Rome is burning

Was listening to Jim Rome show on the way to work today. The Pimp in the Box was out, and the Sklar Brothers were filling in. Before reading an Ichiro Suzuki quote, they requested "Ichiro music," which consisted of new-age flute, followed by a gong. I don't know if they thought the Japanese All-Star's quote was deep or Zen; I thought it was just elusive... Following that segment, the hosts began referring to the "Ichiro quote generator," which made phony, haiku-like responses to topics that callers suggested. All were accompanied by flute music and gong.


What the fuck? Would they play hat-dance music and talk in Speedy Gonzalez English when quoting a player from Mexico? Afro-funk and ebonics to quote a black man? Hell no! (Well, a certain caller from Austin gets banjo music, but that is something else...) Rome fields his share of hick callers who try to make jokes pertaining to race and they get run. How can these guest hosts get away with such bullshit?

The weird thing is the co-hosts seem like pretty smart guys. They talk a million miles a minute and make obscure references on the drop of a dime. These guys shouldn't have to resort to weak, unfunny, lowest-common-denominator humor. It was just a lazy, unimpressive, unfunny show. A shitty effort and an irresponsible one.

That's what I get for listening to sports radio instead of Joe Escalante, anyway. His Barely Legal show is smarter and funnier, and what is there to sports at the moment beside the Dodgers having chances and coming up short?