AAR program director, kindly kiss my ass

[adrienmundi]

(text of the letter I sent to Air America Radio)

I am incredibly disheartened to hear that Unfiltered will be leaving AAR once and for all. Over the course of the past year, it has been discouraging to watch what started as a bright beacon of progressive information and commentary gradually devolve into just another talk radio network. AAR has moved from progressive to "liberal" (in the sense it's applied to the "liberal media": not at all liberal, just tired recitations of anemic pseudo-positions with no force). The loss of Rachel Maddow and Chuck D, two representatives of diverse, progressive, well informed perspectives, effectively guarantees that I will no longer listen to AAR. If I want the shrill sexism and pandering cheap shots that has come to represent AAR, I can find that anywhere; I have no reason to seek out AAR. I can only assume that this is the economic mirror of the failed Democratic idea of becoming more like conservatives/Republicans. We have seen where this leads, politically; there is no reason to suspect it will lead anywhere else economically.

Adrien Tower
Decatur GA
ex AAR listener, WWAA

Comments

Whew!

[fey-touched.livejournal.com]

My heart spasmed when I read your subject line. I only began breathing again once I realized you were talking about "Air America Radio" NOT "American Academy of Religion" the place where I quite happily toodle around in the role of Program Director - Annual Meeting Program Director that is.

;)

Re: Whew!

[adrienmundi]

Unless you have a hand in replacing Rachel Maddow and Chuck D with Jerry Springer (really, no joke), then you're off the hook.

[therealmalice.livejournal.com]

I was unhappy to hear Unfiltered was going off the air. That was my favorite show on AAR. Sometimes I would deliberately leave for work late so I could listen to it in the car on the way (since I have to listen over XM in the car). I was already unhappy when Liz Winstead had left--I don't know if you liked her on the show as well, but I've been a sort-of fan of hers from when she created The Daily Show.

And to replace Unfiltered with Springer? GAK!

Unfiltered has been my favorite also

[fierce-rabbit.livejournal.com]

I left a comment on their blog after they made the announcement.

galbinus_caeli is convinced it's an April Fool's joke. I sincerely hope he's right as I have no use for Springer's human-monkey poo-flinging approach to "issues."

Re: Unfiltered has been my favorite also

[adrienmundi]

If it is an April Fool's joke, it's a brutal one. But, in light of the Liz Winstead mystery disappearance, it seems like it could easily be just another management decision of the increasingly corporatized AAR.

Today was a repeat...

[fierce-rabbit.livejournal.com]

...not a good sign.

Sad. Very sad.

Re: Today was a repeat...

[adrienmundi]

Rachel did say that she'd be out of town until Tuesday night (taking a trainride across Canada), so that the "best of" would be in place Monday and Tuesday, but that she'd definitely be back Wednesday, for the last two days. Still, yeah, very sad.

Great

[fierce-rabbit.livejournal.com]

Today's "Morning Sedition" was yap-yap-yap about "Shiavopaloosa" (as Rachel called it).

I may stop listening altogether.

Maybe that's exactly what "they" want.

Re: Great

[adrienmundi]

I can't listen to MS: Mark Maron is such an ass who respects no one that I just can't stomach him (I put him in the same boat as Randy Rhodes, who's a supersexist and essentialist, but still calls herself a "feminist".) I just don't think humor at the expense of entire classes of people is funny, especially on a so-called liberal/progressive outlet.

I agree...

[fierce-rabbit.livejournal.com]

Randi is a "distaff" Limbaugh...though smarter and more well read. She's very popular though. Wait! What's that drum beat in the distance? ;-)

Al Franken is better read and edited. I like Tom Harmon

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Randi is a "distaff" Limbaugh...though smarter and more well read. She's very popular though. Wait! What's that drum beat in the distance? ;-)

Al Franken is better read and edited. I like Tom Harmon <sp?> who substitutes for Randi sometimes. It'd be great if they moved him into Franken's spot as they broadcast at the same time.

[adrienmundi]

I liked the Liz/Rachel combo, though towards the end, it seemed like Liz was half hearted at best. And Springer: wtf?