Day 84: Women's Conference Radio

My Best Guess: Shark Week is here! I mean...wait...what's going on here? The logo says that this is Discovery Channel Radio...so why does the screen say "Women's Conference Radio?" I'm confused...

According to Sirius: For two days, Sirius will devote an entire channel to the Women's Conference 2007, hosted by California First Lady Maria Shriver and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The Women's Conference, a non-partisan event, has grown into the largest one-day conference for women in the nation and has become an iconic destination for important and lively discussion. Shriver, in her fourth year hosting the annual event, shaped this year's conference theme "Remarkable Lives. Remarkable Legacies. What's Yours?" to encourage women to think about their own legacies.

Curt's Rebuttal: Um...so...no shark cage?

Sample Playlist

• Linda Ellerbee
• Nora Ephron
• Jamie Lee Curtis
• Ed Begley, Jr.
• Presidential Candidates' Wives

High Point: Nora Ephron talking about sex after 50. And 60.

Verdict: Well, not really worth discussing, as this channel only exists for two days...

Day 83: RadioClassics

My Best Guess: Go back in time to the classic days of radio serials, where mysteries, westerns and high adventure awaited you with every turn of the radio dial. From thrillers to the great comedy duos, you can relive the Golden Age of Radio on RadioClassics!

According to Sirius: RadioClassics invites you to experience the audio magic of legendary and old time radio. RadioClassics features the best dramas, mysteries, comedies and variety programs from the Golden Age of Radio.

Curt's Rebuttal: I say that I get a point for this one. I pulled "Golden Age of Radio" out of butt, and it ended up being a match.

Sample Playlist

• Inner Sanctum Mysteries, Corridor of Doom (starring Boris Karloff)
• The Abbott and Costello Show (with guest star Cary Grant)
• Gunsmoke, Prairie Happy
• The Lone Ranger

High Point: Also getting to hear commercials from the Golden Age of Radio. Was quite entertaining to hear how smooth Camel cigarettes are.

Verdict: Was a fun change of pace, and good listening for extended trips. Gave it a bookmark.

Day 82: Kids Stuff

My Best Guess: Musical fun for kids of all ages, with everything from sing-along favorites to your more grown-up kids' favorite cartoon theme songs. Nothing says fun like Kids Stuff!

According to Sirius: If you're old enough to walk, you're old enough to ROCK! Pre-schoolers will love the familiar music picked just for them. (And we won't tell if we catch you singing along, too!)

Curt's Rebuttal: Gag. Also, the evening show was called "Big Kids," folks. So it's not all pre-schoolers. And yes, I'm 32 and getting worked up about this.

Sample Playlist

• Winnie the Pooh, Rumbly in My Tumbly
• Laurie Berkner, Walk Along the River
• Justin Roberts, Picture Day
• The Wiggles, Here Comes a Bear
• Danger Rangers, Rules of the Road
• Dan Zanes and Friends, Linstead Market

High Point: Whenever a song by the Danger Rangers came up. While the one above was about car safety (from the point of view of someone who has a good decade before they're behind the wheel), there was also an instructional song that warned against listening to music too loudly, and the permanent damage it might do. Ah...good times. I will say, though, that I will be using the Winnie the Pooh phrase "Rumbly in My Tumbly" a lot more now...

Verdict: Um...no. I'm still bitter that yesterday and today I spent an inordinate amount of time in the car...and was forced to listen to children's songs.

Day 81: Radio Disney

My Best Guess: The magic of Disney, piped in directly through your radio, along with the coolest teen music that you love to sing along to. It's Radio Disney...your music, your way!

According to Sirius: Radio Disney is a 24/7 radio network devoted to kids, tweens and families. The network's current playlist, driven by listener requests, includes artists such as Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, the cast of High School Musical 2, Keke Palmer and B5.

Curt's Rebuttal: Well, I tried writing it as if it was geared towards the younger audience. I did mean to mention High School Musical and Hannah Montana, actually, but decided not to get that specific...

