One of the least significant non-events of this weekend, but vaguely amusing in a train-wreck sort of way, is the debut of The Horse's Ass Show on 710-KIRO Sunday evening. It's hard to imagine why KIRO thought this would be a good business move -- David Goldstein isn't exactly an inviting radio presence. Although he's blessed with a face that was made for radio, he's also blessed with a voice made for blogging, one that sounds like Pee-Wee Herman sucking helium. And when constrained by a medium that doesn't allow swear words, he has even less to say than he does on his blog. (His commentary, while turgid, is as tired and unoriginal as the Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial page only with the word "fuck!" sprinkled throughout). I appeared with him a few times on the John Carlson Show during the election contest trial last year and poor David didn't realize he was there for comic relief, sort of the radio equivalent of being the guest of honor at a dwarf-tossing contest. He was a terrible debater. He has lots of (predictable) opinions but is insufficiently versed in the facts to support his opinions, so when pressed he just makes stuff up, which is pretty sad to listen to. Perhaps the KIRO executives who offered Goldstein his own show (partly on the basis of his weekly Podcast snoozefest, Goldy claims) were confused and didn't realize that the only interesting moments on the podcast were when Dwight Pelz and Sandeep Kaushik were talking. (Now a Pelz/Kaushik radio show would have entertainment value, especially for those of us who can see the humor in Socialist Realism). Then again KIRO can't be too discerning, after all it's not like there's a deep bench of talent waiting to host a radio show on Sunday evening when hardly anybody is listening.
Goldstein did have a chance to make his debut show more interesting by having Tim Eyman on as his guest, but Goldstein failed to take Eyman up on his offer. Coward.
As Postman put it:
You've got to feel a little sorry for Goldstein.Actually, I feel more sorry for the KIRO executives who didn't anticipate that Goldstein would be more of an embarrassment than an asset.
UPDATE: Goldstein comments: "And yet Stefan, I'm the one with the radio show, not you? Hmm." Another commenter suggests this post is motivated by "sour grapes" (at not having my own show, apparently). Actually, no. I've had more opportunities to do radio than I've chosen to pursue. I simply prefer to spend my time on other projects. I was a frequent co-host on Republican Radio for a while and have an open invitation to do more. I was also invited to apply for a regular gig on one of the other radio stations last year. I decided not to pursue the regular gig and to defer to others to carry the torch at Republican Radio.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at June 10, 2006 12:49 PM | Email ThisWhen he invited Eyman, he told him, "Again, please remember that this is radio Tim, radio -- tens of thousands of people hearing you talk..."
But later, Goldy changed his tune, "Oh... and if you think a large audience and the news media would listen in just to hear the two of us debate, you've got a more inflated ego than I thought."
On top of it, he signs his first message with:
"David Goldstein
710-KIRO"
Thr PR guys probably love it.....
Posted by: SouthernRoots on June 10, 2006 01:23 PMAnd nice selective quoting from Postman. It's dishonest little tricks like that, that have cost you your credibility with the media.
Anyway, thanks for the plug. As Tim says: "there's no such thing as bad press."
Posted by: Goldy on June 10, 2006 01:35 PMGoldy's gotten where he is through hard work and diligence, just as you have. You could at least give credit where credit is due. As much as I may disagree with you, I acknowledge the work you have done in providing a forum for lively discussion on significant local issues.
I realize that you and Goldy regularly throw digs at each other. He does it, however, with a whimsical, ironic voice; you do it with a mirthless snarl that says much more about you than it does about him.
Posted by: bartelby on June 10, 2006 01:35 PMROFLMAO. That is comic relief!!!
Posted by: bulldozer on June 10, 2006 01:47 PMIt's interesting that in announcing the KIRO slot Goldy had the class to credit John Carlson and Kirby wilbur. That's the sort of graciousness that it would be refreshing to see a bit of in these quarters. But I'm certainly not holding my breath.
