My honest assessment of AAR

[Dookus]

I don't wake up early enough to listen to Chuck D. and his crew.

But.... I've listened to a lot of the rest. Franken is a disappointment. I adore the man, but his show is sorta dull. But I think he has the potential to improve, and he's smart enough to learn how.

Randi Rhodes is the anchor of the network. She's got it all - incredible talent, smarts, and attitude. She pisses people off? Good. That's her job.

Janeane Garofalo: unredeemably bad. She was the one I had the highest hopes for - I adored her appearances on crossfire, but as a day-by-day radio jock, she really, really sucks. Her humor doesn't come through at all, and she has no "magic" with her co-host, Sam. In fact, they seem to dislike each other.'

This is my very first thread regarding AAR. I wish them ultimate success. Randi should just keep on keepin' on, Franken should improve,and Janeane should try something else, or at least change the format of the show.

[WillyBrandt]

1. Morning Sedition is great. Marc Maron is great. Now, Unfiltered...

Chuck D is great, but he never talks, and he's just so out of place with these women. Liz W is OK, but Rachel Maddow I can really barely listen to...

If they got rid of Rachel, I think it'd be a great show

[President Jesus]

18. agreed. Unfiltered blows.

None of those people have any chemistry.

Franken is the only show I like. I think Randi is a bag of hot air. Just because she's on "my side" doesn't make her any less a blowhard.

[Must_B_Free]

35. I like Unfiltered

I like Rachel, Lizz and Chuck D.

[Redneck Socialist]

2. I've been disappointed

the few times I've listened. I'll admit that I have not listened much so I suppose that I should give it another shake.

[Eric J in MN]

3. I like Janeane Garofalo and Sam Seder (nt)

nt

[WillyBrandt]

6. Also--Sam Seder's rants, especially when he trips up, are great

I'm in the car, yelling "Yeah!"... very good

[rumguy]

4. MR is probably my favorite show on AAR

I don't listen everyday but I think Janeane and Sam have a pretty good rapport...I don't know why some think they're practically at eachother's throats...I must have missed those days. Plus MR has the best guests.

[Lex]

5. We are almost completely opposite.

Well, except that I too usually miss Chuck D. in the morning.

I like Franken's show; he's interesting and he has great guests.

Randi Rhodes I can't listen to; her voice is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.

I like Janeane Garofalo the best. Pretty fast paced show; less 'main stream' stuff and more edgy.


All of this is JMHO too.

[Eric J in MN]

8. Majoriity Report interviews bloggers. I like that. (nt)

nt

[Lex]

21. Yep. Usually they have the latest, latest breaking news

because their ears are really to the ground (or whatever metaphor works for blogging).

[Selwynn]

7. It's just personal preference. Nothing more.

I happen to like the combination of Frankens more subdued but intellectually stimulating style in the morning and Rhandi Rhodes fiery butt kicking in the afternoon.

And to me, the majority report is the shining gem of the network.

[QC]

9. They desperately need Mike Malloy. Desperately.

He could make them worth listening to.

[otohara]

38. Agreed

The "ditto-head" guy in MR is boring, boring, boring - I don't care for the Katherine person much either. She sounds more like a mother to Al Franken.

I don't understand why Mike Malloy isn't part of AAR. Makes no sense at all.

[KittyWampus]

47. Even I Agree About Malloy

he's not my cup of tea... but after listening to him once, IMO, there's no question he's one of the BEST.

He has total command of his medium.

I love Franken and think he has improved already. Only listen to AAR about once a week so it's easier to tell.

Randi's another talent who knows what she's doing... even if some don't like her or her style.

The only show on AAR that SUCKS is the woman with the accent who is on Saturday evenings. Her interviews are so bad it is incredible.

[physioex]

10. There are no other liberal media outlets...

When I turn on talk radio here, all I get are nuts like Hammity, Weiner Savage, El Drugbo, and the various local RW nuts. There is but one measly liberal talk radio channel. And it's not even broadcast here, it has to be streamed..Success isn't an option as far as I am concerened, I will do what little I can to support these people...

[Zinfandel]

11. I recall writing on DU about six month's ago...And people jumped all over

me...When I wrote, I felt that Al Franken, as much as I like him and enjoy him visually, was going to come off "dull" and boring on radio...I said his cadence is not right for radio, he will come off slow & dry, (and he's NOT the most informed guy out there, Mike Malloy is far more knowledgeable, astute, perceptive, witty and entertaining). Franken needs to have a more visual forum for his humor.

