Who will notice? He’s always on vacation.
Leveille should have shown more gratitude after his loyal listeners busted their humps writing e-mails and letters to lobby for giving him his job back a few years ago, when his program was replaced by CBS brass, in a cost-savings maneuver, with a nationally-syndicated show.
Instead, Leveille rewarded his dedicated “fans” with even more absences and vacation time, and did precious little to temper his obviously biased left-wing personality and overall grouchiness, which included being rude to callers and hanging up on them. I say now “Good riddance!”
Although Jordan Rich has the consummate WBZ “voice,” a blend of Dave Maynard, Dick Summer, and Gary LaPierre, his format is an often boring mix of discussions and guests about unheard-of jazz singers and spiritual/New Age (”newage?”) topics. He also, apparently, may not contain his tendency to discuss the Holocaust and Nazis, no doubt a reflection of his own heritage, but a snoozefest to his largely non-Jewish audience when done nearly every week.
But I give Rich at least having the interest to book guests, something Leveille rarely did except for the buffoonish local trivia hack Mel Simons. If one positive outcome may occur from Leveille’s retirement, I hope it is WBZ will never again allow the voice of Simons to be boomed through its microphones, with his disturbing & vulgar adenoidal pig snorting.
If Rich could be reined in, instructed to book more interesting guests and program more compelling and varying topics, perhaps more frequent of his entertaining roundtables about film as well, he certainly has the chops to host the overnight broadcast five days a week.
It would also be nice if WBZ could elevate the call-in contests to at least where Bob Raleigh once had them, giving away some truly rewarding prizes of concert and theater tickets (and if ‘BZ could once again become a big-time co-sponsor of locally-staged national & international entertainment, such as the former “Concerts On The Common” and Broadway-bound or national road companies of theatrical productions), instead of only some self-promotional felt pens that dry up in a matter of weeks, and ‘BZ ballcaps.
Even worse are the give-aways (like the answers to his alleged trivia questions) of perennial overnight substitute host Morgan White Jr., who from his goodie bag relinquishes promotional freebies even he doesn't see the merit in retaining.
While on the subject of Simon's and White's trivia contests, it should be noted a good radio trivia master should genuinely be an expert on the subjects about which he quizzes the call-in contestants. And I've caught both these guys giving incorrect answers on more than a few occasions. Such incompetence inspires no confidence, generally, in such persons’ intelligence. It is no great boast to say these guys know more than their average listener. That should be a given.
Bradley Jay exhibits a rudeness similar to Leveille’s, is not broad-knowledged enough to handle the position on a full-time basis. He is basically a holdover from CBS’ acquisition of Infinity, that onced owned WBCN, Boston's once predominant FM rock station that deteriorated into nothing resembling its once-vital prominence. And even then, Jay was only a part of that entity's last vestiges, never a part of ‘BCN’s heydays.
The station would probably prefer a host with some hard news credentials, as from the graveyard shift until dawn the Monday-Friday overnight host is the one “manning the battlestations,” as it were, at Boston's only all-news radio outlet. In the main, it may not be necessary to be more than light & lively, and occasionally discuss local & national current events. But when something big like 9/11 or the Blizzard of ‘78 happens in the wee small hours, that “voice on the air in the night” must also inspire confidence and handle informational dissemination until the morning news team arrives.
My vote for a replacement for Leveille would be Dean Johnson, a refreshingly energetic and enthusiastic, as well smart substitute host for Leveille of late. Like Rich, Johnson exhibits a respect for his callers, and perhaps could be clued in that part of the job includes being an overnight companion to those listeners for who that “voice on the air in the night” may be their only human contact that day or week. This is especially true of elderly and longtime ‘BZ listeners, who have so endeared themselves to the audience and hosts as to become almost extra regulars of the broadcasts. The names “Angelo,” “Generosa,” and “Glen from Brighton” come to mind.
Johnson was a longtime pop music writer, as well editor, for a few prominent Boston publications. In the interest of full disclosure, I happen to have been a staff writer for one of those publications, although after Johnson's tenure as its editor, and never knew him personally.
It is about time for a change of regime in WBZ’s only semi-entertaining, non-news-based program. So it will be interesting to see if CBS is willing to commit to a local host, in preserving a semblance of the station's heritage, or if it takes the easier and cost-effective route and just programs a nationally-syndicated broadcast.
Should Jordan Rich be hired for the regular overnight slot, it would be nice if one of the weekend overnights or even weekend prime time slots could be given to a Boston airing or rebroadcast of the syndicated “Monica Crowley Show.” Crowley's intelligent presence has been missed in these parts, especially as she is no longer a regular panelist on the syndicated TV broadcast “The McLaughlin Group” (aired locally on WGBH & WGBX), and since WTTK (Boston's FM talker) stopped airing her radio show a few years ago.
Until then, I'll BZ-ing you!