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

Rusty13

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Nov 3, 2007
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Rich just said it will be “Full Voltron” tomorrow. And then quickly moved on to Celtics talk. So ends that drama!
 

NDame616

will bailey
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Jul 31, 2006
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Could be an absolute disaster. I hope it's more of a "best friends arguing then having a beer" and not "one storms out and quits the show" because....I can see both scenarios
 

bsj

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I don't listen to Boston sports radio at all any more as I find it generally to be the lowest common denominator of fandom in this town. That said, I did always find these guys a step up from that crass swill on the other station. I havent listened in a long while and am only now learning about the drama here and elsewhere (the Finn piece was the first I read on it and learning backwards now). What a wild story
 

8slim

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I don't listen to Boston sports radio at all any more as I find it generally to be the lowest common denominator of fandom in this town. That said, I did always find these guys a step up from that crass swill on the other station. I havent listened in a long while and am only now learning about the drama here and elsewhere (the Finn piece was the first I read on it and learning backwards now). What a wild story
T&R is radically different from every other Boston sports show. I don't listen to any of the other nonsense, but they're great.
 

HomeBrew1901

Has Season 1 of "Manimal" on Blu Ray
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Could be an absolute disaster. I hope it's more of a "best friends arguing then having a beer" and not "one storms out and quits the show" because....I can see both scenarios
Agreed. My guess/hope is that after Rich called in sick again (based on Finn’s reporting) on Friday someone brokered a “Clear the air” call between the two so that they can keep the gravy train rolling.

Rich may be sick of the bullshit and burnt out after waking up at 3:30am for 14 years but I also think he knows how many peoples lives and incomes their show impacts and doesn’t want to let a beef with Fred ruin a good thing.
 

JCizzle

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Dec 11, 2006
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Lol. Yes it’s our fault when he posted the tweets and Rich took 2 days off and wouldn’t respond to Chad Finn.

Give me a fucking break.
He (they?) said the Chad stuff was largely true. He was poking the people here for dreaming up scenarios where Rich quits and relies on insurance to cover himself or something along those lines. I dunno, it was all a bit awkward and to my ears it sounded like Rich didn't want to touch it. Been great since then.
 

Murby

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Mar 16, 2006
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That first segment sounded like they used the health insurance discussion to deflect, but the core of the issue wasn’t denied. Agree w/ JCizzle, Rich moved very quickly to distract Fred. Rich also sounds like athletes when they insist “I don’t read the papers”….sure. Hope this is a blip in the radar and we can move on.
 

HomeBrew1901

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That first segment sounded like they used the health insurance discussion to deflect, but the core of the issue wasn’t denied. Agree w/ JCizzle, Rich moved very quickly to distract Fred. Rich also sounds like athletes when they insist “I don’t read the papers”….sure. Hope this is a blip in the radar and we can move on.
A “friend” showed Fred the forum and Fred just happened to post (now deleted) and claimed Nick was a poster leaking the info.

But yeah… it’s fan fiction
 

8slim

has trust issues
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He (they?) said the Chad stuff was largely true. He was poking the people here for dreaming up scenarios where Rich quits and relies on insurance to cover himself or something along those lines. I dunno, it was all a bit awkward and to my ears it sounded like Rich didn't want to touch it. Been great since then.
Insurance stuff aside, it seems clear that there was legitimate drama and that was reported accurately. And I suspect there’s still some lingering resentment (Fred noted how he loves Rich but it may not be reciprocal, and Rich just let that hang out there). But they’re also clearly back to being a team, and making fun radio. Hopefully they settle into a long stretch of that.
 

joe dokes

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Jul 18, 2005
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Insurance stuff aside, it seems clear that there was legitimate drama and that was reported accurately. And I suspect there’s still some lingering resentment (Fred noted how he loves Rich but it may not be reciprocal, and Rich just let that hang out there). But they’re also clearly back to being a team, and making fun radio. Hopefully they settle into a long stretch of that.
History is filled with talented people who didn't like each other all that much but produced quality arts and entertainment for pretty long periods of time.
 

