Inside the mini-drama house of cards disguised as a radio station whose corporate owner hires fake entertainers begins anew-- another chapter to the messy escapade known as the "San Francisco Cluster" and its once-proud and beguiling lead player, a legacy station now struggling just to maintain mere relevance, KGO.
We know bring you another lizard, our latest introduction into the on-going tour de force: We killed Bay Area Radio but are slowly trying to destabilize it.
ACT 1: The evening news has been sent to the infirmary --enter "Drex" --wait a minute: DreX --the capped "X"--very clever thus far. Those Cumulus wonders can spot a genius when they see it. X --maybe he's a Spike Lee agent. --anyway, so "DreX" comes to the KGO microphone tonight, from 7-10 PM. This is not fair, critics will point out, that I rip into the latest experiment to try to get the millennial crowd to listen to AM radio --a show or host I haven't even heard! Holy smokes!
I don't have to listen. I'm a genius in this department. This is another sad part of the book with some very ugly tentacles. To wit: I remind you all that good, old, youthful "DreXie" was a hire by the lovely gruesome-twosome: Randy Bloomquist and Renee Bakos. The love birds that aren't working at the radio station anymore ---I think the passion was too deep. Maybe the heat of adding to the extraordinary cloud chamber was too much to handle; maybe this DreX guy could be the next Cousin Brucie, whoopee! It could be the miracle on Hawthorne Street for all I know.
But I will say nothing. I'll listen. I'll bet the over/under on whistles and bells at 6, (in the first hour) and a lot of congratulating --after all, we know the loyal royal inside the building can't wait. I heard the mattress man is even clamoring to get his ear in--just what who the hell knows. Maybe Ronn will have him on and talk about his favorite gadget.
This should be fun. Remember: Live and Local.
I don't think I can even bear to listen just to see what he's like......I'll wait for others to comment (objectively and fairly, of course). Somehow, ever since Gene Burns was so unceremoniously dumped from the 7 - 10 spot, I swear I haven't turned my dial to 810 during that time....and I don't plan to start just yet, if ever. My loyalty runs deep to the REAL (and vanquished) talk hosts.
ReplyDeleteSo, DreX ... is that pronounced "Dray X" (as two words), or is it "Drek" with an "s" at the end?
ReplyDeleteI won't be listening. I'll be trolling the internet trying to find out the latest on Bruce Jenner becoming a chick. By the way, what does that do to his Olympic gold medal? How will he be listed in the record books? Bridget (Bruce) Jenner? Betty (Bruce) Jenner?
ReplyDeleteGee let me guess... Lieberman will hate it!
ReplyDeleteBIG SURPRISE.
Nice Photo of Le Drex. Question: What's he doing with his partially hidden left hand?
ReplyDeleteNever mind.
The funniest question I've read on here in some time.
DeleteI hope this guy succeeds. Someone in the business just emailed me this information as I didn't even know KGO was doing a night talk show. I've tried to avoid thinking about Cumulus altogether.
ReplyDeleteThis is basically what Kevin Metheny wanted: Hot Talk on AM, edgy, appealing to women, and the rest of the failed ideas that didn't work in the early part of the 21st century. I like FM Talk as long as the hosts are great. There has been success, but it was also on.....wait for it.....FM!
Hot talk on AM? Like Dylan said, "When you ain't got nothin' you got nothin' to lose."
Believe you me, Randall Bloomquist, the lightweight of all lightweights, is praying this succeeds. He'll try to claim it as his own if it does even though he went around telling people the station was going forward with Kevin's plan. Kevin didn't have many original ideas, and this is just a part of it. It's an idea, but it's not original.
Conservatives generally lack creativity, and it is why the liberals run hollywood, music, art, comedy, and nearly everything else in between. When you have these suits running stations, nearly all of them conservative, this is what you're going to get. For years they were happy when the conservative talk hosts parroted a line of thinking that was in line with their own, but once competition began, the entire genre fell apart. Now these same types are trying to figure out how to remake radio, up against more creative minds.
It's a laughable notion.
Believe me, it's not going to happen with these guys in charge. It may never happen. But when you are hiring the Randall Bloomquists and Kevin Methenys, it's really never going to happen.
Stations used to create talent. KGO PDs Swanson, Hosley and Escarsega attempted to do that with their weekends, but were handcuffed. Now they go out and hire someone named Drex.
What's the next act? Marilu Henner? Geraldo? Sam Sorbo?
Until this industry finds another Stern, or an Opie and Anthony, or a Jon Stewart, John Oliver, or Stephen Colbert, a Key and Peele, a Nick Kroll, Louie CK, real entertainers! It will continue to fail. And that takes real investment.
Oh, right, they have no money! Soo, heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's DREX!
5:49PM you're quite a close minded, prejudiced, opinionated person. Are you an anchor on CNBC?
DeleteNo, it's probably David Weintraub. He's the obessed with KGO ex-host who can't get a job anywhere now because he was so bad on the air.
