Alan Colmes wonder how "Real is your Favorite Radio Personality?" after a Talker shoots his wife and dog

Troubled Radio Talker Shannon Burke

With the aid of the 'wrestling analogy' I often talk about the personas Radio Talkers adopt to win over audiences, whether it be as the people's champion or the cheeky villain. The persona a talker ends up with is partly informed by their real interests but also market concerns, like what the regional audience demands and what will entertain and captivate the masses. A talker may emphasise their hometown roots, their blue collar upbringing or project a heightened tough guy image in order to create points of separation from their talk radio competitors.

The preservation of the illusion that wrestling is real is known as "Kayfabe". An example of this is when a wrestler maintains his persona' or character outside the wrestling universe. For Hollywood Actors, its comparable to 'method acting'. However kayfabe in wrestling is rare these days as today's fans are well aware that wrestling is prearranged, keeping in character is seen as a quaint tradition. 'Method acting' for Hollywood is still an accepted part of the actor's process though some speculate it can lead to troubling obsession. In the sometimes isolated world of Radio, one wonders how much one's persona truly does seep into the mind of a RadioTalker.

Alan Colmes, former liberal counterweight to Sean Hannity on Fox News wonders the same. Commenting on the bizarre story of a liberal-turned-conservative Radio Talker, Shannon Burke shooting his wife and dog.

What went wrong with radio personality Shannon Burke?
It's hard to pinpoint exactly when Shannon Burke's life changed.

Maybe when he agreed to switch from a liberal Texas talk-show host to a conservative Central Florida mouthpiece.

Maybe when he changed to a more-aggressive style for a new role on an Orlando FM station...

Burke, 43, sits behind bars in the Seminole County Jail, held without bail, accused of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and animal cruelty in an April 30 shooting that injured his wife and her dog.

Alan Colmes ponders how authentic the on-air personas of his peers are and how fragile it can be to the sanity of a talker.

How Real Is Your Favorite Radio Personality?
We all have our on-air personas; our job is to entertain to the best of our abilities and attract audiences on behalf of our radio stations and our sponsors. You hear rumors about this host or that one, and whether he or she truly believes the things that are put out over the air. You hear whispers that one host or other isn’t really liberal as portrayed, or isn’t really such a staunch conservative but the act works, and it’s good for ratings. I just can’t imagine how someone can flip from left to right, from right to left, from decent, law-abiding citizen to crazed shooter of wives and animals...

How much of what we hear on radio is really an act? Does Rush really want Obama to fail, and isn’t he really laughing all the way to the bank at the Republicans who take him so seriously? Is the hate spewed by some hosts a way to appease the far reaches of the personalities of those attracted to talk radio? And when does one trade a good buck and a great gig for one’s soul?

April Fools Hannity intro from Alan Colmes: "Grab your hammer and sickle, Colmes starts right now"

VIDEO: "Hannity" April Fools Day Open With Alan Colmes

Transcript of Alan Colmes' April Fools intro for FoxNews' 'Hannity' show

VOICEOVER: From Red Square to the shores of Havana. From San Francisco all the way to Berkeley. And from the West Village to the Upper West Side, Colmes is on...

COLMES: Tonight we are live at Mt Rushmore where the final touches are being put on Barack Obama's face after just 72 days in office. Then, what do Republicans hate as much as poor people? Furry little animals, and we have the video to prove it. Plus Al Gore says Ann Coulter is to blame for Global Warming, so it must be true. And an emotional retrospective on the life and work of Noam Chomsky. All that plus an Anti-American featuring Bill Ayers, Sean Penn and anybody from France.

Grab your hammer and sickle, Colmes starts right now

An effective prank but juxtaposing the parody intro with Hannity's real opener with featuring the G20 protests, Tea Party rallies and "the spread of socialism" was slightly jarring. Suggesting that the parody was not a critique of sensationalism and absurdity but rather that it was simply (radically) left-leaning.

A tribute to Alan Colmes by The Daily Show and The Colbert Report

As reported last November, Alan Colmes the long time liberal counterpart to the Alpha Conservative Sean Hannity would be leaving their top rating Fox News show.

Jon Stewart of the Daily Show paid a mocking tribute to Alan's 12 year tenure as the "hapless" liberal foil.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Hall & Oates Pay Tribute to Alan Colmes

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Read the full lyrics to the Hall and Oates song at The Huffington Post

Anytime you need a token liberal
Nothin' but a body to fill a chair
The barest shadow of a person
Alan Colmes is always there...

Sean Hannity responded to the comdedic tribute of his long time partner in an interview for Broadcasting and Cable:

Sean Hannity Talks Life Without Colmes
Jon Stewart addressed Colmes’ departure on The Daily Show Thursday night recruiting washed-up 80s pop duo Darryl Hall and John Oates to offer a farewell ditty to the departing Colmes...

Said Hannity: "I was actually thinking of Jon [Stewart] as a co-host but I needed someone who could be smart and funny without 50 writers and two has-been rockers who are badly in need of Botox."

Alan Colmes showed he could laugh off the ribbing that he was a "token liberal (punching bag)" by appearing on the Daily Show's spinoff, The Colbert Report. Effectively reprising his role as the beta Anchor.

Colbert and Colmes

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Colbert and Colmes - Colmes Gets Fired

Colbert at Christmas
Colbert Christmas DVD

Green Screen
Bill O'Reilly Interview

In another Colmes and Colbert segment, watch Stephen (a former Presidential contender) take on "comedians running for office" in reference to new Minnesota Senator Al Franken. Watch Colbert and Colmes on Ronald Burris appointment

Hannity and Colmes no longer. Who will Hannity face next?

