The Howie Carr Show
Encyclopedia
The Howie Carr Show is an American radio talk-show
presented by journalist
and author
Howie Carr
. Its flagship station is WRKO AM 680
, based in Boston, Massachusetts, on which the show airs every weekday between 3 and 7 PM
. It is syndicated throughout northern New England
and northeastern New York by Entercom Communications
, which owns WRKO, and can be heard via live streaming on Carr's website. Carr is on contract with Entercom through Fall, 2012.
in 1994) at WRKO
-AM 680 in Boston, Massachusetts
. He took over the afternoon drive-time slot from Jerry Williams
, on whose show Carr often made appearances, originally during a segment called "The Governors," with Williams and anti-tax advocate Barbara Anderson.
. The local experiment was such a success that, in January 1998, ABC
Radio Today started syndicating the show nationally. The show did not sustain a large nationwide following and syndication was handed over to SupeRadio. In 2005, Entercom Communications took over syndication and the show was only offered to New England stations.
station WTKK
. On September 19, 2007, the show went on hiatus, as Carr's contract expired and a court barred him from moving to WTKK, whose contract offer WRKO had matched. On November 16, Carr resumed hosting on WRKO, under a contract expiring in 2012.
Carr often disparages Entercom on the air, sometimes reacting to equipment failures by saying "Entercom happens" (adapting the expression "shit happens"). Carr was suspended for the week beginning April 16, 2010 for such remarks, though the penalty was concurrent with a scheduled vacation.
and irony
, with occasional interaction with producers, with which to encourage live caller participation. Invited guests are sometimes featured. Carr's most common themes, as at the Boston Herald, are organized crime
and elected officials, which he describes in similar terms. Carr's language incorporates notorious local malapropism
s, such as that of former city councillor Frederick C. Langone in referring to fresh vegetables not as crudités but "CRUD-ites."
s and promotions
.
Carr gives nicknames to the show's producer
and to other personnel such as board
operators. The producer is Nancy "Sandy" Shack, who was Dick Syatt’s producer during his dating show. Doug ("Virgin Boy" or "V.B.") Goudie was Carr's former producer, and left to be an on-air commentator for the Fox 25 Morning News on WFXT
. The show's first producer was Kevin Straley, known on-air as "Little Al". The name was derived from a ruse about the then-program director Al Mayers ("Big Al"). Straley is presently a Vice President at XM Radio; Mayers is the General Manager of Bloomberg Radio in New York City.
Carr's substitute hosts include Colonel David Hunt, Avi Nelson, and former WRKO host Michele McPhee
.
WEEI
. The Chump Line is available as a download from WRKO's website.
The feature ends with a message, as might be heard on an answering machine
: "Thank you for calling Howie Carr -- you chump!" The voice is that of a former summer intern named Trish; when originally recorded, Carr explained away the fact that she, not being a member of the AFTRA guild, was not permitted to work on-air.
Approximately one Friday per month, John de Jong, D.V.M., billed as "the official veterinarian
of The Howie Carr Show," answers pet-related questions for one hour late during the show.
s or other materials promoting a book Carr has written, or other promotional gifts that WRKO has acquired. Carr sometimes sarcastically overstates the desirability of the prizes.
Death Pool
When someone has won the previous "death pool," Carr dedicates an entire hour to a new pool, in which callers can select a person in the public eye
who will be the next to die. The first such death results in the declaration of a winner.
Dead or Alive
In some segments, Carr invites listeners to guess if a past or present celebrity is dead or alive.
Police Blotter Fax Fridays
Each Friday, Carr reads humorous police log or blotter
reports that listeners have submitted via fax or e-mail, and awards prizes for the two funniest entries.
"Wizard of Uhs"
In the "Wizard of Uhs" segment, Carr used to play about thirty seconds of a speech of Joe Kennedy, then of late Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy
until his death. The prize went to the first listener to correctly count the number of stutters in the sound clip.
A comparable current feature, though it does not involve listener input, is "Mumbles," that being Carr's nickname for Boston mayor Thomas M. Menino. In these segments, Carr tries to decipher from a sound clip Menino's mispronunciations and malapropisms.
attacks, and surveys empty shelves at local supermarkets and encourages listeners to hoard perishables. The segment satirizes media coverage, and residents' behavior, during major weather events.
