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Sidney's response on the BlueBoard:
Thanks R. Paul. Just another silent back stage assassination. We've both seen this happen too many times over the years. I suppose it was just a matter of time.
Like the accused once asked his lawyer, "...Does it help that I'm innocent?" "Well it might help down the line, but don't bring it up."
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This was just the other day, he is now back home and, we hope, recovering rapidly. At least he's back posting on Facebook—that's a good sign. Damn Reimers and his sledgehammer-wielding thugs!
UPDATE: Uncle Sidney responds
A follow-up post from Sidney:
Of course if I've gotten any of the facts of the case wrong I invite members of management to post corrections. As I say all my information is from others. I've never received a list of charges or details of such.
To any management member that may read this I hold no bitterness or anger towards you...none. I wish you, and WBAI Good Fortune, and Peace.
Btw as I've advised for years you might want to reach out to the many other Public stations in the region. Some would actually want to help.
Bring back Uncle Sidney. Forget about Shelton Walden.
ReplyDeleteI'll go along with tha!
DeleteI'll second that.
ReplyDeleteSpider in a jar. That Reimers. Someone should sue him in a civil court already. Pardon my ignorance, but who is Uncle Sidney. That Shelton Walden was purged is a sure sign of the growing left-wing political radicalization of the station as it becomes more and more economically unviable. Hey, maybe some day Berthold Reimers will be pitching in the NYC Subway with the hat his hand, at least he will be making a more honest living. By the way, how can BAI take away someone's CCNY license?
ReplyDelete"Uncle Sidney" is Sidney Smith, whose one hour token air time alternated with R. Paul Martin's in the Saturday 5 - 6 PM slot. Sheldon Walden did lean right at times, but he had been on WBAI's air far too long with far too little to contribute. i.m.o. Reimers' cowardly way of getting him off the air is typical—he should have been gone many years ago, but that can be said of a very large percentage of programs that stick to the station's schedule like stains on an SRO sheet.
DeleteAs for Sidney's banishment, it was not a matter of a revoked CCNY license, Reimers' henchman, Tony Ryan, just relieved Sidney of the pass they all must show to enter the building.
Was is a BAI building pass or the CCNY building pass? On what legal basis can Tony Ryan lift the pass if BAI/Pacifica did not issue it? If it was a City College of NY pass, then the matter was for the CCNY security, not Tony Ryan.
ReplyDeleteTony Ryan was doing it on order from his "boss," Reimers. CCNY has security guards who have to check IDs before giving people access to the building—that's just common practice these days. People who do not have a CCNY-issued ID probably have to show a picture ID and the security guard calls upstairs to announce and verify. Surely, BB, I am not telling you anything you don't already know or haven't surmised.
DeleteYou missed my point, Chris. If the BAI did mot issue the CCNY pass to Sydney Smith, then Tony Ryan has no more right to lift it, than he does a New York State drivers license. If the CCNY Security issued the access ID to Sydney Smith, then only CCNY security staff can take it away from him. What Tony Ryan did is illegal and constitutes a crime of taking by force of another's property. Depending on what procedures are in place at CCNY, Sydney Smith can swear out a complaint against Tony Ryan and have him criminally prosecuted if the card was taken against Sydney Smith's will and illegally. It is beyond me, why the elderly BAI listener supporters submit to physical bullying by delusional BAI self-styled radicals instead of getting police involved to defend their civil and constitutional rights, and bringing the screamers, the shovers, and the sledge hammer carriers in touch with reality and probation officers, who can get them much needed mental health counseling. It would behoove the BAI leftists to read what constitutes Assault and what constitutes Theft by Unlawful Taking in the City of New York, so as to bring the end to the atmosphere of harassment at BAI.
DeletePerhaps I'm wrong, but it would seem logical that CCNY gives such passes to WBAI for distribution to pertinent staff. After all, CCNY does not know who belongs in studio space rented by WBAI. A staff ID pass eliminates essential personnel having to receive approval each time they report to work.
DeleteShawn Rhodes was the source who fingered Sidney, who then told Berthold, who then dispatched Tony Ryan to fire Sidney
DeleteInteresting chain of command, but Sidney should have told Shawn Rhodes to keep his fingers to himself.
DeleteIs Berthold Reimers a U.S. citizen?
ReplyDeleteI don't know, or if that even matters.
ReplyDeleteAre you a citizen?
DeleteI have been a citizen since my mother's neighbors in ReykjavÃk heard my primal scream. That was a couple of weeks short of 83 years ago.
DeleteIt should matter - a non- citizen removing a citizens like Shelton Walden should be illegal. I never heard his show, but I heard from some friends that he had an excellent show. Berthold told staffers, including Andrea Katz, who is Jewish, that he was tired about hearing about circumcision. Sounds like he was pandering to keep his job.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't make any sense. Walden's show was uneventful, his objection to circumcision was general rather than ethnic-based, and–although his show was innocuous—I would have taken him off WBAI's air, whether I was a citizen, or not. As for Reimers' "pandering" to Andrea Katz, that's a lubricous notion.
DeleteShould non-citizens be permitted to run U.S. radio stations? That might be a valid question to ask.
Andrea panders to Berthold, not vice versa.
