"Holy smokes - it's so nice to be back on the air."That was the opening line from "Mud", the new morning co-host at WNCX/98.5, as "Mud, Mihalik, and Mike" made their debut on the CBS Radio Cleveland classic rocker.
He went on to talk about what kind of show listeners should expect. "We hope it's going to be a lively talk," said the host known to some other Cleveland listeners under his other former air name of Wynn Richards, but who's only going by his M105-inspired moniker of "Mud" on WNCX. "We hope that we bring you lively music. We hope you bring you lively fun and frivolity - we want to be YOUR morning show."
Co-host Mike Olezewski chimed in with what sounded like a humorous take on a quote from a consultant or manager: "Entertaining, yet insightful!"
And the show took an early call from someone who said he was glad to hear Kim Mihalik back on the radio...telling her he missed her since she left her job working with "that frat guy on the AM station".
The line elicited a laugh from the former co-host of the afternoon show with Cleveland's number one on-air eating personality, WTAM/1100's Mike Trivisonno, but Mihalik otherwise took the high road at the first Triv mention...saying the caller "made her day" by missing her on the radio.
There's a fourth member of the show ensemble, uncredited in the title - WNCX assistant program director Dave Jockers, who will be the show's producer. It's the same role he held, with different duties, for the station's airings of Howard Stern and David Lee Roth.
And speaking of Roth, it's the show's first day, so we won't critique it here. You might recall we afforded the same courtesy to Diamond Dave. But at very least, we can say that "Mud, Mihalik and Mike" - from early listening - does not appear to be the instant audio train wreck that DLR was...
20 comments:
I'm very glad to see Kim back on the air. I hope the show does well and gives her more time with her kids.
The deal with CC was a little bit shady in my opinion (and is what brought me to this mighty blog 'o fun in the first place since I was out of town the week Kim dissapeared from the air and was quite clueless as to what happened)
but, I'm a huge Triv fan as well.
I'll say it here.
I don't get the Kim Mihalik hate that some seem to have.
I think at least part of it is due to her ascension to the WTAM afternoon drive slot from a contest, having no radio experience beforehand. But folks, that was YEARS ago (8 years, I believe).
Part of it may be just being in the Triv Target Axis as well.
But...she did well.
I particularly liked Kim on the Triv show before she was basically muzzled (my take on it) and turned into The Gal Who Reads The Sponsor Billboards.
Early on, she was encouraged to become the "What The Hell?" foil to Triv. It's the same role that Casey Malone plays with Ron Verb over on CC sister talk WKBN/570. When Triv said something outrageous, she called him on it, and it was good radio.
That went away in the last couple of years or so, and her role was more muted before she was let go.
For those still stewing because she didn't "pay her dues" to get onto the radio 8 years ago, well, she's been in radio that long now, and she's paid her dues. (Maybe double, having to endure Triv for that long.) (We're kidding, Oak Tree!)
I wish Kim well in her new role with the WNCX morning show. And we're not going to pass early judgement on a show that is likely going to take some time to gel.
-OMW
The very irony about Kim is that when everything was fine with her and Triv, public reaction was that she was a "ditz". She gets the hook from CC, and then becomes a martyr. Now she is back on the air, and all of a sudden, she isn't qualified. As one who would LOVE to catch a break like that, I wish her the best.
(I'm the same person who wrote the first comment here)
So, seriously, what was the scoop on Kim before? Did she and Triv have a falling out? Or, was it just CC corporate cut backs? Both? From the little i've heard Triv say, it's hard to tell. I almost sense a bit of venom on his part....(again, i'm a Triv fan, so, i'm not anti Triv though the man surely does have his faults)
and OMW, I agree completely with you. I was not her biggest fan at all. Then again, I'm not Alison's biggest fan today either.
Both of them add/added something to the Triv show that is a necessary element.
Of course you sense "venom" from Triv. He basically disses everyone but his own egomanical self...except the sports owners/execs he sucks up to embarrassingly and non-stop (Lerner, Gilbert, Shapiro, Policy---need I go on??). Then, of course, is his sucking-up to the Cleveland Police, ad nauseum. Excuse me, I'm getting naucious just thinking about him.
The reason that many of us don't like Kim is because she is a mediocre talent at best. She laughed all the time on Triv's show and added nothing. Why is it necessary to have a female co host if all they are going to do is laugh and play the ditz? Alison is no better and is just filling the seemingly required giggle laugh track that Kim did.
Have you ever thought that maybe that's the point? That the people who run these/that show(s) aren't looking for anything more than a "ditz" no matter how much more that person can do?
I just wanted to take a moment and wish Kim all the best with the new morning show. I have been a fan of hers for eight years and still am to this day. Best wishes, Kim.
Triv is only your friend if you can help him.
Remember how much worshiped Butch Davis? I can remember the questions to Butch basically being along the lines of, "you're awesome, and the media germs in this town are trash, don't you agree? And Kevin Johnson? He had a show with KJ where he praised him up and down. When both men left Cleveland, Triv did his trademark 180 and trashed both.
