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| John Rothmann |
JOHN ROTHMANN conducted a tour-de-force on KGO Radio last (Tuesday) night.
Listen to it here
Yes, the topic was the worsening Coronavirus crisis and it justifiably dominated the 3-hour program, (6-9 PM) on what sounded like a vintage KGO platform only Tuesday night delivered on all rounds: informative, emotionally-charged listener-host interactions and it was downright powerful. Yes, I'm being overly-dramatic but give a listen and you'll understand my passion. It's a rare occurrence when you can be so transformed on a multi-hour AM, terrestrial radio show on another locked-in night in 2020 Bay Area life. Such is the case these days; we're all sort of consumed by it all and both spooked and engrossed at the same time.
Rothmann can seem tedious at times if you listen to KGO regularly because he appears overly caught up with mindless calls from the Trump amen corner. But lately, he's just as riled up as the rest of us and when anger and emotion takes over, watch out. It's especially captivating when it takes place LIVE on 50,000 watts, as it did Tuesday night.
A bizarre, semi-brain-dead POTUS Trumper was being goofy and Rothmann couldn't take it and went in for the kill. A benign act of radio outrage was not an act, not some shtick by an audio charlatan trying to create fake emotion; there was genuine pissed-off-ness and it worked.
And damn did it ever and KGO was the old 810 AM GIANT, you might as well thought we were back at 277 Golden Gate avenue and Ray Taliaferro was holding court while he sipped some diet ginger ale.
THIS is exactly the 70's-80's KGO I remember. This is KGO when Owen Spann and Jim Eason were doing wheelies on the radio. When in 1976, Ronn Owens was at his best and had the biggest, bad-assed show this side of Wolfman Jack. We embraced it, we loved it, we took it in like a Big Vinny pizza with anchovies and a six-pack of Trumer. And it was FREE! What a bonanza.Yes, I'm going overboard, I know, but there's a reason. Many. We, like me, never took the old KGO for granted. We hemmed and hawed when the first KGO Massacre took place back in December, 2011. It was a seismic jolt of the broadcast world because KGO mattered like nothing else because KGO wasn't just a mere radio station but a gynormous lightening bolt of information, entertainment, personality and opinion and passion on fifty thousand watts. KGO was bigger than life and larger --a unique family and audience that was second to none. Outside forces could never bring it down but it did.
Dammit.
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| Ray Taliaferro |
I will commend, again, Lee Hammer, KGO's PD and Cumulus big shot--also, Doug Harvill, for trying, aiming to reinstate the old KGO magic. It's never going to be the same but they're trying. And props to them. Because in todays' scary world, we need, we long for KGO --it helps us navigate through the madness.
My man. This karona virus be the best thang to happen to a brotha. I ain’t gotta go to no work. Ain’t gotta pay no rent. Ain’t gotta pay no bills. Got me free healthcare. And I gone done and watch Shaft fo times!
ReplyDeleteYour comment is very insensitive. Eventually people will have to go back to work, they will have to caught up on rent and other bills. Free healthcare, what do you expect in times like these, this is where the government comes in and help out. What's with the ghetto talk, do you think it is only a certain segment of the population that is experience financial hard times. I work for Macy's as a sales associate at SunValley Mall, we have been off since March 16, and will be so until April 7th. Macy's employs a lot of people at that store and other stores as well. Their employee's is from a cross section of society, don't you think many are suffering hardship because of this virus? Right now Macy's is paying us for 28 hours a week. If the lockdown goes on longer, we can file for unemployment. I'm lucky because I have other income and can meet my basic expenses on that, if I have an emergency I have savings. I wasn't always in that position, but learned the hard way, hope this is a lesson for many. Living on edge financially is no fun, and eventually you fall off the edge. Hanna in Concord
DeleteGhetto talk? Hey hanna, ya better step off! Do you know Ol Darkie? Didnt think so. IM thinking my man Ol Darkie is just telling it like it is. I know the feeling of livin'on the edge too. Yo Darkie, Im defiantly down to watch Shaft...manana!
DeleteYoung lady Hanna in Concord. You don’t the world. My moms passed three years ago and left me my crib. It ain’t no ghetto and I love my mama. You got white people problems. Talking about getting paid not to work and a savings account. I work hard. Don’t call me no ghetto please. Rich you know I love you and we know you don’t take no sides but I would appreciate a supportive comment. You can’t call people ghetto. That sound like Trump!
