Loveline Ending as Dr. Drew Resigns from show

[Art Landing]

Any word on which OC garbage pail James "Poorman" Trent will emerge from to remind everyone that Loveline was his show and it was stolen from him?
That should be coming at any time now, right?

If the Wikipedia history of James Poorman Trenton (not Trent) is any indication Dr. Pinsky had nothing to do with Trenton's termination from KROQ. Trenton reportedly has historically used unauthorized promos which have cost his station's owners money they didn't plan to spend and ticked off co-hosts. No one "stole" his program. Pranking Bean of Kevin and Bean at KROQ is what got him fired and Pinsky was not his initial successor. The courts determined the program belonged to the station. KMPC and KYSR have had similar experiences. Too bad that he can't play by the rules, because he apparently has talent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Trenton

 

[stewie]

Nobody can solve another person's problems in three minutes on the radio. But the mere act of calling an advice show is an important personal step in recognizing a problem or issue, and the call itself can get the person on the right track for a solution.

The main "good" those shows do is to make getting help socially acceptable and to show that "you are not the only one" to people thinking there was something wrong with them.

Rarely are we all in step but I couldn't agree more with you both.

The show didn't solve any "real problems". I was an avenue before online where teens could go to get advice from someone other than their own peer group. Call Dr. Drew what you want but I'm betting he helped quiet a few teens in his 29 years on the show.

On a side note, I know Drew personally and he's a very down to earth guy and smart as a tack.

 

[TGunn]

Nobody can solve another person's problems in three minutes on the radio. But the mere act of calling an advice show is an important personal step in recognizing a problem or issue, and the call itself can get the person on the right track for a solution.

The main "good" those shows do is to make getting help socially acceptable and to show that "you are not the only one" to people thinking there was something wrong with them.

WRONG ..the main good these shows do, is to profit from the shy and introvert who would have sought out help anyway...

 

[stewie]

the shy and introvert who would have sought out help anyway...

Where are you getting your information?

Have you ever listened to the show?

 

[TGunn]

Where are you getting your information?

Have you ever listened to the show?

Yes I heard it once or twice. It bored me. It's all for profit. Radio and Dr Drew were in it to make money.. That's it. How did people for years do without Dr Drew or Dr Ruth or any Dr on the radio?? Somehow we made it through life.

 

[TheBigA]

It's all for profit. Radio and Dr Drew were in it to make money.. That's it. How did people for years do without Dr Drew or Dr Ruth or any Dr on the radio?? Somehow we made it through life.

I hate to break it to you, but you can just as easily pay a doctor for advice, but then that's for profit to. Everybody wants something. That's life.

Don't be so naïve. Sure they do it for money, AND they do it for entertainment, AND they do it to provide some useful information to those who are listening. Lots of reasons, not just profit. And it was successful. You might not have been interested, but so what? Lots of other people enjoyed it, and as a result it lasted a long time. No one forced you to listen. It was on at 10PM.

 

[davideduardo]

WRONG ..the main good these shows do, is to profit from the shy and introvert who would have sought out help anyway...

No, the main reason to do this was to get s sufficiently large audience so that a normally not salable time of the night could be a revenue source.

But, of course, in one way or another, every show and every hour on commercial radio has a similar objective in attracting an audience and making money from the process.

Having produced a similar type show that was on in half of the top 10 markets with a larger audience than Loveline at the time, I can tell you that such shows are not limited to listeners who are socially unskilled. Many callers simply wanted help understanding the specific differences between the sexes, the changes in societal values and even sexual identity. In lots of cases, listening or calling helped by making individuals more conscious of the varied roles in relationships.

But first and foremost, such shows are intended to be entertaining. Any help or aid to listeners is simply an added benefit.

 

[TheBigA]

No, the main reason to do this was to get s sufficiently large audience so that a normally not salable time of the night could be a revenue source.

That's a good point...at 10PM, not a big audience, not a lot of money to be made, and as the article in the OP said, he was doing the show for free these past few years.

 

[TeaPartyDude]

I've got an even better idea. Rather than steer some weak sole in need of help to some headline grabbing shrink, give them a Bible and encourage them to read and learn from it. They will find all the answers there.

 

[TheBigA]

give them a Bible and encourage them to read and learn from it. They will find all the answers there.

There are lots of other radio shows that do that. Hosted by headline-grabbing preachers.

 

[davideduardo]

I've got an even better idea. Rather than steer some weak sole in need of help to some headline grabbing shrink, give them a Bible and encourage them to read and learn from it. They will find all the answers there.

While that may be a positive step for some folks, what we are really talking about are specifics not covered by faith or mainstream teaching. An example is how a partner might bring up the subject of anal sex in a relationship. While that may be crude to some, it is important to others who may have no other place to discuss with any kind of authority figure such subjects.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

While that may be a positive step for some folks, what we are really talking about are specifics not covered by faith or mainstream teaching. An example is how a partner might bring up the subject of anal sex in a relationship. While that may be crude to some, it is important to others who may have no other place to discuss with any kind of authority figure such subjects.

There was a time in this country when the words "anal sex" would never be broadcast on the public airwaves. Not because of federal regulations (although they did exist), but the fact the public respect, decency and decorum forbade it. The coarsening descent of our culture and public discourse is nothing short of a national tragedy. Somehow, generation after generation was able to get by without discussing anal sex on the radio, but it is now very important that "those with no other place to discuss with any kind of authority figure" have a place on the airwaves to do so.

