No, Donovan Lewis isn't going anywhere to the best of my knowledge.
During the 5:30 segment this morning -- a woefully underheard segment in The Ticket Day -- The Musers bade farewell to Donnie The Overnight Board Op.
I was in the shower at the time. They mentioned his last name but I couldn't hear it and I can't find it on the Internets, and I also missed their identification of his new job. I don't even know if I'm spelling "Donnie" correctly.
He's been doing 10p-6a for the last five-and-a-half years, succeeding the late Joel Jenista and trained by Jake Kemp and the legendary Michael Gruber.
Would one of our Ticket Guy readers please drop a comment with correct information on this Ticket stalwart?
Although Gordon hailed him as "the nicest guy at The Ticket," my abiding memory of DTOBO is one day when he tore angrily into the studio about ready to disassemble Gordon for one or another transgression. And indeed, Gordon's historical Gordonesque mistreatment of him was mentioned. All seems now to be forgiven.
 | |
| Unrelated to text of post. Just a parting gift to Donnie. |
Welcome to the daytime.
Comments to this site are moderated.
Before posting, please read Rules of the Confessional.
Thank you.
ThePlainsman1310@gmail.com
@Plainsman1310
@Plainsman1310
Donnie said that he is going to work for a pest control company.
ReplyDeleteAs a long distant streamer, I’m not really familiar with his work. Having worked at the Ticket for 5 years or more, though, probably gave him skills far beyond just board op'ing(?). I wish him well and know he’ll succeed far beyond the aggressive self-starter willing to work in a fast paced environment.
ReplyDeleteBut, what do I know. I woke up with an ear worm, “baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby baby."
Please kill me.
prep for the hold your butt announcement i teased last week. it is imminent and involves a staple of the station going away.
ReplyDeleteGeorge called him "Catfish" Donnie.
ReplyDeleteIf he's been dealing with Gordon for over 5 years, he's qualified to go into the pest control business.
D-FW sports radio ratings: Tight race shows The Fan, ESPN have almost caught The Ticket
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dallasnews.com/sports/dallas-cowboys/headlines/20150417-d-fw-sports-radio-ratings-tight-race-shows-the-fan-espn-have-almost-caught-the-ticket.ece
@11:57 AM - Prove you know something then...
ReplyDelete"staple of the station" sounds like a thing, not a who.
ReplyDeleteNo more tickers?
Yowza...THL finishes last.
ReplyDeleteWith respect to those crazy PM drive ratings, it feels like people are really casting around from station to station, not entirely satisfied with anything they're hearing.
ReplyDeleteAll things taken, the last batch of books is just not good news for The Hard Ones. They bounce back from the first dip(s), but then decline during a period where there's no particular draw on another station (i.e., Cowboys).
Just as you all shop around for the most entertaining source for fine Ticket journalism, looks like the (shrinking?) sports-talk demo is flipping, flipping, flipping.
I have no secret information on anything -- whether in human form or conceptual -- leaving The Ticket.
ReplyDeleteBut as long as we're speculating, how about this:
WTDS.
E-Brake? That's getting a little tired.
ReplyDeleteNice job 12:55. I love me some Gordo but that was a funny and apt(?) line.
Pretty interesting stuff.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't see things getting better for THL. They've totally lost it. I'm saaawwwwrrrrreeeeee, but listening to my grandfather talk about tunes, chicks, celeb gossip, and life in general like my 23 year old little brother and his friends do just flat out ain't appealing. I'm not alone in thinking this. The trending numbers don't lie. It wasn't a Cowboy thing, the ratings. It's a HL thing.
As to the staple leaving: Pman's guess of WTDS is pretty solid. Though I'm not sure why they'd do it. Most listeners I know tune out once it's over. It's the end of their Ticket listening day until either the Top 10 or the occasional "special programming" airs. In fact, it's the way I and most people I know even know what THL is up to anymore. When I do hear a HL Top 10 segment, I usually turn it off. It's poor radio. It's totally uninformed radio. You have a party doll Peter Pan (Danny), an utterly obnoxious frat daddy Peter Pan (Corby), and someone's grandpa Peter Pan who used to be one bad ass mofo of a host, who by all rights should still be but has mailed it in for so long he's no longer capable of it (Mike). Speaking of which, did anyone catch Mike talking Rangers with Norm today? Baseball. Ranger f'n baseball. Mr. Ranger, Mike Rhyner. He sucked. Mike was unprepared, muttering vagaries. It was as if he really doesn't follow the Rangers, but puts on a front that he does. I was really excited when Norm announced the segment. But boy was I disappointed. All Mike can discuss anymore is Springsteen, Steely Dan, Petty, and chunky red wine drinking chocolate eating chick celeb gossip. It just sucks. Dude used to be my leader.
