If you had "hour #1" in your when does Ted Johnson bash Bill office pool, you won!
Shertenlieb Show? Rich Radio? - mornings on ZLX
- Thread starter Rusty13
- Start date
I don't think he expected me to be there, actually. A bunch of media were invited over. I was the only one that showed up, other than Levan Reid, who I think was in the building anyway.
Rich had a fantastic news segment about a rat in Somerville coming up through the toilet and the segment was so average at best. The show isn't bad but it's so indistinguishable from any other generic morning show. It's only Day 2, so I'm giving them some slack. The show isn't bad, I'll definitely listen on podcasts etc. It's perfectly fine. Hurley just isn't the right guy and I hate saying that because I like him a lot over the last 10 years.
The rat toilet segment was ok? Rich spent half of it laughing over and wheezing over the clip and sounding like it was new. One of the biggest things of T&R was that Rich would produce these things and Fred vowed never to listen to them ahead of time. Fred's for all his faults is very quick on responses and making things funny.
Rich producing the bits, with no real supporting cast to react live and do a great job they just fall flat. Then laughing at himself is not good.
Then they played the AI generated folk music songs later and the songs were pretty funny, but no one is there to react. Rich also made a comment about how "everyone's afraid of AI but we got these great clips" and he's been actually one of the people ahead of this in the Black Mirror world. But then he's Pro-AI and loves it. Rich playing a well produced funny news segment, other audio and Rich laughing along with the other 2 hosts laughing sucks.
I really like Wildler, I hope she kills it and then over time becomes the 2nd chair. Now we've got something going
The rat toilet segment was ok? Rich spent half of it laughing over and wheezing over the clip and sounding like it was new. One of the biggest things of T&R was that Rich would produce these things and Fred vowed never to listen to them ahead of time. Fred's for all his faults is very quick on responses and making things funny.
Rich producing the bits, with no real supporting cast to react live and do a great job they just fall flat. Then laughing at himself is not good.
Then they played the AI generated folk music songs later and the songs were pretty funny, but no one is there to react. Rich also made a comment about how "everyone's afraid of AI but we got these great clips" and he's been actually one of the people ahead of this in the Black Mirror world. But then he's Pro-AI and loves it. Rich playing a well produced funny news segment, other audio and Rich laughing along with the other 2 hosts laughing sucks.
I really like Wildler, I hope she kills it and then over time becomes the 2nd chair. Now we've got something going
I appreciate having headlines, but including 5 "Front and Center" updates per podcast episode is a choice I think I can live without.
I was flipping back and forth between the shows this morning, and I think Wilder might be the most interesting listen out of all of them.
She had a pretty cool vibe and it's great to have a female co-host with bonafides.
I like Kendra and she can really hold her own, but she has to fend off creepy Fred too much and her talent gets a bit wasted.
It's striking to me the difference in the tone of the two shows. Relative to T&H it will be different strokes for different folks.
I find TRSS to be much more lighthearted and supportive so far, and they behave like normal sports fans.
It's certainly a contrast to the antagonistic, condescending, and negative approach that is routine to Fred and TSH in general.
I'd love to see TRSS expand its stable of contributors and it sounds like that is one of Rich's goals.
Tom Giles (yesterday) as the first official guest was a bit of a surprise, but as an NBCSB/Celtics onair personality he was about the only one that hasn't shown up on T&H or T&R that I recall. Plus apparently he's friendly with Hurley, so that helps TRSS with Celtics coverage. I like John Karalis as well, so that was a good get this morning. Hurley/Giles links, and Giardi/Karalis links (BSJ). I'm guessing they'll ride the Celts through the end of the season. I hope they line up some Sox media soon and that Giardi can help them cultivate some NFL guests as well as training camp approaches (Giardi is a semi-regular on Andrew Callahan's pod so hopefully Callahan will join in the future...)
I like Kendra and she can really hold her own, but she has to fend off creepy Fred too much and her talent gets a bit wasted.
It's striking to me the difference in the tone of the two shows. Relative to T&H it will be different strokes for different folks.
I find TRSS to be much more lighthearted and supportive so far, and they behave like normal sports fans.
It's certainly a contrast to the antagonistic, condescending, and negative approach that is routine to Fred and TSH in general.
I'd love to see TRSS expand its stable of contributors and it sounds like that is one of Rich's goals.
Tom Giles (yesterday) as the first official guest was a bit of a surprise, but as an NBCSB/Celtics onair personality he was about the only one that hasn't shown up on T&H or T&R that I recall. Plus apparently he's friendly with Hurley, so that helps TRSS with Celtics coverage. I like John Karalis as well, so that was a good get this morning. Hurley/Giles links, and Giardi/Karalis links (BSJ). I'm guessing they'll ride the Celts through the end of the season. I hope they line up some Sox media soon and that Giardi can help them cultivate some NFL guests as well as training camp approaches (Giardi is a semi-regular on Andrew Callahan's pod so hopefully Callahan will join in the future...)
