Life without Stern isn't pretty... (1 Viewer)

[Chris]

Really? I purchase about 2 CDs a year, and maybe a handful of songs.. and several of the CDs I purchase are just rebuys when things get destroyed. (Beatles, Tori Amos, They Might Be Giants)

This is a mentality that is popular not just amongst people on X radio type, but both.. both XM and SIRIUS have units with seeker technology; ie, if TMBG or Tori Amos have a song playing on SIRIUS, bamn! I'll change the channel.

I know I may seem "alone" in the view of radio like this, but to me, when I listen to current radio, I have found myself flicking to FM just to get the "Top 8 at 8" so I can hear eight songs in a row that I absolutely, 100% know are worth a listen for the most part

But, we are all different. About 10 years ago, I would have agreed and just listened to anything. Anymore, I find myself buying more audiobooks then Audio CDs and find that news radio / sports radio is far more interesting to my daily drive then anything else

 

[dailW]

i am a huge stern fan and i am glad he is going to Sirius because i've listened to Sirius on the dish network for a while now .i don't care if Sirius makes one dollar or a billion dollars . stern will be great to listen to of a morning

 

[TheLongshot]

Chris,

I agree that we are all different in what we look for. Me, I love music. Since my tastes tend to be eclectic, often, I have to search for some of the stuff I like, or go on recommendations of other people. The nice thing about the internet is that you can listen before buying.

Satelite Radio is still frustrating to a certain extent. You'd think with 60-70 channels that you'd be able to cover just about everything, but you can't. There is still a huge percentage of my collection that doesn't get played on Satelite. A lot of it probably will never get played.

It is why I like listening to Radio Paradise. I don't like everything that they play, but I've discovered new artists that I never would have discovered otherwise on there.

I'm about old music, I'm about new music.

Jason

 

[Tim_Stack]

"Can someone name something Stern has done that is worthwhile. I must be missing alot because he could'nt be more boring and old."

A few words from recent shows - "Shoo Shoo Retarded Flu" The greatest phoney phone call ever.

 

[TheodoreQ]

I think his show has run its coarse, and those die hards will follow. The rest of us will just remember.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

I'm no longer a Stern fan not because
he's coming to the satellite radio service
I favor the least, but because like others
have said, he has grown old and tired.

I was a huge fan of Stern as far back as
the 1980s when he was on WNBC in NYC. I
worked at a racetrack manning a camera and
used to listen to his entire afternoon show
day after day.

Back then Stern was innovative and funny.

Perhaps its the fact he has grown older,
is now divorced and a father of (at least)
two children -- but time has greatly softened
Howard Stern. He's no longer nearly as "edgy"
as he was way back when.

This is why I have become a fan of Opie and
Anthony. Here are two guys that started taking
FM radio in an "edgier" direction back when
they were on WNEW in NYC.

What will Howard Stern be like when he
comes to Sirius? One needs only look no
further than Opie and Anthony who are now
revolutionizing talk on satellite. O&A are
doing everything that Howard can only dream
of. In fact, by the time Howard airs on
Sirius everything he wants to do will already
have been done.

 

[Michael Whitney]

I listen to Howard regularly. My main benefit I see is that his bringing people over to the satellite radio medium. That can only improve membership and interest, even if one of the 2 main providers survive over time.

 

[TheodoreQ]

i heard that opie n anthony will be breaking up soon cause anthony was offered some other deal. i wish philly area only had more time to listen before the stunt.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

Theodore,

Where on earth did you hear that?

 

[Joe McCabe]

I agree with Ron. I don't go as far back with Stern as WNBC, but I do go back to 1986.

I don't know anyone who's been a fan since those days, that are still fans now. I can't imagine how you could be.
The guy became everything he used to goof on. He embodies all things that he used to hate about the entertainment business.

It would be like if you were a fan of Cheers, because you could relate to the "silly bastards hanging out in a bar" thing, and then tuned in, and found that they all went to AA, and no longer resembled the goofballs you used to laugh at.

You can't fake realism.
Everything runs it's course. Stern's time has passed.

 

[Michael Whitney]

I dont think that Howards time has passed. Much like we all dont watch cartoons every Saturday morning like we did when we were kids. We move on and find other things that interest us. There are always a new group of young and old people that will like Howards refreshing frank discussions.

 

[NolanJ]

Granted, I haven't listened to a whole lot of Opie & Anthony, but the times I have listened I wasn't all that impressed with what I heard.

The last show I listened in on, the phones didn't work and all Opie & Anthony did was complain about it for an hour, and attack the guy in charge of the morning show... yet they contintued to take phone calls, so that they could continue to bitch.

