Heard he got the AXE today....Sucks for KSTP

He is still on the am1500 website ...

In my opinion THAT SUCKS!

Really? He may be in the wrong day part, but he is talented.

Good show. Wrong station.

Can anyone confirm this. If true, a new low for the Hubbards.

Merry Bleepin' Christmas.

Of course, they fire him the day after he holds a very successful CD release party at O'Gara's Garage - a night spent yucking it up with the spineless management. That's right, Thursday night that valiant, ground-breaking program director, Steve Konrad (remember, he did discover that rare gem of a talent, Willie. Whoo, boy, now there's a gift of a guy...), was elbowing up with our T.D., buying Mischke beers, knowing full well that the next day he was about to send packing the most talented guy on Twin Cities radio.

Now – that said – anyone who has paid a minimal amount of attention over these most entertaining 17 years could come up with a list of reasons longer than University Avenue to fire Tommy. But, that’s the price one can pay for employing genius, right?

Here’s a question: How is it a guy who might be one of the most clueless human beings on the planet continues to survive all this? (Are we talking about the guy who programmed KSTP-FM to its near demise until he was sent to do the same for its AM sister?) Hey man, is no one paying attention? WTF?

Perhaps the dreaded tax-dodging "we couldn't do it without your financial support" MPR will find a place for him, eh? If they had half a brain (and I think they do)…

I’ll miss ya, Tommy. Godspeed!

Oh – Ginny where are you?

calm, down Skilly.

Please see:

http://www.minnpost.com/braublog/2008/1 ... my_mischke

Does anyone besides myself believe that Tommy was purposely set up for failure and subsequent removal from the KSTP payroll?

Moving Mischke to a midday timeslot was a terrible idea. He's totally out of his element during daytime hours. When it happened, I asked myself "How could the Hubbards possibly make such a foolish move?"

Or was it? Was the move staged purposely so they would have a reason to come back and fire him in a few years? This way, they could trim the payroll and put a syndicated show in his place. Result? A leaner bottom line for the suits.

Look at the radio managers again and ask yourself that one more time. They have some very very mediocre people calling the shots and what you suggest might involve some strategy. I think they just like making stupid moves, being stubborn and never accepting any blame.
That kind of thinking permeates the the whole building.

While talented, Mischke was not in his best timeslot. He was moved because they did not want him pre-empted by Twins games. They gave it a shot, it didn't work out. I wish they would keep him and let Dave Thompson go. That show is boring.

Mischke also is not the best suited to attract and retain the largest number of listeners. If he was doing this, he wouldn't have been let go.

I agree that it was a bit classless to let him go a day after an event in which his boss is there and of course cannot say anything. I don't think anytime is good for this sort of thing. Possibly just after January 1 would have been better.

The Hubbards did stand by him when he was going through some pretty severe health problems a few years ago. I can't think of another broadcast organization in the Twin Cities that would have kept him through all of that.

Now, the question is where should he go?

Comrade Keillor - are you paying attention here? Yoo-hoo - Unique radio guy available. Hey, what am I saying. You know his talent. You've had him on your show.

The Mischke Poem

The memories are golden there
my daddy's pipe, my mama's chair
my grandma's braid was done with care
and on the wireless was Mischke
My mama'd sit us on the rug
and keep us quiet with a hug
my grandpa'd laugh and the kids would shrug
at the shenanigans of Mischke
Jean said Tommy was the kind of man
that she would like to find
my uncle told her never mind
or there'll be no more of Mischke
Later on in school boy days
when FM was the latest craze
I didn't care or change my ways
and my dates all learned of Mischke
More recently my wife would scoff
and yell to turn that joker off
so I'd grab a smoke and play it soft
out on the deck with Mischke
I met him once at the State Fair
it was just outside the beer tent there
I heard that giggle in the air
and I knew that it was Mischke
If he was old or young I couldn't see
But he was different than I thought he'd be
when he handed me a Swisher Sweet
well he seemed a good egg, Mischke
I called the wife with courage high
and said I'd be home by and by
my luck was too good to deny
I was hanging out with Mischke
We smoked our stogies in the night
as I kept buying him Cold Spring Lights
and before I knew my wrong from right
I was 'bout half-baked with Mischke
He borrowed five bucks and went away
I lost my lunch in a pile of hay
Who drove me home -- well I can't say
but I don't think it was Mischke
I woke up on the lawn and saw my wife
I couldn't stand up to save my life
and then from her robe she pulled a knife
and started screaming Mischke
I was up and running, filled with fear
and kitchen things flying by my ear
the wife was yelling loud and clear
You can just go live with Mischke
Well that was many years ago
and still I'm feeling pretty low
and if I had a radio
well it wouldn't be tuned to Mischke
The man cost me my home and pride
he left a void a mile wide
he made me want to run and hide
and curse the name of Mischke
Now though I can't afford the beers
I've waited by that tent for years
but it's not about revenge or tears
I want something else from Mischke
See I don't care much about the wife
or the shambles of my so called life
and I want no pity for my strife
but I want that five from Mischke
Somewhere the sun is shining bright
somewhere the hearts of men are light
and somewhere heroes do things right
and somewhere else... is Mischke

--by Michael Crouser

Mick: How about shaking things up over at the Good Neighbor? Grandma and Grandpa sure won't need their Geritol if the Black Sheep Broadcasting Network comes to 'CCO.