Source: Soicher out at 9 News
“According to a source inside KUSA 9 News Drew Soicher has been fired.”
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It’s a bad day to be a bobble head.
According to a source inside KUSA 9 News Drew Soicher has been fired. The polarizing sports anchor, known for such “bits” as “Drew or false”, “Drew’s clues” and “Strange but Drew” was reportedly told today that the station will be replacing him beginning April 1st. Soicher was seen leaving the 9 News facility at 500 E Speer Blvd at 9:30 AM following a closed-door meeting with news director Patti Dennis. The former sports anchor is said to have sped away in gold Pontiac Aztek.
Soicher, the only personality named “Worst Sportscaster” by the Boulder Daily Camera in consecutive years, enjoyed a favorable “q rating” and was well liked by female viewers but had grown unpopular with many of Denver’s dedicated sports fans. Soicher’s “schtick”, which included regular visits to the Denver Zoo to chat with a sea lion named Nick, wore thin with viewers within several desirable demographics.
A source at 9 News told South Stands Denver: “The handwriting has been on the wall for a while now. We were losing sports fans to channel 4 in droves.” Denver’s CBS affiliate, News 4, recently signed on Tom Helmer, the popular former Rockies host for Root Sports Rocky Mountain, coupling him with Vic Lombardi who is widely considered to be the best sports anchor in the market. The duo had been successfully bleeding off viewers of 9 News for the past 18 months.
“It was really frustrating,” said our source, “everyone was busting their butts to put on the best news program possible; we have Kyle Clark and Kathy Sabine, that woman who got her face bitten off by a dog, and all this great talent and Soicher would come out with his bobblehead routine and just kind of defile the show. If they hadn’t fired him we all probably would have quit. Enough’s enough.”
As for who will be replacing Soicher mum seems to be the word. Our source could only tell us that Mile High Sports’ mid-day host Gil Whitely had been seen entering the news directors’ office and that some staff members reported seeing Nick the sea lion on the premises wearing an ill-fitting suit. Assistant new director April Phirst is expected to make an announcement soon regarding Soicher’s replacement.
