Le Cancellation

For a few decades now, the oft-brilliant Harry Shearer has produced a weekly pro bono radio program called Le Show. It's one of those things I listen to from time to time and enjoy enough to think, "Hey, I should make a point of catching this every week." And then I get too busy to do that. The last few years, I've downloaded it in podcast form and every so often, find time to run another one through my ears. Downloading helps a little but I must admit I have a folder full of as-yet unheard ones. It is a great series, though.

When I did listen on one of those things called a "radio," I listened on KCRW, a public station out here in Santa Monica, which was Harry's flagship station. The "was" is because yesterday, they told him they're dropping the show, effective immediately. I doubt that will cost him any audience since anyone smart enough to appreciate the show is smart enough to snag it off the Internet…and it will continue in other cities. Still, he's looking for a new Los Angeles outlet and I'll let you know if he finds one. In the meantime, you can hear each installment here.

In his announcement, Harry muses about having a nightly show before, I assume, an even larger audience. I dunno why the MSNBC folks or some others I could name haven't snatched him up for just such a mission. Maybe he's just too smart for the room.