Alex Bennett (finally) fired (Sirius XM Left). Maybe an actual Liberal host & liberal AM show now???

[themaguffin]

We'll see. If he were on some other channel, fine, but it was ridiculous that the morning drive show was as generic as anytown's morning show.

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Oh thank god

I never understood why they cut off the last 2 hours of Bill Press' show to put him on.

Maybe they will just let Bill Press go until Stephanie Miller comes on

[TuxedoKat]

6. Thank God indeed

That was my first response too. Whenever I turned on my radio and heard him, I couldn't switch to another channel fast enough. Good riddance to him and his sidekicks.

[thefeelgoods]

34. listen haters

I've known about democratic underground for a long time now. Never joined the forum until now. Alex Bennett was awesome. Check yourselves because real lefties would like his show (which I signed up on his livestream account yesterday). He called out hypocrisy of the liberals just the same as the crazy right wingers. But when you get down to it, he fought the good fight. He railed like crazy when Obama took single payer off the table, and pulled his hair out when war became co-opted into the democratic base..you all woulda loved the way he handled neocons btw. Lets all just pretend we care about the working man and forget kicking him when he's down. Love the site and I think I'm gonna look around a bit

[Snotcicles]

37. Welcome, it's a very diverse group around here. nt

[themaguffin]

43. So you're a fan & found this thread via Google I guess, well "listen" to you posted out of ignorance

He didn't host a good show for that channel. He's an ok occasional show on some other channel, but I don't want to tune into my only option on XM (or regular radio for that matter) to hear Alex rant about other liberal shows as often as he does.

Or to hear Alex be uninformed as he is. Of course he has his moments. that's not the point. His "moments" don't make a good show or more importantly his pride in not being a political talk show makes for a bad show on a political talk channel.

[Logical]

53. 1st post? Hmmmmmm...and Alex was an idiot.......

It was not a political show. It was a variety show.

[HappyMe]

74. Well, well.

Welcome to DU, and the fly-paper for newbies thread!

[arcane1]

75. I have never seen so many people sign up for one thread, ever!

It's fascinating.

[HappyMe]

76. It was fascinating for

a minute. Now it's just a pain in the ass.

[arcane1]

81. Indeed.

Between this topic, Zimmerman, and Snowden, DU has seen more new recruits since the 2012 election!

[mrsaxde]

84. Never heard him call out anybody

When XM cut Bill Press down to an hour and added Alex Bennett I gave him a chance. I had about a 15-20 minute morning drive, and during that time I almost never heard him talk politics. One day is was how big the knockers on his sidekick were. Another is was a rant that he got into the studio so early that the bagel place in the subway wasn't open yet. So adios to Mr. Bennett!

I'm not happy that they have taken Thom Hartmann and moved him to 9 PM. I liked to go right from Ed Schultz to Hartmann, and to do that now I need to stream WCPT on my ipad.

[drmarconi]

87. Too many haters

Last edited Thu Aug 29, 2013, 01:25 PM - Edit history (2)

I agree withthefeelgoods, Alex likes to piss off everyone when it comes to politics.

[BeeBee]

10. Yes! I hope they add the first hour of Stephanie's show on. n/t

[Analysta654]

19. If comedy what they want Stephanie's show is it

I always thought that if they were looking for a more of a comedic approach for the morning drive time that Stephanie Miller was a much better way to go. Here or someone like her; meaning (1) smart, (2) funny AND (3) politically savvy. Bennett maybe has 1 out of the 3 (smart), but I'm not too sure about that even.

[sr71]

32. its about time!!

i guess xm gave alex his 1 year trial...which was 365 days too long...thank goodness he's gone!

[Kolesar]

78. Bennett claimed that Kennedy stole the election in Illinois

That's when I quit listening.
He was dreadfully boring and awful.

[trumad]

2. Alex seemed like a nice guy... and maybe a good host for a late late night show.

But the morning drive? The guy bored me silly.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

3. Good riddance.

That guy is awful.

