Posted on 04/14/2010 2:36:35 PM PDT by SilvieWaldorfMD
Fred Grandy (a.k.a Gopher from "The Love Boat) and Andy Parks are out. FishbowlDC sources have confirmed and DCRTV (www.dcrtv.com) is reporting that WMAL's (630 AM) duo has been fired. Grandy is a former Republican member of Congress.
It won't happen immediately -- their end date is still up in the air. The news has been circulating at the station all day long. Word has it that corporate-wide cuts of the most expensive employees are necessary to save money.
Station manager Paul Duckworth did not return a phone request for comment at FBDC press time.
Interesting timing as it was just this past Saturday I attended the WMAL First Amendment Forum with Fred, Andy, Chris, and Brian. Fred was hot. I’d like to see him get into speaking on the Tea Party circuit or elsewhere. He has an amazing command of history and the issues. I believe I heard him say this morning “I have a masters degree!”
GAG! They just got rid of Scarborough in the 10-12 time slot and put Chris Plante back on from 9-12. They fired Chris about year ago and Scarborough was a disaster - I expect another one now.
This makes me sad - I love Grandy and Andy!
I live outside DC - listen to Grandy and Andy EVERY morning !!!
They are #1 in their slot ...
BTW: They replaced Chris Plant [who replaced Chris Core] with Joe and Mika [Morning Joe] ... THAT lasted about 3 months before they brought Plant back [for MORE ducats, I assume].
NO ONE LISTENED TO JOE AND MIKA - SAME WILL GO FOR WHATEVER BOZO(S) REPLACE(S) GRANDY AND ANDY ...
Die, corporate scum.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
Hard to believe. They are an absolute Washington institution. Think of the Freedom of Speech forum last Saturday. One of the most perfect days of the year in DC, yet hundreds of fans congregated in a dark hotel ballroom to see/hear them and Christ Plante. Hopefully, management wakes up before it screws up.
Fred should move back to Iowa and run for Governor. Or US Senate to replace DungHeap Harkin.
Management is screwing up WMAL just the way they destroyed WABC in NY. These jackasses have no business being in the radio station business. Sad...
THey are paying three people for a morning talk show. That’s a lot of money. I guess Brian is the cheapest of the bunch.
Behind the face of that actor lies the black heart of a rabid rat.
LLS
Strange...maybe we’ll be hearing Imus in the Morning?
Paul Duckworth USED to be the GM at KVI 570 in Seattle, which used to be Kirby Wilbur’s station. He screwed around with the lineup when he was at KVI as well. Not smart.
If we get Imus, I will SCREAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm going to miss him more than Andy, and I do hope he does get out into the Tea Party circuit where he can make a difference.
oh I get that whole budget thing .. suppose the days of ‘teams’ on radio are at their end. If the DC market can’t afford it, what market can?
It’d just be interesting to know how much audience this team attracts to the station, what their ad rates are, what ending the show will cost in terms of audience. Their move to fire Chris Plante was a classic in management having no clue what the audience wants. WMAL certainly has its audience identified, but do they know what that audience wants?
Silvie, don’t even THINK that.
Due to my commute, I never am able to listen to my favorites (Plante, Rush, Levin). The only WMAL personalities I was able to catch were Grandy & Andy (Nehman is a useless liberal).
I'll continue to download Rush & Levin to my MP3 player...
Curtis & Kuby were #1 in the NYC area two years ago. They canned them and put that idiot Imus in their place. I’d love to know what his ratings are, he’s an old drug addled has been.
I’ve tried to listen but I just can’t.
>> Prediction: they’ll replace Grandy & Andy with Joe Scarboro (barf). <<
No, since WMAL has the same ownership as WABC, it probably will be Imus.
My guess is the syndication cost for Imus isn’t as high as the local team.
The problem is that you can’t make enough money in a time slot to pay a guy a living salary. The only way to really make money in radio on talent is if you can syndicate them, or give them enough hours.
I’m waiting to see if they can syndicate Plante.
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