I also asked, who is going to listen to Franken three hours every single day, five days a week, week after week, month after month? (Not just an occasional listen now and then). That's what is needed, devoted listeners.

This too I mentioned, as much as I hate the pigman, he's very entraining to his audience. as the great Mike Malloy is to his liberal audience. http://homepage.mac.com/benburch/Malloy.html

Man, you wouldn't believe how people jumped all over me, (hungry for any national liberal voice, I suppose). I stated there were much more professional radio voice's out there, Malloy of course, Peter Werbe, etc...

I adore Randi, she has what it takes to ride through all the bullshit and she is excellent! I love her.

Janeane, I have a soft spot for, she is so passionate, dedicated, informed, but not quite radio material either. I love her enthusiasm.

[Selwynn]

16. Like I said, its just personal preference. Nothing more.

A lot of people like Al the most precisely because of his style.

I notice lots of people who don't like Randi like Al and lots of people who don't like Al like Randi. Basically sums up to PERSONAL PERFERNCE on two different styles.

Me? I like both precisely because they are different.

[physioex]

17. No he isn't anymore.....

"As I mentioned as much as I hate the pigman, he's very entraining to his audience."


I have tolerated listening to El Drugbo off and on for 10 years. His peak was when Bill Clinton was in office, with the Monica affair. Things have been downhill for him since. This past year has been the worse with his drug outing and divorce. He is in-cohesive and confused many times. Although I despise him, I can tolerate him to a certain level because he is full of shit.

Hammity is just plain annoying.

Savage scares the most. He seems like a violent person, at least on radio perhaps not in real life.

In the end don't be so critical, what the right has to offer isn't all that great either...

[Zinfandel]

24. OK, take my pigman statement away...(though, as you admit).

Limbaugh, once was entertaining for his "dittohead" audience. Pigman's is a radio personality, (like him or not). NOT!

That's my point...

I personally still stand by my criticism of what is lacking on AAR...

Namely, more true professional RADIO talent, like the one and only Mike Malloy, (and there's also Werbe, Ward, etc...) RADIO personalities!

(As I'll again state, Randi Rhodes is also an excellent RADIO person).

http://homepage.mac.com/benburch/Malloy.html

[UTUSN]

12. Headline SELECTED for DU Dissention

Am starting a "headline-SELECTED-for-DU-dissention" tickler file.

5. My honest assessment of AAR - 6-15-04
4. What's up with Robert Byrd & the KKK? - 6-15-04
3. Kerry: "we don't really have an opposition party in this country... - 6-15-04
2. Kerry on C-SPAN - middle class? - 6-15-04
1. What's Disturbing about Theresa Heinz Kerry - 6-15-04

[rumguy]

13. What the hell is a tickler file?

[UTUSN]

22. Just Something Guaranteed to Irritate the Hell

Naw. A "saved" file containing reminders for things-to-do or in this case, a compilation of certain similar topics.

Relax. I'll probably stop this soon.

[JayS]

26. Thanks for making me feel old! :) n/t

n/t

[Must_B_Free]

31. Why don't you make a "blacklist" of DUers suspected to be Freepers?

I'll give you one - Hexola - he's always posting about Rush Limbaugh and what he reads on Free Republic...

He MUST be a Freeper, huh?

[eileen from OH]

14. I don't catch Morning Sedition

but I'm lovin' Franken. Unlike others, I LIKE the Mark-The-Dittohead sequences just as I like when Franken plays fair, rather than going for the red meat. He's got this absolutely scrupulous approach to the truth that I really, really like. I find it real easy to listen to, amusing, and fun - and it's gotten better. Don't much care for his co-host - Katherine Whatsherface - as she seems to be way too controlling and cuts people off. I'm guessing she's there as a "handler" for Al and, unfortunately, that is very obvious.

Unlike just about everyone else here on DU, I find a li'l bit of Randi goes a long way. Her, I find annoying, much as I am annoyed by any radio commentator whose primary stock-in-trade seems to be "the screech." Some funny stuff, and yeah, she can be absolutely dead on, but I don't find her appealing at all. Very rarely can make it through the entire show.

Janeane I haven't caught too much but what I've heard is lacking in the humor which I expected.

