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Nuz

Might Over Right

It was a bad month for our little burg's most oppressed minority--conservatives. First, award-winning talk show host Brian Malone got the ax from KSCO's Michael Zwerling, then Community Perspectives moderator Jeanell Montero was shown the door from that Community TV-Channel 71 program. Both were left gaping into what appears to be the hypocritical Black Hole of our little progressive community: access to free speech for all, even those pesky right-wingers.

Malone, a self-described "mainstream conservative," says that he was addressing a recent Santa Cruz County Sentinel interview of workers' rights activist Nora Hochman, in which he questioned the Service Employees International Union official's politicking for SCAN-endorsed candidates. Next thing Malone knew, KSCO got an attorney's letter stating that "if there wasn't an immediate public retraction and apology on the air and in writing," Hochman would sue the station for "defamation, slander and liable" (sic).

What riled Hochman so much? According to her, Malone said, "This Nora Hochman, she's the meanest person in Santa Cruz. She is evidence of a corrupt union official working for a corrupt union." Unfortunately, Hochman admits, she didn't hear it herself, but listeners called to tell her. Malone swears he didn't say that and--like Hochman--had listeners lined up to back his side of the story.

No matter. According to Malone, Zwerling gave the talkster an ultimatum--say you're sorry or pack your bags. Malone says he refused to apologize for something he didn't say. After he was removed from the air, KSCO issued both a written and broadcast apology and retraction. Reached by phone, Zwerling offered only a terse "No comment."

Malone is convinced that there was more to Hochman's reaction than meets the eye. "I believe Nora's motives were to damage my political career. It's no secret that I'm campaign manager for Peggy Lopez, [Scotts Valley City Councilmember running for 5th District county supervisor]."

"I never even heard his name before this," Hochman responds. "I didn't know he was anyone's campaign manager. C'mon, the guy shot off his mouth and now he's paying for it."

But, Nuz timidly wondered, isn't bringing in the big legal guns a bit of overkill? "He called me mean," Hochman thunders.

However, Malone will not have to lick his wounds alone. Fellow--sister?--conservative Jeanell Montero has discovered that a talk show with two left wings and one right makes for bumpy flying.

According to Montero, she was asked by Charlie Reid to be one of three moderators on Community Perspectives, a live TV show that addresses local issues. Along with Reid, who is actively involved in SCAN, and Becky Johnson, known for her work with the homeless, Montero would provide a more moderate (read: conservative) balance to the mix.

Things apparently built to a head when right-wing darling Yeh Ling-Ling was invited by Montero to appear on the show. Needless to say, Ling-Ling, who espouses an across-the-board immigration moratorium, was the darling of neither Reid nor Johnson. According to Montero, Reid kept interrupting Ling-Ling when she tried to respond to his questions. According to Reid, Montero told him to shut up--on the air. Next thing she knew, it was adios, Montero.

"Originally, Reid told me everyone would have a say. It would be democratic and everyone would have a vote," says the miffed moderate. It has left her wondering just why Reid thinks he can dump her, since it is an all-volunteer effort to begin with. But, according to Karl Anderson, one of the show's early directors who has since moved on, "Charlie Reid being the producer, it was understood he had the final say."

"The primary problem was a personal dispute that should have been off the air, not on the air," Reid explains. "What [Montero] fails to understand at this point in time is the professionalism issue." Hmm. So does Nuz. Although not quite as riveting as the Zapruder tapes, this controversial video was duly reviewed and nary a "shut up" was found. Indeed, Ms. Montero frequently demands that Reid let Ling-Ling finish her point, but Nuz applauds her for admirable restraint--Nuz would have certainly cut loose with a "Put-a-sock-in-it!" by then.

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Call Nuz at 457-9000.


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