Al Franken will make a HORRIBLE radio personality.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

So, Franken is getting his own radio show on that new liberal radio network. Well hoorah. Why will this be nothing but a disaster?

He talks slow. It takes him a while to fully develop what he's trying to say, and he delivers it in mindnumbingly slow fashion.

He's also boring as hell.

His voice gets extremely annoying quite quickly.

Why, out of all the talented liberals out there, would Al Franken get a radio show?

Am I the only one that feels this way? His book was great, he's great for entertaining the troops--but why HIM on the radio? How will he get anyone other than hardcore Democrats to tune in?

[Kathy in Cambridge]

1. I've seen him speak in person and he's great

I've also seen him argue with conservatives (Bill O'Reilly) and get the better of them.

I think he's got a laid-back, Minnesota way about him. I actually prefer Mike Malloy's style-it's more in your face.

[blondeatlast]

33. My boss was at BookExpo during the famous debate.

She says Franken just destroyed O'Rielly with his wit and intellect. I've heard the incident on tape, and she seems to be right.

If it's that entertaining on tape, I think he'll do fine on radio.

Did you hear Terry Gross interview him on NPR? He was witty, funny, intelligent, and POLITE. That's pretty tough to juggle.

I can't wait, myself.

Edit: I can't get the file to download, maybe you can:

http://www.booktv.org/feature/index.asp?schedid=195&segid=3609

[seventhson]

2. That's 75 million democrats

that will listen and BUY!

Franken is GREAT!!!

Why such negativity?

[Cocoa]

3. I've heard he's going to have a co-host

I agree he'd probably be terrible on his own, I don't think he's done a lot of radio before, it's not something just anyone can do.

[jean]

55. Al Franken's new co-host is Katherine Lanpher

Lanpher leaves MPR, joins Franken on new network
Deborah Caulfield Rybak
Star Tribune
Published 01/20/2004
http://www.startribune.com/stories/459/4329020.html (subscription)

Katherine Lanpher stepped down today as host of Minnesota Public Radio's "Midmorning." She will join a new politically liberal radio network as satirist Al Franken's co-host on a daily three-hour show to premiere sometime this spring. The network had been calling itself Central Air, but is now using its parent company's name, Progress Media, instead.

``She is the newest member of our team,'' said Mark Walsh, chief executive officer of Progress Media. ``We are very excited.''

"This is my last show," she said at the end of today's program. "I'm moving on to a new opportunity."

Her departure leaves MPR with some big shoes to fill, acknowledged Bill Buzenberg, the network's senior vice president of news: "She's someone who can go from hard news on Iraq to the softest feature with an author or gardening guru."

::snip::

Lanpher joined MPR in August 1998 after 16 years at the St. Paul Pioneer Press, six of them as a columnist. Her previous radio experience was a 16-month stint as the liberal voice on conservative talk radio station KSTP-AM.

Franken, a Twin Cities native and author of the bestselling "Liars and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them," confirmed last week that he had agreed to host a show on the network. Franken said his show will be a mix of interviews, listener calls and comedy bits.

At present, Progress Media has signed only one broadcast deal with a station in Chicago. The network says it plans to air 14 to 18 hours of daily programming on stations in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Boston. No Twin Cities stations have been targeted as yet.


You can hear a Lanpher/Franken interview from 10/15/03 - scroll down to October 15 and look at Hour 2 for the audio link:

Lanpher interviews Franken

[JohnOneillsMemory]

63. Co-host should be Harry Shearer. They could do Simpsons bits. n/t

[0007]

4. Sorry! but I don't agree with your opinion -

I think Franken is great and rather enjoy listening to the truth.

[tridim]

5. They need to pick up Malloy

He's looking for a job. Seems like a no brainer.

[Terwilliger]

24. Malloy will never be hired by this new network

unless he repudiated his previous approach and swore not to say "Have I told you tonight how much I hate these people?" and "Bush Crime Family"

He won't be hired.

[OneTwentyoNine]

35. Pink Tu Tu Liberal radio owners too?

When the HELL are Dems going to take off the gloves and get in the fight? This non-ending theory of if we play nicey,nice then we'll come out on top. Bull SHIT,if that was true then Limbaugh would have been gone years ago. Savage would have never seen the light of day on radio,they wouldn't hire ex-cons for talk shows.

Jesus,if those owners have a shred of BRAINS they'd have Malloy signed up FIRST. Man....


David

[lastknowngood]

6. You're right

If he has a script and follows it he's good but off the cuff he gets muddled but I love him anyway.

