Richard Belzer to fill Randi Rhodes' spot next week

[NYCGirl]

Richard Belzer will fill Randi Rhodes' 3pm-6pm time slot on Air America all next week, the Huffington Post has learned. Belzer is perhaps best known for his role on "Law & Order," where he plays Det. John Munch, but he is also a stand-up comedian as well as a Huffington Post blogger.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/10/richard-belzer-to-fill-in_n_96098.html

[acmavm]

1. Good, maybe I'll try listening again. I love Belzer.

[NYCGirl]

3. I love him too! NT

[LisaM]

2. Groan. Is he that bore who's been filling in for Rachel?

I don't know who I nominate, but not him!

[NYCGirl]

5. No. NT

[marmar]

4. The Belz rules!

The rare actor with a brain, and a good far-lefty!

:headbang:

[bunny planet]

6. The Belz, I love him. Good choice for a fill-in, doubt that'll be permanent

however. They only replace interesting hosts with boring ones over at AAR these days.

[americanstranger]

9. If they brought Belzer on full-time,

I'd consider listening to them again.

But I doubt they're smart enough to do that. And Belz is probably too smart to sign with them.

- as

[bunny planet]

19. I would consider listening again too, but they won't be smart enough, so I won't

have to.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

7. Not a bad replacement

Although I was not a fan, I think AAR screwed up big and treated Rhodes unfairly.
So anyone getting the slot is going to have a tough time. Belzer's a good pick, though.
But can't they throw my hero, Sammy, a bone?

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

24. Though it does show some major Boomeritis with the Greens

Are they trying to turn the network into nothing but middle-aged New Yorkers?

[bullwinkle428]

8. Belzer is awesome! More "fascist party doll" references to Ann Coulter!!

:rofl:

[Fuzz]

10. I was going to mention that quip

[RandiFan1290]

11. Sam just found out

during the break and freaked out! I love the Sammycam!

[NightWatcher]

13. AAR has treated him like shit and he still waits to get something from them

I wish he'd pack up and go wherever Randi ends up.

Sammy needs to show AAR that he's not their bitch

[RandiFan1290]

17. That's true

I think Sam is starting to figure that out. AA might as well bring Jerry Springer back :(

[LSparkle]

25. I wish he and Hartmann would bolt for Nova M RIGHT NOW

Leave the Greens high and dry.

[bbernardini]

15. Wait...freaked out in a good way or a bad way? nt

[RandiFan1290]

16. Very bad!

He is livid! Who the fuck is Belzer to take that time slot? Sam earned it and he should get it. Although, Sam is figuring out that AA is not the place to be.

[Kittycat]

27. describe in detail please

That is just so wrong. Couldn't this news wait until he was off the air?

[Ian David]

34. I was just listening to Sam in my car and had just turned it off a few minutes ago.

Sounds like I missed a good one.

At this point, Sam would be justified in spilling the beans on all the skeletons in the closets of Air America's management.

[laststeamtrain]

12. Now THAT could be interesting.

[americanyouth]

26. I bet that's good

[bbernardini]

14. Awesome. I actually saw him doing stand-up once...

...with a live band, nonetheless. His Mich Jagger impression is so accurate, its frightening.

[CherokeeDem]

18. I LOVE Richard Belzer

Having lived in Miami and forced to listen to Ileana Ros-Lehtinen spew her venom will love Richard Belzer, for one night on Bill Mahr's show he called a f*%@#*% bitch. Mahr made him apologize but I LOVE him for calling that bitch what she is.

That said...I hope Sam goes somewhere else...AAR has really jumped the shark. Sam is too good for them.

[walldude]

20. She is one nasty little woman

I moved from Miami in 1990 when she was just getting rolling. I'd never met a woman I disliked more.

[Parche]

21. I Love Law And Order SUV

He is awesome....munch munch...

:hi:
:rofl:

[REP]

22. Richard Belzer is both wonderfully smart and dryly funny

A lot of people know him just from Homicide: Life on the Street and Law and Order: SVU but even in those roles he managed to bring his insight and dry humor into his characters. I have no opinion in re Rhodes - I'm not a listener - but I will be listening to Belzer.


edite: "homicide' has fewer ds than I previously provided

[GreenPartyVoter]

29. I about died when I found out he's also Fonzie's cousin. "Ayyyyy!!!"

[eleny]

23. sam deserves better than this

[Larkspur]

28. Belzer is like Lionel -- both are a@@holes

I don't like Law & Order SVU either. Guess I'll be listening to FM radio music again on the way home from work. Oh well.

[LSK]

30. Sam: "I have no problem with Belzer"

[newmajority]

31. I don't like the way they did this at all, but at least Belzer is not a Hillbot

Perhaps the Green Mafia realized that the reasons behind their treatment of Randi would be made even more obvious if they put a blatant HillShill on the air.

For the record, here's where Belzer is at, on the election......

GERALDO RIVERA: I haven’t heard that you’ve endorsed anyone. You did endorse John Kerry in 2004 and you wrote some pretty scathing, some hot stuff on the blog about the Republicans then. I haven’t heard too much about who you are endorsing this time around. Why?

