Kurt Loder

[carrier76]

My all-time favorite MTV personality. I was reading the VH1 message boards about the schlocky MTV/VH1 Live 8 coverage, and someone linked to a great LA Times article wondering where Kurt was at since he knows the history of rock and roll. YES. I agree--where was Kurt? He was a rock journalist before working for MTV. I remember an article he wrote for the millennium edition of Rolling Stone. It was very, very good.

Does anyone know what has become of him?

[nadia]

I actually saw him on some show just a week or so ago. I can't remember where but I do remember thinking "what the hell is he doing there?"

[goaskalice]

(Am I the only one who thought "Oh no! I hope he's not dead!" when this popped up on the board?)

He's the Tom Brokaw of MTV -- older, but still a bit hip, been around long enough to know everyone, can still call them on their shit once in a while. He's seemed a bit too old lately though. Last time I saw him I was afraid he wouldn't be able to go mano-a-mano with Courtney Love any more.

I hope they don't pass the MTV News Torch on to Gideon Yago. He doesn't have the gravitas to deliver news about suicides and ODs like Loder does. But then again we haven't had a major music death in a while -- since what, Left Eye? -- so maybe they'll just trot out Loder for when we have those.

[snacktastic]

Kurt Loder is 60! He looks damn good for his age. And it's nice to have someone with intelligence and a sense of music history doing the music news. But MTV sucks, so they need someone young, hot and sexy. God, why then replace him with Gideon?

[carrier76]

I was inspired to do a little research on Kurt after posting this. He's writing for mtv.com (including movie reviews...I just read his review of Revenge of the Sith and it was spot-on) and also reviewing movies on Rotten Tomatoes.

I also think he's in love with Madonna, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

[dwanollah]

No, GoAskAlice, you're not! I've always thought he was a self-important, insufferably smug blowhard.

I will admit, though, he DOES look damn good for 60!

[Malle Babbe]

I always thought he held a torch for Madonna as well. I was surprised that he wasn't pounding on the doors of Skibo Castle crying out Madge's name a la Dustin Hoffman's character in The Graduate.

Still, I thing the best call on Kurt Loder was an episode of South Park where he is seen doing the "MTV News" spot, taking a drag and sighing, "Damn, I'm Old!"

When you consider the Logan's Run atmosphere of MTV, it is amazing he was around for so long on the network.

[Deleted]

Hee! on the Madonna love thing. One of my favorite MTV moments was when he was interviewing Madonna (maybe on the video shoot for "Take A Bow") and he picked up one of her bras and freaked out, dropping it like it burned to the touch, saying "I thought this was a handbag!" (or something) as Madonna just laughed and laughed in the background. They were so cute together!

Glad he's not dead and totally agree that he would have been much appreciated during Live 8.

[Shanmac]

(Am I the only one who thought "Oh no! I hope he's not dead!" when this popped up on the board?)

No, my heart actually skipped a beat. Whew!

60?!? 60?!? No way. He looks damn, damn good. The best music news anchor/commentator/whatever of all time. That is all.

[hobbes]

No, I thought he was dead too when I saw this topic.

Holy flurking schmidt, he's 60? Jeebus, he's nearly 20 years older than my parents, and over twice my age. I thought he was in his 40's or something. My mouth will be hanging open in shock for the rest of the evening.