Toucher and Hardy: The new 98.5 morning show

[8slim]

I agree. Wallach is a great fit for the show, he has his place and it's better that he's there. Replacing him with a AI Bot isn't going to help anything.

I don't dislike Wallach as much as some folks, but I'm not sure I'd say he's as good a fit as he once was. Reason being that they don't do any Wallach bits anymore. When I started listening to T&R 10-ish years ago, they had the big Wallach head, the bird stuff, him playing the clarinet, Shazowie, Walldick, etc. I can't remember the last time they did a Wallach bit, I think it's been years.

If he's just the update guy and occasional interloper to conversations he's not really bringing much to the show.

 

[HarvardSqr]

If he's just the update guy and occasional interloper to conversations he's not really bringing much to the show.

I don't disagree that he's not as important to the show now. Whereas, when Rich was there, even 5 or more years ago, during sports topics the show basically sounded like Fred having a discussion with Wallach, and Fred doing the majority of the talking. Hardy is talking more now than when he joined the show, but he still doesn't seem to talk as much as I was expecting, when it comes to a lot of topics. If the third chair is eliminated from the show, is Hardy going to talk a lot more? I think Hardy has the most correct sports opinions on the show, but he's very concise with them.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Fred’s obsession with SNL is odd. It’s like every 3 months we get 20 min on SNL. A full analysis of previous casts, he states every time about how they need more cast members now because of race, gender etc. and there’s too many people.

I’ve never met anyone in my life that thinks of SNL at all outside of memorable skits.

 

[4 6 3 DP]

Wallach is sitting in the Meterparel role - supposedly he's more the "sports guy" while the hosts are the entertainment, but they aren't smart enough about any of the teams they talk about to upstage the lead guys. It's always frustrating to me to listen to Wallach talk about the teams he is supposedly paid as a full time employee to know and cover and know way less about them than I do, but the model has never been to employ someone who actually knows these teams inside and out and can supply useful information to a listener. They are just there for comic relief and shtick.

My suspicion is that what I want to listen to (actual intelligent analysis) is not commercially supportable and best saved for podcasts, and the Wallach's of the world will exist comfortably on major radio.

 

[dirtynine]

Fred’s obsession with SNL is odd. It’s like every 3 months we get 20 min on SNL. A full analysis of previous casts, he states every time about how they need more cast members now because of race, gender etc. and there’s too many people.

I’ve never met anyone in my life that thinks of SNL at all outside of memorable skits.

I haven’t heard this segment, but I am subscribed to at least two SNL podcasts at the moment. I probably think about it more than necessary too. To be fair, with the debut of the 50th season and the election sure to drive viewership it’s definitely in the spotlight right now.

 

[HarvardSqr]

Yeah, and also the movie "Saturday Night" that's coming out in theaters next week about the premiere of the show in 1975. I've seen multiple articles in the past few days about that, the new season, and why SNL isn't as good anymore.

I think Fred may listen to Dana Carvey and David Spade's podcast as well, as I think he's specifically referred to Spade's opinion about there being so many cast members now that nobody has enough work to get comfortable or become popular. Dana Carvey has mentioned that it took him like four seasons to get comfortable on SNL, and he was the most featured cast member of his era.

Also, as I remember, when Rich was on the show he was always interested in having discussions about SNL, which partly explains why T&R/T&H has gone over best casts, etc. multiple times.

 

[Rusty13]

I might have to turn into 6 am to hear Fred gloat about the summer ratings. I have a feeling he is going to be VERY chipper tomorrow!

 

[NorthShoreBeefin]

I might have to turn into 6 am to hear Fred gloat about the summer ratings. I have a feeling he is going to be VERY chipper tomorrow!

Have they been posted anywhere?

 

[HarvardSqr]

 

[NorthShoreBeefin]

1.8?! Rich might be gone by the end of the year!

 

[NDame616]

So I'd always have assumed Wallachs job was safe but I think Hardy REALLY doesn't like him.

I think Fred does a lot of "friendlyish" ball busting with Wallach, as he's done for decades, but I get actually annoyance/irritation from Hardy with Wallach.

SHUT UP WALLACH LET ME FINISH
YOU GOING TO LET ME SPEAK NOW? THANKS

Etc

 

[Recovering Adjunct Prof]

Well, they don't have to do bits you see, because he looks like a bird! A BIRD! Sqawk squawk!

Every time someone mentions Wallach, hey, a bird! Did you abandon your religion? BIRD!

 

[ramfan]

I like they’re bringing people like Callahan in for an hour. Nice change of pace.

I agree, his sense of humor fits and the 2 facts and a lie is a great segment. Good that Hardy seems to be doing more production and regular pieces like he did to mid days instead of both of them ad libbing it.