Back to the staple. Sorry for the HL rant. I can't imagine the Ebrake going away. But what I can imagine being 86ed is What's on Mike's Mind. Other than that, the Tickers are a prime candidate. It took what, a week if that, before no one noticed or cared there were only 2 per hour (?). Now for nonmaterial staples.......One of the Musers (all 3 are prime candidates for moving on), Danny, or Jer. I can see any of the DnM crew leaving. All have other big time interests in other fields. All have the means to not work or even retire if they want (we've seen how much Gordo is worth, Jub and Joonz are worth more, guaranteed). Jer I can see being plain burnt out from decades of getting up at 3am and working until mid afternoon. Danny I can see moving on. He's an entrepreneur now, he doesn't make squat at his producer/host job compared to his HL buddies, and he's 2 years shy of 50. Even if Mike retires today, Danny's hit the ceiling. He ain't moving into a permanent host role. He doesn't have the chops and he's proved as much as the 3rd man in the booth. Very easily exposed. I can definitely see him moving on.
One last thing. Anyone else notice how the no one says "mark" anymore when they say something they know will be used as a drop? They say something like "I don't care if you write this down" instead. I wonder why? Maybe they're seeing if The FAN folks will steal it, too? Because FAN employees will say they don't listen to The Ticket till they're blue in the face.....all the while stealing everything.
A very handsome rant, straight pool.
ReplyDeleteGotta tell you -- I'm releasing my butt until further notice.
I don't think there's anything notable happening for awhile.
So Anon is so spot on. There's an old Glen Danzig song that had the refrain "It's comin' DOWN!" Where The Ticket is concerned, it is. Sooner than soon. It's going to kick very last one of you in the nuts.
ReplyDeleteI've been warning you guys and gals for 4 months now.
It's coming down.
You have, yet again, been warned.
Re: the ratings decline of THL.
ReplyDeleteBecause it gets on MY last nerve, maybe people have decided they don't want to spend their radio time hearing sermons.
My hold butt guess is TC and Jake are taking IJB to the Fan
ReplyDelete"Here’s a question for another day. If you total the sports talk ratings in March 2014 you get 12.9. This March, it was 8.4. Where did all one third of last year’s listeners go?"
ReplyDeleteThis dear posters is the 64,000 dollar question.
Each of the competing stations were number 1 for one hour during afternoon drive time. That is something of a wash. I wonder what that would look like with Russ Martin's numbers thrown in for comparison. Where have all of those listeners gone and which end of the demo are they in?
Who is up next for contract talks?
This will tell the tale for what happens to the station.
Gopher, the answer to your question lies in what people like DA, myself and others have been saying for several years. While we've been nay said by many, including our congenial host, because what we've been saying didn't immediately show up in the ratings, it looks like we're right---and only getting "righter." What's that I'm babbling about? The fact that terrestrial radio is dying. There is no younger/new demo coming up. It's over. That's where the listeners are going. OK. Where they're going is to specialty, listener controlled programming. Basically confirmation bias, in extremis, is what drives the consumer of entertainment. Yes there is a niche market of younger folks, but that's all it is, niche. It is in no way something that can sustain a megacorporation like Cumulus or Clear Channel or CBS. Radio is a dying industry. It'll be around as we know it for another decade or so; after that, barring global catastrophe, it'll never be like it is now or has been since its advent.
ReplyDeleteRegarding some big change(s): At this point, other than a weekday host leaving (and really, a "musketeer" if it's to be truly jaw-dropping), there's nothing that can happen, for me at least, that'll blow my mind. I can see Cat leaving. Either by being told he no longer has a job, or for greener/different pastures. Putting the bigger industry trend from above, surely he sees the writing on the wall for The Ticket in the short to mid term isn't pretty. The station lost its juice. It did so due to many reasons. Most were/are self-inflicted. It will never get back to being the titan in the market it has been for nearly 20 years. And any significant changes will only make it worse. CTOs know this; hence you will not see any major host let go---unless he opts out on his own accord. As a sort of aside, lest any of you think IJB, TSJ, or Jake in particular is just the shot in the arm this thing needs, you sir or madam (with all due respect) are wrongheaded to say the least.
My guess is that SeaBass is taking a full-time position with either the Rough Riders or Rangers. I don't think it's too hush hush that he didn't view his Cat mandated (i.e., you have no choice) move to the morning show as a promotion. He wasn't for it, at all. He's definitely a staple of the station, of sorts.