Myt1

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They sound good together today—though maybe a little walking on eggshells. I hope they work it out.
 

Jim Ed Rice in HOF

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Jul 21, 2005
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I wrote off sports talk radio years ago and that was made easier by the fact that I no longer commute to/from work but reading through the last few pages of this thread I'm amazed at how much it reads like a bad Housewives of the Airwaves story arc. The drama that goes along with sports talk radio - is that unique to Boston? It's not just this thread but it goes back years to the old Big Show days, D&C, Minihane, Mikey Adams locking himself in a room, etc. How much of this is just attempting to get ratings/stay relevant vs. the egos just being to big to fit in the same studio?
 

HomeBrew1901

Has Season 1 of "Manimal" on Blu Ray
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I wrote off sports talk radio years ago and that was made easier by the fact that I no longer commute to/from work but reading through the last few pages of this thread I'm amazed at how much it reads like a bad Housewives of the Airwaves story arc. The drama that goes along with sports talk radio - is that unique to Boston? It's not just this thread but it goes back years to the old Big Show days, D&C, Minihane, Mikey Adams locking himself in a room, etc. How much of this is just attempting to get ratings/stay relevant vs. the egos just being to big to fit in the same studio?
Personally, I don’t see this as a bit. Work together long enough and things that used to be minor annoyances suddenly become impossible to ignore.

Add in the pressure of monster ratings in a dying medium, being live streamed, etc… and drama is naturally going to happen.

unfortunately for them it happens in public in real time as opposed to behind the scenes
 

Andy Merchant

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Thought they sounded OK today after all of the reported drama, but Rich just kinda sat there when Fred said how much he loves Rich. Hopefully they can put aside their differences and keep entertaining people and getting paid.
 

Rusty13

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Nov 3, 2007
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A “friend” showed Fred the forum and Fred just happened to post (now deleted) and claimed Nick was a poster leaking the info.

But yeah… it’s fan fiction
LOL. Fred famously read from this message board live on the air 3 years ago the day before he went on a leave of absence to go into rehab. He obviously lurks (and possibly posts!) here all the time.

In any event, I'm very happy the band is back together and enjoyed the show today. Hopefully, this lasts!
 

JCizzle

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That's reversed, Fred said he was showing his friend the posts to demonstrate how crazy his life is relative to media folks in Detroit. Which...probably true.
 

Haunted

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Aug 23, 2006
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And let's be clear - the fan fiction came from a couple of lurkers who only post in this thread. Members and other lurkers responded, but the nonsense about nicotine testing came from an obvious troll lurker.


I'm glad they're in studio together. They've provided me with a lot of entertainment over the years and I'm grateful to them and hope they continue to be happy themselves.
 

NickEsasky

Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em
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Jul 24, 2001
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JMOH finally gets cited for starting a rumor and it doesn’t involve porcelain dolls. How disappointing.
 

NortheasternPJ

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LOL. Fred famously read from this message board live on the air 3 years ago the day before he went on a leave of absence to go into rehab. He obviously lurks (and possibly posts!) here all the time.

In any event, I'm very happy the band is back together and enjoyed the show today. Hopefully, this lasts!
I'm sure Fred reads every word posted in this thread. I'm not sure there's even another Toucher and Rich thread on the Internet that I've seen. This thread is fine 95% of the time and gets really weird 5% of the time. I really don't think JMOH's response to my post was that weird or really "fan fiction". If anyone knows Fan Fiction its JMOH and that wasn't it.

It's weird Fred basically confirmed it was mostly true, he still loves Rich, Rich probably doesn't and Rich wouldn't even look at him, yet us speculating on what Rich would do if he left the show was too much for Fred.

Most of us are here because we love the show but Fred's focusing on a random post here or there and ignoring the other 95% is not surprising for him.
 

John Marzano Olympic Hero

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JMOH finally gets cited for starting a rumor and it doesn’t involve porcelain dolls. How disappointing.
This is truly a monkey's paw wish. :(

I really don't think JMOH's response to my post was that weird or really "fan fiction". If anyone knows Fan Fiction its JMOH and that wasn't it.
I didn't think so either, but you know what they say about publicity! Speaking of which, if there's anyone who wants to buy my "Gimme a Break" fanfic, shoot me a PM.
 

