Caller Etiquete on 56 WHBQ

[hambone007]

I happened to be listening to WHBQ (sports talk) this morning on the way into work. An older lady called and began chewing out the show hosts for "talking negative about the Tigers." She called the team “stallions” and said we had the “best players in the world.” She was sick and tired of people putting them down (defined as not saying they would win a national championship this year). And you could hear the irritation in her voice.

When the host tried to say something back, she told him “don’t interrupt me – I’m the guest.” The host told her that he was sorry but since she had already interrupted him 5 or 6 times already that he thought it would be ok, and that she was not a guest but a caller. If she had been a guest, she would be an expert and not a homer.

Well, that really riled her up. She said “look young man I have been a Memphis State fan for 45 years and I know what I’m talking about.” He replied, “if that was true you wouldn’t be calling them Memphis State. When did they change their name to the University of Memphis? Was it 20 years ago?”

With that she slammed down the phone.
They laughed and said that it was funny her lecturing on etiquette and then hanging up on them.

That reminded me of some of the nutty callers we got back in the day.

There were a few that were so deranged we had to get the authorities involved.

Ah, the good old days.

 

[radioman148]

You hear all kinds when you listen to sports talk radio.

 

[Tynosaur]

You hear all kinds when you listen to sports talk radio.

Oh, I don't know about just sports talk. Classic Rock can be cautionary as well. Rock 103, when it was at 1385 Lamar with WREC back in the late 70s and early 80s, had a couple of incidents that come to mind. As a rule in CR, to avoid gunplay one should try to play a request within 1.34 seconds of receipt. We had a late night visitor on our roof with a rifle once who felt abused when his request wasn't played in a timely manner. He was removed by the boys in blue.

Then there was Redbeard and the REO wagon...'Beard got an old (red) REO ambulance for a couple hundred bucks and figured he could get the REO Speedwagon management folks to pay for a complete refurb to give away at an upcoming concert in Memphis. He got it towed to our side lot and it took root for a couple of years...his idea didn't pan out. It did, however, antagonize a guy who lived in an upstairs apartment behind our lot. He stepped out on his outside staircase one day with his 'thutty-thutty' carbine and started popping the poor old REO wagon. It wasn't too much of a problem for us since the sales department was located along that east wall and no one figured any damage would be done to anything worthwhile in the building, but the neighbors complained about the noise and called the police. They hauled the guy off to the clink with little ceremony.

The REO wagon was finally towed to the WREC transmitter site on N. Watkins where it interfered with our radials for years until it became one with the earth.

 

[firepoint525]

I happened to be listening to WHBQ (sports talk) this morning on the way into work. An older lady called and began chewing out the show hosts for "talking negative about the Tigers." She called the team “stallions” and said we had the “best players in the world.” She was sick and tired of people putting them down (defined as not saying they would win a national championship this year). And you could hear the irritation in her voice.

When the host tried to say something back, she told him “don’t interrupt me – I’m the guest.”

If this had been me, I would have hit the "dump" button on her right about here! But I suppose there is something to be said for giving someone enough rope to hang themselves! ;D

The host told her that he was sorry but since she had already interrupted him 5 or 6 times already that he thought it would be ok, and that she was not a guest but a caller. If she had been a guest, she would be an expert and not a homer.

Well, that really riled her up. She said “look young man I have been a Memphis State fan for 45 years and I know what I’m talking about.” He replied, “if that was true you wouldn’t be calling them Memphis State. When did they change their name to the University of Memphis? Was it 20 years ago?”

With that she slammed down the phone.
They laughed and said that it was funny her lecturing on etiquette and then hanging up on them.

That reminded me of some of the nutty callers we got back in the day.

There were a few that were so deranged we had to get the authorities involved.

Ah, the good old days.

 

[hambone007]

There are three callers that I can remember clearly from the news/talk days of WHBQ back in the early 80's.

One guy was protesting the station (across the street -Highland) holding a phone to his ear and waving a giant cardboard sign with a handwritten message. It was complete psycho-babble and said something about: “666” “Call WHBQ and go to jail” and had an obscure reference to Adrian Rogers (not sure what he had to do with it). The management hung a mug shot of the man in our studio. The police considered him dangerous. I remember Mark Davis walked across the street and interviewed him one afternoon.

Then there was this ancient old man who would call the station all day starting at 5 am on the dot. He may have been mentally unbalanced, but he was not slothful. Management had to send the police to his house 2 or 3 times. He showed up at the Mall of Memphis during a remote, entered our tent, and starting cursing at the top of his lungs. We finally got him to leave by threatening to call the police. He ran across the parking lot at the mention of the cops. Quite impressive for a man in his 80's.

Then there was Dewey. He brought a wooden duck that he made in jail to the station one day? I'm not exactly sure why. We kept it in the control room for a while. Maybe it was the way he talked, but he sounded drunk every time I ever talked to him. He once got through the screener and onto John DeCleux's show. His contribution to the program was: "Ever tie a string to a June Bug’s leg? He just goes around and around and around."

