Rolled Out On: 5/25/2004 4:06 PM

So, are they righties or lefties?

Rolled Out On: 5/25/2004 8:08 PM

Well, they've never come out and said it, but here are a few things I've gleaned from listening to them

• They don't like the FCC and think all they do is censorship
• They like drugs
• They repeatedly state we have no business in Iraq, and that we should bring our boys back
• Every time they talk about Bush, they both get grumpy
• Every time they talk about Kerry, they both get grumpy

I take it they're just antiestablishment and anti-authoritarian anything. I don't get the impression they give two shakes of a rat's ass who's in office so long as they can smoke whatever they want and say whatever they want on the air.

What I find humorous about radio jocks who hate the FCC is that I bet if I were to crank up a small tower and broadcast on their signal, they'd scream for the FCC to come in and protect them.

Rolled Out On: 6/9/2004 4:11 PM

you're an idiot, they don't talk about how they like drugs. They joke about drugs and some of the comedians they have on talk about their drug use, but never have I heard Bob, Tom, Chick, or Kristy say anything about liking drugs!

Also the FCC has come out and censored them pretty hard. they used to have some really funny material (songs and skits) and the FCC has told them they cannot play it anymore. So much for free speech and free expression...

Rolled Out On: 6/9/2004 4:40 PM

Thank you. It's nice to be called an idiot by an anonymous person with such gravitas as yourself.

Bob and Tom have many times mentioned their affinity for smoking marijuana. They've made songs about it. You're willfully blind if you don't think that is the case. And during their political rants they've discussed how they don't think the Government should tell them they can't smoke what they want to smoke.

About the freedom of speech thing. I agree the FCC goes too far, but I also think people who assume a fine for something is a violation of their freedoms. Bob & Tom can make all the crude jokes they want, just not on the public airwaves. That is a monopolized system and there are rules for using it.

My point was that they hate the FCC so much, but if the FCC wasn't around, I could set up my own tower in my back yard and broadcast on 103.5 and their show wouldn't get heard. So they want all of the benefits without any of the costs.

But, I'm an idiot, what do I know?

Rolled Out On: 6/9/2004 6:28 PM

I've been listening for years and I never really noticed any significant drug slant to their antics. Sure they use it for comedy, and one of them is an ardent cigarette smoker (Bob) but I never really got the impression that they were pot heads. Certainly they do come off with a "government should get off our backs attitude" which is the soul of the drug users argument.

They hate what the FCC is doing to them with the irrational censorship, not the entire FCC I'm sure. And who doesn't take pot shots at their controlling agencies, anyway? Seems to me that if one is fully complacent about the liberties one gives up, one invites more to be taken. The FCC has reacted far out of proportion to the facts and the response of the public. Something like 200 million people watched the Superbowl, and perhaps 200,000 complained. One tenth of one percent of the viewers squaked, and the FCC jumped about as high as it could.

I think they realize that some subjects are not funny, politics being one of them, but they have been reigned in so much that they have to venture into comedy-sparse areas just to fill up time. Their "nothing funny down that road" song came along after The Boob. I completely agree that they are less funny now than before Janet's little stunt (waaaaay too much attention has been paid to that boob) but I don't see that there is much they can do about it. They are havng to retool their entire bit and try to find new ways to be funny. Sure, they were mired in toilet humor and word jokes (paging Mike Hunt!) but I don't think they ever claimed to be especially high-brow.

They are entertainers, comedians. They have been forced to drop much of their material and have been told that a single instance of poorly defined "indecency" will get them fired. I would be scared too.

I apologize for dumping potnetially hazardous waste in your personal space. No insult has been intended. I'm just jealous that you have a website - I'm too inept to get my own. :-)

Rolled Out On: 6/9/2004 6:40 PM

None taken then! I'm always up to open discussion.

The FCC has its faults, that is agreeable. I'm all for the fact that I can change the channel and that's why Bubba the Love Sponge never got me as a listener. Medium brow humor is OK, too low and I turn it off. Asking the government to change the channel for me isn't exactly what I call liberty.

However, there is a limit. My daughter isn't old enough to know how to operate a radio yet, but eventually she will be. I can't hold her hand 24 hours a day for the rest of her life under my roof, and I'd like to be comfortable knowing she can turn on the radio and listen without hearing some of the crap that's spewed out today. Without some sort of decency laws, there's not much I can do besides being overbearing on her listening habits.

Remember that the airwaves are a monopolized communication system. I can't use any of those frequencies so the chance to provide a choice is limited, especially to smaller organizations. Some control has to be maintained, and plenty needs to be given to the free market. I'm surprised they can tell how many people listen to a station at any given time. I find those numbers to be quite suspect.

Glad to have you reading my blog. I'm still trying to find my niche and finally overtake the Puppy Blender!!

Rolled Out On: 6/10/2004 5:03 PM

Parenthood will certainly make you rethink the issue. My son is 8 months old now and I view the world very differently. We haven't gotten to the "questionable entertainment content" issue yet, but it is comming soon enough I am sure. Although I am careful not to let him see "Deadwood" on HBO. That show uses the word "C*cksucker" with the frequency of blinking or breathing. The last thing I need is for little Drew to start spewing THAT next time I take him to see his grandmother!

Before the boy I enjoyed raunchy humor on the radio and thought nothing of it, but I can certainly see a point to some regulation. I guess what bugs me is the zero tolerance policy garbage. One slip of the tongue and you are fired, no questions asked. That is awful - it takes all control away from managers and supervisors and puts it in a black-and-white rulebook which has no chance of being appropriate to the situation. It is an overreaction to a vocal minority who are demanding action at all costs. That issue is widespread in nearly every level of our society, not just the FCC.

I just stumbled in here while looking to see if B&T were in any specific FCC hot water. The media rides the "Stern is the Devil" wave for all it is worth but I rarely hear about others in the genre. I give them about 2 minutes to make me laugh ont eh drive to work in the morning. After that I start punching buttons on the radio.

Rolled Out On: 7/7/2004 1:49 PM

Our local station just affiliated with this Bob and Tom morning program. I have to say that the whole thing is boring. Granted, it's my own opinion, but it just seems that the conversations are so choppy, the material is dull, and even the guest comics aren't necessarily funny (But it doesn't stop these guys from filling my speakers with abnoxious laughter).

I guess I'm still in withdrawl from the station pulling it's locally produced morning program off the air... But since Cumulus took things over and brought in Ron Giovanniello, 93.5 WTPA has gone to crap.

Anyway, sorry for the anonymous post, but some people take anothers' opinion too personal.

Rolled Out On: 6/16/2004 12:54 PM

Good dialog about the B & T and the FCC. It's too bad we live in a time where one slip can get you in deep doo doo. After all, there are many stations to choose from and from a guy in the midwest, who has lived in both NYC and LA, Bob & Tom are not that offensive. Yeah, it's real "guy humor", but it's darned funny. Nobody is malicious and nobody intentionally wants to see anyone get hurt (except for maybe Saddam). I guess I'll have to listen to my CD if I want to hear "Pinkly Taurus". Oh, well - life goes on.

Rolled Out On: 6/16/2004 12:56 PM

I am like totally amazed at the amount of traffic this one particular post has generated! I'd say 1/3rd of my referrals are from Google searches on Bob & Tom!

Maybe if I posted about them more often, I could surpass The Puppy Blender in hits!