Stand Up With Pete Dominick
Encyclopedia
Stand Up! With Pete Dominick is a political talk show airing weekdays from the Sirius
studios in New York City
and broadcast on the P.O.T.U.S. channel, heard on the Sirius Satellite Radio
and XM Satellite Radio
platforms. The show is hosted by stand-up comedian and politics enthusiast Pete Dominick
and produced by Alfred Schulz, Aaron Hodges, and Brian Dominick
The focus of the three-hour program each day is the politics and current events relevant to the United States, consistent with the motto of the P.O.T.U.S. channel, "Politics of the United States, for the people of the United States."
under the now-defunct Indie Talk channel with the team of Pete Dominick as host, Sean Bertollo as executive producer, Aaron Hodges as co-producer, and Alexandra Di Trolio as co-producer and blogcaster.
As a result of the Sirius and XM merger, on November 12, 2008, the Indie Talk channel on Sirius was combined with the P.O.T.U.S. '08 channel on XM to form the current P.O.T.U.S. channel broadcasting on both platforms. Under the new arrangement only two Indie Talk programs were not canceled, The Ron Silver Show (no longer aired) and Pete's Big Mouth, renamed Stand Up! With Pete Dominick with the same structure and format.
Other significant events include:
The show is not dissimilar from programs that previously ran on Air America (formerly Air America Radio and Air America Media) a now defunct radio station that specialized in progressive talk programming. Ratings for this show are not easy to find and while it has a loyal following of progressive listeners it does not compete with any conservative radio programs.
As the program progressed it has had many of the same guests on repeatedly and often; and these repeat guests are supporters of liberal/progressive ideology. While Pete Dominick routinely speaks about his non-bias style and the radio network, P.O.T.U.S., frequently mentions how it is “not red or blue, but red, white and blue” – the show's pattern of having the same liberal/progressive guests on repeatedly demonstrates their selection bias.
For example, Aaron Carrol (associate professor of Pediatrics and the associate director of Children’s Health Services Research at Indiana University School of Medicine) is on the show approximately once a week. Aaron Carrol is an ardent advocate for socialized medicine – single payer healthcare – and the show brings Dr. Carrol on to discuss the costs of healthcare within a variety of topics but it always results in Pete Dominick and Dr. Carrol’s supporting socialized medicine.
, ThinkProgress
, PajamasMedia, Firedoglake
, etc.) in accordance with channel policy.
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
studios in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and broadcast on the P.O.T.U.S. channel, heard on the Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
and XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
platforms. The show is hosted by stand-up comedian and politics enthusiast Pete Dominick
Pete Dominick
Peter J. Dominick is an American comedian and talk radio personality. Dominick grew up in Marcellus, New York and now lives in Rockland County, New York, a suburb of New York City where he has lived for about 10 years.- Early career :...
and produced by Alfred Schulz, Aaron Hodges, and Brian Dominick
The focus of the three-hour program each day is the politics and current events relevant to the United States, consistent with the motto of the P.O.T.U.S. channel, "Politics of the United States, for the people of the United States."
History
The show was launched February 21, 2008, as Pete's Big Mouth and aired exclusively on SiriusSirius Satellite Radio
Sirius Satellite Radio is a satellite radio service operating in North America, owned by Sirius XM Radio.Headquartered in New York City, with smaller studios in Los Angeles and Memphis, Sirius was officially launched on July 1, 2002 and currently provides 69 streams of music and 65 streams of...
under the now-defunct Indie Talk channel with the team of Pete Dominick as host, Sean Bertollo as executive producer, Aaron Hodges as co-producer, and Alexandra Di Trolio as co-producer and blogcaster.
As a result of the Sirius and XM merger, on November 12, 2008, the Indie Talk channel on Sirius was combined with the P.O.T.U.S. '08 channel on XM to form the current P.O.T.U.S. channel broadcasting on both platforms. Under the new arrangement only two Indie Talk programs were not canceled, The Ron Silver Show (no longer aired) and Pete's Big Mouth, renamed Stand Up! With Pete Dominick with the same structure and format.
