If amazingly few people have noticed the escalating intellectual deterioration of WBAI's program content, it is because amazingly few people care, and even fewer are bothering to tune in.
If you tell that to the stagnant amateurs who spew the rubbish that litters the broadcast schedule, they will simply accuse you of having a death wish for the station.
Besides the out and out racist attitude that colors what some pass off as "community" radio, the station airs an abundance of psychotic pitter patter aimed at those for whom attempts at serious thought are strenuous. The queen of this questionable genre is the curator of the Knight Mausoleum, Kathy Davis, who—from all indications—is part of a growing entrepreneurial trend that feeds on WBAI's free advertisement.
I plan to use this post as a board upon which to pin the occasional program fragment of interest. Normally, I will leave these soundbites intact, although possibly remove or render useless a phone number, but I did have some 'un with the following:
Besides the out and out racist attitude that colors what some pass off as "community" radio, the station airs an abundance of psychotic pitter patter aimed at those for whom attempts at serious thought are strenuous. The queen of this questionable genre is the curator of the Knight Mausoleum, Kathy Davis, who—from all indications—is part of a growing entrepreneurial trend that feeds on WBAI's free advertisement.
I plan to use this post as a board upon which to pin the occasional program fragment of interest. Normally, I will leave these soundbites intact, although possibly remove or render useless a phone number, but I did have some 'un with the following:
BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE.....
Although they would wish it to be a well-guarded secret, it does not take a PhD to detect that WBAI's host/producers count among them individuals who abuse their on-air privileges for personal profit. Granted, some of these deals don't amount to a hill of beans, but others do quite well, and there is the matter of law and principles.
Although they would wish it to be a well-guarded secret, it does not take a PhD to detect that WBAI's host/producers count among them individuals who abuse their on-air privileges for personal profit. Granted, some of these deals don't amount to a hill of beans, but others do quite well, and there is the matter of law and principles.
Madame Davis is pretty transparent with her workshops, but she is by no means alone in offering off-the-air consultation—remember that numerologist guy? We also have to view Jeannie Hopper's parties and boat rides with a soupçon of suspicion, and let us not forget the hidden profits reaped through free radio advertising, or those that are woven into the complex "premium" patches.
I have long suspected Daulton Anderson's playlist to be an indication of money manna, a sort of heavenly payola. Why else would he play the same inferior recordings on every program, following each one up with an orgiastic "my, my my"? After all, there have been thousands of black gospel recordings made since Thomas A. Dorsey became a publisher of that genre. Anderson could stay on WBAI's air around the clock (perish the thought) and never have to repeat a single spin. Notice, too, that the recordings he pushes are not on known commercial labels, but rather products of the various pastors and churches his program regularly plugs.
This morning, we heard Daulton Anderson give a rather heavy commercial push to The Glory of God Christian Center's upcoming church convention at the Nassau Coliseum. Tickets range from $55 to $130, but this exchange, which almost morphs into a comedy routine, only mentions where and how they can be obtained. There is, of course, method in AnderZon's madness, for he is one of this event's MCs. While I doubt that he is doing this sans a fee, bear in mind that WBAI does not get a penny out of it. So, you tell me if you don't think this unadulterated audio clip is another shameless commercial.
My clue was that I hade "some 'un" with it. :)
ReplyDeleteKathy's dreads are tied too tight; they're impinging the blood flow to her cranium.
ReplyDeleteMIERDA!!
KGT
Fantasy time. Something I've wondered for awhile... if these parasites could somehow be displaced, from clinical morons like these to more effective hucksters like Null, would there be real talent available to take their place?
ReplyDeleteI recall how very smart (and funny) were many of the programs on 'BAI in the early and mid-70s. From politics to music to humor, there were some very bright folks on-air. So if Lew came back from beyond and bodily threw these creatures off the air, would there be enough folks with the time and talent to make WBAI matter again?
I suppose we could start by having James Irsay, Jim Freund, Emmanuel, and Pete Bochan call all of their friends...
It is my feeling that WBAI is kept afloat by anonymous rich left-wing donors like George Soros, Phil Donahue, Barbara Streisand and Jane Fonda who keep their names out of the public record.
ReplyDeleteKGT
I'd work on that feeling until I get it right. :)
DeleteThey both use that word so nonchalantly. WBAI is so wealthy that they can withstand any FCC fine levied against them.
