Mike Malloy

Michael D. Malloy is a liberal radio broadcaster from Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to August 30, 2006, he hosted a weeknight show on the Air America Radio network.

Background

Mike Malloy grew up in a Democratic Baptist household and is now a professed atheist. He questions authoritarianism, politics, injustice and religious intolerence. Mike refers to his listeners as fellow "truthseekers".

Politically, Malloy is resolutely left-of-center, and is famous for his fearless presentation. He ridicules the Republicans as "the flying-monkey right". He praises former President Bill Clinton as "a great Republican president". He is a self-described traditional Democrat working to return the Democratic Party to its historic liberal roots.

Style

While his on-air style features a variety of moods and themes, he is well known for his mocking, relentless satirical criticisms of U.S. Republican Party, Democratic Party, George W. Bush, right-wing Christians, politicians (especially rightist conservatives and neo-conservatives), and people he deems racist and homophobic. Following John Kerry's apparent 2004 election loss, Malloy made public that he would remain a Democrat, but no longer donate money to the leadership of the Democratic Party, which he feels is weak and docile in comparison to the Republican Party. He has subsequently made public overtures to the Green Party while still occasionally speaking at selected Democratic Party fundraisers.

His supporters view his use of argument as cathartic and humorous. Opponents, however, have labeled such attacks as vitriol. Malloy has clarified that his on-air attacks are intended to be humorous, previously stating, "there are some good Republicans", but explaining "You know... I tried to be Mr. Nice Guy... I used to be on CNN's Talkback Live. I tried to be a nice man... you know, don't get ugly. What did I get for it? Pushed into the wall. Screw 'em." Malloy dismisses the notion of "try[ing] to see both sides", because "these [right-wing Republicans] are murderous sons-of-bitches who won't allow normal, rational discussion." Malloy labels "liberals", such as Alan Colmes, who try to "compromise with these bastards" as "whores."

Journalism Experience

Prior to his radio program, Malloy was a news writer with CNN from 1984 to 1987, and editor of the weekly Atlanta newspaper Creative Loafing. His educational background focused on English and Political Science, and included study at N.C. State University in Raleigh, the University of Toledo in Ohio, Georgia State University in Atlanta, and Jacksonville University in Florida.

Radio programs

WSB (Atlanta)

Beginning his radio career in the early 1990s, Malloy was originally heard on Atlanta station WSB, where he gained an early following among Georgia liberals. However, when WSB moved his show from evenings to middays against Rush Limbaugh on WGST, Malloy was unable to continue his initial success and was eventually released by WSB.

WLS (Chicago)

When an opening arose at WLS in Chicago in 1996, Malloy applied and got the job; although he was the station's biggest ratings-getter at night, WLS fired him in April 2000 in a gradual purge of their liberal-leaning air talent.

There have been reports that Mike Malloy was not fired from WLS because of his left leaning air talent but because of a consistent barrage of complaints from listeners. Apparently the complaints ranged from his nasty name-calling mean spirited approach to his audience and with e-mail correspondences with his audience. One report with a listener is that he used threats and profanity in an e-mail and when reported to the station manager, it was said that the station manager said, “We’ve been hearing a lot of these kinds of complaints lately”. The day the e-mail was forwarded to WLS station management, it was reported that Mr. Malloy was promptly terminated. WLS issued a statement immediately after that they do not wish to have this kind of relationship with its audience and that they want their talk show hosts that have a favorable relationships with its listeners.

I think it's important that this "ENCYCLOPEDIA' not be without its corrections and clarity. Mr. Malloy sent me a threatening e-mail with nasty and severe profanity because I simply disagreed with him. No more. No less. I forwarded this e-mail on to management at WLS on a Friday Morning and he was terminated that afternoon. So my editing on Mike Malloy's profile is not without merit nor witness.

The information that he was terminated because WLS had purged left-leaning talk show host is Mr. Malloy's is an attempt by Mr. Malloy to cover up the real reason why he was terminated. Although my information could be construed to be inflammatory, however, it is to be understood that this website is not be used for strictly propaganda and self promotional purposes but it is to be used for the purpose of educating the public. For Mr. Malloy to write this also is to be noted that there are no witness' that he was terminated because of his leftist opinions. I think it would be important for the reader to decide who is right.

My information that I write will stand.

I.E. America Radio Network

Malloy first gained national popularity with a radio audience when his program was syndicated between October 2000 and February 2004 on the now defunct I.E. America Radio Network. The Mike Malloy Show featured monologues, occasional guest interviews, brief musical interludes and listeners' calls.