DeleteJust a piece of advice Hanna in Concord. If you’re going to make a racist comment, you should probably be anonymous instead of using your name, city, and employer
DeleteI love that you call me "young lady" I'm over 70, and yes I still work almost full time. I resent the white people problems, I know racism exist, but the problems of the virus, does not discriminate.
DeleteI love that you call me young lady, since I'm over 70. I have worked for Macy's for 10 years, and I was scheduled to work about 30 hours for the next few weeks, so I think we deserve to get paid. Being a sales associate is not the highest paid job, and we work hard, all kinds of hours, serving all kinds of customers, most are nice, some are not. Never the less I love my customers and give them excellent customer service. The firs post I replied to sounded very racist. Don't know if the person that wrote was black and white, the commenter made it sound like a certain population was taking advantage of welcoming all the free stuff. I'm sorry if I misunderstood, I was brought up in Denmark, and was brought up to believe everyone is the same and deserve the same respect. I think at my age and after living in 4 countries and 5 states and worked in many different job I do know the world. Don't know if I misunderstood the first post, or you misunderstood mine. EVERYONE that is affected by this virus deserve a helping hand. The reason I have a saving account is not because in the last 10 years is not because I made or had a lot of money. You don't have a lot of money in the Bay Area when you have to survive on Social Security and a retail hourly salary. I have savings and no debt, because I'm watching my money carefully and putting a little away every pay check. I didn't mean to sound judgmental when I wrote about saving money. I just know from personal experience living on the edge is nerve racking, and it is much easier to save a little every week, it adds up after awhile. Having said that I also know there are people, single moms, elderly others who just don't make enough money to save, I understand that. I don't come from money, my parents had very little most of their life and worked very hard, but the frugal, and also giving people. Sorry if I misunderstood the post, was not my intention. Hanna in Concord
Jenny Talia What about my comments were racist. I read the original comment as racist. Read my post at 5:57. I have never been nor will I ever be a racist. I judge everyone the same. I fail to understand what about my post was racist. Please explain, because I don't understand.
DeleteSome old white lady at Macy’s I. concord tried to get me on a 30 year payment plan for buying FUBU and Luggz. That sound like you Hanna!
DeleteThat’s right Hanna in concord. Tell it like it is. Tell Him to go back to where he came from. The ghetto. MAGA MAGA MAGA!!!!
DeleteMust have been a very poorly trained associate. I don't know about furniture I know they have some different payment plans. I work in women sportwear, we are encourage to open Macy's credit card for customer's and get points when we do. However that is not a payment plan it is like any other credit card pay it off every month and no interest. I only encourage customers to open up a card if I think they will be responsible and it is in their interest. I'm sure why everyone things I'm horrible person because I work at Macy's read my post carefully, perhaps then you will understand. By the way I have not been at Macys Concord for very long, I transferred from the Palo Alto store recently. I can assure you we are trained to give excellent customer service, and never pressure the customer into anything. If you feel a sales associate I encourage you to talk to a manager, they always listen to the customer, and if the sales person was in the wrong she will be reprimanded by management. By the way do you know for sure I'm white? Yes, I was born in Denmark, but Scandinavian countries adopted children from all over the world.
DeleteThe phrase ghetto talk is racist and insensitive towards African Americans. I’m not going to go into details. It just is. Doesn’t mean you are racist. As long as you offer an apology and move on, everything is fine. Best wishes.
DeleteIt is possible I could have used another term, perhaps bad grammar or similar would be better. I franklin surmised from the first post that the commenter was inferring that a certain part of the population would welcome getting freebies, I suppose I thought he was white and thus racist. I have worked with all races, I frankly don't see many who are looking for freebies, most people of ALL races like to be productive and bring home a paycheck instead of getting something for free. I appreciate your understanding. I came to the US in 1967 to the East Coast, I was very young, but was horrified of the racism in this country, MLK was one of my hero's and when he was killed in 1968 Robert Kennedy a few months later, I felt America lost 2 courageous leaders who would have made a positive difference for years 2 come. Very sad when we compare them to the leader we have today.
DeleteTrumper in Marin, I'm not a Trumpster, so spare me compliments from a Trumpster, in fact I think he is a horrible President. Nowhere have I told anyone to go back to where they came from nor would I. Please read my other posts and you will see it was all a misunderstanding. I have no use for racist. Can we put this to rest now, I have explained what I thought the post meant, and commented, some people misunderstood and obviously I misunderstood, I apologized if I had been insensitive towards some commenters, that is all I can do. Hanna
DeleteMy Savta went shopping at the women’s department Macy’s Concord. She said the sales associate tried to charge her a usury rate for stockings! Was that you Hanna? My Savta felt very discriminated against.
