The remembrance thread Of 1-09-06

[PumpkinBeer700]

I recall the revolations and Rachel hunter leaving and Howard calling her a cunt!

What do you remember about that day?

[AuntDolly]

1/9 is my birthday. I took the day off and listened to the show live. I almost fell outta bed when I heard George Takei's voice.

[Lou Skunt]

I was really giddy with anticipation. Now I feel like a chump for supporting that slimy Jew.

[imissalison]

Yes, I hate George, and he ruined what was a great day for the show IMO.

Howard telling people to NOT curse.

Robin cackling.

JD finally got laid.

[Obi Drunkenobe]

I didn't have sat radio yet. Doesn't look like I missed much

[Lou Skunt]

I didn't have sat radio yet. Doesn't look like I missed much

You really didn't. It was another chapter in history of Howard painting a big fat lie to his listeners. Don't get me wrong, I bought it hook, line, and sinker and enjoyed it. I just look back know and see the lies that ruined it.

[cheezedbyfate]

Howard calling Rachel Hunter a cunt was probably the last time he showed a set......

[telecaster69]

I hadn't signed up for Sirius yet but subscribed to Howard TV...I do recall being excited about the whole endeavor, it was kind of ramshackle, raw and disorganized in a good way for the first year or so...I liked the first couple of years of the Sirius shows, then we all know what happened...

[Vashier]

I went from memories of Jackie and SJ and KC in MA on the radio to Artie, JD, and Benjy no longer an intern on Sirius. I missed the early Artie years being down here so the 1st Sirius show was kind of disappointing to me. I thought the show would be what I remembered of it from the 90's. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't the same with Artie as it was with Jackie.

[Gluecifer]

I recall the revolations and Rachel hunter leaving and Howard calling her a cunt!

What do you remember about that day?

Your powers of recollections are shit, Rachel Hunter wasn't on 'til a week or two later

[Hamptons]

the show was ok live but sucks as a re-air they spend the entire time talking about how they are commercial free for the day and taking calls about how great it is to hear them again, and how Sirius is the greatest place to work and they are going to down the halls and everyone is going to be on everyone else's show and what a cool place it is to work.....pretty much the opposite of everything that happen when Steve the Intern called out Howard on his bullshit and then Howard spent the entire time saying you can only make a career on testical radio and Sirius and podcasts are for losers

[Ipokesmot]

I downloaded it for free, as I always did. Never paid a dime for Sirius. Now I won't even listen to that shit for free.

Before the first official show I got a shoutout on the Craptacular thanks to Dale in Sales.

[Dump Button]

The weird thing is that there was no online player like it is now. I used to have to lug my hardware including wires into the office to listen. Sometimes I wouldn't get a good signal. U would figure that a company could instanly provide internet access in 06' to listen but it took atleast 6 months for that to happen after Howard arrived

[ClumpyStern]

I was fucking around with the receiver on the way to work and blew both of my driver side tires on the West Side Highway when I hit a broken piece of the cement divider separating a ramp just south of the GWB. Missed the day of work getting towed to replace 2 tires.

The tower fucked up the grill on my truck so I had the driver sign the receipt where I wrote "damage to grill pointed out by customer before release of vehicle" before I let him unhook my truck and before I tipped him. Called the place to explain and discuss it and they gave me the total "who's to say the damage wasn't already there" bullshit. So, I waited a few weeks and just showed up at the tow place with my car (they're also a body shop) and with a recorder in my pocket, I explained that a "friend" of mine accidentally did some minor damage to my grill and asked if they could possibly give me their best and fairest price because my "friend" was paying for it and not insurance, etc. Goomba walks around pointing to every little spot "that's $400 right there...that's $400...that's $400...and painting it is $400...so $1600 in cash unless you want to pay tax too." I ask if that's the fairest price he can give me and he says yes. Fine. I ask him if he can give me the estimate in writing and he looks at me like I'm crazy and goes "In writing? You gotta come back another time for that." Meanwhile, this is like 2:00 PM on a Monday and the place is dead except for me. I ask if he can just write the price on the back of his business card and he writes "$1600 in cash. No tax" and signs it.

So, right after I get home, I call them and explain that I was the dude who just got the estimate and that it wasn't really a "friend" who fucked up my grill but it was them and that I was just trying to make sure they gave themselves the fairest price for the work necessary. Told them the towing receipt # and waited while they pulled it out and confirmed my note on their copy of it. Now, he's accusing me of making up different stories about how it got damaged and I try once more to explain why I said that. He gives me his Goomba lecture about "not doing the right thing" and just "wasting your time trying to be a wise guy" and I ask him if he's willing to negotiate a fairer price, say $1200, than the fairest possible price he gave me in person and he tells me "No. You do what you gotta do, Pal."

So, I file a claim in small claims in the Bronx (where they're located) for $1600 and get a default judgment when they never show up. They get it vacated because they'd changed their business address before I served them and they make me refile and then go back to court like 4 times with requests for adjournments and requests for a judge to hear the case instead of an arbitrator. When it finally goes to trial they cite a NYS statute requiring plaintiffs in vehicle damage actions to produce the original vehicle title in court and the judge asks for it. No problem, and I hand it over.

Judge then asks me to prove my damages and I produce their fucking card with the estimate on the back. They ask the judge if it isn't customary in NYS to require 3 estimates and the judge asks why I only have 1. That's when I get to tell the judge that the estimate amount isn't even an issue of fact in the case because the 1 estimate I have is actually from the defendant. Judge looks very confused and asks them if that's true. They admit it's their card and signature so I never have to produce the tape of the estimate or phone calls discussing it. Judge asks me why I'm suing for more (around $1800) this time and I respond that their estimate specifically says "no tax." He's still confused and asks how I got an estimate from the defendant and I explain, including the part about asking them for the "best and fairest price" and the part about my previous offer to settle for $1200 without a trial. Judge asks if I'd still be willing to take the $1200 that I tried to ask them for and I say no because they forced me to drag them to court and make 4 appearances without any defense on the merits whatsoever. The judge asks what the least amount is that I'd take and I say "$1600, your Honor...plus tax."

Judgment for full amount comes in the mail and, of course, they never answer any of my messages, nobody who can discuss it is ever there when I call, and my letters get no response. Pay $25 fee to the Bronx Sheriff to collect and they show up one day and execute a collection of judgment and just order them to open the register to see if they have the cash. I'd asked them to do it in the middle of the week instead of a Monday or Friday because if the register's almost empty when they show up, they'd know to keep it as empty as possible for the near future. Check for the full ~$1800 comes from the Sheriff a few weeks later.

That's my 1/9/06 story.

[slacker]

I remember it crystal clear... Woke up early for the show.... then was amazed on how it was all about being safe, howie getn torqued that there was too much cursing, and there were no personal stories from their time off... Thats when i knew- oh shit we've been had...

[renchfrieswith]

Can you guys post a clip? This sounds interesting.

[Bob Mitchum]

Can you guys post a clip? This sounds interesting.

Here's 30 minutes of it. I am a fan of the first couple Sirius years generally, but the first show was awkward. The two rehearsal shows were better.

[Hateman]

Remember how bright the studio use to look? Then it got darker and darker where you can't see the trolls face.

[Hateman]

[joyceface]

I remember being in the car when the ISDN test show came on line and it was so awesome! I was so excited. They pulled his terrestrial show from the air here and I couldn't wait to be able to hear him unencumbered again. There was also a lot of energy in the studio, laughter, fun- like they were enjoying themselves.