L
LocalRadio
Guest
A nice interview. I wonder why his detractors didn't call in to speak to him directly? Anyone?
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
G
gatsby1922
Guest
I'll listen to the replay.
But this show aired on Friday night, from 10 pm to whatever. Sorry, I'm not at home on Friday nights, I'm always out with friends.
Otherwise - and trust me on this - I would have called.
But this show aired on Friday night, from 10 pm to whatever. Sorry, I'm not at home on Friday nights, I'm always out with friends.
Otherwise - and trust me on this - I would have called.
F
fredflintstone
Guest
Henson acquitted himself? 
Some might say the jury is still out.
Some might say the jury is still out.
F
fredflintstone
Guest
OK, the jury is back. I've listened to the interview.
He did handle himself well with a sort of aw shucks, self-effacing Jimmy Stewart style.
The interview IMHO was not Brusstar's best work. Loudellian rambling multi-part questions. Too much use of the words "I" and "me" and getting into his own reflections and anecdotes. And way too much taking the guest's side, offering supportive comments and even flattery (this last is not Loudellian - more Backerian). Brusstar also strayed far from impartiality as an interviewer and suggested the comments about Hensen (here and elsewhere) were questionable - if not false - while saying that Hensen was setting the record straight.
For the record, I never met Robert Hensen. I was the person who first posted the here that he broke the newsroom phone. I was the guy who inherited that phone. The switch to turn off the ringer did not work so either (1) The phone would ring during a newscast or (2) I had to keep disconnecting the phone before going on the air (five times an hour in morning drive). Two co-workers told me - independently - that Hensen got into an argument on the phone with then owner Lloyd Roach, quit, slammed down the phone and left. After that, the phone didn't work. One of those co-workers told me Hensen appeared visibly upset by the exchange and speculated that if the altercation had happened in person, Mr. Roach's nose might have been broken instead. In all fairness, Mr. Hensen probably did not use the phone in question after this, so he might not have been aware of the condition of the phone. And, it was a cheap POS phone from one of those counties Allan Loudell likes to call. I don't known what was said on the phone call but I did know Lloyd Roach and I have always assumed that if Hensen was angry at the end of that call, he probably had a good reason. A small point, but offered in the interests of "setting the record straight."
Hensen also said he finds the type of humor based on ethnic accents and stereotypes - about which I and others have commented - to be funny and he shares what he thinks is funny with his audience. Such humor has been out of fashion for more than 50 years, so it might be Hensen is out of touch. I would agree that there is often too much "sensitivity" and "political correctness." But in the bits I heard, I think he went too far. This isn't the 1930s.
He did handle himself well with a sort of aw shucks, self-effacing Jimmy Stewart style.
The interview IMHO was not Brusstar's best work. Loudellian rambling multi-part questions. Too much use of the words "I" and "me" and getting into his own reflections and anecdotes. And way too much taking the guest's side, offering supportive comments and even flattery (this last is not Loudellian - more Backerian). Brusstar also strayed far from impartiality as an interviewer and suggested the comments about Hensen (here and elsewhere) were questionable - if not false - while saying that Hensen was setting the record straight.
For the record, I never met Robert Hensen. I was the person who first posted the here that he broke the newsroom phone. I was the guy who inherited that phone. The switch to turn off the ringer did not work so either (1) The phone would ring during a newscast or (2) I had to keep disconnecting the phone before going on the air (five times an hour in morning drive). Two co-workers told me - independently - that Hensen got into an argument on the phone with then owner Lloyd Roach, quit, slammed down the phone and left. After that, the phone didn't work. One of those co-workers told me Hensen appeared visibly upset by the exchange and speculated that if the altercation had happened in person, Mr. Roach's nose might have been broken instead. In all fairness, Mr. Hensen probably did not use the phone in question after this, so he might not have been aware of the condition of the phone. And, it was a cheap POS phone from one of those counties Allan Loudell likes to call. I don't known what was said on the phone call but I did know Lloyd Roach and I have always assumed that if Hensen was angry at the end of that call, he probably had a good reason. A small point, but offered in the interests of "setting the record straight."
Hensen also said he finds the type of humor based on ethnic accents and stereotypes - about which I and others have commented - to be funny and he shares what he thinks is funny with his audience. Such humor has been out of fashion for more than 50 years, so it might be Hensen is out of touch. I would agree that there is often too much "sensitivity" and "political correctness." But in the bits I heard, I think he went too far. This isn't the 1930s.
