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News & ArtsWednesday, February 17, 2010
City / Media Today in Steve Scher's Mouth Droppings
Posted by David Schmader on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 12:20 PM
I've heard the buzz about Steve Sher's civically incriminating radio-host habits for years, but this morning, thanks to a well-timed drive to work, I got to hear some real-live Scherstuff on KUOW's The Conversation Weekday.
The conversation at hand was between host Scher and guest Robert Horton, a veteran Seattle film critic, with whom Scher was discussing the Oscars. An early topic was the honorary Oscar bestowed this year upon Gordon Willis, the American cinematographer whose work on The Godfather series and key Woody Allen movies (Annie Hall, Manhattan) made him a '70s-cinema legend. But until this year, Willis had never won an Oscar, for reasons Horton attributed to "Hollywood politics," instigating this conversation about why Gordon Willis had for so long been denied an Academy Award:
SCHER: Hollywood politics, and probably racism, too, right?HORTON: Um, maybe...
SCHER: Because Gordon Willis is African-American, right?
HORTON: No.
SCHER: Who am I thinking of??
HORTON: I don't know.
I don't know who Scher was thinking of either—but I fear it was some amalgamation of Sesame Street's Gordon and Diff'rent Strokes' Willis.
Viva Steve Scher!
1
They guy does his interviews high. I think I'd like hanging out with him, but I can't listen to him do radio interviews, his lack of preparedness and poor concentration drive me nuts in that format.
3
I miss Deborah Brandt. She and Steve Scher in succession provided forehead-slapping entertainment from early morning through midday.
4
I really hate him. It makes me refuse to contribute money to KUOW during pledge drives which pains me but I can't in good faith contribute to that man's salary.
(I do give to National via online and to the mighty Ira Glass.)
(I do give to National via online and to the mighty Ira Glass.)
5
I'm with Fnarf @ 2 -- I immediately thought of Gordon Parks. I "like" the idea of a Sesame Street/Diff'rent Strokes mashup, though.
6
I absolutely love the way Steve Scher cuts off his guests right when they're about to say something interesting to insert his own asinine personalization anecdotes. ALL THE FUCKING TIME. Can't get enough. Also, please stuff him into a box and drop it into the ocean. Thanks.
7
It drives me crazy that he trips over his words constantly. Spit it out, Steve. It's really not that difficult to form sentences.
I always listen to Leonard Lopate on WNYC during Sher's hours. Lopate blows him away and the subjects he covers are way more interesting.
I always listen to Leonard Lopate on WNYC during Sher's hours. Lopate blows him away and the subjects he covers are way more interesting.
8
This is almost like Glenn Beck getting taken to task by a certain MSNBC host for his outrageous lies and hatred of America.
15
The Conversation with Dick Gordon is the most boring radio show ever produced. They just moved it to mid-morning here in Chicago, and I have to fight to stay awake to get to lunch time.
16
Mr Scher needs to talk less but more intelligently when he does speak. It's often grating how the most basic of concepts seem to elude him. The few times I've listened to his show I don't find it compelling. I guess it's his show, if he wants to ramble on and on he gets to. But who wants to fund that?
17
Scher drives me nuts. Unlistenable. On top of being a naturally poor interviewer, I feel that he is underprepared most of the time. Is he lazy or dumb? I do like Ross Reynolds (sp?).
18
I'm with Fnarf. He's thinking Gordon Parks who was known for his directing and his camera work. The award would have been posthumous though. Parks died in 2006.
20
He is such a bumbling fucking fool. I can't imagine a worse interviewer. His questions are so tortured it's painful to listen to them.
"So... uh... when you think about... I mean.... what would that look like for you?"
I'm amazed he ever gets an answer out of his interviewees.
Total fucking idiot.
"So... uh... when you think about... I mean.... what would that look like for you?"
I'm amazed he ever gets an answer out of his interviewees.
Total fucking idiot.
21
No. No. No. No.
Steve Scher is by far the best interviewer and radio host in Seattle.
Christ, you all must be deaf AND stupid.
Steve Scher is by far the best interviewer and radio host in Seattle.
Christ, you all must be deaf AND stupid.
22
No. No. No. No.
Steve Scher is by far the best interviewer and radio host in Seattle.
Christ, you all must be deaf AND stupid.
Steve Scher is by far the best interviewer and radio host in Seattle.
Christ, you all must be deaf AND stupid.
23
The stumbling and hesitating. He shares this trait with Marci Sillman. It indicates sincerity and humility. A bit like up-talk. It drives me freakin nuts. At least we don't have to listen to Sillman saying "wool" every 30 seconds any more.
24
I loved listening to Steve Scher when I lived in Seattle! I dunno what's wrong with you people. He sounds so relaxed and at ease on the radio that it made me feel nice and relaxed as well.
25
@24- I think he might have gotten a lot more relaxed. Or maybe it's just my East Coast attitude. I like it when the interviewer has their ducks in row and I don't hear them flipping the pages of the subject's book and "ummm"ing on the air. He often interrupts his subjects as well, and not when their rambling or off topic, but just because he thought of something. That's the part that makes me think he smokes up before coming to work.
26
It drives me crazy how he can't just ask a question: he has to ask TWO questions quick succession, where the second one is the same as the first, just reworded:
"Did you enjoy that? Is that something you liked?"
I'd say 8 out of 10 questions are asked in that fashion.
For a while I was contemplating writing a blog called "Steve Scher's Question of the Day," but I realized it would require listening to his show.
"Did you enjoy that? Is that something you liked?"
I'd say 8 out of 10 questions are asked in that fashion.
For a while I was contemplating writing a blog called "Steve Scher's Question of the Day," but I realized it would require listening to his show.
27
"but I fear it was some amalgamation of Sesame Street's Gordon and Diff'rent Strokes' Willis."
Thank you for that.
Thank you for that.
28
Eh, this isn't that bad. Scher's not that bad. Weekday's okay.
It's that fucking shit-tick Ross Reynolds on The Conversation that I can't stand. Augh. His smug inanities and penchant for FOX-style leading questions drive me into a blind rage.
It's that fucking shit-tick Ross Reynolds on The Conversation that I can't stand. Augh. His smug inanities and penchant for FOX-style leading questions drive me into a blind rage.
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