Delete"Conservatives generally lack creativity"? I'm conservative, and I'm an artist. A creative artist. Hilarious. And, no, I can't stand the "conservatives" behind Cumulus, Limbaugh, Hannity, etc. They are Neanderthals, and so are you for making such a preposterous prejudicial statement. Kind of like other stereotypes. When you scratch the surface, you see what an imbecile the prejudicial observer really is. And, yeah, I've worked in media, including radio.
ReplyDeleteCompare the number of creative types that are conservative versus liberal. I don't think it's a close competition. I think the point being made is quite accurate. How many funny conservative comics are there? In fact are there any? I think the word "generally" summed it up just fine.
DeleteThat's your issue?!? That's about as spot on a comment as you'll read! You think sitcom writers and actors aren't generally liberal? So I guess the Hollywood liberal argument only works when it's useful to a conservative argument. Carry on.
DeleteI think the word "generally" kind of makes the supposed "stereotype" moot since it's an accurate statement.
DeleteI'm NOT conservative and think the statement "Conservatives generally lack creativity" is ridiculous, narrow-minded, and lacks any factual support.
Deletefor every 1 creative conservative in entertainment there are 25 liberals I could name. Except not in radio! Hmmm.
DeleteI, too, am a conservative employed in a creative art.
ReplyDeleteI just tuned in at 7:35pm. I find it interesting that this Drex dude has taken several calls already. I thought the suits and guys like Gil Gross think this type of radio is dead? Isn't the new model supposed to be one long monologue with 30 topics per hour? Honestly the callers I've heard sound set up. They're too smooth. I'm a skeptic by nature...
ReplyDeleteGene Burns must be rolling in his grave right now. A guy named Drex is now in his time slot talking about "50 shades of gray". Wtf!? Wow. As a generation X'er I'm offended these morons think this is what the young demographic wants. Who are they trying to attract!? Hideous radio.
DeleteAbout the set-up calls, I thought so, as well. Especially after the first caller. Then there was another caller that I had heard before, that I don't think is all together there, which made it a little less forced.
DeleteWattenberg had multiple set-up calls per show when on KGO which allowed him to pontificate on his choice of topics.
DeleteI was surprised to hear so many listener calls in the first hour. I thought that went against PPM strategy. I also thought they might be fake. DreX said he left KSJO and the Bay Area in 1985 which would make him 50-something. Not sure how that's supposed to appeal to a younger demo.
DeleteI will listen a couple times before judging.
ReplyDelete"Randy Bloomquist and Renee Bakos. The love birds that aren't working at the radio station anymore ---I think the passion was too deep"
ReplyDeleteWonder if Mrs. Bloomquist has hired a lawyer yet? With all the other pending legal actions she might have to take a number.
Drex is horrible. Just horrible. David Weintraub was better.
ReplyDeleteWeintraub is far and away better but I hope he's not the standard by which we're measuring hosts. btw what happened to him?
DeleteHe was filling in on KKSF before the New Year for a few days and he sounded like a completely different person than I remember. I never heard him much when he was on KGO but it wasn't what I remembered. I didn't hear Drex so I am not going to judge but Weintraub sounded better than Chip Franklin that's for sure. I remember thinking there was too much sports for my taste but the political stuff was good.
DeleteI just listened for a few minutes. This guy was playing comedy clips from the Tonight Show, Letterman monologues... Not sure it's my cup of tea...
ReplyDeleteAnd why doesn't he use his name? Drex sound stupid.
I caught him playing clips during the "50 shades of gray" segment. He kept playing the wrong clip and said "I'm sorry I'm not familiar with this studio". My thought was hey idiot why are you playing clips anyway?
DeleteHorrible. I agree with a previous poster. Weintraub was better but that's like saying the current lakers are better than the current Knicks. BOTH stink!
Do I smell 9-Noon in his future?
ReplyDeleteI listened in my car on way home from late night of work. He was talking about Donald Trump and playing clips. I shut it off. I'm a 34 year old single male if you're wondering and I like talk radio.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw the name DreX, I immediately flashed to Bre-X, the six billion dollar Canadian gold fraud ... Hmmmmmm ...
ReplyDeleteI was driving for about 1 hours around 7 p.m. I usually listen to Alan Colmes at that time, I did turn to Drex a few times, his topic did not hold my interest, and considering ISIS burned a man alive, he just seem to be disconnected, but then I'm a woman past 60 and I care about current events and politics, would love to be able to hear John Rothmann on a day like this.
ReplyDeleteI thought I'd give him a try until 9:30, or so. I lasted about 30 minutes.
ReplyDeleteI wish that I hadn't seen the (above) picture, before the program. I didn't help.
He's already better than Karel.
ReplyDeleteSo Sad for the SF bay area.. It was horrible.. with all the thing's one could cover .. he played clips??? OMGOSH! Not sure if there was one call... How about a show with someone who introduces him self and is glad to be there and wants to engage... OMGosh.. I really thought it could not be worse.. I was wrong !
ReplyDelete