Randi Rhodes quits Air America...?

[imax2268]

is this true...?

[Renew Deal]

1. Where did you get this from?

[htuttle]

2. Without any sort of sourcing on your rumor...

...I'd have to say, "No".

:shrug:

[Az_lefty]

3. Where did you hear this?

She was having some problems there, but last week everything seemed to be going OK.

[Renew Deal]

5. She needs to stop whining.

She is a freaking pre-madonna as it is.

[Delano]

17. Enough bitching about Randi's bitching already!

And it's "primadonna".

If I were to rag on Limbaugh over at freerepukelick thae way people do Randi here, I'm SURE they would ban my ass...

[comsymp]

25. One more reason DU is superior to FR, then, huh...

Or were you deliberately parodying the RWN's take on why AG torture is okay- by comparing it positively to what Saddam does? If so, subtle but sharp!


And just out of curiosity, if Randi has the right to bitch to her heart's content, why do so many folks here chastise those who exercise the same right by bitching about her bitching?

ON EDIT: (actually, it's "prima donna" -- two words)

[Delano]

26. My problem is that they're just clueless and don't get her schtick.

It's like the numbskulls that call up Phil Hendrie all enraged about his guests not knowing it's all a put-on.

I'm sure that there is a kernel of truth in Randi's complaining, but she's MAKING LIGHT of it, not seriously going off. I've been listening to her for 3 years, so I'm used to her...


You got me on primadonna/prima donna!


Anyway, Randi is in no danger of metamorphosing into Madonna!

[comsymp]

27. Eww, what a thought- no offense to Randi (or Madonna)

No doubt about the kernel of truth- and as you have 3yrs under your belt, I'll gladly defer on your take re: the light side.

Frankly, her on-air persona isn't to my liking and I don't expect her to grow on me. For that matter, same thing with reality TV shows and Japanese food- personal taste... so I generally stay away from these threads (and those items- life's too short, right?).

But the Lockstep Police thing tends to piss me off. (emphatically NOT referring to your previous post- hell, it's much, MUCH kinder & gentler than some of the "quityerbitchins" I've read here recently- just looked like a good spot to drop a couple pennies) It just galls me to read the same rebuttals to dissent, and attitudes in general, here that have historically been exclusive to RW'ers. That shit troubles me mightily.

[Renew Deal]

29. So I should be banned?

For bitching about Rhandi's bitching? That's true FR mentality.

[Delano]

44. No, I'm just saying...

DU is very tolerant of bashing left-wing talk-show hosts. They seem to draw the line at liberal politicians. I just wish those griping about Randi had a point. That's who she is, that's her schtick, and it isn't going to change - I guarantee you - it's made her immensely popular.

If you want someone more genteel, there's Alan "I love the GOP" Colmes, if you want someone who was a rightwing republican til like a year ago, there's Ed Schultz, if you want a guy with tired Jewish jokes drawn out to the point of being painfully unfunny, there's Al Franken. You want dull, pacifica-style commentary with a little hip-hop flava, there's Unfiltered. You want even more dull, nonpartisan commentary, there's "All Things Considered"

You've got plenty of choices - if you don't like Randi, don't listen to her, why tear her down all the time?

Personally, I'd prefer a left-wing liberal with no fear and a bit of fire in his belly, as well as a good sense of humor. That guy was Mike Malloy. AA didn't see it in their hearts to hire him, so I make do with the next best thing, Randi.

[kentuck]

4. I heard that Franken is going to work without pay...

I doubt that Randi would do that.

[LowerManhattanite]

8. That was a rumor being spouted by...

...two weeks ago by schadenfreude-addled freepers and...desperate agent provacatuers looking to piss on a parade.

Nothing more and nothing less.

[AP]

9. NYT reported yesterday with a quote from Franken that he was now

working for equity, or something like that.

I'm not going to look the story up, but I got the impression that he was foregoing salary for two weeks and was going to accept shares instead.

