Talk radio’s feet forward in 2011 were not exactly covered by Prada or smothered with glory. Actually the newsmakers who broke out of radio were kind of a black-eye for the suffering industry.
(photo: Ted Williams, voice of angel and thirst to match)
(Loudest was b-grade Atlanta talk host, and a-grade horndog Herman Cain, who slithered away from the 2012 GOP presidential race with a clean shirt and a veneer of dignity. The cloud of shame, however, couldn’t be cleared, even with a moving quote from Pokémon.
The other was Ted Williams, the honey-throated, homeless, Cleveland basso who wowed radio execs and callers-in to a local radio show with his vocal prowess after The Columbus Dispatch posted video of his mellifluous panhandling. He was given a full-time job doing voiceover work for the parent company, a reality show, and a free house in Cleveland. It all went hugely viral after being YouTubed in early January.
Both men were given outsized opportunities; both blew them publicly, magnificently. Both were talented posers who were able to fool some of the people some of the time.
Cain exclaimed< “Aw, shucky ducky! I feel good today.” But dropped out the race [sic] after a covey of womenfolk with whom he’d dandled (consensually or not) fluttered in at about the same time it became painfully obvious that the proudly low-information candidate doesn’t even read the paper. (Not good for a potential leader of the free world- even a Republican one). Seems talk radio ebullience, hyperbole and self-promotion isn’t enough to get a presidential nomination (not yet, anyway).
Williams ended up drunk, and back in and out of rehab despite a sit-down or two with Dr. Phil. He hasn’t been heard from since.
That leaves Sen. Al Franken and Rep. Mike Pence as the only two national politicians (that we know about) who came from talk radio. Neither are making much news outside their states these days. Maybe that’s a good thing.
Looks to me like Cain can't function without a call screener and a producer. With so many real radio talents on the beach, it is such a shame that Williams stole all the thunder and blew it.
Posted by: Cueburner | December 23, 2011 at 11:28 AM
Im sorry to hear that his alcoholism got the better of him. He really does have a wonderful voice.
Posted by: sparky | December 23, 2011 at 04:46 PM
Bring Ted Williams on the radio and it will pick up listenership wherever he shows - whenever...
Dr. Drew would be a better fit for Williams as he is spot on in the Celebrity rehab. He strives to make others accountable moreso, while Dr. Phil seems to be smoke & mirrors after a while - funny that there are a lot of repeat offenders on his show. Rehab seems like revolving doors by its nature, but I'd say that Dr. Drew is more effective than Dr. Phil.
Posted by: KS | December 26, 2011 at 05:16 PM