Carr sometimes reports controversy involving U.S. Senator John Kerry
using a voice that purports to be Kerry's, but is in fact a closer approximation of Jim Backus
' character Thurston Howell III on the Gilligan's Island
TV sit-com--including references to Kerry's wife as "Lovey."
When reading news from the United Kingdom
, Carr may pretend to be a correspondent named Gormley with a bad Cockney
accent.
opinion. For example, news of crime involving rap or hip-hop artists, professional athletes, or politicians is often preceded by, "Try not to let the following news ruin your faith in the integrity of" the respective community. Stories about crime involving a vehicle or an unusual weapon elicit the line, "How many more must die, Mr. Speaker
?"--a satire of legislators who stress the need to act before the next casualty.
Untimely deaths are treated with zeal with clichés or recurring newspaper headlines ("standing heads"): The victim "was turning his life around" or his mother said he was on the verge of becoming a rap artist. If a vehicle was involved, Carr may ask whether alcohol was a factor, as though composing a police report. That a person "won't be down for breakfast" is a favorite euphemism
for death.
Another frequent topic is the phenomenon of illegal alien
s, especially when they receive preferential treatment. Carr's general support for the Republican Party
allowed an exception for George W. Bush
's guest worker proposal. When Bush explained that aliens "do the jobs that Americans won't do," Carr began mocking Bush by appending to stories about crimes committed by illegal aliens a comment that "they are only here to commit the crimes Americans can't be bothered committing." Carr often comments about proposals to regularize illegal aliens, such as with the Dream Act
, by stating, "I don't want any special favors; just treat me like an illegal alien." Carr sarcastically uses common euphemisms for illegal aliens, such as "temporary guest worker" or "undocumented American."
Carr uses recurring slogans to give a cynical view of life in general:
Carr uses irony
, such as the line, "I'm shocked. Shocked!" (from the movie Casablanca) to describe something totally predictable; or that a politically guided personnel appointment was made "after a nationwide search." When persuading someone, as with Honest Howie's Carbon Credits
, he often says, "You can trust me: I'm not like the others." When a caller delivers a rhetorical blow, Carr's signature retort is: "I didn't come here to be made sport of."
of The Howie Carr Show," adding, "Now no one will know your identity." The "program" is a cheesy 1950s sci-fi sound effect
that actually does nothing to obscure the caller's voice.
list of the 2009 "Heavy Hundred." The list ranks what the magazine considers the most popular, influential, or entertaining talk-show hosts from around the country. He also once received special recognition from State Representative Chris Greeley
from the Maine Legislature
, in the form of a Legislative Sentiment.
Carr has been inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
— Show is streamed via the internet.
WATR
in Waterbury, Connecticut
, also carried the show sometime in the late 1990s or early 2000s.
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
presented by journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Howie Carr
Howie Carr
Howard Louis "Howie" Carr, Jr. is an American journalist, author, and conservative radio talk-show host based in Boston with a listening audience rooted in New England.-Radio:...
. Its flagship station is WRKO AM 680
WRKO
WRKO is a radio station based in Boston, Massachusetts, currently owned by Entercom. Its transmitter is located in Burlington, Massachusetts, next to the Burlington Mall.-1920-1940:...
, based in Boston, Massachusetts, on which the show airs every weekday between 3 and 7 PM
12-hour clock
The 12-hour clock is a time conversion convention in which the 24 hours of the day are divided into two periods called ante meridiem and post meridiem...
. It is syndicated throughout northern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and northeastern New York by Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States....
, which owns WRKO, and can be heard via live streaming on Carr's website. Carr is on contract with Entercom through Fall, 2012.
History
Carr has had a radio talk show since the 1980s, first at WHDH-AM 850, then (when WHDH became WEEIWEEI
WEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
in 1994) at WRKO
WRKO
WRKO is a radio station based in Boston, Massachusetts, currently owned by Entercom. Its transmitter is located in Burlington, Massachusetts, next to the Burlington Mall.-1920-1940:...
-AM 680 in Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He took over the afternoon drive-time slot from Jerry Williams
Jerry Williams (radio)
Jerry Williams was an American radio host, one of the originators of the talk radio format.His radio career spanned more than 50 years, beginning in 1946 at WCYB near the Tennessee/Virginia border,...
, on whose show Carr often made appearances, originally during a segment called "The Governors," with Williams and anti-tax advocate Barbara Anderson.
