And your opinion of Al Franken and Cathrine Lanphier is????

[illini]

I love the show. Al and Cathy are not a caustic as Rhandi can be. He make good points over and over again to get the message across. He relies on facts that can be verified. I love his droll sense of humor.

on edit realize that I am drunk!!!!!!!!!!

[kaitykaity]

1. That a little bit of Franken at least goes a long, long, long,

long ways.

He lost me before the election when they were doing that
bit with the porno star/right winger.

If I wanted to listen to Howard Stern, I'd listen to
Howard Stern.

[illini]

2. I love his strategy.

Al is looking to influence the middle of the road voter to moderate Repuglican. He throws some red meat every now and then. But, for the most part he keeps an even tone to make the liberal point without being acerbic.

[knight_of_the_star]

4. Exactly

If you want someone who is acerbic, there is also Randhi, but then again she is acerbic more in the sense of disbelief and by using what is publicly verified as said by the people she goes after than in Limbaugh or Hannity or O'Reilly who simply make shit up and slip it in with some unrepresentative facts that are true to make the whole thing seem true.

[Kahuna]

9. Ding! Ding Ding! Ding! Ding! You are correct. Al is a smart

and pragmatic man. He doesn't waste his three hours by just preaching to the choir.

[xultar]

38. We need Al candy for the center and a Randi red meat type for us n/t

[BrklynLiberal]

54. Exactly..a little something for everyone. What would be the point

if every show on the network was exactly the same?

[NYCGirl]

14. You do realize that the "porn star/right winger" was an actress, and

that was a comedy bit, to poke fun at the Stern brand of radio, don't you?

I thought it was a very funny bit.

[kaitykaity]

22. Yes, I do.

It wasn't funny.

[enigmatic]

44. I thought it was hysterical, and so did my wife...

It was her first time listening, and now she's hooked.

Oh well.

[kaitykaity]

52. I thought he was funny for a while, too.

But he wore on me and wore on me, until the porno bit,
and that was it. I was done with him.

:shrug:

[NYCGirl]

20. Sorry, posted in error. (eom)

[juslikagrzly]

3. His obsession with Bill O'Leilly

is getting really really old. I turn him off now....prefer Mike Malloy and Randi.

[roughandtumble]

5. not sure about lanpher

Too motherly and whiny. O'falafel er O'loofah er whaterver needs to shut close his pie hole, so obsess on Al(an).

[Kahuna]

10. My problem with Lanpher is her constant interrupting of Al...

when he's in the middle of a joke. She thinks we are too stupid to realize when Franken's little "lies" are jokes. We get it, Catherine. You don't.

[burythehatchet]

11. You have to remember that we are not their audience

The audience they're trying to attract is nothing like us. That's the AAR strategy. Different shows for different folks. There is a very wide disparity among the populus regarding their awareness. We are on the very edge of the spectrum. All we want is red meat. Rhodes, Malloy, etc. But we don't really need to be convinced, now do we?

To take it a step further, I prefer different AAR personalities at different times. Sometimes Liz Winstead's routines, other times Randi's ourage, and at other times Al's erudite and incredibly funny delivery.

By the way, Katherine Lanpher does certainly get it. She is a professionial who knows how to make the show move along. Al's inexperience in this arena is well compensated for by Katherine who was a radio news personality for years in MN.

[Kahuna]

12. Lanpher is a comedy professional? I didn't know that.

:shrug:

[burythehatchet]

15. What post are you reading? Where did I say "comedy professional"?

:shrug::shrug::crazy::think::eyes:
A thoughtful response is always appreciated.
:)

[trotcop]

6. Thom Hartmann's show is better

But back to Al. He's going to the right just like the Party. Why listen to another rightwingnut? He's a disappointment.

[Mika]

13. Al another rightwingnut?

So I guess all of his ranting against the Bushco cutbacks of social programs and his rants about the shifting tax burden upon labor is rightwingnut?

Right.

:crazy:

[Ardee]

18. Whoa there .......

I'm uncertain as to what evidence you use to form such an outlandish opinion of Al Franken, but I must protest your indictment of him as way over the top.

I have my own opinions of Air America in general, especially when compared to the NPR and Pacifica radio networks, mostly that AM radio sucks. But ,while Randi is polemic personified, and I assume others on that new network are as well , Ive not listened to enough of their broadcasts to be certain, The Franken show is pretty darn good.

Unless ,of course, you are just looking for hate radio, in the style of Limbaugh , O'Reilly and the rest. Franken makes you think and some just resist that effort.