Is Sean Hannity going to be a singles wrestler?

Via RadioEqualizer, the Hannity and Colmes sparring team is no longer:

Alan's Adios
After a remarkable twelve year run, Alan Colmes is set to leave FOX News Channel's top-rated Hannity & Colmes at the end of the year, according to key sources...

In fact, while several sites are currently running polls on who should replace Colmes, the smart money is betting on a Hannity solo effort...

Brian Stelter reported that Hannity is likely to host the show on his own after Alan's departure...

Alan Colmes is universally regarded for his affability, however this is seen as a liability by many of his liberal peers as he makes for a meek spokesperson. Particularly against the outspoken Hannity and representing the most prominent liberal on the conservative-leaning Fox Network.

APF Pundit Al Franken in a 2003 interview with Newshour Media said of Colmes's relationship with Hannity:

-- and I said, The format of your relationship? Yeah, I get it.

So, this is Fox. That's fair and balanced, which is put on this right-wing thug and this milquetoast moderate, and don't let the moderate, who doesn't lie -- I mean, Alan tries to make good arguments, but to me, it's laying down, it's being used. He's their -- I don't know, I've never heard this word on The NewsHour -- but he is their bitch.

Alan has also been likened to a "punching bag" and the "Washington Generals" of Punditry - the nightly fall guys for the dominant Harlem Globetrotters. A "jobber" in wrestling parlance.

Whilst all there is some validity to this charge, it is also a function of being contrasted with the belligerent Sean Hannity. It will be interesting to see what format Hannity's new program will take, be it a solo effort or with a new counterpart. Below are a sample of opinions from conservative blog HotAir.com

Alan Colmes leaving “Hannity & Colmes”
I love Hannity’s politics but his personality is over the top and kinna grates on me. I love Colmes’ manners but I can’t stand his politics...
by Sweetness0726

...Colmes was not a great debater, but he is civil and that goes a long way in my book...
by Red State State of Mind

In some ways I admire Hannity for the stands he’s taken when all around him have lost their spines…but let’s face it, his intellect and debate skills run far short of the levels we really need in a conservative media figurehead...
by Sharke

- Read Steve Rendall's critique of the "false balance of Hannity & Colmes"
- Read Alan Colmes' bio
- Read Sean Hannity's bio

Hannity and Colmes: Sean Hannity and Robert Kuttner Face off

VIDEO: Sean Hannity tries to bully Robert Kuttner

When it comes to encapsulating what PunditFight is all about, this video probably sums it up best.
It ticks off a lot of the subjects I deal with in this blog:
1) Features an APF pundit
2) Framing the debate
3) It's theatrically combative
4) It's meta

1) APF Pundit - Sean Hannity

2) Framing. The first half of the clip, guest Robert Kuttner does a good job of framing the debate in progressive terms as he speaks to the sympathetic Alan Colmes

...If people are going to vote on whether Sarah Palin is better at shooting a moose, the Democrats are toast... this is a fight about whether the election is about culture or (inaudible) issues...I think Democrats need to run on a narrative. And there's a narrative of the ordinary hard-working family just getting the short end of the stick... I think sometimes he (Obama) tries to be too high minded.

Read the full transcript from FoxNews - Book Urges Obama to Transform America
3) Theatrics. When Sean Hannity enters the frame the conversation devolves into name calling and bravado. There seems to be a lot more raw emotion in this exchange, Kuttner obviously prepared himself for Hannity's run-in and puffed his chest to match his rhetoric

HANNITY: Stop it. Stop it. This is -- this is garbage you're spewing here.
KUTTNER: No name calling yet.
HANNITY: No, it's not name calling. But it's garbage you're spewing.
HANNITY: ... You are voting for Obama, by the way. This is a pro-Obama book. You are voting for Obama.
KUTTNER: But I'm not here to do Obama...
HANNITY: Stop it. You -- when you say...
KUTTNER: I'm not here to be insulted either. You're doing RNC talking points, Sean.
HANNITY: Excuse me. I don't have RNC -- these are Hannity talking points. I write the talking points.
KUTTNER: Right. Yes, yes. Where do you get them from?
HANNITY: Here's what we have. You say -- you spew this line, DNC talking points.
KUTTNER: I don't spew any goddamn line.
HANNITY: You said the economy...
KUTTNER: Stop insulting me or I'm walking off the set.
HANNITY: Go ahead. Go. Good-bye. Walk off.
KUTTNER: Are you going to let me have my two minutes?
HANNITY: Please. I don't care. Go right ahead. Walk off. You said the economy is in dire straits.
KUTTNER: It is in dire straits. You want to deny that, you fool?
HANNITY: You fool, you idiot.

4) It's meta. The irony of this clip is the point Kuttner made about substance being overshadowed by presentation was realised once the name calling and Hannity's supposed meltdown became the story. In effect the 2nd half of the clip nullified the first. Rather than the guests' points being discussed, attention is drawn to the presentation

Did this man just call Sean a FOOL??? WHOA! That CERTAINLY was NOT necessary. This is such a problem with liberals- they just don't know how to behave like adults, even on national television!
They really are losing it!

Read the discussion on Sean Hannity's official forum - Robert Kuttner on H&C

Robert Kuttner describes the experience on his blog

You do all kinds of dubious things when you're promoting a book. But when my publisher suggested that I accept an invitation to appear on Fox's "Hannity and Colmes," I was a bit skeptical. I've been on O'Reilly a few times over the years, and have stopped doing it, because these people play with such a stacked deck. They control the format, the timing, they flat-out lie, and they're rude as hell. Even if you win the debate, you're lending credibility to a propaganda act...

Read his entire post here - Shaggy Fox Story