A DISJOINTED mess with a quasi push for simple mediocrity. That was my stark assessment of John Rothmann's opening 4-7 PM drivetime show on KGO. Generally speaking, you're supposed to wait a few weeks and offer reviews but Rothmann's 4-7 PM calamity on Monday is ripe for picking. It's not just me; Rothmann deep donw inside knows he's NOT a PM drive host. He belongs at night or middle of day but Lee Hammer doesn't have many options and that's especially evident when it comes to financial resources. Rothmann is not only not a PM driver, he's also OLD and that can hardly attract a young crowd although KGO's demos are decidedly well over 54.
Rothmann Monday decided to KISS a lot of Cumulus ass. He said Lee Hammer (PD) at least told everyone in person (like Chip Franklin) they were being let go--as if that's a civil act right before Christmas. Rothmann spent the first hour talking single-subject topic and it sounded dreadful, albeit crisp and forward dreadful but lousy nonetheless. When you do drive time, you generally like to throw out multiple topics but Rothmann didn't get the memo.
Rothmann is OUT OF PLACE at 4. He's not terrible, he's just horribly MISPLACED. If anything, bozo-brain Mark Thompson should have been a 4-7 guy but Thompson, I guess, is busy in LA (where he broadcasts) hoping to land a TV Game-Show gig and couldn't do PM drive. Pat Thurston is solid at 12-4 but that's little improvement for KGO's-Cumulus wasteland.
*Christine Craft, as I've said here before, is a very good talk-show host but a LOUSY people person. I've lauded CC for her fine talk-show skills; plus Chris is a great iunterviewer. Unfortunately, Ms. Craft doesn't know how to play the game. Christine would be an awesome host for KGO (and others) but she doesn't get along with anyone. I thought I was difficult. It wasn't just Mickey Luckoff that CC pissed off, but the whole, old KGO suit brigade. Even at that, Christine is solid. I wish she could play chess better.
*Another reason why Cumulus does NOT care about its listener base in the Bay Area. Every host wanted to give Chip his due and offer a goodbye. umulus said NO. Didn't even tell listeners there'd been a change. Listeners left OUT in the dark. Why? Because Cumulus doesn't care.
So firstly, you publish comments from ball-less types who anonymously claim I did "dirty work" for Mr. Luckoff. Then you headline this post with how I don't "play the game", and I pissed off "all the suits". For the record, I did fill in at KGO for twenty years. Management kept asking, and when they did, I said yes, when available. This is not evil. I drove long distances to do so, while practicing law in a different city,and had fun doing so. I didn't engage in any politics at KGO. I made no demands of anyone there, ever. What exactly are you alleging? I've never even met Mr. Hammer. Did you think I had?
ReplyDeleteHush Christine, the point is you take more pride in pushing back than getting along. Your most famous quote: "Your not a lady"
Delete"Hush " my ass. I am not a lady, not "Your(sic) not a lady". I was never part of any "getting along". I did fill in, usually at night or on weekends, and then for years from home via ISDN. Who was I supposed to "get along" with? Hint, no one was there. duh
DeleteYou obviously have a thang for Rich. You keep coming back here for mo and would probably give up that nappy dugout to him. Just calling it like I sees it.
DeleteYou need a "vision" test, stat.
Delete@7:24
DeleteHeight of hypocrisy proclaiming to call it like you "sees it" while skulking behind diction that clearly isn't yours.
I would like to hear more about this dugout Christine. Care to elaborate?
DeleteI have only one dugout story. It's from the early sixties . My dad and I used to go to Chavez Ravine to watch Sandy Koufax.From time to time, he stood in front of the Dodgers dugout. Does that help?
DeleteWarren Betty said it best in one of his movies, “go to the nappy dugout. That’s where you get the big out and let him hit it.”
DeleteI remember day I had my first nappy dugout
DeleteChristine, can you finally explain to the audience your famous tag line of ‘Im not a lady?’ Enough being coy and hiding behind the keyboard the people must know!
DeleteI worked with Christine many years ago and the nappy dugout stories are all true…
Delete"famous tag line"???? It's not a tag line, or famous. I'm not a lady. Some women want to be placed on imaginary pedestals and called "ladies". I don't.. It's pretty simple.
DeleteIt's not a tagline, nor is it "famous". When I was a wee lass, I loved playing with dolls and cap gun six shooters. I still like both the doll and gun show offerings( typically in separate buildings). When I started surfing in the early sixties ( mercifully before the crowds), I noted that the "ladies" sat on the beach preening. There were a few women who would have been bored to tears to do that. We rode waves, endlessly and happily, not concerned about mascara and perfect coifs. As a TV reporter and anchor, I didn't balk at bloody crimes scenes or wear fuck me shoes to chase a story. I know some genuine ladies who are fabulous and uncontrived. One can love beautiful things and beautiful clothes blah blah, without being a "lady", a term which I and many other self-determined types find derisive. "Here, little lady, incapable of doing important and tough things", let me open that door for you." NO, thank you.
