# Favorite radio talk show hosts **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 29, 2002, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548 "2002-12-29T21:43:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/41 "2002-12-31T10:50:34Z")
I was just thinking today of asking if there aren’t a lot more conservative screaming talk shows on radio than left-wing screamers. I don’t know any liberal “You’re WRONG!” shows at all. Am I just missing them? ---
**Author:** ![eenerms](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cdc98d/32.png) [@eenerms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eenerms)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/42 "2002-12-31T12:31:51Z")
ROe and Gary…what a riot:) I get bummed when I get out of range of Chicago during their air time. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/43 "2002-12-31T13:18:27Z")
Another vote for **Neal Boortz** here…you can get his daily program notes at [www.boortz.com](http://www.boortz.com). Then my radio station plays **Clark Howard** , followed by **Sean Hannity**. When I get bored with Hannity I flip to the other talk radio station in town and listen to **Todd Schnitt**. I believe he’s only in Florida, but he is also very entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/44 "2002-12-31T16:18:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rico \* > **Tom Leykis needs to find something new. He’s been doing the same schtick for 10 years. He hasn’t changed his show opening since he went syndicated in 1993.** > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by skaterboarder87 \* > \*\*You obviously haven’t listened to his show much since '93. I’ve noticed several small transitions across the years. Also, why fix something that’s not broken? There’s a reason why he’s the #1 radio show in copious cities. \*\* Yeah, he’s great. Describing women as sperm depositories, talking finding women with low self esteem because they’re easy to bang, or talking about the looks or weight of others when he’s fat and balding. Yeah, what a great guy he is. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/45 "2002-12-31T16:21:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cardinal \* > \*\*I was just thinking today of asking if there aren’t a lot more conservative screaming talk shows on radio than left-wing screamers. I don’t know any liberal “You’re WRONG!” shows at all. Am I just missing them? \*\* Well, there’s Tom Leykis who sometimes calls his callers idiots. ---
**Author:** ![Enkidu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8c91f0/32.png) [@Enkidu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkidu)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/46 "2002-12-31T16:55:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by peepthis \* > **I’ve taken a recent liking to Ron & Fez, though I’m not sure how much they’re broadcast beyond NYC and DC. Hilarious interactions with their audience. These two have major potential.** Boy, that brings me back. Ron and Fez were a part of the “Ron and Ron” show that was broadcast out of Tampa Bay for years when I was younger. I’m not entirely sure of the timeline, but they were on one station or another for what must have been 10 years. Took me from high school through grad school. A truly great show. They once did an entire 4 hour block reading out of that encyclopedia of movie nude scenes, quizzing one another about various actresses and their nude scenes (Gilbert Gottfried was there in the studio, by the way, and he was unstumpable in this regard). Locally, we have the 610sportsradio team of John and Lance that I’ll call my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![skaterboarder87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/47 "2002-12-31T20:31:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Joel \* > \*\*Yeah, he’s great. Describing women as sperm depositories, talking finding women with low self esteem because they’re easy to bang, or talking about the looks or weight of others when he’s fat and balding. Yeah, what a great guy he is. \*\* Damn straight he is. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@PatrickM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickM)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/48 "2002-12-31T20:50:05Z")
Tony Kornheiser and Dan Patrick of ESPN radio are very good. I listen to a lot of NPR and love “Car Talk”, Ira Glass and Terry Gross. The current host of NPR’s afternoon talk show “Talk of the Nation” is all right, but the previous host, Ray Suarez, who now is on PBS, was great. Suarez could (can probably still can) talk intelligently and passionately about a whole host of disparate topics. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/49 "2002-12-31T20:57:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mr. Frink \* > \*\ ***Nick D. & Gary Lee** –a hidden treasure on Chicago’s talk radio scene…Anyone else every listen to them? \*\* I listen to them. They both have a lot of interesting comments to make, but they drive me crazy because neither one of them can talk in COMPLETE SENTENCES! That drives me nuts…Timmy ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/50 "2003-01-01T02:30:26Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Joel_ > \*\*Yeah, he’s great. Describing women as sperm depositories, talking finding women with low self esteem because they’re easy to bang, or talking about the looks or weight of others when he’s fat and balding. Yeah, what a great guy he is. \*\* > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by skaterboarder87 \* > \*\*Damn straight he is. \*\* :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/51 "2003-01-01T09:27:16Z")
I disagree with him a great deal (not always), but I like listening to him speak: \*\* Larry Elder. \*\* There is a guy, or used to be a guy, who is only ever known as the call letters of the station. (I live in LA) I got to know him first as \*\* Mr. KFI \*\* and then he became \*\* Mr. KABC\*\* when he switched stations. He’s smart, he’s funny, and he has a great format: he takes everyone on. From his own spiel: “No guests. No Topics. No screeners. He is multi Media and interactive, charismatic and people flock to him.” I don’t know if he’s even still on, because I don’t drive at night anymore. But he was terrific. Tom Leykis is a waste of space. Somewhere in that horrible spew I detect a guy that actually has talent for radio, but he long ago wasted it. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/52 "2003-01-01T18:00:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Stoid \* > **There is a guy, or used to be a guy, who is only ever known as the call letters of the station. (I live in LA) I got to know him first as \*\* Mr. KFI \*\* and then he became \*\* Mr. KABC** when he switched stations. He’s smart, he’s funny, and he has a great format: he takes everyone on. From his own spiel: “No guests. No Topics. No screeners. He is multi Media and interactive, charismatic and people flock to him.” > > I don’t know if he’s even still on, because I don’t drive at night anymore. But he was terrific.\*\* Yeah, he’s still on. Monday through Friday, from 10pm to 1am. Not a very good time slot, I know. ---
