I WAS CHASTISED by an industry wonk of my disrespect of Don Imus (who passed away a few weeks back) because I thought he was massively overrated --and my fondness for Howard Stern, his rival.
Look, I know Imus was a NY legend. I know he was huge NY radio and he built a legacy long before he went national --I also know and remember his big exclu radio interview with Bill Clinton back in the early 90's that paved the way for his more national spotlight. I don't dismiss Imus's tremendous influence in radio but I think his shtick was overblown. I also didn't like his buffoonery and on-air hijinks. Stern called him out repeatedly and he could never answer. Yes, Stern too was/is sort of pedantic and juvenile but I always believed Howard was making fun of himself and the industry. Imus seemed to think his it never stank. It did on many occasions.
Stern was widely ripped for his "I don't care" remark upon reacting to Imus' death. OK, did you expect anything different? I'm not defending Stern but my god, we have more important things to chew on and chew we do.
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| Don Imus (left) and Howard Stern |
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| Heather Holmes |
*Yeah, KTVU will milk its Fox Super Bowl home to the 49ers-Chiefs on Sunday as I watch and have no issue with, it's just that, hey, if you're gonna milk, at least milk creativity and unique and quit Captain obvious.
*Mark Thompson on KGO is remarkably more interesting which is to say he reads this site which is to say he's not alone.
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| Gary Radnich and wife, Alecia |
*Secretly, the NFL and its amen corner were ecstatic that the Kobe Bryant tragedy didn't take place on Super Bowl Sunday, just a week after the helicopter crash that killed Bryant and his daughter and seven others. Because had that happened, then the NFL would have had one serious-ass issue to deal with: play the game or postpone? Probably play. If they played after the JFK assassination, logic would assume they play SB 54 after a sports legend death but I'm just guessing.
*Would have been cool to listen to Radnich discuss Bryant's death but we now know that ain't happening.
*Dear Stan the commentator: yeah, you can come back, even to rip and knock me Stan because I find you and your humor hilarious and that's no knock on you Stan, it's just that I have a dark sense of humor and you make me giggle, just every now and then, limit your takes to the subject at hand and don't go all goofy on me although it's that goofiness that makes me laugh.
*If you either make a donation or subscribe to 415 Media than you get a lot more material from me and which your financial help makes it possible to pay the bills, sort of like when KQED has its 47 daily pledge breaks so see, I'm not alone.
Is it ladylike for a woman to rip a wet one while waiting in line at Costco?
ReplyDeleteIf the free sample was good, I say "Let 'er rip." You are complimenting the product and encouraging other shoppers to give it a try.
DeleteI don't know Rich about the word ecstatic regarding Kobe's situation is the right word, maybe relieve would be better, but hey I am no English major.
ReplyDeleteThey didn't stop or postpone the ProBowl!!
DeleteThe smartest thing Channel 7 could do would be to hire Radnich. Sports segments in a newscast are boring.If I want to know a score, I will look at my phone.But I would watch a sportscast with Radnich. He brings a take on sports that I am not going to get on my phone.
ReplyDeleteBased on his blog.. it's probably because you're white, Rich. :)
DeleteI was the one that said "Hey, let him come back, see how it goes". I'm also one that calls out his bullshit. But like you said, I get a kick out of his "observing".
Welcome back buddy.
11:52 was directed at him allowing Stan to return.
DeleteI agree that Mark Thompson is much improved, I have listened to him form the beginning, because there are not much else on at that hour, it is obvious he has gotten better, his show is a little different, not politics all the time, which is fine Pat and John covers that very well. He usually has a nice mix of topics, some serious, some not, whatever he is better.
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DeleteDarrin, it's getting a bit old.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to Imus, I agree with Rich. However, I think Raddy's trite act would have been insufferable (after the recent Bryant tragedy).
ReplyDeleteGlad I have Sirius Radio.
ReplyDeleteOver the weekend I happened to be in Los Angeles and was doing a lot of driving. When the Kobe story broke, I was listening to KFI 640 and couldn't turn off that station. Their hosts were incredible, telling personal stories about Kobe, putting people on the air who knew him or knew about the crash. They would integrate all of that with calls from people who had touching stories. And they have a large group of reporters who had scoops on this breaking story. It was riveting.
ReplyDeleteAt times their coverage would bring you to tears, and at the next moment you were angry that it had happened. I can't remember listening to anything on the radio that evoked such a range of emotions.
