So.... who;s gonna replace him? Only person I can think of is Takai. I've always thought Bill Hicks would have been the perfect fit.

I'd rather they don't replace him with any living stand-up comedian though.

I think that Dave Attell would be incredible on the show, and I'd also love to see them bring back Billy West.

Fitzsimmons would be great

They need a comedian, and they need a "normal" guy. I love the show, but after Artie, everyone in the studio is basically a woman. Howard's life revolves around his girlfriend, chess, and reality shows. Robin isn't funny, Fred hardly ever speaks, and Benjy's microphone seems to be muted these days.

They need someone to fill that blue collar role; they need someone who can talk about sports, make gay jokes, fawn over every hot girl that comes in, act like a dick to the guests, etc. Basically, they need someone who relates to the majority of the audience, which is mostly young males. I love Howard, but I can't really relate to him since he's not a "normal" guy.

Adam Carolla is a perfect fit on the show, though I don't think that's very realistic since he has his own show. I've always liked Doug Stanhope, and he could definitely work well with them. I think Dave Attell could be a pretty good option, and Daniel Tosh could be, too. Fitzsimmons, DiPaolo, and Florentine are all solid as guests, but I don't think they'd be good fits for the show. Most of the other good options I can think of probably wouldn't be interested (Norm MacDonald, for example).

Kos pretty much covered it, but it would be a comedian for sure. Gary covered in on the wrap up show a month or two again, he pretty much said they would try out guys like Fitzsimmons and DiPaolo. I'm gussing Florentine is out because of Robin, but who knows.

It would def be a comedian that has some type of connection to the show though, or at the very least a comedian with a loose connection to the show.

I think that competition for it would be extremely high since Artie has proven what the worth of the Howard audience is. He is pretty much a top 5 comic on a per venue basis, and a multi millionaire because of his connection with the audience.

wow, is he really that rich? somehow i doubt it

During the Sal/Artie fight, Artie said he thought he made about ten times as much as Richard and Sal. Considering R&S have complained about money before, there's no way Artie is/was making a million a year in salary. I'm not sure how much he's made in the past or how much his gigs pay, but I think "multi-millionaire" is probably a bit of a reach.

EDIT: I guess he hinted that his last gig paid like $200,000, but there's no way that's standard, and he doesn't really do a lot of gigs anymore.

He can make 70k for a single night of stand up, it was published in playboy, he was pissed cause teddy let them see his check.

Huge money man, thats why he does so many tour dates and is a mess, he has said he just can't turn down that type of money.

that was quite tenses

1) artie has had many money-related arguments over the years. he has been able to sever relationships with soooo many people because of money disputes. it's never really about the money. artie has deep psychological problems that are very difficult to address. i have listened to him on the radio for about seven years, and i still don't understand why he is so unhappy and self-destructive. i think even in artie's own mind today, while he was arguing, he knew that in part he was just working out issues inside himself. he got violent immediately after teddy sort of mumbled "you're really ****ed up man." later artie said, "i'm not a good person."

that's really what the argument was about to me. artie is totally ****ed up. he thinks because he has been generous with teddy, that he can be completely abusive towards him. it doesn't help any that teddy really does suck as an assistant, and isn't apologetic about it.

2) today's resignation is artie, an insider, making a big bet that howard will not re-sign in two years.

3) the argument seemed kinda joking to me, and i don't think howard handled it badly or any differently than he normally does. i don't think it is 100% that artie is gone for good. it was hilarious that afterwards, robin tried to claim she wanted to calm the argument down. she egged it on with every shrill, irrelevant word she said.

4) i doubt anyone will agree with me (especially on a poker forum), but aj benza should get a shot in artie's chair. he was really good on the show after jackie left, and was probably second in the running behind artie for the seat, until he attacked jon. but now that jon is disliked by the show, i think a.j. should get another chance.

I didn't hear Benza on the show (except for the infamous punch ldo), but there are certainly worse options out there.

A few months ago, they were talking on the air about how Artie got the job. I remember Artie saying he thought he was second in the pecking order behind someone, but I can't remember who #1 was. Does anyone remember?

Maybe they should just give him the job...

I disagree with this, I don't think how long Howard stays has anything to do with it. If anything, I think that Howard leaving in a little under three years would be incentive for him to stay. If he stays, and Howard retires, than he wouldn't have to go through the backlash Jackie received for leaving the show. If he left when Howard left I think he would retain a much larger base of the Howard audience in regards to touring than if he were to "quit" the show.