ReplyDeleteSince the afternoon shifts are the shaky ones right now with ratings I believe THL is up for renewal before BaD who just e-upped in summer of 2013. Musers would seem to be a no brainer as they are the anchor of the station. Will be interesting to see if Rhynes hangs it up.
ReplyDeleteI happened to come across Mike and Norm this morning, and they were actually talking sports vs. some nonsensical current-affairs trivia. I also noticed that Norm was trying very hard to get Mike to engage on Ranger baseball ... and failing. It was weird, the one thing Mike used to get somewhat engaged in talking about that was sports related and he could barely mutter "uh-huh" as Norm desperately kept throwing him softballs to hit. It was kind of sad, here was an attempt to do something sports related and mix it up with Norm and we got check-out Mike instead.
ReplyDeleteI am advised that the accepted spelling of our subject's first name is "Donny," and that his last name is "Henry."
ReplyDeleteI find nothing compelling at the other sports stations, so Russ Martin is my punchout after WTDS and when a certain host goes on sporty/non-sporty rants or talks about his latest vacation.
ReplyDeleteI am not in the golden demographic, but I wonder how many do the same. Maybe Russ should be sending flowers to a certain afternoon Ticket host.
Maybe the staple going away is The Orphanage? A big Orphanage announcement is at 11:10 am.
ReplyDeleteSeems like this has been hinted at on & off for some time.
For those wanting more JV opportunities, perhaps this will be it. However, if the Orphanage goes away, I suspect every other show will move up. Cirque at 10, Kickaround at 12, Race week at 2 and Ticket Sports Saturday at 3.
Ticket Sports Saturday-Sunday has always been the training ground for the JV.
So the Orphanage is done.
ReplyDeleteNot a hold your butt moment for me. After Danny opened the bar it was only a matter of time until he pared back on his Ticket duties.
Orphanage is calling it quits. Is that our butt-holding moment?
ReplyDeleteSuper bummed about The Orphanage news.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's a bummer. Next week is the last Orphanage. I've always felt like they were the one Ticket show that most closely mirrored my own interests... Sports, music, local news, crude humor. My Saturday morning jackass buddies to hang out with while running the weekly errands... While I'm not surprised that the show is going away, I'll miss Danny and Dave together regularly.
ReplyDeleteRIP Orphanage.
ReplyDeleteAwful to hear about the Orphanage going away....my favorite Ticket show. The downward spiral continues.
ReplyDelete@straight pool and GLL
ReplyDeleteI also heard the Norm/Mike Ranger segment. I too was stunned at Mike's disinterest and frankly lack of any insight or knowledge. I felt bad for Norm. You could tell he was amped up some nuts and bolts baseball talk with the supposed station baseball (specially Ranger) expert. All Norm got was some guy who appeared to have been told he had to do the segment, was totally unprepared to do it, and didn't want to be there in the slightest. You embarrassed yourself, Rhyner.
@straight pool, part 2
I've also noticed the use of "write" when they normally would say "mark". I've heard Jake, Jub, Bob, Dan, and Corby say it. So it isn't by mistake or just one guy's bit.
For those that we're not listening, next weekend is the last Orphanage show. They will be broadcasting from the AT&T plaza and estimate that probably three people will show up
ReplyDeleteI plan on being there. Anyone else?
They said it was Danny's choice to quit working weekends. GenX Davey is looking at options.
Dear Confessor,
ReplyDeleteI’ve really enjoyed your work for some time, and occasionally contribute under various nom de plumes. I've enjoyed reading the many comments. It's an extended family of the extended family that the Ticket once was. That's a once was, and my Dear John is a tough thing, pal. For what it’s worth, I copy/pasted an email I sent to K-Ticket management types a little while ago. I’ll check in every once in a while if it’s ok, but I really don’t have any further reason to listen. The “ain’t nuthin’ there” now weighs heavier than the “now that’s a funny bit.”
I feel this strange sort of obligation to say this publicly, but I’m sorry, I just cannot listen to the station anymore. The retirement of the Orphanage was the last straw. It’s the fact that it’s gone regardless of whose idea it was. For years, the radio was on in my office nonstop. Today, it’s sparingly during the Musers, hardly at all during Norm and Bad, and turned off at 3:20. Saturday was great to bum around the house, earbuds in, doing chores and assorted work around the house. I’ll just listen to music, but no more Ticket. Too many changes; too many unlistenable personalities. I’ve listened with great joy since I came to Texas in 1996. There have been many changes; Rocco, Greggo, The Rant, Elf, Friedo, Grubes, Rich Phillips, Barb, too many to recall. Change is inevitable, but the way things have been going I don’t have to like it. The wheels aren’t off, but most all of the lug nuts are way loose. Maybe it’s just me, but it doesn’t matter. I’m not finding another place for my sports talk, I’m just moving on.
