Why has Moe Mitchell been off ‘The Bert Show’ this month?
Moe Mitchell has been off the air from the syndicated Atlanta-based morning program “The Bert Show” this month with no explanation.
It doesn’t appear to be a standard vacation. On the show, which is heard locally on Q99.7, nothing has been said about his absence.
When asked about Mitchell’s status, his boss Bert Weiss texted The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Thursday: “Nothing I can talk about yet.”
Mitchell did not return a text for comment.
A stand-up comic from New York, Mitchell joined the show in 2018 with no experience in radio. Weiss gave him the opportunity to build his chops on air and he became an integral part of the team.
Mitchell has continued to do his weekly podcast “In the Moement.” He did not mention his Bert Show status on his last podcast, which came out this week.
He will also be doing a stand-up show on Sept. 19 at City Winery Atlanta where he has headlined shows before.
Weiss has had turnover on his show over a span of a quarter century including the contentious departures of Jeff Dauler in 2015 and Davi Crimmons in 2022. Others, like Jenn Hobby and Melissa Carter, left voluntarily.
His current cast includes Kristin Klingshirn, who arrived in 2011 and Abby Murphy, who came in 2023. Chief digital and marketing officer Cassie Young and show director Tommy Owen also came in 2011, about the time Weiss began syndicating his show nationwide.
The show has been a consistent ratings performer in Atlanta for more than 20 years, though its numbers aren’t as strong as they were two years ago. In July’s monthly Nielsen radio ratings, the Bert Show ranked seventh overall, down from fourth place in July 2023. (No. 1 is WSB’s news-oriented morning show hosted by Chris Chandler.)
The show was fourth among 25- to 54-year-olds compared to No. 1 two years ago. It remained at the top among women 25 to 54 but its share of listeners in that demo fell from a 14.2 to 8.5.
The Bert Show is now heard in 20 markets including Charleston, South Carolina; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Reno, Nevada and Macon.
Weiss was recently inducted into the Friends of Georgia Radio Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony will be held Saturday, Aug. 23 at Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center.
About the Author
Rodney Ho writes about entertainment for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution including TV, radio, film, comedy and all things in between. A native New Yorker, he has covered education at The Virginian-Pilot, small business for The Wall Street Journal and a host of beats at the AJC over 20-plus years. He loves tennis, pop culture & seeing live events.
