
Looks like you might have made a mistake per Kris Pueblos comment above.

[Andrew]

Googling yourself I see. I apologize for the perfectly understandable mistake.

[Kris Pueblos]

No Problem.

[Joel Harfouche]

Liberals can't make it in the market place of ideas but want the government to help. Liberals are the most intolerant people on the planet. They only want free speech for their own liberal views. If the government tries to shut down conservative talk radio, you are going to see the beginning of another civil war in this country.

[Tanya]

This Maddow is a very strange looking guy. Something about him that I just can´t put my finger on. Also you gotta wonder if he got a little messed up as young boy with everyone calling him Rachel (now a very uncommon name for a man)

[Tanya]

This Maddow is a very strange looking guy. Something about him that I just can´t put my finger on. Also you gotta wonder if he got a little messed up as young boy with everyone calling him Rachel (now a very uncommon name for a man)

[sparky]

Amusing to read back over these posts where people are saying Rachel will never amount to anything!