Posted on 08/06/2004 5:40:56 AM PDT by presidio9
Radio bad boys Opie and Anthony are coming back, and they just might be badder than ever. This time, however, they do come at a price for listeners.
Starting Oct. 4, the former WNEW afternoon hosts will do a four-hour show each morning on XM Satellite Radio, where there are almost no content restrictions and which is creating a premium channel just for Gregg (Opie) Hughes and Anthony Cumia.
That means fans have to buy an XM radio, pay the regular $9.99 monthly subscription fee and then pay an additional $1.99 per month for the new channel, which will start with just Opie and Anthony before it adds other programming.
"I can't tell you how happy we are to be back," Cumia said at a press conference at the Hard Rock Cafe yesterday. "This will be the show we want and our fans want, with no censorship. Nothing is off limits."
Opie and Anthony were a hot ticket at WNEW before they were taken off the air in August 2002 because a couple in their "Sex for Sam" contest was seen having sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral.
While nothing explicit was broadcast, the resulting outrage helped prompt the current national argument over inappropriate media content.
The flap also killed WNEW's "hot talk" format, so Opie and Anthony have spent the past two years riding out their contract.
Cumia said yesterday that satellite, while now just a small fraction of the radio market, was pretty much their only realistic option in the current climate.
"People are so scared in broadcast radio now that we couldn't do our show," he said. "I don't mean we want to do a whole F-show. That's not what we do. I mean we don't want to worry that one little slip means we're going to get called into the office after the show and fired."
Opie said the new show will be a lot like the old show, with most of the same cast. It will be done live in morning drive, then rebroadcast through the day.
"This is good for satellite radio, too," he said. "This will wake a lot of people up to the fact there's an alternative in radio - a place to hear shows that have full freedom."
Prodded by a crowd of O&A fans at the press conference, Opie also took a brief jab at Howard Stern, who often accused Opie and Anthony of stealing his material.
Their going to satellite, Opie cracked, "means he can't accuse us of copying him this time.
"Howard had the chance to do this, too," Opie said, "but quite frankly, he didn't have the b--."
With the exception of a few skits and the cathedral thing that got them busted, I thought there show was a riot, assuming you didnt take them to seriously....
never really liked them that much.
Mike, in their heyday, these guys WERE quite funny. However, the downfall of shock radio is that you must always outdo yourself. Getting a couple to have anal sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral crosses a line which they can never return. If people want to pay to hear these guys on XM radio, fine. But they never deserve to return to public airwaves.
If they keep this up the stock will be in the toilet.
Thay had some good stuff while they were on WAAF in Worcester, but seemed used up by the time they went to NY, and even more so when they came back to boston on WBCN. I would not pay to listen to them.
Finally. My tremendous comedic talent will have a creative outlet.
(Listening audience breaks out into hysterics.)
Man, that's the funniest thing he's ever said.
I went to school in Worcester BC (Before Clinton) took office, and we used to listen to them every day. I lived in NY when they moved there, and I agree, it wasn't the same.
Granted, their material wasn't exactly Moliere, but I do think that they weren't the one trick pony that the media loved to portray.
Their skits riffing off of the Nixon tapes-after they had been declassified and entered into the National Archives-was much funnier than anything Mark Russell has ever done during the course of his brutally long career.
That's just my opinion, disagree if you like.
I am a big Reagan fan, but even I laughed at the prank call to the Reagan Library where Anthony impersonated a disoriented Reagan. The woman who answered the phone was just so gullible!
Mike, in their heyday, these guys WERE quite funny. However, the downfall of shock radio is that you must always outdo yourself. Getting a couple to have anal sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral crosses a line which they can never return. If people want to pay to hear these guys on XM radio, fine. But they never deserve to return to public airwaves.
I'll admit to listening to them at work in the afternoons back in 'ought one. They did have their moments but all the obscene stuff tends to get just plain bo-ring. Some of their guests were pretty good (anything with Jay Mohr) and who was that guy who sang "Altar Boy" and "Full-blown AIDS"? Some other guests they wasted; they had a great rapport with Scotty Crane (Bob Crane's son) when he was promoting his book but they blew it big time when Robert Clary ("Cpl. LeBeau") came by promoting his. They started in on him with a homosexual shtick and really brought a stink down on themselves. Shock jocks never seem to know when to play an interview straight.
