KGO's Kristin Haynes was doing her job on Saturday when she found herself corralled by about 100 protesters from the Occupy Movement in Oakland, outside the YMCA -- as did several reporters in a long day of Occupy turmoil that could have been very nasty. After a grueling day of reporting among arrests, tear gas and rubber bullets by police -- covered often live by KGO and ABC Radio -- Ms. Haynes found herself live on ... "The Karel Show." (Oh, how damn lucky).
This was tantamount to having Karel "Occupy" the entire interview on several occasions with Haynes. A struggle that was for the reporter who repeatedly got interrupted and cut off as Karel told his massive audience about his doing work as "a journalist" and his relations with police in Miami, New York, San Francisco, Oakland, Long Beach, Los Angeles and most of the known planet.
Plus, a "journalist" for the Huffington Post.
Oh, my!
At about 8:30, Karel announces that he will be in touch, live, with Kristin Haynes again (he called her "Hughes" a couple of times,) to discuss the "Movement" which was now in arrest-mode in Oakland. He had done a good interview with Top 20 author Michael Hastings on his way, live, to an Occupy Movement situation in Brooklyn, NY. It was good radio, actually ... except when Karel continually interrupted the KGO reporter.
At about 8:32, Karel gets a message -- heard on his internet webcast live, with audio between Brian the KGO Producer and Karel.
It went like this:
Brian: "Paul Hosely, (News Director), just called and was very pleased at how the station covered this situation in Oakland today."
Karel: "Well, I hope so! WE did a great job! This show has just zipped along and it was great!"
Speaking of "zip" ... the KGO reporter was arrested and put into "zip cuffs" for about 30 minutes before being released.
Brian: "Uh, Karel ... he also knows that you're going to interview Kristin who just got arrested ... and he reminds you to let the reporter talk and not interrupt her or cut her off if you do talk to her. Just telling you what he said."
Karel looked apoplectic. And perplexed. And hurt. "What? She got arrested?" He even called, or tried, to call Oakland Police on the air, after being urged not to by his producer, because of lawyers, FCC law, etc. the hour before. That didn't matter. He called on air ... and on two lines got no answer from the dispatcher. No one picked up the phone! I do agree to his point of "Where in the hell are the Oakland Police? No one is answering the phone! Ah, live radio.
Karel: "Well, we are hot tonight, honey!"
Back on the air, Karel does a mini-rant -- including the line "This is history. This has been, no matter what you think about KGO, great radio tonight, no matter what my critics, or critics of KGO, or (chuckle, chuckle) critics of mine AT KGO say -- including hack bloggers ..." (Thanks for the plug, Charles!)
The interview with Ms. Haynes resumes.
Karel then interrupted nearly every sentence the woman said to make a point or ask HIS questions -- promoting "revolution" which a listener called him on. "You're damn right I'm promoting revolution -- peaceful assembly is the law. A protest is lawful. The law is wrong. Our forefathers didn't say a permit was required to protest." (Oy, the drama, the drama...)
Hosely heard this after the warning to shut up and let the reporter speak. It didn't happen. "All Karel ... All the Time. KGOne 810."
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I didn't know Karel was a real journalist.
ReplyDeleteHas he ever belonged to the Society of Professional Journalists, as real journalists often do?
Rich, could you tell me which newspaper(s) Karel has been a police beat reporter for because unless he were a beat reporter, he has no clue as to what it is like interacting with police departments.
Has he ever covered real police news? Been in the line of fire during standoffs as he covered stories and took photos? (Yes, folks, at some newspapers, real journalists have to take their own photos because they can't afford photographers.)
So, Karel, please provide your resume because I don't remember seeing where you worked for a REAL newspaper.
Billboard is NOT a real newspaper. It is entertainment and infotainment.
And, Karel, you are no longer a journalist. Your openly biased views, which you are entitled to, make you a columnist.
There is a difference in my mind. But, who am I? A person who has more than two decades' real experience as a real journalist.
Thanks, Rich. I'll have to listen to the meltdown.
And blogging once in awhile for the Huffington Pos for free isn't being a journalist, either. Maybe being a past columnist for "The Advocate" ... probably not "journalistic enough." Former entertainment critic for KNX in LA? That's not journalism. Just sayin' what he said on the air. Says he has lots of "media cards" from various cities that I guess he winged his way to to cover "news". I haven't seen it and he isn't Dave Barry of the Miami Herald, that's for sure.
