RIP Toucher and Rich Show ... It was fun while it lasted

NortheasternPJ

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Well Fred just let the cat out of the bag about the divorce. It wasn't a joke and Stephanie went to two different divorce lawyers before she changed her mind.
 

JCizzle

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Well Fred just let the cat out of the bag about the divorce. It wasn't a joke and Stephanie went to two different divorce lawyers before she changed her mind.
Being in the public eye - even a little bit - doesn’t seem fun. I can’t imagine sharing something like that with the public. Hopefully his therapist is helping, COVID did a number on him.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Nov 16, 2004
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One of you called in today around 9, didn't you? ;)

Seriously, a caller lambasted Fred and Rich about the lack of "bits", and the focus on COVID and 'social justice'. The way they responded is why I like this show so much. They listened, and had a genuine conversation with the guy. Any other sports show would have turned it into a routine, got defensive, and blasted the caller.

Say what you will about the show these days, but the hosts are human and struggling to deal with things, which at the very least is relatable, if not always entertaining.
Well since that caller called in the show has taken a drastic turn. The non-stop COVID talk is over and not the entire show, they're actually doing stuff outside of complaining the whole time. It's been refreshing.

Plus tomorrow we get Fred, Hardy & Joe Murray. Should be an awesome show.
 

Patriot_Reign

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Apr 21, 2011
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Billy Lani (sp?) got some air time over the weekend. It'd be great if he was able to get in the rotation of vacation fill in hosts. Whenever I've heard him on the bits in F&M he strikes me as funny, captures the sarcastic Boston sports fan ethic, but with honesty.
 

Sir Lancelotti

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Almost threw my back out while working out listening to the Old Country Buffet training video bit this morning at 7AM. In the top 10 of hardest i've ever laughed at this show, they have had a really nice rebound since they rightfully got called out for the excessive COVID whining a few weeks back. Shooting fish in a barrel i know, but I loved them lighting up Peter King for complaining about the Nathan's hot dog eating contest during a pandemic last week as well.
 

JCizzle

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Almost threw my back out while working out listening to the Old Country Buffet training video bit this morning at 7AM. In the top 10 of hardest i've ever laughed at this show, they have had a really nice rebound since they rightfully got called out for the excessive COVID whining a few weeks back. Shooting fish in a barrel i know, but I loved them lighting up Peter King for complaining about the Nathan's hot dog eating contest during a pandemic last week as well.
I agree, the show is much improved recently. They seem to be having fun again rather than bickering nonstop. I know it's the dumbest, most basic segment, but leaning into "shooting the breeze" is also hilarious to me for some reason.
 

SidelineCameras

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Almost threw my back out while working out listening to the Old Country Buffet training video bit this morning at 7AM. In the top 10 of hardest i've ever laughed at this show, they have had a really nice rebound since they rightfully got called out for the excessive COVID whining a few weeks back. Shooting fish in a barrel i know, but I loved them lighting up Peter King for complaining about the Nathan's hot dog eating contest during a pandemic last week as well.
Thank you for this. I haven't listened to this station since the quarantine (like everyone), now I'm laughing loudly at this in my dining room.
 

VamonosPests54

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Sep 21, 2016
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It really has sounded better. Random thought: Rich said a few weeks back that Bird was let go due to budget cuts. Do you think they need him to come back? It might be time to move on from that Adolfo-like role on the show.

Speaking of... By the looks of his tweets I'm pretty sure Adolfo has gone insane.
 

Rusty13

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It really has sounded better. Random thought: Rich said a few weeks back that Bird was let go due to budget cuts. Do you think they need him to come back? It might be time to move on from that Adolfo-like role on the show.

Speaking of... By the looks of his tweets I'm pretty sure Adolfo has gone insane.
Bird was pretty much useless as a "talent" on the show. I got tired of his act a long time ago. I still miss some of the old regular Adolfo segments like the comic store bits or his "play-by-play", but there definitely is a ceiling for that stuff.
 

