The Young Turks and the sad sunset of AAR

[DemNoir]

The past two mornings I have had the misfortune of hearing "The Young Turks" on AAR. I am shocked and saddened by what I have heard.

Over the past two mornings I have heard a stream of Democrat bashing that would make any "ditto head" smile. Is this AAR's contribution less than two months from a crucial election? The hosts seem more intent on achieving some type of "triangulation" than presenting a progressive alternative.

"The Young Turks" (what a lame and stupid name that is) are another in a string of programming disasters for AAR.

[napi21]

1. I've never listened to them. What are they saying? n/t

[DemNoir]

6. Just the usual

"Democrats are weak" "Democrats stand for nothing"

The loud-mouth guy is really unbelievable... "I used to be a republican", " I don't vote for democrats just against republicans" "There are tons of good republicans" and on and on. He also doesn't seem to understand that the republicans control all branches of government. I can't believe the crap I have heard the last two days.

[Ian David]

2. I don't like them either. They're to the right of Ed Schultz.

Besides, I'm getting tired of hearing them say, "You stay my home... !!!I KISS YOU!!!"

[TayTay]

3. There is that one guy on the show who is obnoxious

I had to turn the show off, he was giving me a headache. (The loud guy who won't let anyone else talk and who thinks he's God's gift to radio. Gawd, what a jerk.)

You ever been to a party and encountered this one boorish guy who gets in your face, monopolizes the conversation, follows you around and generally gives you a headache making you leave the party two hours before you intended? Yeah, it's like that.

I'm going back to NPR for the mornings. These people aren't interested in a discussion, they are interested in telling you how smart they are and how dumb or cowardly everyone else is. I can do without that in the morning. No thank you AAR.

[Frank Cannon]

4. Our AAR station had the the Turks for one week. They blew.

I could discern no talent within them whatsoever.

They were quickly replaced by Stephanie Miller. MUCH better.

[sam sarrha]

11. stephanie.... love her quick mind and insight

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[SoCalDem]

37. You rascals leave my Stephanie alone.. I need her to stay

on Sirius.. and Thom Hartmann..and the gravel-voiced lady..

[Eric J in MN]

21. We get Stephanie Miller on "Air America Minnesota"

Also "The Bill Press Show" instead of "The Young Turks."

[wellst0nev0ter]

28. But We Still Have Ed Schultz

God, what a waste of airtime.

[Eric J in MN]

30. I don't listen to "The Ed Schultz Show" for hours, but...

...I think it's easy to take on a short drive.

[wellst0nev0ter]

41. Yeah, It's Either That Or NPR.

At least he can be entertaining once in a while :)

[Frank Cannon]

35. I don't mind Ed so much. At least he doesn't screen his calls.

He tends to get more Freeper asshole callers than the other shows. And he handles them, IMHO, pretty well. At least, a hell of a lot better than Jerry Springer or the Young Turds.

[wellst0nev0ter]

40. Maybe So

The breaking point for me was when he interviewed Democratic congressional candidate Keith Ellison where Ed Schultz made clear that his being Muslim makes him uncomfortable and demanded that he leave his faith at the door and to not piss off Jews. Unless you can name me any other elected official of which Schultz asked to refrain from being religious in the People's Forum, then I am done with that red-headed stepchild of the progressive movement.

[twiterpatted]

5. Young Turks = Sophomoric Vamps,

[Drifter]

7. I used to look forward to my drive to work in the morning ...

listening to Rachael Maddoux (sp?). What a great show.
I would only hear 20 minutes, but it seemed like it was the most informative, and funny 20 minutes of my day.

I have given the Young Turks a chance, and I can not follow anything that goes on. It's not funny, its not informative, it's not anything, it SUCKS. In fact, I find myself thinking about other things, and at the end of my ride, I don't remember anything from the show.

Now I am forced to return to listening to NPR. I like NPR, but it can be very dry, boring news. It is not funny, but at least it is informative.

I'm not sure what AAR's plan is, but they have completely ruined their mornings.

Cheers
Drifter

[madinmaryland]

10. I miss Rachal Maddow also.

Plenty of information which is what I want in the morning, and I loved the "poking the soft underbelly of the right wing spin machine!!!"

[sam sarrha]

12. i have been moving and missed the loss of all the real intelect at ARR,

[NYCGirl]

26. The "real intellect" you speak of has been moved to a time slot she really

likes. 6-8PM.

[Hugin]

22. *ploink* ...Splat!

I love that sound effect...

Around here they have Rachel on in the evenings.

I still get to listen.

[movie_girl99]

13. same here..i only have a 20 minute commute

but felt like I received a lot of information. I miss her too.

[tsuki]

8. I am listening now. Constant bashing of Democrats.

I just walked away for a minute and came back.

Still bashing Dems.