Fred, you must have missed (or ignored?) my comments a few weeks ago regarding guests on the Racket... Notice you rarely if ever hear me refer to these conversations as "interviews" because they're not interviews... I don't interview, I talk... I have conversations, not necessarily questions... Quite frankly, I hate use of the word "interview" when it comes to this show... As for Robert Henson, I talked on the show about the obsessive board-bashing of the guy weeks before I even knew he'd be able to come on with us... Racketeers knew where I stood on that, so it shouldn't have been surprising to hear me more or less "take his side"... I am not impartial, and never claimed to be... Ultimately the show is about what Kyle, Roscoe, and I think-- everything else (including guests) is supplemental, though much appreciated... I admitted I hadn't heard Robert's WCOJ airwork in ten years (nothing post-Lenfest), and may very well have found some of the bits in question to have been in poor taste had I heard them... But I still maintain the outright obsession a few folks here have over ripping the guy is alarmingly pathetic... This is COATESVILLE, for crying out loud!!!
You seem to have this vision of a 20/20 type "interview" being the model for what our chats with guests should sound like-- that's not really what I do, and I have no interest in doing that kind of programming... Lock me in a studio by myself for a three-hour monologue and you'll probably hear much better radio than if you had to hear me trying to bumble my way thru an interview...
P.S. -- You're going to LOVE hearing who I "don't interview" next week!
P.P.S. -- As it may have become obvious from listening to the show, I did the entire four hours in excrutiating pain and said plainly on-mic that my performance on the show "probably sucked" as a result... Listening to my own higher-than-usually-pitched voice and occasional slurred speech made me cringe... But content-wise, after hearing a good amount of the replay, I think I sounded damned good considering I should have been in the E.R. instead of in the studio... Roscoe and Kyle knocked it out of the park as far as supporting cast goes, and overall Show #44 was surprisingly a decent listen in my opinion...
You seem to have this vision of a 20/20 type "interview" being the model for what our chats with guests should sound like-- that's not really what I do, and I have no interest in doing that kind of programming... Lock me in a studio by myself for a three-hour monologue and you'll probably hear much better radio than if you had to hear me trying to bumble my way thru an interview...
P.S. -- You're going to LOVE hearing who I "don't interview" next week!
P.P.S. -- As it may have become obvious from listening to the show, I did the entire four hours in excrutiating pain and said plainly on-mic that my performance on the show "probably sucked" as a result... Listening to my own higher-than-usually-pitched voice and occasional slurred speech made me cringe... But content-wise, after hearing a good amount of the replay, I think I sounded damned good considering I should have been in the E.R. instead of in the studio... Roscoe and Kyle knocked it out of the park as far as supporting cast goes, and overall Show #44 was surprisingly a decent listen in my opinion...
G
gatsby1922
Guest
I listened to the portion of the show with Henson, the first hour or so, and I thought the program went well.
I got a kick out of Henson's "attempt" to peg my identity. He knows who I am.
Truth be told, I'm growing tired of my Henson-bashing. I've made my point known, it is my opinion that the kid is a talentless and insincere hack. And I think the fact that he's been stuck at WCOJ/Jiffy Lube since the Reagan administration backs that up.
See you folks later!
I got a kick out of Henson's "attempt" to peg my identity. He knows who I am.
Truth be told, I'm growing tired of my Henson-bashing. I've made my point known, it is my opinion that the kid is a talentless and insincere hack. And I think the fact that he's been stuck at WCOJ/Jiffy Lube since the Reagan administration backs that up.
See you folks later!
L
LocalRadio
Guest
You and all the rest of us.gatsby1922 said:
Still think it odd that you didn't take a few minutes from your "friends" on Friday night to confront him on the phone. Makes one wonder about the courage of your convictions.
G
gatsby1922
Guest
Read the above.
F
fredflintstone
Guest
George Brusstar said:
George, sorry you're not feeling well. My comments had nothing to do with the sound of your voice. Had you not mentioned having a cold, and coughed a couple of times, I would not have noticed anything was amiss.
Last week, you posted that the news segment is not really a newscast. Now you tell us that when you bring in a guest and ask him questions, it's not really an interview. And even though you make a point of letting listeners know about your past work in radio, it's not really a professional broadcast it's a few guys sitting around talking. I went out and bought noise-canceling headphones to avoid having to listen to that sort of thing in the WILM newsroom (when I was usually trying to get some work done). It's certainly not the kind of program you orginally said you were going to do.