 

[NDame616]

Someone called in today to bitch about Fred constantly reminding us he isn't a Pats fan (during a segment about the Jets/Patriots Fred said about 6 times how he is NOT a Pats fan, but if he was....) The caller was a mess ("man I never listen to your show but EVERY TIME THAT I DO!!") but simple ball busting. He then circled back to Rich and asked what really happened. Fred was like "I don't like him. There. Do you think he's in a better place now? Because I don't...."

Considering the latest books it seemed like a weird time to do a pro-Rich flex

 

[rowinthevine]

He then circled back to Rich and asked what really happened. Fred was like "I don't like him. There. Do you think he's in a better place now? Because I don't...."

It was even more damning imo. The caller asked if it was as simple as Rich getting a better contract. Fred said that is what Rich claims but does the caller think that Rich is in a better situation? The caller than said "I have no idea what Rich is doing." So Fred concluded that Rich is in a worse situation. That caller was all over the place, but it was the most candid that Fred has been.

 

[NDame616]

It was even more damning imo. The caller asked if it was as simple as Rich getting a better contract. Fred said that is what Rich claims but does the caller think that Rich is in a better situation? The caller than said "I have no idea what Rich is doing." So Fred concluded that Rich is in a worse situation. That caller was all over the place, but it was the most candid that Fred has been.

I mean....Rich is what, 11th in ratings? And the show is shifting away from it's original concept to try to bump ratings.

Concludingh he's in a worse situationj appears to be correct

 

[PC Drunken Friar]

Some casual misogyny earlier this week. Fred doesn't think Taylor Swift is good looking. And isn't "hot enough" to get an A-List boyfriend (No to Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Chris Helmsworth and maybe Chris Pratt would date her). While at the same time saying she is the most popular woman in the world right now...so I wonder why they (both Fred and Hardy) think she needs to "get" s man...that is probably less famous and popular than her?

 

[Andy Merchant]

Some casual misogyny earlier this week. Fred doesn't think Taylor Swift is good looking. And isn't "hot enough" to get an A-List boyfriend (No to Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Chris Helmsworth and maybe Chris Pratt would date her). While at the same time saying she is the most popular woman in the world right now...so I wonder why they (both Fred and Hardy) think she needs to "get" s man...that is probably less famous and popular than her?

Claiming that famous people aren't attractive is a recurring thing with Fred. Taylor Swift is a frequent target and I seem to recall Patrick Mahomes being fairly recent too. Weird take from a guy that's not exactly an Adonis himself.

 

[YuppieScum]

I always enjoy the chemistry with Esoteric in studio. It'd be sweet if they could get him in to MC on a recurring basis.

 

[bibajesus]

I mean....Rich is what, 11th in ratings? And the show is shifting away from it's original concept to try to bump ratings.

Concluding he's in a worse situation appears to be correct

Maybe being away from Fred is a better situation for Rich. The ratings aren't much of a surprise as Fred was in a better position to succeed after the split as he didn't have to start from scratch. IMHO both solo shows suck. They were much better as a team. I just stream music on my morning drive now.

 

[sezwho]

I’m ready for his one Patriot point (they shoulda signed a backup and there’s no possibility of a reason! None!) to just go away. At this point I listen exclusively to the hours with football (or other Boston sports) guests…and Fred won’t stop.

Fred, they bet giving 30% of the reps to Maye would quickly get him to a place where he’s better than whatever retread’s retread they could stash on a practice squad. Dont like it? Fine, but it’s not splitting the atom in it’s impenetrable mystery.

And now I’m ranting at a message board so it worked? Just sooo tired of the one Pats rant being so persistently dumb during the bits I'm actually ‘tuning’ in for.

 

[NDame616]

That's what F&M is also saying. We should've signed a "real" backup. We did. We just had him start at the beginning of the season.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

I’m ready for his one Patriot point (they shoulda signed a backup and there’s no possibility of a reason! None!) to just go away. At this point I listen exclusively to the hours with football (or other Boston sports) guests…and Fred won’t stop.

Fred, they bet giving 30% of the reps to Maye would quickly get him to a place where he’s better than whatever retread’s retread they could stash on a practice squad. Dont like it? Fine, but it’s not splitting the atom in it’s impenetrable mystery.

And now I’m ranting at a message board so it worked? Just sooo tired of the one Pats rant being so persistently dumb during the bits I'm actually ‘tuning’ in for.

Breer basically told him he was being dumb and it wouldn’t make a difference. You can bench Jacoby to put in a Zappee type before you go to Maye. The team would revolt.

 

[Hal Waffid]

If you're talking about ratings, Rich is definitely not in a better place. If you're talking about life...

 

[sharts]

If you're talking about ratings, Rich is definitely not in a better place. If you're talking about life...

