When I developed an interest in college football, I also discovered the Paul Finebaum radio show. This show deals mainly with SEC football, which is right up my alley. As a call-in show, it features a lot of telephone “personalities,” and I’m sorry to say, each one has proven to be more obnoxious than the last. Some of these callers are tolerable, but lately I’ve found there are just too many recurring characters that, when I hear they’re about to join the show, I simply turn off the radio.
I also noticed something else recently. A disproportionate number of the ads are for bankruptcy lawyers, payday loan companies, and services offering to help if you are having trouble with the IRS. It makes me wonder what is the core audience for this show. It makes me wonder if I’m really in the right place for getting my sports news and opinions.
And now, here’s the icing on the cake: this past week, on TWO occasions, my ears have been assaulted by callers berating other callers, which seems to actually be a staple of the show, but now instead of confining their insults to the individual caller, the complainer takes on the entire demographic.
It is never cool to make vast generalizations based on individual circumstances. Except, of course, if you’re on the Paul Finebaum radio show, which apparently values ratings more than decency.
Specifically, I’m talking about male callers who have said something along these lines:
Women should stop calling in to these sports shows, because they don’t know what they’re talking about. There’s no place for women in sports or sports radio, and they ought to just go back into the kitchen and cook, and clean, and do the things women are supposed to do and leave the sports to us men who understand what we’re talking about.
To which Paul replied….absolutely nothing.
Now I understand that outrageous statments are the backbone of this show. Apparently a lot of people consider this to be entertainment. I don’t, but I have put up with it to a certain degree, because there are a lot of callers that make intelligent comments and ask intelligent questions. Paul also has a lot of interesting guests, like former football players and coaches, and ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreet and ABC Sports’ Gary Danielson. I always enjoy listening to them.
But from this point forward I’m sticking with ESPN TV and ABC Sports television to listen to these guys. Because I am so done with Paul Finebaum. It bothered me not only that I heard such sexist garbage being spouted over the airwaves, but also that I heard it TWICE within one week, and it mostly bothered me that Paul said nothing at all in defense of what surely is a significant portion of his audience.
But I guess IDIOTS comprise a larger portion.
I understand that controversy is the lifeblood of radio call-in programs, but when you rely on controversy, you’re walking a thin line between entertainment and outrage. Personally, I have been outraged. I don’t suppose Paul Finebaum will be too upset because I’m not going to listen to him anymore. However, I wonder if he would care if ALL his women listeners turned the dial?
Am I being too sensitive? Let’s just put this issue in a different light for a moment, then you tell me.
What if someone called in and said:
You know, those JEWS don’t know a damn thing about football! They should stay off these radio shows and go back to their banks and law offices and leave football alone! Better yet, they should all go back to Isreal!
Or…
African Americans are great at playing football, but they don’t know what the hell they’re talking about when they call in and give such asinine opinions that don’t agree with mine! All black people should stop calling into this show and just go back to eating watermelon and fried chicken!
Get my point?
Everybody today is so “politically correct” that it would not be tolerated if you picked on a different demographic. So why is it okay to pick on women? Why does Paul not say anything? Why does nobody else say anything?
Well, they may be saying something about it at this very moment. I wouldn’t know, because I have stopped listening. The whole tone of the Paul Finebaum show is just too negative, so I don’t feel I’m really missing anything. My time is too valuable to waste on negative energy. When I’m in a football mood, I’ll stick with the TV guys from now on. Somehow they are able to expound on the world of college football in a way that is informative and entertaining, without disrespecting entire segments of the population.
Ma’am myself being a regular on Finebaum, I first want to apologize for what
one idiot said…and yes its that same moron that said it both times…His name
Is Iman and I prefer to think the “I” stands for idiot…I can tell you that
anytime Paul has a moment of silence after a caller, that is usually a sign
of disapproval..If u continue to not listen, thats your prerogative and
I respect that, however I would ask that u please not let one bonehead
sway u from listening or calling if u prefer….Take care and God bless..
Darriel from Columbus
Well, thanks for the invite, but I think this was the proverbial “straw that broke the camel’s back.” I’d been feeling for a while that listening to Finebaum was just putting too much negative energy into my life (thus turning off the radio when certain callers came on). So for me, this is a good thing. However, if you’ve got any suggestions for college football radio shows or podcasts that don’t delve so deeply into the well of insults and negativity, I’d love to hear!