[Speed Gibson,
Sunday June 26, 2005 at 8:49pm]
Next Big Thing - Week 17
As luck would have it, we were within range of KSTP-AM by 2pm while returning from Chicago today. But my luck ran out when I heard Barry Zevan ("the weatherman!") at the mike.
I'm sure Barry is a wonderful man of many talents, but as Dirty Harry said, "A man's got to know his limitations." Even on television, his pronounced nasal vocal quality was a hindrance. There, he could mostly overcome it with his quirky on air persona. My late Grandmother called him Peek-A-Boo from his KSTP-TV weather days, always leaning into the picture from the sides. Mr. Zevan has many other enviable broadcast credits, including radio, so Pass / Fail grading is in effect.
He started off reading a long Ben Stein column almost "for the record" with little additional insight. But then he picked up on the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Kelo case, and took some calls. OK so far.
But then Iraq came up and he soon took the up the opposition case that it was a mistake. After an anti-Iraq caller agreed, the producer spoke up to gently ask if establishing democracy in Iraq would be worth it. He waffled. A pro-Iraq caller was next, and he started agreeing with him!
Barry, Barry! We can tolerate the loyal opposition, e.g., "Morning Sedition" on Air America, even learn from them. But nobody can learn from an echo chamber. That and your voice quality I mentioned means you are my first professional talent to get a failing grade.
I'm sure Barry is a wonderful man of many talents, but as Dirty Harry said, "A man's got to know his limitations." Even on television, his pronounced nasal vocal quality was a hindrance. There, he could mostly overcome it with his quirky on air persona. My late Grandmother called him Peek-A-Boo from his KSTP-TV weather days, always leaning into the picture from the sides. Mr. Zevan has many other enviable broadcast credits, including radio, so Pass / Fail grading is in effect.
He started off reading a long Ben Stein column almost "for the record" with little additional insight. But then he picked up on the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on the Kelo case, and took some calls. OK so far.
But then Iraq came up and he soon took the up the opposition case that it was a mistake. After an anti-Iraq caller agreed, the producer spoke up to gently ask if establishing democracy in Iraq would be worth it. He waffled. A pro-Iraq caller was next, and he started agreeing with him!
Barry, Barry! We can tolerate the loyal opposition, e.g., "Morning Sedition" on Air America, even learn from them. But nobody can learn from an echo chamber. That and your voice quality I mentioned means you are my first professional talent to get a failing grade.