NortheasternPJ

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I didn't think so either, but you know what they say about publicity! Speaking of which, if there's anyone who wants to buy my "Gimme a Break" fanfic, shoot me a PM.
The one where Nell accidentally took LSD was my favorite. It was funny like 3 min later they started talking about writing a "Wallach'ing to Remember" Fanfic.
 

Patriot_Reign

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Apr 21, 2011
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For the last month of T&R with no Fred the show drew a 37 share in 18-49 males. In the same period Greg Hill was a 2, and eei's midday and afternoon drive shows didn't show up at all, per Kirk Minihane.
 

Trapaholic

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Jan 11, 2023
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I hope this train keeps rolling along through the NFL season. Really want to hear Fred re: Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. There's a good chance that the Jets lap the Patriots this year, but they the Jets after all.
 

DisgruntledSoxFan77

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Today they seem 100% back to normal and having fun again. It's refreshing, hope it lasts.
I kinda felt like they sounded like the good old days by about hour 3 yesterday. When they were trying to get to the drunken recaps and Fred was talking about something you could hear Rich laughing as he was talking. Hopefully they can patch up their issues, the show can be amazing when they’re both on a subject and having fun together
 

Rusty13

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Nov 3, 2007
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The Cedric Maxwell segment was hilarious (and a good interview). He immediately busted Fred's balls asking if he just called him a "colored" man (Fred said "color" obviously) when he introduced him. Everyone was dying laughing -- as was I in my car.

It definitely feels like the show is settling back into its old groove after 2 Full Voltron days. Hope this continues!
 

NortheasternPJ

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The Cedric Maxwell segment was hilarious (and a good interview). He immediately busted Fred's balls asking if he just called him a "colored" man (Fred said "color" obviously) when he introduced him. Everyone was dying laughing -- as was I in my car.

It definitely feels like the show is settling back into its old groove after 2 Full Voltron days. Hope this continues!
where you from? West Virginia?
 

sezwho

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I kinda felt like they sounded like the good old days by about hour 3 yesterday. When they were trying to get to the drunken recaps and Fred was talking about something you could hear Rich laughing as he was talking. Hopefully they can patch up their issues, the show can be amazing when they’re both on a subject and having fun together
Rich is ultra creative, but when Fred is rolling he's really funny and its hard to be mad at someone who makes you laugh like that.
 

DisgruntledSoxFan77

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Rich is ultra creative, but when Fred is rolling he's really funny and its hard to be mad at someone who makes you laugh like that.
Here’s hoping, man. It’s been so great the past couple days, having the 2 of them back together (Wallach? Meh. Take him or leave him). It’s a great example of what we stand to lose if they break up the show
 

Billy Jo Robidoux

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I’m probably in the minority here, but I think Bert Breer is incredibly boring. Every Friday when he’s on I switch to something else for an hour.
 

Andy Merchant

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Ah, I don't mind Bert. Could be worse, like someone should probably put a mirror under my nose during the Bruce Arena interviews on Zolak & Bertrand.
 

bigq

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Jul 15, 2005
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I enjoy the show when Breer is on. He has a good sense of humor and they often go on silly tangents which I find entertaining. Today's discussion of Belichick eating TD Garden pizza which then moved on to Rhode Island style, which I didn't know was a thing, brought a smile. I think T&R tend to poke fun at the NFL when Breer is on which while an easy target, never gets old for me. I also like getting Breer's takes on the other local teams besides the Patriots.

I'll take Breer any day over the Bankroll Boys. Rich reading Lifshatz's twitter fight on the air yesterday morning was bad radio.
 
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dirtynine

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Dec 17, 2002
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Breer is great - the only problem is sometimes he doesn’t have a lot of new stuff to say, so they end up covering the same ground multiple times (the Lamar Jackson saga, getting Mac WR help, Patricia, etc). But after a busy week of NFL news (which is more and more weeks) I really look forward to the segment.

Edit - beer is great also, but corrected for posterity
 
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