Posted on 06/05/2008 7:53:26 AM PDT by raccoonradio
Laura Ingraham's Radio Absence Creates Speculation
After an unexplained radio absence and a cryptic message from one of her producers, speculation is building that syndicated radio talker Laura Ingraham may have at least temporarily stepped away from her program. It has been carried on hundreds of stations across the country.
Worried listeners have already begun to email your Radio Equalizer, while attempts to confirm her possible departure from the Talk Radio Network- distributed show are met with a peculiar silence. Will Laura return at some point, or has she already moved on?
When yours truly contacted a number of people who might have information on her status, some seemed caught off-guard, while others would neither confirm nor deny the news.
An email sent directly to Ingraham was not met with a response and her own website doesn't even admit that she's been away from the program in recent days.
Because Ingraham faced cancer in the past, one might be quick to wonder if this is health- related. But given her frequent FOX News Channel appearances this week, that doesn't seem likely this time.
One theory is that there is some sort of contractual dispute with the Talk Radio Network, a syndication firm based in Oregon. Could Ingraham be ready to depart for another network, or move directly into television?
A key clue has actually come from a roundabout source: a guest who was scheduled to appear on her program this week received a cryptic email from her producer. Donny Pauling then posted the email from Ingraham assistant Tom Elliot on his own website:
From: Tom Elliott To: Donny Pauling, Craig Gross Date: Sun, Jun 1, 2008 at 3:48 PM Subject: Tomorrow
Hey, guys –
Bad news. We’re going to have to take a rain check on tomorrow’s segment. I’m unable to provide a lot of detail, but the short story is that Laura will not be hosting the Laura Ingraham show for the foreseeable future. This just developed over the weekend, so I apologize for the late notice. Could someone please contact Ron, or should I? Whatever’s easiest. (I don’t have an email address, and don’t really want to bother him on a Sunday.)
I do hope we’ll still be able to air this segment; it likely will just have to wait a little while.
Thanks,
Tom
Tom Elliott Executive Producer The Laura Ingraham Show
A check of Ingraham's staff roster confirms that Elliot serves as her executive producer.
Meanwhile, fill-in hosts including Tammy Bruce have temporarily assumed the slot.
As soon as we hear anything further, this post will be updated.
I hate to say this, but she was on Greta last night, and she did not look good to me. She has a certain pallor. I hope I’m wrong.
Having just adopted a young daughter from Guatemala(?), perhaps the absence has something do to do with this...
That's considerably sucky.
At least there's still Curtis Sliwa.
Well, she has adopted a child...maybe her absence is due to a family thing...
Maybe she’s going to be McCain’s V.P. pick.
Yes we can only hope this is not health related. She did step away from the show for a few days recently and said “when I get back you’ll find out why” and that’s when she said she
had adopted her daughter Maria, etc.
Hannity’s future is also a bit cloudy—he may try to step
away from ABC-Citadel, claming that the sale last year
of ABC Radio to Citadel means he can escape their contract
(as of June 12?) but Citadel is making efforts to keep him, etc. Who knows what will happen in either case. Talk
Radio Network syndicates Ingraham, Tammy Bruce, Michael
Savage, Jerry Doyle, Rusty Humphries, and Phil Hendrie.
Thanks for posting. Hoping all is well with Laura.
i hope it just involves her spending time settling in with her new daughter, but i have to say i was extremely favorably impressed with Tammy Bruce. i thought she did a fantastic job.
I would be nauseous too...
Her replacement today (Monica Crowley) has stated that Laura is fine.
I think Hannity is better with Colms. By himself he’s a bit obnoxious at times.
We just wanted to set you up a nice soft ball to punch out of the park..
At least one Ingraham affiliate opts for alternative
programming (for one hour) when guest hosts are on; WVMT
620 in Burlington VT carries her tape delayed from 2-4 pm
then goes to the Boston-based Howie Carr show from 4-7 pm,
but this week they’ve gone to Carr (live) at 3 pm (which is
when he starts in Boston) instead of the second hour of
Ingraham Show.
Tammy’s own Talk Radio Network show airs 3-6 pm I believe
(not sure if she’s doing that as well or having guests in
for her)
>>Laura is fine.
Good to hear (I was just in the car and put it on and heard
Monica on air; in Boston area she’s run live 9-noon on
one station in Beverly MA while she runs tape delayed
on stations in Worcester and Boston (WTKK, which has her
on a 13 hour delay, starting at 10 pm)
Well, if she’s under the weather as reported along with caring for a 2-y/o, that’s a lot to deal with!
I did hear Tammy Bruce last nite on replay and she was good, but did seem to hog the microphone over taking calls...
I think Tammy did a good job as well.
She does have one annoying habit or crutch. Tammy says “yeah” a lot to emphasize a point.
Someone should point that out to her. It would improve her delivery.
Thanks...
I’m with the Federal Government, I am here to help....
I sure hope everything is OK with Laura's health. Please keep us updated, raccoonradio, if you hear anything more about Laura's return to radio...
“i was extremely favorably impressed with Tammy Bruce”
Careful. You are endangering yourself to be out in a position to receive a voluminous amount of vile and vitriolic versions of hate posts because she is....
a lesbian.
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