Sample Playlist

• Baha Men, Who Let the Dogs Out (Radio Disney Edit)
• Choo Choo Soul, Bullet Train
• The Wiggles, Fruit Salad
• Baby Jamz, Dis Ol Man
• Ralph's World, The Mighty Worm
• Winnie the Pooh, Little Black Rain Cloud

High Point: Hearing Who Let the Dogs Out. I actually went to a Radio Disney concert while living in Chicago and working on the Juicy Fruit account, which was a sponsor of Radio Disney (about ten of us from work went). I believe that I saw not only the Baha Men there, but also the A*Teens. Good times.

Verdict: Sad to say...some of the music here was actually lifting my spirits. But then I heard the same song from High School Musical three times, and it promptly dashed those raised spirits upon the rocks of annoyance. Not like I would have bookmarked it, anyway. Give me some credit.

Day 80: Lime

My Best Guess: From living at peace with the environment to finding your inner peace, Lime features programming about healthy living...with a twist.

According to Sirius: LIME radio connects listeners with leading experts on a range of topics from personal transformation to the environment, from corporate responsibility to building better relationships, from the intuitive arts to alternative healthcare. LIME has everything you need to bring balance to your life...in your way. LIME...healthy living with a twist.

Curt's Rebuttal: I had the spirit of the idea down, I think. Plus, it was pretty obvious they would use their radio tagline in the description. You can check out more info on it through their official non-Sirius website, www.lime.com.

Sample Playlist

• The Lazy Environmentalist: It seemed to be a radio program about simple ways that you can live a more "green" and enviro-conscious lifestyle. Today's show focused on the documentary The Real Dirt on Farmer John, which brings to the world (it's being shown overseas as well as locally) an untold perspective on a slice of American life that the world doesn't get to see. This show was a re-broadcast from earlier this past summer, as it referred to Father's Day being "right around the corner." It also happened to be the show that I caught on my drive home...so not a lot of perspective on this channel.

Verdict: I was writing this review thinking I wouldn't end up bookmarking the channel. After having checked out all the different programs on their site, though...and having read their own summary of what kind of content they serve up (see above), I decided that it would only bring positivity into my life if I were to bookmark it.

Day 79: Martha Stewart Living Radio

My Best Guess: Become an expert at everything from cooking and home decoration, to social etiquette and facing challenges at work, with the help of "how to" guru, Martha Stewart, and her line-up of well-informed experts.

According to Sirius: Martha Stewart and her team of lifestyle experts will teach, advise, and inspire you.

Curt's Rebuttal: Can't believe I ended up being overly wordy on this one. I nailed the word "experts," but kind of danced around the idea of "lifestyle."

Sample Playlist

• Everything Food: This show was "All About Chocolate" today...I guess because it was National Chocolate Cupcake Day. I learned random facts, like how the diameter of a standard cupcake is 2.5 inches. I didn't learn, however, the different between a cupcake and a muffin.
• Whatever, with Alexis and Jennifer: Martha Stewart's daughter, Alexis, heads up this show with her friend. All I listened to today was a trivia game they were playing with callers. You could call up, request either a mug or magazine subscription (to Martha Stewart Living), and then had to answer random trivia about current events. There were a lot of fart jokes, surprisingly.
• It's a Dog's Life: People call in with questions about dealing with their dogs. Actually pretty informative...too bad I don't have a pet.

Verdict: More likely to bookmark this one than Cosmo Radio, but still had to pass. Sorry, Martha...nothing against you personally.

Day 78: Cosmo Radio

My Best Guess: From all the latest entertainment gossip, as well as tips for surviving the dating scene and finally landing the man of your dreams, Cosmo Radio brings all the best of Cosmopolitan Magazine to your Sirius dial.

According to Sirius: Love, sex, fashion, news and gossip -- everything you need to be the most informed girl at the water cooler.

Curt's Rebuttal: Wow...it wasn't just regurgitating stuff I heard on the radio, and it also wasn't a five paragraph long piece that looked like it belonged in a media kit. I stand corrected.

Sample Playlist

• Wake Up! with Cosmo: A morning drive talk show, starring Taylor and Tori, in which they covered Cosmo's Daily Horoscope, and focused a lot on the upcoming big Cosmo event, "Cosmo's Bachelor Party," where the fifty most eligible bachelors (one from each state) were going to be put on display. There was also a "Who's the Best Bachelor?" competition among the three male hosts of various shows throughout the day, judged by the ladies, with such events as "Knowledge of Women" and "Who Can Make the Best 'Morning After' Breakfast?"
• Music: Surprisingly, the rest of the time I spent listening to the radio featured music by such "girl power" artists as Pink, Avril Lavigne...and Britney Spears (twice). Also, a little Justin Timberlake.