George Brusstar said:
Instead of being "frank and candid", all too often, it's a program that fluctuates between the WCOJ Morning Show in the Doug Sterling era (which was an embarrassing mix of suck up interviews with Friends of Lloyd and the occasional phone call from regular suspects who just call in to let you know they are listening, even if they don't know what you just talked about) and SCTV's Sammy Maudlin Show (people trying to top each other with insincere flattery), with occasional side-trips to tirades against designated enemies. But apparently if you voice sounds OK, you're satisfied, and you have a small but dedicated cult following who offer guaranteed acceptance.
If you think I am advocating a 20/20 type interview, you're missing the point. When I listen to a guest segment on your show, I want to find out something about the guest (and whatever it is that guest was involved in). You said Fatso acted to make people feed bad. Why? I don't know. I don't understand the guy any better after your non-interview than I did before. A friend of mine described the "conversation" as you trying to get Fatso's approval. I don't know but I do agree with this person's observation that the show was a "lost opportunity." But your voice sounded fine.
I do agree that the members of the Hensen Fan Club have made their point. Hensen as a topic has become worn out and can be retired (like Philly needs a danz station, KYW is a bad station, and all play-off games should be on the radio).
Thanks to all at The Radio Racket for the interview. Sorry more basher didn't call but I told you I am not that interesting.
Just a couple of things to end on because even I am sick of talking about me.
Fred, the phone's off/on switch was intentionally broken. Mr. Roach thought the rining in the background gave the newsroom an authentic effect. I kid you not. I was there when the engineer disconnected it. The only other thing, when I left, I resigned on paper and it was all said and done by 10a.m. Former news man Bill Saunders resigned the same day. New job. Most of my co-workers didn't arrive until 9 a.m. so I not sure how they would know. The conversation was pretty un-eventful. Mr. Roach wanted to know why I was leaving. I told him and he wished I would have told him sooner because we could have tried to work it out. We remained friends. We still do. LLoyd and I have had 2 times which sound more like what you are talking about but they never resulted in me quitting.
Gats man. See help. You are now telling people I own 5 cars? Truth I own 6. I garage one because it's a classic. I have 2 motorcycles too. I have to ask, don't you think stating pieces of my personal life is a little too obsessive.
Just a couple of things to end on because even I am sick of talking about me.
Fred, the phone's off/on switch was intentionally broken. Mr. Roach thought the rining in the background gave the newsroom an authentic effect. I kid you not. I was there when the engineer disconnected it. The only other thing, when I left, I resigned on paper and it was all said and done by 10a.m. Former news man Bill Saunders resigned the same day. New job. Most of my co-workers didn't arrive until 9 a.m. so I not sure how they would know. The conversation was pretty un-eventful. Mr. Roach wanted to know why I was leaving. I told him and he wished I would have told him sooner because we could have tried to work it out. We remained friends. We still do. LLoyd and I have had 2 times which sound more like what you are talking about but they never resulted in me quitting.
Gats man. See help. You are now telling people I own 5 cars? Truth I own 6. I garage one because it's a classic. I have 2 motorcycles too. I have to ask, don't you think stating pieces of my personal life is a little too obsessive.
Sorry I sneezed and hit the wrong button. :-\
Gats.....You say Now you will call?
You should listen better. You say I'm stuck. I like my job. I'm happy. Maybe I wouldn't make it at a major market station but who cares. How many people do? I like where I work. I'm happy. What's wrong with that?
You now like to point out how many cars I have. Why?
You state "if the good folks at Radio Racket invite Henson back to the show, and if they give me at least one week's notice of his appearance, I give everyone the assurance"......."But be warned, Mr. Henson"...."I've made a lot of dollars throughout the years..." what's the deal?
Your comments are obssessive and aggressive. One could percieve that this imaginary argument has become overly important in your reality. I don't say this to be unkind but isn't your "assurance" a bit grand.
I don't know if you are pointing out my cars to make me nervouse because you know where I live. You don't. But near the driveway with thoes cars are my children. You're not trying to count them also?
This is about radio. Keep it about radio. When you get personal your real motivations come out and take away what credibility you may want.
Gats.....You say Now you will call?
You should listen better. You say I'm stuck. I like my job. I'm happy. Maybe I wouldn't make it at a major market station but who cares. How many people do? I like where I work. I'm happy. What's wrong with that?
You now like to point out how many cars I have. Why?
