tellhimfred.com

I’m started to get annoyed.

I am a simple man. I enjoy a simple life with a simple morning routine. The routine used to be:
1. Wake up.
2. Stumble to bathroom.
3. Stumble back and get ready for work.
4. Tell Kristina “Hurry up!!! We’re going to be late!”
5. Give Toby a bribe to get into his crate.
6. Leave apartment and lock door.
7. Get in car and turn key.

This is where the problem now lies.

In simpler times, I’d put the radio on 104.1 (WBCN) and listen to Howard Stern. But as we all know, he has now gone to Sirius, so that’s no longer an option. For a couple of days after the new year, I gave David Lee Roth a chance. I honestly went into listening to him with an open mind. But the show is awful. Absolutely awful. Here’s why:

1. No direction- The show is completely unorganized. There is no structure to it whatsoever. I know what you are thinking: “So what? That could be a good thing.” Not here. In one breath, he can be talking about a news story, and three seconds later he’s recounting a story about dating older women. There’s just no flow. No chance for callers to add to the conversation.

2. No characters- One thing I enjoy about the Stern show is the team of people that contribute to the show. The personalities. They simply do not exist on the Roth show. Sure, there are a couple of people in the studio, and once in a while they chirp in. But they aren’t “personalities.”

3. Annoying Music- This is the worst. Whenever Roth says something witty, someone in the background starts playing music. It’s the equivalent of hitting a cymbal for an old-time comedian. And they do it about ever minute or so.

So this week, I’ve been trying to ease Kristina into a transition to Opie and Anthony. She has never listened to their show, but she already thinks she won’t like them. I’ve been playing the show this week little by little in the morning to get her used to them.

But they’re on vacation. Again.

I don’t want to complain about them taking vacation time….they can do whatever they want. But I don’t understand it in terms of marketing. Right now there is intense competition between XM and Sirius. Howard Stern just hit the air, and people with XM that have listened to Stern in the past are wondering whether they made the right choice.

People that got XM as a gift are looking around for shows to listen to in the morning. This month, January 2006, is the most important to satellite radio. And instead of trying to lure in new listeners with great new shows, O&A are playing best of.

So I’m stuck listening to bits I’ve already heard over and over again. And I’m very close to buying Sirius just for the car ride in the morning.