And their list of Dems that have spoken out. The white list. They never mentioned one of the greatest fighters in the People's House, Rep. John Conyers. Why don't they talk about his achievements instead of re-inforcing Republican Talking Points.

[burythehatchet]

9. I call them the Young Turds

They SUCK!

[sshan2525]

14. Awww, poor babies. You can't handle a little criticism?

While I'll withhold comment on the Turks themselves, I completely agree with their bashing of the Dems. The Democrats couldn't come up with a dozen vertabra among them they're so spineless. The ONLY reason to vote for any of them is that they're not Repukes. Even if, despite all their efforts in trying to lose the 2006 elections, they somehow stumble into controlling one or both houses of Congress it will be time to target about 90 % of them to have their heads handed to them by some really gutsy & progressive candidates in '08

[Connie_Corleone]

15. They are awful. I just wait for Stephanie Miller at 9...

and then download the Sam Seder show later.

Contact Air America and tell them Young Turks suck.

[fudge stripe cookays]

16. They suck.

But we're losing our Dallas affiliate October 1st, so there didn't even seem to be much point in listening for us anyway.

[Armstead]

17. I kind of like them (he said, ducking for cover)

I realize how the Young Turks can be aggravating. But they grew on me.

I startred listening to them a couple of years ago on Radio Power. At first I had a similar reaction to many above. I really got pissed when they seemed to be defenidng "free trade."

But the more I listened, the more I came to enjoy them and appreciate the show for what it is.

And anyone who tuned into their Stop Alito-a-thon ought to appreciate them. They did a lot to stir up and inspire the opposition to that whole rubber stamp.

Frankly, I like the fact that they agree with progressives on most things, but they are not predictable or knee-jerk about it. In some ways, they are often thinking out loud, or debating among themselves. I find that more stimulating than shows that just repeat a predictable line, even when it's a line I agree with.

I also think Ugar, the former Republican, represents a lot of people who are fed up with the bullshit of the Republicans and are moving leftward as a result. Those are the people that are ultimately going to make a difference in terms of shifting the "center" back towards the left and a real middle.

I also don't see their Democrat bashimng as being much more than people like Sam Seder and otehr progressives do. It's the sdame basic desirte to want to see the democrats take stronger stands and be more forceful about things...Just because he didn't mention John Conyers one time doesn't mean they don't appreciate that kind of Democrat.

[DemNoir]

18. Did you hear the show today?

This morning was nothing but pure republican talking points repeated over and over with nothing constructive offered, nothing at all.

At least when Sam Seder is upset with dems he urges listeners to action by calling or writing. He doesn't just sit on mike for 3 hours saying dems are "weak" and "stand for nothing". They are doing nothing but aiding the republican cause.

The Republicans control the government. They think up these nightmares and enact them, what is so hard to understand about that? Using republican talking points to bash dems is not going to help change things.

It is easy to believe that the loud-mouth guy "was" once a republican. His simplistic and immature outlook surely supports that. I wish he would go back where he came from.

[Armstead]

19. I didn;t hear it today...

But I've heard them on the subject before. Noty a whole lot diffeerent than what a lot of people on DU say every day. Saying that the Democrats have been weak and disorganized isn't just a GOP talking point. Many Democrats say the same thing.

I'm just curious: What GOP talking points were they using?

[sshan2525]

23. Am I on a different planet or is my XM signal bad?

No offense intended, but what the fuck radio program are you listening to? Repuke talking points? I'm the biggest GOP hater on the planet and I don't think that they're parroting anyone. As for Cenk and his party switching, hey, if it was ok for Saul on the road to Damascus...... You really should go to Huf Post and some other sites and read his commentary. The guy is the real deal. Remember one thing in all of this. This is entertainment, period. These guys were hired to compete against Stern, Imus, Opie & Anthony & (insert your local wacky morning zoo crew here). Maron got screwed by idiot management, but Rachel wasn't attracting the demographics in the AM that AAR wanted. Regardless of what you or I may want, the numbers say that most people want upbeat, loud & in your face during the morning commute. That's the facts Jack. BTW, I have not made up my mind about the Turks, but in my 35 plus years of listening to talk radio I know that any show needs time to grow on you. Hell, I didn't like Malloy at first.

[flyarm]

32. we need to continue to call AAR and tell them you are shutting them down

because of their change of programming..tell them you are fed up with this crap!

and tell them you want Mike Malloy back now!

fly

[northzax]

20. the very name Young Turks

is offensive, when you think about it. After all, what was the major accomplishment of the original Young Turks? oh right, the extermination of the Armenian population of Turkey in the first large scale modern Genocide of the 20th Century.

Americans really need to learn some history.

