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TV, radio, film, Arts

Steve Allen has left LBC

(106 Posts)
welbeck Sat 25-Feb-23 01:38:03

suddenly. no real reason given.
anyone live in twickenham or work in greggs there with an ear on the ground as to why ?

BlueBelle Sun 26-Feb-23 19:50:31

No thanks I m very glad he’s gone just wasn’t soon enough thsnks

Fleurpepper Sun 26-Feb-23 17:21:43

Apologies as this is not the subject of the thread, but if anyone wants to see the Ferrari / Pandolfo interview, here it is

youtu.be/0S1yn-7SFGc

There is a petition going around to bring Steve Allen back if you want to support him.

Fleurpepper Sun 26-Feb-23 17:19:35

BlueBelle

I ve never heard nick Farrari seem to show genuine empathy unless it completely fits his thinking though Fanny he’s very single minded but at least hes intelligent

Only once. When he interviewed Nick Pandolfo of Dignity in Dying. Nick has a form of slow progressing Alzheimers, and has helped many travel to Switzerland to die, and intends to do the same himself. Nick was very moved and truly empathetic with Nick- I was so so surprised, and ever since then, despite his Brexiter views, my opinion has changed.

At the end of the interview he asked Alex when you go to Switzerland, can I accompany you, please?' and Alex agreed.

FishandChips15 Sun 26-Feb-23 17:19:33

BlueBelle I never said I agreed with his comments especially about the celebs I mentioned.

BlueBelle Sun 26-Feb-23 17:11:23

How can you excuse such unkindness Fishandchips
He didn’t just slip an odd nasty quip in he went on and on and was about as unkind as anyone can be if you relate that to humour I don’t agree at all
Yes ridicule is the right word and you find that funny and acceptable ?? Wow

FishandChips15 Sun 26-Feb-23 16:58:13

I have listened to Steve since the beginning. I take most of what he says as tongue in cheek. Anything to shock and make you laugh. I will miss him.

I remember when he used to ridicule Posh, Gemma Collins, Kerry Katona, etc.

Can anyone remember any other presenters that have vanished? One was called something Wolf an American. Another was a recovering gambler. A Greek man.

I enjoy Clive Bull, Nick Abbott, Shelagh and think James O'Brian likes the sound of his own voice and won't let anyone else speak.

FannyCornforth Sun 26-Feb-23 15:46:58

wlu7 in spite of everything I have said against Steve, I will miss him too.
I suppose that I got angry with him as he let himself down so much.
He should have fought the ‘bitter ild Queen’ stuff and just been himself.
I think that he was ultimately uncomfortable with his sexuality and his relationships with his family, and tried to overcome it in a way that wasn’t healthy.
The more I think about it, the more I think about how he has been treated by Global.
They encouraged his schtick until it didn’t suit them.
They should have allowed him to bow out with some sort of grace.

w1u7 Sun 26-Feb-23 14:52:02

I will miss Steve.When I was ill with cancer,he got me through some very long nights. He was funny and he lived to work. He hated holidays. I know not everybody liked him but he had a huge following.

BlueBelle Sun 26-Feb-23 14:15:27

I didn’t hear the rant about Sam Smith Fanny but it sounds exactly what he would say Such a vitriolic, bitter man who passed it all off as being jolly and funny and generous and anyone who didn’t like it was, ‘woke and stupid’ and no one could disagree as he would never do a ring in and if anyone texted in any criticism he banned their number.

The problem is he was/ is such a dangerous man, as like Trump he has a huge following of people that thought he was the ‘cats whiskers’ and this is the way the bitter hatred is passed on and on, person to person generation to generation
He was also quite unintelligent and often gave out completely false information
He s lasted 40 years too long in my opinion

FannyCornforth Sun 26-Feb-23 13:02:59

Being incredibly sad (as in no life, not as in distraught), I’ve just listened to his final show (again) and what he said above Sam Smith.

He repeatedly ‘misgendered’ Smith and said; ‘my advice is to not book him for anything. Don’t book him for shows, don’t book him for interviews. Don’t let him publicise anything. That way he cannot make himself look stupid’

If it’s true that this was the final straw, it’s shocking that it was this, after all the thousands of insults, poison and vile he has poured onto women and ethnic groups in particular over the years.
In fact, poured over pretty much everyone.
His official tagline on the website was ‘no one is safe from this man’s tongue’

FannyCornforth Sun 26-Feb-23 09:05:15

Broadcaster, not broadband of course

FannyCornforth Sun 26-Feb-23 09:03:39

Like you BlueBelle, I think that he should have been reined in much sooner.

I do think that he has been ‘nicer’ recently, which is why my attitude to him as mellowed, which you rightly picked up on.

A couple of years ago they made him have two producers, one to solely operate the dump button.

As I said, I remember when he referred to some immigrants as ‘rapists’ and his comment to Cristo was beyond belief.

(I have recently discovered that Steve got Cristo removed from LBC. I used to really enjoy Cristo’s shows. A really nice bloke. Steve was probably jealous.)

In fact, I think that most of Steve’s issues come down to jealousy.
It’s quite a tragic end really.
But, as BB has said, he bought it all on himself, and he had a bloody long run.

I think that the old saying about ‘being kind to people on the way up, as you’ll meet them again coming down’ is crucial to his current predicament.

He was always boasting about what a fabulous relationship he had with the boss James Rae, but there’s no evidence of that on how he’s been treated.
I can only think that he was on ‘a warning’ and has blown it.
It could well be his comments about Sam Smith on his (what was to be, unknown to Steve) final show.

