What an embarassment !

[von nupkins]

Needless to say, THAT goes without saying..

The evening "host" of the 7 - 10 pm slot at KFI has been at it again, for months now. However, lately, as predicted, it's gotten worse. Much worse. They say that (for instance) a drug addict or alcoholic will only seek treatment when he/she comes to the conclusion that there's no other way out of the mess that they've created. Or, life and their habit has gotten so bad that "normal" doesn't and can't exist anymore.

It really never has for "jr." His idea of a great show or what would be considered "normal" for any professional air talent hasn't yet occured to him.. So, what else is new?

Is this writer the only person who's noticed that increasingly, he CAN'T do the show on his own? His OWN show can't be tackled or handled without input and help from ALL ANGLES.. Now, we're not against "guest hosts" or input from traffic or news or the not-so-subtle apprearance by other people that "jr" knows to help him out almost nightly. What's amazing to this journalist is how MUCH "jr" depends on people around him to carry the heavy water, so he can just interject and interrupt on a consistent basis, just so we all know he's still "in charge" of his own show.

Dennis Zine was on last week.. Couldn't get a word in edgewise over "jr" interrupting him, cutting him off in mid-sentence or just talking louder, so Mr. Zine would just quiet down. Why have a guest if you need to dominate the conversation?

Oh, I know. To let everyone know that you can talk about 4 to 5 subjects, before you start repeating yourself and saying the same things over and over, just as long as that red mike button is on the ON position ... Great! Nice manners, "jr."

Just for the record, this journalist's first apartment was over 954 square feet.

Thanks for reminding us almost nightly that you're whoring out your VO services to keep that shack going. My parent's first house was over 954 sqaure feet. Not by much, but it was also on 1/4 acre of land. But no one cares. We only bring it up to show how ridiclulous it has become that "jr" almost nightly, has to remind us of his purchase in Burbank, as if no one in recent history (other than him) has ever decided to move to that town, live in that town, or purchase a home. EVER. That's called narrow thinking, or being LIMITED.

"jr" is quite LIMITED in many ways, but that'll be a subject for another post. He THINKS he's got many interests, IS interesting and is very knowledgable about any number of subjects. We think it's becoming obvious that he's not.. NOT by a long shot.

Hey "jr." Here's one for you. The little news teases you were doing with that reporter/anchor from FOX 11 News a couple of weeks ago? Remember him? His name is and always has been Ed Laskos. Of Greek decent.. There's an "o' and then an "s" at the end of his name. His last name is Laskos. You know? He's only been in this town forever, or at least well over a decade. You should know his name by now. LAS-KOS. There's an "s" at the end of his last name. You kept referring to him as Lask-o. No "s" sound. EACH night you introduced him.. And he was a gentleman and didn't correct you ON THE AIR.

So, you don't even know who you're talking to? You've never seen the graphic/chiron on the screen when he's on? Oh, that's right. You don't read. We forgot. Too much time to prepare for your show gets in the way of Santa Anita and your betting compulsion that you refuse to admit is a problem.. Well, you'll wake up one of these days... Or she will, and realize that you're not the guy you think you are... And, it's becoming obvious to the rest of us.

There have been so many gaffs and mis-statements of fact and just plain idiocy on your shows in the past months, that we've not the time to go into your inablity to speak the English language or get your facts straight right this minute.

But more IS on the way. You just keep providing us the material and the stupidity, and we'll keep pointing it out.

Robin, are you reading or paying attention to any of this?


Von Nupkins

 

[SimiRadioListener26]

I agree the show is awful, that's why I don't listen to it and don't waste my time writing long angry monologues about it on the Internet.

 

[von nupkins]

Glad you agree and that I we could be of service. Lack of knowledge is a terrible thing to waste.

 

[nmoore6676]

I agree the show is awful, that's why I don't listen to it and don't waste my time writing long angry monologues about it on the Internet.

What he said.

But to amplify a bit, as I recall Tim is not a stranger to drug and alcohol abuse. Apparently he recognized his mess and chose t fix it. Is that such a bad message?

But if you are annoyed by him, apparently the listeners of the now defunct FM talk were not, then as Mr. SimiRadioListnere has said and I will rephrase as get a life. But perhaps your tirade would be more effectively addressed to Ms. Bertolucci at KFI, 3400 W. Olive, Suite 550 in Burbank 91505.

 

[westfield60]

Tim is not a stranger to drug and alcohol abuse. Apparently he recognized his mess and chose t fix it. Is that such a bad message?

Let's not forget his gambling addiction too. J&K make fun of that on occasion and he is always talking about hanging out at Santa Anita or at the Commerce Casino and taking his kid there too. He certainly has a uni-bomber type personality. In his last days at KLSX he sounded very apocalyptic talking about how life sucks and he wanted to disappear in Oregon and leave the madness of California.

