I've listened sporadically the past couple of days, but Fred's voice was pretty good but he did have some hoarseness a couple times. He did do voices today, so hopefully that means he's feeling pretty good.Yea, I'm not sure its "taking a couple of days to recharge". I definitely HOPE it is, but the T and R twitter has been silent. No show promotion and no retweets. I feel like that speaks volumes.
I haven't been able to listen today. How is Fred's voice compared to yesterday? Hoping it isn't worse the more he talks.
Yeah, he took responsibility but didn't apologize. I could certainly understand if that bothered Rich.If Rich was waiting for some kind of on-air apology from Fred, I don't think whatever he said yesterday ("I was scared, tweeting dumb stuff, it was wrong, whattayagonnado") really checked the box.
That and Fred sure seems to be milking the thought that he had cancer.I think the conjecture of "being cancer-free" that was discussed yesterday may also be a sore spot with Rich as well.
How dare you malign Dave and Chuck the Freak?And now with WAAF and WBCN in the distant rear view mirror, there are few active rock stations left.
The Royal TouchenbaumsEven Wallach corrected Fred yesterday when he brought it up.”You didn’t have cancer”
I will betray myself and admit that I have absolutely no idea who those people are.How dare you malign Dave and Chuck the Freak?
I mean the man admitted he was scared. That’s not an easy thing to admit for a lot of peopleThe "cancer survivor" thing was one point where I thought Fred was contrite even though he didn't outright apologize. I disagree that he's milking it - cancer directly related to your ability to perform your livelihood even if you don't die seems like a pretty big deal. That's no small fear.
Consider yourself lucky. It's a typical morning zoo program on 92.9 (which is not a bad station). They're out of Detroit, I believe, and have all of the cliches: KWAZY callers! (I think about this one, I've listened to the show a few times but the ads are incessant). Veiled sexual innuendo that would make Angus Young roll his eyes. Two loud idiots and their wacky, can-you-believe-we-hired-these-people, co-workers. Wacky headlines. Noises. Drops. It's exactly what you think.I will betray myself and admit that I have absolutely no idea who those people are.
"Hostile work envronment" is a legal term of art applied to discrimination claims. "My insufferable co-worker makes work suck" is unlikely to allow him to quit *and* get paid.In Minihane's last podcast he said he's heard from two separate people at 98.5 that earlier this week there was a meeting with Fred, Rich, the PD, and other important people where they discussed the show and Fred. Supposedly Rich refused to speak and eventually put his wife on who said that it was a hostile work environment and that Rich does not want to return to the show.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birdman/id1467438756?i=1000612805948
Oof. Yuck. I'm sure they're still doing all those canned bits that O@A used to make fun of relentlessly.Consider yourself lucky. It's a typical morning zoo program on 92.9 (which is not a bad station). They're out of Detroit, I believe, and have all of the cliches: KWAZY callers! (I think about this one, I've listened to the show a few times but the ads are incessant). Veiled sexual innuendo that would make Angus Young roll his eyes. Two loud idiots and their wacky, can-you-believe-we-hired-these-people, co-workers. Wacky headlines. Noises. Drops. It's exactly what you think.
I painfully got through 10 minutes of that. I don't get how anyone listens to Minihane, Everything about him is awful.In Minihane's last podcast he said he's heard from two separate people at 98.5 that earlier this week there was a meeting with Fred, Rich, the PD, and other important people where they discussed the show and Fred. Supposedly Rich refused to speak and eventually put his wife on who said that it was a hostile work environment and that Rich does not want to return to the show.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birdman/id1467438756?i=1000612805948
Tragicomic. Been tragicomic for awhile.And another Toucher and Rich thread turns tragic.
Even hearing their promos is so aggravating that changing the channel is not enough. I need to switch to a podcast just to make sure they’re not in my life again for a while.Oof. Yuck. I'm sure they're still doing all those canned bits that O@A used to make fun of relentlessly.
This part baffles me. I really hope that’s not true. But obviously huge grain of salt given the source.Rich needs to fire his agent if his wife is handling that instead of the agent.
Maybe he has enough cash and he’s just looking to be happy in his next gig? I would think that if he’s done with Fred’s shit this isn’t something that happened overnight.I don’t get the end game here for Rich. Is anyone going to pay him half what he’s getting now vs him and Fred together? Fred’s Batman and Rich’s Robin. He’s a great 1b but he’s not the alpha. They’ve been sustaining ratings but I know i listen a lot less when there’s no Fred.
If so, good for him and hope he does well and is happy. I can imagine Dealing with Fred for being gone for over 2 years on and off and being a dick about it sucks.Maybe he has enough cash and he’s just looking to be happy in his next gig? I would think that if he’s done with Fred’s shit this isn’t something that happened overnight.
Spending years in a shitty relationship sucks. Getting out, even if it costs you cash in the short term might be worth it long term. Life’s too short, you know? Especially if you’ve got some extra cash.
Given the extent of his wife's illness I'd wager he's paid a lot of out of pocket money into paying for her care. And given the unknown, in his case he probably can't ever have enough money.Maybe he has enough cash and he’s just looking to be happy in his next gig? I would think that if he’s done with Fred’s shit this isn’t something that happened overnight.
Spending years in a shitty relationship sucks. Getting out, even if it costs you cash in the short term might be worth it long term. Life’s too short, you know? Especially if you’ve got some extra cash.
I mean, just ask Stephanie.Maybe he has enough cash and he’s just looking to be happy in his next gig? I would think that if he’s done with Fred’s shit this isn’t something that happened overnight.