I listened yesterday for a bit—like the last 40 minutes or so of the show. A little everyone stepping all over each other talking, but not terrible. Rich seemed like he was trying to do a bit too much, and it doesn’t have rhythm yet. Will continue to give it a shot for a bit while commuting twice a week.
It’s still a bit of a chaotic mess but it makes for much better background noise radio while driving with my kids than Toucher and Hardy. I was a massive fan of Toucher for a long time, but that show has become borderline unlistenable for me. I’ll keep giving Rich a shot at least when I have my kids in the car and need the language to be PG-13ish.
I listened today and this was my reaction as well. I was also glad to hear about 50% non-sports.
I listened to a bunch today between around 7 to 9 am. I thought it was a good, fun listen and banter -- even with Ted Johnson there. Hurley is starting to get in a better groove and genuinely seems to have some chemistry with Rich. I still don't like this Big Show rotational feel to it though.
When I heard Bird getting street audio for the Rich show, I figured he was off 98.5 going forward. But T&H played a Bird movie review yesterday (I haven’t listened, just looking at show notes). If there are personalities crossing between the shows it could add an interesting undercurrent.
Apropos of very little, “Shertenlieb” seems like one of those names first generation Americans anglicized to “Short” and was never heard again.
The transcript of the podcast for the show was AI generated and "autocorrected" his name to Shirt and Leaves... 
Pretty much that's the entire demographic for all sports radio in Boston except for probably leans older than that. 40 - dead
Yeah if I'm going to listen to music in a commute I would rather just listen to it without commercial interruption. I guess you could say the same thing about sports talk... I guess this is why terrestrial radio is dying
I was pinging between the two shows this morning, and Rich’s bit on Stephen A was the hardest I’ve laughed since the show started.
TRSS played "Peace Sells" as a bumper and went back in on how stupid those lyrics are. I wish they had stayed on it longer. I love when they make fun of Megadeth, especially because of how seriously I took Megadeth when I was in middle school.
Yup. The music bits and reemergence of Mike Behind the Mike have been good. But no Charlotte today... thought she was going to be a regular on Wednesdays.
Rolling Stones ticket giveaway this morning was very well done. 5 questions related to bits done within first 10 days of show...
Barrett Sports Media article on the show:
https://barrettsportsmedia.com/2024/05/29/can-rich-shertenlieb-lead-a-charge-of-sports-hosts-leaving-sports-radio-stations/
https://barrettsportsmedia.com/2024/05/29/can-rich-shertenlieb-lead-a-charge-of-sports-hosts-leaving-sports-radio-stations/
I have to imagine there's some market research that proves the effectiveness of playing full songs coming in from breaks, but I don't get it at all. It's an instant app switch for me.
They're playing a full song now after every break instead of just bumper music? Is it every break?
I don't listen all morning so I can't say for sure, but I don't think it's every break.
All I know is that yesterday I flipped on the iHeartRadio app as they were playing Is This Love by Whitesnake, and today was Rock & Roll Ain't Noise Pollution by AC/DC. Instant flips back to T&H for me.
Yesterday they were talking Pats and it was perfectly fine. They had a helmets-and-shorts practice the day before and Giardi was there. It was a logical and reasonable segment to have.
I'm not an unreasonable guy, I just want appropriate context for my summer Pats talk.
Preach.
You know what? Pats talk in May or June or even early July fucking sucks. It's boring, it's speculative and it's all revolving around a team that's probably going to go 4-13. Unless it's an injury, nothing new is coming out of OTAs, so the NFL experts have to spin the boring shit that they're watching into something "interesting". And if they were good at that, they'd be best selling fiction authors.
Bailey Zappe thinks he's going to be on the roster and that he's going to contribute to winning team! Wow. Stop the presses.
If mundane off season football minutia is your thing, that's awesome. I like mundane off season baseball minutia, we all have our kinks. Like 8slim, it's a complete snore to me.
Um, Actually I'm guessing they were on an ad break
View: https://twitter.com/heyrichhey/status/1795810972118188193
(Probably no one will get the Um, Actually reference but that's okay. I'm amused by it.)
I've been only getting commercials when I listen on the app. Instant "channel changer" for me. I would prefer full blown classic rock songs as a bridge between breaks quite frankly. I would be more likely to keep it streaming.
Seems odd but OK. Some of these songs are 4+ minutes long, and they play after I’ve already heard a couple minutes of commercials. That’s a hella long ad break.
I’m with you. I checked out of Pats talk (and message boarding) from late February right up until Draft week. It was just the same repetitive conversations about QBs, etc.
I don’t begrudge anyone from enjoying it. And I totally understand why radio shows talk about it. The NFL is a 24/7/365 ratings powerhouse. Hell, I was once part of an ESPN research team that used survey findings to show producers why they can’t ever go wrong covering the NFL at any time of year. The insatiable appetite for it is instance.
It’s just that on a personal level, I need breaks from my favorite sports. I’m a huge college football fan, but at the moment I don’t watch to have much to do with it until August. Once this NBA Finals wraps (and hopefully we’ve all enjoyed a duck boat parade), I’m good with largely shelving that league until October.