Air America Radio

The Mike Malloy Show aired during the 10PM-1AM (EST) timeslot from 2004 until 2006 on Air America Radio.

On January 2006, Malloy's show was removed from WLIB, Air America's New York City affiliate. He was replaced by the apolitical Satellite Sisters' show. On August 11, 2006, he announced his pending return to WLIB on September 1, 2006, barring unforseen difficulties. A significant portion of Malloy's audience listen to internet streams or the XM Satellite Radio broadcasts of his show, a fact that he typically acknowledged in a sign-off comment such as "thanks for participating however you did that."

On August 30, 2006 the following notice appeared on his web site:

MIKE MALLOY FIRED BY AIR AMERICA RADIO: There will be no Mike Malloy program today - or any day - on Air America Radio as we have been terminated. We are as shocked as you are. We are told it's a financial decision. More details to follow as we hear them ourselves.

Head on Radio Network

As of August 30, 2006, Mike can be heard on the Head On Radio Network. The network is rebroadcasting "best of" Malloy programs that date back to March 2003 nightly at 10:00 PM EST [1]

Nova M Radio

On October 15, 2006, Mike Newcomb, CEO and Chairman of Nova M Radio announced that The Mike Malloy Show "will be born again live on the public airwaves" on October 30, 2006. The show is set to air from 9:00 pm to 12:00 am EST Monday through Friday on Nova M Radio affiliates in Phoenix, Arizona and Little Rock, Arkansas. [2][3]

The Future of the Mike Malloy Show

Despite a large fan movement consisting of online petitions, e-mails, and phone calls to Air America Radio, the network has not made any statement to the effect of rehiring Malloy. Malloy has also said in interviews on the Guy James Show and The Majority Report with Sam Seder that even if asked he would not return to Air America under the present management due to the unprofessional way he was fired.

Malloy did state in the Guy James Show interview that he was in New York talking with various companies, including Sirius Satellite Radio. On October 15, 2006, Nova M Radio announced that Malloy would be broadcasting on their affiliates starting at the end of October. It remains to be seen whether the program will be syndicated on any of Malloy's former Air America Radio affiliates. [4]

Program content

Catch-phrases

Malloy is frequently heard employing a number of catch phrases that have become trademarks of his style, among them are:

• "Have I mentioned yet tonight how much I hate these people?" - In reference to right-wingers.
• "Maaaaaarge!" - Mike's excited introduction of Marge, a grandmother from Merrillville, Indiana, who has been a popular regular caller since Mike's days at WLS and is known for her sharp wit and no-holds-barred commentary on current events
• "Batsqueeze" - euphemism for the word "bullshit"
• "Press the Meat" - Mike's name for the NBC news show Meet the Press
• "Focus on the Phallus" - Mike's name for the James Dobson organization Focus on the Family
• "The Bush Crime Family" - Mike's epithet for George W. Bush, the first President Bush, and their associates
• "Watch your backs!" - Mike's signature sign-off from his show each night.

Nicknames

• George W. Bush: Chuckle Nuts, the Giggling Killer, President Bunny Pants, Man-or-Monkey, Dim Son, Weak-and-Stupid, Raisin Brain(s), Too-Stupid-to-Be-President, Too-Stupid-to-Chew-a-Pretzel, Too-Stupid-to-Ride-a-Bicycle, Dipthong, MENSA Man, the Bush Bastard, the Toy President, Guaca-Moron, Cinco de Moron, Prince Valium
• Dick Cheney: Darth Cheney, Cyborg Man, Bionic Man, Deadeye Dick
• Laura Bush: Pickles
• Condoleezza Rice: The Schoolmarm, Condoleezza Valdeez, The Shoe Lady
• Alberto Gonzales: Torquemada, Torture Boy, Bush's Tejano
• Donald Rumsfeld: Rumsferatu, Field Marshal Von Rumsfeld
• Scott McClellan: Simple Scotty, Scotty the Duck, The Quacking Quackaroo
• Tony Snow: Snowjob, Tony the Snowman, Foxy the Snowman
• Rush Limbaugh: The Oxy-Moron, The Drug Addled Freak, The Pigman
• John Boehner: John Boner
• Jeff Gannon: Jeffy Lube
• Tom DeLay: The Bugman, Bug-Stomping Freak
• James Dobson: Devil Demon Dobson

External links

• Mike Malloy's web site
• Mike Malloy fan run UNofficial myspace profile
• Profile of Malloy by Salon
• Documentary about Mike Malloy
• The White Rose Society - The Official Archive of The Mike Malloy Show
• "The 14 Points of Fascism," vocal narration by Mike Malloy

See also

• The Mike Malloy Show