Spending years in a shitty relationship sucks. Getting out, even if it costs you cash in the short term might be worth it long term. Life’s too short, you know? Especially if you’ve got some extra cash.
I don’t know what Rich’s health insurance is like, maybe it’s good? IDK. But that’s another reason for Rich not to put up with Fred’s shit.Given the extent of his wife's illness I'd wager he's paid a lot of out of pocket money into paying for her care. And given the unknown, in his case he probably can't ever have enough money.
They've been together so long, and had so much success it's hard to imagine that with Fred back and healthy they can't find a way to negotiate through their differences and become a team again.
I mean if Rich is in studio Tuesday morning at 6am the show will probably pull a 50 share.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I coulda swore that 10-12 days into his absence Fred posted that it wasn’t cancer. Or alluded to it.That and Fred sure seems to be milking the thought that he had cancer.
Makes you wonder how long ago he knew that he was cancer free and he’s still bringing it up, as in before or after his now deleted tweets.
Even Wallach corrected Fred yesterday when he brought it up.”You didn’t have cancer”
I would imagine that if Rich is seriously considering pulling the ripcord, he’s already got something else nearly locked up and he’ll still need a producer.If Rich pulls the ripchord, he has to know he’s putting Lockhart’s continued employment at risk as well. After all, Beasley isn’t paying Lockhart (allegedly). So I imagine Rich will have to help get that straightened out in some fashion. Outside of that, go do what makes you happy.
This has some Lionel Hutz working on contingency vibes to it.Toucher? and Rich?
Its just as likely that Rich and his family have decided that health and happiness is most important now. More important than "becoming a team again" with a guy who is at best, kind of fucked up, and at worst, a colossal asshole. And more important than a 50 share.Given the extent of his wife's illness I'd wager he's paid a lot of out of pocket money into paying for her care. And given the unknown, in his case he probably can't ever have enough money.
They've been together so long, and had so much success it's hard to imagine that with Fred back and healthy they can't find a way to negotiate through their differences and become a team again.
I mean if Rich is in studio Tuesday morning at 6am the show will probably pull a 50 share.
To be fair, Greg Hill has had zero interest in anything peripheral to his career for a long time. He didn't give two shits about music on 'AAF (where his show slowly morphed into a bad Stern show clone and you were lucky to get more than a couple songs an hour), or sports (he was or is the worst kind of "fan," only using the teams' successes to pump up his importance). Greg Hill only has interest in being paid as much as possible to do as little work as possible while letting everyone else carry the show with his name on it.Regarding the ratings, I think we need to consider the competition as well. I don't have a commute so I don't really listen in the mornings, but the Hillman-on-WEEI show was abysmal when I listened. Greg had zero sports interest and entirely relied on the others to carry any discussion. It was terrible radio. And now with WAAF and WBCN in the distant rear view mirror, there are few active rock stations left.
All true. They also have Adam XII I think?To be fair, Greg Hill has had zero interest in anything peripheral to his career for a long time. He didn't give two shits about music on 'AAF (where his show slowly morphed into a bad Stern show clone and you were lucky to get more than a couple songs an hour), or sports (he was or is the worst kind of "fan," only using the teams' successes to pump up his importance). Greg Hill only has interest in being paid as much as possible to do as little work as possible while letting everyone else carry the show with his name on it.
That rant aside, the signal isn't as strong (but seems to be getting stronger), but 100.1 (The Pike, I think) is pretty decent for rock radio and has at least two former 'AAF DJs in Hsu and Carrie anchoring the rotation.
I believe you're right. He's a lifer in the Boston radio scene.All true. They also have Adam XII I think?
I've worked with some genuine top rank assholes who are ruthless in the way they treat others and the people above them are happy to look the other way because they bring in so much money to their companies.Anyone who has been in the adult working world for any length of time has experienced the ill effects of working with someone that makes you dread coming to work every day.
I agree with this take, & will add that being a person who has had a lifetime of health issues myself…the notion that Rich’s wife allegedly gotten involved suggests to me they’ve been planning this & they have an exit prepared wherein she’s going to be protected vis-á-vis healthcare. I’ve never left a job without having one lined up, but that’s my cautious nature.I don’t know what Rich’s health insurance is like, maybe it’s good? IDK. But that’s another reason for Rich not to put up with Fred’s shit.
And it’s not like Rich is going to start temping or something. The dude is talented, he’s part of a number one radio juggernaut in a top six market. He’s always going to have a job. Will it be as fulfilling as the good times with Fred? Probably not. Will it be as maddening as the bad times with Fred? Also probably not.
My guess is that he takes a haircut paywise, but I bet he’ll still do pretty well. Let’s put it this way, if he’s able to pay a producer his salary out of his own pocket, after his wife went through her shit, my guess is that he’s doing more than okay.
I’m not Rich’s accountant but I wouldn’t be surprised if I was closer to being correct in my assumption.
Have you heard about Lux Auto Plus? /sMike Hsu lives in my neighborhood (no idea where specifically but he’s posted “this is a neighbors house” pictures that are very close to me) and has turned into an outstanding weed and food influencer for Worcester. I take a lot of restaurant tips from him.
Adam 12 is on 92.9 from 11-4 on weekdays (he’s been there for a while now after being on RadioBDC and then Indie617, respectively former and current streaming outfits).All true. They also have Adam XII I think?
I agree it's probably not a big deal to bottom-line driven higher-ups.I've worked with some genuine top rank assholes who are ruthless in the way they treat others and the people above them are happy to look the other way because they bring in so much money to their companies.
Fred acting like a narcissistic low self confidence baby and putting out the occasional passive agressive social media posts is not that big a deal.