And I know there will be Pats talk when the OTAs happen in a couple weeks. That’s fine. At least something real is happening. But after that I’ll just have no interest until camp starts. It’s me, I own it.
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who is sick of Patriots talk right now. There is nothing interesting going on with them.
I would rather listen to commercials than another conversation about when Drake Maye should play.
I would rather listen to commercials than another conversation about when Drake Maye should play.
The show is quickly amassing some great re-useable sound bites:
Plus a lot of rock/classic rock talk off of the bumpers coming out of commercials is different from his other show. Smart and a no-brainer, given the traditional station audience.
- "Halliburton? Halli-hurtin!"
- Male Karen 911 caller
- Suspended license mobile Zoom caller
- SAS
Plus a lot of rock/classic rock talk off of the bumpers coming out of commercials is different from his other show. Smart and a no-brainer, given the traditional station audience.
Yup. Instant classic. Those ladies are an absolute model of composure.
I also liked Ted Johnson almost getting scammed. I'm liking Ted more these days because he's not afraid to be vulnerable, like when he didn't know about the Fargo "based on a true story thing" and he was so embarrassed. It was also nice that the co-hosts didn't pile on or try to make him feel more like an idiot than he already did, which is already more than he should have. I don't think his sports takes are that bad.
I like this show because I generally get a better mood after listening to it than before. The doodoo farty-fart talk gets old but they can fix that or I can just put up with it.
Agreed. It's generally just more positive and upbeat to their obvious direct competitor. I saw @bostonradio tweet out some general feedback he's been getting from other people saying this as well.
Not to be rude or anything, but I’m still waiting for original bits from this guy. I’ve tried listening and it’s literally the show when Fred is out. And I’m directing this criticism solely on Rich, not to the other guys. He had 7 months to craft his show and the best he could come up was this? Renaming Brookline 911? recaps? SH Headlines?
I agree I like the vibe better than T&H. Absolutely the first place I’m going after a win. But it needs a voice to cut through the “fun” stuff just a little bit. It doesn’t need to be a cynical grump, just somebody whose first inclination isn’t to go along without pushing back / digging in a little / creating some chemistry.
I love the music talk. They could do a full segment on that a day and I’d be down.
I hope Rich is just using the first 2-3 months to figure out who/what in his bag of tricks is working, and will adjust from there.
I love the music talk. They could do a full segment on that a day and I’d be down.
I hope Rich is just using the first 2-3 months to figure out who/what in his bag of tricks is working, and will adjust from there.
Yeah, that's kinda where I'm at. I think it's just a matter of taste and timing for me. I know after a win that Rich will likely be upbeat. T&H will probably both have some form of a curmudgeon glass half empty response. Sometimes I want that curmudgeon reaction after a loss when I'm pissed myself. Sometimes it's nice to listen to something more upbeat when they win.
Which again is why they were such a great match at their peak and why neither show has a chance of ever being as good.
I agree with both of you. In the end, Rich is going to need a decent -- at least semi-regular -- 2nd chair that can play off of him and maybe push back a bit. It feels like Ted Johnson has gotten the bulk of the rotations so far, and that's just not going to work long term IMO.
I like it more than I thought I would. Sure, it's not much different than when Rich was running T&R minus Fred, but it's better. Hurley and Giardi are better than Wallach and a wash with RJ. Teddy J isn't great but he's better than expected.
The show does need someone who can fill that quick/funny/sardonic voice, but it's a good alternative to TSH.
The show does need someone who can fill that quick/funny/sardonic voice, but it's a good alternative to TSH.
Hurley is there daily. But he's clearly "the flash guy". At least for now. He has been growing on me and does seem to have some chemistry with Rich. He's already more entertaining than Wallach after just 3 weeks. But I'm not sold he can be that "#2" solution.
It’s better than “the show when Fred is out”. The other hosts are able to keep Rich’s more manic moments at bay, which none of the non-Fred 98.5 guys could do.
The show is, what, 3 weeks in? I’m sure there will be more original bits coming. They’ve done a few already.
Thanks, I haven't been in the car during 6-10 lately so I haven't been switching around. I wonder if they're waiting for someone to hit the B chair?I thought that was Hurley, but doesn't seem like it. I hate to repeat it but I love Hurley and he's a great guy, but Rich needs a #2 that's not a yes man.
And at least from what I've heard, it's not overly reliant on listener calls, which is already a huge improvement
I'm hoping that will be Char.
The lack of Wallach interruptions already makes this show superior to what T&R without T was.
Third thing is Rich couldn't be any more right about Extreme. Some of the best guitar playing and catchiest riffs you'll ever hear (compare Decadence Dance with the main parts of Rhapsody in Blue, for instance) coupled with total garbage lyrics. I saw them live and unfortunately the cringe perfectly balanced the virtuosity.
Living Colour opened for them, and I have to say that's brave of Extreme because Living Colour is better at every position except guitar. Corey Glover can sing circles around Cherone.
Living Colour opened for them, and I have to say that's brave of Extreme because Living Colour is better at every position except guitar. Corey Glover can sing circles around Cherone.