[UTUSN]

7. Um, Let's Make a List

of Dems on the approved list.

[madmax]

8. Randi Rhodes

She was on fire today over the treatment of Clark at last nights debate.

[onecitizen]

42. I agree with you.......

Randi's the one. She can make mincemeat out of most people when she wants to. And she is soooo smart. Really,really smart. And the gift of gab. Randi should be on nationwide. She talks for 4 hours each week day and is NEVER boring.

[Skidmore]

27. I wouldn't mind seeing him pair up with

Arianna Huffington again. They were pretty good together and she's smart and quick.

[NewJeffCT]

44. Colin McEnroe

Smart, funny and well-informed on in Hartford in the afternoons after WTIC AM 1080 has Rush preceded by two local Reich Wingers - so , at least we get liberal talk from 3-6pm after 9 1/2 hours of far right talk prior to him.

[LTR]

50. Alex Bennett

Practicall invented a number of genres. Started out as a late-night talk host in the late 60's in New York, with a shock format expressing very leftist views.

Went to San Francisco and became a successful morning guy for two decades. Ran an entertaining funhoudse with big name and up-and-coming comedians (Dana Carvey was a nobody when he was frequently on the show), politicians (Willie Brown, Jimmy Carter), porn stars, and singers such as Tori Amos.

His antics are controversial, and incredibly entertaining. He paved the way for guys like Stern.

Last seen on a Clear Channel AM talker (KNEW) a year ago. Unfortunately, he was replaced by syndicated guys after 6 weeks on the air. Perhaps due to his strong anti-Iraq War and anti-Bush views.

Check him out here:

http://www.radiofreejack.com

[Ardee]

58. I remember Bennett fondly

More than a few times I got some very strange looks while commuting up 101 doubled over with hysterical laughter at the antics of Bennett and any number of stoned comedy club veterans come directly from all nighters and free associating like mad.

[greyl]

9. He's much funnier than Paul freeking Harvey! :)

(i'm not sure what that means)

[calimary]

13. Ahh, Paul freeking Harvey.

I'm afraid I'm stuck with one overriding negative view of him, "beloved" and "revered" radio institution that he is. Yeah, he's an engrossing story-teller and in radio that's important. But I don't care for his politics. Beyond that, though, what I really abhored was something he said back during the OJ Simpson trial.

It was right after the 911 tapes were released of a frantic call Nicole had made when OJ was on another one of his rampages and was breaking down her door and screaming and bellowing (it was in the house in which she lived before she moved to that condo on South Bundy Drive where she was ultimately killed). You could hear her saying things to the effect of being scared shitless and a few other four-letter words. You could hear the terror in her voice, AND you could hear his horrifying tirades CLEARLY in the background. It must have been awful for her. She was afraid for her life and she spoke rather frankly, if you get my drift. The only fucking thing Paul Harvey could say about this was - what a shame that such a lovely woman could use such foul language. UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE!!! NOT A WORD about the vicious stuff that was coming from OJ's mouth, AND the sounds of breaking down the door that you could clearly hear from across the room where she was on the phone. NOTHING! The threats, shouts, terrorizing, the banging and crashing - a complete madman on the other side of that door breaking it down. ANYBODY's blood would have curdled to hear it. Maybe some of you remember hearing that tape. It was utterly chilling. And fucking sanctimonious Paul Harvey had nothing to say about it except to chastise her for having used foul language to describe it to the 911 operator.

From that moment on, I lost ALL respect for Paul Harvey. What a foul old putz. Paul Harvey should be absolutely ashamed of himself for that. SHAME ON HIM!! And I say that as a 25-year radio veteran, myself, for whom he'd otherwise be a respected elder statesman. From that moment on I quit being a Paul Harvey fan. He's done little to redeem himself since then. Just an old scold. Sorry, but he carries no mystique for me.

On edit - back to the subject at hand...

So bring on Al Franken. Yeah, sometimes he's a little slow on the uptake. Sometimes he hems and haws. But it's a start. If he had a cohost that would be great because it would make the pacing a little more zippy. But Al Franken is VERY funny and we need someone with a sense of humor poking holes in the republi-CONS' balloons. Especially since so many radio programming people fall back on the excuse that liberals don't have Limbaugh-strength because we're too serious and not "entertaining" like Limbaugh supposedly is (I do NOT see it, myself - he's not one bit entertaining to me). Al Franken has a lot going for him, and hopefully his show will establish the whole liberal network in a nice, solid way. He has marquee value, too. I'm eager to listen.