Verdict: I have a man card to hang on to, thanks...

Day 77: Court TV Radio

My Best Guess: The thrilling courtroom action of Court TV, brought straight to your radio. Legal action never sounded so good, with the latest news on today's top trials and cases.

According to Sirius: Sirius and COURT TV have teamed up to bring powerful real-life drama to your radio, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. Every day Court TV Radio brings you Court TV Morning with Vinnie Politan, a live program, exclusively on Sirius, that takes your calls and breaks down the burning questions of the day, followed by live trial coverage of America's most newsworthy and controversial cases with expert commentary from the Court TV news team. Nightly, Court TV Radio is hooking listeners with gripping reality-based documentary specials, drama series (like the runaway hit show Forensic Files) and news shows focusing on legal issues. Plus, trial junkies need never fear -- you can easily catch daily coverage if you missed it with re-airings of Court TV's trademark trial coverage.

Curt's Rebuttal: Well, I was close, no?

Samply Playlist

• We started out with a show called Best Defense and then later in the day I caught part of the morning replay, called Court TV Morning Recall. All through the day, the channel was actually covering the same thing: the case of an Eastern Michigan University student who was found dead (asphyxiated) in her residence hall dorm room. The police had a suspect by the name of Orange Taylor in custody, and much of what I heard was either testimony from expert witnesses about his DNA being at the crime scene, or commentary about his presence at the crime scene. I got to know a lot about this case during the day, and may tune into Michigan news to see what becomes of O-Tay (as I've come to know him).

Verdict: See what I did there? Verdict? This being Court TV Radio? Um...yeah. Anyway, I'm a sucker for all things courtroom, so I bookmarked this.

Day 76: Sirius OutQ

My Best Guess: Welcome to America's only radio station dedicated to the GLBT community, where topical issues mingle with the latest entertainment news

According to Sirius: News, interviews and music on America's only 24/7 radio station from and for the GLBT community

Curt's Rebuttal: Once again, damn close...and once again, I just kind of picked up on the taglines they frequently pitched while on air.

Sample Playlist

• Frank DeCaro: On this morning drive time show (well, morning on the West Coast), Frank (who used to have a segment called "Out at the Movies" on The Daily Show) interviews various guests and members of the gay and lesbian community. Today, he was interviewing Eugene Pack about the show he's helping produce "Celebrity Autobiography: In Their Own Words)." This show features folks doing dramatic readings from various...well...celebrity autobiographies. It actually sounds hysterical, the way it was described, seeing actors do serious readings from books by Burt Reynolds, Elizabeth Taylor, Tommy Lee, and Mr. T. Might actually check it out if it comes to LA.
• Sirius OutQ News: Kind of a standard filler news segment, with the GLBT community in mind, such as the recent gay scandal rocking the Vatican.
• Derek and Romaine: Kind of the evening drive time show. All I got to listen to was random mail from the "Monday Mail Bag."

Verdict: Well, the channel was actually entertaining, but it isn't really something I can relate to all that well, so couldn't see myself tuning in with any degree of regularity. Would recommend it to my GLBT friends, though!

Day 75: Maxim Radio

My Best Guess: Girls. Comedy. Music. Sports. Maxim Radio is the best thing to happen to men...since women.

According to Sirius: Girls. Comedy. Sports. Music: Maxim Radio is the best thing to happen to men...since women! Maxim Radio takes Maxim magazine's amazing ability to speak to guys and pours it into a national, live radio station.

Curt's Rebuttal: Well, they say that enough on the radio station, it's not that surprising they have it on their website, too. Major points for my observational skills.