That said, I'll never forget the great service they rendered during those terrible days of 9-11. Like other shock jocks operating out of NY at the time (Howard Stern, Don & Mike, etc.) they spontaneously dropped the goofball antics and helped rally morale when the city was reeling. They let people vent, tamped down anti-arab hysteria, played fight songs and relayed information about what the crews at ground zero needed. It would have been nice if Rudy had set aside their feud for one brief moment and given these guys some kind of official recognition.
Their skits riffing off of the Nixon tapes-after they had been declassified and entered into the National Archives-was much funnier than anything Mark Russell has ever done during the course of his brutally long career.
That's right! I had forgotten about their Nixon bits. That had to be among their best.
You're right about the post-9/11 reaction among the FM "shock jock" community. They really did surpass our expectations. In fact, as hard as this may be for you to believe, the first information I received about the terrorists' strike at the Pentagon came from Don & Mike.
God help me, I actually started to listen to Ron & Fez.
I'm not much of a "name" person, you could say.
"Special Fred" by Steven Lynch
I had a very best friend.
Fred was kind, with good intent
But just a little different.
Special Fred,
Momma dropped him on his head.
Now he's not so bright, instead
He's a little bit special.
Just a little bit.
We played tag, and he'd get hurt.
I'd play "soldier", He'd eat dirt.
I liked math and the spelling bee.
Fred liked talking to a tree.
Special Fred,
Momma dropped him on his head.
Now she keeps him in the shed,
'Cuz he's a little bit special.
Just a little bit.
I ran track, hung out in malls.
Fred ran head first into walls.
I had girls, and lots of clothes.
Fred had names for all his toes.
Special Fred,
Momma dropped him on his head.
Now he thinks he's a piece of bread,
'Cuz he's a little bit special.
Just a little bit.
One day talking to Special Fred,
He grabbed a brick and he swung at my head.
And as he laughed at me that's when I knew
That Special Fred just made me special too.
Now I laugh as I count bugs.
I give strangers great, big hugs.
Next to me, Fred is fine.
Yeah, he's a f--kin' Einstein.
Special Fred and me,
Now we're not right in the head you see.
Now we're not so bright intead
We're a little bit special.
Just a little bit special.
That bastard Fred made me special.
Just a little bit.
Just a little bit...special
Stephen Lynch - Priest Lyrics
Deep in prayer my cross to wear
I kneel upon the floor
temptations of a catholic priest aren't easy to ignore
but I can not control myself
he rips my soul apart
for one small sheep among my flock has
stolen the shepherd's heart
Altar boy, altar boy
confess your sins to me
you will find the grace of god
inside my rec... tory
Sunday mass or bible class
I catch him in my view
I close my eyes but there he lies
spread eagle on the pew
and when I see him in that frock
my concience goes awry
I'll give him some communion wine thats
spiked with spanish fly
Altar boy, altar boy
is it gonna be heaven or hell
you can play my organ all night long
if you promise never to tell
Our father
who art in heaven
hallowed be thy name
I could dress him up like the pope and then I'd...
oh dear god, the shame. No no no
lead us not into temptation
deliver us from sin
we could pretend that he was Jesus Christ
and I was Mary Magdalene
Altar boy, altar boy
confess your sins to me
you will find the grace of god
inside my rec... tory
Oh altar boy, oh altar boy
confess your sins to me
you will find the grace of god
inside my rec... tory
"The Special Olympics", many humorous songs about being caught masturbating by your parents, the unintended consequences of unprotected sex and intravenous drug use, etc.
Man, music really was sweet and innocent back in the good ol' days, wasn't it?
...many humorous songs about being caught masturbating by your parents, the unintended consequences of unprotected sex and intravenous drug use, etc.
Man, music really was sweet and innocent back in the good ol' days, wasn't it?
You bet! That's why I'm voting for John Kerry and that cute li'l friend of his. They're going keep us happy and safe and make all that bad stuff go away.
John Kerry inserts himself into yet another perfectly innocuous thread about social miscreants Opie Hughes and Anthony Cumia.
Where will it end?(!)
Oh yeah, I have a new anti-White Castle tag.
Let's see those bums file a lawsuit.
I dare 'em!
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