On top of that, I find it hard to believe from listening to Artie talk that he would want Howard to re-up for more than the almost 3 years left on the contract. Whenever he talks about the issue he seems to dread the thought of staying longer than the time left in the current contract.

lol. artie is a trainwreck, hes not making bets on his future, look at the way he lives for crying out loud.

artie is downright hilarious at times, but im kinda excited to get some new blood in there. im just concerned over who it might be. im sure they will have a few different people try it out (i hope one is jackie, a few days of him would be hilarious) and just take it from there.

I used to really like Artie. Now he's worse than eric the midge. God he acts just like him at times. too bad really because Artie was fantastic for a long time.

I think Artie's time has run its course. He hasn't really added much to the show as of late. Now he just comes across as a washed up, miserable drunk.

He really needs his face kicked in. Stupid simple arguments escalating like that? Please. Grow the eff up.

Here's a link:

http://www.tmz.com/2008/04/10/artie-...w-to-quit-you/

I think Adam Corolla would be good.

b

adam would pwn, but he has a show (w a contract i presume).

a rotation that includes gilbert and jackie would be great.

Adam would rock!

Just read some news wires. Anyone 'suprised' by this, apparently some are, isn't a regular listener. Artie's been looking for an excuse to leave for the last year. Especially over this last week or so. He's been pathetic to listen to. He's out of control and he really doesn't care. His actions have shown he doesn't want to be there. You can hear it in the link I posted. Which actually makes it refreshing if he leaves. Which, also kinda sucks since Artie 'was' great. God forbid a 16 hour week was too tough for him.

Might be good to put him on the dead pool.

I've never been a fan of Jackie. I'd like someone who can bring some stories and good comments to the show. Not just a guy who giggles in the background. Fitzsimmons would be good too. I like Gilbert, but not sure about listening to him every day, he might get old fast.

Now if they could just keep eric the midget off the air.

b

Adam Carolla is probably the best option out there (he'd be able to get Julianne in the studio, which would be absolutely amazing), but I just don't see that happening. I think Stanhope is probably the best realistic option available; much like Artie, a few years on the show could really help his career.

Last Monday (another no-show day for Artie), I decided that I had enough: I wanted Artie gone.

Then I heard about today, and the thought that it may have been Artie's final show made me very sad.

In other words, I hope he stays, and I hope he shows up every day.

Who am I kidding?

I never took a psych course, but I imagine this is the simple stuff they cover on Day One.

Artie comes from that blue collar background, where NOBODY becomes successful. His success upsets him psychologically--the same way a sick gambler can't stand, psychologically, a big win.

I've been that sick gambler. Can't sleep a wink after a win; sleep like a baby after you go back to the casino and piss it all away.

And I've been that guy from the blue collar neighborhood. I'd mention my plans to go to college and get a good job, and everyone would try to talk me out of it! "What do you want to do that for? I'm dating a girl who just got out of college, she's a cashier at Sears! College is for suckers!"

These people--friends, family, my dearest loved ones--didn't want to see me succeed. Keeping me down made them feel better about themselves.

You think Artie knows a few people like that? Or, more correctly, do you think Artie is SURROUNDED by people like that?

(Ask me if I ever went to college. Like Artie, I quickly flunked out of community college, not because of lack of ability, but lack of effort. I spent more time in the rec room playing pool than I did going to class. Sound familiar? I'm also Artie's age, Artie's weight, and I'm Italian. Except for his smoking, drinking, drug use, and massive success, I'm pretty in tune with Artie's state of mind. I guess if my father had gotten crippled at a relatively young age, I might be doing heroin as well.)

John the Stutterer would be a decent replacement.

Seriously, though, the Jackie and Gilbert suggestion- perhaps with Craig Gast thrown in- would probably work out just fine. Hell, Gast could just do Artie's voice- saying phag every other word- and it wouldn't be much different than Artie being there.

I just hope Howard starts ragging on Artie the way he always has Jackie. It just seems like he's been kissing Artie's ass for a long time now, with the way he always says he 'loves' him and makes excuses for his bull****.

Artie's an ungrateful sack of crap. **** him.

Adam said that he was offered the job before Artie accepted it. Howard strongly denied it at first but has kind of backed down from denying it so strongly since.

Um, it doesn't seem to be muted. It is muted

Stanhope is my fav current comic, but I don't think he would fit in well on the show. He just has to much to say. I think Jackie would fit in well and is the obv choice.

Also I think the show is on break next week so we'll have to wait even longer to hear the fallout.

No way i sign up for another year if Jackie comes back. I never listened regularly while he wa son, so this may explain my lack of appreciation for him.

I think the chemistry between him and Fred will be worth it.

Robin made me stop being a listener.
She brings absolutely nothing to the equation except her skin color and gender.

Luckbox of the century...