Criss-Crossing All Over The Place
by Brian Maloney, April 20th, 2008 at 01:13am
The few supporters of “Reese Hopkins” (mostly in Entercom’s management ranks) would have us believe he is beyond reproach.
Yes, despite the fact that none of us had ever heard of this newcomer to Boston, we aren’t to question his background, beliefs and certainly not his purported work history.
Beyond his fishy CV, one wonders about Reese’s supposed conversion to conservative politics. With no previous talk radio experience or record of right-wing activism, how are we to know what he really believes about anything?
Searching the Internet turns up amazingly little on Hopkins, most of what is there focuses on his stint as a news reader for Star & Buc Wild, a hip hop morning show in New York City.
But one nugget does emerge after a patient search and it shows how easily Reese is willing to criss-cross his “crossover” personality, depending on the faces in the room. In 2005, he attended an Al Sharpton-led forum on hip hop violence.
At the time, there were shootings at NYC Urban stations, FM frequencies had nearly become gang affiliations. Here’s an account of what Hopkins told the crowd:
Crossover Negro Reese, of Power 105’s “Star and Bucwild Show,” made an unexpected appearance and joined the panel at Reverend Sharpton’s request. Crossover was well received, and began his contribution by asking, “Who here has filled out a Diary? Who here has a Nielsen Box?”
Very few hands went up, and Crossover went on to explain that people who look like us (the majority of the room was Black) do not control Hip Hop on the corporate level and that we are not among those whose preferences truly dictate what will be sold in Hip Hop. He stated that little White girls are purchasing the majority of Hip Hop and that while we get to eat, we’re sitting in the pot; we’re not cooking.
At least twice Crossover asked, “With all of these older people in the room….where are your kids?” Star must have given him leave to be Black for that day, and Reese did it well (and he hilariously identified himself in his Uncle Tom role saying, “I’m Crossover Negro Reese; I’m against the Ghetto”).
Hey, it’s nice to hear Sharpton was pleased, but winning over Boston is going to take a lot more. A bit of honesty would be a great place to start.
Entry Filed under: WRKO
20 Comments
1. Al Bowlly | April 20th, 2008 at 6:33 am
Until “Reese” or whatever his name really is, clears up his college degree controversy, he should not be accepted or even tolerated by Boston listeners. If any one of our employers or customers had a question about our claimed credentials, the matter would be cleared up within a few days or we would be fired and/or the customer would leave. It’s just another example of complete disregard for the consumer.
2. sunshine | April 20th, 2008 at 8:36 am
I’m thinking that “honesty” in Boston radio is surely the oxymoron of the week.
3. J Angel | April 20th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I don’t get the concern here. He attended an event. His remarks were accurate (whites buy about 70% of all hip hop recordings, that is true). He isn’t aligned with Sharpton in any way.
If I go to see Bruce Springsteen, that doesn’t make me 1) a member of the E Street Band or 2) a fan of his politics. I’m just there because that’s where I chose to be one day, not because I endorse his point of view–I think that’s more or less what Hopkins was doing.
4. The real not an RKO Employee | April 20th, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I don’t understand what there is to clear up up his college credentials? He says he earned his degree under another name, his emplyers have accepted it, end of story.
Just a question, were the several degress that mentally disordered Michael Savage claims to hold, awarded under his “stage” name or his legal name, Michael Weiner? Why did the leader of Savage Nation feel a need to take the airways under an assumed identity.
Had anyone ever heard of Savage before he took the airways in San Francisco? As far as I know he had never worked in radio before or had been active any conservative organizations. I do know he was active in several liberal movements in the 60’s and 70’s. Had anyone out side of Northern California heard of Savage aka Michael Weiner before the cult leaders son began syndicating him?
Oh, I forgot he is a bonified conservative, so we won’t hold him to the same standards.
Just because you listen to a station it doesn’t give you the right to dictate how it is run.
If you don’t think they are serving the public interest challange their license when it comes up for renewal.
5. Phil | April 20th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
The real not an RKO Employee:
Since Michael Weiner didn’t morph into Michael Savage until got into radio in his 40s, his degrees were almost certainly issued in his real name. Has anyone questioned the existence or validity of his degrees? When I listen to his show, which isn’t often, he seems to brag about his education regularly. Hopkins, on the other hand, gives vague answers that set off any reasonable persons BS detector.
All it would take for this to go away would be for someone at WRKO to publicly say that they had indeed seen a diploma or certified transcript proving that Hopkins really graduated from Fordham. Showing this proof to someone from the Globe or Herald would be even better.