And their hosts were all interesting and had personal reflections, they weren't reading from a script or prepared talking points, like you hear so often on KGO. They're coverage will probably win a Morrow or a Peabody.
I think many of the hosts on Sunday were from their weekday lineup, like Tim Conway Jr., who is known for telling jokes but wasn't doing humor, just showing sympathy and being totally down to earth.
This is something KGO 810 might have been able to pull off 15-20 years ago if it had been a beloved Bay Area figure who died. But today it would be an embarrassment with idiots like Chip and Pat stammering their way through it, or Rothmann making some cringe-worthy comment about presidential politics.
I tuned over to all-news KNX 1070, the Southland's version of KCBS 740 here, and because of their wheel format (traffic on the 5s, sports at 15 and 45, etc.) they weren't really able to do anything in-depth. That format gets in the way of storytelling that takes longer than a minute. When big news happens, all-news stations like KCBS need to throw out the wheel and just stick with one story like KFI did.
I drive down to the Los Angeles area every few month, my daughter and family lives by Pasadena, so I listen to KFI 640, frankly I don't agree with your analysis, although it is an okay station, I don't think it comes close to Pat and Johns program, did you listen to them when they had the fires in Sonoma, or Pat's many programs on PG&E? I have not heard Pat stammering and John does several local stories that is not about politics, but politics is John's passion, and whose of us who like politics like John's program. Many hosts Hannity, Rush, Levin pretty much talk politics all the time, so it is not unheard of.
DeleteA star basketball player dies in a tragic accident with his young daughter and seven other people in a helicopter crash in zero visibility ,foggy weather in the coastal range of Southern Caifornia.This is certainly a news story, but Mr.Bryant was not a hero, or a paragon of high moral character. He was a faithless hubby who claimed the woman who alleged he'd raped her was lying and that the sex was consensual. Choking was involved in their encounter. Presumably he led a more redemptive life after he paid the woman a big settlement. She was subjected to death threats from the fans who think sports achievement is the highest endeavor of mankind. It isn't. You would have thought it was the death of Jesus.
DeleteI'm not sure I like the new Rich 2020, he likes Greg Papa,
ReplyDeleteMark Thompson, and now Stan can come back.
What's next ? Rich in a MAGA hat.
10:29 Rich must have gotten layed recently. He has mellowed this year.
DeleteExcellent analysis
DeleteWow, that is a gorgeous picture of Heather Holmes! :)
ReplyDelete- Still say that no matter the talent, anybody who calls himself Fartman can never be taken seriously. That said, Stern is right about Imus; Imus was always his own worst enemy. And if Stern produces the best shock possible and call out another certain powerful New Yorker for his decades-long abuses, I might actually tweak my opinion about the most powerful germaphobe.
ReplyDelete- They are called The Firm for a reason. Less info, more image. Which is why Holmes fits their employee profile at KTVU to a tee(-shirt, LOL).
- But yes, The Firm is broadcasting this year's Super Bowl, so let's hope the 10:00 News staff raises its game within the next several days up to game time. Won't be holding my breath, but KTVU will be the local station closest to the Super action.
- Mark Thompson reads RL? Wow!
- Looks like Mrs. Bentley needs a lesson in reality checks. Please oh please, Disney & Circle 7, hold that line! Still can't see Ashley & Finney (and now Matier) putting up with any Raddy crap.
- Right now, emotions in all of the LA Basin are at an RFK level. The Calabasas hills are the Ambassador Hotel and kitchen to all LA citizens who are mourning Kobe Bryant's death. For those who weren't born or were too young to remember Robert Kennedy's murder 52 years ago, that's how many tears are flowing in LA for Bryant. Those Sunday broadcasts in the Southland proved it.
- The Bentley did cover Bryant's first two NBA Championships when KRON was still an NBC affiliate before the Peacock switched to KNTV before the 2002 Winter Olympics.
- Haven't seen Stan the Commentator's writing in a long while. Not to be compared to Cedric The Entertainer. I don't miss the former, and while I don't watch the latter, Cedric's CBS show is clearly working. All that's missing are those classic Bud Light ads.
- Amazing how many donations continue to pour into RL's blog, even if some have sinister reasons to keep it going (which I hope I'm wrong about). Rich continues to deliver solid writing.
Please do not bring back Stan. It's Rich's blog, not Stan's.
ReplyDeleteMy pants always get tight in the groin area whenever I watch HH.
ReplyDeleteI had a dream where HH paid me a visit wearing a bikini and had a strippers body.
ReplyDeleteI hope she appreciates how generously my imagination treated her.