Syndication
In September 1996, the show experimented with local syndication, sending the show out via ISDN connections to a group of stations around New EnglandNew England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. The local experiment was such a success that, in January 1998, ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
Radio Today started syndicating the show nationally. The show did not sustain a large nationwide following and syndication was handed over to SupeRadio. In 2005, Entercom Communications took over syndication and the show was only offered to New England stations.
Relation with Entercom
On July 9, 2007, Carr announced he was terminating his relationship with WRKO when his contract expired in September 2007 and would begin hosting a weekday morning program on FMFrequency modulation
In telecommunications and signal processing, frequency modulation conveys information over a carrier wave by varying its instantaneous frequency. This contrasts with amplitude modulation, in which the amplitude of the carrier is varied while its frequency remains constant...
station WTKK
WTKK
WTKK is a New England commercial talk radio station, first broadcast out of Boston on 96.9 FM beginning in 1999. It can be heard in eastern Massachusetts, the northernmost area of Rhode Island, southern New Hampshire, and southern Maine...
. On September 19, 2007, the show went on hiatus, as Carr's contract expired and a court barred him from moving to WTKK, whose contract offer WRKO had matched. On November 16, Carr resumed hosting on WRKO, under a contract expiring in 2012.
Carr often disparages Entercom on the air, sometimes reacting to equipment failures by saying "Entercom happens" (adapting the expression "shit happens"). Carr was suspended for the week beginning April 16, 2010 for such remarks, though the penalty was concurrent with a scheduled vacation.
Show features
The show is based on a monologue heavy on sarcasmSarcasm
Sarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt.” Though irony and understatement is usually the immediate context, most authorities distinguish sarcasm from irony; however, others argue that sarcasm may or often does involve irony or employs...
and irony
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
, with occasional interaction with producers, with which to encourage live caller participation. Invited guests are sometimes featured. Carr's most common themes, as at the Boston Herald, are organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
and elected officials, which he describes in similar terms. Carr's language incorporates notorious local malapropism
Malapropism
A malapropism is an act of misusing or the habitual misuse of similar sounding words, especially with humorous results. An example is Yogi Berra's statement: "Texas has a lot of electrical votes," rather than "electoral votes".-Etymology:...
s, such as that of former city councillor Frederick C. Langone in referring to fresh vegetables not as crudités but "CRUD-ites."
Personnel
Long-time Boston media host Dana Hersey introduces Carr and occasionally does other voice-overVoice-over
Voice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
s and promotions
Promotional recording
A promotional recording, or promo, is an audio or video recording distributed for free, usually in order to promote a recording that is or soon will be commercially available...
.
Carr gives nicknames to the show's producer
Radio producer
A radio producer oversees the making of a radio show. There are two main types of producer. An audio or creative producer and a content producer. Audio producers create sounds and audio specifically, content producers oversee and orchestrate a radio show or feature...
and to other personnel such as board
Mixing console
In professional audio, a mixing console, or audio mixer, also called a sound board, mixing desk, or mixer is an electronic device for combining , routing, and changing the level, timbre and/or dynamics of audio signals. A mixer can mix analog or digital signals, depending on the type of mixer...
operators. The producer is Nancy "Sandy" Shack, who was Dick Syatt’s producer during his dating show. Doug ("Virgin Boy" or "V.B.") Goudie was Carr's former producer, and left to be an on-air commentator for the Fox 25 Morning News on WFXT
WFXT
WFXT is a television station owned and operated by the News Corporation-owned Fox Broadcasting Company, located in Boston, Massachusetts. The station's studio and office facility is in Dedham, Massachusetts, and its transmitter is located in Needham, Massachusetts...
. The show's first producer was Kevin Straley, known on-air as "Little Al". The name was derived from a ruse about the then-program director Al Mayers ("Big Al"). Straley is presently a Vice President at XM Radio; Mayers is the General Manager of Bloomberg Radio in New York City.
Carr's substitute hosts include Colonel David Hunt, Avi Nelson, and former WRKO host Michele McPhee
Michele McPhee
Michele McPhee is an American author, talk radio host, and newspaper reporter. She currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts.-Career:A native of Boston, Massachusetts, McPhee was named the first female police bureau chief for the New York Daily News, where she worked for nearly 10 years...
.
The "Chump Line"
Listeners can call Carr's voice mail service, the "Chump Line" (+1 617-779-3469). Selected messages are played at the start of the show's third hour (which starts at 5:07 pm). Carr has stated that others have copied his format, alluding to The Whiner Line on WRKO's sister stationSister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio and/or television stations operated by the same ownership....