NortheasternPJ

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It really has sounded better. Random thought: Rich said a few weeks back that Bird was let go due to budget cuts. Do you think they need him to come back? It might be time to move on from that Adolfo-like role on the show.

Speaking of... By the looks of his tweets I'm pretty sure Adolfo has gone insane.
Sounds like Bird was furloughed with the idea of coming back. Fred also said that both Fred and Rich took pay cuts to keep Nick on board. I have no idea why Bird even had a job. I'm assuming he was basically minimum wage. Now that Nick has figured out Twitch, there's no reason for both Nick & Bird.
 

VamonosPests54

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Sep 21, 2016
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"How's The Roast Beef?" was funny and "What's In Your Stack?" with Adolfo was my favorite but having the designated dummy on the show might not be necessary anymore. They definitely are lacking bits cuz of the pandemic but "Shootin' the Breeze" should be a weekly segment. Rich almost ruined it the other day - He really needs to learn how to sit back and let Fred be Fred.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Shootin' The Breeze is a gem. There's almost no reason why it works and it's dumb but I love it.

I am glad Adolfo is gone but What's in Your Stack? was fantastic.
 

Patriot_Reign

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Remarkable that while pulling the ratings 98.5 currently is doing that staff would be getting cut. With the caveat that obviously many businesses are hurting due to current events, but damn if you want to get your business out there that's the station.

Conversely, how does 93.7 remain lucrative?
 

VamonosPests54

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Sep 21, 2016
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Remarkable that while pulling the ratings 98.5 currently is doing that staff would be getting cut. With the caveat that obviously many businesses are hurting due to current events, but damn if you want to get your business out there that's the station.

Conversely, how does 93.7 remain lucrative?
WEEI is dead in the water. Zabano has got to go along with Dale and Ordway. The Hub has done a good job retaining talent. There were rumors they were trying to get Hardy but that was a long time ago.

Arcand was the only real talent Beasley tried to dump but failed when people lost their collective shit over it. They made the right move keeping him. Pretty sure Bird was a long time coming. He tweeted a pic of himself in a packed bar in March making fun of corona - I don't think he was mentioned on the show for a while after that.
 

VamonosPests54

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Sep 21, 2016
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Maybe I spoke too soon saying Shootin' the Breeze should be a weekly bit after hearing this morning's segments. Yeeeesh. Not good.
 

dirtynine

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It’s just a vehicle for Fred to free-associate, so it’s completely dependent on how he’s feeling. You’re kind of panning for gold with STB, sometimes it enters a rare comedy air, sometimes it’s just kind of there. It goes against everyone but Freds’ instincts unfortunately - Rich especially is trying to score direct hits, and Fred’s approach is more absurdist and builds. I’m enjoying it.

I’m finding myself cracking up at the dumbest T&R thing - Fred’s text tone that goes off in the background from time to time during the show. It’s like this little two-note trumpet fanfare but it feels like an awkward rim shot every time, kind of like the shorter version of when they play the Seinfeld riff after a lame joke. They should use it purposefully during dead air to really punctuate awkward comedy.
 

JCizzle

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Maybe I spoke too soon saying Shootin' the Breeze should be a weekly bit after hearing this morning's segments. Yeeeesh. Not good.
The redeeming part was the guy who got Fred to fuck up every read for the rest of the show with the lazy tongue comment
 

NortheasternPJ

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Yeah that wasn't the best Shootin' The Breeze segments. I did love from 6:10 or so on when Fred was setting up "So in What's happened last night we'll talk about that big Revs game and then a football player and basketball player who hate the Jews" casually then spent the next 10 min on it.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Fred's COVID denier live free or die I'm going to live my life stuff makes me instantly turn off the show. He's so ignorant it's not even funny.
 