[hlthe2b]

4. I stopped listening at all to Siriux XM LEFT when that creep was put on from Sirius...

The XM subscribers really got shafted with all the crap brought over from Sirius and he was among the worst.

I'm glad he's gone... At the time I last listened, his show was nothing more than him deriding Obama and everyone on the Left, in between his leering flirtations at the young girl he hired to produce--basicially to talk about her own sex life, with constant reference to anal sex--- that was Sirius' view of ENTERTAINMENT? Uggh.

[themaguffin]

7. yeah I think he's attacked most other liberal XM hosts, MSNBC and Bill Maher. All of them.

[Rosco T.]

49. So you stopped listening to...

Bill Press, Stephanie, Big Eddie, Thom Hartman, Milke Malloy... just because one jerk was on and you had the choice not to listen to him?

Genius! Genius I tells you!

Sheesh.

[hlthe2b]

50. Really, Rosco T? Really..?! As it turns out, I can listen to them elsewhere (including on AM)

or through direct streaming.

I've been a long term XM subscriber and still listen to other channels, including MSNBC and various public radio stations, but yes, I think much of the crap brought over from Sirius was just that--crap. And first and foremost among those was Alex Bennett.

Truly, I may or may not be the "genius" you denounce, but I surely do not know how YOU can defend having Alex Bennett on the only progressive station.

[Rosco T.]

60. I wasn't.

I was remarking on the 'genius' of ignoring the other hosts that ARE progressive on that channel. Because you didn't have to listen to Alex Bennett. You could use one of two remarkable things while he was on. Channel Selector and Off Button.

[hlthe2b]

61. I know that you work for XM-Sirius and thus have a stake, but really...

attacking others for expressing a counter view on their programming is not very effective in gaining loyalty... The fact is that the time slot they gave that cretin Bennett was the prime time I was ABLE to listen... so yeah, I do have a right to complain.

And, I know you know that I have been with XM since well before the Air America days, so I really don't deserve those comments.

[Rosco T.]

62. I do not work for XM.

I have never worked for XM. If you have something to say otherwise, prove it.

... and I had XM the first weekend it was on sale. $50 coupon that was stack-able (didn't last long). So I paid like $10 for a XM, Car and Home kit.

[Sedona]

5. Thank you!

I always have to listen to Stephanie Miller on I Heart radio on my phone during my morning commute when daylight savings time ends.

(Arizona is not afraid of the dark and all our national TV and radio schedules change twice a year when the rest of the country switches for daylight savings)

A hassle I will no longer have to deal with.

Alex Bennett sucks big time!

I think I'll even send an e mail to Sirus/XM to thank them.

[hlthe2b]

8. Just curious... How do you know he has been fired?

I did google search and got nothing...

[themaguffin]

11. he was talking about this morning. He said will will finish the week

[Analysta654]

17. He was whining about his firing on air

Bennett was whining about his firing this morning. I am surprised they let him back on air for a week, since apparently they notified him sometime last week, but whatever; I'm just happy to see him going. I have never enjoyed his show, and only tolerate it sometimes when there is absolutely nothing else on during my 1.25-2hr (depending on traffic) drive to work. He was/is consistently vulgar (although someone must have spoke to him as seems to have cleaned it up just a bot as of late). Ad to the vulgarity a lack of knowledge of current events, polished with arrogance (why I do not know) and you have a lethally obnoxious combination. Heck, I dislike him so badly that I've taken to listening to coast-to-coast and learning about the many forms of alien contact we should be expecting any day now.

[themaguffin]

18. worse yet, he took pride in not talking politics a lot on a political channel wtf???

[leech598]

56. A. Bennett

He never wanted to be on Sirius 127. He asked to be on Stars 104, or Indie now, but they asked him to go to 127.

[sr71]

33. i agree 100%

i agree 100%

[RZM]

9. Talk about listening to paint dry

Bennett's show was just straight-up boring. Hope he's replaced with somebody more interesting.