I mean, this is the guy who thinks Casey Blake is the #2 Indian. What's anyone else going to say? No one on his show would dare say anything against him (Kim did at first, but not in later years). He surrounds himself with "yes" people and shouts down and then hangs up on callers who he doesn't agree with. He controls the microphone and the phones, so he can basically say, "you're an idiot" and no one can argue. If you call and disagree, he'll talk over you, hang up on you, and then tell the radio world how dumb you are, when he didn't even give you a chance to say anything in the first place!
Triv makes sure only his viewpoint gets across on the show and, unfortunately, that viewpoint is usually ignorant.
I will agree with the points on Trivisonno. He never lets any callers who disagree with him get on the air for more than 10 seconds than he shouts at you and hangs up on you. Why does anyone listen to Trivisonno in the first place? As a previous comment said, I don't understand why Cleveland settles for such mediocre talent on the radio? At one time Cleveland had great talent on WMMS. Now WMMS is the home of the amateur hour Disc Jockeys.
Typical Trivisonno: "Trust me, trust me...the Indians are LOADED this year." Yeah, we trust ya. Your sports knowledge is zilch. Don't you love how he always rips Roger Brown for telling it like it is, and yet Triv is far worse in both accuracy and opinion? At least Roger doesn't live in the back-pockets of the sports owners, like the grotesque on-air-eater does. Can someone teach this guy some manners, etiquette, common sense, and personal politeness to those around him...please?
Only time will tell, however, as a somewhat fan of the triv show, it appears that the show peaked a couple of years ago and has no place to go but down. I think the show "jumped the shark" after getting rid of Kim. If the show was so highly rated as the "big one" always bellows, then why would you screw with something that works...? Doesn't make sense. I think the best years are behind him. Now he sounds like a dirty old man (well even more so than before) with the teenager he has on the air now.
I agree with some of the previous notes... initially Kim was good with Triv when she was considered a "co-host." Apparently, his ego was too big to share the studio with. Did you notice that Alison is not a "co-host" but listed as a "producer" like Marty & Rado.
Since this has become a semi-referendum on Triv-z-z-z-z, can someone tell him how unprofessional it is to insist that Pat Butler say, verbatim, "Well, Triv, lemme tell ya..." immediately after he growls "How's the traffic, Pat?"
Think about it: we have to endure this same idiotic exchange (which Pat has to loathe) every 20-minutes, from 3-7, every weekday. That's 3,000 TIMES EVERY YEAR. This is just ONE of many reasons why Triv's show is so bush-league.
And we also have to endure at 6:30pm every night listening to Mark Schwab say like Daffy Duck NEEEEEEWSSS TIMEEEEEE. Casey Coleman please go back to doing the Indians pregame.
Agree. I usually can tolerate Schwab when he's talking sports, but when he does that NEEWWWSS TIIMMEE banshee yell, I want to smash the radio.
Same with when he's announcing the Tribe lineup EVERY night, and when he gets to Jhonny Peralta's name, he's gotta do some tired, old song: "JEE-honnny, JUH-honnny, JEE-hunnny PerALLLtah!!!" Mark, give up this ridiculous schtick and just speak his name. You sound like a compete idiot.
Mark Schwab is a hack. He really belongs in some AA town doing minor league baseball. His screaming is annoying and he's very immature on the air. I miss Casey doing Indians pre-game, but we'd still have to listen to Schwab as beat reporter. Please, Mark, go away. And take Triv with you.
On a side note, it's great to hear Snyder back in the afternoon. He brings the whole show up a notch.
Why does WTAM give PAUL RADO his own show on Sunday mornings? I have the radio on today, and he just continually interrupts and talks over EVERY CALLER. ***THIS IS BAD RADIO FOR THE LISTENER, PAUL!!*** Then, his condescending attitude toward every caller with a legitimate opinion or viewpoint is so demeaning.
While we're discussing WTAM, why do Kevin Keane and Andre Knott feel like they have to be LAUGHING HAIYENAS all the time? Good gravy, can't they utter a sentence without their glib laughspeak??
Why is that Mike Snyder and Casey Coleman seem to be the only sports professionals on that station? If I were the WTAM Program Director I would get rid of Mark Schwab,Paul Rado and Kevin Keane yesterday. They are just unlistenable to the average joe on the radio. I think Andre Knott is a good talk show host just keep him away from Keane.
Ok.. so we've traversed from Kim to Triv, to sports. Let's go back to Triv for a moment...(the AM "Howard Stern" that he is). But even Stern has temerity and tact in his approach - Triv on the other hand.... not so much. It is all too evident that as of late the only talent required to work at CC or on the Triv show for that matter is a "D" cup or better. I agree that it was a stroke of luck that brought Kim Mihalik into the radio community, but you've got to admit, she has certainly done a stellar job considering what she was given to work with. Years ago, when Kim felt she could be the "good cop" and speak her mind, it made for great radio. Over time Kim increasingly became asphyxiated by Triv. I'm not sure if it was the ever increasing size of his head or the rest of his body that did it though. Autopsy reports are still pending on that one.
In the end, Kim was dealt a seriously raw deal by both Clear Channel AND Triv. She's been acknowledged by merit in the radio community and given opportunities on WDOK and now WNCX. Kim has certainly earned the accolades she's received on these two sister stations. Best of Luck to you Kim in your new endeavor with CBS. I'm glad to see you are out from under the overweight thumb of the uber-conservative right wings at Clear Channel. You've got my loyal listenership.
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