Barry Young's Sidekick

[DistantAntenna]

I was in my car for a few minutes on election night and turned to KTAR for a quick news update. Unable to stand even 30 seconds of Gayle Bass and Ankarlo's ill-informed speculation on what an Obama cabinet might look like (they had no knowledge or insights and just blathered on with meaningless filler about Hillary as secretary of this or secretary of that). So I put on 550 for a second to see what they were doing and it was probably worse. I caught about a minute of their election special with Barry Young and some unpleasant-sounding hag with a speech impediment who pronounced all of her s's as sh's. I mean, she sounded as bad as Ann Landers! It was so bad I began wondering who this Larson woman is and why, with such an obvious lack of broadcasting ability, she's even on the air. She seemed to know a lot about Arizona politics and sounded like some old local republican operative--is she an ex politician like Hayworth and on the air for her star power or something? Or was she a good broadcaster once until something tragic happened like a stroke or west nile virus and they just keep her around out of loyalty? Basically just wondering who she is and why she's on the radio--I mean I'd rather hear Barry's worn out sound effects schtick (not really).

 

[Legend City]

She is just a bored trophy wife friend of Barry and Kim.

I agree, she is not fun to listen to.

 

[kzewdude]

I went back and forth with both stations and you're right, the election coverage was a joke. Both stations should have had an "expert" pundit or politico help out. Aunt Carlos and BY sounded like fish outta water.

 

[DrAkbar]

Sidekick?? That's Babinski's job. Michelle Larson serves no other purpose than to politely correct the Nearly Bald One when he makes one of his many factual errors. Think of her as Aricept on two legs.

After listening to TNBO on Wednesday morning, Nurse Jeff and I are convinced he's a political idiot by suggesting Jon Kyl is the most logical new figurehead for conservatives. Kyl attended the same warmth and charisma school as McCain and buys his clothes at Bland R Us. Knowledgable yes...exciting no. And we would be remiss if we didn't remind you that the Nearly Bald One thought Fred Thompson was just the ticket for the Repubs - YIKES!!

KT'R had the best radio coverage of the election for the 10 or 12 people who were listening. It's a TV/Internet event.

 

[j henry waugh]

KT'R had the best radio coverage of the election for the 10 or 12 people who were listening. It's a TV/Internet event.

Bingo.

But on the drive home from work/gym I tuned into to both stations.

Ankarlo is a clueless ignorant idiot that may be an entertaining host pontificating on his own inane morning show, but his talents as NPOV election night reporter were woeful. His brilliant analysis (the part that I tuned into) consisted of how he thought those coal states OH, PA, WV were going to flip to McCain because of a discredited story about Obama wanting to bankrupt coal companies. The reality distortion field around him plus the amateur hour antics of MacGaydos really made for shrill listening…

AFA Barry and his pampered bourgeois sidekick and his stale overly worn out sound effects (memo to Barry, it is incredibly easy to craft your own unique and entertaining "sound plant" bits) go, I think he strikes the right chords with the loyal audience — the retirement crowd.

It will be interesting to see how both the Mormotron 3000 station and your granddaddy's CC conservative station spin the landslide election, though Arizona seemed to be unscathed by the winds of change.