Photo from LTR
Over the last few days, I've posted a few items about the bizarre disappearance of Randi Rhodes from her eponymous radio show. It isn't the first time that Rhodes has gone missing from it either. She had some health problems, she had a (misreported) accident, and she had a very public fall-out with Air America Radio. With each of these events, there has been an unusual air of mystery, at least initially.
Each time, Rhodes' listeners have populated her message board (or others, when hers was unavailable) with speculation, well wishes, and ultimately anger. For more than a week, there have been conflicting stories, crazy theories, and almost nothing from Randi Rhodes herself. Her current employer, NovaM Radio, has this statement up on their website:
"To all of Randi's listeners;
You are all correct - I have not had the option to disclose what has been happening between Randi and Nova M... You see, it's in her contract that she has total control, but, after Wednesday night, I want you all to know that Nova M has done everything we can to get her back on the air. All this is her choice; if she wants to tell you all what the issue is, then I hope she does, but I can't according to her contract rules. But I can tell you this I have wanted her back on the air. She's an amazing talent and needs to be heard. Thank you all for all of your support. Randi now has to make her decisions as to what she must do with her career...
Anita Drobny"
Still cryptic, if a little more informative. And the typing skills of Ms. Drobny are a little lacking, making me wonder if this is a bogus post by a hacker or something. See? I'm speculating too! But I will miss Randi if she doesn't come back. Today's radio market is inhospitable to liberal talkers--not due to demand, but because of the suppliers--so her future doesn't look too bright if her current show is snuffed out. For what it's worth, her picture and other show information are still up at Nova M. For now.
Source: Nova M Radio
Then, there is this, which sounds much more optimistic. . .
John Scott: What the hell is going on with Randi?
Her "hard won reputation" is that she is too unstable to be employed.
ReplyDeleteHardly a "Goddess" - Never Was.
Sadly, she will slither from under her rock once again to reread the Washington Post and other news sources, selectivelyt edit, and tell her listener what to think.
Her boss at Air America -Mark Green said he was "relieved and happy" she quit. After all Air America was having money problems & Randi Rhodes demanded a car & driver in her contract. TOO FUNNY!
ReplyDeleteHer ratings are dismal. Hard to believe The Drobnys would cave in to her absurb demands.
Their flagship station in Phoenix KPHX switched formats to-Easy Listening. The ratings were so low they didn't register on the charts. Check-Radio & Records or Radio Online.
The comments on You Tube and "Radio Equalizer" seem to be from former listeners who have become disillusioned with her and fed up with her ego.
You guys clearly don't like Randi, but I do. I'm tired of the yanking around her audience gets when her show gets dicey. I'm even prepared to admit that she may be a roaring diva behind the scenes. But her show is terrific, and chock-full of information.
ReplyDeleteHow many other hosts tell you right up front not to trust ANYTHING or ANYONE you hear on AM radio? Including herself? She urges listeners to check out things for themselves, and points them to her source material.
Rush Limbaugh, on the other hand, tells his listeners, "never doubt me." And he claims to be the only source his listeners need. The scary thing is, they believe him.
As for Randi's ratings, she's one of the highest-rated liberal talkers, which ain't to shabby given the difficulty in breaking through the wall-to-wall right-wingedness of it.
I used to listen to Randi WAY BACK in the day, but then actually stopped listening to AAR mostly because of her. You are right. I don't like her. I didn't like her rude manner with callers or her completely nasty and caustic attitude. I honestly didn't even know she was gone from AAR until yesterday. I'm not surprised she's having trouble finding a radio home, because if she acts off the air the way she acts on the air, nobody is going to want to have her around. We can do a better job of getting the progressive message out than by using someone like Randi as the messenger.
ReplyDeleteI feel disgust for this situation where Rhodes is criticized for her foibles while the disturbed,demagogic and profoundly dishonest Limbaugh is treated like the prince of the republicans, which he is. they both have big egos, but beyond that there is no comparison if the listener values truth, which is a precious commodity in political discourse. It is galling that the anonymous genius above calls Randi unstable. I know she's got issues, she's been honest about them. But Limbaughs' stability is of a less admirable kind, he stinks consistently, whether he's addicted or not.
ReplyDeleteA knowledgeable listener can only listen to Limbaugh strategically to determine Republican talking points, for example. It takes only a few sentences to determine that Rush is full of it. Someone who follows politics will, on the other hand, be very impressed with Rhodes' command of facts, her intellect and her outrage at the crap that passes as right wing and "mainstream" commentary and reportage. Rhodes has really well informed guests on to clarify issues. Rush wouldn't let anyone on his program who would challenge him, and is a venue for Republican zealots like Mr. Cheney and the like. The truth is that liberals need to buy more radio stations. Then they'd be fighting for talent like Randi Rhodes. John Fullerton
Randi has a love for the working class. She also loves to confront the deception from the right. We need more like her in the media, someone with the nads to stand up to the rich get richer. But, she is too temper-prone to be on the main stream media. Satillite radio should be her venue. We the working need people like her to fire us up, to confront the corporate media that deceives too many of us working class to vote for the global corporatists (Republicans).
ReplyDeleteHer problem is she's arrogant,abrasive and uses juvenile, high school vulgarities, trying to be super-hip. No, I am far from being a prude, just tired of that ego-licking. She is ok when serious. Skinner is a nothing.
ReplyDeleteRANDI IS SO FAR AHEAD OF THE CURVE AND COMPLETLY UNIQUE. NOBODY ELSE CAN MATCH HER RESEARCH DEPTH AND PASSION FOR PROGRESSIVE ISSUES. THERE'S NOT A CONSERVATIVE ALIVE WHO CAN MATCH HER COMMAND OF THE FACTS ALL OF WHICH ARE SOURCED SO YOU CAN VERIFY THEM YOURSELF. NO CONSERVATIVE PERSONALITY HAS THE GUTS TO INVITE HER VIEWS ON THEIR SHOW PERIOD. WE DESPERATELY NEED HER VOICE.
ReplyDeleteI used to enjoy listening to her, but the last few months have become excruciating. All she does is WHINE LOUDLY for three hours, rarely taking calls, and when she does, she interrupts, demeans and talks over the caller. Her research seems in-depth, but I wish she'd SHUT UP and make it more interactive. Three hours of WHINING - no thanks.And all her talk about her "rack" is so...so...so juvenile...
ReplyDeleteRandi's show is the perfect mix of well researched material delivered articulately with a little bit of amusing irreverance thrown in. It's informative and entertaining but never dull. I've learned facts from Randi that only came out in mainstream "news" weeks or months later. As for Nancy Skinner, are you kidding me? She chats about nothing. I WANT RANDI !!!
ReplyDeleteI thrive on "juvenile." It's a weak spot. And Randi can bounce her boobies all she wants!
ReplyDelete