[Eric J in MN]

36. Al Franken is a moderate Democrat (NT)

NT

[Maccagirl]

7. Al's strength is in writing-not performing

He has a good mind and heart. I've listened to his show just a couple times and have been a bit disappointed. I am still a fan and always will be.

[Crago]

8. I cannot stand Cathrine Lanphier

When is Catharine Lanphier going to realize, everything that Al says, is not funny? If she has to laugh, why doesn't she shut off her microphone. It's been a while since i have listened to them. I now only listen to Mike Malloy, every chance I get.

[City Lights]

16. I haven't listened since shortly after the election.

He irritated me when he poo-pooed the voter fraud story.

I think he is funny sometimes, but other times his humor irritates me. I like way he exposed pigboy's lies, and enjoyed the number of times his ditto-head friend, Mark, was forced to admit that his pigboy hero lied. I also liked his cast of regular guests, especially Joe Conason. For the most part, I also like Katherine, but sometimes she is too much of a mother hen.

[RadicalMom]

58. Me, neither

We watched him every night on Sundance, until the show went off TV. W can't get him on radio here. We wrote to Al and to Sundance to beg to keep the show on television. Very soon after that, after listening on radio and reading the show's blog, we felt that he'd abandoned us, with his new-found very beaten move to the center wound-licking attitude and his refusal to listen toanything he deemed a conspiracy theory. We felt lost without him. Thanks to DU, I haven't felt like ther was nowhere to turn.

[mandyky]

17. I like all 3 of the daytime shows

They are the only shows I listen to, because too much screeching and too much attitude gets to me. I wish all 3 morning shows would have 1/2 hour or 1 hour for call-ins from listeners.

I also think they could make some money and help NYC small businesses, by broadcasting shows live from restaurants, coffee shops, etc., as well as when they go on the road.

[gassed]

33. The three morning shows

Those are the only shows that I don't listen to. I guess that they do have something for everyone (who isn't crazy).

[DemonFighterLives]

19. Al and Katherine are both great

His limbuagh imitation is always funny and usually proves where Rush has pulled things out of his butt.
Are these shows the same nationwide? Wendy Wild is great in the morning. Big ED is ok at times and at other times is too much. He likes a tough military stance and at one time got all bent out of shape for Al Franken saying "we" in regards to AAR's expansion. That was very unprofessional IMHO and Franken never mentioned it. They seem to get along ok now.
Edit: horrendous spelling/misstrokes

[NYCGirl]

21. No, the shows are not the same nationwide.

Ed (Schultz, I assume you're referring to) is not on the Air America schedule.

[NervousRex]

23. Worst show on AAR.

I switch to Thom Hartmann as soon as I hear Franken's voice. I wish they'd get Hartmann or the Young Turks on AAR and ditch Franken.

[Starlight]

25. Me too. n/t

[lateo]

27. Indeed...

Franken doesn't belong on AAR.

[NYCGirl]

32. AAR wouldn't exist without Al Franken. (eom)

[lateo]

34. That is nice but...

That doesn't mean he should have a show on there. He has proven to be milque toast...we don't need that.

[NYCGirl]

43. Ever read his latest book? Not milquetoast. Not at all.

And the #2 best seller of the year. He's done so much for Democrats...and he's funny, too. I don't agree with everything he says, but he's a vitally important voice, and without his presence, the money to finance AAR could never have been raised.

[Old Mouse]

57. Absolutely!

And as a human, I love him. I admire his dedication and bravery. But I don't like to listen to him do political talk radio.

I'm beginning to see a marked difference between seasoned radio personalties and celebrities new to the daily demands of the job.

[mzmolly]

24. I love the Franken Show.

Though, it's been a while since I tuned in.

:hi:

[Must_B_Free]

47. I rather enjoy it, but I'm not always up to it.

he has the cream of the crop of the guests, though.

[Strelnikov_]

26. Franken Is Great. Not A Fan Of Malloy/Rhodes.

So there.

[proud2BlibKansan]

51. I like Randi

but am not into Malloy.

[proud patriot]

28. I love Katherine's laugh and Al's wit

:thumbsup:

[kentuck]

35. me too !

I was just going to post that! :)

[proud patriot]

53. Great minds and all that

high five :D

[gottaB]

29. I like the show

Sometimes it gets tiresome, so I tune out or listen to something else. But I always find myself coming back.

I think Franken is adapting very well to the medium.

[EstimatedProphet]

30. I do like them

I like Catherine Lamphear much more than I thought I would

[proud2BlibKansan]

31. I like them too

I also think AL has the best guests of anyone on AAR.