You state "if the good folks at Radio Racket invite Henson back to the show, and if they give me at least one week's notice of his appearance, I give everyone the assurance"......."But be warned, Mr. Henson"...."I've made a lot of dollars throughout the years..." what's the deal?
Your comments are obssessive and aggressive. One could percieve that this imaginary argument has become overly important in your reality. I don't say this to be unkind but isn't your "assurance" a bit grand.
I don't know if you are pointing out my cars to make me nervouse because you know where I live. You don't. But near the driveway with thoes cars are my children. You're not trying to count them also?
This is about radio. Keep it about radio. When you get personal your real motivations come out and take away what credibility you may want.
F
fredflintstone
Guest
Robert Hack Henson said:
Robert, I was with you until you said you are friends with Lloyd. I know that's the kind of thing people in radio routinely and usually don't mean. I know the guy. Sorry I don't buy it. I can picture a field of flowers but I can't picture you and Lloyd hanging.
Fred, you don't have to buy it. I know it's weird but I can tell you that his truck is coming up for inspection. Needs front breaks.
F
fredflintstone
Guest
OK, now it makes sense. He wants something, therefore you exist. Be careful. Like the guy whose kid you watched, when he doesn't want something, you don't exist. Classic narcissism.
I caught a bit of The Quiet Man on TCM the other night. Every time I see Feeney, Victor McLaughlin's flunky ("Parliamentary procedure; Squire Danaher has the floor"), I think of Lloyd.
I caught a bit of The Quiet Man on TCM the other night. Every time I see Feeney, Victor McLaughlin's flunky ("Parliamentary procedure; Squire Danaher has the floor"), I think of Lloyd.
The Quiet Man. That's funny
L
LocalRadio
Guest
"I admit it, I made it up, I know there wasn't a "talking to". I'm just playing with ya', Henson! I really missed seeing your wacky posts."
As the above is a quote from gatsby on another thread, why should we believe anything he says? Are his other Robert Henson posts just as false?
Probably.
As the above is a quote from gatsby on another thread, why should we believe anything he says? Are his other Robert Henson posts just as false?
Probably.
I frequently visit this board because my father’s side of the family grew up in Philly and I have very fond memories of the awesome radio there. Otherwise—I’m many-many miles from the fact (and fiction) of all this... But not so far from making a reasonable speculation that 80-percent of the folks living within a good jog of the WCOJ towers don’t even know that station exists! So why do I feel when reading these posts that I’m playing “catch-up” on missed episodes of the old TV serial “Dark Shadows”... And who is Barnabus Collins portraying in this Jr. High drama?
Is it Mr. Henson who would rather take phone calls from Aunt Ruth than rip folks off in the auto repair business? Is it WCOJ’s esoteric GM and/or owner—come now, like that’s anything beyond ordinary for a sub-politan stand-alone AM radio station. Such owner/managers and these facilities have been symbiotic buds for the decades that I’ve taken notice—certainly WCOJ is no fat ‘n juicy exception! Or is it now Mr. Brusstar, because he has chosen not to turn his internet talk show into a kitchen toaster for your amusement? I suspect he has more “class” than that, and wishes his respectful nature to earn him a full roster of guests in the future.
Do any of you really believe that KYW’s GM is out counting cars for broadcast forum fodder? So what, if Mr. Henson owns more than the national family average of 2.5 vehicles... Some own 500-gallon aquariums—so are you about to embark on that fishing expedition for your next round of posts? To these eyes, all this appears to be some teenage-reminiscent “grudge match” that got started somewhere in northern Delaware and worked its way up the valley to a market much too large for such bluster.
If your concern is “hokey small-market radio”, may I suggest you spend some time with the likes of WLNG Sag Harbor, NY—where the “Rodney Radios” yuck into a spring reverb and mono processing that sounds like a session of awesome whoopee. You’ll enjoy their 5000 prehistoric jingles and 10,000-song playlist. There’s enough material there to last us all a lifetime; but be well advised—this station has revenues that easily meet an eight-figure level (and I’m not counting pennies and dimes), they have a remote bus worth more than most studio buildings, plus over 40-years of heritage and local respect—but it’s just small-time local broadcasting. Rusty Potz may even tell a Chinese take-out joke that Stephan Spielberg just may catch :
Is it Mr. Henson who would rather take phone calls from Aunt Ruth than rip folks off in the auto repair business? Is it WCOJ’s esoteric GM and/or owner—come now, like that’s anything beyond ordinary for a sub-politan stand-alone AM radio station. Such owner/managers and these facilities have been symbiotic buds for the decades that I’ve taken notice—certainly WCOJ is no fat ‘n juicy exception! Or is it now Mr. Brusstar, because he has chosen not to turn his internet talk show into a kitchen toaster for your amusement? I suspect he has more “class” than that, and wishes his respectful nature to earn him a full roster of guests in the future.
