I HAVE TO EXPLAIN THIS EVERY NOW AND THEN...Some of my favorite radio talk-show hosts over the years were those whose politics I disagreed with 100 percent --didn't matter because the show was entertaining and provocative--the proverbial "good radio" that is worth listening to. Jim Eason was about as conservative and right-wing as they come but his radio show was interesting so I loved listening --I also enjoyed his sense of humor and back and forth with callers and guests.
The same goes for the late Lee Rodgers and Melanie Morgan; even though I found myself at times hemming and hawing --Morgan in particular; I always found Rodgers KSFO show to be appointment radio. Why? Because it was, again, entertaining --Rodgers' interviews and interaction between Morgan was worth the price of admission alone.
It's the not the politics; it's the quality, or lack thereof, of the program.
I used to love to listen to Rush Limbaugh before Limbaugh basically did a GOP mandatory show every day--frankly, it bored me. Ditto for Sean Hannity and Mark Levin who repeat the same anti-Obama/GOP talking points day after day. There's no entertainment value there at least for me.
At least with a guy like a Michael Savage there's no typical, routine, predictable political patter; in fact with Savage, there's quite a bit of unpredictability --whatever the case, it's must-listen radio for me.
There is nothing more boring than the same old tired political talking points. It's not particularly invigorating nor enlightening. I was never fixated on "Air America"; not because the hosts had a left-leaning program; I'm fairly progressive and would probably like their point of view. The problem with Air America was that none of the hosts were interesting or entertaining, plain and simple.
Rich are people giving you a hard time because you said you like Savage?
ReplyDeleteNow that I know you're a liberal weenie all of these outbursts make sense.
Ha, at least you're fair! Love ya, Big Vinny.
DeleteYou know Riddell misses his meal ticket.
DeleteRather to be a Liberal weenie than a Conservative idiot. Trump, Cruz and Carson are your 3 frontrunners?LMAO.. Hilary can e-mail this election in!!
DeleteI'm a conservative who always enjoyed listening to Ray Taliafero. Everything else on at that time was dull, but he was great to listen to. I really loved it because he really knew how to stir the pot. A lot of his comments back to callers were priceless, too. I used to imagine him turning off his mike during a commercial, leaning back, and laughing out loud. He seemed to be having a great time.
ReplyDeleteRay remains one of the best, and it's a joy to hear him speak at San Francisco's Commonwealth Club. Regarding "Air America"', if you simply tuned out the weak links and focused on Randi Rhodes and Mike Malloy, you definitely had entertaining compelling radio with dynamic caller interaction.
DeleteBig liberal here and am sad AA bombed.Randi and Mike are great radio. Maddow is better on TV (MSNBC)than radio. Franken was hard to listen to. Nicole Sandler was a good fill in for Randi, reminds me of Pat Thurston a lot who I hope gets a weekday show on KGO, I love her.
DeleteI too miss liberal radio, but I never cared for Mike Malloy he sounded too much like the flip side of Rush. Randi Rhoades, although she could be a bit long winded, Nicole Sandler doesn't quite cut it, I would say she is Pat Thurston light. I loved Bill Press, he is another well informed, intelligent host, kind of in line with John Rothman (whom I hope to hear more of) he knows Washington and politics inside out, he use to fill in for Ronn, and then he was on 960 when it was a liberal station, suppose he still has a show that could be downloaded. I agree with Rich it is not the politics, I often choose to listen to Tom Sullivan over Chip Franklin, although Chip's views are more aligned with mine, but I like Tom's show, he is not a carbon copy of Rush, Hannity and crowd and he lets liberal callers on, and what's more he engage in debates with them and is polite as well, that is interesting radio.
DeleteGood column, Rich. I agree with Savage up to a point. Maybe it's just me, but he seems to focus a lot on himself and his accomplishments. Tip of the hat to his success, but it makes for boring radio from Savage for me. Plus, they don't update his podcasts on time or at all, and I'm not sure why. Thus, if you can't listen to him in the day, you won't be hearing him. A little less on Savage from Savage would be good.
ReplyDeleteI started listening to Armstrong and Getty 20 years ago during my morning college commute from Redding to Chico (almost two hours). It was a great way to pass the time as I didn't have a CD player or tape deck. Their show is the same now when I listen to it driving around in SF. I've always liked their Libertarian tone. Refreshing to hear back then, and to be honest, not sure if I know of another conservative show that doesn't instantly pull out the tired partisan blame to explain what's happening.
ReplyDeleteA&G I don't consider that interesting of hosts. Amazing they're still on the air. I'd rather listen to the news.
DeleteGene Burns worked hard to make his programs interesting.
ReplyDeleteToo bad his political philosophy really changed after a bacterial infection in Tahiti. He became so much less interesting as he moved left.
DeletePeople on the left are way more interesting than those on the right in life and on the radio.
DeleteI'm a Savage plank owner. Listened to his first show in 1994. That's when Bernie was across the hall and said Savage wouldn't last very long!!
ReplyDeleteIf you missed Lisa Argen this morning, sorry, more for me! If KGO wants me to pay attention to the weather numbers she puts up, they will have to keep her off camera or make her wear coveralls. What a woman, she has that natural "sexism" built in, or in astronomical terms, a heavenly body!! Can't remember any of the numbers.
I don't find Lisa Argen to be the least bit sexy. She looks like what she is - a 40-ish year old mom.
DeleteMr. Burns
DeleteBoy, fella, learn how to use your metaphors.
Delete40-ish. Try more like mid 50-ish.
DeleteDid you see Rosemary Orozco on KTVU this evening? The "headlights" were definitely on! Or at least the right one.... She has the finest body of any weather woman in the Bay Area.
DeleteSavage, Hannity, Limbaugh, Levin, M. Morgan are nasty and are unlistenable like most right-wing crappola. The Obama bashing 24/7 doesn't make great radio IMO. And all of these clowns keep saying the Dems want to take your guns away after every mass shooting, which is total BS
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong listening to the same stuff day after day after day???
DeleteEspecially when they're correct. Right with you, Concrete Brad.
DeleteCon radio is far from correct. Just GOP propaganda with a lot of hate wrapped around it. It will rot your tiny minds, guys.
DeleteHi Rich...Thanks for your very kind words regarding Lee Rodgers...A total pro...
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Lee Rodgers when he was on KGO, not his KSFO show when he went far-right to appease a certain demo.
ReplyDeleteAlways found Jim Eason boring.
Agree with you that Limbaugh was good years ago.
I don't find Savage entertaining at all.
Tried Hannity, comes off as a weasel, little information or entertainment value.
Air America and KGO = Boring Radio.
ReplyDeleteKGO used to be damn good radio all day and night. Looks like they're trying to revive it but it may be too late.
DeleteP.S. Right Wing radio is angry radio so I find it not boring but mean and pathetic.
Armstrong and Getty sound like a couple of teenage boys giggling and making wisecracks. Both of them, and their news reader, sound exactly alike, and you can't tell who is whom. That may be by design. How and why they are syndicated as far as San Diego I can't fathom. They're on KION 1460, so Rich, your KSCO's morning show has nothing to worry about.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with them sounding alike. Just like Glen Beck and his sidekick Pat. Don't care for either show, too right-winged for me.
DeleteThe Holy Grail of No Cal radio for me for years was Eason, Rodgers and Burns. The current crop couldn't hold their jocks.
ReplyDeleteI tried my damnedest to listen to AA....but it was either Prozac (Al Franken) or coke (Maddow, Rhodes Malloy...).
Tom Leykis still rules!
Gosh I miss listening to Jim Eason in the afternoons.....
ReplyDelete