Radio Battle!

Last week, former WNYC radio host Leonard Lopate began a new show on WBAI.

This caused one of WBAI's longtime hosts, a guy named Jay Smooth who hosts (or hosted) a rap show on the station, to quit in protest because Lopate was fired from WNYC for unclear reasons involving his conduct with women. Never mind that rap music hasn't always had the greatest track record when it comes to attitudes towards women, hiring a nearly 80-year old man to talk about boring issues was too much for this guy.

But Jay Smooth should be happy.

WNYC has hired a woman named Allison Stewart to take over Lopate's old spot. She is a Peabody award-winning journalist so she certainly is qualified.

Here's my take: people should be able to work. Short of a criminal conviction, I don't believe in blackballing. That's what went on during McCarthyism and it's shameful.

Naturally, one is free to disagree.