[sshan2525]

24. Oh give me a break, please

Everyone has a pet peeve. I'm sure there are some who take offense at the name of the drink "Black Russian". On the other hand, "Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld was my Jewish wife's favorite episode. "Young Turks" has long been a common coloquialism in the American vocabulary. While the Armenian genocide was a terrible thing, this particular phrase has long since lost all relation to it's historical origin. That is the nature of language, it evolves.

[northzax]

25. oh please

those darn Armenians, always complaining about their genocide. why don't they just get over it already? it's not like they were all killed, just 90% of them. sheesh. the soup nazi mocks the nazis, that was the whole point.

and I am a big fan of describing the murder or 3 million people a 'pet peeve' that's cute.

I guarantee you that it has not lost its meaning in Asia Minor. I guarantee you it hasn't lost its meaning in Armenia, or northern Turkey. Just because Americans don't remember, doesn't mean others don't. After all, who thought that using the term "Crusade" would offend so many people in the same region? oh right, anyone who paid attention to history. The Crusades were a millenium BEFORE the Young Turk genocide, and people still remember. you think they've forgotten this?

To someone in the region, this is the EXACT same thing as you walking into your bedroom in full Spanish Inquisition regalia and telling your wife that it has evolved, and doesn't mean anything anymore. that it doesn't matter anymore. try that, see how far you get.

[Fierce]

27. Funny, I feel the same way about people at Kos

calling themselves Kossacks. I know one guy who posts there who says his ancestors got run out of Russia for being Jewish. Jeez, who did the running? Oh, that's right, the same name you're applying to yourself! Well, OK then.

[sshan2525]

39. Noooooooooobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.....

Our methods are fear, surprise and a fanatical devotion to the Pope...Cardinal Biggles, bring in the COMFY CHAIR!!!!!!

[Frank Cannon]

36. Doesn't the name "Young Turk" imply a rebel or revolutionary?

On the "rebellion scale", those Young Turks idiots make Jim Nabors look like Johnny Rotten.

[northzax]

45. yes, the Young Turks were the group that seized power

in the wake of the Ottoman Empire falling in Constantinople (before it was Istanbul) they were revolutionaries in that they disassembled all the structures of Ottoman rule (including, eventually the Caliph) and founded (with Ataturk) the modern Turkish State. Which is fine and all. the only problem is that they then went on to exterminate the ethnic Armenian population of Turkey more efficiently and more brutally than the later genocides of the century.

[Edgewater_Joe]

29. I ... LIKE Them. A Lot.

I have since they were on Sirius, and I do in the morning. I'm P.O.'ed that they aren't on in Chicago (they switched to the NPR soundalike and DLC-funded Bill Press). They're different and they're fun, and this is one of those circumstances where DU becomes BitchCentral because apparently not every person at every moment in the day screams to string Bush up.

Lighten up.

[western mass]

31. Must be listening to a different show... I love these guys.

Sophomoric? Sure, this is sort of energetic, light banter morning drive show that *alot* of people like. And the end product is damn progressive, even if the guys seem at pains to paint themselves as liberal-but-not-too-left.

Democrat-bashing? I've listened to every show they've done so far, and my impression is that they bash the timid, capitulationist, vision-less contingent of the party, and god bless them for it. But they spend 95% of the show bashing right-wingers, and that's what matters.

Mike Malloy and Sam Seder are my radio heroes. That said, I'll happily take Young Turks too. Both are absolutely necessary for the future of a real progressive network. Malloy caters to the converted. Young Turks are spreading the anti-Repuke creed in a "we're not radicals, we're just like you, and we're pissed and so should you be" mode.

Political purity in all things will get us nowhere, folks.

You want REAL centrist corporatist sh*t? Tune into NPR. God, I remember when *that* was all we had to listen to in the morning.

[devilgrrl]

33. Let them know how you feel: [e-mail]

[e-mail]

I've heard them in the past and wasn't impressed.

[flyarm]

34. young turks suck..i won't listen to AAR unless they bring Malloy back

i listened to young turks on Sirrus when AAR was on Sirrus..i couldn't stand them then..

and since AAR thinks they need to enlighten us with the Young Turks
:sarcasm: :sarcasm:

i will never listen to AAR again..they took off Malloy and then put this shit on??

no thanks..i will listen to music instead!

fly

[Swamp Rat]

38. No AAR unless Malloy returns!

... which is unlikely. The Young Turds are talentless hacks.

[sshan2525]

42. wah, wah, wah....

I'm holding my breath until I turn blue unless I get my toys back....

[Swamp Rat]

44. Good! More oxygen for the rest of us!

:D

[BoneDaddy]

43. AAR

has effectively cut their own throat. There move from LIB in NYC to where ever they are now (I can't get reception and I am 35 miles away, go figure). RIP AAR.

What the hell made them think Armstrong Williams would have been a good choice. I mean, get your heads out of your asses AAR execs. Or maybe this is being done consciously.