Posted by: bartelby on June 10, 2006 01:58 PMThe "me too" chorus won't even hold the attention of the "me too's" for very long, not with wishful thinking as a substiture for intelligent discourse or 'hate Bush, hate Conservatives' as a substitute for ideas and actual plans to implement them.
Posted by: Cheryl on June 10, 2006 02:04 PMWhether it's ignored here, matters not.
Whether it's ignored Sunday, matters hugely.
Which do you think will garner more ignoring?? {snicker}
Posted by: Cheryl on June 10, 2006 02:19 PMDavid also requires mainstream media validation to relieve his insecurity.
David openly reveals his envy, resentments, schadenfreude, etc.
Posted by: Luigi Giovanni on June 10, 2006 02:25 PMI wish more liberals would take to the airwaves and say exactly what they believe in. No sugarcoating. No waffling. No, 'we support the troops BUT." "We support property rights, BUT." "We support equal justice for all, BUT." Come right out and say it. And then deal with the results without any whining or crying that your message isn't understood or everybody who doesn't agree with you is stupid. Sink or swim with your ideas and beliefs. No excuses.
And no complaints when you find out 65 percent of the populace disagrees with you.
Posted by: jimg on June 10, 2006 02:45 PMKinda makes you wonder much time he spends here, especially when he claims he rarely reads his OWN site.
Posted by: Cheryl on June 10, 2006 02:49 PMKY Jelly
OK folks, can you think of others?
Posted by: swassociates on June 10, 2006 03:19 PMI've tried 2 things twice to understand where the left is coming from.
1- read HA. Seriously, could you and your posters put together a couple of paragraphs w/out the f word?
2- listen to air america (not even sure if it's on up here, but I've caught in PDX).
Neither provides anything of substance. It's akin to junior high girls arguing. Come to the table with some facts- and please, don't invent them, it's just painful to listen to.
On the same note, the local right wing radio hosts aren't offering much of substance either these days. Carlson is the closest equivalent we have to Oregon's Lars Larson who is a lot of fun to listen to IMO.
Posted by: Andy on June 10, 2006 03:22 PMBut when you try to spin an exchange in which (1) Goldy, galantly and on his own initiative, calls up his nemesis and offers him an hour on his first show, (2) Tim responds by demanding they share the whole three-hour show, and (3) Goldy declines to meet this demand, as "Goldstein did have a chance to make his debut show more interesting by having Tim Eyman on as his guest, but Goldstein failed to take Eyman up on his offer" strikes me as downright disingenuous.
Posted by: David Wright on June 10, 2006 03:26 PMAnd know its not sour grapes on my part.
Shows hosted that resort to name calling
most of the time don't last very long.
However there is some good news right of seattle
will becoming to a radio station near you soon.
Yes it will be very much like the subject matters
on my blog.So stay tuned.
Goldy needs John Carlson, Tim Eyman, or Kirby Wilber, to boost his ratings?
Why doesn't he call Ron Sims, Dean logan (wherever he may be found these days) Queen taxaholic Christine, Al Gore, Michael Moore, John Kerry, or Sadam for his show.
Call a couple of real libs to your show and show your stuff! See how long it lasts!
You got to depend on Conservatives when it comes to your ratings. That says it all! Ha Ha!
Kiro sure F'd up here!
Posted by: GS on June 10, 2006 04:02 PM
I've been working behind the camera in broadcast television for almost 7 years, mostly in news, and it's been my experiance that those who gloat that "I have a [TV or radio] show and you don't" tend to be in it only for their own egos and to hear themselves on the radio or see themselves on TV, not because they are trying to make a difference. These people generally tend to also have an overinflated opinion of themselves.
Sorry, but being on the radio or TV isn't anything special and doesn't make you any better than the next guy... especially if your show sucks and gets yanked because you don't have a clue how to do one well, which is probably what will happen to Goldy in the next few months when the ratings tank (and having both Stefan and Goldy on the radio before, they probably will).
