> Crank callers were part of the joy in talk radio. I always
> felt that talk radio lost something when improved screening
> techniques got rid of the cranks. As long as they don't
> curse or libel somebody, what harm are they? With the dump
> button, they can't even get away with that much...
>
> I think it's appropriate that KDWN, as a talk radio
> anachronism, a 1975 radio station transmitting in the 21st
> century, attracted cranks. As long as they're too cheap for
> screeners, I think the cranks will win. drty is right, there
> are numerous ways to get around Caller ID.
>
Speaking of crank calls, in the early 1980s I had a high school friend who would call the emergency operator and break through on Ken Stahls show on KDWN.
Operator: This is the emergency operator with an emergency phone call from Ken Stahl
Ken Stahl: I am Ken Stahl
Operator:Sir, I said we have an emergency phone call from Ken Stahl
Ken Stahl: OPERATOR, I AM KEN STAHL, How can there be an emergency phone call from Ken Stahl? I AM KEN STAHL.
My friend would do this frequently (and luckily never got in trouble for it). Often times it would jump to the #1 topic of conversation, the old people calling into KDWN really got a kick out of that prank.
BTW, Ken Stahl is still on K-DAWN to this day as half of their morning drive team. I believe he's pushing 80 years old. But it's cool to hear his voice because he's one of the few Vegas radio personalties left that were here in the old days.