| Christine Craft and Al Franken |
Christine Craft filled in for Ronn Owens on KGO Radio Friday. Several of you informed me. I know. For once I actually listened to the radio albatross.
Craft is a royal pain in the ass. I told her. She's also an excellent radio talk-show host. Sure, her animal-rights stance borders on infatuation and much too much we're fed her dog stories. Oh well.
For a self-described "liberal", her gun-rights stance seems contradictory but again, she's consistent.
I'm also not thrilled with her steadfast anti-Israel position no matter what but I can deal with that because one thing about Craft--you pick a fight with her, she's more than ready to go at it.
On radio she's really good. She runs a smooth sailing ship and knows how to keep a show moving, there's no denying that. In fact, it's an embarrassment that Craft isn't a full time host on KGO--you would think one of the dim bulbs running the show would hire her and elicit some element of credibility. Only those who run KGO now are trying to reinvent the wheel and actually think 4th-tier comedians from New Jersey appeal to a younger demo and that morons who walk the red carpet and think they're entertainers are more suitable. Never mind that no one is listening but that's another story.
Even in this PPM and TSL era, Craft commands the board. She's incredibly adept at pacing. When a bad caller is much too much, she can cut and move along to the next Edna from Fremont. Now and then she's a little rude and curt with listeners but in trying to zip along the show, that's manageable. She acknowledges as much which is OK from this corner.
*Yes, you heard right: Barely three weeks into his SF run, KGO ran a "best-of" Chip Franklin on Friday. Many of you were shocked. Why not put a fill-in on? Live and local? Because, see, that would have been too logical --furthermore, Cumulus would have had to pay a fill-in, bingo!
*You guys are right--the True Car ads are annoying as hell but maybe that's what the client wants.
*Randall Bloomquist and Renee Bakos: symmetry. (Withhold laughter).
*Sorry, KRON, you just look and sound weird. And please, do something with that lighting! It's awful even by your standards.
*Just because one media blogger in town isn't in love with certain media people doesn't mean he has to omit them from his Christmas card. Hell, someone has to take the high road.
*From one of my KGO Radio spies: "Bloomquist will be fired soon enough. Mahanay brought in Bakos and the Dicks sent him to SF to reign it all in. He's like an ugly Abe Vigoda." Ouch.
*Any day now on the weekend, the real-estate shows and pre-recorded syndicated crap will begin playing because that's the Cumulus playbook. That, and cashing $25 million-dollar bonus checks for the Dicks are SOP. Chew on that, 55 Hawthorne zombies, and Happy New Year.
*Katie Marzullo: It's OK to smile. Ask Claudine Wong. And another thing: loosen up a bit.
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Take another look. Katie M. DOES smile. A lot. And she has done a very good job on the anchor desk.
ReplyDeleteI like Katie. She's laughs during the banter. I don't need someone smiling while telling me about thugs destroying Christmas trees in Jack London Square. In fact, true to KGO TV form, they are stockpiling some good, young talent to compliment the stellar veterans they have.
DeleteKate M looks too stiff and maybe even constipated! Smile a bit, it won't cost you any money.
ReplyDeleteChristine C. used to be good looking back in the day, perhaps that is why she is so angry now!
C'mon now. Everyone ages, you will too
DeleteChristine didn't just age, she rotted.
DeleteSpeaking of radio, has KNBR reported on this? Michigan and the 49ers supposedly reached a deal yesterday to allow Jim Harbaugh to leave.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.inquisitr.com/1707154/jim-harbaugh-rumors-49ers-reportedly-reach-agreement-with-michigan-to-let-harbaugh-leave/
Rick Kwan was talking about it yesterday on channel 7.
DeleteNothing wrong with being a gun/animal-loving, anti-Israel "liberal" (I hate labels). There are more out there than you think. My problem with her is her steadfast, myopic support of a convicted sexual predator of children.
ReplyDelete12:15: See below a list of "Some" of the inventions that Israel and Jews brought to you: Note also the test for your "Syphilis" was invented by a Jew. So go ahead and be an Ant--Semite, just remember to stay away from the inventions that Jews brought to you. Have a nice Day!!!!
DeleteJewish/Israel Contributions to Society:
Albert Einstein Physicist
Jonas Salk Created first Polio Vaccine.
Albert Sabin Developed the oral vaccine for Polio.
Galileo Discovered the speed of light
Selman Waksman Discovered Streptomycin. Coined the word 'antibiotic'.
Gabriel Lipmann Discovered color photography.
