Ron upshaw: he's the brains of the outfit

We're always being re-amazed that the Ron & Don Show (KIRO m-f, 3-7p) is the flag-ship, marquis, top of the heap, headlining, drivetime offering on KIRO, the venerable news talk station that Seattleites have revered since forever. 

(photo: Ron Upshaw)

Seattle is a major market, (no. 14) and they're, well, not.

It's no accident that Ron Upshaw (he's the one without the mullet) gets top billing- It's not "Don & Ron" for good reason.  Don makes a lot of noise and has the muscle-bound good looks, but Ron, (having attended college!) has the intellectual and creative firepower and sits in the power chair. He's the bull-goose.

All manner of rumors have swirled around the show lately, fed by a fake Craig's List ad to hire a replacement for Don. Today, there was an overheated, but phoney and too long “Don is on strike” bit that may have been an April Fool’s Day deal but nobody ever said.
 
Last week it was a day devoted to Ron’s beekeepering mentor who had died suddenly, a riveting, high emotion personal radio drama... unless, of course you didn't know the beekeeper.

Before that it was two days of Ron's in-depth reporting at a Bellevue bikini coffee stand simulcast on their web page with digital snaps of Ron leering and drooling in his latte at the lithesome bikini-ristas with their requisite camel toes and cleave-wiches.

Even with Ron's intellectual capacities driving the show, it's still a mash-up of celebrity pants-gossip, sports drivel, name-dropping, and fundraising for obscure causes.

We're never sure what to believe about their ratings. R & D claim they're fabulous, (250 million listeners!) some say the show is just what appeals to the dumbed-down PPM measured audiences. Their web page, though heavily plagiarized is third on the station site in traffic (after TBTL and Dori Monson) though most believe it's all about the cleavage, the 'toes and a parade of prurient YouTube vids that get them a steady daily stream of unique visitors. (There was a time when any plagiarism connected to a news station like KIRO would invoke a response or a correction- that was when radio mattered).

KIRO is between PDs at the moment, Eastlake's wondering if the new hire (rumored to be a tough numbers guy) will make some decisions about the drivetime.

Comments

[Obama is a black man]

This show must go. It is impossible to understand why these guys persist. The R&D show has no identity and no purpose. Who is listening to this garbage? When you do listen to this show you actually feel stupid.

Hood fails to discuss the fact that the last 2 hours of their broadcast are essentially a re-hash of the first 2 hours. It's a regurgitation of the earlier material. The show reminds me of when the guys worked for free from 8pm to Midnight a few years ago and the last hour was actually taped.

R&D are lazy and for a fact do almost no show prep. They steal material from the typical web sources (i.e Drudge, TMZ, etc). They remind me of the guy at the bar that will never shut up.

I go through every new day hoping to see the famous RIP headline for the boys on good ole' BW. The issues of the day are much too serious for these 4 hours to be flushed down the toilet by KIRO.

[chuck says joanie is a liar. (because she lies)]

KIRO should dump that show and bring in a national, syndicated, conservative talk host with fire in his/her belly.
We have had more than our fill of live, local radio talk through the years.

[Sclub]

How much does KIRO really matter now though?

[ed calvert]

Please no more political talk shows. Damn near wore out on health care bill and all the other rehashed political jargon

[james chan]

There is more than enough conservative talk in Seattle.
It would be nice to have another, that would make 2, liberal,to MOR, talk here. The right wing flaps around here ad nauseum.

[Obama is a black man]

Wonderful Radio on KIRO:

Dave Ross gloating for 3 hours about a god damn fireworks show!

[Tommy008]

Little Mr. Monson is oviously jealous as Hell of Ross for thinking up the radiothon idea and putting it in motion.....now that it's an incredible success his small man's jealousy is just consuming him..... we all know Dori is a chepass but i think his lack of a donation may just stem from jealousy

[Yellowbelly]

Bring back Pat Cashman in the afternoon!

[Mysterion]

KIRO: dump R&D and get Ron reagan back already.

[Tommy008]

i've got to stand up and be counted for my boys, Ron and Don....somebody groused here thatthe show isn't about anything...i was listening today to them putting down Bellevue ....Don took a call from a smug ass in Bellevue driving around....Don nailed him as a BMW driver and the guy confirmed...i love the fact that the show isn't really about anything . these guys really can pull off just sitting around joking, gasbagging, Don going into his fits of faux rage ...this is the show that the twerps on TBTL wish they could pull off. but they can't because they aren't funny....or interesting...so hands off my boy Don and his sidekick Ron,,,

[Dave (not dave ross)]

I also find ron and don entertaining. I keep up on the news but find i need a break from the health care, wall street, political nightmare we are in. As i have said too many times before already people VERY FEW SHOWS COULD OPERATE SUCCESSFULLY IN THE 19 MINUTES OF TALK TIME per hour in which their show lives. the kiro afternoon drive is a chopped up mess of traffic news weather and commercials. Lastly one comment to obamaisablackman: you posted ron and don would be gone by 3/31 last i checked they are still there, however MSN is reporting that obama did check the 'black/negro/african american box when he filled out his census.

[John]

I sometimes wonder if the problem with R & D is them or that show is poorly produced. There are moments that the show becomes entertaining, but then it digresses into a Don rant. It lacks structure. Not knowing the background is it because they don't have a strong producer or PD to pull them back went They get our on a limb.

It could just be that with the PD change at KIRO that they have been unsupervised becuase no one knows what to do.

If I was PD I would step up with Ron countering some of the dumb stuff that comes out of Ron's mouth.

[Obama is a black man]

Dave-not not Dave Ross...

The end for these guys is near. You called me out and were correct. I don't have a specific timetable but my inside sources tell me that about 90 days should do it.

This is an unsustainable show for such an important time slot. There is just so much nonsense that one can listen to. Their schtick might work on KISS FM or some other Top 40 show but it's not suitable for the once iconic KIRO brand.

Is there really talent there? Seems like almost anybosy would be an improvement (i.e. Pate, Prell, Styble, hell even Amy Adams who once had the 9am slot).

The no show prep is obvious. The guys take off days whenever they choose. Last year they yook off a week for a sore throat and played the 'Best of R&D' for five days...now that's an oxymoron.

Sorry guys but the show must go away.

[Justin]

The Ron and don show is awesome . If you don't like it change the channel. The guys have a good time, they actually have fun. That's what's wrong with this country no one wants to have fun.

[Holcumbhelper]

One thing is common with all your suggestions. Too many white guys. What a bore. It's over. What about somebody with a different perspective? Someone of color? Or, what about "GASP!" a WOMAN? Holy crap, could Seattle handle it? What ever happened to Chris Brecher? What about somebody new? Jesus, stop playing the same old tunes. It's over.