Talk Show people

[Dan Strassberg]

I disagree about Thom. He's a radio pro. Usually talks in complete
sentences. Has a pleasant voice and delivery, doesn't yell, and has a
positively encyclopedic command of American history. In my view he and
Rachel Maddow are the stars of AAR.

Tom Ashbrook, host of NPR's On Point, which originates at WBUR, has great
pipes and obviously does a tremendous amount of show prep, but he still
manages to drive me NUTS. He is forever hustling callers off the line and
always sounds as if he is running some kind of verbal race. When he was on
vacation, John Hockenberry filled in for him. Hockenberry has a good radio
voice but lacks Ashbrook's fantastic basso. But the big difference is that
Hockenberry's style is so easy and relaxed that the contrast with Ashbrook
is like night and day. As far as I could tell, Hockenberry hit all the posts
without ever sounding as if there was any trick to it. Now there's a GREAT
talk host--and I don't think talk radio is even his day job. Sign him up!

--
Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net
eFax 707-215-6367
.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Russ Butler" <songbook2@comcast.net>
To: <boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org>; "Russ Butler"
<songbook2@comcast.net>
Sent: Saturday, November 18, 2006 2:37 PM
Subject: Talk Show people


> <rant on> Am I the only listener who finds talk radio hosts to be very
> loud, repetitive and silly as they "entertain"?  Rush, Mark Levine and
> "Big Ed" yell at the top of their lungs all the time (that's annoying)
> and they do sound alike, but on the "right" and "left" - Randi shouts
> too and is just as rude and aggressive being "randy"- Laura isn't that
> much different (choose any of the "talking Lauras") - Dennis is also
> full of himself, albeit a bit more eloquent than "ditto" or "we'vegoted"
> - Al and Thom just seem to stutter all the time and can't make complete
> sentences (I guess they think faster than they speak).  Glenn, Hugh, and
> Sean offend listeners interrupting telephone callers. Howard and other
> offensive dirty talkers on the radio are not the answer. They're not
> funny, but all have huge egos and huge ratings, so what's the matter
> with me??  <rant off>
>
>
>