I like to listen to a lot of talk radio, and these days I am close to OD-ing. Maybe that is what prompts this rant. A call to a talk-show host is not like a conversation with a friend.
Don’t thank the host for taking your call. Your effort to be polite here is misplaced. Be polite to everybody listening by using your air time to talk about something germane.
Stop with the “how are you? fine, how are you”. I know callers are nervous when they go on, but I doubt this particular greeting ritual works better than to just start talking about your point.
Stop saying “I’ll take my reply off the air”. What is the purpose of communicating this? Just hang up, and it will be obvious that you had no follow-up question.
To Limbaugh callers, stop with the “Dittos…”
And finally, encourage everyone who is not “in” on it to call Phil Hendrie. He has got to be running out of clueless people by now.
Hi, djbdjb, long time reader, first time poster. Mega djb’s to you. I’m really glad you could take my post. I’ll stop posting and listen for your response.
That’s pretty picky. I think manners are nice and a polite thank-you is not out of line.
Agreed, but I bet a lot of it is nerves and there isn’t much many people can do about it, especially if you can count on 1 hand the number of times you’ve phoned in.
I strongly disagree with that. It lets the host and/or guest know right off the top you’re not going to be there anymore. Most of the time I’ve heard that used I’ve actually heard the host thank them for letting them know.
I don’t listen to the shows you mentioned at the end.
Rant Rating: 1.5
You could’ve made an extra couple of points easily with some nice swear words thrown in. Bonus points given for referencing Jesus riding some sort of childs-toy.
I have to agree. When I listen to talk radio, all I want to hear are semi-coherent demands for the suffering and death of anyone who disagrees with the caller or the host in any way. If you aren’t sputtering in rage about the very existence of liberal thought, stay the fuck off the radio. Remember, they don’t call it “hate radio” for nothing.
Sorry, but I disagree on the opening pleasantries too. I’ve heard Jim Rome and several different hosts on WIP in Philadelphia make the point about them to confused first time callers.
It’s simple. The host says something like “Let’s go to Mike on the car phone, Mike, you’re on the air.” Mike then says something quick like “Thanks guys, love the show,” and gets into his point. Yes it’s superficial, but it’s a transition. I’ve heard hosts say, “no, of course we don’t really mean it when we say how are you today or what’s up. We’re just making a segue for you to start talking.” It would be choppy if people just started right into their point when cued.
He is not running out of these dopes.It is amazing that people still think his characters are real. Some even say “at first I thouht this has to be a joke”… then they start talking to the character.
Amazing.
and I always thought that the call screeners would tell the people what to say and not to say before they got to their point of the call.
I get so irritated with radio people saying “if you will”. (I went to a picnic yesterday, if you will. The politics of war is driving me crazy, if you will. . . etc, etc) What does “if you will” mean.
djb, thanks for reading my post. I have to disagree with the previous poster. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. I have a website if you’d like to know more. Keep up the good work!**
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I thought the whole POINT of the “dittoes” on Rush’s show was precisely to avoid the usual introductory blather.
I think that, even when Rush was just a run-of-the-mill morning disc jockey, before he drifted into politics, he promoted the use of “ditto” so that callers wouldn’t waste air time babbling on and on about how “I’m a long-time listener, firt-time caller… I love your show, never miss it, and my whole family thinks you’re great, and…”
When a Rush caller says “Mega-dittoes,” all he means is “I love your show, but I won’t spend 3 minutes telling you that before I get to my real point.”
No, there’s an infinite supply. “What does “if you will” mean.”
It’s a favorite expression used by people of that ilk.
This is a great country where everyone is free to express their opinions, even if they are traitorous gutter-slime who should be strung up on lampposts and forced to listen to Neil Sedaka’s Greatest Hits until they scream for mercy. That’s why this is a great country.
I agree that it is annoying to hear the chit chat. I do especially detest “first time caller” thing. However, every once in a great while someone will jump right into their spiel, and it is a little jarring. I think “how rude! That guy didn’t even ask the host how he is today.” And then right back to complaining when the next guy does ask.
One of your previous poster’s said he would stop posting and watch for your response. Ditto, if you will.