Stephanie's comedic style needs to have someone to bounce off of and Chris heckling her is most likely the way they work together. It's a lot like what Jack Benny or Milton Berle would do with their cast members.

Ex.:

Chris: Stephanie, you're standing too close to the microphone.
Steph: okay, how far back would you like me to be?
Chris: Got a car?

I think having Travis thrown into the mix this past year has been fun.

I have a lot of great personal relationships where we use this type of humor.

And Norm Crosby.

I have done podcasts with both, they are very close friends.

Jim Ward will come back if they can afford to bring him back. The slicing and dicing of Progressive Radio has really hurts shows like Miller's.

It's really their Shtick.

Out of curiosity, how do you listen or watch the show?

I was one of the 1st podcast subscribers & heard it 1st on the radio, I guess, long ago. Huge fan. Not to carp, I know they're old friends & he's a great producer/engineer, but Chris seems to throw the comic timing off. And when he laughs maniacally at her shortcomings, I just feel protective & am annoyed. Not enough to stop listening, but close.

Call in, tell em how ya feel! happy holidays!

Now she goes wherever I go. Also got a Roku so I can watch her on Free Speech TV. One thing I don' t understand, why is the SMS having financial problems (cutting Jim back to 1 day a week). I listen to other progressive shows; Michelanglo Signorelli, Bill Press, Ari Rabin-Havt, and they never mention any problems. Where is their financing coming from? She has sponsors. just wondering. Do they have to pay to be on Sirius, or does Sirius pay them?

He's smart, funny and yes, sweet. I think they work well together and are genuinely fond of each other. Chris is the producer but to me, he also serves as a co-host and I don't know if the show would survive without him. Jim had to go because of money and Stephanie wants him back but can't afford it right now. Hope that turns around for her soon because the show needs its Maximum Mookage. Love all 3 of them and it is great to get the news with a good dose of humor.

Do you think he's too quick to belittle Steph & put her down?

I don't listen for the mooks. I listen for Stephanie.

She has amazing timing & guests. But to hear her constantly "mean-girled" by Chris is hard to bear. Stephanie needs a partner who facilitates her humor, not one who jumps in to block it. Would like to hear your thoughts on this.

There was a time when I quit the podcast, and then added it back, because it annoyed me so much how Chris and Jim would harangue Stephanie on her own show. It's not the Chris and Jim Show.

Was starting to think it was just me. Now I have to fast forward through Chris's snottiness, but he rarely stops.

unexpectedly and the mooks were unprepared and both Chris and Jim acknowledged that it's Stephanie that holds the show together. They sounded stressed especially Chris during that show.

So I think it is totally an act. It's like Jack Benny being cheap even tho in real life he wasn't.

When something big happens like Stephanie coming out a few years ago, or something truly horrible in the news they often break character a little and you can tell they are good friends.

What surprised me was how ham handed the immensely talented Jim Ward was. I thought he would be able to step up, but he frankly admitted he couldn't. Chris is really an engineer & producer and has no on-air chops at all, which he readily acknowledges. Earlier in their show, when the three were just beginning, he said blessedly little. If only that was the case today, when he won't shut up for a second.

To be honest I don't listen for the sidekicks. That John Fuguelstang though....smart and funny.

Chris does interrupt the troll callers too quickly talking over both Stephanie and the caller with knee jerk stuff and the pauses and crosstalk takes away from the broadcast at those points

I remember when the great Charlie Pierce got to his punch line, after a nice windup, Chris interrupted to fact - check the joke in real time. When Charlie asked why he ruined the joke, Chris said, snottily, that he was a "journalist." Imagine him telling that to Charlie Pierce!

He was canned?

I know Hal was busy on a daytime TV series. But you're right. Haven't heard him mentioned lately. Maybe he can't stand snotty Chris either.