I also haven't listened a great deal to Stern, but what I have heard from him, I think he's fabulous. He doesn't seem to force any humor or comedy, it just seems to come out.

Again, just my two cents...

 

[Kevin_W]

I never heard a Stern show in my life until he came to Detroit several years ago. Since then I have been a loyal follower of the morning show and the nightly E! show. While I agree in my short listening experience with him his show has taken a turn for the worse over the last year+, I blame it on the FCC and fighting for advertising dollars... for now. I'll let his Sirius show determine if he can turn it around.

As for O&A having done everything Stern will try and do sat radio, lets not forget the fact that O&A have their "type" of show because of the likes of Stern and what he did for the medium. In reality I consider O&A as not having done anything Stern hasn't done aleady... and Stern did it with the legal constraints of terrestrial radio.

I'm subscribing for Stern, but I am subscribing to Satellite radio 10 months prior because frankly, Detroit radio is just plain dreadful.

~Kevin

 

[Tim_Stack]

"Stern's time has passed. "

The ratings are the scorecard to look at to see if this statement is true. And, unfortunately for your argument, it just doesn't stand up.

There's really no use in predicting what will happen (except if you are a stock owner) because time and subscription numbers will be the scorecard. Nothing really matters in this argument until around mid 2007 when we can look at Sirius's financial results.

 

[William Laughner]

I know that comment was supposed to be a compliment to O&A, I wouldnt expect anything but glowing praise from Ron when it comes to XM or O&A , but it just points out what Stern clones they are in my opinion.

Being a loyal Stern fan for 15 years now, I will be the first to admit his current radio show is a much tamer & watered down version of what it was 10 years ago. But unlike some people here I dont think it has anything to do with age, divorce, children, etc. It all comes down to the ever present fear of the FCC. Stern's show is destroyed everyday by the general manager at KROCK and the "button".

I can't wait for Stern to hit Sirius. It will be a great day when he can return to the type of radio he perfected.

O&A need to take a lesson from Kidd Chris, the talented morning jock at 102.7 KSRX in San Antonio. Kidd Chris respected Stern for who he was and what he created. Kidd sent Stern material, for which he got credit when it was used. Kidd Chris is now hugely popular in San Antonio and already rumored to be Stern's replacement when he leaves for Sirius. You treat the man with the respect he deserves and you reap the reward. You try to get his attention by insulting his family, you start a war that you can never win.

 

[WillG]

I haev been a longtime fan of Stern and the FCC has been a major problem for his show, but I think at the very least, Howard's Divorce really changed his show because it greatly changed him. He ceased to be the normal working/family man which is what his core audience is. He was no longer one of them, he went celebrity and became a mockery of many of the things he used to make fun of. I liked the stories about how he used to have to go home to Long Island and have to deal with his wife nagging him and her Yenta friends over not being able to get the house in the Hamptons that he wanted, for example. Actually, part of my love for the show died when Jackie left. Artie is great, but Jackie had a perfect wackiness for the show and it was great how the rest of them would rip on him for hours and all do their Jackie voices to no end. I would be great if Howard would bring back Jackie when he goes to Sirius and have both him and Artie, but I suppose there is a next to nothing chance that will happen.

 

[William Laughner]

You make alot of good points Will.


True. I may be wrong, but i dont think Howard ever attacked the underage children of the jocks he was in wars with.

I dont think Howards admiration for Kidd Chris has anything to do with him not being a threat. Kidd Chris is on an infinity station in San Antonio, not Howard. He is also going to be syndicated to Philly soon and has already consulted Howard on it. It has everything to do with respect. Anthony and his brother submitted material for contests and Anthony appeared during a Jackie impersonation contest. To my knowledge they never contacted the show directly and asked to become regular contributors. If Howard was immeadiately "dicky" to them upon arriving in NYC that was really his loss. Being a fan of theirs I am sure you would tend to believe their side of the story. I just have a hard time beliving that Howard would treat new talent like he was treated by Imus when he started in NYC. If Howard did treat O&A badly upon arrival I would think there was some sort of history maybe none of us know about.

As for the change in the show. Divorce happens, ask Anthony. It was only a matter of time that Howard got divorced. Being an old fan I am sure you remember the stories of Howard locking himself in his basement and installing a door bell so that his family had to alert him they were at the door...just writing that has me laughing. His dedication to the show took its toll on his family and marriage. Its nice to hear on his show now how dedicated he is to his daughters. I think the divorce probably made him a better father.