[bigdarryl]

12. They need to put Bill Press back in that time slot

I listened to Bennett off and on when Joe Madison isn't on live he was boring as hell he did have a lot of liberal views he always would say I'm a liberal not a democrat

[themaguffin]

14. I agree, it was frustrating to see Press gone for Bennett's show to begin with

[Kolesar]

79. I loved all of Bill Press' shows.

I think he used to be on CNN Crossfire.

[marmar]

13. Good. He's awful.

[Liberal In Texas]

15. Good! Not only is the show awful, but it doesn't belong on the Left Channel

I never understood why they didn't put it on the Talk Channel (now 246) instead. Right now Mr. Conspiracy Glen Beck is on 246 in that time slot and he's also on the "Patriot" Channel at the same time. Why have any one program on 2 channels at once?

I sure hope we get Bill Press back for the balance of his show, and the first hour of Stephanie again.

It would be a good idea for we subscribers to suggest that to them.

[leeroysphitz]

16. I cancelled my Sirius subscription a couple of months ago due to a lack of good content.

Bennett's show is, or was, a perfect example.

[BigD_95]

20. This is the best news I've heard in a long

Time.

bring back Bill Press

[cybrshrk]

21. Just heard this morning

I'm not an everyday listener, but tuned in this morning. I liked his 'attacks' on just about anyone. Keeps my mind open. I don't want to be spoon fed the "our team is great" BS that comes from most political talk. That's the Limbaugh radio model and I find it boring and unintelligent. I'm begging Left to please not put Stephanie Miller show on in that slot. That show is horrible. First, it isn't funny. The jokes are juvenile, at best. The hosts talk over one another constantly trying to one up each other. Maybe that would be good if the jokes were funny...but they aren't. If you're going to build a show around a comedy spin, the first thing required is BE FUNNY! Not even close. I love Ed Schultz but his show comes on at a time I can't listen because of work. I miss him doing weekdays on MSNBC.

[themaguffin]

23. I agree, it shouldn't be like the right BUT

his show often wasn't about politics at all. Why be on that channel? I can hear other shit on countless other channels and stations. Secondly, a lot of condemnations of liberal hosts is silly - many times it's because "I met him and don't like him."

He doesn't like the young "yuppie" MSNBC hosts. Fine, but I don't give a shit how young they are - they are much better informed than he is. Also Chris Hayes and Maddow do take the administration to task. Ed did too. So did Keith for that matter.

[cybrshrk]

24. Just saying...

I am a big fan of Maddow, Ed, Keith and Lawrence. I'm not saying Alex was perfect, because if he was I would listen everyday. My point was for me it is good that he isn't a 24/7 cheerleader of progressive talk/TV. I don't listen to be programmed. I listen for a discussion of issues that I can go out and research and make my own decisions about. Anyone that doesn't challenge the "team" is suspicious to me. I lose no sleep if Alex is gone. I really have no dog in that fight. I'm hopeful that time slot won't be filled with chaotic banter, humorless jokes that only the host laugh at and me being force fed the idea that everything is rainbows and jellybeans in Liberal Land. Because it's not. On a side note, even though I loved Keith's shows...he does sound like he's a huge tool to deal with.

[Analysta654]

25. You're are not getting what you say you want with Alex Bennett

You indicate that you don't listen everyday, but "like his attacks on just about anyone". Hmm, interesting, even when he contradicts himself, and just attacks with no valid criticism. For instance at one point he was talking up Al Sharpton - about how Sharption was something different for MSNBC, then a month or so later Bennett was saying Sharpton was the worst. I may agree with the latter sentiment, but at least he should be consistent. His praise or criticism swings from one extreme to the other. In Bennett's discussions either the person is great or they suck. Can't he just disagree without writing them off overall. Being critical of those with whom you generally agree is OK, but just being negative to be negative is ignorant, and shows a laziness if not an inability to to research the topic at hand and take an opposing position from a nuanced perspective. That 's how you get people to think.