[Skittles]

19. PAUL HARVEY SOUNDS LIKE A PERVERT

HE IS A CREEPY F***.

[louis-t]

76. I am reminded that in most instances, people I know who listen to Rush

always start out saying that he's hilarious. Franken is funny. Hopefully he'll get better as time goes on. I watched his debate with O'Really. He did well. As I recall, O'Really sort of stormed off at the end.

[blondeatlast]

36. My pinkie toe is funnier than him.

[cryofan]

10. I agree. Franken is rich person, and he will not fight the Class War

and the Class War is the rightful domain of the Democratic Party, and they have abandoned it.

We need liberal radio hosts from the middle and lower middle class, ones who have some anger at the rich people in this country. Where is Franken's anger about core democratic issues like erosion of progressive taxation and the welfare state/safety net? He never mentions that kind of thing. He is rich; why should he be mad?

[blurp]

25. Class war?

The history of all hitherto existing successful societies is the history of class cooperation.

[HootieMcBoob]

30. the "class war" wasn't started by Democrats

Get it straight.

[cryofan]

54. more like the history of slavery in almost all societies

lotta social-status lovin' sheeple going on!
lotta pack animal social hierarchy loving lizard brains going on!

lotta cooperation going on!

[Sterling]

61. lol

too funny. Yes the history of the world is one of oppression. The great thing about humans is we can evolve. We don’t have to accept an unfair class based system for eternity.

[Fovea]

62. It takes two to tango.

Bring on the upper class, hat in hand, wanting to help build an America that is as good as Germany is now. Then we can have a nice cease fire and all sing around the fire.

But as it stands right now, if you paid attention to the latest insult from the Senate, there is a class war already being faught. And guess which side has been losing for the last two years?

[EXE619K]

11. As much as I like Franken's message....

He's oratory skills need a good polishin'

[arewethereyet]

12. do you really have to ask ?

low pay, improbably chance of success, becoming the object of derission. who would want this job ?

[zbdent]

14. Who can forget the 80s - the "Al Franken" decade?

On his days on SNL (end of the "good 70s", beginning of the suck 80s-current SNL skits), he talked of the "Me decade" of the 70s. At the beginning of the 80s, he declared that it was the "Al Franken" decade.

Really a good sendup of the "me" decade.

Everybody was to stop doing everything just for themselves, and start doing things for "Al Franken".

The more I think about it, the current problem with the Republicans is that they are a direct result of the "me generation" - "Me first!". The people who decided to ask what the country could do for them, not what they could do for the country.

[leetrisck]

15. I love him,but the satire is not

going to bring in great audiences (I'm afraid). Worried about it.

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

16. He's not boring as hell

Joe Lieberman is boring as hell! Al Franken is Fun!!!

[SeveneightyWhoa]

18. Well he's got a boring delivery..

But I thought he was pretty funny on the Late Show w/ Letterman today. But how can you take him for three hours? It won't be pretty.

[rman]

43. So you like Franken, but 3 hours of him would be such a huge problem

that he'd better not even try?

And it seems you consider yourself to be an authority on these matters, as you seem to feel obligated to protect Dems from many hours of Franken - as though people wouldn't be able to make up their own mind about this...

[lucidmadman]

17. I think it really depends...

...on the format. I don't think it'll be the 'one guy ranting' format or the 'listener calls' format. I think it'll be more of a 'variety show/sketch comedy' format. He's a pro and he knows lots of pros to do 'bits' on the show. With the right bumper music and clips, the right pace, etc it'll stand a chance of making it. I think he's good choice for host: Minnesota Normal with an edge...

[devilgrrl]

20. Dig your web site!

http://www.patrioticamerica.net/

classy! :eyes:

[SeveneightyWhoa]

21. Its clearly NOT a satire.

No, its not a satire or parody, really. You caught me. I'm a freeper. I just alerted the mods, don't bother!

[devilgrrl]

22. Just makin' sure...

you never know.:shrug:

[Dr Fate]

74. That's good stuff- LOL!

Thanks for the laugh- great site. I'll bet you there really ARE freeps who think your site is real- too funny!

[Terwilliger]

23. When he's on track and on target he's great

I've heard him when he really sucks too, and I dont think he has the abilities he needs to do a good talk show

[aeon flux]

26. I saw him on a C-SPAN debate

debating with two shrill but very sharp conservatives, on the issue of bias in the media. This debate was in front of a live audience.

