Best Air America Host or Show

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

Poll question: Best Air America Host or Show

[SteppingRazor]

1. Morning Sedition --

I like my radio politics with a bit of funny. These two get me through my cruel, relentless morning drive.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

8. Absolutely.

The best combination of humor, politics and everything else.

[ClassWarrior]

2. What about Laura Flanders??

(Be still my beating heart...)

NGU.

[titoresque]

3. I heard her for the first time last

week when she was in for Randy. I thought she was ok, but she did that creepy wisper/yell thing all the time. It was a bit annoying.
But all in all I thought she did a great job. :)

[Mr_Spock]

26. I like Laura Flanders too

She is pretty good at making hard-hitting points in a way I like.

[MrSlayer]

4. After I heard Malloy fill in for Randi last week I have to say he is best.

Randi seems to be off more than she is on nowadays. They should never run "best of" shows on that station, things move way too fast in politics to spin your wheels covering material from weeks ago. The Puke talking heads never have best of shows they always have a fill in to keep their audience current.

[gort]

6. try listening to Randi in Seattle

The great minds at Infinity's AM1090 have decided that she is not drive time material and have bumped her to 6pm, so every day in Seattle is a best-of Randi show.

They also bumped Mike Malloy and cancelled Majority Report.

The mind of Infinity has decided they love Ed Shultz and we shall only hear Ed live.

I wish AAR would dump Infinity.

Infinity Sucks.

[MrSlayer]

17. We only get Franken and Rhodes in Philly.

No other shows. And AAR is on a piss poor station you can barely get in. It's a Mickey Mouse operation with all due respect to Mickey.

[Yupster]

33. I sure am enjoying having XM

I got a new car recently and got three months free, and I had no intention of renewing it.

However, I'm enjoying AAR so much XM has made a sale.

I like Franken the best. It really is very informative for talk radio. I hate getting out of the car when he's on.

The worst in my opinion is Janene Garafalo. Her arguments are oftentimes just not logically sound.

[Inland]

5. AM Sedition most entertaining, Maddow most wonkish,

Franken somewhere in between.

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. Franken is by far the best.

Funny and sharp simultaneously. Eminently listenable. Varies the format nicely: monologue... parody... calls...inteview. Back to monologue. Good chemistry with Catherine.

Randi is smart but tedious as hell. Everything is "unbelievable" or "incredible" or "just incredible" or "absolutely unbelievable". Can you spell "hyperbole"?

Springer is trite, bland. Regurgitates the opinions of others without originality.Political talk radio is not his thing.

Malloy is too extreme and nearly completely humorless. Who's going to listen besides die-hards?

The morning guys are a tad sophomoric. And what's with the
Zoo-like peanut gallery? God, this a.m. they were embarrassing. I can't listen for more than a few minutes.

Haven't heard Flanders and Madow enough to comment.

Janeane Garofolo should calm down and slow down. Good actress.... still looking to hit her stride on radio.

[Eric J in MN]

15. I disagree with you about Janeane Garofalo.

Her passion is the best thing about "The Majority Report."

[Maat]

9. I can't decide ..

I voted 'other' ... because I like them all!

I like Flanders, too.

I go against the grain in that I like Springer, due to his analytical ability; he has a law degree and it shows. He can keep focusing on an issue, and back up his argument with facts, even when a rightwinger is trying to distract him.

I like variety; everyone has a different style; I enjoy listening to them all.

I favor those who do good research, however.

[blue sky at night]

10. thanks for the poll...

I am happy they are all on the airwaves....I went so far as to purchase an XM radio for the cars and plop down the money to subscribe so we could hear the AAR channel 167!

[Maat]

12. Good for you, Blue!

I've had my MyFi and my XM account, for about a week now, and am really enjoying listening.

[benburch]

11. Choose between Mike, Randi, and Thom???

I cannot. I like them all equally and for quite different reasons!

But I voted for Mike because AAR pays him so badly and they need to give him a raise.

[Eric J in MN]

13. If "Majority Report" had both Janeane Garofalo and Sam Seder

during more recent shows, I may have chosen "Majority Report."

But because it's been one of them or neither for so many shows since summer, I chose "The Al Franken Show."

[Walt Starr]

14. Though he's not AAR, I'm really likin' Big Ed these days. n/t

[longship]

16. Mike Malloy

This was a tough one. I listen to two AAR shows almost every day they are on.

Morning Sedition -- When they are on target, Marc and Mark cannot be topped. They have the best topical humor on AAR. Plus they have the Y-5000 Headline translator, Lawton Smalls, and Cardinal Milfington on top of it all. (And don't forget Future Marc--Hey, I love that guy.)

