Here’s a request – do an actual radio show or get out of the way

This is what you’re paying for Canada.
This is what Strombo is taking money for.
Feeling ripped off yet?
Has the CBC no shame?
Richard Stursberg whines that people in Canada are not paying enough in taxes to support its public broadcaster.
Money for what?
Taxes being used to pay Strombo to sit for four hours playing requests from listeners?
How is that better or different than what commercial radio all over the country does every day?
How can you expect anyone to support the CBC when it squanders its resources producing such useless programming?
That kind of radio takes no effort at all, could be done by anyone right off the street, and shows a complete lack of imagination.
I’m pointing to those four hours and saying THERE’S THE PROOF that he and the CBC deserve absolutely nothing from the Canadian public!

What’s this, Stromboulopoulos?

from his MySpace page

Answer: BULLSHIT!
There’s no “new” or “independent” anything coming from Stromboulopoulos.
And given a national radio audience what does he do with it?
Invite two other announcers to help him do a simple radio show because he’s incapable of figuring it out for himself, and then they subsequently sit and play requests from listeners. WTF?!?!?!?

What’s this, CBC?

Chris Boyce, Program Director, CBC Radio

ANSWER: CBC’s idea of “radio magic” is playing requests from listeners. It’s “style and content” they don’t already have. It’s their idea of “freshness”.
And what is it good for?
Absolutely nothing.

29 Comments

  • Anonymous says:

    Why not just choose “shuffle” on an ipod, plug it in, let it play, sit back & relax…then just pause for news every 1/2 hour.

    • Anon says:

      Exactly. If the hosts offer nothing extra (because they have no personality and/or know nothing about music) then why not just listen to your ipod. Good point. I totally agree.

  • Anonymous says:

    Let me get this straight.

    He’s asking for requests on a radio show.
    Requests.
    On a radio show.

    That is some sick, twisted behaviour right there.

    • Allan says:

      Even worse, they were planning to have a monkey spin a wheel to choose which requests get played.
      But the monkey and wheel were considered too much work, so three announcers and one producer did it instead.

  • Curb Your Enthusiasm says:

    Why do your job when you can get others to do it for free?

  • The show is terrible. And, they know it. They just need to prove that people are listening, and so they ask for requests. If they get lots of requests, they can prove people are listening to the show. Keep in mind, though, you are never going to hear your request. Why? Because George has developed this stupid notion where he thinks he knows what criteria makes up good music. He also seems to think he has the right to pick and choose what is being played on radio. I’m not sure if it his HUGE ego or if it’s the stupd management that thinks he knows what he is talking about. Let’s bring everything into perspective here Strombo – JUST BECAUSE YOU LIKE IT, DOES NOT MEAN IT’S GOOD; and visa versa. You, sir, are not the authority on music. I’m not sure if you came up with that notion all by yourself, or if people have beening sucking up to you by telling you that you are the authority on music, but YOU ARE NOT! One other thing to note here is, these shows have big paying producers that supposedly ‘produce’ these shows. What are these people doing all the time? A question for the masses!

  • Anonymous says:

    If I was hired to do my job, and then asked around for random people in the public to do it for me for free, I would be fired! Can you imagine any health care professional doing this?

    • Saw off Alberta and float it out sea says:

      I can’t imagine a health care worker doing that. What I could imagine is that same old tired, annoying ‘taxpayers’ money’ clown commenting about it on Teamakers.

  • Anonymous says:

    It’s always fun to watch people who belong to a powerful union that demands that their wages be protected canvassing for free labour.

  • anonymous says:

    Bachman has something interesting to say. George doesn’t. George has always been marketed for his look and style. Radio doesn’t emphasize those qualities. Although TV’s not doing much to hide his obvious intellectual shortcomings.

  • PoonGirl says:

    Dear Brain Palmer,
    Do you think George’s primary reason for wanting to do a radio show is so that he can sit in a basement with Bob ? There’s nothing wrong with that buy let’s call a spade a spade.

    Now that George is in L.A. and Bob is stuck here in T.O he has lost his will to find a basement and record his show. So, we get an all request show b/c George is on his motorcycle riding the open road with thought of running his fingers through Bob’s curly sexy hair. Softly, he removes an untamed curl out of Bob’s eyes, he tilts Bob’s face to the side and kises him softly on the lips. Thank you for helping me with my show Bob, you’re welcome into my basement any time.

    • Anonymous says:

      “None of these things are mandatory, besides the comment itself.
      However, before pressing send, read it out loud to yourself. What would your mother think of that? ”

      Well Allan?