The one I don't get is Malloy. He whines and I can't stand his voice. I know a lot of people here like him, but he hasn't won me over so far.

My favorite is Randi Rhodes.

[Harold]

37. Al Franken

He is hilarious! Lies and the Lying Liars is one of the funniest
books I have ever read.

[DemoTex]

39. They started off slow, just like AAR. However ...

Al and Catherine got their groove. I think it should be an award-winning show. It flows so well now, with Al's wit and mellifluous voice and Catherine's sparkle and herdsman-ship. In the early days of Air America Radio I worried that they would not make it. But they are pros. They nailed down a winning format very quickly. I listen all the time on Sirius. Oy! Oy! Oy!

Hi Al! (You do know he reads DU, eh?)

Mac

[laura888]

40. He's disappointed me a few times

Once was when he had Juan Cole on to discuss Arafat's death and the future of the IP conflict.

Juan was rattling off all these facts, and all Al could say at the end was that he was glad Arafat was dead.

[DemoTex]

42. Al did gloat on Arafat's illness and death a bit too much.

There were even the "is he dead yet?" jokes before Arafat gave up the ghost. Al Franken doesn't hide his Jewishness. Not for one minute. But I do like him. And I love his side-kick, Catherine. Oy! Oy! Oy!

[OutsourceBush]

41. I like them, but...

A little less of the comedy acts would be good. I worry that people will not take us serious if all they ever hear is people laughing when they tune into Radio America. Not everything is a joke.

Other than that, I think they do a very good job.

[journalist3072]

45. Al & Katherine

I absolutely love them! I think they make a great team on the radio. I really appreciate the contributions they are making to our society.

[eyepaddle]

46. I like them a lot as well

and I can say I really wasn't all that big a fam of Katherine's when she was on Minnesota Public Radio. However I think she is a great foil for Al--the Abbot to his Costello as it were.

Plus Al gets great guests--even if I do wish he'd tear some of them (like Howard Fineman) a third corn chute every now and then.

And to be blunt I don't expect any one person to be my total spokesperson. I'll take what he's offering, but look elsewhere besides.

And a final point: It's nice to have a left-wing star, a name which people who aren't political junkies can identify,:think:

[gordianot]

48. Al is a comedian who wants to be taken seriously.

A fatal flaw for a comic. He could have had both but he blew it.

[NYCGirl]

49. You mean like Bill Maher, Lenny Bruce, Mort Sahl, or Dick Gregory? NT

[G_j]

50. they are great, but Democracy Now! is by far the best n/t

[Bombtrack]

55. Al = I fucking love the man. Katherine = Good person but needs demotion

from show dragging down "co-host" to just a contributor/producer

[jmatthan]

56. My ratings

I listen to the following Liberal Talk Show hosts (rating in order):

1. Mike Malloy - absolute professional - Georgia
2- Thom Hartmann - great historian - Vermont
3. Randi Rhodes - egoistic driver - New York
4. Guy James - wonderful presentation - Florida
5. Mike Webb - liberal with strong views - Seattle
6. Bernie Ward - absolutely fantastic host - Califirnia
7. Peter Werbe - another great liberal of Thom Hartmann standard - Detroit
8. Ray Taliaferro - real fighter - San Franscisco
9. Nate Clay - amazing host - ???
10. Tony Trupiano - good contacts - Detroit
11. Mark Levine - great legal brain - Washington ???
11. John Rothmann - appears knowledgeable - ???

Laura Flanders should be listened to, but her timings are not quite suitable for me in Finland

With some reservation I listen occasionally and in part to

1. Unfiltered - Lizz Winstead, Chuck D, Rachel Maddow
2. Morning Sedition Marc Maron & Mark Riley
3. Majority Report Janeane Garofalo and Sam Seder (they shout and scream too much which makes these tools worthless)

but these hosts are not really Talk Show savvy and they think that they have to laugh at their own jokes and jokes by their co-hosts!!

I have stopped listening to

1. Al Franken - because he is a terrible talk show host (he is maybe a good stand up comic!!)
2. The Young Turks - because they sound arrogant and ignorant

Jacob Matthan
Oulu, Finland

[DemonFighterLives]

60. I have some catching up to do

Of your list I have only listened to Malloy or Randi Rhodes once or twice. My listening in during the day
Morning Sedition
Unfiltered
Wendy Wild
Al Franken
Ed Schulz
Of these Al and Wendy Wild are the best. Wendy is basically more MN oriented, but she picks up on the good democratic stance.

If Al really reads here. Hi Al! :yourock:

[retread]

59. The show has timely and informative guests. n/t