Rich Shertenlieb is the co-host of the Toucher and Rich show mornings on 98.5 The SportsHub.

After 10 years as the front man of the punk band Miller’s Tale,  Shertenlieb started his radio career at Atlanta alternative station 99x, where he first met Fred Toucher. After a few years there, he was offered a job with the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning show, a nationally syndicated program. In 2006, he teamed up with Toucher for the Toucher and Rich show on WBCN in Boston. In 2009, the duo made the transition to sports talk radio when 98.5 The Sports Hub came on the air.

Rich is best known for his comedy bits on the program, which include bits such as “Ask A Pink Hat”, “The Drunken Red Sox Recap” and “Naughty Massarotti.” He has had bits featured on The Jimmy Kimmel Show, The CBS Nightly News and Dateline. He made national headlines for asking Delonte West at Celtics media day to set the record straight about LeBron James’ mom.

Rich is also the President and co-founder of The Miracle League of Massachusetts, a baseball league for children with special needs.

{democracy:126}

Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

23 thoughts on “2011 Approval Ratings – Rich Shertenlieb”

  1. Anyone who brings misery and pain to Gerry Callahan and John Dennis deserves a strong approve.

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  2. Approve.

    If only for his tireless work with the Miracle League. Yet, he doesn’t break his own arm patting himself on the back (Hello, WEEI).

    The bits for the most part are great – I just wish they wouldn’t rerun them so often (long commute so I hear a good chunk of the show).

    Looking forward to the upcoming rap battle between Adolpho vs. Mazz. A battle of wits featuring 2 unarmed men.

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  3. 90% approve. Today was a prime example of when they lose me- talking too much about inside-the-station stuff like their rap-off contest thing. Especially on a morning when Dale and Bradford were filling in for the Venomous Two, it was a fast change for me.

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  4. Not always a laugh riot, but funnier much more often than not. Not overly sports knowledgeable, but then again he doesn't claim to be smarter than the listeners. Not Dennis nor Callahan. Approve.

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  5. Extremely creative, decent at the talk radio stuff, anda clearly compassionate guy without mentioning it much at all. You may not like a specific bit that he does, but the creativity is just amazing and completely unique in the talk radio format in my opinion. Serious thumbs up.

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  7. Definitely way better than the alternative in their time slot. I could not listen to those knuckle-dragging Neanderthal men Dennis and Callahan anymore so when 98.5 added Toucher and Rich it was a no-brainer to dial them in even though it's not always 100% sports talk. His shtick can be somewhat sophomoric and a little over-the-top at times with the shock talk but Rich is a funny and talented guy; plus he gets extra points for his work with the medically challenged kids. Good entertainment. Approve – yes.

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    1. sop****ric? soph·o·mor·ic is a dirty word that get's censored? what's with the ****? Hmmm – I'm not trying to disguise H0.M0. Funny the filters nailed this word.

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  9. The dude was a punker earlier in life? I'm guess one of the D&C duo were once in a polka band, and cutting edge polka at that. Rich entertains and makes you laugh at least once whenever you listen to him. Makes morning talk radio listenable.

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  10. Strong approve. Only complaint, or more of a pet peeve, is how many times he resets an interview when they have a guest on. I understand people may be just tuning in but he doesn't have to announce who they're talking to and the fact that it's 98.5 The Sports Hub before EVERY question. It's something that can go unnoticed but once you've picked up on it you notice it for every guest.

    "We're talking to A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportnet on 98.5 The Sports Hub." Drives me nuts. Otherwise, I love him.

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  11. Will never have a bad thing to say about Rich. He's a great guy in person and the work he does with the Miracle League is amazing. He's out there every Saturday morning doing the PA work for all three games.

    Like the other poster said, he doesn't waste time patting himself on the back either like the bloated douche-nozzles over at WEEI do.

    As for the radio gig, he's a thousand more time listenable than the two racists across the street. One big thumbs up for Rich. I'd give him 2 thumbs up, but the other one is busy playing Donkey Kong.

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  12. Are we approving or disapproving as a sports talk host or just as a host on a sports talk station? I don't think he knows his sports as such I find no use for the show. By habit I click over during D&C breaks (or if they are annoying me by not talking sports) and listen especially when they have Peter Abraham or another beat writer on. I think Fred is further along in his mastery of the Boston Sports scene but not by much.

    If we are grading it as entertainment…there are some funny bits and there are bits that miss…as others have continually noted they try hard and think creatively…but like I said I am not the audience they are targeting. I do think for as hard as they work at the show at times it sounds very improvised…I am not sure this is purposeful style or organized chaos.

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    1. Not that this is a defense of T and R, but they aren't from around here: Fred clearly would love to discuss the Jets and St. Louis Cardinals every day if he was allowed to. But both of them like the Bruins and we've gradually turned Rich into a Celtics fan. That's what Wallach is on the show because having Crash babble drunkenly about the Dolphins and Hurricanes would be too much…

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  13. My only complaint is that you can take the big market tease too far. The show's great unless you have to get up early and for the first hour and a half of the show have Rich stop everyone from talking because "we'll get into that later." So unless you really love hearing TARDboy from New Hampshire on the Mailbag every morning, the first 90 minutes aren't so great. Aside of that, approve.

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  14. I enjoy Rich although he and Fred were better with Crash on WBCN back in the day when Adolfo was a bigger part of the show and they talked to the Chili Guy every week. Sigh.

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    1. Agreed. As good as Rich is doing the bits, he's not great on the mic sparring with Fred. It's not the same without Crash.

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  15. Approve his ability to run a successful WBCN show and turn towards a sports focused show, while not losing his touch. He along with Fred, incorporate alot into their shows, and have a wide arrange of talents. His sports IQ along with Fred is clearly not great, as Lateto dinner loves to point out. They know that. They don't pretend to look down on you like other hosts tend to do. The sport provides fun sports debate, I think people enjoy it, otherwise the ratings would suck. If you don't like it, then don't listen.

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  16. Brilliantly under-rated. He's the motor of the show. Fred is exceptional too, but this guy's is the talent. Wallach, alas, is the third wheel. When do we get to disapprove?

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  17. Rich could win an "approve" simply by being the alternative to the Fastidious Fatty and the Sneer-Do-Well, but he brings a humorous, lively touch to the morning almost every show. Since morning drive is (by my definition) a time to try to pull together a positive attitude for the work day, this is a welcome talent. Like others, I appreciate his self-presentation of someone who likes sports, respects the power they hold over this market, and is not stupid enough to pretend he can compete with the experts in the audience.

    Plus, no golf talk.

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