6. Really Right | April 20th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
It makes me vomit that I’m agreeing with “Real WRKO”,but in this instance that character is correct. Michael Weiner,who was a noted QUACK in the 80’s has taken on many a persona in his search to get rich. The “Savage” one has been most lucrative,many on this board have fallen for it. If we’re going to hold this Reese goof accountable,then the Savage Weiner should be as well.
7. sandradee | April 20th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
J Angel– Huh?
8. Al Bowlly | April 20th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Real says “..He says he earned his degree under another name, his employers have accepted it, end of story.” This is true but the flaw is that his employers accepted it. His employers are corrupt scumbags. What about the consumers? Do we not have a right to expect an explanation?
The Savage comparision is flawed as well. To my knowledge Savage is open about taking the moniker as a stage name. He doesn’t deny that his real name is Weiner. Reese is hiding something and it smells.
9. The real not an RKO Employee | April 20th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
Savewrko.com makes such strange bedfellows. I am glad that Mr or Ms. Really Right got the point of my most recent post.
Back in the day, Talk Radio was about an intelligent exchange of ideas. Hosts would have authors on and guests with different view points.
Most of the time you didn’t know where the host stood on the position as they could conduct thoughtful interviews on a variety of subjects.
Now it is about 20 minute sermons. Callers who only get on if the agree with the host. The goal of most hosts is to come up with clever little phrases they can repeat constantly like, The Boston Globe Democrat or The Drive By Media, or calling Obama, Barack Hussein Obama every ten minutes. For Saveage, it is Liberalisim is a Mental Disorder. Which just happens to be the name of his book. That is another thing, they all pine to write that book.
I firmly believe that eithier Michael Savage is eithier crazy or it all an act. He may have realized that a right wing coonservative would be a novelty in SF and created his character in his basement and sent the tapes of his mock show to PD’s in SF.
I think Hopkins did much the same thing when he created his crossover negro act.
With the exception of a few talk programs, I think talk radio is now as sleazy as most of the daytime TV talk shows.
10. Tony Jankowski | April 20th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
I have to agree with Real and Really . . . savage blows and you can tell all this crap is made up beforehand. Horrible and unlistenable. I’d rather hear Free Talk Live at night.
11. Really Right | April 21st, 2008 at 2:05 am
Savage has become furious with callers who dare mention that he’s using a stage name. He hints as “anti-Semitism” as their motive. His screeners now prevent such calls from occurring,but in the past(actually before WRKO picked him up in late ‘02)it happened occasionally.
The guy is, at very least,a manic depressive,borderline schizo. He will lash out at his audience and call them “crackers”. His claims of “everybody rips me off” is rival only to Howard Stern in grand delusion..but at least Stern’s complaints have merit. His talks about how disgusting the media is and how they sell sex 24/7..as his SON’s company Rock Star energy drinks uses those very tactics to sell his product.
In terms of radio phonies,he’s in the first ballot Hall of Fame with Severino,Jay Diamond and Bill O’Reilly.
12. curious | April 21st, 2008 at 7:07 am
Real, could you please list “the few”
radio talk shows that you find worth
listening to. I find that if the caller
is not on a preaching rant the host
most definitely is.
13. Evl Con | April 21st, 2008 at 7:42 am
What does Mike Savage have to do with Reese Hopkins? I don’t find Cross Over’s degree the heart of the issue. What I find offensive is that he can blame whitey for the problems of the black community because some goofy teenager buys the filth that the “corporations” put out. Last time I surveyed this industry P Diddy, 50-Cent, and Snoop Dog were rolling with the Crystal and Bentley crew, posing as misogynistic racists, and buying multimillion dollar mansions while the ghetto’s populations get poorer. Hypocritical much?
Reese is either against this crud, or not….he can’t play it both ways and stay “credible” on the air.
To those of you who hate Mike Savage, Rush, Howie etc and the books they write. Go away and listen to Air America. They need you.
14. Skunky | April 21st, 2008 at 8:52 am
Libs whining about the conservative point of view. Bet you can’t wait to bring the hammer down on Conservative Radio (which has a vast and lucrative marketplace) with the “Fairness Doctrine”. Liberal talk radio CANNOT make it in the marketplace of ideas…where were all the Liberals to support AIR AMERICA? How come that venue crashed and burned oh so quickly? Some Conservatives have their shows for more than 20 years! Libs won’t even support their own!
Michael Savage, like any evolving, thinking person of intellect (and not oozing of “feelings” and trying to make himself SEEM like a great person on the “outside”) is one of the many former Libs to see the light. David Horowitz is a great example of how a former Lib can start looking at the facts in lieu of feelings. I wouldn’t put him down…he’s a great conservative warrior! Although I always wish I was a Conservative my whole life, I was NOT and I am now very proud to be conservative and I think those of us on the former Liberal side have a special insight when we turn Conservative because we KNOW how riduculous the Liberal movement is as once being inside members of that group. The Liberals LOST us!! At least the smart ones…the dumb ones of age are still hanging on. Some are NOT dumb but they just lack the COURAGE to state that all they believed in was a HUGE crock of crap. So they are not just wrong, but disengenuous to boot…like Reese Hopkins I reckon.