And as David helpfully, adds, the concept is such a brilliant one that he has been able to export it all over Latin America in Spanish! Ole! Anything to make a buck in that oh-so-unprofitable 10pm to Midnight slot, eh?

 

[TheBigA]

Anything to make a buck in that oh-so-unprofitable 10pm to Midnight slot, eh?

Keep in mind that the format is filled with songs that sometimes deal with some coarser or cruder sides of life. So it's not only the daypart, but also the musical context that makes it work well.

 

[davideduardo]

There was a time in this country when the words "anal sex" would never be broadcast on the public airwaves. Not because of federal regulations (although they did exist), but the fact the public respect, decency and decorum forbade it. The coarsening descent of our culture and public discourse is nothing short of a national tragedy. Somehow, generation after generation was able to get by without discussing anal sex on the radio, but it is now very important that "those with no other place to discuss with any kind of authority figure" have a place on the airwaves to do so.

In the 40's, "Broadcasting Magazine" reported that a group of citizens and teachers was opposed to the violence and wild behavior on "The Lone Ranger". In the 50's, religious groups tried to have rock 'n roll banned from the radio and at show venues. TV shows and movies showed twin beds, always made impeccably, with no hint that people might have been naked in them.

Radio and TV did not create changing values, they reflected them. We are where we are; 80 years ago we had no Social Security and we did not discuss sex of any kind openly. Racial discrimination, an unpopular war and so many other elements changed our society well beyond the power of radio and TV to control.

So, yes, we need to talk about the things that concern people. And it helps if those concerns are accompanied with advice that takes into account all the factors. I find an intimacy based show to be perhaps of much greater value than Howard Stern talking about "Lesbian Dating" but, again, that is just my personal view of radio's role. And sometimes that role is vastly greater, such as bringing about a change in government... but that is a different subject.

And as David helpfully, adds, the concept is such a brilliant one that he has been able to export it all over Latin America in Spanish! Ole! Anything to make a buck in that oh-so-unprofitable 10pm to Midnight slot, eh?

First, I did not export my show to Latin America. I combined some of the telephone talk aspects of Loveline with what had been done in a more humor-driven fashion for decades in Latin America, often in morning drive. My intent was to make the subject more professional and serious while still being interesting. The ingredients included an array of mental health professionals, doctors and even a priest.

The Hispanic concept of what we call "Puritan Values" was blown away when the repressive regime of Generalísimo Franco ended in Spain. Magazines on every corner newsstand featured "destapes" or full frontal nudity. This unleashed freedom was a reaction to decades of repressive government and imposed moral values. The "release" spread across Latin America, from the tangas on Ipanema and Leblon in Brazil to the morning shows in Puerto Rico. To quote a lyric, "people wanna' be free".

I thought I was giving some sense of order within that chaos by separating locker room humor from factual and truthful advice. And I think it was very good radio. Like a number of things I have done on the radio, it had some risk... but in this case, instead of guys with rifles at my door, I got numerous commendations from community leaders as well as the occasional old guard criticism.

 

[TeaPartyDude]

This is a race to the bottom. I suppose the next few rungs will be incest, beastiality, and pedophilia. There will be many in the throngs who will cheer on this new "freedom", all the while making a big buck from the debauchery. Some of them will be at this site trying to convince us that their "body of work" somehow benefits mankind. Good luck with that, I am not buying the snake oil that is being peddled.

 

[TeaPartyDude]

Checkout Paul Harvey's classic piece "If I were the devil".

https://youtu.be/H3Az0okaHig

 

[frankberry]

Let's get back on topic.

 

[film@11]

This is a race to the bottom. I suppose the next few rungs will be incest, beastiality, and pedophilia. There will be many in the throngs who will cheer on this new "freedom", all the while making a big buck from the debauchery. Some of them will be at this site trying to convince us that their "body of work" somehow benefits mankind. Good luck with that, I am not buying the snake oil that is being peddled.

Snake oil? Like you promoting the bible? GTFO here with that stuff

 

[Art Landing]

With all due respect to our moderator, although it may not precisely be the original topic the relationship of changing radio standards to cultural shifts is a worthwhile topic for discussion. Perhaps it needs to be split off into a separate thread rather than discouraged?

I have to agree with David's view of history. Radio has followed rather than led the change. How many are aware that Earle C. Anthony (KFI/KECA)and Don Lee (KHJ), neither of them teetotalers personally (and Anthony a delegate committed to Prohibition repeal in his only foray into electoral politics), forbade the advertising of hard liquor on their stations upon repeal? Since Don Lee's network was tied to CBS and Anthony's stations to NBC this effectively precluded network advertising of grain alcohol products immediately after prohibition and led to a general radio policy that lasted for decades (Anthony was also an early NAB President).

In another nuance Anthony and other broadcasters in the mid-thirties forbade certain types of violence in radio drama on programs airing before 9:00 pm - again effectively controlling network content.

Of course this was the era of the Catholic Legion of Decency and the Hayes Commission in Hollywood. I think that while not related directly to Dr. Drew it is an historical topic worth exploring.

 

[gr8oldies]

Everything on the radio doesn't have to be suitable for a 6-year old. There's a place for adult content, especially late at night. Dr. Drew may not be my thing but he had his listeners. It's not psychotherapy. Those who wanted more conservative called Dr. Laura Schessinger 20 years ago (ie: no pre-marital sex).

American society seems to always be caught between "anything goes" and "enough already". That seems to be where most of us live our lives.