Sykes' screener blocked Milwaukee mayors from appearing on the show

The Milwaukee Magazine expose on how preening prima donna Charlie Sykes does his job clearly struck a nerve with Chuck, who took it on at length today and (in an oddly formatted post) on his blog.

The Brawler's favorite part: That Sykes' former producer, diet spokesman Joe Scialfa, conceded one of the article's points: mayors of Milwaukee have been blocked from appearing on the show.

"Any moron who listens to the station knows that conservative talk radio hosts work to craft a message that appeals to conservatives. (I know what a crazy concept!).  What shocks me is how factually wrong he is throughout the piece.   I was "the producer" who would have been in position to do many of the things that he references.  Rest assured that Russ Feingold has NEVER called Charlie's show to be on the air.  I can also count the numerous times that Mayor Barrett or former Mayor Norquist called the show and was immediately put on the air.  In contrast I can only think of a hand full of times that either called the show and were not put on the air.

How many times is a "hand full"(sic)? Given Scialfa's shifty nature, probably quite a few times. More important is the context in which they were not let on the air. What was going on? What attack did they want to counter? Only weight-loss expert Joe Scialfa knows for sure.

Think about it: Diet spokesman Joe Scialfa, no doubt with Charlie's approval, prevented WTMJ listeners from hearing what two mayors of Milwaukee had to say on the topics of the day. No doubt they had to make room for a caller who wanted to explain why he wouldn't stop at a gas station in Milwaukee County. Fascinating.

(Separately, Feingold did in fact appear on the Sykes show in the early 90s, but that was before Scialfa's tenure. And he may have been blocked before Scialfa's tenure as well.)

Just in: In comments, onetime roving ayatollah of Democratic politics Bill Christofferson confirms that it is Sykes who would make the call on not letting elected officials get on air to rebut his attacks.

The fact that this is the same Sykes who would whine endlessly about not being contacted by Milwaukee Magazine in advance of the story is of course deeply ironic and deeply amusing.

Comments

[xoff]

It is Sykes, not the screener, who decides he doesn't want to talk to elected officials when it doesn't fit his rant. The screener asks Sykes, who says no. I know from personal experience, and there are any number of staffers who could verify that.

[Jim McGuigan]

When I was on the county board and Sykes was going off on me, he was told that I was on hold and he said "go peddle it somewhere else".

He doesn't like anyone challenging his monologues.