R.I.P. Orphanage - as you all probably know by now Danny and Davy announced they are finished in 2 weeks with the final show being on the road. There will be a final studio show next week in which Cat has allowed a one time only weekend cross talk.
ReplyDeleteNo one appointed me butt-holding-worthiness-judge, but I hereby declare the closing of The Orphanage worthy. So whoever told us to hold on to our butts -- he or she was on it.
ReplyDeleteI'll miss The Orphanage.
Lord knows I for one will not miss it. Kudos to Danny for pulling the plug on what's devolved into two middle aged teenagers pretending to be angst ridden. Hopefully some of the JV will get a shot at filling the time slot. Hopefully Cat won't fill the slot with either network b.s. or Lay-deez B Trippin' brand of b.s..
ReplyDeleteRelated note. Know why there was no St. Paddy's Day remote from Stan's? Because neither Danny nor Davy could be bothered to initiate the gig, which was/has been the protocol since year one of the show. They ask the station, the station and the hosts ask Stan's (who needs zero push from the show,due to the nature of the event, but provides the rooftop space).
Ladies Be Trippin' v2.0?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the station has found another car expert who wants to buy an hour or two.
I love Mino, but one thing that I loved about BAD and THL was the masterfully placed drops when Grubes was there. It seems like there are fewer drops now and some of the old drops are never played. I find myself playing drops in my head that never get played. Its probably a small thing but I notice it.
ReplyDeleteGrubes was awesome, when he left and they somehow managed to wipe out all of their old drops when they moved it seemed like the station lost the will to regenerate itself. No more "mark" wars between hosts, no more funny bits spoofing stuff, just re-running what they could salvage from the lost tapes. The station reminds me of someone who has accomplished everything they set out to do, and now is mailing it in because they simply no longer have the passion to do it. At the rate they are going, this could be a rough year for them.
ReplyDeleteOk, help me out. I don't understand the point of all the PRE butt-holding, if we don't have a clue why we are holding our butts until it happens. Isn't the point of having "insiders" getting some sort of scoop and having real information before the general public does?
ReplyDeleteI'm just trying to figure out what these non-specific, vague warnings is supposed to be enhancing for the Confessor. Could someone enlighten me?
So you guys do know that they were told their show was over, right? The spending time with our families, I'm tired of working Saturdays, I might be back someday stuff was all allowed by Cat and Dan Bennett to be said as a kiss of sorts. But make no mistake about it, the show was jettisoned, not given up.
ReplyDeleteIf the loss of The Rant lite/wannabe that, other than the one single solitary show that Davey spoke openly and in painful, heartbreaking fashion about his first divorce (he's now had two), which was perhaps the best radio in Ticket history, then this station is even more cooked than I thought.
Hold onto my butt, my ass. Wake me up when a weekday host or show goes by the wayside.
So what is everyone's guess on the replacement show? Here are some potential options:
ReplyDelete- an extra hour for Tee Box and CDS or George DiGiani combo?
- IJB minus the profanity
- The Ty Walker show
- Shake Joint
- A combo platter of various ad-hoc rant style shows with Gordo, Corby, Junes et al appearing intermittently
- any other guesses???
1- Cole Beasley was in-studio. Is this an attempt to get younger or just and attempt to make Jason Witten lower his price for a weekly show?
ReplyDelete2- @Anon 04/17 10:41PM,
I thought that I have been just stating the obvious regarding the erosion of younger listeners. While many Confessors have sons, it is hard for me to believe that they have “passed on” their love of The Ticket as much as they think (especially if they have given them any digital device in the last decade).
3-As for “The Orphanage”, I somewhat sad it is going, but as I have said before, it hasn't been a must listen for a years. I tuned in while at the gym after I was done with a podcast or two. Looking back, The Rant ended in 2006, so nine years of Saturdays is really a lot. Thanks for the years, and good luck in your future weekend endeavors.
4-Lastly, Friday's BaD Radio was really disappointing, specifically near the final hour. The interview with Patrick Kluivert and Eric Abidal was disappointing. Soccer Bob basically had nothing after he asked them who they wanted to win ECL. Granted, English is not Abidal's string suit, as he admitted, but Kluivert does not really have that issue. Bob seemed really aloof and disinterested. Abidal played in the 2006 World Cup Final with the Zidane headbutt, and nothing from SportsSturm. If Heineken came in with them at the last minute on Friday, then I'll cut him some slack, but as much as he is Wikipedia/Deadspin/Fangraphs/(enter sport here) Reference, he came off poorly. I give more credit to Dan as he tried to be “Sports Humorist”, but it was lukewarm.