I can’t even to comprehend the amount of stress rich must be under. If he doesn’t turn these ratings around he’s fired. What’s left to go to? Dudes got kids to put through college. So his coworker was difficult to work with for a time, better to be employed

 

[dirtynine]

I can’t even to comprehend the amount of stress rich must be under. If he doesn’t turn these ratings around he’s fired. What’s left to go to? Dudes got kids to put through college. So his coworker was difficult to work with for a time, better to be employed

Not that he doesn’t want to succeed, but doesn’t he have a contract and get paid either way?

 

[hube]

I’m a very different kind of lawyer, so take it with a big pile of the good salt, but I’d imagine that there are performance guaranties and targets tied to his compensation, and in the worst case scenario, iheart could put him on the shelf or (and this is highly unlikely) even claw back some cash.

Leaving 98.5 wasn’t a power move - especially if he wanted to stay in the same oversaturated market, ploughing the same field. It’s also not just Fred he’s trying to fight - Beasley is another windmill.

As I’ve said before, I’m not rooting against him, but some of the worst choices and even worse deals are made out of principle and/or spite. Ending up on the #11 station trying to shoehorn in a third morning sports show can’t be where he wants to be.

 

[Lose Remerswaal]

I am not sure Rich would have to sign a deal with clawbacks, etc. is that even common in local radio?

 

[8slim]

I can’t even to comprehend the amount of stress rich must be under. If he doesn’t turn these ratings around he’s fired. What’s left to go to? Dudes got kids to put through college. So his coworker was difficult to work with for a time, better to be employed

Rich made a tremendous amount of money during his time at 98.5. He also presumably signed a lucrative deal at ZLX. I’d be stunned if he doesn’t have his 529s fully funded.

 

[sezwho]

Rich made a tremendous amount of money during his time at 98.5. He also presumably signed a lucrative deal at ZLX. I’d be stunned if he doesn’t have his 529s fully funded.

What does tremendous mean out of curiosity? I was thinking maybe maybe 300 but I have no idea. 529s need to hold a lot of $ nowadays.

I’m a very different kind of lawyer, so take it with a big pile of the good salt, but I’d imagine that there are performance guaranties and targets tied to his compensation, and in the worst case scenario, iheart could put him on the shelf or (and this is highly unlikely) even claw back some cash.

Leaving 98.5 wasn’t a power move - especially if he wanted to stay in the same oversaturated market, ploughing the same field. It’s also not just Fred he’s trying to fight - Beasley is another windmill.

As I’ve said before, I’m not rooting against him, but some of the worst choices and even worse deals are made out of principle and/or spite. Ending up on the #11 station trying to shoehorn in a third morning sports show can’t be where he wants to be.

I thought this was an interesting take thanks. So what kind of lawyer are you? We got a lot of ‘different’ lawyers around here I think . I’m kind of hoping you’re the unfrozen caveman kind! He was great.

 

[8slim]

What does tremendous mean out of curiosity? I was thinking maybe maybe 300 but I have no idea. 529s need to hold a lot of $ nowadays.

I have to imagine Rich was pushing 7 figures by the time his run ended at 98.5. Certainly high 6s. I'm talking total comp -- salary + bonus + performance incentives + RSUs, etc. With decent planning anyone making that kind of scratch should be able to squirrel away ~$500K in a couple of 529s.

 

[sezwho]

I have to imagine Rich was pushing 7 figures by the time his run ended at 98.5. Certainly high 6s. I'm talking total comp -- salary + bonus + performance incentives + RSUs, etc. With decent planning anyone making that kind of scratch should be able to squirrel away ~$500K in a couple of 529s.

Wow, good for him! Also thanks for what sounds like an informed take? I’m not saying you’re implying you have knowledge of his negotiation but it seems like you’re familiar with the space.

The numbers that show was driving should have made both T and R very successful: I probably spent hundreds of hours over the years listening in. On podcasts but whatever.

 

[8slim]

Wow, good for him! Also thanks for what sounds like an informed take? I’m not saying you’re implying you have knowledge of his negotiation but it seems like you’re familiar with the space.

The numbers that show was driving should have made both T and R very successful: I probably spent hundreds of hours over the years listening in. On podcasts but whatever.

I have a rough sense of what media talent makes from my years in the biz. But I don’t know anything specifically about Boston radio salaries. So I could be way off. However, I know senior execs make in the $500K-750K+ range at least, so I think it’s a fair assumption to think a radio group’s top talent makes more.

