Carl Kasell's Spit

Since I'm not a music buff and have trouble understanding what most of today's rock singers actually say, my morning radio options are limited (unlike my afternoon drive when I look forward to "Don and Mike"). Most of the "funny" shows aren't funny, and during the 1 in 1,000 gimmicks they do that are listenable (making up words is so much fun), the host's hyena laughs make me look for the nearest wall to crash into. I used to enjoy most of what the Sport's Junkies did in the morning, but haven't been able to listen to them since they've moved to after the rush hour. I get annoyed with ESPN radio b/c Mike Golic doesn't add anything to Mike Greenberg's commentary on "Mike and Mike In the Morning". It's funny to hear Golic talk about something other than football. He's a great example of someone trying to sound like he knows something by simply repeating Greenberg's words and always agreeing.

Greenberg: Mariano Rivera's cut fastball scares every batter.
Golic: Rivera is a great pitcher.

Ya think so Golic? Gee, thanks for showing up today and adding so much to a show that Greenberg should do on his own.

This leads me to WTOP and it's traffic updates on the 8's vs. NPR. Sure I worked in TV news, but as you know, I was never, nor am I now, a news junkie. I go out of my way to avoid even the slightest talk of anything more than one top story of the day. It's one reason why I enjoy Internet news b/c I can read what I want when I want without any teases. I won't breakdown WTOP vs. NPR in one post, but I will say that both broadcasters have some "personalities" that are downright annoying and hard to listen to. If they're worthy, I will mention their tendancies in later entries. Which brings me today's inagural inductee.

Without further adeiu, the first "Today's annoying newscaster" is" (obligatory drumroll)...NPR's Carl Kasell. Yes, that is the proper spelling, but as seen in another blog entry, his name can/does appear as (I'm not holding spelling variations against him, but instead want to make sure blog search engines find their way over here (I'm a sellout, I know)):

Carl Casel Carl Casell Carl Cassel Carl Cassell
Carl Kasel Carl Kasell Carl Kassel Carl Kassell
Karl Casel Karl Casell Karl Cassel Karl Cassell
Karl Kasel Karl Kasell Karl Kassel Karl Kassell
Carl Castle Karl Castle Carl Kastle Karl Kastle

I know some of you are huge NPR fans and want me to stop saying anything negative about someone who has hosted a newscast at the start of each hour on "Morning Edition" since 1979. I know he has many journalism awards, yadda yadda yadda, but he has this speaking tick that makes me change the dial. I'm not questioning his newswriting, I'm just questioning his delivery. I still don't understand why people actually want the prize of his voice on their answering machine when you win "Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me."

(Lovely picture or too graphic?)

When he speaks, there's this sort of mini-swallowing sound, or "bubble-in-the-throat"noise, like his mouth is dry and he's adding saliva, made every 5 seconds. I can't get around it to hear the actual news. Try listening for it and you too will be turned off. Before I decided to change the station at the top of the hour on "Morning Edition", I'd wait for that noise and ignore anything else he says. His status as a great newsman allows him to stay put, but he's like a lot of newscasters out there who wouldn't get a job today because of how poorly they deliver the news. I know Carl writes really well, but it's time someone else reads his stories.