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Lanny Ain't Happy

J

johnnykool

Leslie Fram's hubby seems to have gotten up in arms today about a post Rodney made that included an email from Lanny slamming Whipper Snapper, Chris Williams, the AJC, and Rodney. Here's all that's left after he told Hot Rod to take the email down:

http://tinyurl.com/lu4vj

Good times for everyone!
 
I had the pleasure of reading the email before Sir Ho took it down. My favorite part was how he pretended he liked the fact that Whip calls him "lester fram's housecat" and then in the next breath felt the need to point out that the Fram's have $5 million dollars in "liquid assets". I think the Lanny doth protest too much.
 
Why isn't he happy, he has 5 million dollars, lol! Here is the original letter Rodney posted this afternoon on his blog:


I generally do not weigh in on events that you write about or that the AJC writes about. As a matter of fact I am like a majority of Atlantans that do not subscribe to your paper. I did feel though that I would take a moment out of my busy day to share just a couple of thoughts in response to your very uneducated article about 99X in this past Sunday's paper.

By the way...... so that there is no doubt in your mind where this email originated ...... I am Leslie Fram's husband. As worthless Whip on The Buzz likes to say..... "Lester Fram's house cat". I love the press. Whip and Chris have no idea what I do for a living and for the purpose of this email it is of no importance to you or them. When you are ready to discuss real business or how to manage talent to have $5 million liquid assest portfolio then let me know and I'll buy lunch.

I am sure my comments will never see print since the comments of industry professionals that you interviewed for the 99X story were not quoted in your story. I am not looking for ink but more to just share accurate information. That is why I decided to email you directly rather than post a lame blog.

FIRST
Leslie Fram, who continues to be one of the most class acts in this or any radio market, and 99X will continue to have a long history in the broadcast industry whether you are a fan or not. Certainly many have left the P1 ranks but it is obvious that many of those complaining (including Chris and Whip) still listen. How else would they know what was going on. If Chris Williams and Whipper Boy had any broadcast intelligence they would build their programming around something other than bashing Leslie Fram and/or 99X. I have heard that even the other jocks on The Buzz are tired of hearing this fodder.

SECOND
Bringing Walley to the morning mix at The Buzz and bashing 99X and Leslie only showed their lack of ability to carry on any intelligent dialogue with their audience. In addition it is a great indicator that Clear Channel allows their airwaves to be used for personal attacks exposing themselves to serious legal consequences.

THIRD
Out of work for a year because he was one of the most hated programmers in the music industry (and continues to hold that glorified spot) my insider sources told me that he begged his way in to Clear Channel staff by boasting that he would "bet 99X in 2 books". Oops. Check the current trends that are well in to a year of Chris' brilliant programming.

FOURTH
No matter how much bashing is done by Chris, Whip, or Walley the facts are:
1. Chris' contract was not renewed at 99X because management decided he was destroying a heritage Atlanta station. Some insiders say he was fired but what the hell.
2. Whip's deal was not renewed at 99X for various reasons; poor ratings not the least.
3. Walley was NEVER going to have a slot at 99X no matter how much he wants to blame others. New owners hated him. Leslie had nothing to do with that.

FIFTH
Leslie Fram is an important part of the Cumulus management/programming team in addition to still being one of the most important programmers in the country. She is under no obligation to share ANY management planning, conversations or discussions with any staff member at the station. Chris, Walley and Whip can say what they want but they are 99X outcasts and they want to hold a grudge against Leslie instead of facing the fact that they just were not strong enough to be part of the 99X programming team. Remember: Even upper management or owners at the AJC are not obligated to fill you in on every move they make.

FINALLY
Chum up with someone else in the broadcast community. Find someone that actually understands how Atlanta radio really works and functions. Wise up, make yourself look a bit more intelligent. Talk to someone with real radio knowledge instead of someone that holds a grudge.

As bad and horrible as Chris Williams and Whipper Boy want to tell you that things are with 99X (we all can see that the numbers are not what they once were cause by many market changes) Chris still has not accomplished his bold statement of "kicking 99X's ass in 2 books". And since The Buzz is actually being programmed by corporate, Chris should concern himself with his own station and be concerned with his future at Clear Channel.

99X has a long history in Atlanta and with the addition of the Cumulus team they will continue to dominate piss ant stations like The Buzz. Find something else to write about. Your lack of radio knowledge is really beginning to bore what readers you do have left.
 
Here's the second e-mail "requesting" Rodney take down the first email:

By the way, for those who saw it earlier, I had posted an email Lanny West, 99X PD Leslie Fram’s hubby, a few hours ago. He just requested I remove it though he never explicitly said I couldn’t post it. As a courtesy, I took it down. The contents basically attacks the credibility of former 99Xers Chris Williams and Whip, defends his wife Leslie and disparages my journalistic abilities without pointing out any inaccuracies in the story I wrote on Sunday.

