Makes sense to me. Sour grapes seems like the one thing they have in common.
Shertenlieb Show? Rich Radio? - mornings on ZLX
- Thread starter Rusty13
- Start date
I mean it's one of the most famous viral videos of all time? It's hardly obscure. For fucks sake Family Guy parodied the video
It’s a 14 year old viral video… if that thing gets referenced once a year I’d be shocked. Twice in the same day? No way
Isn't this Emerson guy in his mid 40s? Could you imagine acting like that at that age?
The show on Friday without Rich wasn't terrible because the wacky energy level was removed.
How many versions of the lebron's/pole vautler's/every man's penis audio is he going to do? He's beating the joke raw and it was only the first time, years ago, about lebron.
How many versions of the lebron's/pole vautler's/every man's penis audio is he going to do? He's beating the joke raw and it was only the first time, years ago, about lebron.
Probably the least entertaining 911 segment the other day. One new call that had little room to be funny and the replaying of the guy who kept handcuffing himself to himself...
It’s also annoying they don’t break up the podcasts. I’m not searching through hour long blocks to find this stuff.
He’s still reusing old stuff from T&R? Sounds like Rich is desperate. Those bits were only funny because of Fred.
Oof, I listened to it, it's new audio of the same lady but the bit SUCKED. Ted Johnson is not a comedian, why are you doing a bit like this with someone like him?
They didn't even pause the audio at any point, just played the clip, then said "that's crazy, that's insane" then played the next one.
Not a joke in sight
They didn't even pause the audio at any point, just played the clip, then said "that's crazy, that's insane" then played the next one.
Not a joke in sight
YOu're right, it is really odd. I can't believe how flat that landed with the source material. They literally said nothing during it and then made a few normal comments and moved on. Fred would have gone 40 minutes on that one clip.
I didn't realize I was still subscribed to the podcast. Not anymore, I can't support this.
It was kind of a bad sign when they had rotating hosts instead of a solid 2. I really think they needed Char or someone like her full time. Even Keefe wouldn't be bad.
I'll never go back to Fred (even though Hardy is great) but I'm really disappointed Rich can't make this work.
I'll never go back to Fred (even though Hardy is great) but I'm really disappointed Rich can't make this work.
I'm team Rich as much as anyone here and I unsub'd a long time ago; I'm surprised you lasted longer than I did!
Rich should take a page from the old O&A playbook and develop a roster of Boston area comedians and have them in studio on a rotating basis. Back in the day O&A was so good when they'd have whoever in and Anthony and the comedians would just bounce off each other. It felt so genuine and you could sense how much fun they were having.
I tuned in to the show last week for the first time in forever. I caught the last 3-4 minutes of a segment, which was pretty boring, and then they played a song.
It seems like this format is the worst of all worlds. I'm not tuning in for music, and the old ZLX morning listeners aren't tuning in for talk.
Really strikes me that this was the wrong show format for the wrong station at the wrong time of day. Maybe an afternoon drive show that was more entertainment than sports, on a station that didn't have a big preexisting music audience, would have been better?
It seems like this format is the worst of all worlds. I'm not tuning in for music, and the old ZLX morning listeners aren't tuning in for talk.
Really strikes me that this was the wrong show format for the wrong station at the wrong time of day. Maybe an afternoon drive show that was more entertainment than sports, on a station that didn't have a big preexisting music audience, would have been better?
You and I are similar. I haven't listened to Rich's show in weeks. The non stop Emerson appearances and overwhelming of the show finally did me in. And the content wasn't that appealing to begin with. But I also don't think I can listen to Fred anymore. I tried a couple weeks back and immediately remembered why Fred became unlistenable to me. As a long time T&R listener, it's sad. But I am officially done with BOTH talents. (And with local sports radio in general.)
"Trusted sources tell BRW that Rich and Ted Johnson are all done in the mornings at iHeart’s classic rocker WZLX 100.7. Checking on Mike Hurley’s status."
is what the tweet says.
Since we're supposed to copy the text of tweets here:
Boston Radio Watch
Trusted sources tell BRW that Rich and Ted Johnson are all done in the mornings at iHeart’s classic rocker WZLX 100.7. Checking on Mike Hurley’s status.
I just don't think this show was well-conceived from the start. Rich's talent is not in his ability to run a sports-centric show and that was clear when he hosted T&R for the long stretches when Fred was out.
I never listened to Rich’s solo show but I did like him as the Yin to Fred’s Yang on the old show. I feel for the guy, it sucks to get fired. I’d wager getting publicly shitcanned is worse.
Hopefully he has a good severance.
Saying all that it never seems that Rich had a passion for sports and was always playing catch up during the old show. Dude is obviously talented so maybe this will lead to a better fit down the road.