DeleteI love how people deny they are Trump supporters. No one says they like him but he keeps winning. Hanna can be a closet Trumper. We all know who she voted for. MAGA. MAGA. MAGA!!!
DeleteLenny in Concord, Stop with your stupid comments. I guess you are trolling, in case you are not, it is not possible for a sales associate to charge whatever they think. Every item has a barcode, when you scan that the price come up, the computer will not let you change it to your likened, in certain circumstances a manager or some associate there has overriding capabilities can change it, but it is not that easy, even if a sales associate could do it, and it was a huge unusual amount, it would be red flagged to security and they would look into it. Don't you realize in this computer age, there are all kinds of safeguards in place, usual to protect the consumer, but also the store.
DeleteRothman and the Staff at KGO must have written you a BIG "Contribution". Your 180's about KGO are ridiculous. You should be ashamed, but then guys like you NEVER ARE.
ReplyDeleteI have to give them credit when they deserve it. It gets tired just to RIP again and again and again. They are still asses at times but even asses make amends.
DeleteYour assertion I was given a contribution is not factual, god knows I could use the money but whatever. I noticed you don't give your name, gees I'm just plain shocked.
Rich, we got your back out here in the TL! Anonymous must stop!
Delete1:01 Why shouldn't Rich write a positive and complimentary blog about KGO when it is warranted. Rich is right KGO today is much different and much better than it was right after the firings. Why should he be ashamed, what exactly does that mean. Your comment makes no sense. Rich has written enough critical blogs about KGO and the hosts, most of them also warranted, now he sees positive changes he writes about it.
DeleteAre you suggesting because of his sharp critic of KGO in the past, he should not change his mind, do some analysis and then write about? I have been critical of some of Rich's post, but like Rich I give credit where credit is due.
Hanna in Concord
We listen to KGO all the time, especially during times like these. I especially love swap and shop show that George Noory has, we call in all the time.
ReplyDeleteNoory is an idiot! Said the other night that covid is man made! LOL
DeleteYo Darkie, I feel ya! Music turned up, chillin, relaxing. Ive just been sitting around here with my feet upright, lampin!
ReplyDeleteI listened to KGO (and especially John Rothmann) before the firings everywhere I went: from Chicago,Phoenix,Seattle, Portland and Ft.Lauderdale. And now, that he he's back,I don't miss a John Rothmann show. Listening to him is like being with a steady captain, steering this ship through stormy waters. Note: The show gets hot, as does John when the ignorant and often infuriating MAGAs call.Maybe sometimes he even gets through. Great radio.
ReplyDeleteI gotta agree, KGO is doing a great job with their coverage of this Corona pandemic. And it does bring back memories of the old KGO. Let's hope they keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleterothman knows his stuff, but he can come across as kind of pompus at times..get the impression he has no life outside of his radio show and visiting cal mart five times a day
ReplyDeleteJohn loves to be on the radio. However, if you listen to him regularly, you will know that he is married, has 2 grown sons, one is in Israel right now, give lectures, and is very active in the Jewish community. He has also written a couple of books. Sounds like a full life to me.
DeleteHannah you are being "trolled" by one person. They are posting under different names. For instance the name "Jenny Talia" in Concord. Jenny Talia = Genitalia. Probably best to stop responding to these posts. It just encourages this person to keep stringing you along. This person is bored and just messing with you.
ReplyDelete9:40 Thank you. I'm over 70, have travelled the world, lived in New York City for 4 years, but part of me is still the naive country girl from Denmark that left at age 22 to become an American au pair. I have trouble understanding trolling, not so much on Yahoo, but on this relative small blog. However reading some of these post I think you are right. So thanks for the information. In case not everyone is not trolling, no am not a Trumpster, never will be. Frankly, even if he was a democrat and liked his policies, it is his personality I have a huge problem with.
ReplyDeleteI have really missed the pre 12/11 KGO. For so many years KGO was my "go to" news and entertainment source 24x7. I do miss the old crew. Even after all the changed I think I can recall virtually all the on-air talent and hosts. Glad to see KGO pivoting. I know my version of the real "old" KGO is gone. Hopefully the course corrections by station management will enabling build a KGO that is as memorable. Thanks Rich for keeping us updated and informed.
ReplyDelete