WEEI
WEEI
WEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
. The Chump Line is available as a download from WRKO's website.
The feature ends with a message, as might be heard on an answering machine
Answering machine
The answering machine or message machine, also known as the telephone answering machine in the UK and some Commonwealth countries) and previously known as an ansaphone, ansafone, or telephone answering device is a device for answering telephones and recording callers' messages.Unlike voicemail,...
: "Thank you for calling Howie Carr -- you chump!" The voice is that of a former summer intern named Trish; when originally recorded, Carr explained away the fact that she, not being a member of the AFTRA guild, was not permitted to work on-air.
Regular guests
On Mondays, J. Max Robins, of the website MediaZulu and vice president of the Paley Center for Media, answers listeners' questions on television programming.Approximately one Friday per month, John de Jong, D.V.M., billed as "the official veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
of The Howie Carr Show," answers pet-related questions for one hour late during the show.
Listener contests
Carr occasionally dedicates segments or entire hours to contests for listeners to win prizes. The prizes are sometimes gift certificates from sponsors, but may be T-shirtT-shirt
A T-shirt is a style of shirt. A T-shirt is buttonless and collarless, with short sleeves and frequently a round neck line....
s or other materials promoting a book Carr has written, or other promotional gifts that WRKO has acquired. Carr sometimes sarcastically overstates the desirability of the prizes.
Death Pool
When someone has won the previous "death pool," Carr dedicates an entire hour to a new pool, in which callers can select a person in the public eye
Public Eye
Public Eye is a British television series that ran from 1965 to 1975 . It was produced by ABC Television for three series, and Thames Television for a further four series...
who will be the next to die. The first such death results in the declaration of a winner.
Dead or Alive
In some segments, Carr invites listeners to guess if a past or present celebrity is dead or alive.
Police Blotter Fax Fridays
Each Friday, Carr reads humorous police log or blotter
Blotter
Blotter can mean several things:-*For a desk blotter, see desk pad*For blotter acid, see LSD*For an antique blotter associated with a quill pen, see fountain pen and blotting paper....
reports that listeners have submitted via fax or e-mail, and awards prizes for the two funniest entries.
"Wizard of Uhs"
In the "Wizard of Uhs" segment, Carr used to play about thirty seconds of a speech of Joe Kennedy, then of late Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy
Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. Serving almost 47 years, he was the second most senior member of the Senate when he died and is the fourth-longest-serving senator in United States history...
until his death. The prize went to the first listener to correctly count the number of stutters in the sound clip.
A comparable current feature, though it does not involve listener input, is "Mumbles," that being Carr's nickname for Boston mayor Thomas M. Menino. In these segments, Carr tries to decipher from a sound clip Menino's mispronunciations and malapropisms.
Illegal-immigrant driver roll call
Carr often reports traffic violators with Hispanic names from police blotters. The drivers have typically driven without a valid license, proof of insurance, and/or valid registration. The treatment implies that they are illegal aliens, and such segments often coincide with discussion of a new immigration proposal. The segment was introduced in August 2006, when issuance of drivers' licenses to illegals was an issue in the campaign for governor.Alternate personas
During actual or predicted bad weather, Carr "interviews" himself in the guise of Biff Buffington. Biff reports live from alongside the Massachusetts Turnpike during snowstorms, documents polar-bearPolar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
attacks, and surveys empty shelves at local supermarkets and encourages listeners to hoard perishables. The segment satirizes media coverage, and residents' behavior, during major weather events.
Carr sometimes reports controversy involving U.S. Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
using a voice that purports to be Kerry's, but is in fact a closer approximation of Jim Backus
Jim Backus
James Gilmore "Jim" Backus was a radio, television, film, and voice actor. Among his most famous roles are the voice of Mr...
' character Thurston Howell III on the Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island is an American television series created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz and originally produced by United Artists Television. The situation comedy series featured Bob Denver; Alan Hale, Jr.; Jim Backus; Natalie Schafer; Tina Louise; Russell Johnson; and Dawn Wells. It aired for...
TV sit-com--including references to Kerry's wife as "Lovey."
When reading news from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Carr may pretend to be a correspondent named Gormley with a bad Cockney
Cockney
The term Cockney has both geographical and linguistic associations. Geographically and culturally, it often refers to working class Londoners, particularly those in the East End...
accent.
