worst BR talk show host, take your pick

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loud mouth, Citadel radio puts its trust in wild man Ricahrd Condon; you kiddin' me?
By Alexander, Amy
Publication: The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report
Date: Tuesday, February 4 2003

Richard Condon's in the studio. Outside it's as dark as a frickin' cup of chicory. Condon's already runnin' his mouth like it's gonna break if he don't work it.

Pen in hand, he's tappin' til you think he might just break that sucker right off. And he's talkin'. Going on and on. What's he yellin'
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He's goin' off on war protestors and hicks who hang out in deer stands. He's challenging the serial killer to come and get a piece of him. He's sayin' that with Black Entertainment Television on the air, there ought to be a White Entertainment Television too.

Ratings jump when Condon's on a good tirade, so he pushes it as far as he can. It's a risky game.

Condon's bosses at Citadel Communications admit they often listen with white knuckles, hoping Condon doesn't say something that goes too far, alienates advertisers or gets the station in trouble with the Federal Communications Commission.

Condon, meanwhile, lays it on.

He grips the maroon edge of a counter filled with radio gauges and dials, swivels back and forth in a wheeled chair, hovers over the microphone like an auctioneer, his stiff black hair combed into a tiny peak, beads of sweat swelling on his brow.

"I think the average soldier out there has got two things: He wants to come back safe and he's hoping that when he's gone for six or seven months to go to war for this country and protect our democracy and our freedom, he's hoping that the special woman in his life is not having an affair ... I would say that the average woman, 50-55 percent have affairs, and probably if you talk about military ladies, I think that rate increases a little bit."

Spit sprays over the microphone and lands on the counter. Condon leans forward. His chair squawks. He hunches his shoulders and presses down hard.

He needs to.

Condon is a key part of Citadel's comeback strategy. It's widely acknowledged at Citadel-in third place among local radio groups-that Condon is their star, their hope. Upper management is betting he has the muscle to power its newly formatted 100,000-watt rock station, Rock 93.7 FM, to stronger ratings as the morning show co-host.

Condon's target audience is guys, ages 25 to 49. They spend a lot of money on beer and cars and fast food. Score with them in the ratings, and they'll bring in a lot of ad revenue.

But can Condon be trusted to deliver?

He got fired from Guaranty Broadcasting in 1996 for making violent comments in a rant about gays.

Dick Lewis, head of competing Clear Channel Communications, says Condon has a loyal following, but he's not sure it's one that will raise revenues much.

"There's a point when you have diminishing returns," he says. "The broader the appeal, the bigger the fan base. I think there is a relatively small number of people in Baton Rouge who particularly care for that type of humor."

The folks at Citadel aren't worried. As long as people are talking-or griping-about Condon, that means he's on people's minds. And that's good for business.

"Even when people hate him, they're listening to him," says Kevin Calmes of Calmes Motor Sports, one company that sponsors Condon.

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