James Wolcott weighs in on axing of Morning Sedition

[Armstead]

(Thanks to RSchewe, who included this in a different post. Seems worthy of its own thread.)

James Wolcott, one of the good guys in journalism, weighed in on the planned demise of Morning Sedition in his blog.

http://www.jameswolcott.com/

Excerpts:

Call to Arms
Posted by James Wolcott
When an injustice is about to be done, when an outrage is about to be perpetrated, I become infused with the spirit of Emile Zola and raise my fist in protest. Therefore I cannot remain silent over the impending removal of Marc Maron from Air America's Morning Sedition.

CUT

...But now, due to dunderheaded mismanagement on the part of Air America, Marc is being forced to pack his parachute and prepare to jump. His contract option was not renewed and he has only a few more weeks on the air. The problem? Word is that Air America major supremo Danny Goldberg doesn't like the show, doesn't like Marc as an on-air personality, doesn't "get" Marc's or the show's humor, and wants to crumple the program up into a wastepaper ball and chuck it into the basket....
CUT

Can anything be done to keep Morning Sedition going and prevent Marc from being pushed into the cold wintry streets of a town without pity?
Well, you can always write to Danny Goldberg at [email protected]. Or to the person I'm informed is the big mover on the AA board, Rob Glaser of Real Network. His email address is [email protected]. Should you decide to petition these gentlemen in support of Marc, Mark and Morning Sedition, be concise, polite, and positive. Don't go wailing like a bunch of Freepers. Love-bomb them with eloquence and enthusiasm.

Because a world without Sammy the Stem Cell is a world that might as well stop revolving.

[Hugin]

1. I agree with these sentiments...

Morning Sedition has been a brace against a raging storm in
my life.

Typical, once I start to like something it gets killed
by some moran.

[ms liberty]

2. recommended...

I don't want to be losing my Morning Sedition!

I've already emailed Danny Goldberg, and Rob Glaser.

Mark Crispin Miller also a listener who wants to save Marc - (see his DU chat yesterday).

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

5. Wolcott and Miller were both on yesterday's Morning Sedition live show

They were great, and the comedy was nonstop!

Listen to the MP3 here:

http://www.airamericaplace.com/archive.php?mode=show&id=3

Sign the Morning Sedition petition here - almost 3200 signatures to date:

http://www.petitiononline.com/mmms3214/petition.html

[Dastard Stepchild]

3. Morning Sedition is the only AAR show I actually like....

I really love Marc Maron.
:(

[iconoclastNYC]

4. If this happens then it's all i need to know about AAR

This show is the most entertaining by far of any of the shows and Marc and Mark have great chemistry. I just can't see how they would cancel this show unless the talent is very expensive.

[Jane Austin]

7. Me, too.

I'm old enough for him to be my kid, and I kind of feel that way about him.

I worry that he'll make a misstep, and he pulls at my heartstrings every day.

I think I just love him.

Meanwhile, the rest of AAR (except for Rachel Maddow and the solo Sam Seder) is just same-old, same-old, while Morning Sedition evolves and improves. And that's not to say that I don't find Al Franken's show informative and useful, because I do. It just doesn't move along like it should.

Morning Sedition is really the only show on there that sounds professional and sharp, and it makes the other shows sound as amateur as Wayne's World.

I mean, anybody can get on and rant and rave and tell how much they hate these people or talk over their callers, but it takes talent and work to put on a funny, hip and information-rich show every morning like Marc and Mark do.

The denseness of this decision is just stunning.

Reminds me of Stephanie's "And Thanks for Playing Missing the Point Entirely"!

[Armstead]

9. I'm not as critical of the other hosts but I agree about the talent part

I like the otehr hosts for what they are, but Morning Sedition takes it to anotehr level, IMO.

What sets Morning sedition apart, IMO, is the creativity involved. Maron is both so weirdly unique but universal that he is a compelling guy whatever the topic. When that is aimed at politics, with Mark Riley's knowledge and astutness about issues, it's a compelling blend that just plain ol political talk can;t match.

[Jane Austin]

12. That's very well said.

And I sure agree with your analysis of the show.

[shenmue]

6. Hmmm that's not cool

It would be a shame if they gave him the axe just because of a personal distaste for his humor. There are varying styles on the network and that's part of what makes it good! Any show can have its off days here and there, but usually I find M.Sed. pretty darn good; I used to listen at work. No more Marc the Shark? No more weird dream sequences? Awwww! I still listen to Marc's weird monologue about "bread trucks" on "Ignore-guration Day." It's a classic. I will never forget it.

