MY HOTTEST STD EVER

[For new readers:  STD = Scorching Ticket Disquisition.]


Your Plainsman attempts to keep a moistened finger in the air, but one doesn't have to be terribly perceptive to realize that The Hardline, and especially one Mr. Corbett Davidson, has been  much on the mind of the Confessor Nation over the past couple of weeks, even though I'm not writing a whole lot about them.  Let's review:


T4 in Rockwall, a frequent Confessor, writes:


"Don't mean to switch gears, but every since Barry Switzer said the other day that they (the Hardline had him on) were shock jocks, I've been listening extra hard (no pun intended)and do notice that it seems to be all that Corby knows. That is to act like a shock jock probably 70% of the time. I think that's where he's failed since Greggo left and he's had to fill in on a full time basis. I personally thought he was very good when he was a yuck monkey full time. Since then, nothing but down hill."

Anonymous picks up the thread:

"I think T4 is on to something. The Hardline is a lazy show. It's only getting lazier. I was hoping that the return of the Russ Martin Show and RaGE would kick it in the ass and help it return to its former greatness. It hasn't. One of its "competitors" (RMS) barely has a pulse and seems to lose listeners with each ratings period, while the other (RaGE) is so far away from being a threat that it might as well not exist. Hell, without the infinitely deep pockets of CBS, RaGE wouldn't have made it this far. Yes, like the rest of The FAN's programming, it's that bad to mediocre.

"The Hardline has become nothing more than a somewhat less puerile audio version of The Dallas Observer. It's all fluff and baseless, highly slanted opinion. I for one don't miss Greggo. He became a caricature of himself. He became Triple Fake Greggo. But what I do miss is the days prior to bands, constant music talk, E and Community News, and "she's a pig" talk. Talk that takes up damn near the entire 4 hours. It's just lazy."

Oh, my treasured Confessors, the piling on is just beginning, starting with another blast from T4:

"A bit [referring, I think, to Corby's general Corbiness] or not, he was nearly unlistenable yesterday. I want to totally punch out when he's doing that crap. Wouldn't it be sad if the likes of Corby types were the end of the Ticket as we know it? I know they're still #1 in the ratings, but I believe they turn more listeners off with their shock jock rants than they bring in.

"I know Rhyner adapts to what's around him, and could and would change to whoever's working with him, but I believe that's all Corby has."

blergoyen considers the reasons for Corby's ascension to co-host:

"I suspect it was two fold: (1) he did a good job endearing himself to Mike by playing the entertaining, "up for-any-gag-nephew" to Mike's "dirty uncle," and (2)given corby's instinctual need to dominate every conversation, Mike knew he could talk as much, or as little as he wanted, sit back and enjoy semi-retirement with a large pay check as long as he wanted. I think I saw someone comment on this blog and make that 2nd point a while back."


Anonymous -- who knows whether it's a different one or not -- has an interesting perspective:


"I wish they would cut way back on the blue. They don't need it; they are (well, at least at one time were) better than that. Don't know if anyone here is still watching The Office, but if you are, you see the same thing occurring: a program and a showgram that's run out of ideas and has now devolved into one over the top blue scene or segment after another. The overall quality of the each show suffers greatly. But both shows are ratings monsters (though not as much as they once were), and so I don't see where or how improvement implemented. Much like The Office, I think we are watching the final couple of seasons of The Hardline (at least in its current configuration)."

T4 is on a roll:  


"As far as the topic here, it used to be ok working blue when it was occasional. Now, like I said in the previous thread, it seems it's all they have. Corby being immature and Danny giving in to him. I believe if they replaced Corby with any number of people, The Hardline would be total greatness again. "


The always sensitive and astute duckandcover observes:


"I would like to think that sooner rather than later there will be a reconfiguration of The HL. I feel the same as some of the Anons and T4. It's grown stale, lazy, and I think they're better than where the show is now/what it's become. What's the answer? Dunno. But maybe it involves Danny sliding over into a fulltime host position, allowing Jake to take the producer helm with TC manning the board. Or maybe the other way round, with Jake remaining on the board while TC produces. The thing is, for all of you/us that wish Corby wasn't a part of the show, he's not going anywhere. So the only way I see it being revamped is by the scenario above. Maybe, just maybe, a serious Danny influence would muffle Corby's influence and right the ship, somewhat. Yes Danny will play into Mike and to some extent Corby's fascination with music talk, but he also is very sportsy. Something needs to happen. If there was any program even half way decent running against them, I have a feeling we'd see changes ASAP. Because the show has sunk pretty low."

DRW1961, an MTC stalwart, writes:


"It's just another manifestation of the "overCorbyization" of the Hardline. He doesn't have enough talent to do his job the way it should be done, so he resorts to high school humor. 

"I'll take it another step further and say that I wish they wouldn't rely so much on the "ass"es and the "son of a bitch"es as well. And, I cringe when I hear a station spot with "bullsh" in it. I'm not a prude, but I think they lower themselves to a level that they really shouldn't lower themselves to with all that nonsense."

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All of this -- plus constant harping from Confessors looking for more interesting original Plainsman content -- inspires me to cut loose with what may well be my all-time most controversial STD, yes, even more controversial than my multi-part analysis of BaD Radio, and here it is:

I like Corby Davidson.

You want some more of this?

I like The Hardline.

Yes, much of what The Nation says is true:  I could do with a less vulgar showgram, as I have written on many occasions; I could do with some show prep; I could do with greater attention to reigning in the OverCorby who sometimes appears; I've noted the salutary effect of Danny's increased participation on several occasions.  I could do with less Wire, showbiz, and comment on the same half-dozen musical acts.  In general, I could do with a more mature approach to pretty much everything about The Hardline, including Corby's contributions.

But as I sit back and consider The Hardline and alternative radio offerings as a whole, I can come to only one conclusion:

Corby Davidson is a notable and unique radio talent.  No one on the Philco sounds anything like him. I would say that of my laugh-out-loud moments from all programs on The Little One over the past several years, more than half of them are accounted for by Corby.  He's got native intelligence; he can be witty (not in Danny's galaxy, but he can surprise you); he's one of The Ticket's best serious interviewers, if not the very best.  He complements Mike.

If Corby disappeared from The Hardline tomorrow, I'll bet that even those of you who are weary of him for all of the reasons set forth above would miss him terribly.

That's not to say that The Hardline doesn't need to step up its game.  When I started this site in 2009, I thought The Hardline was in trouble.  Mike was seriously disengaged, there was too much Corby.  The showgram was way out of whack.  I thought it started to right itself in late 2010, and to my way of hearing -- while the show does suffer from the problems identified above -- it's continued pretty strong.  I'll confess (of course) it's seemed lazier than normal the past month or so, but nothing alarming and nothing that leads me to want a huge change in the showgram (except more Danny).  

But I just don't find it the mess that some of our faithful Confessors do.  

So right now, although I give it to them from time to time and will continue to do so, I'm pretty on board with Mike, Corby, Danny, Ty, and Jake.

I know the last two posts have already prompted extensive comments on Corby and The Hardline, but I hope you will continue to offer your thoughts on this most unusual, and, to my mind, entertaining of shows and its very singularly gifted broadcasters.

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