Sample Playlist

• Stretch: The morning talk show. Discussions ranged from advice trust in relationships, Trent Green and the NFL, and an interview with WWE ring girl Lillian Garcia.
• Devore and Diana: In which the hosts (with Swedish music group, The Hives) discussed what it means to be "punk." They even played a little game called "Punk Rock or Punk-Ass." Willie Nelson and Gold Chains: Punk Rock. Ikea and Oprah Winfrey: Punk-Ass. They also had their "Dude-o-cracy" segment of the show, where they bring up a law that callers either pass, veto or amend. Today's law: It is totally illegal to be honest with a girlfriend/wife about what happened last night...what happens at the strip club stays at the strip club.
• Filler: The channel has a bunch of things going on between show segments other than commercials: Music (from Guns 'n' Roses, Sublime and Breaking Benjamin, to name a few); their "5 Reasons to Dump Your Girlfriend" 20-second bit, where some famous hottie suggests several reasons she should be at the top your list; and Maxim Upgrade, with info on the latest in gear and gadgets...such as DIRECTV's SatGo! portable satellite system.
  

Verdict: I've always liked this station. The topics are random, the hosts are actually entertaining...either from a laughing with or laughing at standpoint. Entertainment news with a male-focused twist. "Top 25 Tough Guy Movie Lines," for example. Good times.

Day 74: E! Entertainment Radio

My Best Guess: From the latest in Hollywood news to backstage passes into the lives of the entertainment elite, E! Entertainment Radio feeds your need for celebrity info

According to Sirius: E! Entertainment Radio brings you the latest entertainment news, information, gossip, reviews, celebrity profiles and more! It's your hook-up to Hollywood.

Curt's Rebuttal: Was damn near spot on with this one.

Sample Playlist:

• The Daily 10: Seemed like basic entertainment news. The bit of it that I heard (before it went on to the next show) focused on Janet Jackson's role in the upcoming Tyler Perry film, Why Did I Get Married.
• True Hollywood Story: Basically an audio version of the E! TV show. Today, I got to learn a little bit about Rod Stewart and his daughter, Kimberly.
• Yo on E!: This talk show focused on the "uproar" caused by Maxim's list of The Five Unsexiest Women Alive. Apparently, Sarah Jessica Parker was chosen as #1, and it raised a stink among some folks...not sure if they were subsribers to Maxim or not. Anyway, Yo on E! had people call in with their own suggestions. The results? Rosie O'Donnell topped the list, with Hillary Clinton, Amy Winehouse, Courtney Love and Cameron Diaz rounding out the group. Interestingly, only women called in to the show...and several brought up the fact that they Britney Spears should have no place on the list.

Verdict: Quite a variety of stuff going on here, and I'm an entertainment junkie anyway, so decided to tag this one for more listening later on.

Day 73: The Foxxhole

My Best Guess: Brought to you by comic legend Jamie Foxx, The Foxxhole is the place where the best urban comics tell it like it is

According to Sirius: The Foxxhole is an exclusive comedy, entertainment and lifestyle channel with Academy Award-winning actor, American Music Award-winning and Grammy-nominated artist, and comedian Jamie Foxx. The 24/7 channel features comedy bits from a large number of comedians, and will create groundbreaking approaches to presenting comedy to radio listeners, as well as showcase music, skits, radio theater and more.

Curt's Rebuttal: Well, that second sentence may be their plan, but I didn't get to see much of that today. Mainly bits of stand-up comedy. Also, although the description mentions the concept of a "lifestyle" channel, it doesn't anywhere mention that it is focused on Black listeners...which was my immediate take from listening to it.

Samply Playlist:

• Alex Thomas, Hip Hop Heads
• Mike Epps, Black Women Fight
• Eddie Griffin, Fame
• Wil Sylvince, Black Sniper
• Fabolous, Baby Don't Go
  
• Speedy's Comedy Corner: Now, my trip into work was almost completely stand-up comedy acts, with one musical act (by Fabolous), which kind of threw me...but gives the channel some hope, I think. My drive home from the gym, around 8pm, allowed me to listen to Speedy's Comedy Corner, which was a pretty basic comedic talk radio show that started talking about Marion Jones and steroid usage...but later evolved into discussion of interracial dating, and whether one of the co-hosts should talk to his son, because he's currently dating a white girl.

High Point: Actually had one, which was a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed Speedy's Comedy Corner on the drive home...it was an honest look into Black culture, almost an insider's glimpse, and it was really interesting hearing the hosts' perspective on different topics.

Verdict: I was tempted to bookmark this, if only to listen to Speedy's Comedy Corner, but it airs at 8pm here on the West Coast...and I don't plan on driving home at that time often.