DeleteEver notice, too, that talkshow hosts, including Limbaugh, Hannity and Karel have one thing in common? They say "I'm not a journalist -- I'm an entertainer!" Then, when a legitimate story comes their way to play pundit or to actually cover in some way, they are the next William F. Buckley or Andy Rooney. "Ever wonder about that?"
And I'm tired of Karel interrupting people. He is belligerent. It just is no longer worth listening to him. We get 30 minutes of "good" radio several times a week and that's it. The rest is full of chuckles, inappropriate comments, etc.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for tonight? or is he still on?
ReplyDeleteDrats! I missed it and could have used a laugh last night. Karel has been interrupting people for years with "me, me, me" -- very difficult to listen to. He is the true meaning of a narcissist.
ReplyDeleteKarel,
ReplyDeleteIf you were a "real" journalist, not a hack, you would not have called The New York Times' expose on Apple as reflecting a "dismal" situation.
However, your bias, which real journalists do not let get in the way of doing their jobs, which is REPORTING, would have reported on Apple's inability to stop what I consider criminal acts (would be in America) of its contractor Foxconn, primarily.
You would have reported the truth in the article. Like, Karel, the remedy to potential explosions from aluminum dust was developed decades ago and that the first explosion, killing some people, should NEVER have happened.
Then, you would have reported, Karel, as a "real" journalist, that Apple had that plant retrofitted. Only thing is, it didn't inspect all plants, according to the article.
Nope, it didn't.
So there was a SECOND explosion, putting, if I recall correctly, 23 workers in the hospital and injuring a total of more than 50.
The second explosion was more inexcusable than the first.
You would have noted that a current and a former Apple executive with knowledge of Apple's actions with regard to these matters said that Apple could force its contractors and their subcontractors to treat workers fairly.
You would have reported that workers live in awful dorm-like conditions, packed more to the room than some college dorms.
You would have reported underage labor (child labor) has been used, rather than saying that our society is not set up for the industrialization Chinese-style.
Well, I'm sorry to detract from your Apple cult worship, Karel, but child labor was OUTLAWED in America decades ago and is not de facto allowed in the USA like it is in China.
You failed to mention that workers were poisoned because they used a faster-drying chemical to clean screens so they could produce more of your trinkets, rather than the slower-drying and less-hazardous alcohol.
Your little Apple tattoo, Karel, took away any claim you have to being a journalist. While all journalists have biases, they don't allow their biases to impale their journalistic integrity by ignoring facts in reporting a story.
Only hacks to that, Karel, and you are a hack.
Where were the police last night? Are you kidding me? The cops were arresting dumbass reporters who got in the way of them arresting violent protesters. I appreciate the job reporters do but you don't get to be part of the problem because you have a media badge. Give me a break. I'm supposed to care about some dumb radio schmuck, and his hand puppet reporter, who couldn't get OPD dispatch to respond? Why was this jerk clogging the call center with this kind of BS in the first place? What about the person who is being robbed and can't get a cop to respond because they are all downtown monkeying around with a bunch of entitled protesters and dim bulb reporters who get in the way. Where were the police, indeed. Do you know how many violent crimes are commited every day Oakland? I get notification of about two three on a normal day in my area. Lately, it's been four or five. And I'm supposed care that a reporter wgi got arrested last night at the Y? Boo farking hoo.
ReplyDeleteKarel or a root canal? I'd rather have the root canal. Less pain....
ReplyDeleteAgain...why all of this talk about Karel? He is clearly not worthy of working in radio...but unfortunately, many radio management types these days seem to like these screaming, rude, dysfunctional blowhards who 20 years ago would have been laughed off the air.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's reflective of a society that has little patience or ability to concentrate or hold a thought for more than ten seconds.
It seems that so many of today's American citizens (particularly those under 30), would rather stare into their tiny screens and tweet or facebook to their 'peeps' that they're at some swanky new restaurant or busy shopping center (Question: Who finds this remotely interesting!?) This they would rather do than actually hold a conversation with a friend of acquaintance.
Unfortunately these sleepwalking, oblivious fools are in full view on our city streets and in our suburbs everyday. Some are so lost in the fog of the own cyber world that they're completely oblivious to their surroundings.
I heard that the most likely way to be robbed these days is to be completely unaware of your surroundings while talking or texting on your phone. A robber notices this, takes advantage by bopping you on the head and stealing your smart phone. (Maybe that's a good thing!)