Posted by: Mike H on June 10, 2006 04:23 PMAnd then he could hire bartleboob to...well maybe....no, that wouldn't work either! Maybe he could...no, that wouldn't work at all.
Sorry bartleboob, it appears that you ain't good for nuthin!
Posted by: alphabet soup on June 10, 2006 05:34 PMThe show should be referred to as the Democrat/moveon.org Operative show. He champions such oppressive morally bankrupt SOB's like Ron Sims and Dwight Pelz.
Posted by: KS on June 10, 2006 06:21 PMI can see Tim's point about wanting to be on more than an hour. If you ask me, David wins out over Tim as being the biggest horse's ass - with his blog he is Mr. Horseass and the origin of the name has been lost in translation. KIRO is desperate - their ratings have sunk and they'll try almost anything. If Goldstein can clean up his act - he may stay around for a while - like more than 9 months, but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Posted by: KS on June 10, 2006 06:33 PMOn the bright side, maybe the new show will cause them to lose market share.
Posted by: mac on June 10, 2006 07:21 PMTune out of Kiro all day long and show them what you think of their latest goon guest! I will!
Posted by: GS on June 10, 2006 09:21 PMI hope Goldstein runs long enough to expose himself (and his vile website) to those who chance upon the show. I've enjoyed falling asleep to the looney ramblings of Erin Hart, and wish Mike Webb could continue broadcasting from prison or wherever he is. Like somebody already suggested, the best way to hasten the demise of socialism and liberalism is to hand their proponents a megaphone.
Posted by: Organization Man on June 10, 2006 09:49 PM"I realize that you and Goldy regularly throw digs at each other. He does it, however, with a whimsical, ironic voice; you do it with a mirthless snarl that says much more about you than it does about him."
tomatoe, tomahtoe
Posted by: ewaggin on June 10, 2006 11:23 PM"But when you try to spin an exchange in which (1) Goldy, galantly and on his own initiative, calls up his nemesis and offers him an hour on his first show, (2) Tim responds by demanding they share the whole three-hour show, and (3) Goldy declines to meet this demand, as "Goldstein did have a chance to make his debut show more interesting by having Tim Eyman on as his guest, but Goldstein failed to take Eyman up on his offer" strikes me as downright disingenuous."
David, I read the email chains posted both here and at HA, and I am unable to find any language in Goldy's original email that limits the invitation to 1 hour.
To the contrary, the wording suggests that Goldy intent was to have Eyman on for the entire show.
It starts off with a mention that Goldy will have a new show on Sundays from 7-10 PM.
It continues with a request for Eyman to join Goldy at 7 PM.
It concludes with a request for Eyman to let Goldy know if he can join him Sunday night.
The email makes no mention of other guests.
Only after Eyman responds to Goldy's original email and accepts, as long as it's for the whole 3 hours, does Goldy limit it to 1 hour.
Was there some communication between Goldy and Eyman (prior to the email chain) that I missed, that clarifies this?
Posted by: ewaggin on June 10, 2006 11:47 PMIt still seems to me unjustified to call Goldy's offer a bluff. (If he only wanted to bluff, how could he have known that Tim would respond with any specific demands?) I do still think that Stefan's characterization of the exchange is a far cry from an objective report. But I do also see that Stefan might truly see it like that, if he really thinks that Tim's demand to share the full three-hour show is reasonable.
I withdraw my accusation of disingenuousness and apologize. Thanks for pointing this out to me.