DeleteTrue, although she did get on his case a while back when the announced, pitched iPad didn't materialize. He told her that they didn't have the money to buy it! Then too, she probably has a bit of a hold on him since the WBAI website—which he has so much faith in and is crucial to the station's operation—was designed and is, I believe, managed by a close relative of hers (brother?).
DeleteHm, this post skirts around what everybody at the station knows to be the reason Sidney was removed -- apparently Berthold was finally clued in to certain allegations. I won't repeat those allegations publicly since I don't know details, but it's not like Berthold did this capriciously. Unfair to be punished without due process? Yes in a court of law, but this isn't a court of law. It's past time for all these guys to hit the road, anyhow! Move on to greener pastures!
ReplyDeleteI think every single person -- every single one -- currently at WBAI should be removed and replaced. Starting with management, of course, or else they'll just replace the current no-talents with other no-talents. So while this was done for the wrong reasons, it's a good start in culling the dessicated crop.
They may know it to be the reason GIVEN for Sidney's banishment. Bear in mind that WBAI is a tangle of venomous jealousy and hate—finger pointing is as common as poor audio. Haskins can scream "we are family" until he and Cathy's faces are bluer than blue, but one has to look elsewhere for harmony and civility.
DeleteIt's easy to assume that Berthold Reimers acted upon "certain allegation" when they reached his ear, but he has a history of looking the other way. Tony Bates comes to mind (he even brought him back for a pitch), but, as infomercials like to tell us..."there's more!"
I totally agree with your suggestion that a clean sweep is needed, having, indeed, said so myself many times over the past we years, but—in all fairness, not every apple is rotten in this barrel.
Heh all good points.
DeleteIt seems that nobody involved in the Sydney Smith firing wants to discuss the matter, least of all Smith. Hence, I am not going to bother dealing with the matter, especially if the accused doesn't even want to claim innocence or guilt. Just not my place to get involved. Also, to be honest, it makes me wonder if there is validity to the accusation.
ReplyDeleteAs for firing "enery single one." That is simply too draconian. Yes, I think the majority of people from the top down should be shown the door, but not all. There are a few good shows on WBAI, and they have a fair amount of listeners who donate. That is something you rebuild around. If you wipe the entire station out, you will probably have NO listeners. In fact, that was essentially tried in 1977 (Kosof/Guzman) and it was an absolute disaster in many levels. In fact, some would say WBAI never really recovered from that debacle.
SDL
That's what I'm trying to say: you keep the good apples and perhaps polish them a bit, although I think getting rid of the infestation would trigger positive self-evaluation.
DeleteChris, just an idea for a thread. Could you do a poll of peoples' 5 favorite shows? I'm curious if there is a pattern, agreement or not. Could be interesting. Just let people list their 5 favorite shows, if they even have 5.
ReplyDeleteSDL
Let me figure out how best to do this, and I will.
DeleteIf his current stay at WBAI is causing him medical or psychiatric decompensation which is serious enough to have him brought away in an ambulance, then it is medically indicated that he say, "ADIOS" to WBAI, regardless of the exact cause of his acute frustration. Only the bilge rats like Michael G. and Kathy stay and drown with the sinking ship.
ReplyDeleteActually, isn't the cause of Smith's health problems really bad diabetes? Anyway, that's actually a pretty sad picture. He looks so damn helpless.
DeleteSDL
Sidney needs Gary's Green Stuff. He should eat it while wearing Gary's Magnet Helmet while drinking Gary's Organic Juiced Cumquats..
DeleteI like to check Null's site now and then to see what the prices are (they seem to vary often). I'm not joking when I say that it could easily cost $500 - $1,000 per month to use even some of what he recommends to his listeners. I can only imagine how his loyal followers must work just to support him.
DeleteAs a funny note. I guess the first ebola case here in the USA must have scared people, because his Survival Stuff is out of stock...
SDL
As crazy as it sounds, Gary is a saint compared to the quacks on AM radio, like "Dr."Eric Braverman, "Dr." Vignini, Willner Chemists with their green tea cures all and so many more I can't remember them.
ReplyDeleteUncle Sidney: You can actually broadcast over the internet right now. I have friends who do just that on a daily basis and some of these shows have a forum built in for immediate interaction with the listeners. All you need is computer, download SKYPE and buy an expensive set of mike/headphones. If you want to take phone calls, you would need to buy a phone/computer mixer. These shows have techs who can walk you through it. BAI ain't the only game in town.
ReplyDeleteKew Gardens Troll
Welcome aboard, KGT :)
DeleteKGT is correct in pointing out "netcasting." In fact, it's growing rapidly, both in the number of stations and listeners. In double fact, I was looking at various models of internet wi fi radios on amazon.com today (looks like I'll go for the Grace Digital Mondo model). In triple fact, I was thinking of starting my own station, since the FCC broadcast radio rules don't apply. (Of course, I'd probably be in jail in a week, since I would find some heavy duty people for the talk/call in shows.) However, the "WBAI Watch" show could be a blast...
DeleteSDL
There may not be a WBAI to watch when you get your online radio started. I will be very interested to hear what you come up with. Again this is from my iPad so excuse mistakes.
DeleteI just wrote a long and lovely comment for you Sidney, but it got erased!
ReplyDeleteHow can I find you on Facebook?
Had you posted here, it would not have been erased.
Delete