 

[radio777]

While Jr does get on my nerves with his audio playback-rewind show, I usually hit the FM button and his rants are suddenly replaced with music. Looks like he must've done you wrong in a big way.

John Ziegler is that you?

 

[calguy]

Jr's show is a sloppy mess, and in today's radio, that is apparently more than okay. I have to wonder though if we'd even have a show like this on the air if he wasn't the son of a famous comedic actor. Seems to me, and this isn't sour grapes because I've had a good career, seems to me that children of established "stars" get a free pass. Sometimes the talent is passed down. In this case I don't think so. Overall KFI is a bit on the sloppy side, which KFI fans will no doubt tell me is a part of the station's charm. They've built a persona on being the edgy talk station. Yes, some would say KLSX was the edgy station, but I was never that impressed by Hot Talk and without Howard Stern I think that KLSX wouldn't have lasted as long as it did. Bertolucci is a decent PD, but no genius. To be fair, neither was David G. Hall. Sometimes there is a convergence that creates something successful and I believe that KFI had that happen. For every successful find of a good air talent that Hall and Bertolucci came up with there were a LOT of misses and a lot of bad talk shows that have graced the 640 frequency.

To be fair, there are some things about Timmy's show that I like. What did Jesse say is one. Oh, can't think of another. Okay, one thing I like about his show.

Look, he sounds about as prepared as Larry King at 7am. He takes on topics he knows nothing about. Repeats himself incessantly too. His show prep is asking, or waiting for listeners to call and correct him. I've heard more misinformation on his show than the Press in Pyonyang spurts out in a year. But enough people love him that he's a success. Guess there's no accounting for taste. I do have a sense of humor, but I like my comedy to be a little smarter than what's on KFI from 7-10 every night. It's all opinion anyway, mine vs yours, Von Nupkins vs someone else and in the end, unless enough people push the off button, Timmy will continue to luck out through life.

 

[westfield60]

I've heard more misinformation on his show than the Press in Pyonyang spurts out in a year.

Funniest line of the day

 

[henry]

John Ziegler is that you?

^^^ Been wondering the same thing lately.

Mr. Von -

* Get in your car.
* Drive to Vegas. Or Salt Lake. Or Denver.
* Flip through the local AM dial.

KFI is a lone voice in a dreary, syndicated wilderness.

 

[davideduardo]

Bertolucci is a decent PD, but no genius. To be fair, neither was David G. Hall.

I would disagree on both counts. As a "disclosure" I was PD of talker KTNQ in the mid to late 90's, and occasionally beat KTNQ in 25-54. But those two programmers at KFI were inspired and brilliant and I admire their achievements.

For every successful find of a good air talent that Hall and Bertolucci came up with there were a LOT of misses and a lot of bad talk shows that have graced the 640 frequency.

I've done a couple of dozen talk stations, and quite a few morning talk shows, and there is a significant risk in every move you make.

John Kluge once told a programmer, "you don't learn from your successes". People who don't take risks don't innovate and don't have the big wins.

David and Robin have my respects for being risk takers and having made significant moves to enhance their stations.

 

[henry]

Alright, I'm in the mood for a fight. Bring it. ;D

The evening "host" of the 7 - 10 pm slot at KFI has been at it again, for months now. However, lately, as predicted, it's gotten worse. Much worse. They say that (for instance) a drug addict or alcoholic will only seek treatment when he/she comes to the conclusion that there's no other way out of the mess that they've created. Or, life and their habit has gotten so bad that "normal" doesn't and can't exist anymore.

He doesn't sound stoned on the air. Point tossed.

It really never has for "jr." His idea of a great show or what would be considered "normal" for any professional air talent hasn't yet occured to him.. So, what else is new?

Yes, let's go back to the 50s. Yawn. Next.

Is this writer the only person who's noticed that increasingly, he CAN'T do the show on his own? His OWN show can't be tackled or handled without input and help from ALL ANGLES.. Now, we're not against "guest hosts" or input from traffic or news or the not-so-subtle apprearance by other people that "jr" knows to help him out almost nightly. What's amazing to this journalist is how MUCH "jr" depends on people around him to carry the heavy water, so he can just interject and interrupt on a consistent basis, just so we all know he's still "in charge" of his own show.

It's called "interaction." It's a new term in talk radio, that I've used on my show as well (I live in a smaller, different market). The station is paying for a news, traffic, producer, and board op., so why not toss 'em on air? Having the host, all alone is very 1980s. And we've gotta break away from the 1980s mentality if we want the average audience age to drop below 60.