  • A Cat an'a Half says:

    You’™re such a hypocrite, didn’™t you just praise Kirstine Stewart for creating the Hour in the first place?

    Did you wish all those rumours about an affair were about you instead?

    What are you going to do when he has a real woman in his life that he cares about?

    It happened to Clooney, Randy Bachman and even me! It’™s not as impossible as you might think.

    • Anonymous says:

      Kirstine Stewart did not create the Hour. It was a Newsworld project headed by Heaton Dyer. Obviously, you’re a rookie with no research skills. Just imagine all the money Strombo makes from the Hour – now his Radio hit (probably charges for the use of his home space too), and Test the Nation! I’d say he’s pretty close to Mansbridge in terms of compensation. Do you REALLY think he’s worth it?
      And please, I KNOW what I’m talking about when I say he’s getting extra money for each of these “projects” (was an insider).

  • Blain Palmer says:

    just because your taste in music is limited to hear the same 40 songs all day long on other service-scripted radio stations, doesn’t mean that an original, non formatted non-auto-programmed radio show sucks.

    Randy Bachman’s show right before it is a prime example. Vinyl Tap is like an old-school version of the Strombo show. Randy isn’t exactly the “Mr. Dynamo-Personality” of the air-waves but who cares!! Both dudes bring something we can’t get anywhere else in their own literally ‘inimitable’ way -how long did it take for Bachman to find his audience, you expect Strombo to have a million listeners in less than 6 months -boy are you trippin!!

    their dudeness rocks!! and they don’t get all rude and judgmental about stuff they don’t like -not like a certain close-minded limited and bitter bitch on here.
    it’s always the same song with you, why don’t you just listen to something you think is good and bring us something you like so we can rip on that? or is that chicken I smell from you?

    • Allan says:

      That Strombo show is no different than when he was doing it on Corus. Same kind of radio exactly. Commercial radio. Easily “canned” radio. You can’t say there’s a distinct contrast to what he’s doing on the CBC compared to what he was doing a few months ago, and that was the same or just as worse as any other station.
      To put him and Bachman in the same universe is silly.
      Randy was the leader of an historic band and has lived the rock life among his peers. Strombo is a wannabe, kiss-up to people who have real talent. George has NO talent beyond emceeing weddings, but doing that really well!
      George has often referred to others as being assholes (you watch The Hour?) during his skits where he pretends he’s Bill Maher. Not rude and judgemental?

      • Anonymous says:

        Make a podcast, Allan. Do it and then we’ll talk.

        • Allan says:

          Make a podcast? You mean an audition tape don’t you? Isn’t that what most of them are?
          Wouldn’t that run the risk of getting a CBC show and then having people writing a blog about how much you suck?
          You think I’m crazy?
          But, hmmm, a podcast. Like George’s?
          I could start out with “Telegraph Road” then maybe some “Enigma”, Stones, Enya. You know, if it’s just stringing songs together, I could do that. I think I could do that.
          If something more journalistic, I could interview Bill Brioux, Amber, Raymi, Heather Reisman, Gord Martineau, Stursberg, Matthew Good and a host of others. Some guy named Jian is always looking for exposure.
          Or maybe just aim for lunacy like Ricky Gervais is doing. Find a misfit weirdo and sit and listen to him explain the world. Only problem, Maffin is so rarely in Toronto.

  • Allan says:

    What is there to listen to?
    He’s bankrupt of any imagination. This is what it’s come to in only a few months – playing requests!
    Is that what the CBC is good for these days? Is that something requiring skill?
    “Ohhh, my request got picked to be played, I’m sooo special!”
    Gee, Corus sure lost out when they passed on this show. Is it possible to do a worse show?
    Hey, send us your requests – we’ll play them right here at Tea Makers!
    This is what people go to broadcasting school to learn how to do?

    Strombo has no musical talent, not even good taste in music.
    You really have to be an airhead to do an all request show. Why would anyone care?
    Such a lazy effort.
    Proud of yourself Donlon? This is what you bring to radio – a childish amateur?

  • Anonymous says:

    He’s talked the talk for years, saying there’s an audience who wants to listen to him on the radio, and they’re not showing up.

  • Anonymous says:

    Shouldn’t someone call Canada’s Employment Agency & let them know George is soliciting free labour (aka slavery?) Yeah George, way to get other people to do your job for your, lazy ass!

    • Anonymous says:

      maybe he has an out-of-town schedule conflict and is using a standard industry practice when substitute DJ’s aren’t available

      a really lazy-ass would have just played a re-run

      at least this way his staff gets a strong line on their resume for stepping up as a team leader when necessary
      let me guess, you never had a boss that has faith in you to step-up have you?

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