Baruch Blumberg Discovered origin and spread of infectious diseases.
G. Edelman Discovered chemical structure of antibodies.
Briton Epstein Identified first cancer virus.
Maria Meyer Structure of atomic nuclei.
Julius Mayer Discovered law of thermodynamics.
Sigmund Freud Father of Psychotherapy.
Christopher Columbus (Marano) Discovered the Americas.
Benjamin Disraeli Prime Minister of Great Britain 1804-1881
Isaac Singer Invented the sewing machine.
Levi Strauss Largest manufacturer of Denim Jeans.
Joseph Pulitzer Established 'Pulitzer Prize' for achievements in journalism, literature, music & art.
Considering that the Jewish people constitute a mere one half of one percent of the world's population, Jewish contribution to religion, science, literature, music, medicine, finance, philosophy, entertainment etc., is staggering.
Why whenever someone criticizes Israel's politics does someone feel the need to defend Jews? Me thinks they are two different things.
Delete2:06
DeleteNot sure if Galileo "discovered the speed of light", but he was a devout Catholic, one of his daughters even became a nun.
As far as I can tell, the only difference between Jews and Christians is who they think is in charge of middle management.
DeleteYes, being anti-Israel and it's policies and anti-Semitic are 2 totally different things. Also, that list is absurd. Galileo? Christopher Colombus?! And, how are Disraeli and Freud "inventors." #meshuga
DeleteGalileo was Jewish??!
DeleteLMAO
In 4th grade we were taught that a Dutch guy (Moer?) discovered the Speed of Light.
DeleteGalileo WAS of Jewish descent, Mr. or Ms. 1:56 AM. The Galileo Project of Rice University says this: "Affiliation: Jew, Catholic. He was of Jewish descent, but his parents were protestant and he was raised as such. But in 1597 he converted to Catholicism and entered the Jesuit order, changing his name from Habakkuk to Paul..."
Deletehttp://galileo.rice.edu/Catalog/NewFiles/guldin.html
LMAO
Why in the world would anyone post that list in this context?
DeleteChristopher Columbus "Jewish" = BS
DeleteGalileo's attempts to try to find the speed of light failed. The only conclusion he could draw was that it was "fast", which was obvious.
DeleteI think Abe Vigoda is a very handsome guy!
ReplyDelete- Rondo Hatton
I enjoyed hearing Christine on Wednesday and Friday. She does, indeed, take command of the program. She welcomes callers, rather than droning on, and is ready for all comers. Of course, maybe she's eager to engage callers because she GETS callers. I had the impression that Matt Ray and "Monty" weren't exactly looking at a full board.
ReplyDeleteKatie Marzullo has a dazzling smile, and she uses in appropriately ... unlike another anchor who seems to be saying "look at my teeth."
Dim bulbs are indeed why a lot of talented people aren't working or working much, and why we have the likes of Veronica De La Cruz instead.
ReplyDeleteRich, I'm like you in that I wish KGO would put Christine on weekdays full time. Maybe her hours at the law office just don't allow her to do it? KGO really hired a turd for the 12:00 to 3:00 slot. She would have been perfect. I hope Franklin doesn't have a contract.
ReplyDeleteI have listened to Christine since her days at KFPK. Even though I lived in Carlsbad then her show came in down there just fine at night. Two things she is a major supporter of I have ZERO interest in, animals and guns. Just the same because it's her I listen when those topics come up.
Yes, she thinks Bernie Ward was unfairly treated. They have been good friends for many years and she supports and believes him. That is what good friends do for each other.
Good column today Rich. I'll go to PayPal and help out. Happy Holidays!
Craft loves to hear herself talk. What a bitch. She's always been terrible. Kgo used to be good. Thank goodness for A&G!
DeleteChristine Craft is a good talk show host? I guess that's true if you define good as someone having a whiny voice on the radio. No offense to Ms. Craft, but her voice is a prime example of why men have long been the preferred talk show hosts over women. Christine should listen to old recordings of Eve Arden and take lessons of how a woman should project her voice over the airwaves.
ReplyDelete@4:11. Yes, Christine Craft is a good talk show host. One of the better ones in my book. As for Men being "preferred." Not by me as I am a fan of not only Christine's, but Pat Thurston, and Angie Coiro. When I lived in SoCal I listened to Tammy Bruce all the time. This was before she became so damn Conservative. Honestly, about the only Male that I really enjoyed was Stacy Taylor both on KGO and when I was in the San Diego area. I follow his blog, but I don't think he will come back to radio.