8slim

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Fred's COVID denier live free or die I'm going to live my life stuff makes me instantly turn off the show. He's so ignorant it's not even funny.
He was clearly mentally traumatized by the shutdown this Spring. In the 9am hour he went on a weird rant towards Rich, saying how Rich "must" be resentful of people who can live their lives now. It was alllll projection, and worst of all, terrible radio.

The show's been great lately, but anytime Fred wanders into COVID talk it gets awful.
 

NortheasternPJ

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He was clearly mentally traumatized by the shutdown this Spring. In the 9am hour he went on a weird rant towards Rich, saying how Rich "must" be resentful of people who can live their lives now. It was alllll projection, and worst of all, terrible radio.

The show's been great lately, but anytime Fred wanders into COVID talk it gets awful.
Yeah that's when I turned it off. I couldn't do it and he was being extremely disrespectful and dismissive. I was shocked that Rich didn't lose his mind since Fred was being such a prick. You couldn't pay me to go dine indoors right now unlike Fred.
 

JCizzle

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I really hope this show survives COVID. In the 6am hour, they discussed how the NFL players were speaking out against the lack of an NFL plan. Rich and Jon were making the point that the players are still going to play, but it's inexcusable that the NFL basically doesn't have a plan all these months later. Fred got up and left during the middle of the segment (dick move #1). During the break, the producer told Rich not to talk COVID. Coming out of the break, Rich (in a super passive aggressive way) asked Fred what he wanted to talk about because he was told that Fred wouldn't discuss anything COVID related. It was really fucking awkward all around, I haven't cringed that way in a long time. Hopefully the return of sports brings back a small bit of normalcy for them both.
 

NortheasternPJ

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I really hope this show survives COVID. In the 6am hour, they discussed how the NFL players were speaking out against the lack of an NFL plan. Rich and Jon were making the point that the players are still going to play, but it's inexcusable that the NFL basically doesn't have a plan all these months later. Fred got up and left during the middle of the segment (dick move #1). During the break, the producer told Rich not to talk COVID. Coming out of the break, Rich (in a super passive aggressive way) asked Fred what he wanted to talk about because he was told that Fred wouldn't discuss anything COVID related. It was really fucking awkward all around, I haven't cringed that way in a long time. Hopefully the return of sports brings back a small bit of normalcy for them both.
This is all on Fred. Rich has been paranoid but he’s not the one bringing it up. Fred’s whole “no athletes even care about COVID for health reasons they just want money” is tired. Listen to the whole break before he walked out, he was a dick. Then when Jeff Howe came on he did it again about the McCourty Brothers.

Fred’s the worst now and I think he’s well off the edge. This isn’t a Fred needs to go to rehab! Post as he talked about today. Fred seems off the deep end and needs a break mentally. He needs a month off. I don’t think it’s a booze thing but he’s talked nonstop about his prescriptions and impacting him. He needs time off.
 
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JCizzle

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This is all on Fred. Rich has beeN paranoid but he’s not the one bringing it up. Fred’s whole “no athletes even care about COVID for health reasons they just want money” is tired. Listen to the whole break before he walked out, he was a dick. Then when Jeff Howe came on he did it again about the McCourty Brothers.

Fred’s the worst now and I think he’s well off the edge. This isn’t a Fred needs to go to rehab! Post as he talked about today. Fred seems off the deep end and needs a break mentally. He needs a month off. I don’t think it’s a booze thing completely but he’s talked nonstop about his prescriptions and impacting him. He needs time off.
Yeah, I agree that some honest to goodness time off would probably do him well chilling on a beach somewhere. He's been great recently with the bits, but COVID just seems to stress him out more than a lot of people. I get that he's a bit on eggshells around Rich due to his situation, but there's no real opposing side to take when the discussion is that the NFL is too arrogant to even release a plan for safety. That's really low hanging fruit for common ground. It's not like they were debating the NFL returning at all or something, because we all know that's happening unless hell freezes over.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Nov 16, 2004
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And no Fred today and no acknowledgement he’s not there

Edit: just turned it back on and he's back. Just late I guess. Now Fred is saying that 80% of BLM supporters are anti-semites.
 