Then it went into Jake really stressing is dislike for Britt McHenry. It was the story they really wanted to talk about and his vitriol was apparent like he was “mini-Corby”. I nearly thought his words were as mean spirited as hers were to the attendant and they all piled on. It was very uncomfortable, so I punched out.
@ 9:29 AM:
ReplyDeleteI hope like hell that we'll get more Sirois twins. However, I fear it's going to be IJB or Shake Joint. I don't hate Jake but the partners on those two shows are instant punch-outs for me.
IJB would be the worst decision they could make. Only Jake should be on the radio.
ReplyDeleteBeasley's been in-studio a number of times already. No reason to think they won't have Witten on again next season.
ReplyDeleteHow are we supposed to know The Orphanage was fired?
Because personnel at ye olde booze bar like to talk loud about things. That is how, Mr. Shaggy, kind sir.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I believe everything I hear somebody say in a bar.
ReplyDeleteNo disrespect.
@4:57 was this the same bar I overheard you telling everyone you discovered Mumford and Sons?
ReplyDeletePlainsman, there hasn't been a worthwhile "hold on to your butts" prediction in LONG TIME. Is it time you forced these self-proclaimed soothsayers to earn it before you let the next one through? Maybe too much bandwidth for no payoff? Just thinking out loud.
The orphanage is gone? I think that show had devolved in to something worse than a dual case of Peter Pan Syndrome years ago.
I rarely tuned in to the Orphanage, but enough people are bummed about this that it certainly qualifies as a major station development/butt holding.
ReplyDeleteWow what an awesome throwdown about Chip Kelly on BaD at 220 pm today. It was Bob vs. the Studio with Chuck and Jake basically holding their own and calling Bob out on his debating strategy of carefully tailoring questions to get the desired answers. It was a great debate and it sounded somewhat personal. Good stuff.
ReplyDeleteNote to TC. If you're going to have someone on the show to interview (a person YOU wanted no less) its probably best to know what you are talking about.
ReplyDeleteFirst question to Milana Vayntrub and he totally got his info wrong.
By dumb luck, I happened to be in the car when the Orphanage announcement was made. Did anyone else catch Dan's aside towards the end of the segment where he jokingly said they had actually been fired? And then, as soon as they came back from break, he immediately threw out "I was kidding! We weren't fired so please don't direct any anger towards Cat". It seemed pretty obvious that this was a lot more about what the station didn't want than Dan wanting to quit. His and Davey's reactions to not being allowed a proper remote for their last show was telling. Also telling was Dan's reaction to the station allowing one week of crosstalk to mark the occasion.
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't disagree with them that the show has run its course, I'm still disappointed. The segments I caught while running errands on Saturday over the years were always decent and better than other options.
I keep seeing references to Danny and Davey being Peter Pans (and I think someone threw Corby and Mike in that category too). I'm just wondering why some people see them that way. I always saw em as two guys who have been through marriage and divorce and kids and talk about it pretty honestly. They go out to shows and bars but they also hold down jobs. I don't get why that is weird.
ReplyDeleteI guess I don't really have a dog in the hunt but just wondering why Danny and Davey get singled out so much with the Peter Pan insults. I'll hang up and listen.
Onto something with real consequence. Maybe not in the immediate future, but not nearly as far down the road as you might think.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32380222
At 4:47, Corby used the phrase "hold your butts"' well!
ReplyDeleteSad to see The Orphanage go.
ReplyDeleteIt's odd that I dislike Danny on The Hardline, but love him on The Orphanage. Davey brings out the best and worst of him.
For a show that actively promoted themselves as a time waste, it was my favorite show to stream while doing exactly that on a lazy Saturday "morning".
I'm not sure if you allow links to other Ticket related sites, but hopefully this clip goes through. One of my favorite bits on a show that depending on who you believe was either killed, or decided to "snake the belt" as a favorite Heloise tip I loved we heard from week to week.
http://www.theunticket.com/the-orphanage-rapture-talk-and-tears-in-heaven-spoken-word/
I hope Davey finds some way to get himself a new show, or as an occasional special, as he has a unique Ticket voice that shouldn't disappear forever.
@3113
ReplyDeleteInteresting article. Very interesting. I think we're a ways off from such a thing happening here. But like you said, perhaps not as much as we'd assume--assuming we all agree it's even conceivable here in the US.