I still love AAR but I will be sad to see Marc go.

[Jane Austin]

8. I am seriously cooling on AAR because of this decision, and replacing

Unfiltered with the dreary Jerry Springer. Not to mention we bought Sirius equipment just so we could listen, and then they dumped Sirius.

I signed on as an Affiliate when they started that, but I may un-affiliate if they go through with this bonehead move.

[glitch]

10. If it's true that Goldberg is axing a popular show because of personal

taste, he's an idiot.

What a way to run a business!

[izzybeans]

11. micro-management in a enterprise like AAR

Some one should respectfully ask Mr. Goldberg to step aside. He obviously can't get passed his personal tastes enough to run a company like this.

Let's just call it Air Goldberg and put legions of liberal Ben Steins on to drivel on and on about the possibility of them one day running for office.

sedition is a funny show that deserves a more central place on the air not the unpacking of its satirical punch.

I'd say to Goldberg, 'Respectfully, assmunch, STFU! you clearly have no F'ing clue. Now go get us some coffee while we try to get this thing right."

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

13. Sign the petition - other contact links and such.... we need Marc!!

Add your comments and sign the petition to save Marc:

http://www.petitiononline.com/mmms3214/petition.html

Call the AAR corporate offices at: 1-212-871-8100.

Send e-mail to:
Danny Goldberg, CEO
[email protected]

Rob Glaser of Real Network
[email protected]

Send snail mail to:
Air America Radio
641 Sixth Avenue
4th Floor
New York, NY 10011

You can also email Papantonio of Ring of Fire as he is a board member. There is also a list of the board members floating around somewhere.
http://ringoffireradio.com/contactus.asp

Other Marc testimonials:

http://blog.wfmu.org/freeform/2005/11/air_americas_ne.html

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/11/2/31446/3553

[jazzjunkysue]

31. Thanks for the links. I had already emailed the station, but these

helped.

Hang in there, Marc!

[PATRICK]

14. Comedians are not the problem

or radio personalities. They cover a wide gamut in which the most known(Franken, Springer) are in fact most problematic in dealing with issues. In the morning anyway the chatty wake up hours are filled with stuff offensive or inane on the other side of the delusional spectrum.

What is missing is quality hard news directly from alternative sources, something that could be collated better than a single personality. What I am sick and tired of, and this has little to do with AA programming itself, is having CNN come on with its crap hourly "news" reports on our local station. The jarring disconnect, not just with "left" perceptions, which AAR unnecessarily drums into its broadcasts, but with real News, shows that AAR is still more about entertainment than successful communication or connection with a disinformed, misinformed, wandering America.

Brave, spunky, defiant, cool, but maybe I would like something more than a morale booster for a liberalized audience. I don't think spiking this host or that does anything to get beyond AAR's primary thrust to compete with talk radio, not radio news. And you have to back up beginners for years to let success develop, as many right wing successes attest.

But then angry fans and cancellations and discontent are part of the media world and not the end of the real world.

IF they would like our vote, I'd vote to keep the two Marks on.

[Armstead]

15. What would be great is to keep the two Marks and add one Rachael

Do like the Morning TV news shows, which have hosts plus a news person. Rachael Maddow is great at digging out and presenting information, which could provide real substance to add to the mix.

I do agree with your larger point though too. The biggest ideological failing of the broadcast media today is not left or right, but Shallowness and Show Biz. I think the most discouraging things is that there really are very few places in the media nowadays where straight hard news and information is presented in a way that transcends any particular political spin.

[checks-n-balances]

20. I like your idea; just add Maddow to Maron & Riley - what a team!

and keep on Jim Earle & Kent Jones, et al, as well.

[BrklynLiberal]

21. When they first started they had an English woman on with them.

[ms liberty]

24. Sue Ellicott...she's often on...

Whad'dya Know? or maybe it's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. I can never remember which one is which.

[chaska]

16. kick

[stevedeshazer]

17. I can't live without Lawton Smalls and his moral compass.

"God loves you! Deal with it!"

[wryter2000]

18. Okay

I'd already e-mailed Goldberg and signed the petition. I just sent an e-mail to Glaser. Fingers crossed this will work.

[checks-n-balances]

19. It's about as dumb as cancelling The Daily Show in its early days

based on the first couple of seasons of it.

I've been reading the MS threads in the past few days with some people arguing for a more serious morning show instead of the MS humor.