ReplyDeleteKew Gardens Troll
Careful reading of my introductory text would have told you that I had some 'un with this one. That's 'un, as in fun sans the "F". :) Sorry 'bout that, perhaps I was too subtle.
DeleteThat said, I don't think the word in question would have raised an FCC eyebrow.
I heard about this event a week or two ago when tuning around the radio and falling upon a gospel music show on WFDU. Anderson wasn't mentioned, but he popped into my head at the time. Anyway, this just proves that Reimers sold out WBAI to a Christian program. No, it's not simply a gospel music show, but a genuine religious show. When others did gospel shows over the decades on WBAI, there was no "praise God" stuff. The people just played the music as DJs, which is fine by me.
ReplyDeleteKnow what's really insulting? That Reimers sold out WBAI to a man that hosts one of the lowest donated to shows on the station. I do think Anderson is out for himself in every way, however. Everything about him just smells of self-serving corruption. He even sounds like a used car salesman.
Now that I think of it, as bad as I think hiring Folano was, hiring Anderson is even worse. At least Forlano is political, well, politically ignorant, but political.
SDL
Anderson is also not mentioned in the promotions posted by these people. I bet they know how limited his radio audience is. Apropos that, I should have posted another fragment from this morning's show, the one where he thanks listeners for all their generous support during the recent fundraiser! :)
DeleteYou are right, this is not a program of "inspirational music," as he keeps claiming it is. The music is generally awful, the comedy is strained and humorless, and there's a lot of preaching. This, according to Bozo Berthold, was to have been a weekly audio visit to the area's black churches, a trawling for great gospel music... BS!
Anderson is a con artist in the best church tradition. Reimers is the all-around idiot, but that appears to be what the people who recommended and hired him are comfortable with.
That's nice of Anderson to thank the listeners for their "generous support." At least we know he isn't a greedy man, considering how miniscule the support is. Nice to know that you can make Anderson happy with a Big Mac meal at McDonald's rather than having to take him to an Nobu.
DeleteChris, considering your history, Anderson is the kind of guy you probably ran into many times in your life. He's a wannabe. He's that person that calls himself a "manager," "agent" or "publicist." He pretends he's a someone but is really a nothing. He tries to put up a front of mover and shaker but is lucky to make a box of Shake & Bake. Just an overly arrogant nothing.
SDL
Yes, I have come across a few Andersons in my time, but one learns to peg them and shake them. The funny thing is that I grew up being overly shy, yet end up in a profession that calls for contact. As a kid, I used to pretend that I was a radio "presenter", as we called them in Europe. I clued together something that resembled a microphone, and did my thing, but only when I was alone. Never in my wildest imagination did I see myself doing that in real life, but it happened. When I was a full-time, 7-days-a-week on the air person, I often found myself lacking the enthusiasm that got me there, but then I would imagine myself working in an office. Being on the air gives me no thrill unless I can be creative-I could never go on, year after year just filling air time, the way so many at WBAI do—there is no satisfaction in that. I worked with many broadcasters, but very rarely socialized with them, because they were so self-centered. I remember a classical music guy at WNCN who constantly quoted himself! "You know what I said the other day...," etc. I am also turned off my loud people...Daulton Anderson is very loud. :)
DeleteI was so shy that I could not even ask my best friends to hand me the salt or sugar at a table.
A young British actor who would become famous--Ralph Richardson, if I recall correctly--was playing Richard III in a village theatre . He intoned its most famous line, "My kingdom for a horse.."
ReplyDeleteA member of the audience shouted back, "Would an ass do?"
The soon-to-be-esteemed thespian didn't miss a beat: "Certainly. Come and present yourself."
Somehow it makes me think of the situation at WBAI. Reimers tried to sell the "kingdom" for a "horse" (marketable programming) and instead got asses. I don't think I need to tell you who they are; two of them are on the recording.
Appropriate analogy, Justine.
DeleteOne has to wonder if the handful of church people who bought Daulton's "grab bags" realize what they were supporting. :)
When I tuned in, back in early shows, I know the callers who did the church shout outs sounded like simpletons. Considering his low listnership, you really have to wonder what his listenership was at WHCR, with its much lower power than WBAI.
DeleteSDL
You could probably fit his WHCR listeners into the studio WBAI is using, and his current listeners might fit into a broom closet... if you remove the brooms.
DeleteAnd still have enough room remaining for Kathy "Cake" Davis...