Mike Malloy -- a true fire-breathing liberal who does not mince any words. Mike is the AAR shock troops. I cannot stop listening to Mike. It's what this country needs... Shock and awe. He gets my anger up a few knotches, which is just fine with me.

I gave Malloy the nod after a close call here.

As far as the others. I also like Franken and very much like Ring of Fire. Mother Jones radio is also looking very, very good. Laura Flanders is a bit dry, but very competent. Rachel is much too early for me. I wish I could listen to her live.

I used to like Rhodes more, but she talks over her guests way, way too much. Worse, she puts words in their mouths instead of letting them speak for themselves. This is most irritating and very unprofessional of her. So I do not listen to her any more than very occasionally.

Springer? What can you say about a guy who hosts a TV program that features only the sleaziest side of mankind? You can say what I say, "No thank you, Jerry."

[Todd B]

18. It *was* "So What Else Is News.."

Until they cancelled it.

Now it's probably a toss up between Ring of Fire, Laura Flanders, and Jerry Springer.

[Rob H.]

19. I voted for Rachel Maddow

I wish she weren't on a 0-dark-thirty, though. I also heard Thom Hartmann for the first time ever last week when he subbed for Sam and Janeane on The Majority Report and it immediately made me wish the local affilliate would carry him more often.

My least favorite is probably Randi Rhodes (sorry, Randi fans). She interrupts callers even when they agree with her, and woe betide the person who says, "I agree with 90% of what you just said, but...." Maybe that's part and parcel of her personality, but I just can't listen to her when she's taking calls.

[mandyky]

20. Their best show was Unfiltered

I voted for Rachel Maddow, but I really miss her and Liz in the 9 to noon spot. Springer can't hold a candle to those fine ladies!

My next favorite show is Morning Sedition, but wish they would shrink Marc Maron's ego a bit and give Mark Riley more "play".

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

21. Voted for Randi but also really like Johnny Wendell in Los Angeles

Wendell has occasionally filled in nationally during vacation time and he has a regular show locally in Los Angeles on Saturday and Sunday on the local Air America station KTLK AM 1150. Wendell is dy-no-mite! Like Randi Rhodes, he has the facts at his fingertips, the intellect, the passion, and the entertainment chops. This guy deserves a national slot, in my opinion. I love it when he starts going off on "Die Partei Republikanische".

[clbuck]

22. Mike Malloy, no contest.

His passionate (and usually angry) rants against the Bush administration and the Republicans are legendary, in my opinion. Also, he (and Thom Hartmann) are the only two AAR hosts who have been nationally syndicated before AAR was founded.

Although Mike usually takes a serious and sometimes depressing tone on his program, the moments of natural humor that he does have, such as his voice imitations, his excellent catch phrases, or his talented callers (like Brother Sky Blue), make for an entertaining show without having to rely on pre-packaged sketches for humor like Morning Sedition, Al Franken, or Randi Rhodes.

The music that is used during the program (coming in and out of the commercial breaks, and at the top of the hour) is also excellent, especially when Kathy picks a song that directly ties in to what Mike just talked about

I also appreciate the fact that he handles his guests and callers with a great deal of respect (unless, of course, they're right-wingers) and professionalism. I've rarely ever heard him talk over a guest or caller whom he agrees with. Also, the little things like how he properly introduces a caller, how he usually holds callers over the breaks if they haven't received enough time, and how he says the time cue.

I will admit that his show is kind of a "cult" type of show somewhat among the lines of Coast to Coast AM, and that he is an acquired taste. But once you get used to Mike, you'll never go back.

[Nigel_Tufnel]

23. i like mike!

he's got a lot of heart...

[in_cog_ni_to]

24. I want to vote twice! Malloy AND Randi! n/t

[Mr Rabble]

25. Malloy. Hands down. nt

[Dr Fate]

27. A Yo! ho! ho! For Captains O'Franken & Big Eddie.

ARRRRGGGG!!!!!

[against all enemies]

28. Is there a link to Malloy's past shows? Someone told

me there was a place to download them.

[clbuck]

29. Yep, here it is!

http://www.whiterosesociety.org/Malloy.html

[rurallib]

30. She's not on airAmerica, but I love Stephanie Miller!

Really like Laura Flanders and that Kennedy kid on the weekends gives us some things to ponder.

[Drewskie]

31. Malloy

Malloy is the only air america show I like.