My .02.

eileen from OH

[mzmolly]

15. I love Franken and his show.

I don't get the rest, but have streamed Randi, and enjoy her also.

I love any liberal talk radio, gimme gimme gimme!!!

[DoktorGreg]

19. Sounds like burn out to me...

Let me restart, I am not being critical of your opinion.

However, radio is not a direct entertainment medium. Modern talk radio is designed to be listened to indirectly, while you are driving, at work, sun bathing, whatever. It is also about repition, it is more like electronic music than it is news, or information. Listened to for a few minutes at a time, as you commute to and from work. Think of it as furniture.

Also radio personalities can not afford to be amazing all the time. They have to come up with material on the fly. It is better for a radio personality to be, just ok. Radio talent is unlike a TV talent, like SNL, where they had a week to write and test fly the material.

I have to give it the highest marks in that regard. I listen on XM. When Air America is on, I listen to that. When I am on the job late at night, and Alan Colmes comes on, I switch the channel. I think about what I used to listen to, and how that utterly failed to suspend disbeleif, to the point that I prefered silence even on long road trips. I can listen to Al Franken, and think I am getting something out of it. In that regards, for me, it is great radio.

[Cleita]

20. Dookus, you disappoint.

I have finally been able to get AAR for two days in my area. I felt like I wanted to have a pajama party because we were so in sync. I LOVED it. I was feeling battle scars from the negativity I have been encountering at DU. *dancing* *dancing* *dancing*

[madaboutharry]

23. I love Al Franken and Randi Rhodes

Maybe for people who haven't lived in or spent time in the east, Randi's voice may take some getting used to. She sounds just like my mom! The show that I think is amateurish is Majority Report, it sounds like college radio to me and the lack of experience really shows. I wish they had brought Mike Malloy on board. I really don't understand why they past him over.

[Zinfandel]

25. I don't have a clue about why Malloy is so taboo either...Because he's so

in the republican's face?

Malloy's time has come, NOW, for national mainstream liberal radio!

With everyone so jazzed abouth Michael Moore's film, the BushCo lies exposed, etc...People are really ready for him. Mike Malloy is a true radio professional, he can tone it down, if necessary.

Malloy would blow away and explode upon a national audience.

http://homepage.mac.com/benburch/Malloy.html

[Must_B_Free]

32. It's because he openly criticizes Israel

and Air America is run by supporters of Israel.

Same reason you can call CSpan and talk about nuking Muslim countries, but if you mention Zionism, they dump your call...

Funny double standard huh?

[Zinfandel]

39. Believe it or not, it's happened here, to me personally...I just don't

understand why the truth needs to be censored. I really don't. Isn't this what it's all about, or is it to point fingers elsewhere. Makes no sense to me, truly, it doesn't, this is our life, man...Let's blow all the bullshit out of the water!

Awareness & truth is a necessity to overcome the lies.

It will NEVER happen if some decides what should or not be said.

Makes no sense, ALL has to be exposed, or nothing will ever really be acomplished.

Is the status quo and protectionism more important than truth?

Then what's the point? Then all of this is all just pure bullshit, a moneymaker?

Not right. Nothing can then be acomplished.

I'm the last guy in the world who is anti-semitic, that's never where I come from. It's not even in me.

But if there's some truth to something that Israel or Zionism is propagating, than this too needs to be exposed.

I just don't understand...

[Norquist Nemesis]

28. Me too!

I like Unfiltered, too. The Majority Report is not really the time slot I'm available to listen to (have to listen on-line till they get Chicago back up in the market), but when I have listened it's not as appealing to me. *feeling old at 45* I love Al and Randi, though!

I'm just not a big MM fan. I know alot of people here are and that's fine. I'm just not one of them.

[madfloridian]

27. Love Franken, Majority Report, and usually Randi.

I switch between Randi Rhodes and Ed Schultz, depending who is on. I like both. They are on at the same time on Sirius.

[Must_B_Free]

34. Love O'Franken Factor

You have to be a Franken fan, though, maybe.

I HATED Stuart Saves His Family - the worst movie ever.

Enjoy Randi Rhodes, but she has a few personality snags to work out.

Love Marty Kaplan.

Enjoy Unfiltered.

Majority Report - snoozer. Can't pay attention to this show long enough to get interested, but maybe it's too late for me. I'm usually focused on DU during those hours.

