I HAD ISSUES WITH RALPH BARBIERI--Didn't all of us? But he was mostly great on radio. A dynamic personality to go along with a larger-than-life art form style. It was vintage NY even though The Razor is a native San Franciscan.
Barbieri wasn't just a grating voice. He was way more about that even though it was the voice that was his signature personality trait. He was a damn good interviewer and would ask questions that no one else would. He was sucky with yes, Giants, but even there he exceled --ask Brian Sabean.
His exploits on OJ --the many times on air he would talk about the Simpson murders' outrage was legendary --sometimes unintentionally funny but it worked well and often was appointment radio. The effect too made for invigorating broadcasts --it was never forced or contrived.
KNBR doesn't have a soul these days. Whether you liked him or not, Barbieri was definitely someone to be reckoned with. It's a shame we don't hear his voice.
Let me be clear Ralph is very much alive.
Barbieri was once worth listening to but those days were long gone by the time his career at KNBR ended. He got old, lazy, self-important, and irrelevant. He was finished which is why no one else would hire him after he left KNBR.
ReplyDeleteTolbert carried him for the last several years of his career. He was completely mailing it in towards the end. Now Tolbert is mailing it in
ReplyDeletethe last few years for Ralph were no bueno. Arriving late, sounding a bit disinterested. Tolbert was the reason to tune in. Still, much better than what they have now. Tolbert now sounds tired and disinterested with the new line up. He will be gonzo once the contract is up. 95.7 it will be. "What's shakin'!"
ReplyDeleteI disagree. His thinly veiled racism (referring to black athletes as "surprisingly articulate"--stuff like that) then later, his last few years, no energy. Tolbert covered for him at the end there and it brought the show down. Really,the best thing he had going for him was his voice.
ReplyDeleteHe is the only interviewer I've ever heard where the questions were consistently (much) longer than the answers and his long winded meandering style made him a little hard to take towards the end. Sorry, don't miss him at all.
ReplyDeleteI loved Ralph Barbieri especially when he called the
ReplyDeleteOJ Jury . . . Stupid.
Best statement to come out of his mouth.
You guys are way wrong....Ralph was the best....I miss him!
ReplyDelete