Catch phrases
Carr often reads clips of current news, usually accompanied by his own sarcasticSarcasm
Sarcasm is “a sharp, bitter, or cutting expression or remark; a bitter jibe or taunt.” Though irony and understatement is usually the immediate context, most authorities distinguish sarcasm from irony; however, others argue that sarcasm may or often does involve irony or employs...
opinion. For example, news of crime involving rap or hip-hop artists, professional athletes, or politicians is often preceded by, "Try not to let the following news ruin your faith in the integrity of" the respective community. Stories about crime involving a vehicle or an unusual weapon elicit the line, "How many more must die, Mr. Speaker
Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
The Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives...
?"--a satire of legislators who stress the need to act before the next casualty.
Untimely deaths are treated with zeal with clichés or recurring newspaper headlines ("standing heads"): The victim "was turning his life around" or his mother said he was on the verge of becoming a rap artist. If a vehicle was involved, Carr may ask whether alcohol was a factor, as though composing a police report. That a person "won't be down for breakfast" is a favorite euphemism
Euphemism
A euphemism is the substitution of a mild, inoffensive, relatively uncontroversial phrase for another more frank expression that might offend or otherwise suggest something unpleasant to the audience...
for death.
Another frequent topic is the phenomenon of illegal alien
Illegal Alien
Illegal Alien or Illegal Aliens may refer to:* Alien , legal concept of legality of aliens* Illegal Aliens , a 2007 film starring Anna Nicole Smith and Chyna...
s, especially when they receive preferential treatment. Carr's general support for the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
allowed an exception for George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's guest worker proposal. When Bush explained that aliens "do the jobs that Americans won't do," Carr began mocking Bush by appending to stories about crimes committed by illegal aliens a comment that "they are only here to commit the crimes Americans can't be bothered committing." Carr often comments about proposals to regularize illegal aliens, such as with the Dream Act
DREAM Act
The DREAM Act is an American legislative proposal first introduced in the Senate on August 1, 2001 and most recently reintroduced there on May 11, 2011....
, by stating, "I don't want any special favors; just treat me like an illegal alien." Carr sarcastically uses common euphemisms for illegal aliens, such as "temporary guest worker" or "undocumented American."
Carr uses recurring slogans to give a cynical view of life in general:
- "No good deed goes unpunished" regarding the apparent futility of doing good works.
- "Never write if you can speak; never speak if you can nod; never nod if you can wink," attributed to Massachusetts political bossPolitical bossA boss, in politics, is a person who wields the power over a particular political region or constituency. Bosses may dictate voting patterns, control appointments, and wield considerable influence in other political processes. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves...
Martin LomasneyMartin LomasneyMartin Michael Lomasney was a Massachusetts politician. He served as State Senator, State Representative, and Alderman...
. Used when a politician damages his own career with notorious disclosures. - "Nothing is on the level. Everything is a deal. No deal is too small" are Carr's "three rules" regarding lawmaking in Massachusetts. His corresponding theory on the state's judiciary is a quotation of Lenny BruceLenny BruceLeonard Alfred Schneider , better known by the stage name Lenny Bruce, was a Jewish-American comedian, social critic and satirist...
: "In the Halls of Justice, the only justice is in the hall."
Carr uses irony
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
, such as the line, "I'm shocked. Shocked!" (from the movie Casablanca) to describe something totally predictable; or that a politically guided personnel appointment was made "after a nationwide search." When persuading someone, as with Honest Howie's Carbon Credits
Carbon credit
A carbon credit is a generic term for any tradable certificate or permit representing the right to emit one tonne of carbon dioxide or the mass of another greenhouse gas with a carbon dioxide equivalent equivalent to one tonne of carbon dioxide....
, he often says, "You can trust me: I'm not like the others." When a caller delivers a rhetorical blow, Carr's signature retort is: "I didn't come here to be made sport of."
Recurring sound effects
- On self-inflicted deaths that are particularly senseless, a sound clip of a Ted KnightTed KnightTed Knight was an American actor best known for playing the comedic role of Ted Baxter on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Henry Rush on Too Close for Comfort, and Judge Elihu Smails in Caddyshack.- Early years :...
laugh may be used; Carr asks his producer for it by asking, "Is Ted in the house?" - "Do you know who I am?"--a clip of Mo Greene in The GodfatherThe GodfatherThe Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, based on the 1969 novel by Mario Puzo. With a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola and an uncredited Robert Towne, the film stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard...