RICHARD BELZER: Well I’m ready, I mean I voted in the New York primary for Obama. And I think Obama it’s, it’s beyond politics at this point. I think that they say he’s a rock star but it’s beyond rock star. He’s clearly touching something in people’s hearts and souls and minds and he has a shot at redefining who we are. We’ve been redefined for seven years now as a war-mongering, far right, intolerant nation who’s raping our own atmosphere and demonizing the poor and letting the banks rob us blind. I think if, any incremental move away from that would be a Godsend. And I think Obama will, at the very least, put the brakes on this madness and in some ways heal it. Another thing, if I may Geraldo, being a man of color, I think the rest of the world, if they see that America elects a man of color I think they’ll breathe a big sigh of relief and not think that we’re this warmongering, rich white guy country.

RIVERA: Let me ask you this Richard, though, do you think, a lot of his support, so far, is based on the energy of young people, some of the first time voters. Do you think that, that energy can sustain for eight long months the general election?

BELZER: I partially disagree with you Geraldo. I think in, in, the thing that’s really inspirational is that young people are getting involved as never before. But when I talk to people. I’ve spoken to Republicans, not a lot, but some who are gonna voter for Obama. There are a lot of Democrats that used to say, "Well I’m voting, if I vote, you know with my head I vote for Hillary. With my heart - it’s Obama." Now Obama has combined the heart and the head. He proves everyday with his unflappability, his grasp of the issues that he is capable of being president. He’s more experienced than Abe Lincoln was when he became president. John Kennedy was considered a frivolous playboy. He evolved into a great president. So I have every confidence that this man will surround himself with all the right people. Not every candidate knows everything and I think he’s smart enough to know that.

RIVERA: Richard Belzer that’s a really eloquent endorsement. I appreciate you coming on the program. I knew it would be good. Thank you very much.

http://www.newsbusters.org/blogs/geoffrey-dickens/2008/03/07/richard-belzer-hopes-obama-redefines-warmongering-intolerant-ameri

So, in light of this info, I certainly can't slam Belzer, but I won't be listening, because I've fucking had it with these idiots running Air America.

[itsrobert]

32. Great. Sha Na Na was a great act

I wonder if he's going to be flexing his muscles on the radio?

[Ian David]

33. Don't get me wrong. I like Richard Belzer. But why don't those assholes give it to Sam Seder?

I'm really starting to hate Air America, and I hate it even more on XM Radio since they gave Thom Hartman's slot to Ed Schultz.

[NYCGirl]

36. That pic is Ric Ocasek. NT

[Ian David]

37. I know. I just get a kick out of doing stuff like that. n/t

[Cleita]

38. Because he stated he's for Obama.

They want 100% Hillary shills and Belzer is one.

[NYCGirl]

41. Belzer is an Obama fan and voted for him in NY.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3139853

[Cleita]

43. I stand corrected and we shall see in the future who he

favors.

[Ichingcarpenter]

35. Belzer voted for Obama over Clinton in the NY primaries.

RICHARD BELZER: Well I'm ready, I mean I voted in the New York
primary for Obama. And I think Obama it's, it's beyond politics........

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.tv.law-and-order/browse_thread/thread/f53dcd7129d8d124

[Cleita]

39. Yeah, but apparently he's now backing Hillary. n/t

[NYCGirl]

42. Where do you get that from? NT

[Cleita]

44. If you have been following the Randi threads,

this is what the claims are. It's true though I should have done some research before taking it at face value. It remains to be seen in the future as to where his biases lie. I'm very sure that he's going to be very careful not to criticize the Clintons though like Thom Hartmann and Rachel Maddow don't.

I on the other hand have some serious misgivings about the Clintons that I would like to see the light of day before the election. We voters have a right to that. Maybe Randi's unfortunate choice of words were to blame for her suspension and ultimate parting of ways with AAR, but I can't help thinking that they were waiting for a way to shut her up and this local venue she did for a local crowd, not meant for national consumption, was their opportunity.

I wish Richard the best, but I will most likely be listening to Randi instead.

[NYCGirl]

45. He may very well criticize the Clintons (or Obama) but I'd bet he'd be funnier

and a damn site more intelligible than Randi's rant at the club. Honestly, I don't think she should have been taken off the air for that, but then I'm not her employer either. From what I've heard the AAR management was looking for a way out of Randi's contract and she was too, so both got the best of the deal.

[Cleita]

46. Yep and since I don't have a contract with either of them,

I can choose whom I will listen to.

[Ichingcarpenter]

47. I hope you read this thread

I think the problem with Belzer is that he won't get the great knowledgeable guests
and hasn't done the research that Sammy or Randi has but is pretty good
when I see him on Bill Maher ,I don't think he will take it as a full time gig
And yes, I will be listening to Randi too.





Belzner's endorcement of Obama: link

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3139853&mesg_id=3139853

[Iris]

40. Munch?