That's like saying, "It's nice to have a funny show about the news, but it needs to be serous"! Don't these people realize that this unique, hip, and intelligent kind of humor doesn't grow on trees? Look at how many people have been reached through TDS. I'm sure that Marc & Mark & Co. have reached a lot of young people through its show, building the liberal base that we so desperately need.

Either Danny Goldberg doesn't get the humor, doesn't have a sense of humor, or is interested in tearing down AAR one show at a time - and maybe all three.

[BrklynLiberal]

22. kick

I emailed, goldberg, glaser, and ringoffire, and signed the petition.

Sure hope this does the job!!!

With the support of Wolcott and Miller AAR should realize what a valuable asset they have here.
Tim Robbins stopped by the show Thursday morning. I'll bet he is doing something to ensure it stays around too.

[jayctravis]

23. Daily Show should snap up Marc.

As writer or correspondent.

[BrklynLiberal]

25. That is such a great idea!!!!!!!

[PBass]

27. Keep Marc Maron

I am a long time listener to Air America, and I listen all day, pretty much every day. They'd be nuts to lose Marc Maron. I always looked at Morning Sedition as a "morning zoo" type of show. Obviously that format is not going to suit everyone's tastes, but trying to please all the world will result in a bland (and de-fanged) Air America.

The most popular show on radio today is the HOWARD STERN show. Marc Maron is (in my humble opinion) funnier than Howard Stern, as well as being on-target politically (where Howard is reactionary and basically a pig).

If Air America doesn't want a morning zoo show, then I wonder why they created one in the first place? Morning Sedition has MAJOR potential to pick up listeners from Howard Stern's show (Howard is going to sattellite only, at some point soon... I forget when). Not just because Stern is leaving the free radio airwaves, but because Morning Sedition is a BETTER SHOW!

In my opinion it is a GOOD THING to have a variety of shows and hosts. I was disappointed when Jerry Springer came on board, however I have listened to the Springer show and he does have a knack for talking to "middle America" in a palatable way. He comes off like a kindly uncle (and makes me wonder why he did that horrible TV show). He's not to my tastes but he has a place on the radio. I don't want all the other shows to sound like Jerry Springer's, though.

The same thing has to be said about MORNING SEDITION. It may not be Danny Goldberg's cup of tea but there is a big audience out there, who would find it funny and tune in. And many these are YOUNG PEOPLE who could use a dose of tough political talk (and humor) who will grow up along with the station. If Air America was smart they would be going after this audience (the same way car makers now market their products to people who can't even drive yet... it builds a 'brand loyalty'). Young people are the future, don't neglect that audience!

I can just imagine how a talent like David Letterman might have been treated, by network bosses who lacked vision and imagination... "Nobody wants to watch someone drop watermelons off the top of a building!" Can you imagine?

I have been listening to Air America since week one, I listen all day (almost) every day. They would be stupid to lose their morning zoo, it is the most popular format on the radio. If they think there are too many off-topic skits or the humor goes out of bounds, the answer is not to cancel the whole show.

Signed,
The League Of Aggressive Destabelizers

PS: Morning Sedition should have their own 'greatest hits' comedy CD, and so should The Majority Report. Show some imagination, Air America!

[BrklynLiberal]

29. I hope you sent this letter to Goldberg, Glazer and Ring of Fire.

Excellent. i wish I could have voiced my feelings as well as you did.

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:


Welcome to DU PBass!!!!

[scarletlib]

26. I have e-mailed Mr. Goldberg, signed the petition and kicked

every thread on this subject that has been posted on DU.

I am very saddened by this whole thing. These guys were the only ones who could make me laugh for weeks after the stolen election of 2004.

Now a great show will be destroyed. The best one I have ever listened to and I don't say that lightly since I worship the goddess: Randi Rhodes.

Personally, I don't have any hope that we, the fans, will be listened to.

I live in West Palm Beach Florida. After Wilma blew through I didn't have phone or computer connections for over a week. I work for the County and so I was actually working everyday from when the storm hit all the way through the end of the week. I wasn't getting a whole lot of news updates.

THis week I am back on and I hear on Morning Sedition they want to boot marc. Great start to the week.

THen on DU one disgusting news bit after another: constant repug attacks on the right to vote, cuts in benefits for the poorest and it goes on and on and on. It seems we, the ordinary people, are under a constant assault to destroy what little security or hope we have to live just a decent life as decent people in a world that should be moving forward and offering the same level of security and decency for all of Mother Earth's children.

I am sitting here crying. I will miss morning sedition--it made me laugh and gave me some joy. you could think things weren't so bad when the show was on the air.

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

28. kick!

[BrklynLiberal]

30. kick just because!