**Author:** ![Ruffian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/71e660/32.png) [@Ruffian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruffian)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/53 "2003-01-01T18:48:11Z")
Am I the first to mention **John and Ken**? I’m not sure if they’re an LA-only show, but I love listening to them. John is such a misanthropist he works himself into nearly rabid fits, and Ken is usually there letting him know he’s being an idiot. I can’t say I like Phil Hendrie…just the idea that it’s a deception of the listener bothers me. That, and he seems to have just 3 different voices for the umpteen thousand characters he creates. It just always seems like the same thing to me; although granted, that can be said for practically any talk show. ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/54 "2003-01-01T19:15:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ruffian \* > **Am I the first to mention John and Ken? I’m not sure if they’re an LA-only show, but I love listening to them. John is such a misanthropist he works himself into nearly rabid fits, and Ken is usually there letting him know he’s being an idiot.** John and Ken were the first ones I thought of when I saw this thread. I think they might be LA-area only, but I’m not sure. They’re great. Art Bell is fun to listen to for a laugh. Tom Leykis is awful; it amazes and saddens me that he has as many listeners as he does. ---
**Author:** ![djf750](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@djf750](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/djf750)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/55 "2003-01-01T19:28:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ruffian \* > \*\* > > I can’t say I like Phil Hendrie…just the idea that it’s a deception of the listener bothers me. That, and he seems to have just 3 different voices for the umpteen thousand characters he creates. It just always seems like the same thing to me; although granted, that can be said for practically any talk show. \*\* Phil Hendrie is a GENIUS. He has more than 3 voices and his ability to satirize the strange people and the assholes who are everywhere in this world is uncanny. The fact that people actually believe the situations (obvious exaggerations) that he creates and call in and argue with his “guests” fascinates me beyond words. There are well known actors who listen to his show and rave about his talent. He is currently developing a show for NBC but I fear that he is too wacky for network TV. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/56 "2003-01-01T19:53:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ruffian \* > \*\*Am I the first to mention **John and Ken**? I’m not sure if they’re an LA-only show, but I love listening to them. John is such a misanthropist he works himself into nearly rabid fits, and Ken is usually there letting him know he’s being an idiot. > > I can’t say I like Phil Hendrie…just the idea that it’s a deception of the listener bothers me. That, and he seems to have just 3 different voices for the umpteen thousand characters he creates. It just always seems like the same thing to me; although granted, that can be said for practically any talk show. \*\* I used to listen to John and Ken all the time. I will still usually choose them over others in their slot, but I have to say that John gets on my nerves. He’s not really all that intelligent or that clear a thinker, and he has that annoying talk-show guy habit of shouting down anyone he disagrees with. I’m with you 1000% on Hendrie. Hate him, drives me crazy. Probably because his show is such an effective vehicle for proving how completely stupid and clueless so very many people are. But I do give him props for his technical skill at switching back and forth. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/57 "2003-01-01T19:54:25Z")
By the way, does anyone know why the only radio stations that also broadcast on the net are public radio? Every local ltalk station that I’ve checked out online is “temporarily down” for the last few years. With music, I understand, the whole royalty issue, but talk? I don’t get it. Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/58 "2003-01-01T21:58:21Z")
**Stoid** , the major reason is that most talk shows are syndicated in one form or another. In this day of radio consolidation, the Clear Channel Communications, the Infinity Broadcasting, the Disney owned stations, Premeire Broadcasting, in other words, the mega-players, they want to keep a close rein on how their “owned” shows are received. Therefore, on the KFI website, for instance, you can hear Bill Handel, because he’s local, but they have to black out Rush, Dr. Laura, then John and Ken can be broadcast, since they’re no longer syndicated, then Phil Hendrie is blacked out. Public Radio, on the other hand, couldn’t care less as long as they get the exposure. They’re not out to make millions of dollars with their shows. ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/59 "2003-01-01T22:15:56Z")
Neal Conan. He’s very soothing. There’s very little shouting or bickering on his show. I like that. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2003, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548/60 "2003-01-01T22:22:38Z")
OK, I found [All About Phil Hendrie](http://www.philhendrieshow.com/aboutphil.html). Read his philosophy about Radio Talk Shows and tell me he isn’t the brightest bulb in the display. Pure genius. Oh yes, and there was a local host here in El Lay for a few years, haven’t heard him in a while, but Joe Crummey was quite fun to listen to. Last I heard, Joe was managing an apartment complex in Hollywood. Any idea if he’s still on the radio? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-radio-talk-show-hosts/145548.md?page=4)