Well, it looks like I will have to find a way to pass my time come 7 pm Sunday. I generally listen to Frank Shiers, and I actually liked Turi Ryder. She was to the left, but she was also a rare one who could see past the talking points and split from the party when they did not make any sense. It is that last part that I am sure meant her demise on KIRO. (I do not know if she is on at all any more, but that WAS her permanent spot.) I may try David's show once or twice, just to see if it is Anna Nichole Show bad, or if it is no redeeming value bad. I am currently leaning towards the latter, and don't hold out for much. Who knows, he might go the way of Mike Webb, and be popular to the fringe until he does something REALLY stupid and loses his job, in which case he already has a blog site to fall back on, or he could go the way of Erin Hart, who's show became a pathetic display of a rational person losing their mind in front of anybody listening. (And who's ratings when she was dumped were 0.0.) All I can say is thank Jeebus for my Ipod... and for Loveline at 10 pm.
Domo
PS-On a side note, I have stopped pretty much any posting I did over at David's site. You try to actually ask legitimate questions, and you get degraded and mocked. While I rarely post here either, at least I can ask questions and not be flamed. Also, while I tend to skim David's site, the 'ME ME ME!!!' attitude in all his posts tend to turn me off rather quick, and I don't even read the comments there anymore. Here, I actually READ almost all the postings, and tend to enjoy reading the comment threads here. So thank you for taking the higher road Stephan, you make those of us forced into independant status by the Extreme Left hijacking the Democratic Party feel a little better about the choice we had to make.
Posted by: Left Behind by the New Democratic Party on June 11, 2006 02:03 AMAfter all, if you don't you'll not be keeping track of what Goldy is up to, as you do via postings like these and your trolling at HA, but if you do, you'll all be doing exactly what you profess no one will bother to do.
Oh, and Stefan, as a radio guru such as you make yourself out to be (we're left to take your word for it that you've had and declined opportunities such as the one David now has and accepted), you know full well that callers on radio always sound tinny. If you'd have listened to last week's show you will have heard a number of callers actually complement Goldy on his voice.
Posted by: Daniel K on June 11, 2006 02:24 AMSorry Danny Boy
Doing more important stuff like watching grass grow. I hope you and the other 11 listeners enjoyed the show.
Posted by: swassociates on June 11, 2006 06:11 AMDon't have to. We have moronic trolls who dutifully report every insipid thing that golden showers says or does...
Posted by: alphabet soup on June 11, 2006 06:53 AMGoldy will go partisan. We'll find his ties to the Dems. Then we can use his 'in kind' contributions to block efforts to nail the conservative radio guys...
kind of, if he wins, we win. If he loses, we win.
Posted by: righton on June 11, 2006 07:05 AMDaniel K:
"...many of you will listen to some part of Goldy's show even while you profess you won't..."
Life is far too short and valuable to listen to a fart like Goldy unless it's background music while I'm on the porcelain throne. I've no more use for paying attention to him than a drunk staggering around one of our beautiful Seattle parks - it's a pathetic display of the ultimate liberal philosophy and neither of us is better off for it.
Posted by: Larry on June 11, 2006 10:07 AMAgain, we went the full three hours with lots of callers.
Here's my final thoughts on this. Shortly after Goldstein sent out his original email that he publicly released, he sent me this private email:
Friday, June 09, 2006 11:25 AM (from Goldstein): Tim, All snideness aside, I just want to reiterate what I said on the phone, that this is a serious offer to have you on the air. The two of us play roles to some extent, and my public digs to you are part of my role. The reason John would have us both on together is that it was good radio. Anyway, best to be on my show now before I really learn the trade. You can reach me on my cell at 206-604-6849 if you have any questions. David
Good radio? He missed a chance for great radio - two self-important, self-absorbed guys going at it for 3 hours with listeners from all sides of the political spectrum having good reason to tune in. It would have been a blast -- but more importantly, it would have been great radio.
He was deathly afraid that he'd lose the debate and look like a fool -- something I'm never afraid of :)
Posted by: Tim Eyman on June 11, 2006 10:08 AMI remember hearing that show that Tim Eyman was on, hosted by Gary Ryan and it was interesting - Ryan asked tough questions and was politicially incorrect - but it was a free exchange and entertaining. That would be very tough act for Goldy to pull off - now or a year from now (if he is still on the air - that is).