[LynnGwyst]

22. Longest two weeks in history

When Bennett first took over the morning slot, a lot of us were upset over the time being taken away from Stephanie Miller and Bill Press. Alex assured us that he would grow on us and we would eventually like him, after about two weeks. It's been the longest damned two weeks in history. I might be inclined to listen to him occasionally in another time slot, but 3 hours in the morning has been a pain in the ear.

[rainy]

26. YAY!!!!! I've been hoping for this for a long time.

I would love to listen to Stephanie Miller on the way to work each day.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. Good, he sucked.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

28. He Was The Reason I Never Listened To Sirius Left In The Morning

Between Alex Bennett and Lynn Samuels, there used to be two major time slots on Sirius Left every single day that were occupied by people who criticized Democrats every bit as vehemently as a right-wing screamer. I couldn't take it. And Alex Bennett's show was, what, like 18 hours long or something? Maybe now they'll put an actual left-wing host on Sirius Left.

I enjoyed listening to Bill Press, but his show was only an hour long, and as soon as he went off the air, it was time to change the channel before Alex Bennett came on and started railing against Democrats.

[cascadiance]

80. Lynn Samuels I agree with you on... Used to listen to Bennett on Live-105 in the bay area....

... many years before I heard him on Sirius Left. He seemed like a pretty good talker for the days that station was big on "Modern Rock" format back in the 80's and early 90's... Didn't care for his political talk as much, but he wasn't as bad as Samuels. Especially when Samuels was displacing two hours of Thom Hartmann in those days which in my book was a cardinal sin for a left wing channel. At least she's gone now though... RIP...

Maybe they'll find some room to get the Young Turks back on, since they used to have them on Sirius Left many years back, and might be a good time to do it if Cenk parts ways with Al Jazeera/Current some time soon, though obviously I don't think Cenk wants to do that time slot.

Perhaps another person to consider for this time if they could also have Bill Press's and Stephanie Miller's channels on a parallel channel would be to get Carl Wolfson, who was recently forced off the air at KPOJ when Clear Channel shut down liberal talk on that station here in Portland. He's now doing just internet streaming of his show. He used to team up with Thom Hartmann a lot when Thom was here in Portland.

[c588415]

29. Better Decorum

I am sort of reluctant to slam a fellow progressive . Nevertheless, Mr. Bennet shocked me the other day with his "F word" rant. He is an intelligent man who speaks his mind. I agree with some of Mr Bennet's views, while I strongly disagree with others. What's more, I didn't like his constant verbal attacks on other progressives. Bottom line, most progressive commentators I have listen to know how to annihilate their neocon opponents without the use of the " F word", and I'm sure Mr. Bennet could have done the same.

[themaguffin]

31. I didn't hear that rant, but his constant bashing of liberals got old

It's fine to disagree and it's welcome. Great, but he did it in a very shallow way.

[bermudat]

30. About G*d D*mn Time!

I use to wonder what dirt he has on the radio station that he was
allowed to stay on the air. He was repugnant.

[Arugula Latte]

35. Whoa. He used to be on Bay Area stations in the 80s. Haven't heard him in decades.

[nycplayboy78]

36. Finally GONE!!!!

I hope that they put Mike Malloy in his place...Mike would curse those right wing tea fucks out.....

[Kali]

47. friendly advice

try a less offensive username next time

[HappyMe]

64. This thread appears to be

a 'meeting place' of sorts.

[femmocrat]

38. That is great news!

I was "reduced" to listening to Joe and Mika on my morning commute! Oh I hope, I hope they put Bill Press back on. Fingers crosed.

[Analysta654]

39. It's fianllay over.

You must have more tolerance for B.S. than I do. I am not able to take Joe, Mika and the gang. My alternate radio is coast-to-coast AM. That's started to get boring lately, what with every crackpot coming out of he word works and expounding on strange stories on everything.