Hopefully he has a good severance.
Saying all that it never seems that Rich had a passion for sports and was always playing catch up during the old show. Dude is obviously talented so maybe this will lead to a better fit down the road.
Holding over Emerson, of all people, would be one of the worst moves they could do.
Bummed for Rich.
I agree. I think he probably needed to look outside the Boston market to grab someone with a Fred type personality to balance him if he couldn’t find one locally. Similar to why I’m not a huge fan of the Hardy version of T&R (two mirror image personalities), but understand that is likely a minority opinion.
Emerson is the main reason I stopped downloading and listening. It's probably just that he has a different length contract so IHR will just pay him to sit at home and gobble glizzies and take dumps.
They were told after the show. "Blindsided," I'm told, though I'm not sure how they could be with those ratings. ZLX likes Emerson a lot, and may want him to be part of whatever new show they have. Possibly Hurley too. It's gonna be a show more fitting with a classic-rock format.
Having Rich run a sports centric show, directly opposite of Toucher & Hardy on a classic rock station with Rich being the A personality, then filling it with Ted Johnson and Hurley is a absolutely horribly conceived show. I really like Hurley too and Hurley would do well in the Wallach chair for example.
Then Rich apparently shitting all over IHR when they demanded more music because TRSS got shit ratings seems like a bad idea. I’m sure he’ll complain he never got a real shot.
Also sums up why it didn’t work. He takes no accountability, blames everyone else and had THE TEAM with Hurley, Ted and Emerson. Anyone can go listen to the Brookline 911 call yesterday and see why the show didn’t work at all.
I feel bad Hurley gets lumped into this as he’s a great guy and i find him really good in the right role. I don’t even hate Ted, I like him during football Season when he’s not just axe grinding against Bill, but this wasn’t THE TEAM, in my opinion.
Eh. I took his mentioning of those guys -- his "TEAM" -- as a way to be thankful towards them. I didn't read that as any way of him putting them under the bus.
He definitely could have taken more responsibility, and his gripe about the music play is weak. But there is no spinning away the obvious person at fault here for this failure.
I hope Rich lands on his feet too, but I'm not so sure it will be in this shrinking market. He may have to seek opportunities elsewhere.
Apparently the parent company of ZLX laid Rich off as part of company-wide layoffs. Part of the layoffs included former Packer player and radio host John Kuhn.
View: https://twitter.com/Barrett_Media/status/1853503764713373734
Massive on-air and management cuts happening now at iHeartRadio. From
@radioinsight
: “The cuts include significant names across all levels of the company as it begins to implement a new operating structure following recent corporate restructurings. iHeart has been moving towards more regionalized operations at the market management level, which we’re told are also affecting promotions and sales teams. Most day-to-day programming of stations are moving to the national programming teams.”
https://x.com/IARadioMan/status/1853507099721945338
View: https://twitter.com/Barrett_Media/status/1853503764713373734
Massive on-air and management cuts happening now at iHeartRadio. From
@radioinsight
: “The cuts include significant names across all levels of the company as it begins to implement a new operating structure following recent corporate restructurings. iHeart has been moving towards more regionalized operations at the market management level, which we’re told are also affecting promotions and sales teams. Most day-to-day programming of stations are moving to the national programming teams.”
https://x.com/IARadioMan/status/1853507099721945338
I haven't listened in a few months except occasional podcast catchup. Shame for Rich, like many others i listened to the entire T&R run and always like him, but I echo the general sentiment he was doomed on ZLX.
I wasn't really on the Hurley train. His "snark" dial was set to 11, even though i'm of the generation that perfected sarcasm he was a bit much for me.
I wasn't really on the Hurley train. His "snark" dial was set to 11, even though i'm of the generation that perfected sarcasm he was a bit much for me.
What accountability was he supposed to take? Successful radio shows take a while to congeal, and most don't. Five months isn't nearly enough time. I mean, it took Conan O'Brien a full year for his first late night show to simply not be a total wreck, and it's not like Rich is Conan.
I found his goodbye note to be heartfelt and nice. Not sure why you'd expect him to fall on a sword and proclaim: "I suck, it's ALL my fault!".
Like I said, what Rich should own is that the format he designed for the show was doomed from the start. Adding the music was dumb, and he had every right to be pissed about that. But music or not, this thing wasn't going to work. He should have done a different show at a different time on a different station.
I don't think it was the station's call. iHeart included him in a company-wide layoff because they're streamlining their programming. I get the sense their show was a goner even if it was pulling in better ratings. Rich and Ted probably make a lot of money and were prime candidates to get laid off based on what I read about iHeart's intentions from Barrett.