How's Goldy doing?

David Goldstein, the only local liberal in the Seattle talk radio market was laid off and his weekend show cancelled in January.

OK, OK, Dave Ross (KIRO m-f, 9a-12p) is a Democrat, but we hear constantly that he's a "moderate."  Even if we count Dave: that would have made only two local liberals on the radio in Seattle, one of the most liberal cities on earth !

KIRO, to their great credit, has let Goldy fill-in for the iconic Ross this week and a few days next week. We're hoping that this is acknowledgment that not only can David can do it but that KIRO believes he has a voice that should be heard.

We'd like to see him back on the radie-yo. Wouldn't you?

David is still a relative novice to radio: as listeners, please comment: as a talk host, how he doing? What can he do better?

Comments

[abob]

I wish KIRO had the class to rotate each fired host on successive days as fill-ins for Ross. The line-up should have been goldy, ebert, hart, styble, prell, shiers, jeffers.

[Beryl B.]

I f I ever hear styblehead's voice on the radio again, I swear I'll jump into traffic in front of KIRO.

[Upton]

I find Goldy to be a welcome change from Ross, who is no liberal in my book. I think he is doing an excellent job.

[YellowPup]

Goldy hasn't missed a beat since he was terminated from weekends at KIRO. I think he's doing very well this week.

Today's shows on initiatives and taxes, and the education/testing, Gregoire, and Predictably Irrational segments from earlier in the week were all top notch. "God hates soft men" was not very interesting, but I tuned in anyway.

Would be willing to listen to more repeats of those same AAA commercials and PSAs (more mortgage company and hair replacement commercials, please!) to catch the show live for a fix of liberal propaganda.

[Gay Gary]

I find it a bit of a stretch when people say David is the only liberal talker in Seattle. The argument is a bit of a sophistry. Of 15 hours of locally-originated, commentary-style programming on KIRO, 12 hours (80%) is hosted by people who have gone on-air and said they caucused Democrat. Does the fact that the majority of those people churn out fluff change the reality that they are - based on a moderate (or a gay fascist's) - definition that they are "liberal"? The fact that the liberal hosts that control 80% of KIROs airtime choose to use their air-time on cotton candy topics is hardly the fault of American conservatism or "corporate radio".

And what about Ken Schram (33% of the local programming on KVI)? What about 100% of the politically-oriented hosts on KLAY-AM? Because the liberal intelligentsia isn't permitted to hand-pick the progressive talkers doesn't change the fact that there are progressive talkers on-air.

BTW - for the last week in a row I have caught "KIRBY AND CO.". What a totally sad, pathetic show that has become. It's 30 minutes of banter between Kirby (or fill-in), Matt and Carleen, then they say their phone lines are lit-up and they want to take calls - they take three calls in a row and they all end up being liberal send-up acts that makes Kirby & Co. completely flustered and red in the face, ending in them yelling and slamming down the phone and not taking any more phone calls the rest of the program. Is anyone still even listening to KVI-AM? Please give that time slot to "Wake Up With Whoopi". She needs the affiliates.

[Gay Gary]

Back on topic ... I think David would be more listenable if he policed the speed of his voice a bit. Anytime he starts talking faster his voice tends to gradually start going up octave after octave until, eventually, there is this glass-shattering screech coming out of the radio that makes Big Bo Bop (my boyfriend - Oculus Blue - and my asthmatic Saluki), start barking and running around, tearing up the house. (Some days I wish we had a better behaved dog like Star!)

It's a very easy solution - maintain a constant stacatto - I don't know why he doesn't do it.

(I also wish he had Jesus's General on more!)

[An Historian]

David Goldstein is HORRIBLE.

I heard his fill-in today and he makes Sytman look like the best broadcaster of all time. Being a rabid liberal is good schtick but being a pedantic monotone self-important fool is just plain old bad radio. Keep Goldstein OFF the air or I will be listening to KIXI much more often.

[EvergreenRailfan]

I noticed Ron Reagan has filled in for him a few times as well. Something odd there. Seems Bonneville does not mind asking people they let go to fill in from time to time.