Robin has her faults, but she's no idiot. Helping hosts feel free (even encouraged) to bring in their board ops, producers, and news anchors helps freshen up the conversation. It's not useful from an "information" standpoint, but research shows most the audience isn't coming for information. They're coming for companionship. It's lonely on the 5 north near the 14 at 8 PM. You're alone in your car. You want someone to shoot the breeze with. In 7-10 p., listeners just want a buddy.

Move Conway to 5a.-9a., and it's a different story. You may still want a carpool buddy, but the information becomes more critical. That's why Carrol and Conway softball ... why J&K and Handel don't. Different timeslots call for different shows. That's not ineptitude. That's called PROGRAMMING and RESEARCH.

Dennis Zine was on last week.. Couldn't get a word in edgewise over "jr" interrupting him, cutting him off in mid-sentence or just talking louder, so Mr. Zine would just quiet down. Why have a guest if you need to dominate the conversation?

Who cares? He's a city councilman. Do you think J&K pull on a Riverside County Supervisor for his informational value? Nope. It's about having someone to argue and shout at. Guests are emotional springboards. Leave the informative interviewing for KPCC.

Oh, I know. To let everyone know that you can talk about 4 to 5 subjects, before you start repeating yourself and saying the same things over and over, just as long as that red mike button is on the ON position ... Great! Nice manners, "jr."

Audience turn over is fast. Like 11 minutes. Don't care. Next.

Just for the record, this journalist's first apartment was over 954 square feet.

Thanks for reminding us almost nightly that you're whoring out your VO services to keep that shack going. My parent's first house was over 954 sqaure feet. Not by much, but it was also on 1/4 acre of land. But no one cares. We only bring it up to show how ridiclulous it has become that "jr" almost nightly, has to remind us of his purchase in Burbank, as if no one in recent history (other than him) has ever decided to move to that town, live in that town, or purchase a home. EVER. That's called narrow thinking, or being LIMITED.

Audience relatability. Who listens to KFI at night? The delivery van driver who WANTS to be at home, but all he's got is a crappy night shift job, so he can scrape a few pennies to get his family into a rented 600 square foot shack in Pacoima. It's comforting to know the "famous guy" on KFI also lives in 900 square feet. It's relatable to know he's fed up with L.A. city gov't, too.

Does this hit the Corona Del Mar crowd? Nope. They aren't listening to KFI, because they're home by 7 PM, sitting comfortably on a $2800 sofa watching HBO on a 50" TV. Leave 'em to J&K.

"jr" is quite LIMITED in many ways, but that'll be a subject for another post. He THINKS he's got many interests, IS interesting and is very knowledgable about any number of subjects. We think it's becoming obvious that he's not.. NOT by a long shot.

I'm not going to defend him. Of course he's an idiot. I don't think he even finished college (not that it makes a difference, a lot of my college friends are idiots too). But that's not the point of the show. Robin didn't hire TCJ to be an incredibly informative host. She hired a guy who sounds like the neighbor you want to crack open a beer with and complain (in a non-politically correct manner) about the job, the wife, and the guv'ment. She's found the niche and it's working.

Hey "jr." Here's one for you. The little news teases you were doing with that reporter/anchor from FOX 11 News a couple of weeks ago? Remember him? His name is and always has been Ed Laskos. Of Greek decent.. There's an "o' and then an "s" at the end of his name. His last name is Laskos. You know? He's only been in this town forever, or at least well over a decade. You should know his name by now. LAS-KOS. There's an "s" at the end of his last name. You kept referring to him as Lask-o. No "s" sound. EACH night you introduced him.. And he was a gentleman and didn't correct you ON THE AIR.

Where was his producer? I've been a producer and it's my head on a platter if the host mis-pronounces a name. You expect him to be fluent in Greek, too?

None of the above is an attack on you personally, Mr. Von ... but your standards are WAAAAY too high. This isn't 1973. It isn't even 1993. Radio is dead and anyone under the age of 30 would agree. It's remarkable that Robin and the team have kept KFI and good as it is, for as long as they have. This isn't a "profession" anymore. Most people don't give a rat's butt about talk radio. It's all moved to Drudge, Reddit, Politico, and Twitter.

If going blue collar and pleasing the guys out in Rialto is the way to keep KFI alive, then that's where they're gonna go. Maybe I'm just a little blue collar myself, and that's why I don't mind TCJS. But hey, to each they're own.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

I agree with much of what Henry says above. I don't understand the fascination on this board with putting this guy and his show down, especially when what he is dishing out is what so many here pine for but cannot have - the return  of Real Radio KLSX.

