Face to face? I thought this was radio, an audio medium.
Of course it'a an audio medium Fred. We, when possible, like to be looking at the folks we're talking to. Why is that so hard to understand?
What's this George and I? When I brought up having Backer on the phone, George said he hadn't thought of that. You were the one who said you preferred in studio.
I don't recall George saying that on Friday, but he may very well have done so. We have said consistently on the show that we like to have guests in studio. If Joe had said "let's do it over the phone", we would have done so. He wants to come to the studio, so I told him we would reschedule.
You guys talk about your call screener, but I have never once talked to one when I've called.
Maybe you've only called on nights when Walter wasn't in...
Mostly the calls during guest segments are off topic and flow kills.
You're entitled to your opinion Fred. This is another thing we talk about a lot on the show. On nights when we have guests (whether in-studio or on the phone), our call volume is much, much lower. Again, I think you're making a mountain out of a mole hill. If one or two calls from Colonel Bloom (which is who I believe you are alluding to with your comment) equates to "most of the calls during guest segments" being off topic, then, so be it.
If you insist on doing guest segments live - live - LIVE, at least screen the calls. Weed out all the hi - how ya doin' - just got home - love the show BS.
We don't insist on doing stuff "live" Fred, it's pretty much a necessity. The 3 of us have jobs with busy schedules during the week. Unfortunately, this doesn't leave us with any time to record an interview usually. We have done a recorded interview in the past (Jody Mac) and would do it again if time permitted.
This face to face business seems fairly recent. Originally, most of the guests were on the phone. Tell the truth. Is this really about all the problems you guys have with phone connections?
The phones have absolutely nothing to do with it. That's the truth. It is not recent Fred. You're now making things up to support yourself. We have ALWAYS had a guest in person if it's at all possible. Most of the folks we have had on the phone are either in a different part of the country (Rollye), or were "breaking news" type situations (Phil Neuman, Katy Bachman from Media Week about CC & PPM). Others that have been on the phone, like Michael Tozzi, Roger LaMay, Jim McGuinn and Jay Sorenson simply couldn't make it in to the studio, so we gladly accomodated them via the telephone. I always tell the guest that we'd love to have them in studio if it's possible. We always take it from there.
I don't get radio's (and TV's) obsession with live-live-LIVE and face to face on the radio makes even less sense
Again Fred, you're more than welcome to your opinion. We're hardly obsessed about it. If we were, we wouldn't do phone guests.
Even granting that you prefer face to face, a telephone guest is better than no guest at all. Again, you had promised this guest and you said you had a large than usual live audience because of the weather. But who cares about the audience? You guys haven't seen Backer in a while.
I couldn't disagree with you more. Some of our best shows have occurred when we haven't had any guests. Guests are great, but they don't make our show. Guests can often be a compliment to it, but they aren't the only reason we do this show. All 3 of us are broadcasters and are more than capable of being entertaining whether we have a guest or not.
Every single person that tuned in on Friday night had the opportunity to turn us off after we announced that Backer wouldn't be on, and trust me, there was no mass exodus.
Again Fred, with this comment above you have been totally reckless. How could you ever allude to the fact that we don't care about our audience??? I would probably say that there aren't many shows out there that care more for its audience than we do. Be serious. We decided to reschedule a guest, and with all due respect to Joe, it's not like we promised the Pope and didn't deliver.
What's curious is from the jokes and other comments made about Backer on the show, it hasn't even sounded like you guys much liked or respected the guy when you worked with him.
Where do you come off saying that? There was nothing said on Friday night that we haven't said to Joe's face. You are the one that has publicly stated your hatred for him, so I hardly think that Joe is going to believe you over George or I.
Then again, when Fatso showed up live and in person you all did a 180 from what had been said about him before.
I did nothing of the such. I never really had a problem with Allan. Again, anything that I've said about Allan, I've said in front of him. As for George, he has publicly stated that he had wished the chat with Allan had gone differently. He asked many hard questions of Allan, some of which had him squirmming in his seat.
If treating someone with respect is "selling out" in your book, then so be it. We happen to appreciate that "Fatso" took the time to come up to the studio and chat with us. What were we supposed to do, berate him and call him names???
If RJ came on the show, would you change your tune about him?
No.
RJ has an open invitation to come on the show anytime he likes. Unfortunately, to this point he hasn't had the intestinal fortitude to do so, and I doubt he ever will.
Well Fred, your Jeckyl and Hyde act with our show continues. Why you have chosen to harp on the issues contained in this thread, I don't know.