--is often played when someone takes advantage of his political connections. - "Everything free in America"--a clip of part of the song AmericaAmerica (West Side Story song)"America" is a well-known song from the musical West Side Story. Leonard Bernstein composed the music; Stephen Sondheim wrote the song's lyrics...
from West Side StoryWest Side StoryWest Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
--may be played when discussing entitlement programs or proposals for illegal aliens. - After each traffic violation by a presumably illegal driver with a Hispanic name (see above), a sound clip of a car horn playing the first few bars of La CucarachaLa Cucaracha"La Cucaracha" is a traditional Spanish folk corrido that became popular in Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. It has additionally become a verse played on car horns.-Origins:...
is used. - A sound effect suggesting strong wind accompanies the reports of "Biff Buffington" (see above).
- After police-blotter stories involving a naked man (there are many), a clip of the chorus of Randy NewmanRandy NewmanRandall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
's Naked Man is played: "Beware, beware, beware of the naked man."
The voice-changer
Callers wishing to report unsavory or embarrassing details about themselves or others can request the "voice-changer." Carr introduces "the Witness Protection ProgramUnited States Federal Witness Protection Program
The United States Federal Witness Protection Program is a witness protection program administered by the United States Department of Justice and operated by the United States Marshals Service that is designed to protect threatened witnesses before, during, and after a trial.A few states, including...
of The Howie Carr Show," adding, "Now no one will know your identity." The "program" is a cheesy 1950s sci-fi sound effect
Sound effect
For the album by The Jam, see Sound Affects.Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced sounds, or sound processes used to emphasize artistic or other content of films, television shows, live performance, animation, video games, music, or other media...
that actually does nothing to obscure the caller's voice.
Awards and recognition
Carr placed 56th on the trade journal Talkers MagazineTalkers magazine
Talkers Magazine is a trade industry publication related to talk radio in the United States. Its slogan is "The Bible of Talk Radio and the New Talk Media"...
list of the 2009 "Heavy Hundred." The list ranks what the magazine considers the most popular, influential, or entertaining talk-show hosts from around the country. He also once received special recognition from State Representative Chris Greeley
Chris Greeley
Christian D. "Chris" Greeley is a former representative in the Maine state legislature. He is a Republican. He represented District 22 in the House of Representatives for four consecutive two-year terms, from 2002 to 2010, at which point he was prohibited from running again by term limits.He is a...
from the Maine Legislature
Maine Legislature
The Maine Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Maine. It is a bicameral body composed of the lower house Maine House of Representatives and the upper house Maine Senate...
, in the form of a Legislative Sentiment.
Carr has been inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.
Affiliates
Carr's program is broadcast on eleven stations:| Calls | Frequency | Branding | Format | Market/Market Rank | Timeslot | Group Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WGAN WGAN WGAN is an American AM radio station licensed to Portland, Maine and owned by Saga Communications. It is located at 560 on the AM band. The current format is News/Talk, with local news being provided by a small local staff and national news provided by CBS and CNN Radio.The station was founded in... |
560 kHz | News Radio 560 WGAN | News/Talk | Portland, ME Portland, Maine Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000... / 167 |
Live 3P-6P | Saga Communications Saga Communications Saga Communications is a broadcasting company that owns and operates stations in 26 markets in the United States. The company, which is based in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, primarily operates radio stations , but it also operates 9 television stations Saga Communications is a broadcasting... |
| WHYN | 560 kHz | News/Talk 560 WHYN | News/Talk | Springfield, MA Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern... / 84 |
Live 3P-7P | Clear Channel Communications Clear Channel Communications Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008... |
| WVMT WVMT WVMT is an English-language American radio station located in Burlington, Vermont.Owned and operated by local businessman Paul S. Goldman, it broadcasts on 620 kHz with a power of 5,000 watts as a class B station, using a directional antenna with slightly different daytime and nighttime directional... |
620 kHz | News/Talk 620 WVMT | News/Talk | Burlington-Plattsburgh, VT Vermont Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England... -NY New York New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... / 138 |