[Tommy008]

This morning Goldy was, as usual, being rude, and cut off a caller that was a little bit too old and too ornery for him to get away with it. The codger called him on it and told him his problem was he loved to hear the sound of his own voice too much. Goldy got that pompous, "on his highhorse" tone he gets when anyone dares criticize him and whinnied that some old radio hand had told him when he first started that the people tune in to hear the host talk, not the callers. That's it Goldstein - continue to blow off legitimate criticisms, while belittling the folks making them, as you sit smugly but delusionally assured that the fact you're now working rare fillins at KIRO instead of your own fulltime show from 7-10 p.m. has nothing to do with your considerable shortcomings as a host. "Selfimportant fool"- excellent description, Art Historian. I second that.

[Bryan Styble]

Oh, come now--David Goldstein may get too short-tempered with some callers from time to time, but he's generally a quite responsible host.

And I'm glad KIROO has reconsidered its recent jettisoning of him. (Few newstalk hosts anywhere have gone from first-ever-shift to broadcast competency in as short a learning curve as Goldstein did in 2006.)

Sorry I missed his Ross shift this morning, though; I was, as is usually the case, tuned to Limpbraugh. Actually, more than merely tuned.

Anyway, may everyone herein enjoy a wonderful Flea Day.

Sincerely,
BRYAN STYBLE/Seattle

[Gay Gary]

Just heard on the Ron & Don Show --

Live & Liberal Talker Don O'Neil Speaking to Caller: "You know it's interesting Ken because I heard our Governor interviewed the other day on the Dave Ross Show being interviewed by ... by the fill-in there, I think his na --(pause / off-mic whisper), by David Goldstein and -"

[Bryan Styble]

I happen to actually consider Dan Sitman one of the world's greatest broadcoasters. Well, sorta.

That is, "Sitman & Bose" ranks as among the finest newstalk radio shows I've ever heard, local or national. (And both hosts were WOY to the right of me, ideologically.)

I've heard neither individually accomplish in their verious solo hosting work anything as nearly as compelling a listen as the Sytman & Bose tandem routinely was each morning-drive, always densely infornative and intensely witty.

And when KTTH cancelled it in late 2007, "Sytman & Boze" ranked far and away as the best local show in all of Seattle newstalk radio [and yes, that includes my old KIRO show, too].

Sincerely,
BRYAN STYBLE/Seattle

[gk91]

Take some voice lessons.

[DT]

Goldy's doing a good job. He's smart. He's mixing up the topics. Sure, politics is his main thing, and his two other favorite topics are religion and schools, but I like how he mixes it up on his show in terms of topics. I think he should even be more creative in that area. That's one thing I like about Luke Burbank. He doesn't follow a formula. He takes risks.

[Bryan Styble]

What sort of person would corrupt my sincere posting above which lauded "Sytman & Boze", changing my spelling of the principals' names to misspellings??

I knew some of you folks despise my "radioactive" approach to newstalk...but I also naively thought the proprietor herein was actually were sincere in his claimed interest in newstalk radio discussion.

But I guess it's just that some of you people are just downright juvenile.

Sincerely,
BRYAN STYBLE/Seattle

[radio listener]

Art Historian...lets change a couple of words ..

"Being a rabid conservative is good schtick but being a pedantic pompous self-important fool is just plain old bad radio."

Doesn't seem to bother Rush's audience.

Enjoy Jerry Vale on KIXI!

[Gay Gary]

Let's face it, radio libs just aren't very entertaining when they're all fired up and huffing and puffing whereas conservatives are ... not sure why, it's just a fact. On the other hand, radio conservatives aren't very entertaining when they're broadcasting like they're stoned but libs are. That's why Dori's a success at this game and shows like "Democracy Now!" are a success at their game.

You can be the best hockey player in the world but that doesn't mean you're going to have a lot of success playing Major League Baseball. David could be the belle of the ball at KBCS-FM but on AM radio he's an NHL goalkeeper playing for the Mariners.

[rev]

Goldy could gain great benefit from a few sessions with a voice coach who could teach him how to use his voice more effectively.

If (when?) he learns how to take advantage of the microphone and pull more resonance out of his voice, the same politics that he currently offers would be taken more seriously.

[joanie]

Rev, you are so right. But Goldy seems to disdain that criticism. He wants to do it "his way" or else not at all. Seems that way, anyway. I think it is too bad because his message should be more important than his ego...

GiGi, you've finally lost me. Can you run that comment by me again with metaphors(or are they similes?) I can comprehend? I don't get the "Democracy Now" reference at all.

Sometime "cute" can be "too cute."

[AprilMayJune]

Ditto regarding his voice. He won't make any changes until he starts thinking of himself as a radio guy, rather than a blogger.