Delete4:11 You sounds sexist, Christine does not have a whiny voice, not everyone on the radio has a perfect voice, compare Christine to Katie Green, or how about Mark Levin?? You could cut iron the way his voice grates on you. I don't always agree with Christine, don't like her one sided stand on Israel, and although I'm an animal lover, I don't often care for her shows on animals, it does not necessarily make for a good talk show subject. Having said that Christine is intelligent, well informed and has her own strong opinions, not following any talking points and party lines, how refreshing. She has many fans in the Bay Area I believe, and although when KGO was in it's hay day, Christine was not one of my favorites, I always enjoyed her shows, and now with the quality of talk radio in this area, she is refreshing whenever she is on, and I try to listen to her as much as possible.
DeleteHey 4:11 - you should focus on something less superficial than the tone of someone's voice......I'm a long-time fan of SpeedBoat, and while I've had issues with her over the years, the quality of her voice has never been one of them. She's an extremely intelligent woman and a great talk host for the reasons mentioned above. She is proud to march to her own drummer, and keeps a good balance between talk topics and attention to callers.
ReplyDeleteSpeedBoat?
DeleteChristine Craft. Chris Craft. A type of water conveyance.
DeleteYou need to write more thoroughly about local TV news and newspapers ... radio is boring. Nobody really knows who you're talking about. I get it that you're a radio guy ... but who cares about local radio?
ReplyDeleteOn the rare occasions that KGO allows Christine to fill-in, I am reminded what good talk radio can be. Like many of the other posters here, I am irritated beyond measure by some of Christine Craft's opinions, but she is a fantastic host who keeps the discussion moving along and she is always up on the "issues of the day." That she does not have a regular gig at KGO is testimony to the utter cluelessness of the management.
ReplyDeleteTalk radio sucks so bad now that a third rate fill-in from the old KGO makes people teary eyed. Craft was always and continues to be third rate. She is rude and a jack ass. Like her idol Karel, she hangs up on anyone who disagrees with her. Rich, why do you think she declined to debate you on Lieberman Live about Israel? Unless she has access to the dump button she wants nothing to do with an opposing point of view.
ReplyDelete4;11PM, Eve Arden? She was a laugh riot back in the day, but I haven't even thought of her since the Carter Administration. These people here may not have heard of her.
ReplyDeleteI always thought Eve Arden sounded like the female version of Vincent Price.
Yes, Eve Arden's voice was somewhat low and carried well. I would say Barbara Simpson has a great female voice for radio.
Delete8;49 PM I still miss Barbara SImpson, don't you?
DeleteI hope she convinced that 'troubled' daughter to move the hell out, after beating her mom on the front lawn last summer.
So you think of Ms Craft as a "radio albatross and a pain in the ass."
ReplyDeleteChristine is simply doing her job, and a rather good one in my opinion. Don't agree with some of her views but like Mr Taliaferro the show is lively with interaction from the callers. Repeat, discussion with the callers.
If by "discussion with the callers" you mean "hanging up on callers who disagree" then I agree.
Delete"Discussion with the callers" should mean a two-way conversation, and, unfortunately, Christine tends to dominate the conversation by talking over the other party. It is very irritating to try listening to a one sided conversation. Apparently Christine thinks her points are the only points, and doesn't allow callers to get their points across, merely by doing all the talking. Other than that quality, I enjoy her time on the air.
DeleteChristine posting with fake names. Names we've never seen here before. Sorry but this won't get her a job..
DeleteIn the recently released Nielsen ratings for the Bay Area, in the 25-54 demographics where most advertisers focus their buys, KGO was #30.
ReplyDeleteI really like Christine Craft...Yes i do not agree on her stance against Israel..That being said...She should replace that vapid,boring Chip Franklin..or Langan..Or Karel.or any other host(ess)..on KGONE
ReplyDeleteShe's a complete bore and the anonymous postings are probably from her since you can normally never stop her from chiming in. I doubt she's finally not weighing in when she's the subject. No one is giving her a full time show.
ReplyDeleteChristine filled in again today, Sunday. I loved it too. It was doubly good as not only did we get to listen to her more, but we didn't have to listen Brian Copeland again. His show isn't very good and he reminds us that he is black a little too often for me. I get it. But his third hour has to be one of the worst in talk radio. He brings in 2 or 3 of his asshole buddy fellow stand up comics to be on the air with him. They talk all over each other and laugh at their own not funny jokes. With one or two excepts I hope his "guest hosts" still have their day jobs. I can't see anyone paying money to listen to them in a club.
ReplyDelete