Live, From the Left, It's... [Lying Liar Al Franken]

MSNBC/Newsweek ^ | 3/29/04 | Weston Kosova

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

March 29 issue - Al Franken is eating a sandwich—demolishing it, really—blissfully unaware of the barrage of wet, sticky mouth sounds he's sending into the microphone that hangs in front of his face. It's the third day of recorded rehearsals for Franken's daily radio show on Air America, a left-leaning, all-talk network that launches next week, and he's trying to choke down a quick lunch during the few minutes of commercials between segments. On the other side of the studio desk, the show's cohost, Franken's friend and radio pro Katherine Lanpher, is experiencing every note of the gastric symphony. She shoots him an amused, exasperated look. "Bet you're glad you didn't have the chips," she deadpans. It isn't the first time Franken has broken a cardinal rule of radio. "I tried to tell him yesterday he can't eat on the air." She laughs. "Listeners don't want to hear... that."

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I thought they were talking about Kerry.

[Starve The Beast]

This liberal radio network will have a brief burst of near-success, due to hype and curiousity, and then fade.

The reason? Their core audience already has NPR, CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC, etc., etc...

Good logic, but there's one very important flaw: The existing liberal mouthpiece networks don't acknowledge that they're liberal. In fact, they occasionally try to deny it. Frankin and Co. are trumpeting that they're radio for the Left. I think that, even if it's really bad, millions of loony libs will listen just to show solidarity.

[WL-law]

If Franken's show is going to be REAL genuine talk radio, I think it may be a great thing -- here's why:

If Franken takes calls from conservative Freeper types who challenge him on issues, and his 'garden-variety' lib audience is listening, it will provide an outlet for "us" to talk to, and slowly win over, "them".

I'll put my money on a well-informed Freeper against Franken any day of the week. Hell, I'll volunteer to be in the first wave.

[RightRules]

"To survive on comercial radio the show must attract sponsors. What sort of paying customers would shell out real money to advertise on a radio network aimed at socialists and anarchists?"

Sponsor reaction may hurt local affiliates, but don't forget:

Air America is funded in part by our friends at the DNC!

[Former Proud Canadian]

"Franken, who goes on in the same time slot as Limbaugh, is one of a handful of liberal celebs with shows on Air America. Comedian Lizz Winstead will host a program with rapper Chuck D. Comedian and actress Janeane Garofalo has her own three-hour slot in the evening. The network will go live March 31 in just four markets—New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago. Even if the show is a hit, it could be a long time before Franken makes a serious dent in the market."

Oh boy, he is going on in the same time slot as Rush? He will die very quickly. Garofalo will go down just as quick, lots of libs up for radio talk at night during their favorite TV shows. This project is doomed.

[KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle]

Garofalo will go down just as quick

Well... practice makes perfect, after all. :)

[Maceman]

One of the grossest things imaginable is listening on the phone to someone chewing food on the other end of the line.

I guess you've never been in a restaurant with a four-year old.

[freekitty]

Franken is a disgusting and pitiful soul.

[NYCVirago]

Franken's spacious, comfortable apartment on the city's Upper West Side seems much more Minnesota than Manhattan.

How's that again? That doesn't even make any sense -- a big apartment in the heart of limousine liberal land is "much more Minnesota than Manhattan"? What a crock!