Did You Ever Say Anything On The Air.......

that either did or came close to getting you canned?

One of the stations I worked for (WKBC) is in an ultra conservative area of North Carolina, and I found out very quickly after being hired, that I had to be careful what I said on the air.

For instance, I intro'd the bubble gum pop tune "Angel In Your Arms" once with the time, station ID, my name, and "You know, I'm just an angel in your arms - what's that? You want me to take off my wings?......my robe too huh?........well, here it comes" .....which was timed perfectly to hit the first strains of the opening vocal.

I got called into the station owner/managers office after my shift and got a stern talking to....she said - "This isn't Winston-Salem, this is North Wilkesboro - you can't say things like that on the air here - the public won't like it"..........

Keep in mind I was hired because I would say things like this on the air at my previous station (which ironically was owned by her son).

Next?

Im sure I pressed the ticket but no one did like Carl Gulbransen he was always in the office with a noose around his neck. I fact he did his shows with one as a neck tie no joke. Let me try to extricate such an ancient memory. Circa 1972.

If it weren't for the fact that the PD was asleep during my early 80s overnight FM CHR shift, I'm sure I would have gotten into tons of trouble. Including the time, frustrated by the lack of PSAs in the studio, I started making some up, just to see if anyone was awake and paying attention.

My favorite was the Public Service Announcement that another of our "air personalities", Jim Morales, would be going door to door offering free breast cancer examinations... call us for more details, over the intro to "Islands In The Stream" or some other song that was in rotation at the time.

I was surprised and excited when the phone lit up after that break, because I never got calls doing the 2-6 a.m. shift.

It was Jim Morales. He wasn't amused. Fortunately, he wasn't the PD, nor did he "narc" on me, but he just didn't find it funny.

Introing a Dolly Parton song with, "Now here's a lady who can't bend over because it upsets the balance of gravity..."

I had some fun at the AOR station where I did overnights Fridays and Saturdays in 1981-1982. Once when I had a really psychedelic lineup of albums for the Saturday Night Six-Pack, I said, "Well, just sit back with your baby and light up a number or two... Let's go on a trip through your mind." Even though the PD said worse things on his afternoon drive shift, he gave me all kinds of hell for that comment.

I broke their format on a regular basis. One night I was really having a good time with some high-energy non-format tunes, and I got a call from some jerk saying how he had the radio tuned to me and he couldn't get to sleep because of the stuff I was playing... He knew the PD and was going to call him and tell him what I was playing. I patiently waited for him to end his rant, and then said, "This is a rock station. Why do you expect to fall asleep to what I'm playing? You want to know what I think?" The next thing he heard was a dial tone.

My last night there, for my last song, I played Zappa's "Honey, Don't You Want A Man Like Me? (http://wiki.killuglyradio.com/wiki/Honey_Don't_You_Want_A_Man_Like_Me)" from his 1979 Zappa in New York live album. It has some choice lyrics, and when the song was over I said my goodbyes. The phone almost immediately lit up, and every single caller had the same sentiment: "Man, why are you leaving? You're the best DJ at that station!" I guess I had gained a reputation by then!

Yep. LOL. Let's just leave it at that. ;)

Ben

that either did or came close to getting you canned?

One of the stations I worked for (WKBC) is in an ultra conservative area of North Carolina, and I found out very quickly after being hired, that I had to be careful what I said on the air.

For instance, I intro'd the bubble gum pop tune "Angel In Your Arms" once with the time, station ID, my name, and "You know, I'm just an angel in your arms - what's that? You want me to take off my wings?......my robe too huh?........well, here it comes" .....which was timed perfectly to hit the first strains of the opening vocal.

I got called into the station owner/managers office after my shift and got a stern talking to....she said - "This isn't Winston-Salem, this is North Wilkesboro - you can't say things like that on the air here - the public won't like it"..........

Keep in mind I was hired because I would say things like this on the air at my previous station (which ironically was owned by her son).

Next?


Suspended not canned and very tasteless.