Other significant events include:
- 27 November 2008: The official Facebook group was launched.
- February 2009: The official web site was launched. The guest updates were moved to, and the Big Mouth Fans message board was integrated with, the official web site.
The show is not dissimilar from programs that previously ran on Air America (formerly Air America Radio and Air America Media) a now defunct radio station that specialized in progressive talk programming. Ratings for this show are not easy to find and while it has a loyal following of progressive listeners it does not compete with any conservative radio programs.
Program mottos
The mottos for the show are:- "Political talk for the rest of us, this is Stand Up! With Pete Dominick."
- "Get involved. Use your voice. Stand Up! With Pete Dominick, on P.O.T.U.S."
Program summary
The show begins every weekday with Dominick taking less than a minute to introduce the day's programming and guest lineup. Each hour of the program is usually divided into three segments, split up by blogcasts at 20 minutes and 50 minutes after the hour plus syndicated breaking news at the top of the hour from AP Radio News. Every day the show typically features two or three guests interviewed about the important political events of the last few days, often with listeners being encouraged to call in with their questions or comments for the guest at 1-866-96-POTUS (1-866-967-6887) or by email. Where scheduling permits, Dominick opens up the phone lines and/or reads listener emails on a specified topic.Guest interviews
The guests featured on the show are chosen for their unique insight, perspective, or knowledge of current issues and events on state and federal levels. Issues typically covered with guest interviews are: national security, economic policies, state legislation, climate issues, foreign policy, alternative energy sources, state government issues, social policies, etc. Some of the guests that have appeared on the show are:- Michael ScheuerMichael ScheuerMichael F. Scheuer is a former CIA intelligence officer, American blogger, historian, foreign policy critic, and political analyst. He is currently an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Center for Peace and Security Studies...
, former CIA analyst; - Tim WiseTim WiseTimothy Jacob Wise is an American anti-racist activist and writer. Since 1995 he has lectured at over 600 college campuses across the US...
, prominent anti-racist activist and writer; - David KilcullenDavid KilcullenDavid John Kilcullen F.R.G.S is an Australian author and consultant who is a leading theorist on counterinsurgency and counterterrorism. In 2007 he served as the Senior Counterinsurgency Adviser to the Commander of the Multi-National Force - Iraq responsible for planning and executing the Joint...
, former senior counterinsurgency advisor to General David Petraeus; - Bernie SandersBernie SandersBernard "Bernie" Sanders is the junior United States Senator from Vermont. He previously represented Vermont's at-large district in the United States House of Representatives...
, U.S. Senator from Vermont; - Dahr JamailDahr JamailDahr Jamail is an American journalist who is best known as one of the few unembedded journalists to report extensively from Iraq during the 2003 Iraq invasion. He spent eight months in Iraq, between 2003 to 2005, and presented his stories on his website, entitled Dahr Jamail's MidEast Dispatches....
, independent journalist; - Evan WolfsonEvan WolfsonEvan Wolfson is an American civil rights attorney and advocate. He is founder and executive director of Freedom to Marry, a group favoring same-sex marriage in the United States...
, civil rights attorney and advocate; - Barney FrankBarney FrankBarney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
, Congressman from Massachusetts; - Matt TaibbiMatt TaibbiMatthew C. "Matt" Taibbi is an American author and journalist reporting on politics, media, finance, and sports for Rolling Stone and Men's Journal, often in a polemical style. He has also edited and written for The eXile, the New York Press, and The Beast.- Early years :Taibbi grew up in the...
, national affairs correspondent with Rolling Stone; - Ann CoulterAnn CoulterAnn Hart Coulter is an American lawyer, conservative social and political commentator, author, and syndicated columnist. She frequently appears on television, radio, and as a speaker at public events and private events...
, social and political commentator, columnist, and author; - Lloyd ChapmanLloyd ChapmanLloyd Alan Chapman is president and founder of the American Small Business League.-Life and career:Born and raised in Texas, Lloyd began his career working for legendary Texas political leader Bob Bullock. He spent eight years in the Texas Controller’s office, before moving to California in 1986...