[WilliamS]

40. I found him irritating.. Always about him...

I'm kinda glad to see him go... He was a little too self absorbed to be enjoyable... I do however love MIP...mark Thompson is a bit arrogant at times, but at least there's some substance to the show...

[themaguffin]

42. I like Mark & his focus on some issues, but I don't think he handles some callers well

but overall enjoy him

[Ilsa]

41. They weren't getting any calls in, either.

Alex was practically begging for callers every day when I occasionally listened.

I didn't care much for it because it was too vulgar for my kids to hear, and it was dull. Alex recites too much ancient history, and his sidekicks were not well informed. It was time for Alex to go.

I'd rather have Bill Press and Mama and the Mooks.

[Conway_Stewart]

44. Glad He's Gone

I used to listen to Alex each morning on my drive to work as I enjoy Sirius Left. However, I was becoming increasingly tired of his show.

Alex was never prepared for his show. He claimed that he wanted to be able to speak spontaneously but it seemed more like a rationalization for laziness. He frequently lacked a basic knowledge of current events despite the fact he spoke about them daily.

He was quick to lose his temper with callers whose views differed from his but did not have the intellectual capacity to out-debate them; rather, he'd just yell, talk over the top of them, and hang up. No better than the Right Wing talk radio whackos...I expect a higher standard from the Left because we are better than them and smarter than them.

Over the past couple of months I found Alex's show to be unlistenable. I thus switched over to the ESPN Sports Channel and began listening to Mike and Mike on my morning drive (those guys are pretty good if you like Sports Talk).

Anyway, I heard David Lee Roth will be hosting on an interim basis this week until they find a permanent replacement.

David Lee Roth??? WTF??? This will probably be even worse than Alex. Sirius needs to get their act together sooner than later before I become a permanent sports radio junkie!

GO JAYS GO!!!

[guyonearth]

45. Alex Bennett had a great show.

It was actually entertaining, unlike most political "commentators", who are generally clueless about actually being funny. Sirius made a big mistake, they don't know good material when they see it.

[Logical]

54. LOL, 1st post? Alex, is that you? n-t

[southernyankeebelle]

48. Is this Alex Bennett on Sirius XM only? I don't have Sirius and I never heard of him. Is

he a lefty? What is the problem with him.

[chelsea0011]

51. That guy just plain sucked. He had friends who would call in

and bore me silly. I have no faith that XM will hire anyone that they would have to pay.

[Logical]

52. He was horrible. Talked about 70% of the time about anything but politics. I wrote them numerous...

times and got no response.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

55. He was on KILT-AM in Houston in the Sixties.

Before he was on KILT-AM as Alex Bennett, he was "James Bond".

Not that good.

[DefenseLawyer]

57. They replaced him with someone named Rick Ungar

Some rich guy, former CEO, currently the "Liberal" on some Fox News business show (seriously). Listened for a few minutes on the first day, mostly conservative guests and conservative/libertarian callers, because "we want to hear from all points of view" blah blah blah. Not very promising.

[womanofthehills]

58. So glad he is gone!

I would usually turn him off. I love Steph and Randi!!!

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

59. He sucked, but he's lucky

Lynn "Oboooooooomma's an asshole" Samuels had to shove off the mortal coil to be gotten rid of.

[leeroysphitz]

65. I agree with what you are saying about some people

prefering an echo chamber. I get that but regardless of his politics I found Bennet to be BORING. Like listening to paint dry boring.

[BumRushDaShow]

66. Yawn

Seems the anarchists have arrived.

The America Left station format was politics and Bennett made sure that he was anything but. He rambled on like Caribou Barbie.

They need to allow Bill Press his full time and then segue to Miller.