Posted by: KS on June 11, 2006 10:45 AMThis is great, Goldy will just help expose socialism / progressivism / all the Marxist origin ideas that he and his followers hold, etc.
If you ever look at the comments at HA, it's instructive as to why the show probably won't last. Invariably, every single thread disintegrates into a hate shout fest between the same few people. Debating rationally? Goldy's audience has no intention of ever doing so.
Tim's behind the scenes email from Goldy is also telling. Like he does on his blog, Goldy intends to rely on sensationalism to try and sell his ideas. The market is already saturated with mainstream media "train wreck" journalism.
I do occasionally read Goldy's blog too see the latest leftist Seattle rant. But I do so because I can quickly digest the points he makes and go back to something else productive. Radio with lots of commercial breaks? No chance I'd waste my time listening to hours of garbage just to try and find the one minute of worthwhile commentary.
This too, shall pass.
Posted by: Jeff B. on June 11, 2006 12:29 PMYou guys are just like cockroaches. Shine a little light on them and they run for cover.
Posted by: swassociates on June 11, 2006 03:37 PMYou mean the way liberals responde to Bush's success in killing Zarcawi with anything other than " a puerile jeer"?
What do you want Stefan to do, hold a parade for a foul mouth leftist who has done nothing to actually get anything done, but rather made his career out of sniping from the sidelines? How many intiatives had Goldstein even gotton onto the ballot?
Posted by: pbj on June 11, 2006 04:55 PMDon't even bother listening to Goldstein on the radio. He will just try to bait you to call in and you know he won't let you respond to anything.
His audience is and always will be Bush hating uber liberals from Capital Hill in Seattle. He want you on because he knows that in order to grow his audience, he needs more than just the kool-aid drinkers to tune in. Arbitron numbers don't lie. And when they come out on Goldstein, it won't be pretty.
He want everyone to think he is doing YOU a favor by having you on his show. He is obsessed with you as far as I can tell.
Please stick to credible radio shows such as John and Kirby. And thanks for all the intitative work you have done so far.
If anyone wants a good show to hear on Sunday evening, try Drudge on KVI 570 AM.
Posted by: pbj on June 11, 2006 05:05 PMI'm sure that GS doesn't need him - after all he is a superstar (at least that's what he keeps telling himself)...
Posted by: alphabet soup on June 11, 2006 06:06 PMSeems like Goldstein has toploaded his show with partisan Democrats - boring, boring...except they are discussing all-mail voting during the 9'o'clock hour - if he receives calls from some of the majority who are against it...
Posted by: KS on June 11, 2006 08:17 PMHe had some hits about Stefan and SP. His guest from Seattle Weekly said if you wanted bad information go to SP.
Goldy complained that Stefan said some not so nice things about him today. Then he saud Stefan said he didn't have a good radio voice and his guest said that right now, Goldy's radio voice was better than Stefan's, because Stefan didn't have one. Goldy replyed that he had a radio show and Stefan didn't.
They then went into how Goldy started out small and then grew big because of the 2004 election and this morphed into the Robert Kennedy report on the 2004 presidential election being stolen in Ohio.
Puke.
After two hours, he is still shadow boxing with Stefan and SP and touting how he has a radio show and that other person "who's blog he won't plug" doesn't.
Well. I touched the hot stove and now I know better. Won't make that mistake again.
Posted by: SouthernRoots on June 11, 2006 09:19 PMIf that is all he can say every 15 minutes, it is going be even more boring than if he just blathered is idiotic talking points.
I think that if Stefan wanted a radio show, he'd have one right now. Beyond Capital Hill in Seattle, there isn't much market for liberal talk shows.
Posted by: pbj on June 11, 2006 09:25 PMIt was bad radio.