[Frodo]

13. The NYTimes is now a "schadenfreude-addled freeper"?

It was run in a number of other papers as well.

He was listed as giving up his salary to help keep the network afloat. I think the idea is that if they can get over this next-few-weeks "hump" they have a shot a profitability. We'll see.

Of course, the freepers were making the expeted "still overpaid" jokes.

[LowerManhattanite]

28. The "schadenfreude-addled freeper" tag...

...pertained to a segment of those who were floating the "Randi's Quitting" rumor. That was pretty clear in my post as no one to that point had addressed the fact that Franken was indeed deferring his salary. Again, I speak with a certain level of knowledge about this as I work in NY radio and worked for the Air America frequency/license holder ICBCNY / WLIB and now work for WBAI-FM Pacifica.

Hopefully. that "clears" things up.

[robbedvoter]

33. She actually has - said it on her show a momth before NYT broke

the story on Franken that made you canonize him. Moreover, it was Randi - not Franken who pushed all the right people to start Aor America. Sorry to disappoint you.

[htuttle]

6. I heard she was going to be replaced by Howard Stern

There. You want a rumor -- THERE's a rumor. If you're going to make something up, make it good!

[Catholic Sensation]

11. I heard Katrina Vanden Huevel

a guy can dream can't he :D

[Bombtrack]

15. Whoever said that is an idiot. Howard has 19 months left on his contract

for Viacom/Infinity. If he's still doing radio after that it won't be on broadcast.

[daa]

31. Howard is next

after Karmazin and will probably go satellite.

[Gloria]

7. The NYTimes had an article yesterday (5/31)...discussed all the

financial problems but the report ended by saying that it looked like the situation could probably be corrected. It's a pretty big mess though....the original money turned out to be less than the bigwigs had been told (?)...
Anyway, it confirmed that Franken isn't drawing his salary now.

There was NO mention of Randi Rhodes....I think she gets pissed because of this...she is NEVER mentioned.

The article also discussed the ratings.

[AP]

10. Yeah, it was good news bad news story. Bad news: mgt and finances. Good...

...news: ratings.

[Frodo]

14. correction

good news "their own interpretation of the ratings". Apperently arbitron does not report the numbers they cited.

[AP]

18. Apparenlty Arb #s were early , and in two weeks they'll be confirmed

right?

And it wasn't just their own interpretations. There were non-Arbitron measures that were good, and the stations' own estimates were that they were high.

Wasn't the NYC number solid?

[Frodo]

20. I think it's July when the final numbers come out.

"Wasn't the NYC number solid?"

No. The NY station's overall numbers were barely better than before AA took over. The station still ranked 24th in the NY market. And their "improvement" was well below a number of other stations that had not changed formats.

The "solid" number that was reported was an AA interpretation of the figures that they claimed put them ahead of WABC in the 10-3 time slot weekdays among 25-54 yr olds. Since oxyboy runs in part of that block the spun it as "Franken beat Rush".

[LowerManhattanite]

30. I mentioned this in a post last week...

...but spin it all you want, AAR's midday numbers where they beat Rush in the target demographic sent WABC 770's (Rush's flagship station) program director Phil Boyce through the roof. Publiclly, he squeezed out a "sour grapes" acknowledgement by saying that the ratings spike was a result of the shock of the new and that he'd "congratulate" AAR if the trend was confirmed with later data. Within the WABC offices, Boyce went on one of his legendary (in the business), venom-spewing tirades about complacency and "how-dare-you-let-these-@#$%&*s-steal-your-lunch-money-like-that?!" The numbers p*ssed him off in that Rush rules that time period, but apparently not with the most desired demographic. (He scores heavily with the "Paul Harvey" crowd, but not with the young-uns as AAR is cited as doing uniquely well with in the NYT's and Chicago Trib's articles) In a city with a Republican Mayor for the last 10 years and a Republican Governor for the last Twelve, (in spite of a five-to-one registered Dem to Repug ratio) the upstart beat Limbaugh in the choicest marketing niche. They've had their problems (especially with Arthur Liu, the "Mr. Haney"-esque shyster who owns the Chicago and LA stations AAR had so many problems with) and they're working 'em out. AM Talk Radio has finite broadcast outlets due to underdevelopment brought on by the FM explosion in the early 80's. But AAR should pull through this. Again, there are new investors and these folks are letting the radio suits do what they do best, unlike the original management structure.