[stlsaxman]

32. Randi, Marc & Mark, Mike. in that order...

who could vote for just one? When will Hartman take Frankens spot? anyone know?

[Tinksrival]

34. I don't get half of these shows but..

I like randi. I only get one repeat of Mike a week but it's good too. But I get alot of good info from Ring of Fire. The Pap attack and Bobbie kennedy get me through work on Sundays.

[iconoclastNYC]

35. What defines best?

Mike Malloy turns some people off for being too liberal/angry.....Frankern turns some people off for being too 'centrist'/gentle.....i think Air America did a good job finding a good mix.

I think they all have thier strengths. I wish there was a 3 hour weekly best of AAR that highlighted all thier strong suits.

[NYCGirl]

50. Everyone votes for who they like the best...IMO.

You have the best response.

[LibDemAlways]

36. Malloy.

Love those rants and the no bullshit, pull no punches honesty. Where else on the radio can you routinely hear * called "man or monkey" and "that murdering son of a bitch"? Malloy is a treasure.

[Roxy66]

37. I am torn between Rachel and Randi...but went with Randi

[Oeditpus Rex]

38. Majority Report

But I have an ulterior motive.
Janeane... if you're reading this... :loveya:

*heavy sigh*

[chalky]

39. Gotta give some props to Sam Seder.

He came into his own when he subbed for Randi while she was out having surgery. He's had some classics, too: had freepers playing "Guess the Torturer" (proving to them, in front of America, that they couldn't tell the damn difference between what we were doing at Abu Graib and what was done at Auschwitz). And the man can decimate a freeper caller better than anyone I know--says all the things I want to say to the idiot callers.

[candice]

40. Laura Flanders

[LSK]

41. making me pick between Randi and Malloy?!?!?!?!?

WHAT TO DO! WHAT TO DO!!!

[Roxy66]

42. Kick

[derby378]

43. Much love to the Randinator

Randa-landa-rama! Ran Ran Shaw! Countess Randula! Krugerrandi!

Raaaaaan.

[Dawgs]

44. How can anyone vote for Franken?

He might have the worst personality ever on radio.

[jobycom]

51. Hey, maybe they only hear him and Jerry.

WHo would you pick out of those two? :-)

[Roxy66]

45. Kick

[nvliberal]

46. Malloy, in small doses.

The main trouble with his show is it mostly isn't a "talk show" but a monologue of his gripes.

And when he trashes the Democratic Party, I shut him off because he's doing the Republicans' job for them.

Franken is okay, although I think the talk show format isn't really his forte.

Randi Rhodes I can't stand. I personally think she's an idiot, which is contrary to almost everybody else's thinking on this board.

The day I heard her say that "conservatives" and liberals and progressives "want the same things" was the day I regarded her as a world-class moron beyond hope.

We wouldn't have the mess in this country if the "conservatives" wanted the same thing as liberals and everybody else.

She's hopelessly bad, and her voice is grating on the ears. Rhodes never should have been allowed in broadcasting where the voice is all-important.

AAR is a good idea in theory, but none of their hosts are in the league with KGO's best, and the latter hosts actually allow conversations from callers, often from opposing viewpoints.

Listen to Bernie Ward sometime if you haven't already, and there are plenty of callers with opposing political viewpoints, and he makes mincemeat out of them. You NEED that interaction in talk radio in order to educate and yes, entertain, the listeners.

AAR, like Limbaugh's program, tends to preach to the choir.

[geomon666]

47. Malloy

Can't get enough.

[Raiden]

48. I like Randi the best

Then the Majority Report--MR would be first but Sam and Janeane are hardly on there together anymore.

I only like Malloy when I am superpissed. Sometimes his vitrol reminds me too much of Rush and his ilk. I do like Mike though.

[jobycom]

49. Randi's the real deal, but I want to hear more Rachel Madow.

Most of the time I feel like I'm tolerating the AAR hosts, but I really like Randi, and mostly really like Malloy (he's got a few issues, but he's got an on-air talent).

The more I hear of Rachel Madow, though, the more I like her. She's got a radio talent, a great insight in the issues, and always thinks well on air. They need more of her. They could bump Jerry Springer or Al Franken for more Rachel Madow, in my opinion--although I'd love to hear more of Franken's co-host (can't believe I've gone blank on her name, usually I know it.)

On edit: Oh yeah, and a lot more Laura Flanders, too. In fact, dump Al and Jerry, give their spots to Laura and Rachel.

[LiveWire]

52. Im more partial to Ed Shultz...

hes not air america, but for some reason hes on the air america station where i live. hes a liberal version of rush limbaugh.