Karel to be fired again from KGO?

Many of our readers here are/were fans of KGO 810 am in San Francisco, so we are sharing this tid-bit from Rich Lieberman 450:

Karel is in hot water over at the insane asylum--better known as the new digs at 55 Hawthorne.

No, he hasn't threatened to kill Joe the Plumber., (For which he was fired and lucky enough to be re-hied by ex-boss, Jack Swanson at the old KGO--only he still hasn't learned his lesson). He just can't grasp the idea that all mikes, even when "off", are still hot mikes.

He made some rather crude and disparaging comments about fellow host, Pat Thurston--comments that got back to Thurston, and subsequently got back to PG and ND, Paul Hosely. Whether or not you like or dislike Pat Thurston is not the issue here. There's a professional rule in the biz: Never make fun, belittle or put down a colleague on-air. It's been around forever. Karel hasn't re-read the handbook, apparently.

Here's the story from a source:

A few weeks back, Karel said some nasty professional things about Thurston. Not on the air, but on his link mike which listeners can hear as he talks to producers.

Thurston was not exactly pleased and responded with a note to his highness.

Karel sent Thurston back an e-mail that was an insulting ugly critique of what a crappy talk show host she was  He mentioned how he had previously been fired. Thurston then sent a short response that he still didn't get it and indicated that she didn't want his critique first and secondly, he needs to re-learn radio 101 - every mike is presumed to be hot. Thurston then copied his note and response to Hosely, according to the source, and he was called out.

A few years ago, Karel also had a major beef with Dr. Bill Wattenburg, which included him giving the Dr. a full Moon at a KGO office party, and highly negative comments about him on Karel's personal website. GM Mickey Luckoff had to call a truce between the pair.

The source added that Karel is probably on probation. Furthermore, his ratings are terrible and he blames Thurston. How bad are the ratings? Enough to heighten the current rumor that even crazy KGO brass may have had enough of the Karel show and his days could be numbered.

KGO is in a world of hurt anyway. Bill Bungeroth is begging people to take Sales jobs on an on-air spot!  Every time it's heard in the building, everyone laughs out loud, even in the Sales Department! Sales people are leaving the sinking ship, which used to be a powerful and influential AM radio station heard from Mexico to Vancouver BC  after dark. Very sad.

Comments

[Clarke Johnston]

I heard him the other night chatting up someone in the building, his mike was on. You'd think after all he's been through, that this is one mistake he'd not make again! I mean, seriously, Karel! I didn't hear his put downs on Pat, though I don't necessarily buy into the rule book about not dissing fellow talk shows hosts. A little controversy, carefully doled out, could even help the ratings and bring in listeners to enjoy the festivities. All within reason of course. Gene was always very diplomatic about this, managing to indicate that he did listen even during his off hours, and then politely disagreeing with Ronn or John or Gil about something. Gene did it right. But, hey Karel: Don't give them a chance to boot you out, unless that 's your real motive....(?)

[Hedge Fund Hal]

Pat Thurston IS creepy.Her show is absolutely obnoxious, repulsive, creepy and sickening, EXCEPT- when she isn't talking. Her ideas and concepts are so left wing they're cartoonish and she comes across over the air like something off of a Saturday Night Live skit or a network sitcom about a goofball S.F. wacklib talkhost.

[KS]

Karel and Thurston are both twits on KGO. Ronn Owens is the class act there. That station seems like it is in free fall except for Owens and Gross, who are stable.

Has this blog become a Dori Monson free zone ?

[zoemoire]

Pat was a regular up this way in Sonoma County - basically what I can attest to is me driving and switching channels. Boredom stirrrrring. That being said, Karel - really ? You deserve an official firing. Most don't get second chances at gigs as big as the old KGO.

[Hedge Fund Hal]

yes KS we are now officially Dori-Free and I for one am damn proud of it.

[Chris]

Pat thurston is the only good thing with karel a distant,was a very distant 2nd (and now i think im growing to dislike him a lot) and Ron Owens 3rd in my book. Forget anyone else there. She tells it like it is and I'm here to say she represents me. Too bad KGO doesn't anymore.