Here was his followup email (which he didn’t ask NOT to be printed so here it is). I do like the fact he .cced it to his attorney Jay Max Davis.

Rodney,

The email was sent to you personally and not to the blog as I stated in the body of the email. No I did not specifically say not to post the email but that was implied when I stated that I was not looking for ink on this but rather to share accurate information. Please remove the email from your blog.

I am sending this request to my attorney as well.

Thank you and that you for your time.

Lanny West
 
Y'know, for her husband to make an ass of himself like that ought to be grounds enough for Leslie to be fired, as being associated with him (via her) is detrimental to both the station and the company.

Granted, if running the station into the ground isn't enough to put her out to pasture then this won't be either ... but it should be.
 
f10 said:
I am sure my comments will never see print since the comments of industry professionals that you interviewed for the 99X story were not quoted in your story. I am not looking for ink but more to just share accurate information. That is why I decided to email you directly rather than post a lame blog.
Click to expand...

Is this part why he's upset it got posted? That sounds more like a challenge to post it than a request to not have it posted.

Am I missing something here?
 
Ever wonder if he's just Leslie's mouthpiece? And as far as firing her...easy people, easy. This isn't Kleenex we're talking about it's livliehoods (sp?) on the line. Oh, and Cumulus' reputation. Forgot that. Leslie, curb that dog
 
One thing that noone has mentioned is that Leslie's husband is also her manager, and has operated in that capacity for years. That fact that Lanny is her husband adds a certain twist, but management/agents will often take this position with the media on the heels of a negative bit of press, particularly if there is a relationship with the journalist.
 
Didnt realize that Lanny was her manager. She might consider getting a more well-spoken, calmer voice of reason as her manager then because he's just making her look bad. In a nutshell: hire a professional instead of her hubby
 
No kidding...it's like E representing Vinnie Chase. To say nothing of a horribly-written email to RoHo.. A 7th grade class at Marist would have a field day with that.
 
From what I've hear over the years, Lanny is a professional. And, mostly, you don't really hear that much in the public from managers or agents. But Lanny should've known better than send a juicy tidbit like that to a reporter. That's why many post "no comment" because that comment will either a) be taken out of context, or b) be misperceived by the public. I understand Lanny and Leslie's angst over the matter. But the best thing to do is not to fire back and let the numbers do work for you.

When I worked for a CHR station in Augusta, the Alternative station in town used to bash the us from one side of the market to the other. Ironically, they were operated by the same company. What's also interesting is that the rock station was flipped to an Urban AC format within six months after the bashing started. Moral of the story is: The smallest dog always has the noisiest bark. The big dog doesn't bark 'til necessary, and once they do the deal is done.
 
Why did it take him so long to send Rodney a response? The 99X article was this past weekend. This email took 4 days to write!?!?
 
What Lanny missed and what Rodney got right, was that Leslie may have been a talented programmer (something I challenge, given that she was handed the 99x by a really really brilliant programmer), 99x has been resting on its laurels and has been slowly sinking for years. Time to give the whole system a flush and start fresh.
 
Lanny is really jealous of the success of the Buzz. O&A pick fights all the time with other radio statios - ie WAAF-Boston's mantown. 99x needs to grow a set and be a fighter. There is plenty of opportunity to beat DAVE into non-existance. 99x should trend 90's alternative and leave the new music to the new blood.
 
An old lady millionaire doing mornings...that's what I call Alternative!!!!
 
Just saw this post on the 99xwatch guy's blog:

$5 million
As any long time fan of Leslie Fram knows, her husband's temper and willingness to confront people with whom he disagrees is legendary. Yesterday, readers of Radio Talk got a glimpse, albeit a brief one, of Lanny West's famous temper. Rodney Ho published a long email written by West taking exception to Ho's Sunday article on 99X. A few hours later, Ho removed the post containing the email as a courtesy. I have the email here.

While most of the email consists of West insulting Ho, there are a couple of items of note: For one, Lanny claims to "manage talent to have $5 million liquid assest[sic] portfolio." Presumably that talent is Leslie Fram.

The other interesting thing is the degree to which the antics of The Buzz's Whip and Chris Williams have succeeded in getting under Lanny's skin. As one who has heard Howard Stern pray for his enemy's prostate cancer to spread, I've always thought that Whip and Chris' antics are pretty benign, abeit juvenile. Welcome to morning radio.

While Rodney Ho doesn't need me to defend him, I will say that most of Lanny's taunts say more about West than they do about Ho: "Wise up, make yourself look a bit more intelligent...Your lack of radio knowledge is really beginning to bore what readers you do have left." From my perspective, ignoring a trend that has been happening since 2001 doesn't constitute intelligence or a knowledge of "how Atlanta radio really works."
 
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