One surrounded Cherry Bomb by JCM on the day of the OKC bombing, PD drove 50 minutes to suspend me for 5 days

I got suspended from the point by Dick Harlow (u know him sparkie?) because our PD was out of town at a GAVIN and I did some kind of instant request rip up the log show but i was really on the log and ripped up some other papers and all the songs were requested anyway it was a theater of the mind thing anyway suspended til the PD got back and smoothed harlow over

at another station i had put in my notice to move yet again and they let me work out my two weeks 1 day into the second week i said "going down hill like sonny bono on a ski lift" and well that was it...


kyle

I was once doing a small sports call in show with another guy in my hick little WV town back in the late 90's, and told one caller who was really getting on my nerves that people like him were the reason Jerry Springer was still on the air.

I was instantly summoned to the station managers office and told to knock it off, because his wife watched Springer, lol.

that either did or came close to getting you canned?

One of the stations I worked for (WKBC) is in an ultra conservative area of North Carolina, and I found out very quickly after being hired, that I had to be careful what I said on the air.

For instance, I intro'd the bubble gum pop tune "Angel In Your Arms" once with the time, station ID, my name, and "You know, I'm just an angel in your arms - what's that? You want me to take off my wings?......my robe too huh?........well, here it comes" .....which was timed perfectly to hit the first strains of the opening vocal.

I got called into the station owner/managers office after my shift and got a stern talking to....she said - "This isn't Winston-Salem, this is North Wilkesboro - you can't say things like that on the air here - the public won't like it"..........

Keep in mind I was hired because I would say things like this on the air at my previous station (which ironically was owned by her son).

Next?


Hey Greg i tried to buy kbc two years ago they werent trying to hear it though. that used to be a great farm team station for halfway decent part timers in the triad

kyle

I got suspended from the point by Dick Harlow (u know him sparkie?)

kyle

I worked for Dick Harlow when I was at Magic 99.5 back in the glory days of the Million Dollar A Day giveaway, Bill Flynn did mornings (which he still does I think), J.T. Austin mid-days, Jim Ballard PD/afternoons and Rod Davis in the evenings. That was back in the mid 80's when WMAG was in the old radio building in downtown High Point across from the Raddisson. The only thing I hated about those days was during furniture market when I had to dodge traffic.

Dicks RVP at Clear Channel for Raleigh and Greensboro now so he's back at the helm of MAG. you like how tomcat stole his "magic" though...

remember what i had done to Larrys domains Check out Dick getting back at Tom
http://www.magic941.com


kyle

My daughter and I were DJ's for a marathon at a stadium park one day. Mostly just play music and make the announcements.
After about 4 hours of this mundane gig, a very pretty girl, that I had not seen all day, was running across a set of tracks in the feild all alone.
Not realizing that my headset was still on, I proceeded to say "Whoa, where have YOU been all afternoon".
The great part:
I didn't say it loud enough, or directly into the mic to catch anyone's attention and no one really heard it in the feild.
The funny part:
It took about an hour for my daughter's stomach to stop hurting from laughing for so damned long.

I have twice fallen asleep on air, each time at a different station. Both were overnight gigs, and nobody knew about it...or at least nobody said anything about it.

My first time covering the mid-day shift (I was evenings at the time), the morning jock when out of his way to make me laugh on the air, he was the one that actually got spoken to.

Dicks RVP at Clear Channel for Raleigh and Greensboro now so he's back at the helm of MAG. you like how tomcat stole his "magic" though...

remember what i had done to Larrys domains Check out Dick getting back at Tom
http://www.magic941.com


kyle

OK, I think you lost me on this one Kyle - I clicked on the link and it went straight to WMAG's website. What was I supposed to be looking for? The fact that the domain name is magic941.com and is the same domain as their real site 995wmag.com? I guess I see what you're talking about - not that I condone that sort of thing, but to each his own I guess.

Tom Collins made a mistake trying to re-invent WTHZ - Gig never should have allowed that change - especially when you look at their ARB/Nielson and Birch numbers from their last book prior to changing the format to oldies from 80's.

And Sid is a master wine maker now. He makes more money selling his Bordeuax's and Reisling flavors than he ever made selling radio for LXN/THZ.