[Hedge Fund Hal]

checked the KGO WEBSITE...Gross is not on the air there anymore.....glad to see Taliaferro is finally gone from the station....blatant racist and ranting bully.... all the preceeding PDs were too intimidated to give him the axe...finally one guy had the balls to tell him to hit the road....one of the funnier stories Savage evre told was the one Aabout when KGO had him sit in for Ray when he was a rookie host, and all the hatred and ugliness he received from Rays leftwing wackjob audience

[Coiler]

Tommy, Ray and Dr strangelove have been gone since Dec. Owens will probably be gone after his million dollar contract is up in Jan,

[Melanie Brandt]

I am a KGO listener. Have been for at least 30 years. Pat Thurston is a RIGHT ON INTELLIGENT female host with the research to back up her so-called "left wing" opinions. Hey! If you don't agree listen to another fu*"ing radio station!!!
Karel while once again putting foot to mouth, may have messed up again, he represents us and I LOVE hearing his voice every weekend! So in short, to all the HATERS of both radio hosts.....this is SAN FRANCISCO not Idaho! We are the LEFT WING LIBERAL LOVIN' MAJORITY in this town, complain somewhere else.

[Arty Ziff]

KGO's fall is very sad indeed, I've been a late night listener since my teens (40 or so years ago). It all started with the pedophile priest Bernie Ward...

[Hedge Fund Hal]

this blog ain't in S.F. dear...it's in Seatttle...we'll complain right here,thank you very much....not "somewhere else".......hahahahah look at your rabid leftwing wacko intolerance...can't even countenance a differing viewpoint....Thurston's a creep....there' I said it again,.. bwahahahahahahahahaa...haha Melanie hahaMelanie

[Honeybee]

I think the whole set of circumstances is very sad. Why can't we appreciate each others personality, talents and viewpoints without there always being a catfight??? Karel, you were given a second chance and
disrespect is not a positive attribute in the work arena. You can not agree with another and still keep your wits about you.

[AprilMayJune]

Ditto Melanie. I love listening to Karel and Pat. I used to love listening to Ray and also Mike Webb. Not saying I agree with them, just love(d) listening. It seems like a long time ago, but it really wasn't when we had a lot of choice. Now what do we have? George Noory? I listen to him, too. I am a radiophile. I would hope that KGO could resurrect its previous stature, but am not confident that it will happen. So sad.

[Debbie]

Karel & his old man fat bodily problems and his asking for money & his still riding on his "husband's" coattails, has to go. He is so repulsive & has no talent.

[Anne Linde]

I don't know what Karel is up to, as I try to tune in to listen on & off. I had to switch to another station. The blather he is spewing is too much for me. KGO was a "gold" station, until the changes. Some hosts had to go, ok, but not all the good ones. Sad ending to a great station. Karel will put the nail in the coffin if it keeps up.

[Jeffrey Harris]

iveI listened to kgo for years and it is in free fall its to left wing at times and isn't there a law againt the word f*ck becouse I heard karel say it at least twice on air.. listen to karel show on sat jan 5th 2013 and here it yoyourself ?????? Your fired

[Karel]

Oh my, Pat and I are friends and I'm still there, so...guess rich lieberman is a hack.

[charlies]

Bunch of crude, filthy, egomaniacal, stupid nut-wings on KGO except for RonnOwewns

[bunny]

I enjoy both Karel and Pat. I just wish the wonderful people who used to make kgo unique. I've listened for years and, though it's been a year, I miss the real kgo. Gil, Gene, Jon and many others made it a great resource for us all. I now listen to Newstalk910 where I can find Gil, sometimes Jon, Lloyd Lindsey Young is there, too. Now we need the rest of the folks and I'll be happy. We have a fine all news station in kcbs. We didn't need another. These new guys from Cumulus just want all the money in their pockets.

[Roger Schaaf]

Astounding that these so called talk host seem to no wit within themselves to be able to debate a caller when they have their head handed to them. The best that they can do is hang up an then editorialize the stupidity of the caller who just handed them their head.

Karel, thurston, ray, and of course mr ward were masters of this. Makes for very boring listening however. By the way the list is long, these however represent the worst of them,,,,oops lost my head, I forgot Lynn jimeniz, dumb as a stump on economics.

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