Trompeter's fans sound off, irking WCCO-TV's GM

Word is that WCCO-TV's GM was irate about the on-air bashing that her station took from fans of former anchor Jeanette Trompeter when she was a guest host on WCCO-AM.

Last week, radio callers were typically supportive of Trompeter -- she lost her job in a cost-cutting move -- when she filled in for Don Shelby, the WCCO-TV anchor who also has a radio show. Trompeter disclosed that she was terminated for unsuitability in these economic times. Considering all of the e-mails I received after Trompeter's layoff, I can just imagine how nuts listeners became over the thought of "our Jeanette," as some called her, being considered unsuitable, even in a legal sense.

At any rate, I hear the phone lines LIT UP with angry listeners ranting that they'd never watch 'CCO-TV again as a result of Trompeter's exit. Trompeter understands that Jeff McKinney, the news editor and reporter who does "The McSkinney" segment on Shelby's show, got into trouble for this. He couldn't be reached for comment.

According to the WCCO-AM website, "No topic is too taboo for the McSkinney," but on Friday, the second day of Trompeter's appearance, this talker was ignored.

"That's what I'm hearing," Trompeter said Wednesday when informed that I'd been told that WCCO-TV GM Susan Adams Loyd got seriously bent out of shape about the TV station being trashed on another local CBS product. Trompeter is saddened that "Jeff McKinney is taking some heat. I mean you couldn't have Larry Craig on and not talk about the sex scandal. The whole thing is irritating to me."

A video clip on the radio station's website shows Trompeter saying, "Hope we'll be back again someday," which may be doubtful after this episode.

SAL, as the WCCO-TV GM is known, wasn't talking Wednesday.

That's why I wanted SAL on the line.

Did Rosatti think the listeners were venting a lot about WCCO-TV? "No," Rosatti said. Weren't listeners saying things like, I'm never watching WCCO-TV again? Rosatti gave me a completely unrelated response.

Then, what did the radio listeners say while comforting Trompeter? "I didn't hear that part," Rosatti said. "I only heard the dialogue that she was doing. ... I didn't hear the live mike conversation."

That means Rosatti didn't listen to the whole show.

When asked Tuesday if Trompeter was coming back on his station, WCCO-AM GM Mick Anselmo said, "You know, I don't know that. I don't get the schedule." To the rest of my questions he said, "No comment."

Ringless in Minneapolis Where was Gov. Tim Pawlenty's wedding band? Why does the guv seem to love going on MSNBC's "Rachel Maddow Show"?

The preceding questions are totally unrelated, but the governor's office has declined to supply insight.

Pawlenty was observed wedding ringless last Wednesday during an appearance regarding a DOT matter.

Was it at the jeweler's being cleaned? Lost? Forgotten? I'll never know because the gubernatorial mouthpiece, Brian McClung, never got back to me. Of course, a smart person would have called Maddow and asked her to ask the governor where his wedding band was the other day. She gets responses from him.