[Gay Gary]

GiGi doesn't explain himself!!! I just throw stuff up against the wall and wait to see what sticks.

[joanie]

So, use some discernment when choosing "stuff." When you do, you're irresistible, my dear. :)

[YellowPup]

I disagree on Goldy's voice. It is a nasal voice and it's sometimes up-tempo (though not as bad as many of his regular guests--like Josh Feit, for example, who would get talking so fast he would start a word before finishing the previous one, which was hilarious), but the cadence and intonation is right for AM talk.

I think the fact that he doesn't have professional radio voice polish makes him seem more honest and genuine as a host. The sometimes raw quality of the DGS (host, producer Chris, and guests) made it fun to listen to. You had the tone and milieu of AM but without the high-priced, octave-divided voices (not to mention the conservatism).

[asda]

sorry, but it's all about delivery, and goldy just doesn't have it.

Why is dori so popular? With his crazy rightwing way of thinking, he should have been run out of one of the most liberal cities in america a long, long time ago, or relegated to one of the "mini" conservative radio stations that get terrible ratings.

He's popular because his delivery is impeccable, just like Dave Ross. They both could talk about the most inane, mundane topics, and still bring in the ratings.

I suspect it has mostly to do with time spent on the radio and experience. Maybe goldy will one day have a delivery that makes people want to listen to him, regardless of his message. However, he shouldn't be getting his seasoning in such a large market on such a large station.

Go work up in Bellingham or port townsend for a few years goldy then come back and show us what you've learned. You sure as hell won't get the required experience being a fill in host on KIRO. You can blog anywhere in the world. If you really want to make a go of this radio thing, go work your ass off, just like all the rest of the successful talk jocks did.

[Gay Gary]

Joanie, if only I were hetero and a liberal you and I would be an item!

[joanie]

Why, Gigi, you are my funny little good-for-notsing gigi. . . you are my guy.

Why let a little thing like sexual preference and politics get in the way?

[Fremont]

I have no criticism of Goldstein...he is brilliant, his guests are fascinating, and he is the ONLY reason I turn to 710AM. I wish he would, again, have his own show...KIRO or elsewhere. If 1090 ever has local programming, Goldstein would be a fabulous host.

[Fremont]

BTW, I hope everyone has clicked onto the remarkable websites linked by BS...every one is a unique facet of his global erudition...genuine gems. Thanks, Sty...

[Jack]

Kiro was idiotic to remove Goldy from sunday evening especially because he has such good insight into politics and this is sure a political time! Instead they put reruns on????

[Tommy008]

I would agree that Goldy obviously believes he's brilliant. He is certainly intelligent, I'll give him that much. Inteligence or brilliance does not excuse arrogance and rudeness. It reminds of the main character in Crime and Punishment, who believed himself to be one of a class of superior beings on the earth, who got to play by different rules of conduct.

[Duffman]

So, Tommy008 just curious; how would you compare Goldy to Dori? To whom would you give the edge?

[Tommy008]

Good question, Duffman. Dori and Goldy both hold the same conceit that they are more intelligent and deep thinkers than they actually are. In my opinion. Goldy manifests his own particular conceits in a more heavyhanded and overbearing shortness, arrogance and rudeness with his callers and guests, than Dori, who also treats hi callers and guests poorly, unless Goldy's guests are of similar ethnic background to him and work for the juvenile publication, The Stranger. Goldy does have compassion for the poor and unfortunate, something that Monson does not have. When called on his lack of compassion Dori always spouts some crap about his work with charities. I'm certain that Dori almost exclusively gives money to charity through his Church, which I don't see as true charity. It's giving with strings attached- for instance supporting a local Rescue Mission where the down-and-out supplicant is forced to go through an hour or more of "earbanging" from preachers and lay preachers intent on converting him or her to born-again religion before they are allowed to eat. That is not real charity. Monson's recent show on the poor folks caught up in predatory mortgages and his totally unfeeling, harsh and judgmental position toward them perfectly illustrates his lack of compassion. So Goldy gets the positive edge over Dori simpy because of this issue.

[Duffman]

Thank you Tommy008, since Dori (girl's name, ya know) professes to be the King Of Seattle Radio, I would consider that a ringing endorsement of Goldy. HE DESERVES HIS OWN SHOW!!! No 'bout a doubt it. :)...and not in some out-lying area, in the ranked-Seattle market, he can hold his own.

[air yeezy]

People also tend to mix truth and error to teach people, and insist it is wrong.