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Rusty13

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Nov 3, 2007
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Fred is slurring and rambling. He won’t last through this entire show today. What a mess.
 

Rusty13

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EDIT: decided to delete this post as it probably was a bit over the top. Again: hope Fred is ok!
 
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JCizzle

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That line about BLM was really gross. Yes, anti Semitism is awful, but that's an outrageous generalization. Clearly he's going through some shit. He needs to get his head right
 

JCizzle

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Love you Fred! Truly, you bring a lot of joy every morning. Something just seems off lately. I can't imagine having to talk through that publicly, I hope everything turns out ok.
 
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Salem's Lot

Andy Moog! Andy God Damn Moog!
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Jul 15, 2005
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They need to go to commercial. Come on producers. This guy has worked way to hard to have everything come apart like this.
 

NortheasternPJ

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Well I'm sure this thread's going to get a ton of attention now and I think it's unfortunate Fred took it the way he did. I think my feelings are pretty clear and I'll stand by them

1 - I love the show and have for years
2 - Fred and Rich and Wallach are great.
3 - It's been clear on the air that Fred is really having a hard time with the COVID and his home life. It's made the show not great at times and he needs some time off. I don't think it has anything to do with booze or him taking drugs especially when on air. I think mentally it seems like he needs a break and has for awhile. I can't imagine going on the air day after day going through this. I feel bad for him and want him to get better.
4 - I completely disagree with his COVID takes and minimizing it. From his take of "Athlete's don't care about getting sick" (and beating it to death) and other COVID related "kids are all going to school" and his way to "talk to a guy he knows about the COVID" and make a take that fits his needs.
5 - Anyone messaging or going after his kids or telling his kids anything is a fucking asshole.
 
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JCizzle

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I’m listening. He really needed a time out. That’s a guy going through mental hell. It’s a bad place I’ve been there.
Same here, there's nothing fun about what he's dealing with. Let alone during a pandemic. I remember showing up to work like a zombie and I'm obviously not in radio.
 

NortheasternPJ

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And Fred is gone now. Hopefully he's gone to get some help. They couldn't leave him on the air like that. I don't think he's drunk, but I think that he's probably mentally exhausted, hasn't been sleeping and at the end of his rope. We've all been there, it sucks never mind having to do it on the air.
 

Sanjuro

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And Fred is gone now. Hopefully he's gone to get some help. They couldn't leave him on the air like that. I don't think he's drunk, but I think that he's probably mentally exhausted, hasn't been sleeping and at the end of his rope. We've all been there, it sucks never mind having to do it on the air.
I missed his exit. You could tell Rich was in desperation mode pretty quickly when this all turned.
 

Haunted

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Fred if you are still reading this, I wish you all the happiness and health in the world. There's no malice in this thread for you.
 

NortheasternPJ

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That line about BLM was really gross. Yes, anti Semitism is awful, but that's an outrageous generalization. Clearly he's going through some shit. He needs to get his head right
The thing is, I agree with him about there seems to be a lot of anti-semitism lately and people being more vocal about it. I just think he did his point a huge disservice by unnecessarily calling 80% of BLM people anti-semites. He shouldn't stop railing on athletes and other celebs who are anti-semites because it is wrong. It's a shame with things like Q-Anon picking up in popularity because one of their central points is the Hathaway's own the banks (which he mentioned) and George Soros is secretly funding the deep state. Both are hugely anti-Semitic things and are awful.
 

amRadio

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Feb 7, 2019
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I hope it isn't alcohol, because that is an ugly struggle. I can totally relate to needing someone to talk to during this time. I used to struggle with alcohol and being at home during an anxious time has brought up a lot of old feelings. I know I need to find someone to talk to about it, I hope if Fred is down that road he can do the same. Divorce is ugly, can't imagine a public divorce and during a pandemic. I can't relate to what he's going through, so no judgement, but you gotta have support sometimes.