Franken had the audience rolling on the floor for 2 hours straight. I swear I haven't laughed so hard for so long in a long time. And clapping/agreeing at almost everything he said. All the heckles were directed to the two people on the conservative side. the audience wasn't even particularly liberal and yet cheered Franken on. The man is just amazing with an incredible wit.

Do not pre-judge or underestimate Al Franken!

[blondeatlast]

37. BookExpo, I suspect.

The audience WAS probably predominantly liberal, since it was made up of booksellers and librarians.

But he's sharp and funny. He'll do just fine.

[Columbia]

28. Us DU'ers may love debating politics

But most people do not. People would much rather listen to mind-numbing music or shock jock type stuff. Even conservative radio talk show hosts like Limbaugh get pretty pathetic ratings. Al Franken and any liberal radio network will be doomed to fail.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

46. That you're taking this side of the argument

is no surprise to "Us DUers".

:eyes:

[Columbia]

83. You want to rebut it?

It's quite plain that Americans just are not interested in politics. Take a look at TV and radio ratings and see what people watch. MTV's Real World and wrestling are leaps and bounds ahead of any of the cable news channels. Radio also has the same disparity. People just don't care.

[Q]

29. Franken does a great job...

...in attacking the Right on the issues the New Democrats won't even talk about. I think it's silly to pronounce him 'dead' before he even starts.

- It might take a while for this type of thing to work...but it certainly doesn't help to go negative on it before it even begins.

- Franken is getting better with age...and you can't really compare him now to his SNL days. If YOU find him 'boring'..then don't listen...but the rest of us are going to give him a chance...and encouragement.

[liberalmike27]

31. Franken

I think he's great. Though the slow-talking thing can be annoying, it is in a way, part of his charm. The fact that he takes so long to choose his words, often brings him to exactly the right ones. I love it when he immitates Rush Limbaugh. He was on letterman last night, talking about trying to be the first to do drug-free radio.

He's hilarious, no doubt. We all have our own styles. I was going to say, if you don't like Franken, you're likely a right-winger.

[Democat]

32. Franken might be too intellectual for talk radio, but Moore would be great

Michael Moore goes wild, he would probably do great on the radio if he wanted to waste his time with such things.

[waylon]

34. He is slow but not boring

When he does get a point across, its usually done with wit and a fair amount of originality. I think if its somewhat scripted, at least if the issues are predetermined, he will do well. Especially if hes going up agianst limbaugh

[blondeatlast]

38. On the "slow" issue--he definitely wasn't at BookExpo, or he wouldn't

have been able to get a word in edgewise vs. O'Reilly.

I've linked to a a playback elsewhere in this thread.

[blondeatlast]

39. BTW--CentralAir is going for entertainment, Garofalo may be next to sign.

http://www.centralairmedia.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=38

Lizz Winstead of the "Daily Show"? This, my friends, is getting good.

[blondeatlast]

40. "The O'Franken Factor" is the name of the show.

Ya gotta love it!

“Quite simply, my plan is to alter the political landscape, drive this radical right-wing president from office and stand as a beacon for ordinary Americans who work hard and play by the rules. Short of that, I’d just like to get on in Albany,” added Franken.

In addition, the network is unveiling another program in its lineup: “Champions of Justice,” co-hosted by Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Mike Papantonio, will bring a fresh and entertaining perspective to talk radio from the top legal minds in the country with a focus on informing Americans about the inner workings of corporations and how they influence our daily lives.

“I am excited to be affiliated with Progress Media, which will provide Americans a breath of fresh air and a much needed alternative to the status-quo,” said Kennedy.

“Al Franken and Robert Kennedy Jr. are important ingredients to achieving our core mission: entertaining and engaging programming,” said Walsh.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

48. I bet O'Really will sue him for the name of his show

that's wicked funny!

[blondeatlast]

89. He was kinda hoping that he would!

[gristy]

53. That's PERFECT!

"The O'Franken Factor"!!! What a great name. Lookin forward to the show. Hope it is replayed sometime in the evening.

Can't figure out what Franken means by this: "Short of that, I'd just like to get on in Albany."

[HootieMcBoob]

81. self depracating humor n/t

[aintitfunny]

41. Al Franken can entertain

Which is going to be a primary requirement of a successful radio show. I think he can be quite entertaining, and he is gets very passionate when speaking to his ideological and political beliefs.

[Touchdown]

45. Saturday Night Live has lasted 30 years...

Most of those years has been because of Franken's writing and acting. He is the only perennial personality that show has ever had. Did you ever see his inpression of Pat Robertson? It was almost as funny as Akroyd's take on Bob Dole.