DeleteSDL
"While I doubt that he is doing this sans a fee, bear in mind that WBAI does not get a penny out of it".
ReplyDeleteFor how many years did the now late Elombe Brath get free announcements on WBAI about his Patrice Lamumba Coalition meetings at the Harriet Tubman School where WBAI did not get a penny and a fee was always charged at the door and Elombe Brath was paid as the leader of the coalition. Where were the complaints then? Oh, I forgot. He's a sacred cow.
"I'm shocked to see there's gambling here.
Your winnings, Sir".
Kew Gardens Troll
Whatever one thought of Elombe Brath, he had brains—there is little evidence of that to be detected in Daulton.
DeleteThat said, the harebrained "community" bozos who currently dominate WBAI also idolize such frauds as Mumia and John Henrik Clarke, so it doesn't take much to impress them. However, such idolatry has proven to be very effective if one's aim is to destroy a good thing like the former WBAI.
Mind you, there were things to be admired in EB, but not to the extent that they were, and certainly "Mumia", the pompous killer and Clarke, the shameless rewriter of history, are/were pitiful objects of misguided admiration.
You forgot "Sister" Assata Shakur and "Brother" Leonard Peltier, the other cop killers WBAIers worship.
DeleteKGR
"On Thursday, 9:00am to 12noon, First Voices Indigenous Radio with Host John Kane and many special guests, including the welcome home of Tiokasin Ghosthorse, the executive producer of FVIR. There'll be lively discussion, and a new look at ways of debunking the myths of Thanksgiving".
ReplyDeleteFor how many Thankgivings, Columbus Days, 4th of July's do we have to hear these Native American Indians tell us white people that we genocided them and we owe them a living. I'm a Jew, brother man. Send your complaints to the Bush family. They landed on Plymouth Rock. Plymouth Rock landed on me. I don't owe you wampum.
It always makes me laugh at the anti Thankgiving and anti Columbus Day crowd how none of them ever do the most simple sign of their beliefs and move out of here. Give your home to an American Indian and go. Leave the occupied territory.
ReplyDeleteHistory is a series of tribes taking other tribes' land. Sometimes the beaten tribe moves on (to take yet another tribe's land), sometimes it gets eradicated. This happened everywhere, regardless of race. That is how nations were made, how cultures developed, etc. It isn't pretty, but it IS reality. The American Indians did it quite often. The Aztecs were amazingly murderous. The hypocrites who whine about the Europeans landing are just another pack of free loaders looking to parasite off of people.
All that said, I do believe that the American Indians in this country are treated like trash and the most exploited people in our country. They are the poorest people here and receive the least relief of any sort. So, in the end, I do feel they get the worst deal, and the government breaks every deal with them. I DO believe they have some VERY valid complaints. However, sorry to say that the anti holiday stuff doesn't fly with me.
FYI: The anti Columbus Day jackasses don't even know what they are really saying. Guess what. No Columbus and there would be no Hispanics/Latinos (choose your term)! No Columbus and there would never have been the miscegenation that create them! So, this whining, usually by Hispanics, is actually self hatred, in the end. They are really saying they are against their own race. And, to be fair, it was an old Puerto Rican girlfriend of mine who brought that point up.
Let's not put Peltier and Mumia in the same framework. The Peltier case was a very different thing and didn't have multiple witnesses. Yes, he was a thug and scumbag, but the situation was very politicized and the feds were out to get him. Is he guilty? I lean towards yes, slightly. Mumia is just plain guilty and a criminal. Mumia is just today's "political prisoner" for a small group of parasites. Mumia is really the best they could find?
Oh, and I'm Spanish and think it should be called Conquistador Day, since we did most of the hard work and exploring. :P
SDL
Here's a laugh. While eating dinner I was doing a bandscan on FM from one end to the other. When I was getting near, what I learned is now hocus pocus radio WBAI, I noticed that WBAI was surrounded by three pirate stations - two Spanish and one English Caribbean. What hit me was how these three stations had equivalent sound quality AND were serving their communities better than anything hocus pocus WBAI does to be "community radio," even with trying to hypnotize idiots to listen. Just a laugh...
ReplyDeleteSorry, Reimers, but the hypnotism stuff isn't working on me. I am still an ex-listener, even abandoning the two shows I used to enjoy.
SDL
DeleteMamma Mumia! Just the thought.... :)
Free Mumia when you buy Double Helix Water!
ReplyDelete