And how many of you have seen this kind of thing happen lately? I was driving in downtown SF the other day and saw some nit-wit nearly get run over because they didn't have the least idea that they were walking against a red light in a busy intersection.
What really concerns me though is that so many of today's young people do no not even have a simple, basic working ability to
communicate without the help of some electronic device.
There are many wonderful things that this new technology has given us, but it's also unwittingly created a world where communicating with your fellow human being face to face, or even writing a letter (when was the last time you received one or wrote one of those?) is an arcane concept. That's very sad!
And unfortunately it's also one of the many reasons why screamers like Karel populate our airwaves in greater numbers these days. Many listeners are now conditioned to hearing noisy, outrageous
statements from people like Karel who really need to be on meds. These kind of half-wits overpopulate our airwaves today, but are now considered normal because they are 'hip and edgy.'
God help the solid, credible, experienced broadcast journalist today, because they are a vanishing species. If one of them actually manages to gets a job on-air, they usually have to sacrifice some of their integrity by becoming something that they aren't. If they don't, they might lose their position simply because a a whining, attention-deficeit audience claims that they're boring!
Well I for one, find the Karels of this world BORING and
ANNOYING. And I hate to say it, but I think this is one of the reasons we're losing some of our humanity. That's one of the damaging byproducts of an increasingly digital world that we've become far too reliant upon. Wouldn;'t it be something if all computers and electronic devices in this world went down, just for a few hours! What would people do!? Interesting food for thought!
Charles, have you ever reviewed a police report?
ReplyDeleteSince you are such "a journalist," did you know if your local police department was using the 10-code or the 11-code?
Do you know the PC for homicide, robbery, rape?
Have you ever listened to a police scanner?
What's the difference between homicide and murder? Why should murder never be used until there is a conviction?
Do you know AP Style, Karel?
What J school wereyou graduated from, Charles?
What was your GPA?
Did you work on your college's student newspaper?
Have you ever been a member of the Society of Professional Journalists? If not, why not? Because you are a hack and not an ethical journalist? No, because you aren't a journalist.
Charles, you are nothing but a whiny, Mama's boy who was never told no. You are spoiled. Despite your humble upbringing, your poverty, you were spoiled emotionally. Just like a snot-nosed spoiled rich kid.
That's why you talk over everyone. You are always correct.
That's why your opening song reveals so much about you.
And for KGO and Schmuck Hosley: I no longer listen to KGO. I listened since I was 13. I'm in my 50s now. My kids could give a shit about KGO and your news. Talk to all the zoo animals you want. They won't be listening. Way to F up a station, although I do think Gil Gross is about as boring sand paper and should have been canned a long time ago. Perhaps he's a good news guy, but he ain't no talker.
"Talk to all the zoo animals you want. They won't be listening."
DeleteLOL! How do you know they talked to zoo animals if you weren't listening?! I'm not happy with KGO either, but don't put on some false outrage just for show.
Rich, KGO just announced, 4:34 p.m., Sunday, that the KGO reporter would speak on Wolkoff's show today and on Monday morning's news. Guess she refused to speak on Karel's show; otherwise, why not plug her again on Karel? KGO is obviously using her for propaganda purposes to promote its news. The reporter may want to think twice about being a tool for Cumulitis. Doesn't she realize many reporters are taken into custody and then released? It is not rare and does not deserve this much attention, in my view. Big deal. Deal with it and move on. But continuing it until Monday? You've got to be kidding.
ReplyDelete4:24--I am no fan of Karel, but your post was pretty angry....
ReplyDeleteAnd then throwing in a dig at Gil Gross (what did HE do to get your panties so in a bunch, we wonder?) was uncalled for. Perhaps he's not your cup of tea, but back off already.
Personally, I became a great fan of Gil over the years and think he might have had the best talk show on KGO! I think he is a brilliant and informed man with a heart of gold!
I have a really hard time listening to Karel. He's far too ADD for me.
ReplyDeleteHe'll have an interesting guest, spend two minutes introducing the guest, summing up the guest's bio, etc., then relate that to a personal story about his (Karel's) own mother, dogs, dead husband, etc.
WHen he finally asks his guest a substantive question, he'll interrupt the answer, tell anotheer personal story about the time he (Karel) met some celebrity, then go off on another tangent, then ask another really really good question to his guest, but commercial or news break coming, so he asks the guest to hold on to the question, think about it over the break, then he again repeats his guest's name and C.V.
Commercial, news, traffic, etc.