Rush (his new stage name) has been bloviating on the radio since, what...1988? Give the man a chance.

[LTR]

47. A (former) radio guy's perspective

The jury's still out (IMHO) on whether he will succeed in the radio arena.

Keep in mind, a three hour radio show is a totally different beast than TV, print and speeches. It is not as easy as it seems.

Rush Lowbrow succeeded because he is an old radio guy. He just took the stuff he learned on personality-driven AM Top 40 radio, 'morning zoo'-type antics and brought it to a politically-driven talk show arena. That is why his show prospered.

For CA to succeed, they must bring in talk radio pros. Does Janeane Garofalo know how to fill three hours of talk radio per day? Does she know how to balance a format? How well does she do with phones?

Ever wonder how somebody like Howard Stern can fill five hours per day? Like him or not, it is not as easy as it sounds. It is a serious art, and while it sounds like something anybody can do, it isn't.

They really need to look at liberal talent like Mike Malloy, Peter Werbe, Alex Bennett, etc. These people know how to do left-leaning radio.

Radio is not something to be taken for granted. And I hope these people realize this. Otherwise, it will fail miserably, and contribute to the arguement that liberal radio does not work.

[supernova]

49. What's with all the defeatism?

Isn't this what we said we've been wanting, a liberal counterpoint to conservative radio?

Isn't this what we said we've been wanting, an articulate, persuasive and entertaining spokesman for all things liberal?

Al Franken is more successful at this than most, more than Rhandi Rhodes, more than Mike Malloy. I'm not saying they aren't good at what they do, nor that that shouldn't be a part of this new network if they can. But Al Franken has one thing going for him that no one else has: name recognition with the general public.

And you know what else? Al Franken doesn't get the blowback that others do. Nobody rags on him for being a liberal in the same way that they rag on us. He gets away with it. How does he do that? By being thoughtful. By choosing his words carefully. By being polite and businesslike, but not a doormat. By using precisely the qualities you are criticizing here as "boring as hell."

Whether or not any given audience will agree with Franken (say a bad night on Letterman or Leno perhaps), they certainly don't blame him for saying whatever is on his mind, and even find themselves agreeing with him.

Sorry, I don't want just a liberal version of Rush Limbaugh. It's not just his content that puts me off. It's his entire style: his delivery, his voice, his arrogant insistance that he and he alone has all the answers, his unwillingness to see his own flaws and incompleteness.

We deserve far better. I for one will support Al Franken.

[LTR]

51. No defeatism

Just don't want to see a repeat of Jim Hightower and Mario Cuomo. We all know how that turned out.

Rather, I just want to see them do it right. After all, Randi Rhodes is a great example of showing how it can be done. Another example to look at is KGO in San Francisco. They also do well with a mostly-liberal format. THIS is what they should be looking at.

I still hope Franken does well.

[JanMichael]

52. Since we have jack crap control over the issue, let's see first, eh?

You know, let him suceed, or fail, on the merits of his show, not your opinion.

I'll admit that I wish that they went with actual talk-show host, but they want instant name recognition, so I guess it matters little what I think too.

Maybe they'll be (R)evolutionary in their adjustments to feedback?

[CalebHayes]

56. Mike Webb, should go national! He would be great! Don't you think?

http://stream2.mikewebb.org:8000/listen.pls

[Sterling]

57. You have bad taste?

Franken is a great talent.

[Terwilliger]

60. doesn't mean he's going to do well, Sterling

it just means he can write...that doesn't necessarily translate into a radio personality

[Sterling]

67. He has always been great on SNL.

I see no reason to think he will not be entertaining.

[Terwilliger]

79. Mike Malloy is entertaining

His show goes off the air next month.

I hope it works out but there better be a Plan B

[thingfish]

59. Bullcrap! Franken is great, fast on his feet, entertaining.

I look forward to his show.

[UTUSN]

64. Requiring a Longer Attention Span Doesn't Equate with "Boring"

I have sat through a couple of 45 minute FRANKEN presentations on C-SPAN and have not found it "boring" or his voice "extremely annoying". As for "all the talented liberals out there", he has been in the small group at the top of being out there for us AS one of us----why NOT him. As for getting OTHER than hardcore Dems, he has a pleasantness and geniality that is appealing to people in general, people who might be toward the----GASP-------Center, and perhaps even beyond. There was around of these same allegations against FRANKEN a month or two ago, and I don't understand why.