Day 72: Laugh Break

My Best Guess: Gather the kids and the grandparents around the radio, 'cause there's no better place your fill of family-friendly comedy, 24/7, than on Laugh Break.

According to Sirius: It's comedy for everybody on Laugh Break. Check out today's top comics, like Jim Gaffigan, Jerry Seinfeld, and Dane Cook, the best classic comedy from George Carlin, Steven Wright, Bill Cosby, and Monty Python, plus fun songs from Weird Al and more.

Curt's Rebuttal: Apart from listing out random comics, I had this..."comedy for everyone." Pretty basic.

Sample Playlist:

• Bob Newhart, Defusing a Bomb
• Ellen DeGeneres, Silence
• George Carlin, Daytime TV
• "Weird Al" Yankovic, Melanie
• Lewis Black, Evil
• Fake Commercials: In addition to comedy bits and humorous songs, Laugh Break also features spoofs of commercials, a la Saturday Night Live. There was one about an anti-snoring pillow, for example...can't really remember what was so funny about it.

High Point: Committing to typing up this review...so I didn't have to listen to the station for a third day. That would have just been overkill.

Verdict: I guess I just like the edgier comedy of Raw Dog Comedy. Here it felt a little sterile...even though I was surprised to see comics like George Carlin and Lewis Black in the mix. If I had kids, though, I'd definitely bookmark this...unless I just decided to throw my hands in the air and let them listen to the uncensored stuff.

Day 71: Raw Dog Comedy

My Best Guess: Catch the best no-holds-barred stand-up comedy, and great shows with the Wiseguys and Jim Breuer, right here on Raw Dog

According to Sirius: Comedy from the edge - uncensored and outrageous. Classic comedy, the hottest new stand-ups and original shows like Jim Breuer Unleashed and Vincent "Big Pussy" Pastore's The Wiseguy Show. No rules...no regulations...no kidding!

Curt's Rebuttal: Yeah, yeay...I think "no-holds-barred" captures the first part, and I even nailed the two shows they were going to plug. The closing tag is a little expected, though...

Sample Playlist:

• Robin Williams, Enron Field
• Mitch Hedberg, Drink Before the Show
• Mike Birbiglin, The Old Mill Pond Story
• Dave Attell, Religion
• Daniel Tosh, Fictitious Disorder
• The Wiseguy Show: Here you have "Big Pussy" from The Soprano's hosting a talk show with some of his Italian friends. I caught the last ten minutes of today's show, and it had musical guests, The Morris Brothers. Didn't really sound that "wiseguy"-ish.
• Jim Breuer Unleased: And then caught the first 15 minutes or so of this. Not a huge Breuer fan...but he did mention how he likes to start his day listening to Sirius's Coffee House, which I believe I said I'd likely start doing after this experiment. He also talked about how he gets Pumpkin Spice Latte's from Starbucks...which I also do (when in season). So, it's a little eerie what we have in common. It was also kind of funny, but comedian Dave Attell called in, because he had the wrong Sirius phone number, but they talked a little anyway.

High Point: Hearing them play a little Daniel Tosh on the drive in. He's one of my favorite stand-ups, so was nice to hear (even though I have the CD that the bit was pulled from).

Verdict: Bookmarked, of course. Although I do listen more for the stand-up bits than the shows, I did find by looking at the site that they have a show hosted by "Oscar, the death-predicting cat." I have to check that out...how could I not?

Day 70: Blue Collar Radio

My Best Guess: You might be a redneck...if you listen to this station. So get 'er done.

According to Sirius: Blue Collar Comedy features your favorites from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour as well as everyman humor from great comedians you already know and hilarious new stand ups you'll want to.

Curt's Rebuttal: I knew I should have mentioned the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, but come on...we all know mine was spot on. Sidenote: I've never heard the term "everyman humor" before, but I already hate it.

Sample Playlist:

• Bobby Collins, Boston
• Ron White, Sluggo
• Brother Dave Gardner, Prayer
• Marc Ryan, Piercings
• Derrick Cameron, Kid/Childproof
• Larry the Cable Guy, Thong Britches
• The Ralphie May Show: While all of the above were comedy tidbits that I heard on the station, I did catch a snippet of what I guess was a talk show. It started around 6pm, I went into the gym around 6:15pm, and by the time I was out an hour later, it was already over, so can't comment much on it. I know Ralphie May, though, from his time on TV's Last Comic Standing. He was the morbidly obese comedian from Season's One and Three. Kind of funny, yes...but really didn't see him as part of the whole "Blue Collar Comedy Tour" crowd. Weird.