DeleteTed at 9:08, you are a lying bag of shit. Tell one such story and have the gonads to put your name to it.. Should I wait? Certainly you wouldn't be afraid of little me, would you?
DeleteOh my goodness Ms Craft. Please stop swearing. It is not very lady like.
DeleteI'm a huge fan of the mole. And dugouts. Love dugouts.
DeleteCan I see the wedding photos? Please!
DeleteIs it true? Naked photos by the pool?
DeleteThe big problem w/JR at 4-7 pm, many of his loyal evening listeners won't be able to tune in due to scheduling conflicts. Perhaps he'll pick up other listeners to replace those lost, that's possible. Still common sense says Ramsey should take the 4-7 pm slot, with JR taking the 7-10 pm slot. Either that or JR takes the 10 pm - 1 am slot, moving Bachelor to the 4-7 pm slot. Is there a reason the cards didn't fall in either of those directions? Perhaps Ramsey prefers a live show, and therefore must occur 7-10 pm. Even so, Ramsey could take calls in areas where he's live, & KGO plays his show time delayed. Bay Area listeners w/financial queries could still queue up their text questions.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Dave Ramsey is live from 7 to 10 p.m. He is in Nashville Tennesse. Perhaps his show on the Sacramento station 3 to 6 p.m. is live, but I don't think so. I think he broadcast in the daytime.
Deletejohn is not ed and rosie
ReplyDeleteRosie and Ed were a news team. The were gone from KGO long before Cumulus took over I believe, at least Rosie was. I do believe John should be on a night, I will still listen when I can. On my days off I arranged my days so I usually did errands after 3 p.m. and was back before John's show. I listened to Chip, and I agree his format was more suited to that time of the day, when people often are in and out of their cars. Rich complained that John was not drive time material, since he tend to focus on one topic per hour for the most part, and then when John started his 4 o'clock time sloat he complained that John's show was disjointed. Which is it?
DeleteQuote "Another reason why Cumulus does NOT care about its listener base in the Bay Area. Because Cumulus doesn't care."
ReplyDeleteI agree, but its not only Cumulus that doesn't care. Pat Thurston also doesn't care. Atleast not for her senior listeners, when she continues to "personally do spots" for Balance of Nature.
Flat out, Pat Thurston lies and cheats listeners out of hundreds of dollars when she reads that spot over and over.
It is easy to prove.
She says, quote "you get 10 servings of fruits and vegetables in only 6 capsules a day."
That is a flat out bald faced lie.
The truth, if you examine the bottles closely, you only get ONE SINGLE serving OR LESS when you take 6 capsules.
Thereby cheating listeners, mostly seniors, out of $70 to $100 a month.
Pat can easily understand the real facts,, yet she continues to personally participate in the fleecing of the KGO "family"
Someone needs to call her on this stealing of seniors money.
All of this is easy to prove. Not something with "two sides" to the story. Outright cheating of listeners.
Is that OK now, excused because KGO is in dire straits?
Cheat seniors so we can continue broadcasting...right.
The KGO lineup is now John Rothman who they may not have paid. Pat Thurston who couldn't move a needle if she was as seamstress. And Christine Craft who is like the bottom of the barrel fill in person. Can't someone just shut off the power already? Are they making more in revenue than it costs to actually run the place?
ReplyDeletedear 3:13.. I don't think you listen to KGO... I haven't worked there in half a decade.
DeleteIs Christine Craft returning to KGO ?????. Why not shake things up before they close the casket and bring back Bernie Ward and Karel
DeleteRothman sounded uncomfortable from the beginning,yes he knows he misplaced,sounds like he's doing it for the team..and four hours of pat Thurston is way too much..
ReplyDeletejohn knows he isnt a drive time guy and i think he knows that his days could be numbered as a result
ReplyDeleteWhat's the actual Station worth? I can't imagine it has top notch equipment or even chairs with good ass padding! The brand and name even seems worthless!
ReplyDeleteShe's pushing balance of nature because somebody flashed some dollar bills. She's a phony ass with no integrity. When she was woohooing and "feeling the Bern" I lost all respect for her.
ReplyDeleteC. Merrill 6-10
ReplyDeletePat 10-1
Nikki and Chip1-5
Mark 5-7
John 7-10
Is that schedule what you'd like to see on KGO ???.
Delete6-10 Lee Rogers
Delete10-1 Pete Wilson
1-5 Art Bell
5-7 Bill Wattenburg
7-10 Gene Burns
7-12 Bernie Ward
12-6 Ray Taliaferro
Ya All Dead but I bet the ratings would head North