[BumRushDaShow]

68. I have listened to all points of view for over 35 years

from OTA talk radio stations in many top media markets - well before Sirius or XM or SiriusXM existed. I have heard the best of the best and the worst of the worst. From "old school" rethugs like Rev. Les Kinsolving, Bob Grant, & Curtis Sliwa, and even here in Philly - Irv homer. I even heard Limpballs the very 1st day he came on the air on WABC, when his show booted the turncoat Lynn Samuels out of her noon slot (as she announced that day). Alternately I have listened to black progressive talk (eg., the former Radio One line-up including Joe Madison, Mark Thompson, Warren Ballentine), as there are few "liberal" stations left outside of a handful here and there (but not in Philly) or black-owned talk radio.

Bennett was a waste of that slot.

Stations that do well tend to program to generate a "flow" from host to host and show to show. They don't have to all lock-step, but there is a segue. Bennett, on the other hand, jarringly interrupted the flow like a jagged rock thrown into a smooth stream.

[Zen Democrat]

77. Wow, he was still around?

When I was teenager, Bennett was a DJ on KILT radio and was "James Bond" with fake British accent and all. One evening, James Bond was gone, and in his place was Alex Bennett, and the show became a talk show focused on current affairs in the world for young people. I developed a social conscience listening to Alex Bennett advocate for civil rights and human rights. Then, just as abruptly as he came, he was gone. I've never forgotten that he opened my mind to a lot of things in the world when I was 16.

[Omaha Steve]

82. How did I miss this post?

I was so mad when Sirius took Bill Press off my drive time to work for Alex Bennett. I never liked Bennett but was probably influenced by my anger with Sirius.

I just wish they had gone back to Bill instead of the Rick Ungar Show. I am listening to him though.

[CobaltBlue]

83. 'Alex Bennett' was not suitable for Sirius Left [Progress]

I just found out about this minutes ago!

I knew from Bill Press's Current TV simulcast that his program was going off Sirius Left. Press announced it, and informed listeners/viewers of alternative methods to tune in his radio program. And I see that the 6 a.m. ET is now The Agenda with Ari Rabin-Havt. Oh! … And it's well past time that Stephanie Miller's program was played out in its entirety. (Sirius Left, on ch. 127, is being renamed Sirius Progress. Bill Press's program is on, at 6 a.m. ET, the Internet-accessed Sirius Left Plus, on ch. 781.)

@ http://www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmleft?p=1283872745429
@ http://www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmleft?p=1283872745429
@ http://www.siriusxm.com/siriusxmleftplus/weeklyschedule


I did not know until now that Alex Bennett's program was taken off Sirius XM.

My feeling with him was mixed.

I applaud someone who says he's a liberal, generally, before being a Democrat. It used to be that Republicans were liberal and the Democrats were conservative. (Think of an inverse of today's electoral map of which states were base ones for the two parties.)

With Bennett, I had too difficult a read on him. Would some say he was in the way of a centrist or a moderate? (Admittedly, I wasn't tuned in often enough to distinguish; but I'm certain he wasn't genuinely liberal. Bennett, for example, defended Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker in that recall election, from 2012, because Bennett figured that when a state's voters elect a governor, the citizenry should not turn around later to try to recall him. That was the extent of Bennett's regard for that particular situation.)

Alex Bennett is an old man. There is nothing wrong being old. But, it hurt him that he was so out of touch. He did not belong on the Siriux XM Left. In fact, when one compares that Bennett was on that station while Mike Malloy, who is truly ethical in his arguments, and is truly liberal, Bennett was one of the last people appropriate for that programming channel. The only one who struck me as obviously worse was the late Lynn Samuels, who copped to being a "birther" but, in reality, had flipped out for reasons I don't quite understand (because, like with Bennett, I didn't follow Samuels too much. That may have been good for me).


I used to subscribe to Sirius XM Radio. I canceled my subscription early this year due to personal matters. I may end up getting into it again. I hope to come across, here at Democratic Underground, any information here about the replacement program, The Agenda with Ari Rabin-Havt. (Thank you, in advance, as well as to the OP of this thread!)

[themaguffin]

85. just saw your comment, I wish that

Press were back and not happy that Thom Hartmann is gone. Both are good solid liberal personalities.