Michael Savage keeps up fired up and entertained. Mark Levin THE GREAT ONE dislikes him and he’s one of the BEST conservatives out there…there is room for debate about both, but if we don’t have our Mike Savage (who has books published LONG BEFORE HIS RADIO CAREER!) we are LUCKY to have Mark Levin. You lost Tammy Bruce too, and we are GLAD to have her whether we agree with her 100% or NOT! Former Libs who are now Conservatives rock the house! (But not to crappy Springsteen!)
15. The real Not an RKo Employee | April 21st, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Well Curious as long as you asked:
I really miss John Batchelors weeknight show. I try and catch his Sunday show via the internet. I liked his show becasue it was just one great interview after another without callers.
I also miss Matt Drudge. When he was carried in Boston, Michael Medved was able to make his point without calling Hilliary Clinton Satan or yelling at the top of his lungs.
When I am in Florida I enjoy Neil Rogers. Ed Shultz and Stepanie Miller are also worth a listen.
When he is not gay bashing or blaming illegals for all the problems in the world, Howie Carr can be entertaining especially when talking about local politics.
Although there is a lot of room for improvement if Dan Rea has a guest, I usually listen to him. I also listen to a lot of the NPR programs.
Although I am a recovering conservative, I don’t need a staedy diet of talk hosts who share my opinion. I like hearing different points of view and every once and a while I need to be reminded why I disagree with most right wing conservatives.
Michael Savage who makes the late Morton Downey seem credible has never talked about his alias. He gone to great lengths to conceal his given name. and the books he published before talk radio were more like scientific journals and were not read by the general public.
16. Skunky | April 21st, 2008 at 4:44 pm
You listen to LIBERAL talk radio because you like that point of view and agree with it and CONSERVATIVES listen to who they agree with…the trouble with your Liberal hosts (besides the 3 listeners including you) is that they are WRONG, ago along with the obfuscating Mainstream Media and don’t give a rat’s fat about the TRUTH but more so how fuzzy and nice anything makes ‘em feel.
You must not really listen to Stephanie Miller ‘cuz she can name call with the best of them. Quit acting like Libs on talk radio are Ajax White Knights.
Some people get angry with the ad hominems on BOTH sides (Randi Rhoads, Johnny Angel for Libs…Mike Savage and Mark Levin on the RIGHT). The Conservatives don’t have to be fake and act like it’s a horrible, horrible thing and the LEFT can NEVER live up to the “I’m Better Than You” lofty ideology they erect for themselves (if consistant with their ideology, the LIBS would NEVER, ever make fun of ANYONE…even rednecks! ) Keep Listening to Air America ‘cuz as “Evil Con” said THEY NEED YOU!
17. Jim from Boston | April 21st, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Hi Real not an RKo Employee,
IMHO, add Jordan Rich of WBZ; Dennis Prager and Hugh Hewitt, both currently available on http://www. townhall. com.; George Noory and the other hosts of Coast-to-Coast .com; and Kimberly Jager of Common Ground on WLXZ. BTW, her program is also now available as a download.
Bruce Williams of WNTK.com and Bob Brinker are also good hosts but but their shows are of a different cartegory, though sometimes with public affairs commentary.
18. Really Right | April 21st, 2008 at 5:48 pm
To those who defend “Savage”…He Hates You. He calls you crackers and Bush-bots. A few months back he said listeners who don’t contribute to his lawsuit against CAIR were useless. If you’re not in line with his thinking you’re an appeaser or a Bund member. A total Trotsky worshipper…
19. curious | April 21st, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Real; Thank you. I also miss Drudge and
Michael Medved. Stephanie and Neil are
purely schtick but can be very enter-
taining. Another personality I enjoyed
while in Fl is Joyce Kauffman. She was
quite witty. These days it is all about
one’s politics and imho that makes for
lousy programing. No give and take
allowed.
20. Dan Zee | April 22nd, 2008 at 11:13 am
Yeah, I think Reese is faking most of his conservative stance to please Entercom. However, I think some of it is real. He seems to have discovered the secret that many businesses desperately want to hire minorities, which is the opposite of what people are told in the black community. He may have crafted the black conservative personna knowing that this is an act that an Entercom or a Clear Channel would pick up. Most people on radio have created an on-air personna and it’s probably no worse than what Savage does.
By the way, John Batchelor is on WABC Sunday nights from 7p-10p and then is on KFI from 10p-1a - a marathon live six-hour mega-show!!