Live 3P-7P | Sison Broadcasting |
| WRKO WRKO WRKO is a radio station based in Boston, Massachusetts, currently owned by Entercom. Its transmitter is located in Burlington, Massachusetts, next to the Burlington Mall.-1920-1940:... |
680 kHz | AM 680 WRKO |
News/Talk | Boston, MA / 11 | Live 3P-7P | Entercom Communications Entercom Communications Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States.... |
| WCRN WCRN WCRN is an AM radio station in Worcester, Massachusetts, owned by Carter Broadcasting.The station broadcasts at 830 AM at a transmitter power output of 50,000 watts and can be heard from Maine to Providence, Rhode Island, and from Boston to Springfield, Massachusetts... |
830 kHz | WCRN 830 True Talk |
News/Talk | Worcester, MA Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston.... / |
Live 3P-7P | Carter Broadcasting Carter Broadcasting Carter Broadcasting is a New England based broadcasting group owned by Ken Carberry. Its headquarters are in Braintree, Massachusetts.-Massachusetts :*WACE/730: Chicopee*WCRN/830: Worcester-References:**... |
| WKBK WKBK WKBK is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Keene, New Hampshire, USA, the station is currently owned by Monadnock Radio Group and licensed to Saga Communications of New England, LLC and features programming from Westwood One, CBS Radio and Premiere Radio... |
1290 kHz | 1290 WKBK W281AU 104.1 |
News/Talk | Keene, NH Keene, New Hampshire Keene is a city in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 23,409 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cheshire County.Keene is home to Keene State College and Antioch University New England, and hosts the annual Pumpkin Fest... / 190 |
Live 3P-6P | Saga Communications Saga Communications Saga Communications is a broadcasting company that owns and operates stations in 26 markets in the United States. The company, which is based in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, primarily operates radio stations , but it also operates 9 television stations Saga Communications is a broadcasting... |
| WEGP WEGP WEGP is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Presque Isle, Maine, USA, the station serves the Northern Maine, Western New Brunswick, and Downeast area. The station is currently owned by Northern Maine Broadcasting Inc... |
1390 kHz | WEGP 1390AM - The Talk of the County | News/Talk | Aroostook County (Presque Isle), ME Aroostook County, Maine Aroostook County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. In 2010, its population was 71,870. In land area, it is the largest county in the state and the largest U.S. county east of the Mississippi River. Its seat is Houlton... / --- |
Live 3P-6P | Decelles/Media, Inc. |
| WXTK WXTK WXTK , known as "95 WXTK Newsradio", is a news/talk radio station licensed to West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, and headquartered in Hyannis, Massachusetts... |
95.1 MHz | News Radio 95 WXTK | News/Talk | Cape Cod, MA / 189 | Live 3P-7P | Qantam of Cape Cod, LLC |
| WNTK-FM WNTK-FM WNTK-FM is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to New London, New Hampshire, USA, the station serves the Lebanon-Rutland-White River Junction area. The station is currently owned by Sheila E. Vinikoor and features programming from ABC Radio , Westwood One and AP... |
99.7 MHz | WNTK Talk Radio |
News/Talk | Lebanon Lebanon, New Hampshire As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile... -Rutland-White River Junction White River Junction, Vermont White River Junction is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the town of Hartford in Windsor County, Vermont, United States... , NH New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian... -VT Vermont Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England... / 179 |
Live 3P-6P | Koor Communications |
| (WUVR | 1490 kHz) | |||||
| WVOM WVOM WVOM is an FM radio station located at 103.9 MHz, owned by Blueberry Broadcasting. WVOM and the other 16 Clear Channel stations in Maine were sold in August 2008 to Maine-based Blueberry Broadcasting which is headed by Louis Vitale and Bruce Biette... |
101.3/103.9 MHz | WVOM - The Voice of Maine | News/Talk | Bangor, ME Bangor, Maine Bangor is a city in and the county seat of Penobscot County, Maine, United States, and the major commercial and cultural center for eastern and northern Maine... / 220 |
Live 3P-7P | Blueberry Broadcasting Blueberry Broadcasting Bluberry Broadcasting is a Kennebunkport, Maine based media company owning 17 radio stations throughout the state of Maine. The company is headed by Bruce Biette, vice president and CEO, and Louis Vitali, President. Studios are located in Augusta and Bangor.... |
— Show is streamed via the internet.WATR
WATR
WATR is a radio station licensed to serve Waterbury, Connecticut. The station is owned by WATR, Inc. It airs a News/Talk plus Oldies music format...
in Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
, also carried the show sometime in the late 1990s or early 2000s.