Bumper music gores on and on, K. sings along, then tells how wonderful that singer is, and that leads to a story from his own singing career, and the time he met some other celeb, and then he spends another two minutes introducing his guest again and summing up the guest's careere, etc again, then asks some stipid question about does his giest watch a certain TV show or has seen some singer or group in concert or some such, completely forgetting the question he had posed before the break.
Maybe one halfway decent q and a of the guest if we're lucky, but then K veers off into another personal story, and then that segment is almost over, so he agaon repeats who his guest is, and why that guest is so interesting, then reminds us of his (Karel's) upcoming appearnces or whatever, the webcam, statiion ID, maybe asks another question of his guest to hold over the next break.
Sum total of an "hour" with a really interesting guest = five minutes or less of the guest actually speaking about anything of substance.
I just can't stand it!!
12:14...interesting post. I find myself in agreement with much of what you say. I guess these folks who spend so much time wedded to their digital devices are starving for a.) attention (tweeting) or b.) a connection (texting).
ReplyDeleteIt's very sad. I tried to have a conversation with a friend of mine recently, and right in the middle of an interesting discussion, he said: "oh, wait a second, I'm getting a text..gotta answer."
I almost grabbed his smart phone and threw it into the bay!
Man I sometimes hate this 21st century!
I'm a shrink and I haveto say after listening to Karel, he sounds like the classic person with ADD. Needs his meds and also some serious therapy. But if that happened, he'd probably be out of a job!
ReplyDeleteIs anyone surprised? This is the same idiot who kept interrupting the KGO legends for two hours. He has a serious mental disorder, he needs to be the focus of attention even when he has a great guest. I don't know why anyone goes on his show. A previous poster described exactly the Karel interview MO. No wonder he can't keep a man. He must be a royal pain in the ass during a date
ReplyDeleteListening to Karel right now belittling a caller who made the point that Occupy Oakland has turned violent.
ReplyDeleteHad Karel had any experience with public protests as I have, he would understand that there is a difference between peaceful protests and what OO has devolved into.
I fail to see how protesting banksters, the Republican presidencies of President Obama and Bush, corporate greed, etc. in Oakland is doing any good. Go to New York, the epicenter.
(Yes, I called President Obama a Republican. His policies are Republican, largely, except for health care, which was ruined by Republicans. He is recommending Larry Summers to the IMF, the same guy who helped cause The Second Great Depression.)
Karel, you have no idea what you are talking about. We want the greedy banksters imprisoned, but you make a mockery of that point of view.
Generalizing, stereotyping about the "1 percent" is as prejudiced as the prejudice directed against other minorities, Charles. Not all the 1 percent have "done" something to the rest of us. This is demagoguery, Karel. It as bad as homophobia, in my opinion because it is prejudiced. Many of those who engaged in policies that have hurt this country are not even in the 1 percent. They include many politicians. I, as an unemployed person, resent this stereotyping and scapegoating on the "the rich." It stinks. It is as bad as saying all unemployed people are "lazy," or as Ronn Owens' guest said last week, the unemployed are the least-desirable employees and that's why they were let go. No kidding. The guest said he understood why companies don't want to interview the unemployed. Nice, Owens, nice. That type of prejudice is as bad as the prejudice against the "1 percent." I'm sick of the hate, Karel. You are engaging in the same hate speech you condemn, but I guess it's all ok, because it's politically acceptable to hate the rich. That's bullshit and it's unfair.
ReplyDeleteDid Karel just say conservatives are genetically predisposed to a low IQ? He cited one study. Has it been vetted? Replicated? I cannot believe how the conservative Cumulitis pricks can let this crap go out. Not only that, but I'm not a Christian, but I really resent his attacks on evangelical Christians. Now he says they are genetically predisposed to a low IQ. Amazing. Scintillating intellect, Karel. Charles, you are smoking too much dope before your KGO shows. Liberals should condemn you for your prejudices. You are a evangliphobe, conservativephobe, etc. Every bit as bad as a homophobe. I'll just call you Kareliphobe from now on.
ReplyDeletehttp://blog.sfgate.com/hottopics/2012/01/27/low-iq-behind-some-conservative-beliefs/
DeleteDon't shoot the messenger just because you have your panties in a wad.
Cumulus doesn't care about ideology, or anything else except profit. If they can make money dumping out a can of garbage on the air, they will.