@235
I heard the throw down, as well. TC and Jake held their own nicely. However, they were doing the same thing to Bob where debate tactics are concerned. Though they obviously were unaware they were doing as such. Still, it made for compelling radio.
@307
IMHO they're Peter Pans not because they enjoy having some drinks at the bar or attending a rock show. If you grow up listening to rock, most likely that's what you'll listen to for the rest of your life. And if you dig live music, play music, or whatever, that's the genre you've been into, will remain into, and so, that's the type of show you'll attend. There's nothing Peter Pan in that. There's nothing Peter Pan in going to a lot of shows, discovering new music, or having a favorite watering hole(s).
Understand that Danny is 2 years shy of 50. Davey is, I believe, 42 or 43 thereabouts. Neither is, as Corby is fond of saying about adult male athletes, "just a kid." What is Peter Pan-ish is the way in which they speak (in general--i.e., like teenagers or early 20 somethings; Davey can barely utter a complete sentence; both use the "and she's like" "and I go" "like" verbal crutches in nearly every sentence), speak about music (e.g., making fun of other genres or acts like a h.s. or college kid does--you get to a certain point in life, if crap like that irks you, well, that's silly), the "this sucks" angst attitude (even if it's schtick, it's tired out, and why on earth would anyone past, say, 35 find it amusing to put on? It's the stuff of kids).....I could go on, but I think (or hope) you get what I'm trying to say.
On the positive side of the ledger, on that rarest of occasions when they do talk about the more personal things in their lives, they are very good. But those moments are indeed rare.
For the most part you have two middle-aged guys trying hard not merely to turn back the clock, but rather pretend like the clock never moved forward. The former is what's known as a midlife crisis; the latter, Peter Pan Syndrome. Hence, D&D are Peter Pans. Mike, however, is not a Peter Pan; he's in the midst of a full-blown, for the ages, midlife crisis....the likes of which that only comes around once, maybe twice in a generation. It began at 50, and has now progressed into senior citizenship. It's one big bad mama jama, for sure.
So which Muser should we go to for advice - the doctor or the professor?
ReplyDeleteDisclaimer: I am not a big country music fan. The country that I do like leans toward Willie, Waylon and the boys and earlier.
ReplyDeleteAfter yesterday’s savage beating of the ACM awards during two segments of the Hardline, I’m pretty much out on the Ticket evening drivetime. It would be different if they offered any sort of constructive commentary or criticism, but they devoted two segments to making fun of something that just doesn’t fit into their idealistic view of the way things should be. From calling one of the hosts a “special needs” person to blasting the participation of Corby’s Cowboys BFF, they just acted like a group of 12 year old junior high kids who had no interest in anything other than being mean spirited toward a person who is different than they are.
I loved how they decided that George Strait, one of country music’s icons for the past 20-30 years, had no interest in being at what would be considered the equivalent of the Academy Awards for his industry to receive a Lifetime Achievement award. I loved how they didn’t have any commentary on any of the actual performances, but instead focused their vitriol toward the hosts and a few pieces of the broadcast.
As usual, Corby led the charge with a good sprinkling of Danny mixed in. Mike occasionally woke up from his afternoon nap and tossed in a comment. But, whoever it was talking, it was a solid wall of railing against the ceremony, the venue, the people involved, the people in attendance, the people who were watching – mostly because it had to do with country music.
There were a lot of people in that arena on Sunday and many, many more watching on television and I’m guessing that many of those people actually enjoyed themselves. It’s a shame that those three people have such a myopic view of the world and can’t open themselves up and realize that the glasses that they view the world through are very narrowly focused.
I’m sad that this is what has become of the drivetime on one of the seminal radio stations in Dallas/Fort Worth, however, I really just feel sorry for the three of them as people….
@DRW1961
ReplyDeleteWell said sir. I was going to post something along these lines but you said it better than I could have.
I almost turned the station but, in the end, left it on just to see how low Corby and Danny could go.
See, on the other hand I throughly enjoyed the torching of the ACMs. Modern country in laughable bad to me and deserves our ridicule and scorn!
ReplyDelete@DRW1961 The Hard Line still tells it like it is. The ACM and everyone involved with its production deserved to be ripped a new one. The Musers rightfully made fun of it as well because of its stupidity. "Bro Country" is not authentic country music which is they are making fun of it. Good for the Hard Line. And give me a break, THAT segment is the last straw for you?
