to which you do not belong...
File under: The Onion continues its hostile takeover of Reality.
As I have mentioned before, here in the third largest media market in America we have exactly one -- count 'em, one! -- Progressive radio station.
Sigh.
And as I have also mentioned before, here in the beating and allegedly-ultraviolet heart of Progressive Chicago, our one Progressive radio station has exactly one -- count 'em, one! -- locally produced program.
Sigh.
So when that one, lonely Progressive outpost announced that the inchoate and often apparently random mess that has made up its usual Sunday offerings was now being coalesced into a new, blockbuster, Fall Sunday lineup, I was all "Yay!"
Yay!
Unfortunately it turns out that our lone Progressive radio station obviously does not believe that one, massive dose of establishmentarian Villager claptrap being mainlined into the body-politic every Sunday is enough. Not nearly enough. But now...problem solved! Their new, blockbuster, Fall Sunday lineup will begin with a radio rerun of “Meet the Press” , guaranteeing that -- like the Devil's Own Retinal Burns -- the weekly Revealed Wisdom of the likes of David Brooks, John McCain and Rich Lowry need not vanish when the cameras stop rolling.
Ruh-roh...
And what digestif could possibly be classy enough to follow this Sunday feast?
Second up (and even more excitingly!) Mark Green
-- the man who may have done more than any other single human being to finally, fatally bury Air America -- will be moderating a weekly "debate" program between (insert sound of the Gates of Hell creaking slowly open. Within, three nearly-human voices are giggling wildly)...
Arianna Huffington, Mary Matalin Together at Last on the RadioUn
Mark Green, Observer columnist and former Air America president, has started a weekly talk show on 77 WABC radio featuring Arianna Huffington and Mary Matalin.
The show is called Both Sides Now and the idea is for the two idealogically opposed, though very respectful, women to have it out on different issues and Mr. Green to play middle man.
...
Holy
Fuck
Downsides? The existence of this thing in the world. Its mere odious presence. But beyond that, the fact that out there somewhere is a room where such decisions get made. And that room is apparently so top-full of ghouls, vultures, clods, body snatchers and yes-men that when this abomination was pitched to them the answer was "Fuck yeah!"
Upside? The keening exchanges between these wholly artificial media constructs may turn out to be pitched so high and shrike-y that they will be audible only to certain breeds of dog.
Those poor, poor dogs.
I mean, fuck it, Mark Green, why not just call it "Both Side Do It!" and get it over with?
And after that, we get Alan Colmes -- the tackling dummy Fox paid to let Sean Hannity punch him for s few years
Colmes? Really? I mean, for all I know, Combes will one day emerge from his chrysalis as the Second Coming of Eleanor Roosevelt...just as I supposed it is possible that Fox News stooge Juan Williams might secretly masturbate to tintypes of Eugene Debs.
But I doubt it.
And even if it were true, is it really too fucking much to ask for one program in the New Sunday Lineup that doesn't have Villager/Fox News stink all over it at the only Progressive radio outlet for 500 miles in any direction ?
See, this is why we can't have nice things.
UPDATE: Blue Gal picks up the 44-inch Louisville Photoshop Slugger to bang this topic out onto Waveland Avenue here.
7 comments:
'Arianna Huffington, Mary Matalin Together at Last'
Which one plays the conservative arch-villain again? I can hardly tell these Putsch-and-Judy comity show actors apart nowadays.
;>)
I weep for the dogs of greater Chicagoland.
Then again, WCPT's lineup is again nearly as weak as its signal. Their clever attempt to be an alter-ego to hate radio rather than a purveyor of well-reasoned argument and straight information has always disappointed.
Perhaps I've just missed the "progressive" part of their programming?
It seems like name recognition is what matters...a hallmark of management that does not have a clue. (read about Howard Sterns wrath when radio mgmt hired Soupy Sales. for more money).
Does anyone hang on Aggregator Huffington says? While undeniably talented herself, her big break was getting divorced from a rich guy. Otherwise she'd be back in the pack.
As I recall Mark Green's real qualification is he was the brother of the guy who put up the money in the later rounds. I never did find out the real story about Evan Cohen. Has anyone on the inside talked yet? Last I heard he was scot free in Guam.
Alan Colmes isn't all that bad...he can dissect conservative callers in his sleep. But kind of like Bill Press, nobody ever remembers what he says the next day.
Let's take a deep breath--liberal talk radio is a lot better of than it was on March 30, 2004. I remember.
I'm not sure how their public affairs programming has held up, but in terms of music that reflects the city don't forget about WHPK 88.5 on the South Side. Even though they're a UofC outfit, about half the staff is pulled from the community, and some people have had shows there running for decades.
I have often wondered just what kind of special hell "the Cobra" James Carville must endure at home.
If its like some old silent movie where she chases him around the house beating him with a broom...or maybe he spends most of time in the basement dressed up like the geek from Pulp Fiction.
If the Huffster were worth her salt, this ill conceived exorcise would end early with the sound of Matlin's crone face being slapped repeatedly as the ad music cuts in...
But alas...there is no God.
Da Mare is not seeking re-election! And there was much rejoicing.
It would be more effective if a "comedy radio channel" was created, and had humorous commenters, and shows like the Daily Show.
Reasoned Discourse about Politics can be pretty boring. To other people, I mean. I love it, myself.
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