Bob Grant

Dr. Chris Calapai announced today (Saturday, August 24) that he will be filling-in for Bob again tomorrow and wished him a speedy recovery.

Who the hell is Dr Calapai??? One of the damn paid doctor shows?? Has anyone heard IMUS take shots at these shows?? A week or so ago IMUS said he'd rather die then go to any of the WABC Doctors! This past week I heard him take a crack at that quack Liederman who was involved in the guitar issue with a dying Georage Harrison. He had to read a spot and stopped before he was done and said "oh no" and then you heard him crumple up the copy! Classic! The sales dept at WABC must have a real love/hate relationship with IMUS!

Lederman isn't a WABC advertiser ... he buys weekly time blocks for his half-hour infomercials.

http://www.wabcradio.com/common/page.php?pt=Radiosurgery+New+York&id=1503&is_corp=0

My guess is that Lederman needs WABC more than the station needs him. There doesn't seem to be a shortage of "paid programs" on WABC but there are relatively few frequencies available where Lederman can buy airtime to peddle his cancer cures.

wadio said:

Lederman isn't a WABC advertiser ... he buys weekly time blocks for his half-hour infomercials. .

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I do believe that someone who "buy weekly time" is an advertiser.

Not necessarily. Agencies buy time for their clients who are the advertisers. Individuals buy time blocks to do special-interest radio shows, then sell spots to 3rd party advertisers to defray the cost.

Lederman isn't' on WABC's spot rate card and WABC calls his half hour a "show," not an ad. I doubt that the sales execs at WABC have anything to do with Lederman (it's likely a "house account") so they're probably chuckling along with Imus. That was my point.

Well, I think that he also buys spots. Perhaps they are bonus spots that come along with the radio show, but were I someone giving WABC money for a show (does anyone know what kind of money we are talking about?), I would not want a host bad mouthing me on the very radio station I am giving big bucks to!

Yes, Ralph, within the last year, I have heard Gil Lederman-voiced commercials for his new firm (forget the area code but the number spells out "CHOICES" - as in "choose to do business with a star-struck quack, lol) on stations such as WINS and WFAN, usually on overnights.

Where The Heck Is Bob Grant?

What the heck happened to Bob Grant? Where is he? That other message board has said very little about his sudden disappearance! There is no update or news on the WABC web site, which would be a courtesy to all his fans, and his own web site hasn’t been updated since February 19! It actually surprises me that his personal site isn’t a little fancier or better managed, I mean he is (was) affiliated with one of the largest radio networks in the country! I’m also amazed that no one has slipped through the call screener on those medical shows that fill in for him to get in a “where is Bob” question or two! Can you imagine the uproar from fans if Imus or Limbaugh suddenly vanished with no thorough explanation or regular updates? Bob’s last broadcast on July 28 was rambling and strange, with him going on about being in a “panic” and making disconnected comments about the weather and how he enjoys being in the Twilight Zone and so forth. Was he ill? Losing it? Was it simply a barrage of technical difficulties he was grappling with? I mean what’s going on? Oopha!

It's called, "getting old." Nothing conspiratorial about it. It's a shame Bob wasn't encouraged (or forced) to retire while he was still able to play the game. My memories of the great Bob Grant are somewhat tempered by his performance of late. My guess is that he won't return.

Having heard some of those late shows, I would agree. Such a shame. AT the top of his game there was no one better!! Ego or whatever that keeps people in the game too long is a shame.

Doctor_Kazoo said:

What the heck happened to Bob Grant? Where is he? That other message board has said very little about his sudden disappearance! There is no update or news on the WABC web site, which would be a courtesy to all his fans, and his own web site hasn’t been updated since February 19! It actually surprises me that his personal site isn’t a little fancier or better managed, I mean he is (was) affiliated with one of the largest radio networks in the country! I’m also amazed that no one has slipped through the call screener on those medical shows that fill in for him to get in a “where is Bob” question or two! Can you imagine the uproar from fans if Imus or Limbaugh suddenly vanished with no thorough explanation or regular updates? Bob’s last broadcast on July 28 was rambling and strange, with him going on about being in a “panic” and making disconnected comments about the weather and how he enjoys being in the Twilight Zone and so forth. Was he ill? Losing it? Was it simply a barrage of technical difficulties he was grappling with? I mean what’s going on? Oopha!

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You're right. If this was another radio host, we would be given updates about their health. If he is still on the radio, some update should be given to the audience.

Bob is old and it seems too ill to be on the radio. Let the man have his privacy. This is not a huge conspiracy, this is just a fact of life. Bob is old, frail and not in good health. At this point it is about Bob and frankly, let the listener be damned!

Maybe Bob can do a one minute recorded commentary, like Paul harvey used to do. That would be nice, Bob would like it and edited properly it would still sound good. This would boost ratings and make for some happy listeners.

Sorry, Not Good Enough!

rjt45 said:

Bob is old . . .let the listener be damned!

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What a silly reply. Hey Ralph, no one is asking for a minute-by-minute update into Bob’s personal life. No one is looking to harass him or invade his privacy. The man has been a public figure though for what, 60 years? Listeners have welcomed him into their lives on a weekly and often daily basis for most their lives. Many people feel they grew up with Bob as their main teacher and school as merely a supplemental education. That may seem corny to you but that’s part of the impact the man has had. Now to suddenly have him disappear without any word is very troubling. If he’s extremely ill we don’t need the gory details but WABC or his web site of someone should just tell us he’s declining and won’t be back on the air. His loyal fan need some type of closure! It is simply the courteous and correct course of action. If he’s receiving some treatment and plans to return the fans should be appraised of that as well. The silence at this point, apart from being deeply troubling, is boarding on obnoxious. If Howard Stern suddenly left the air without any word about where he was or what was happening there be endless discussion about it and theorizing. The general indifference concerning Bob’s disappearance somehow just seems unfair. People don’t just vanish into thin air when they become old. Bob’s fans deserve better than this and actually Bob deserves better than this too!

but WABC or his web site

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You've said it yourself -- if Bob wanted to make a statement about the future he's free to do so on his website.

Anyone who's dealt with an aging parent knows that while health issues can occur suddenly, more often the inevitable decline is frustratingly gradual. It's difficult to pinpoint the exact time when someone can no longer drive, be responsible for financial matters or live independently. Maybe that's what WABC management is dealing with.

No doubt 1p-2p Sundays is being targeted for infomercials going forward but until nature takes its course they'll probably continue to refer to it as Bob Grant's slot.

In a situation like this the listeners should have no expectation of being kept informed, IMO.

You can have pneumonia for this long?

Doctor Kazoo

To quote wadio, "In a situation like this the listeners should have no expectation of being kept informed". The past is the past so let Bob Grant go....

Then a representative should announce his retirement from the airwaves if they won't reveall how he's doing.

TTalkradio1 said:

Then a representative should announce his retirement from the airwaves if they won't reveall how he's doing.

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Exactly! It's the professional and decent thing to do.

I'll mention that to the Dickey Brothers next time we talk!

"It's the professional and decent thing to do"

Professional and Decent...two words that no longer apply to radio!