ReplyDeleteSo George, Rhett Miller, and nearly all the Red Dirt and Cow Punk and Americana and roots "accepted" genres of country whose singers don fake southern accents is somehow more legit? You actually think the dudes in Prophets and "Soul Shop Daddy Rock" Outlaws, the dudes from Dallas area elite prep schools, actually have East Texas twangs? Gimme a break. I agree that Bro Country and Hick Hop and that what passes for country nowadays is crap. But none of these Ticket musical clowns have any business railing on it. They have no business railing on any act or genre. Kidding me? Mike is 64 and has never been in an original band. Danny went from cheese d hair glam metal to already passe "look a what we hipsters 'discovered' Buck Owens' indie country to already passe indie shoe gazing rock. Corby. Enough said. George, God bless him, the Chicagoan who, in Randy "Manster" White fashion, developed an East TX drawl in his 40s.
ReplyDeleteYeah, THL really tells it like it is. Some bona fide, dues paying musicians, that lot.
@DRW1961 Well said. I had a thread with the Catman of the Americas about this the other day. Cat says that "he wants the host to be able to express their opinions freely" which is/was a huge part of how the Ticket became the giant that it did. It's not as if the hosts should be muzzled or any such thing… The question becomes what is their tolerance for risk in being so vitriolic towards a pursuit which a large part of their audience obviously enjoys... We are in Texas, after all…right, Snake/Bloodcock?
ReplyDeleteThe problem is their utter tone deafness in considering their audience before spouting their dismissive tirades, which they are attempting to present as some sort of highbrow humor. These guys (and Gordo) would play better in Berkeley or Boulder or Madison… But they seem to have forgotten that they are in Texas, the heart of the Bible belt, ground zero for red state/red-blooded conservatism, Mom, apple pie, and yes… country music. As such, it's not unreasonable to assume that a significant chunk of the Ticket listening audience comes from that demographic. And if you're constantly browbeating and belittling your listeners (aka people who pay your bills/salaries), eventually they will find something else to do with their time. It's like being in an abusive relationship… At some point, the put-upon party finally decides they've had enough and bails
I just think that the Cumulus higher-ups are simply failing to connect these dots…it works when you've got a bumpkin like Greggo spouting, because he's got (had) a lot in common with the demographic. But since Rhyner's now (figuratively) truly dead, there's no moderating influence on the histrionics of the guys who've expanded to fill the vacuum (Jake Kemp included)
First of all, I want to pre-say: I love the Ticket. Now,
ReplyDelete@ Ed: I do agree that the shows are suffering from this echo-chamber effect. They oppose each other pretty vehemently on sports topics on occasion but when they go into cultural and even borderline political stuff, it becomes groupthink. The Hardline drifted into this when Greggo checked out. There is no one in that studio to pop the balloon and tell them when they sound like a bunch of pompous windbags. But...still the best thing going.
They have opinions. They are talking about said opinions because they are talk radio hosts. I suppose they could twiddle their fingers but that would make for poor radio content.
ReplyDeleteThe ratings tell the story....
ReplyDeleteLMAO at corky making another "hold on to your butts" reference today.
ReplyDeleteI am really looking forward to a Ticket stream free of the "Soul Shop Daddy Rock" (thanks 4:11) oversinger.
While listening to some of the JubJam periphery on THL today, it struck me - is there a gradual fall off of charity efforts amongst radio shows as the day progresses? Maybe not, but it seems that way.
Strangis is leaving the Stars broadcast. That sucks. I thought he and Razor had great chemistry on air. I was surprised to read an article that was written during their last contract negotiations that they did not interact at all outside the broadcast booth.
ReplyDeleteOkay - I am three or four drinks in. Just a few "scatter shooting" thoughts while wondering......
ReplyDeleteOkay, so Corby and Danny totally decimated the ACM's. See the prior posts for background. Corby, Danny and, to a lesser extent, Rhyner, ran that into the F'n ground. The ACM's were total shit according to them.
Today, Corby goes off on how good the Wilco concert was! Seriously? He started his rant by saying "this is not the Superlative Corby". Really? Wilco? I youtubed Wilco and got their greatest "26" hits. Corby was comparing them to the best bands in the last 20 years. "They haven't got much mainstream appeal". You think, Corby?
And now, I have been streaming Jub Jam all night via the inter-web. Great, great listening. Suddenly cut off to Ferrell on the Bench. Really? Why advertise the streaming if it is gonna be cut off?
Some of the CTO's are just not getting it. CAT?
Ed...say it brotha!!!!!! RIGHT ON MAN! Anon 9:02, you too my friend.