[Pobeka]

29. Give it some time to mature.

I admit up front I've never heard AAR. Having said that, it takes time for people to develop their radio personalities. Give it a couple of years.

[kaitykaity]

30. I'm with you on 2/3 of them.

I don't wake up in time to hear Morning Sedition, and
our station doesn't feature Unfiltered.

I am warming up to Franken, getting used to his rhythm.
Katherine is pretty good at keeping him in line, and
his imitations are pretty funny.

I love Randi. Sure, I get tired of her sometimes, and
I don't listen to all three plays of her show every day
anymore. (I used to listen online, then listen to the
radio, and then play the mp3 on White Rose. Yes, I'm
a freak.) But she's still top dog on the network, and if
AAR succeeds it will be because of her.

Janeane and Sam really do blow. Big time. They have
a lousy chemistry -- they've known each other for years
I understand, and so they have lots of inside jokes that
nobody else gets. Also, they couldn't do an interview
to save their lives. They talk over people, get lost in
the weeds while their guest patiently hangs on the line
or sits in the studio twiddling their thumbs.

[Delano]

33. Biggest problem: No MIKE MALLOY!

EOM

[Must_B_Free]

36. Can you imagine if they had Mike Malloy!?!

That would be great!!!

I miss the warmth of Malloy. His show was like being with friends.

[K-W]

37. Can we settle this already.

Different strokes for different folks. They are all talented people talking the good talk. They will appeal to different people like any radio personality. Lets stop stating our individual tastes as objective fact and just accept that we arent going to agree which if any air america shows are good.

[Norquist Nemesis]

40. You're absolutely right!

With every segment every person will find something that's not his/her cup of tea. I think they're doing a fantastic job overall! I keep hearing the pros and cons of each and every segment but it boils down to personal taste. In the end, the ratings will make or break it.

[Dookus]

46. what part of

"my honest assessment on AAR" did you misinterpret as objective fact?

[ConsAreLiars]

41. I'm glad I don't like all of AAR, but pissed there is no Mike Malloy Show

My list of favorites would begin with Majority Report (I haven't heard the AM shows). Tastes differ and AAR is doing the right thing by hosting a variety of approaches to the medium. One size will not fit all, and the strength of the progressive vision is that a wide range of voices and styles are a part of it. If I "liked" everything there I'm sure that that would mean that other progressives would like nothing.

There's a nice piece on our media by Jim Hightower here: http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0615-14.htm

But they really need Mike and Kathy after Majority Report. They would send the Cons into such a frenzy that they wouldn't even have time to read Rove and Norquist's daily marching orders.

[Zinfandel]

42. Keep writing them, and if they have any soul whatsoever, they'll listen.

AAR should not be so smug as to believe they know better...This is very obvious.

No insults intended, just facts..."they really need Mike and Kathy after Majority Report. They would send the Cons into such a frenzy that they wouldn't even have time to read Rove and Norquist's daily marching orders."

Mike Malloy is great and is so very well produced.

[ConsAreLiars]

45. Wrote them about Mike Malloy, again.

Thanks for the prod.

Maybe the revised management will eventually respond to a steady stream of requests.

[Cat Atomic]

43. I love Franken and Garofalo, can't stand Rhodes.

Al Franken is very subtle and rather moderate, but he's entertaining.

Randi Rhodes seems to cut people off and argue with them even when they're agreeing with her. What can I say? She just annoys me.

[Zinfandel]

44. Rhodes indeed is not gentle...

But she is hard-core and says things NONE of the other's dare to touch...

So much is the pity and our loss.

Thank you Randi!

[SheepyMcSheepster]

48. i prefer majority report to rhodes

i have been doing a lot of work on the computer since before air america started, I probably listen to majority report about 4 times a week. i like the show and enjoy their humor and the issues they address.

[patricia92243]

49. It is all just a matter of personal preference. I hate Morning Sedition

so badly that I listen to another station.

Love Franken and his rapport with Catherine is great. Never heard of Randi til now, and I really like her - except she whines too much. She needs to discuss her problems with the management of the station not tell us all about it on the air.

Jeanne and Sam's personal chemistry is so bad that it is painful to listen too. I'm not sure getting her a new co-host will help, because most of the problem seems to be her tactlessness and criticism of him.

I work part-time and miss the fact that I can't hear some of the rest of the shows, and they don't repeat all of them.