It was bad radio for 3 reasons:
1- If the Rolling Stone were credible, I would read it. Goldy repeating it doesn't make it more credible. There is a reason even MSM has passed on Ohio 2004 and it's not their love of W. It's not interesting when the right does this either- I haven't listened to Medved for months now for similar reasons (he'd take the rolling stone article and just let wingnuts throw rocks at it which is bad radio too).
2- Goldy invents data. Is there some sort of requirement for Kiro to spend equal air time correcting what was factually wrong?
3- As Eyman said, interesting radio comes when you let two sides battle it out on the air, not when you parrot propoganda from Deanron central.
It's not interesting when the right does any of the 3 above, it's even less interesting when goldy does it.
About the only entertaining part of the show that I heard was the caller correcting him on several data points. She didn't say which 2000 and 2004 elections were stolen, I don't think she was talking about the presidential.
Goldy should stick to blogging where he can substitute the f-word for logic and Kiro won't have to deal with the backlash of incorrect data.
BTW- caught some of the blog convention on Cspan...you all ought to master the art of rolling your eyes in text. Come to the table with data and don't make it up. Unless you can put words together like its an art form, you better have more to offer than your EMOTION and INSTINCT on a subject. Or just stick to using the f-word a lot.
What makes SP interesting is Stefan goes out and actually does legwork. After listening to Goldy, I just want to feed the parrot a cracker.
Posted by: Andy on June 11, 2006 10:29 PMWell what did you expect? Thanks for confirming it for the rest of us. I am really glad now that I chose to listen to Ann Coulter on Drudge instead of Clownstein.
Oh I am sure the kool-aid drinkers will faithfully listen in, but the odds that an Arbitron surveyor will catch one of them when they randomly call to see who is listening in will be worse than winning the lottery.
Posted by: pbj on June 12, 2006 12:08 AMDo you really think so? From what I've read over at HA, it looks more like he's gotten where he has by being a foul-mouthed jerk. Being that it's a leftist website, that appeals to the majority of the audience.
Seriously, why are leftists invariably such foul-mouthed individuals? They can't seem to write a sentence without using the f-word a half-dozen times or so. Must make them feel grown up or something.
Posted by: Interested Observer on June 12, 2006 07:21 AM"It was like listening to paint dry on the radio."
"The most interseting part was when he took a potty break on the air."
" KIRO Breaking News! or KIRO Breaking Wind?"
"Dead air would have been more informative and factual."
Posted by: Huh? on June 12, 2006 08:32 AMI give this show about 6 weeks. I won't listen, though, as I have better things to do with my Sunday evenings, like, say, spend time with my family. Apparently, Goldy doesn't.
Posted by: Eric on June 12, 2006 09:16 AMTim... I agree with some of what you have to say, but I have to admit that three hours of your self-promotion would make for crummy radio... if you weren't such a wimp, you would have taken the hour.
You offered up the 3 hours because you knew that he couldn't/wouldn't do it - for what ever reason. That is plainly obvious to anyone who is not a lemming.
All you need to know about the show is that Goldy spent time talking about the Rolling Stone Bush Stole Ohio myth. That lie has been thoroughly debunked, even by those on the left. On Air nutoots is not going to fly.
Goldy's blog is a nice place to go if you are a liberal and you want to tell conspiracy stories too other liberals, but there's no radio market for this kind of drivel outside of Portland.
How pathetic. Maybe next week Goldy will be discussing aliens and crop circles.
Posted by: Jeff B. on June 12, 2006 11:51 AMAnd Goldstein does? Have you read many of the posts over at HA? If it were not for somewhat "liberal" use of the f-word, those posts would be notable only for their vapidity. It seems liberalism and having a filthy mouth go hand in hand.
(un)Sound Politics is dead, stick a fork in it.
Posted by: ColdHandofIrony on June 12, 2006 02:58 PMYeah, you're right. You better run back to Horsey then, and don't let the virtual door hit you where the good lord split you.
Posted by: Palouse on June 12, 2006 03:50 PMConservatism will no doubt fade into obscurity in the face of such formidable verisimilitude.