DeleteAlso listening to Karel rationalizing what Oakland Occupiers did and bad-mouthing the police. Even Pat Thurston, who is all for the Occupy movement (until they show up in her Marin neighborhood) was saying "Enough" earlier today. JW
ReplyDeleteIf anyone doubts Karel's atrocious interview "skills" go listen to the second hour of his dumb ass show today. This fucker asks 5 minute questions alas Ralph Barbieri. What a dumb moron. I am a left winger and I despise this #@@$&%
ReplyDelete8:24, I agree. I'm sick of the hypocrisy. Screams intolerance, prejudice, wants equal rights, and then he stereotypes and uses atrocious generalizations and fake statistics to malign conservatives, evangelicals, etc. I'm sick of it. I don't really consider myself liberal or conservative, as liberals might say I'm conservative and conservatives might say I'm liberal because I am a more-nuanced individual than simply being labeled, as are most people. That is why stereotypes and generalizations are bad, whether they are directed against the 1 percent or the unemployed. Hate is what is spewing from Karel. Hate. It's hate speech. Every bit as bad as some nutcase saying horrific things about gays or liberals. It's wrong. Karel is as sick as Michael Savage.
ReplyDeleteKarel is severely emotionally disturbed. I feel sorry for him now. It is just a matter of time until he is fired. In many ways, Karel is TRYING to get fired by testing the boundaries each time he is on. I'm a public school teacher and most of my 5th graders are more mature than he is. Sad.
ReplyDeleteHere is my take on this; Karel and Dr. Bill are very similar...neither engages callers in dialogue (Gene is good at this), both over talk and interrupt, neither should ever have guests because the guest will get squeezed out. I enjoy Karwl as a monologuist. He's funny sometimes, but he is terrible at interviewing anyone and terrible at "talk" radio. As for Dr. Bill, what is the audience for him? I don't want to listen to eight year olds prodded into calling about some weird thing about slugs, nor do I want to listen to 64 year old geezers wondering about the tensile strength of a thread wrapped around a tin can. I miss KGO!
ReplyDeleteGet used to more idiots such as Karel, Dr Bill, and others of their ilk as these are the kind of fools that corporate radio wants on their stations. They prefer angry, unstable, simplistic nit-wits who engage in noise and nonsense rather than an intelligent, responsible, thoughtful dialogue or exchange of ideas.
ReplyDeleteThe reason these dysfunctional maniacs (who sound as if they missed their daily meds) are more common these days on our airwaves?
They create a 'buzz,' (whatever that means!)
Don't blame guys like Karel for this...they're merely taking the opportunity to make money and earn a little notoriety. Blame the upper management types who want to foist this kind of crap on the listeners. No wonder the collective IQ of Americans has seemingly taken a precipitous drop in recent years!
Dr. Bill is a fool? Really? Do you have any idea what Dr. Bill has accomplished in his lifetime, for the community, for the economy? Obviously not because if you did, you likely wouldn't have posted that. Looks like you are the fool, fool.
DeleteI have a serious question. Why does ANYBODY ever listen to karel? Ever? Have you ever heard one piece of knowledge or entertainment from that freak. I really don't understand it. I listened for maybe half an hour a few years ago and never came back. The guy is an absolute joke in every way possible. Just a horrendous listen. Nothing worthwhile or intelligent.
ReplyDeletebut Karel...can be very funny and he has great bumpers..That said..his understanding of what "civil disobedience " means is in fact hysterical..He thinks the word civil means "polite"..in this context...doesn't have a clue...that even Polite lawbreaking is illegal..sooo funny..and that the disobedience refers to disobeying civil law...He thinks you have the untrammeled right to block a roadway..that's what the founders would have done..he thinks. Can you imagine if he was trying to get somewhere..say to get a friend or loved one to a hospital and his way was blocked by those friendly civil disobeyers...he'd be all cool with that? hmmmm I told you he was funny!
ReplyDeleteAn "abomination" he referred to himself last Sunday. Must be the meds he's on.
DeleteI haven't listened to KGO since their recent shakeup. There isn't anything there worth listening to.
DeleteThe reason Karel is back on KGO is because they could get him cheap, and they needed to fill the time slots. A pure economic management decision. Dump the high-paid hosts, bring in whatever they can get, cheap, that fills the time slot. Karel was a good choice because he was there before, and he appeals to a fringe freak audience. Apparently enough to make a profit on.
KGO = trash now.
Kare's drivel is about as funny as a pile of excrement on an SF sidewalk.
DeleteIs Karel still on? If so it shows how low that once-great station has sunk. From Ira Blue to Karel...how the mighty have fallen...
ReplyDelete