 

[HarvardSqr]

I don't know what anybody makes, but let's remember that T&R was highly rated, sometimes incredibly highly rated, for 10+ years, and The Sports Hub had the fifth highest revenue of any radio station---the highest of any sports station---in the country. Highest billing radio stations 2023

 

[NortheasternPJ]

I have to imagine Rich was pushing 7 figures by the time his run ended at 98.5. Certainly high 6s. I'm talking total comp -- salary + bonus + performance incentives + RSUs, etc. With decent planning anyone making that kind of scratch should be able to squirrel away ~$500K in a couple of 529s.

Rumor was that it was like $900k each. That being said I can’t imagine is ZLX contract is half that but what do I know. Kirk (who I loathe) basically said Rich was begging for jobs. I don’t believe him but it’s out there

 

[JCizzle]

Rumor was that it was like $900k each. That being said I can’t imagine is ZLX contract is half that but what do I know. Kirk (who I loathe) basically said Rich was begging for jobs. I don’t believe him but it’s out there

Even when things end at Rich’s current spot, I have to imagine EEI would give him another contract with the understanding he’d mix up the current approach.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Even when things end at Rich’s current spot, I have to imagine EEI would give him another contract with the understanding he’d mix up the current approach.

I don’t think they have any real money. The medium in general is dying outside of the ones that are massive success. What’s a Jones or Arcand making? $100k? Rumor was Gresh was making $50k

 

[Recovering Adjunct Prof]

Even when things end at Rich’s current spot, I have to imagine EEI would give him another contract with the understanding he’d mix up the current approach.

Would they though? Rich isn't from here. Has no fandom save some for the Bruins and is basically winging it the rest of the time with the other teams. His sports takes are what he can google before the show starts.

 

[JCizzle]

Would they though? Rich isn't from here. Has no fandom save some for the Bruins and is basically winging it the rest of the time with the other teams. His sports takes are what he can google before the show starts.

Fred and Felger aren't from here either and they're doing OK. Rich was 50% of the highest rated sports morning show for like 15+ years. He should have the credibility - even if stained - to make EEI listen if it comes to that.

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Would they though? Rich isn't from here. Has no fandom save some for the Bruins and is basically winging it the rest of the time with the other teams. His sports takes are what he can google before the show starts.

He’s a huge Celtics fan as well.

 

[NDame616]

Fred and Felger aren't from here either and they're doing OK. Rich was 50% of the highest rated sports morning show for like 15+ years. He should have the credibility - even if stained - to make EEI listen if it comes to that.

But this clearly isn't the case. He has no brand equity. TSH is what drove and kept fans on TSH, not the individual hosts.

How were Adam Jones' ratings after he changes stations? Arcand? Rich? Gresh?

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Am I the only one who finds it a terrible idea that Fred openly talks about his son betting on football? I’m sure he’s doing it on Fred’s account but I can’t imagine sponsors are happy with it if they find out.

 

[ramfan]

But this clearly isn't the case. He has no brand equity. TSH is what drove and kept fans on TSH, not the individual hosts.

How were Adam Jones' ratings after he changes stations? Arcand? Rich? Gresh?

Also Keefe. I'm not sure what WEEI can do to fix ratings. They did the obvious, taking hosts with good ratings in the same market and same genre. it didn't transfer

 

[Andy Merchant]

I'm dating myself here, but WEEI will always have the stench of Ordway and D&C on it as far as I'm concerned. I had already given up on them before 98.5 launched and haven't had any desire to listen to them since.

 

[getoffmylawn]

98.5 was unofficially branded as "Not Your dad's sport talk radio" where old men yelled at clouds and treated the callers like idiots. It's now been around long enough, and has been #1 practically the entire time, that it is now your dad's sport talk radio. WEEI sucks and unless there is a complete rebuild that plays off of something 98.5 doesn't do well, they'll never be relevant again.

 

[Recovering Adjunct Prof]

98.5 was unofficially branded as "Not Your dad's sport talk radio" where old men yelled at clouds and treated the callers like idiots. It's now been around long enough, and has been #1 practically the entire time, that it is now your dad's sport talk radio. WEEI sucks and unless there is a complete rebuild that plays off of something 98.5 doesn't do well, they'll never be relevant again.

Maybe they should mix in some music to the shows...

 

[sezwho]

Maybe they should mix in some music to the shows...

Been piling on the show a bit, but to that point(ish): on the music front I feel like I’ve heard some better production and music the last week or two.

 

[NorthShoreBeefin]

Been piling on the show a bit, but to that point(ish): on the music front I feel like I’ve heard some better production and music the last week or two.

Maybe cuz of the recent changes?

 

[NewInTown]

Adam12 has been making a big effort on rejoins and sort of DJing throughout the show

 

[NortheasternPJ]

Adam12 has been making a big effort on rejoins and sort of DJing throughout the show

He's been a big boost to the show. He plays new music, not the just same rejoins, usually has a reason for it etc. better than the same rejoin's / bumpers they've had for 15 years.