Another thing that springs to mind is what an incredibly lazy broadband he was, simply repeating the same old guff every single day.

For someone who reckoned his job was to read the papers and be knowledgeable about popular culture (‘I’m light ent’ as he constantly reminded us) he knew pretty much naff all.

And his lack of research for ‘In Conversation’ was blindingly obvious, and those interviews were an embarrassment to LBC.
And don’t get me started on when he pretended to write that book, ‘So you want to be a celebrity’…

TerriT Sun 26-Feb-23 08:51:43

He was all those things and I’m also amazed no one sued him. Like politicians I suppose, they have a love affai with themselves but aren’t aware of it. Your comment about using the non woke term and accuse those who use it as sneering is exactly why I said what I did.

BlueBelle Sun 26-Feb-23 08:38:47

It’s not to do with ‘Non woke’ comments TerriT how I hate that sneering term, woke is just an invisible modern term for being kind, considerate, caring.

Steve allen held himself up as extremely generous but that generosity always had to be pointed out, had to be discussed ‘ I bring the boys in sweets/ cakes/ biscuits every day I ll give this I ll give that, always discussed ….a truly generous person will do it without discussion
He was cruel about anyone he took a dislike too with nasty little comments not just a simple remark sneaked in, but a full blown rant about someone being too fat, ugly, a dreadful singer, weak, poor at their job, looking dreadful etc etc and it went on and on like he was on a mission. Unkind in extreme

He was a braggart always talking about how his car was better than everyone’s else, he d got more money, his everything was bigger, better or more, he had more friends went to more meals out, more shows etc
He went on about his health problems and literally saying things that would put people off going for help if they thought they had something ‘oh I ve had 8 stents fitted it’s nothing I don’t bother about it’ ‘I take 20 tablets a day but who cares’ ‘Haha I eat and drink all sorts and I have diabetes hahaha’

I am just amazed he had not been picked up on his rants before but it’s come back to bite him in the bum I wonder what the catalyst was

I totally agree he will be distraught I can’t imagine what the sad
little man will do with himself
He should not have been allowed to go on as he did with his rants which got more and more extreme I m amazed no one ever sued him

TerriT Sun 26-Feb-23 07:59:19

Steve Allen will be in total shock I imagine. In recent weeks he was speaking about how he would never retire and said he doesn’t even take holidays. Why would I he said. He went on to say ‘and as for retirement ,what would I do all day ?’ I feel sure his non woke comments and no doubt refusal to use them have cost him his job in the end. Personally I am tired of the way it is now where it’s all about freedom in being what or who you want to be. Laughingly the hypocrisy of it all is demonstrated when you disagree with any of it! So I surmise that we are all entitled to our opinions but they must fit in with all the current attitudes. Where’s the freedom there or have I missed something.

FannyCornforth Sun 26-Feb-23 07:13:28

Clive Bull who is on overnight at the weekend (and Thursday I think too) is a lovely calming listen. He is a consummate professional.
I also paid particular attention to Ali Miraj who now follows Clive.
He is also very professional, balanced, knowledgeable and good with the callers. Very BBC sounding actually.
I totally agree regarding the ads Karmalady, they can be quite alarming, not to mention extra annoying, in the night.

I keep thinking about Steve. He must be so upset, and angry, I imagine.
I’d love to know exactly what prompted it.
I’m sure that Digital Spy will get to the bottom of it

karmalady Sun 26-Feb-23 06:35:56

I set preset to world service, it was just right. I never heard a word that was said, just the speaking hum. Tbh I slept better than with lbc as the sound was constant and lbc had the adverts that were always louder

FannyCornforth Sun 26-Feb-23 06:11:38

You’re spot on there BlueBelle.
You can be half asleep, happily listening to some benign burbling on the World Service, and then suddenly be plunged into something really quite horrifying

BlueBelle Sat 25-Feb-23 19:35:30

World radio is a good choice unless they are talking about war or politics

welbeck Sat 25-Feb-23 19:29:31

radio 4 carries the world service at that time.
and no adverts, except for itself.
it's sometimes quite interesting.

karmalady Sat 25-Feb-23 19:27:20

oh dear, I shall have to find a different channel to allocate to number 1 pre-set, for when I wake at 3,30 tomorrow. Maybe world news. I don`t want loud adverts or music

BlueBelle Sat 25-Feb-23 16:56:54

I ve never heard nick Farrari seem to show genuine empathy unless it completely fits his thinking though Fanny he’s very single minded but at least hes intelligent

FannyCornforth Sat 25-Feb-23 14:39:20

We’ll have to disagree about Ferrari though.
I’m with Nick Abbot. He recently said what an absolutely brilliant broadcaster Ferrari is.
He said, ‘he can do tabloid, he can do broadsheet; he can do inquisitorial, he can do empathetic; but most of all he can do funny’

FannyCornforth Sat 25-Feb-23 14:36:29

I’ve got a huge soft spot for James. I remember the Beat the Sweet and The Love in Lewisham days.
He also used to do a swap shop type slot. It seems an age ago!
I think of him as my radio ‘twin’ - we were born a week apart and grew up near each other.
I’d wouldn’t be surprised if I had actually met him in The Mitre in Stourbridge 30 odd years ago.

But yes, he is rather fond of himself!

FannyCornforth Sat 25-Feb-23 14:32:34

It’s Sangita Myska BlueBelle
Yes, she is nice. I enjoyed her shows when she was in for JO’B