[Redleg]

65. Opinions differ. I think Franken will do a good job.

EOM

[are_we_united_yet]

66. I don't agree

eom

[Susang]

68. I think boring is an interesting choice of words, don't you?

He was rarely boring on SNL, and even created some of their most famous bits. His books are never boring, and neither was his appearance on CSPAN where he took on Bill O'Reilly. He certainly wasn't boring on the recent Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, getting more laughs than any of the other comedians and even keeping Nick DiPaolo in line. So, I guess your definition of boring must be worlds away from mine.

[sal]

69. Like Rush Limbaugh talks fast?

Or developes an idea quickly? What the hell are you talking about?

Stop attacking people who are actually trying to do something positive. It ain't your money, and you don't have to listen.

[louis-t]

80. Rush talks fast when he, or a rebub, is

on the defensive. Or close to an election. Watch for it.

[Tactical Progressive]

70. I think Franken has a cadence that might work well on radio

He has this kind of slow, methodical way of crafting his bits that kind of keeps a level of suspense going, which all comes together in a wry and funny punchline. It might fail, sure, but I think Al's comic pacing might work really well on radio.

I know that the standard on radio is the mile-a-minute blowhard whose mouth is connected directly to the brain stem, but Franken brings something new to the shock-jock medium that could be very compelling.

I'm just glad that he's getting a chance to try. That's the only way in a medium like radio; there's no way to know until you try, and it might take a while for both his style to mature into a radio format, and for an audience to become acclimated to him as well.

[FDRrocks]

71. I disagree....

[Dr Fate]

72. He & Dennis Miller should do a TV food-fight "debate" show...

Now THAT might get some ratings.

[Honesthumanbeing]

73. Franken is quick witted and funny

He'll make an excellent radio personality.

[fumetti]

75. Stumbling out of the gate

Jumping out and saying "we're liberal radio" may have killed this project already.

What liberals NEEDED was to get out their message and label it "common sense." Not label it "liberal version of Limbaugh", which is what it sounds like.

Our cause needs to get into the ears of the middle-of-the-road public, and even they can see bias when it's telegraphed ahead of time.

And when/if Al Franken's voice DOES sound annoying on the radio, we're doomed. (I can see why someone might not like the sound of his voice. Sometimes he sounds great, sometimes he sounds whiny--and I'm a fan of his.)

[SeveneightyWhoa]

77. I'm a fan of his too.

Like I said, I loved his book, etc.
Just don't think he'll do well as THE main representative of liberal radio.
This thread is nothing against him.

[Dr Fate]

78. It will have a ton of good-natured humor though....

...think "Saturday Night Live"- he used to write for them, and his skits he wrote are comedy classics-

Think about all the interesting guest stars he has acess to as compared to Rush- this will pull in moderate listeners too...

I think many moderates may like the show for the laughs- it will be funnier than Limbaugh or Imus...

[Q]

84. Welcome to Central Air

Welcome to Central Air


Central Air is a new network focused on producing and syndicating programs nationwide and we are poised to change the landscape of talk radio. We plan to debut in March 2004 an entertaining and enlightening brand of talk that is unlike anything heard before.


Our primary goal is to entertain and inform the listening public with an irreverent twist. Political and popular satire, hard-hitting parody and celebrity-fueled interviews will ensure that Central Air programs stand out as different, interesting and entertaining.


Using the nation's top comedy performers, sharpest political commentators and knowledgable experts from the worlds of business, sports, science, politics, and entertainment, Central Air is out to balance the discussion on our country's airwaves with politically progressive talk.

[waterman]

82. No he won't - eom

[Kipepeo]

85. O'Franken Factor

I think Franken's hilarious. I think his show will be great. He's smart, quick and sexy. I agree with someone else here who said it would ahve been good to hear him paired with Arianna Huffington. But I like the match they have now.

I also think they should try to get Jerry Quickley, from KPFK. Now he's a *true* Limbaugh from an alternate universe, but a lot funnier and obviously smarter.

[hot2trot]

86. Why

Al is good at speaking and he can do a good job for us.

[Liberal_Dog]

87. I Like Al Franken, But I Have My Doubts

Radio is a lot different than television. As Mario Cuomo proved, you can't just put somebody in a radio booth and expect greatness. We will have to see whether or not Franken has the ability and temperment to make this a success. I hope that he does.

[carpetbagger]

88. Dean, Dean, Dean, Dean.

If he doesn't get the nomination, that is what he needs to do.