TCJ's show has never been called "Informed Discussion for the Erudite Elite". He's a beer-drinking regular guy who is putting on a show for other beer-drinkin regular guys who are stuck getting home late after a hard day's work. And as Henry as very well stated above, it was a conscientious decision to make it that way. I personally would like the show in that timeslot to be more rabble-rousing a la John and Ken, which is why I liked Zigler's show - he started to make life a bit uncomfortable for some local pols and generally put on a good show. But as usual, I am in the minority on this one. The market as a whole doesn't want to "hear it" after 6 or 7 pm, so they got someone who can just shoot the breeze. I totally get that. The fact that he has had, and may still have, issues to work through only makes him that much more relate-able to his audience.

By the way, what the hell did Jesse Jackson say?

 

[barman]

Here's my take on TCJ: He's the perfect host for this time slot. He's low-key, I've gotten off work (yes, I have a real job), I'm usually tired from being under pressure all day long, and so I enjoy the laid back manner of his program. I listen frequently, mainly because television is gawdawful, and I just turn on the radio. His is the best show on at that time.

 

[Thomps2525]

In my world travels---okay, okay, California and Arizona---I always enjoy hearing Justin & Howie at KTHO in South Lake Tahoe and Mac & Gaydos at KTAR in Phoenix. I spoke with Justin Wright once and told him I wish he and Howie could come to Los Angeles; he said they're happy at Tahoe and don't want to work in a big city. So how about Mac Watson and Larry Gaydos? They would be a big improvement over the rambling Conway and the raspy-voiced Doug Steckler. Conway often devotes a half-hour to topics that would be of interest only to "frat boys." And the Jesse Jackson bit is really getting old.

Hey, maybe Tim Conway Sr. could replace Tim Conway Jr. That would be entertaining!

 

[ercjncpr]

ya mean someone actually listens to KFI? Why? ;D

 

[karldotcom]

Wow, so much envy.

I think TC has another house in Tarzana that he is upside down on, and was currently rented out. I have seen TC and his daughter in my neighborhood...so his 900 sq ft house is around $550-600k.... I try to turn it on a 7 every night, but sometimes it quickly derails and I start find other things to listen to....like yesterday, when I spent some time listening to Radio China International (which was talking about Taylor Swift's new album and tour start in Omaha) on shortwave....I couldn't believe how strong the signal was in LA, but I think they were operating at 500kW!

 

[henry]

In my world travels---okay, okay, California and Arizona---I always enjoy hearing Justin & Howie at KTHO in South Lake Tahoe and Mac & Gaydos at KTAR in Phoenix. I spoke with Justin Wright once and told him I wish he and Howie could come to Los Angeles; he said they're happy at Tahoe and don't want to work in a big city. So how about Mac Watson and Larry Gaydos? They would be a big improvement over the rambling Conway and the raspy-voiced Doug Steckler. Conway often devotes a half-hour to topics that would be of interest only to "frat boys." And the Jesse Jackson bit is really getting old.

Again, time slot. Mac & Gaydos are afternoon drive. Conway is nights.

Conway would be a bad fit, afternoons on KTAR. M&G would be a poor fit (yeah, it could work) nights on KFI. But I doubt CC would dump that kind of money into 7-10 PM.

Honestly, I'm just grateful KFI isn't running taped-delayed Clark Howard 7-10 PM, like the rest of the country.

 

[westfield60]

Honestly, I'm just grateful KFI isn't running taped-delayed Clark Howard 7-10 PM, like the rest of the country.

I will second that. But there is a something in the point made earlier that the 7:00pm time slot really should not be so heavy handed. First of all I would think only a handful of people are listening at that hour. Most people with lives are busy eating, making food or actually watching TV. Secondly after a full day of work I don't think people want to be flooded with heavy handed political talk that dominates the morning and afternoon time slot.

Having said that, I think Tom Leykis with his dating advice or Phil Hendrie with his satire would be ideal for that slot. Tim is ok but not smart. His brainless contradictions and constant yelling drives me away. He's like that kid in high school that was a C student all his life and had nothing to talk about that anyone cared about. That is why Doug Stecker is so welcomed on Fridays because he is a 1000x sharper and smarter than Tim in all respects.

If I have to have a radio on at that time, I've been listening to the Artie Lange show at 7:00pm. That is a hidden gem of a show. Funny as heck.

Conway is like the Bud Abbot of radio when everyone wants a Lou Costello.

 

[Thomps2525]

So what you're saying is that KFI should have Who on the morning show, What in middays, I Don't Know in afternoons and I Don't Give A Darn in early evening.

 

[Robnoxious]

So what you're saying is that KFI should have Who on the morning show, What in middays, I Don't Know in afternoons and I Don't Give A Darn in early evening.

Naturally.

(Oooooh, he's our overnights guy.)