When Howard Stern left commercial radio for satellite radio, it left a major hole in the schedule for his former terrestrial affiliates. The decision was made to not attempt to replace him with one host, but several across the nation. One of the choices raised quite a few eyebrows: David Lee Roth replaced him on his New York affiliate, WNEW, amongst others on the east coast.

What's that you say? "David Lee Roth isn't a radio personality, he's the washed up former singer of a past-its-prime rock band?" Well, that thought didn't occur to the bigwigs at Infinity Broadcasting, and it appears that the David Lee Roth Show is rapidly becoming a clusterfuck.

My sources at 92.3 Free FM - formerly K-Rock - tell me that the former Van Halen front man and his manager, Matt Sencio, "are totally out of control and out of their league when it comes to producing a radio show," as one disgruntled employee put it.

"This guy [Roth] is impossible to work with. A real arrogant, self-righteous a-," says a Lowdown spy. "All the execs know they made the two biggest errors in radio history - letting Stern go to Sirius and hiring this moron Roth. He never preps for a show. He is out the door five minutes after the show, unless he is 'forced' to record a commercial or re-record ones he made errors on."

According to the anti-Roth faction, he demanded that general manager Tom Chiusano do expensive renovations on Stern's old studio, then refused to use it, claiming asbestos infestation. He ripped down the walls of a temporary studio because of suspected dust behind the walls.

Early reviews of the show have been pretty well universally negative. Here's an example:

Roth begins with the predictable batch of celebrity "news" -- what any reader could find skimming People -- and drones on for more than an hour without any insight. The topic of actors venturing into music is addressed, but Roth offers scant commentary.

Shouldn't he have an opinion about actors who, with the help of a producer and guest artists, can churn out an album and a hit single, while authentic musicians struggle to be on the charts? Apparently not.

Roth responds,

"I'll never be an actor in a movie. I actually exist." Didn't he used to be a singer?

The second half of his show generally takes the format of a radio call-in program and, no matter the subject, the callers carry Roth's show. Here, he wanders into a less compelling version of Howard Stern territory. One discussion trots through such heavy topics as self-esteem and self-image as they relate to plastic surgery, only to degenerate into penis jokes that the show's supporting cast laugh too hard at.

If David Lee Roth is going to continue with a four-hour show, he needs to be less mundane and more open. It's a daunting task to replace Stern, the radio host who played the rock star with ever-increasing success. Roth's failure is that he's got it all wrong: he's just a rock star trying to be a radio host.

And terrestrial radio wonders why satellite and web radio are kicking their ass?

XriotX

Garland, TX

February 2005

JAN 24, 2006 08:19 PM

Jesus. I've tried listening to him almost every morning since he went on the air. Everyday I make it until I'm almost out of my apartment complex before I can't stand it anymore and switch over to NPR. I didn't really like Stern but at least I could actually listen to him. I'd rather drill a few sheetrock screws through my scrotum than listen to Roth.

ASSH0LE

Las Vegas, NV

June 2003

JAN 24, 2006 08:27 PM

What they have done is fairly smart.

No, not hiring Roth, but giving different affiliates different shows. See which shows do better, in which types of markets and with which demographics, and then ramp those up while stations dump the shows (like Roth's) that are sucking rocks.

Dumber thing to do would be to peg one show as Stern's replacement and implement it nationwide.

Here in Las Vegas the Stern station picked up Adam Carolla. He's carried half a show before (Love Line). I haven't listened to it. Got better things to do in the morning.

emperorreagan

Baltimore, MD

January 2004

JAN 24, 2006 08:46 PM

My decision to purchase a Sirius subscription was slightly influenced by one decision on the part of Infinity:

They changed their radio station name to "Free FM." It served, to me, as a constant reminder whenever I to listen to those stations that I could not only still be listening to Howard Stern (whom is a far more interesting broadcaster than the sum of all of the replacements), but I could also be listening to uncensored and commercial free music, in a wide variety of genres.

NinjaTech

Minneapolis, MN

November 2003

JAN 24, 2006 09:38 PM

Well, that thought didn't occur to the bigwigs at Infinity Broadcasting, and it appears that the David Lee Roth Show is rapidly becoming a clusterfuck.

Great sentance. Bigwigs and clusterfuck in the same line is A+ journalism. I love how clusterfuck just flies at you with its purple-pink hyperlinkness.

Cigarette

Cleveland, OH

April 2004

JAN 24, 2006 10:01 PM

NinjaTech said:

Well, that thought didn't occur to the bigwigs at Infinity Broadcasting, and it appears that the David Lee Roth Show is rapidly becoming a clusterfuck.

Great sentance.

Glass house, meet stones.

breezey

Whittier, CA

August 2005

JAN 24, 2006 11:39 PM

I listen to Adam Carolla in the mornings because it's on before the show I really want to listen to, Frosty, Heidi, and Frank. Adam Carolla's show is kinda annoying he tends to ramble on, but I wasn't too big on Stern either. Like I said I listen because it's on before the show I really like (it was the same reason I listened to Stern), and I only have to wait an hour, so I can deal.

MightyTick

Albany, NY

December 2005

JAN 25, 2006 12:16 AM

what did they expect? Roth was only good when he did the occassional Stern show....

SoEffinHappy

Philadelphia, PA

April 2003

JAN 25, 2006 12:23 AM

Terrestrial radio really is on it's way out it seems. This year for my mom's birthday me and my sister bought her a couple of years worth of a subscription and one of the portable receivers for Sirius radio, but had to go to three stores to find one that wasn't sold out of the receiver we wanted.

ASSH0LE

Las Vegas, NV

June 2003

JAN 25, 2006 08:18 AM

My town (Vegas) doesnt' really have anything good on the radio at anytime. Outside of NPR.

There is no good alt-music station, there's one for the kids with an "Xtreem" format. There's another alt-mix for the gals who haven't yet turned 34, when they'll switch tastes to Celine and Elton John. Sort-of, kind-of alternative, with a bunch of your Hooty type stuff.

There used to be a college station before I moved here, but the campus admin decided it would be better for the community to pay for it. And it gets readily sponsored so it can carry a "lite jazz" format that already exists on a commercial station.

So for me there's the alt-talk station (which has gone alt-talk-and-sports-"for men" so I've given up on it all and now listen to NPR.

And Terry Gross spent the better part of an hour interviewing Iggy Pop last year. Not even Howard Stern would do that. I get to hear non-soundbyte news, no commercials, and programming that doesn't insult my intelligence.

FridgeMagnet

Chicago, IL

November 2004

JAN 25, 2006 08:30 AM

Um being a talk format radio host is very very not easy. It takes years to get the rhythm and formula. So I don't blame Roth for his incompetence. And Infinity wanted a name to draw an audience. Miscaculation, they should have found a legit talent.

DeceptiviewFilm

Parlin, NJ

February 2004

JAN 26, 2006 08:17 AM

here in nyc...

Roth just rambles and rambles...I switch to another station often. I like the radio chick and booker on FREE FM but I will be getting my Sirius soon enough.