The show is different, but I am still entertained by it as much today as I was in 1995. Sure Jackie & Billy West arent there, but Howard & Fred are still there. Howard is just as quick witted today as he was then and Fred is always on the top of his game with the sound effects. Artie may not own 6 run down houses, have a retarded cat that was run over named Timmy, and constantly plug his wife's band, his crappy joke CDs and website, but he still has his fair share of wacky stories and his own undeniable quirks.

I can't wait till Howard gets to Sirius just to see what he has up his sleeve. He has already said he would like to have Jackie back if he will come back, maybe even give him his own show. Howard has said that he is in touch with alot of talent and i think all his fans, old & new, will be very happy come 2006.

 

[Kevin_W]

The FCC aside, I think two important events happened that have weakened the show. The first was his divorce. While its fun to hear about the "rockstar" lifestyle, it's no replacement for the things you could relate to when listening to him complain about his family life. While we aren't all locking ourselves away in the basement many of us can certainly relate to the daily dealings of a family/spouse.

Secondly, I think the other turning point is when stuttering John left. John's unique relationship to each and everyone one on staff, or is total lack of common sense is something you can't ever get back. People like Artie and Jackie you either love or hate, but John was one of those people you loved *and* hated. Its pretty obvious that Howard knows it too with his relentless bashing of Leno. To think Richard Christie is John's replacement is ridiculous... about as ridiculous as that contest to win John's job. Sal the stockbroker is about as close as they've come, but he needs to learn when enough is enough.

I guess Jackie leaving could be a third significant turning point but I agree with others in that we at least got something in return with Artie. We've yet to get anything for to fill John's spot... or Allison's.

Kevin

 

[Tim_Stack]

How about a Billy West, Jackie & Stuttering John show on one of the three channels he has on Sirius? Now that would be something.

 

[Douglas_C]

A Billy West and a Jackie channel may get my money.

I think Stern's name attached to Sirius has done more than I originally imagined it would. I have XM but am a bit jealous of the new programming that Sirius is going to offer. Orbitcast recently announced a live theater program with the Coen brothers, which I'm going to miss. Ditto some exclusive programming choices - not sports, which I honestly could care less about. I will say this - I'm not sure the satellite radio would have made its impressive gains without Stern making news about satellite last year. His name alone is huge.

Now on to "the clones". I'm not sure Opie & Anthony can ever have the numbers of Stern, which is not to say I think Stern is better than O & A - quite the opposite. Opie & Anthony is the only show I look forward to anymore on the radio. Howard Stern has managed to break through to widespread acceptance among a large number of people - IMO because of his celebrity interviews. People who I played Stern for in the past hated him, but now listen religiously. As dry as I find his show now, I still think he's a talented interviewer, albeit a bit repetitive.

For the record, Opie & Anthony are not clones. That's just people buying into Stern's crap - anyone who has a radio show and mentions boobs are clones according to Stern. To the poster who said Stern never talked about anyones underage children - maybe so, but I do recall Howard having something to say about Larry Wert's father after he died. After making a career of crucifying rivals, it's fair game I say. Pot meet kettle.

As far as the rivalry between the two goes, I tend to believe Howard gagged O & A; I think he did the same to Don & Mike. Did O & A offer an olive branch to Howard when they first came to New York? Who knows - they claim they did, but there are two sides to every story. On second thought, I would say it's beyond debate that Stern had them gagged - this has been confirmed by too many people other than O & A to be false. I think rivalry is good, but Stern's too smart to bite unless they do something that demands a response.

I don't think O & A can match Stern - but Anthony alone could. If (when?) the two separate, which they discussed yesterday, Anthony could have one of the biggest radio shows ever. Anthony's evolved into a superstar on radio - his impressions, stories and political commentary are fantastic. For anyone who hasn't heard, the man is amazing. He leans to the right, which is good for talk radio, and still has the working man touch which originally made Stern huge. I think he'd still need a cohost to handle the phones and whatnot, but I could see it happening.

This isn't to slight Opie - I just think Opie is more into the T & A and cringe aspect of things, which turns a large percentage of common listeners off. Opie steers the show and is the driving force behind the show, but Anthony is the star. Without one, you wouldn't have the other, and vice versa. I actually grew up listening to Opie on WBAB on Long Island, and his show was definitely entertaining, but he still spun records. Anthony brought him to a new level, and without Opie, Anthony might still be a tin knocker. One could argue Anthony would rise to the top no matter what, but the truth is, Opie really helped his career.

Phew! No matter what, I wish Stern well on Sirius. Maybe he'll get his thunder back.