Posted on 01/02/2014 1:19:34 PM PST by Impala64ssa
Veteran New York radio personality Bob Grant — widely credited with inventing the conservative talk-radio format — has died at the age of 84.
Grant, who lived in Toms River, N.J., passed away on New Year's Eve, according to the Branchburg Funeral Home.
Grant began his career as a controversial talk show host in 1970 when he joined WMCA in New York and quickly bucked the liberal slant of many of the other hosts.
The gravel-voiced talker's in-your-face opinions and regular telling off of callers often got him in hot water.
He opened his show stating: "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to another hour of the free and open exchange of ideas and opinions in the belief that as American citizens you have the right to hear, and to be heard."
He slammed uncouth politicians as "craven bootlickers." He once said of the Second Coming of Jesus: "He's not coming back. Look, I don't believe he's coming back. I think that's a myth and I say it."
Grant routinely signed off with the chant "Get Gaddafi," in a taunt at Libyan dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi.
In 1973, he called Rep. Benjamin Rosenthal of New York a coward for cancelling an appearance on his show, leading Rosenthal to complain to the Federal Communications Commission.
The case went to the U.S. Court of Appeals and was ultimately thrown out after a judge decided Grant had offered Rosenthal equal time.
Grant left WMCA in 1977 to work for WOR, but was fired for controversial remarks he made in 1979.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
Very sad.
Didnt care for his brusque manner. Used to listen to him after the rush limbaugh show, but his barking at callers, even ones who agreed with him, was a real turn off. Wasnt long before I stopped listening to him.
RIP
The MSM employees, et al. blamed the emerging modern conservative movement for a "climate of hate" that led Oswald to assassinate JFK.
Joe Pyne was among the first victims of that nonsense that liberals do so well. It's what the left is trying to do to conservative talk show hosts still.
Grant took Pyne's place. They will never admit it but Levin and Savage both copied Grant and Pyne IMO.
Before Rush, there was Barry Gray, Barry Farber, and Bob Grant. I was a conservative since birth, and these great men have helped me along the way.
Bob Grant was unique and took nothing from anyone, and could spot a phony in seconds. I spent many the hour listening to him. He will be missed.
Barry Farber is a wonderful and gentle man.
This obit writer Hoffmann is way off base with respect to the basic facts of Grant's life and career, which are available publicly and which he was not bashful about discussing on the air. Grant, in fact, wrote an autobiography entitled "Let's Be Heard."
Grant did NOT begin his radio career in New York at all, contrary to Hoffman's obit. He came to New York directly from Los Angeles, where he had hosted a talk show for quite a number of years. Before that, he worked in radio in his native Chicago, before the talk show format existed. I'm not sure exactly what he did in Chicago, but he's spoken about broadcasting some sports, including a few college football games. He was a University of Illinois alum and a military (Navy?) veteran. His career in radio lasted more than 60 years.
Also not mentioned in the article is his Italian ancestry (his birth name was Robert Gigante, IIRC). He not infrequently used colorful Italian words and phrases to enliven his show.
yeah he called Cuomo sr. the sfachime.
Yes, he's what was once called a "true Southern gentleman." Once ran for mayor of NYC, BTW, on the Conservative Party line.
Was he fired from WABC? I just remember one day he was off the air, and figured he retired.
Grant invented such terms as: “GET OFF MY PHONE” “Its the march of the gavones.” “Mario! azenzame, tu se provino SPHATCHIM!” “End the Regime of the Sphatchim!”
(It was said that Cuomo really did hate Grant from the bottom of his heart. I wonder why.)
Now,don’t all you pizons go beating me up for how bad I butchered the spellings, I am from Philly after all.
But way back listeners know what I’m talking about.
Then he upped the ante by making and selling "Sfacchime" T-Shirts (with Cuomo's picture on them?).
S/b sfaccime.
He also called Mario Cuomo un cornuto. He later learned of the word and apologized.
If you are referring to his last gig on WABC, he seemed to have left the air without any announcement as to why. According to the obit, it was because of illness, but nothing more specific.
Well there is some sort of cucold thing going on with andy or his ex wife.
Back in the ‘90s? I think the MSM had accused him of some racist comment against Haitians, and then WOR hired him, and then WABC hired him back, and then he just went off the air. Don’t remember exactly when.
Spelling doesn’t matter. It’s dialect. As long as it looks the way it sounds.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.