The fact is, if AAR got WABC's Phil Boyce to blow his stack instead of simply ignoring them, they're doing something right.

[robbedvoter]

34. "Spun", eh? ye're right. How can AAR beat the mighty Limpballs?

I am sick and tired of a few of you being on DU EXCLUSIVELY to beat up on AAR and Randi!

[Selwynn]

36. No kidding.

[Tansy_Gold]

12. "Two long week-ends"

IIRC, Randi said last week that she had taken a long week-end a week ago for a graduation in Florida and would be taking another this past week-end for Memorial Day.

Original poster may have been alarmed by a rerun of Randi's show on Monday (yesterday), but I have no way of knowing that. Am only offering a suggestion, based on what happened last week. I didn't listen yesterday.

[mot78]

16. Fuck no

Whre have you been the last two weeks. SHE'S NOT QUITTING!!!!

[ronnykmarshall]

19. No SHIT!

I am so sick of this "Randi's quitting" bullshit.

She even said so last week that NO ONE is quitting AAR.

[DeadHead67]

21. One more time !!!!

SELL INTERNET SUBSCRIPTIONS!!!! I love Air America, and would be willing to PAY FOR IT! At least until they get some momentum going. This thing is too cool to let go. Anybody else out there feel this way?

[burythehatchet]

22. I often wonder how long they'll wait before selling subscriptions

I would certainly pay.

[imax2268]

23. Well...

man...did I open a can of worms or what...?

someone mentioned it on another forum and I figured I would get the truth here...

[Cassandra]

32. Well, she's on now

and hasn't said anything about it.

[sleipnir]

24. Good Riddance

I never liked her hate-spewing, egotistic show, make room for Malloy I say!!!

[Selwynn]

37. "Have I told you how much I hate these people?"

Mike Malloy was not any different than Randi Rhodes. I like em both.

Of course, Mike is a MAN so maybe that's why he's the best, while a woman who does the same thing is run down...

[robbedvoter]

38. hate for whom, dearie?

What's eating ya?

[sleipnir]

39. The two shows I listened to Randi bashed some liberals and the "far left"

Perhaps she's changed her tune, but it seems to me that, in her mind, if you don't agree with her positions 100%, you're against her. I know it's been talked to death, but she does remind me a lot of Rush...

Malloy rarely dissed people in his own movement, he tried to understand their positions, not just shout them down or mock them.

I'm glad she's taking the fight to the Right, but attacking our own troops??? I don't see the logic.

[robbedvoter]

40. Ya mean like the guys who attacked Clark the same day RNC started?

Hurray for Randi! I love her , I love Conason and I love every liberal who knows where reason starts and foaming at the mouth begins. Sorry, buddy, extreme left can destroy a society just as thoroughly as extreme right. I lived it. Long live Randi.

[robbedvoter]

35. Sorry, freepers & fellow haters, she stays! (mentioned next year)

Like Saint Franken she did forego payments and withoit Randi there wouldn't be an AAR - she moved mountains to get it going. Whatever this info does to you .

[maveric]

41. She just said the she's NOT quitting.

So there it is.

[robbedvoter]

42. Randi answers the freepers question: "All I said was I might stay

in Florida - AND DO THE SHOW FROM THERE - where she still has her better studio. But they want her in NYC. So there.

[Randi_Listener]

43. Debunked.

Theory shot to shit on The Randi Rhodes Show. Film at 11!!