, president of the American Small Business League; - Jesse VenturaJesse VenturaJames George Janos , better known as Jesse Ventura, is an American politician, the 38th Governor of Minnesota from 1999 to 2003, Navy UDT veteran, former SEAL reservist, actor, and former radio and television talk show host...
, former governor of Minnesota.
As the program progressed it has had many of the same guests on repeatedly and often; and these repeat guests are supporters of liberal/progressive ideology. While Pete Dominick routinely speaks about his non-bias style and the radio network, P.O.T.U.S., frequently mentions how it is “not red or blue, but red, white and blue” – the show's pattern of having the same liberal/progressive guests on repeatedly demonstrates their selection bias.
For example, Aaron Carrol (associate professor of Pediatrics and the associate director of Children’s Health Services Research at Indiana University School of Medicine) is on the show approximately once a week. Aaron Carrol is an ardent advocate for socialized medicine – single payer healthcare – and the show brings Dr. Carrol on to discuss the costs of healthcare within a variety of topics but it always results in Pete Dominick and Dr. Carrol’s supporting socialized medicine.
Listener call-in
Dominick often stresses the value and importance of listeners calling in to the program because, as he describes it, that is the essence of the show. The phrase "stand up" in the title is intended to reference the "people of the United States" portion of the P.O.T.U.S. motto, with the show functioning as an intersection of the power players making the headlines and the American people they impact. "Political talk for the rest of us" is the guiding principle of the program; the quintessential feature that sets this show apart in the world of talk radio is the sheer number and diversity of callers that are allowed to voice their concerns, with Dominick giving priority to dissenting view points.Blogcasts
Blogcasts are part of channel policy on P.O.T.U.S. They are a collection of blog articles chosen for their interest or relevance value with respect to current events and broadcast by Randy Martin or Patrick Ferrise twice each hour. The blog articles are selected from opposing sides of the political spectrum in order to give a broad, diverse range of views and opinions (e.g., RedStateRedState
RedState is a conservative American political weblog.The site is currently a subsidiary of Eagle Publishing, Inc., a conservative publishing house which also owns Regnery Publishing and the weekly magazine Human Events...
, ThinkProgress
Center for American Progress
The Center for American Progress is a progressive public policy research and advocacy organization. Its website states that the organization is "dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through progressive ideas and action." It has its headquarters in Washington D.C.Its President and Chief...
, PajamasMedia, Firedoglake
Firedoglake
Firedoglake is a US collaborative blog which primarily specialises in covering news from a left-progressive/left-liberal stance...
, etc.) in accordance with channel policy.
Important breaks
Also consistent with channel policy on P.O.T.U.S., the program will break for "live and unfiltered" coverage of speeches by President Barack Obama or White House press briefings by Press Secretary Jay Carney, if any should be issued during the show's late afternoon broadcast.Regular segments
The show also features three regularly scheduled entertaining segments:- 1. Daily the show features the currently most popular threads on the message board being highlighted, to bring them to the attention of the listening audience and encourage participation on the message boards.
- 2. On Wednesdays the show features "Check Your Priorities," a segment that explores how "the most popular and most widely read stories on the internet aren't always the most important" with Dominick, Aaron Hodges, and Brian Dominick examining these stories with humorous banter, which is then followed by a description of "the stories we think you should be paying attention to."
- 3. On Fridays the show features "D.O.T.U.S. of the Week" at the close of the show, where listeners can call in to cast their vote for the week's biggest idiot, as it were. The fun and light-hearted contest of nominees are chosen by staff plus a selected listener nomination, for a total of four nominees who have in some way done or said something rather stupid that week. The nominee with the highest number of votes is crowned the D.O.T.U.S. of the Week. (On a humorous note, people are prohibited from nominating former Vice President Dick Cheney—because he always won.)
- 4 The show also features occasionally a segment titled "United States of Apathy," where one of the staff or a listener chooses a person they think is not informed enough about political facts or current events, who is then tested with a series of trivia questions pertaining to the politics of the United States, usually with humorous results.