I still have copy of the time that he got through to the Larry King show.
I'll try to post it this weekend.

Those are my top three.

 

[littlebigradio]

While we're talking about WHBQ and etiquette, I have a big personal gripe with them. On two occasions recently, I have called and been put on hold, which is to be expected. I then proceeded to wait on both occasions for over an hour to be put on the air only for the show to end before they got to my call. How difficult would it have been to come back to me after a reasonable amount of time and say "We're sorry, we're not going to be able to get to you today, thanks for calling". What really hacked me off, was the fact that after the show had gone off the air, instead of coming back on the line to say "we're sorry" or "we just ran out of time" or something, they just terminated the phone connection. It's not like they were flooded with calls and were unable to work me in. On the last occasion, they spent the last 15 minutes of the show giving away junk from one of the host's garage. I did however find out that a lot of famous people had birthdays that day. We all know that no sports show is complete without a "birthday's of the stars" segment.

 

[radioman148]

Unfortunately that happens on alot of stations.

 

[Dr. Pepper]

I then proceeded to wait on both occasions for over an hour to be put on the air only for the show to end before they got to my call. How difficult would it have been to come back to me after a reasonable amount of time and say "We're sorry, we're not going to be able to get to you today, thanks for calling". What really hacked me off, was the fact that after the show had gone off the air, instead of coming back on the line to say "we're sorry" or "we just ran out of time" or something, they just terminated the phone connection. It's not like they were flooded with calls and were unable to work me in. On the last occasion, they spent the last 15 minutes of the show giving away junk from one of the host's garage. I did however find out that a lot of famous people had birthdays that day. We all know that no sports show is complete without a "birthday's of the stars" segment.

perhaps you should spend more time calling on clients than calling radio station talk shows....

 

[radioman148]

I then proceeded to wait on both occasions for over an hour to be put on the air only for the show to end before they got to my call. How difficult would it have been to come back to me after a reasonable amount of time and say "We're sorry, we're not going to be able to get to you today, thanks for calling". What really hacked me off, was the fact that after the show had gone off the air, instead of coming back on the line to say "we're sorry" or "we just ran out of time" or something, they just terminated the phone connection. It's not like they were flooded with calls and were unable to work me in. On the last occasion, they spent the last 15 minutes of the show giving away junk from one of the host's garage. I did however find out that a lot of famous people had birthdays that day. We all know that no sports show is complete without a "birthday's of the stars" segment.

perhaps you should spend more time calling on clients than calling radio station talk shows....

Good one!!

 

[littlebigradio]

I then proceeded to wait on both occasions for over an hour to be put on the air only for the show to end before they got to my call. How difficult would it have been to come back to me after a reasonable amount of time and say "We're sorry, we're not going to be able to get to you today, thanks for calling". What really hacked me off, was the fact that after the show had gone off the air, instead of coming back on the line to say "we're sorry" or "we just ran out of time" or something, they just terminated the phone connection. It's not like they were flooded with calls and were unable to work me in. On the last occasion, they spent the last 15 minutes of the show giving away junk from one of the host's garage. I did however find out that a lot of famous people had birthdays that day. We all know that no sports show is complete without a "birthday's of the stars" segment.

perhaps you should spend more time calling on clients than calling radio station talk shows....

That's a very informed and clever response.....EXCEPT for the fact that of the 2 call I gave as examples, one example was on my drive into work (7a - 8a) and the second was on my way home from work (5p - 6p). BTW, I'm honored to be the subject of your 3'rd post on this board.

 

[skippertthomas]

I understand....That's why the station that teaches the 'board op' to have control on the incoming calls and put the effort to 'do that' (let them know the show is ending and the there will not be time for their call to be aired), will win hearts of talk/sport show listeners (who call and get involved)... Geez? I was to be a guest with a friend of mine on the Playboy Channel satellite radio and the time was running short, and the 'op' was on top of it and I asked if the others ones who had questions behind me would get the same treatment? He assured that ALL callers were informed on estimated wait times and when there was not enough time left.. That's the frickin' Playboy channel... I was impressed and let my lady friend there know it! Hef should buy some stations (with normal programming).. Ha! ;D

 

[Dr. Pepper]

That's a very informed and clever response.....EXCEPT for the fact that of the 2 call I gave as examples, one example was on my drive into work (7a - 8a) and the second was on my way home from work (5p - 6p). BTW, I'm honored to be the subject of your 3'rd post on this board.



[/quote]

But of course and i suppose you are on your lunch hour as you surf the board and post #364

 

[radioman148]

That's a very informed and clever response.....EXCEPT for the fact that of the 2 call I gave as examples, one example was on my drive into work (7a - 8a) and the second was on my way home from work (5p - 6p). BTW, I'm honored to be the subject of your 3'rd post on this board.

But of course and i suppose you are on your lunch hour as you surf the board and post #364
[/quote]

On your drive to work if they knew you were on a cell they could've acted more swiftly on your call.
At least that's what some sports stations do.