Verdict: I was just hoping to get through the day without hearing either Larry the Cable Guy or Jeff Foxworthy. I actually failed on both counts. Anyway, this one gets a big "no." Another example of me audibly groaning when I see what I have to listen to for the day.

Day 69: Sirius Stars

My Best Guess: The best variety in talk radio with the biggest names on the dial

According to Sirius: The Sirius Stars Channel is Sirius' flagship talk station featuring unique and diverse programs, including a light-hearted look at the day with Jay Thomas, a look into the other side of existence with psychic intuitive Mary Occhino, weight loss guru Richard Simmons, pet psychic Sonya Fitzpatrick, American Voices with Bill Bradley, rock critic Dave Marsh, and unique perspectives from publisher Judith Regan, author Candace Bushnell, and magazine editor Jane Pratt...all on one great radio station, and all available only on Sirius.

Curt's Rebuttal: Yeah, like they said.

Sample Playlist

• Barbara Live!: Here, Barbara Walters shoots the bull with friend Bill Getty. The drive in to work had them discussing the cell phone call that Rudy Guiliani took from his wife during a speech to the NRA. Riveting. On the drive home...I got more Barbara, this time discussing the presidential candidates, longevity, and interviewing George Hamilton.
• Jay Thomas: I got some exposure to Jay on a quick excursion to pick up lunch. The topic was "Have you ever been on a safari?" Over the course of three minutes, the talk went from safaris to jungle cats to regular cats to litter boxes...to Marilyn Manson demanding a litter box be backstage for him to poop in...to calling Jay's son (who knew Manson) to verify if this rumor was true...to plugging his son's band and playing one of their songs. Smooth, Jay...smooth.

Verdict: Well, my initial impression was that there was no way I'd bookmark this channel so I could listen to Barbara Walters on the drive to and from work. But after seeing all those names in the description, I dug a little deeper into their schedule, and it looks like they have a different radio show each day of the week. So, it's hard to say if I'd catch this without sampling the other days, too...I mean, the pet psychic is damn enticing. So...I'll bookmark it for now, but will have to check out the other days after the experiment. Consider this a placeholder.

Day 68: Howard 101

My Best Guess: Missed one of Howard's shows? Can't get enough of his crew? Now's your chance to catch it again with another full station of the King of All Media, delayed for our West Coast listeners.

According to Sirius: Howard Stern gives airtime to some of the most outrageous personalities in broadcasting on Sirius channel 101. Each weekday, get the official Stern Show west coast feed along with Bubba the Love Sponge in the afternoons and Scott Ferrall in the evenings. In addition, you'll hear once-a-week special shows from Jackie "The Joke Man" Martling, Riley Martin and more. Tune into Howard 101 for all the great uncensored entertainment you've come to expect from the King of All Media.

Curt's Rebuttal: Well, I think I actually came pretty close, without going into the specifics of his crew. I guess the main thing I wanted to touch on was the "west coast feed" idea.

Sample Playlist:

• Bubba the Love Sponge: Now, here I thought I'd be listening to Stern on the drive in. It is supposed to be the west coast feed, no? But apparently at 8:30am, I get this. Bubba and his crew spent most of the drive in berating a loyal listener (who apparently works inside the wrestling/entertainment industry) for spreading a "rumor" about wrestler Kurt Angle. They also yelled at him for not cutting the cord with his mother like he'd promised, so he could spend more time with his girlfriend (who they also talked to on the phone).
• Ferrall: On Scott's show, they talked mostly about sports. They spoke to Jim McMahon on the phone, chatted with Bill Romanowski, and complained about how the Mets were doing.

Verdict: Maybe it's because I was interrupted by fewer commercials on this channel, but it seemed I was able to listen in on more cohesive conversations here than on Howard 100. That having been said, it was still mostly a bunch of sniping and griping. Plus, I find it odd that the only time I actually get to hear Stern is if I'm running late at getting home from work. I'll pass.