Do any of you really believe that KYW’s GM is out counting cars for broadcast forum fodder? So what, if Mr. Henson owns more than the national family average of 2.5 vehicles... Some own 500-gallon aquariums—so are you about to embark on that fishing expedition for your next round of posts? To these eyes, all this appears to be some teenage-reminiscent “grudge match” that got started somewhere in northern Delaware and worked its way up the valley to a market much too large for such bluster.
If your concern is “hokey small-market radio”, may I suggest you spend some time with the likes of WLNG Sag Harbor, NY—where the “Rodney Radios” yuck into a spring reverb and mono processing that sounds like a session of awesome whoopee. You’ll enjoy their 5000 prehistoric jingles and 10,000-song playlist. There’s enough material there to last us all a lifetime; but be well advised—this station has revenues that easily meet an eight-figure level (and I’m not counting pennies and dimes), they have a remote bus worth more than most studio buildings, plus over 40-years of heritage and local respect—but it’s just small-time local broadcasting. Rusty Potz may even tell a Chinese take-out joke that Stephan Spielberg just may catch :
P
PaulBWalkerJr
Guest
For the most part, all I've ever worked in was "hokey small market radio" with one or 2 exceptions... it can be very rewarding sometimes.
WLNG is a great station, Gary Sapiane has been there 40+ years.....
WLNG is a great station, Gary Sapiane has been there 40+ years.....
F
fredflintstone
Guest
Small time radio can be rewarding - but not financially.
The reward to the "Rodney Radios" mentioned above is they can do what they want, including the kind of student radio hijinks they think make them "creative." Radio isn't even a hobby to such people, it's a toy. For these people, radio is about having fun - not about serving an audience.
All small town radio stations used to to be this way; now most are syndicated and small town radio sounds a lot better. Radio in those places may not be local, but it is professional.
Many in radio don't believe in being truthful, after all they read spots and promotional liners for a living. They flatter their friends (and call it "respect") and do suck up interviews (and call it "public service"). If they can get away it, they rank on anyone they don't like (and call if "comedy"). Therefore, they conclude any fair comment must come from animus.
The reward to the "Rodney Radios" mentioned above is they can do what they want, including the kind of student radio hijinks they think make them "creative." Radio isn't even a hobby to such people, it's a toy. For these people, radio is about having fun - not about serving an audience.
All small town radio stations used to to be this way; now most are syndicated and small town radio sounds a lot better. Radio in those places may not be local, but it is professional.
Many in radio don't believe in being truthful, after all they read spots and promotional liners for a living. They flatter their friends (and call it "respect") and do suck up interviews (and call it "public service"). If they can get away it, they rank on anyone they don't like (and call if "comedy"). Therefore, they conclude any fair comment must come from animus.
B
bk1808
Guest
hipporadio said:If your concern is “hokey small-market radio”, may I suggest you spend some time with the likes of WLNG Sag Harbor, NY—where the “Rodney Radios” yuck into a spring reverb and mono processing that sounds like a session of awesome whoopee. You’ll enjoy their 5000 prehistoric jingles and 10,000-song playlist. There’s enough material there to last us all a lifetime; but be well advised—this station has revenues that easily meet an eight-figure level (and I’m not counting pennies and dimes), they have a remote bus worth more than most studio buildings, plus over 40-years of heritage and local respect—but it’s just small-time local broadcasting. Rusty Potz may even tell a Chinese take-out joke that Stephan Spielberg just may catch :
I worked att WRCN for 5 years and I would like to add this about WLNG... The true secret to their success is that they are everywhere! They are the epitome of "will appear at the opening of an envelope." They own an operational double decker bus and broadcast from just about eveything that people on the Eastern End of Long Island go to. (not the beach bars)
Also, every time I listen to BEN-FM, I think of those days back in the Hamptons wondering how Paul Sindey could possible segue from Guns And Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle" into Petula Clark's "Downtown" into Madonna's "Like a Virgin." He invented "jack" radio at 'LNG!
So there is much more to WLNG's success than just being 'old school.' I was so happy for them when arbitron broke the east end into their own atings survey and the took number one right off the bat!
- Status