ReplyDeleteThey are ALL in locked step regarding politics (including Strum and Jub) AND Tony Romo. I can tell you what they feel about any issue...think far left and Tony is THE greatest QB ever!!!! They live in a "bubble" and if you don't agree.....then well
If you think Corby and Bob share the same politics... Bob and Jake? Junior and T.C.? It would be the mother of all food fights if a red vs. blue political fight broke out at the Campound...
ReplyDeleteOne thing you have not heard from Ralph Strangis, in either print or verbally: a single word about Razor. He's mentioned everyone else. Everyone. But not Razor. I have to think that while he's being honest about his pursuit of other endeavors, it being "time," etc., I also have to think that if the RnR relationship was not as contentious as it supposedly is, he'd still be with the Stars. Anyone who watches Stars postgame shows has to have noticed how Razor literally bows his head down and stares at the ground with a blank "what the f is this talking about" look in his eyes when Ludwig or Sevy ask for Ralph's thoughts. Anyone who is a regular listener or viewer of Stars games has also noticed how Razor had taken to quickly and brusquely "correcting" any view Ralph had that Razor disagreed with. It was uncomfortable to listen to at times.
ReplyDeleteStay hard, Ralphie. You'll be missed.
Spot on Ed and very well said. If you have ongoing correspondence with Cat, ask him what the hell he's thinking with TC?
ReplyDeleteAnybody else think with Ralph leaving this is an opportunity for Bob to join the play by play team? It's been talked about for year that the only way Bob leaves is if a position with the Stars opens up, but scheduling is probably an issue. Not sure he wants to work that many nights and travel that much with having a family and all.
ReplyDelete@MoronDog
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Bob would take the position for the reasons you state-family, travel, etc.
He and Dan did the post game show for many years and stepped away from that.
I think that the Stars will go for an experienced PBP man-either in minor league hockey or one of the other NHL teams.
I wouldn't mind see them go after Gary Thorne, the long time ESPN hockey PBP announcer who is currently doing Orioles baseball.
As long as we are talking big names in hockey, why not give "Doc" Emrick a call?
The number of shows Bob would miss during hockey season pretty much rules him out.
ReplyDeleteThey need to get Razor and Ed Belfour in the booth together. It would be a train wreck, but it would be a great train wreck.
Check your butts every now and again just to make sure they're still there. Cuz while it's in no way official and only in fact only the infant stages of talks, Bob is definitely and I mean DEFINITELY on the Star's short list.
ReplyDeleteSo who is going to replace the orphanage?
ReplyDelete@Dustinweb if some of the commenters were in charge a hard right conservative show that loves modern country, hates Wilco, gives the ACMs glowing reviews, hates on Romo, and vilifies TC at every opportunity. Basically a show that panders to, what some appear to think, is the majority of thier audience.
ReplyDelete"@Dustinweb if some of the commenters were in charge a hard right conservative show that loves modern country, hates Wilco, gives the ACMs glowing reviews, hates on Romo, and vilifies TC at every opportunity. Basically a show that panders to, what some appear to think, is the majority of thier audience."
ReplyDelete@Anon 729pm
If some of the commenters were in charge, a hard left progressive show that hates modern country, loves Wilco, gives the ACMs the worst possible of reviews, loves Romo, and extols TC at every opportunity [would be the order of the day]. Basically a show that panders to what some appear to think is the majority of their audience.
Now doesn't that sound silly? It does. It is. And so does the picture you paint. Not one commenter has said all of those things. They've been mentioned by different commenters; but there is no one single commenter that has listed them all, much less enough commenters to make such a claim. Moreover, just because one might like contemporary country doesn't mean they're "hard right conservatives," anymore than it means liking Wilco necessitates "hard left progressiveness." And so on, and so on.
The few comments regarding a majority of Ticket listeners and country (I should say the "wrong" sort of country), may very well have a point. Perhaps that is true. Perhaps not. Regardless, the politicalization and all the rest necessary causal connections and correlations you posit are wooly.
The sociological narrative creation business is a risky endeavor. Pasting together sundry comments in collage-like fashion in order to create a composite "bogey man" Confessor is uncharitable to the Confessor. It's a reduction. Though I'm not one of them, there are far too many well thought, considerate Confessors here that hold some of the opinions you've pasted together in service of a narrative. None, however, fit neatly into it. Such is the risky business of narrative creation.
" Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete@Dustinweb if some of the commenters were in charge a hard right conservative show that loves modern country, hates Wilco, gives the ACMs glowing reviews, hates on Romo, and vilifies TC at every opportunity. Basically a show that panders to, what some appear to think, is the majority of thier audience."
100% of the opposite is what we have now. Some diversity would be good. Why are you anti-diversity?