OK, I think you lost me on this one Kyle - I clicked on the link and it went straight to WMAG's website. What was I supposed to be looking for? The fact that the domain name is magic941.com and is the same domain as their real site 995wmag.com? I guess I see what you're talking about - not that I condone that sort of thing, but to each his own I guess.

Tom Collins made a mistake trying to re-invent WTHZ - Gig never should have allowed that change - especially when you look at their ARB/Nielson and Birch numbers from their last book prior to changing the format to oldies from 80's.

And Sid is a master wine maker now. He makes more money selling his Bordeuax's and Reisling flavors than he ever made selling radio for LXN/THZ.


No since Hitz 94 became Magic941 clear channel scooped magic941.com up and made it go to WMAG, thus confusing the listeners...

Ahhhhhh - now I understand! Sorry - it was a long night/morning at the station with the live coverage of the Sauratown mtn fire, trying to train an intern on cameras, run cameras for the show and trying to direct all at the same time, not to mention that the Deko (graphics computer) started having coughing fits at 5am and continued thru to 830am.....my brain's a little frazzled right now.

I was training with the BBC in my native County of Devon (in England) and dropped the F Bomb with the mic live - I also farted really loud whilst the mic was live but that wasn't too audible - my BBC training ceased that day....... 1986

I was training with the BBC in my native County of Devon (in England) and dropped the F Bomb with the mic live - I also farted really loud whilst the mic was live but that wasn't too audible - my BBC training ceased that day....... 1986

I guess if you knew that was going to be your last day. You could have said something like " And that ladies and gentlemen really does prove that DJ's are full of hot air". :sqwink:

I've been known to play Already gone by the eagles or around the dial by the kinks if i knew i was on my last shift

When we were in High School one of the local radio stations sponsored our "Explorers Group" for broadcasting and allowed us 1 hour a week, live on the air.

Well after a month of us being live, they made us tape the show for "review" before they would play it. To this day, I can't remember what we did....but it must have been a good one! :D

I have twice fallen asleep on air, each time at a different station. Both were overnight gigs, and nobody knew about it...or at least nobody said anything about it.

My first time covering the mid-day shift (I was evenings at the time), the morning jock when out of his way to make me laugh on the air, he was the one that actually got spoken to.

I fell asleep at my first radio station gig. It was overnights on the weekends. I worked at a Nostalgia formatted station...being 19 at the time it wasn't my thing so I would bring in a small radio and listen to the local rock station. I woke up a half hour later to dead air and my radio playing ZZ Top's "My Head's in Mississippi". How appropriate! The next jock came in about 5 mins later. No one ever mentioned it.

My Final song at the end of my last shift on a Country station where I had worked for almost 10 years to the day was Johnny Paycheck's "Take This Job and Shove It".

i guess the worst i ever did was forward the song "No way out" by Theory of a Deadman as the greatest love song ever written... recorded a phone call during it with a listener and played it back.... he said "that's not a love song" i retorted with, "let me guess you are 30 and the love you've ever had is with your mother and a dog...."

i got a "you rock!@!!" from the PD for that one incidently

I remember an on air goof I made in the Late 70's....On a Sunday Morning I read Obituaries which were sponsored by a Local Funeral Home...My Immediate song coming out was "Alive Again" by Chicago..

Small town country station in TX. I was still green and I was talking back to a spot that was produced by client as talent. It was for Mike's Motors. I was not really paying close attention to the copy, and out of the spot, I said "Thanks Mike, I'll Check those deals out" The GM came running in and balled me out right then. The spot was voiced by Mike's son Josh, who was carrying on the traditions of his late father.

Same station, two months later. Remember Robert Tilton? He was the TV Preacher that would have you put your hand on the TV for healing power. Well, when the good preacher got in all the trouble, my very large news guy was reading a story about him. Now mind you, I am no small guy either. Out of the story I said to Richard" You know Richard, Mr. Tilton has a new Tag Line for overweight people and it goes like this. Place your hand on the TV for my healing power, and if you're just too fat to get out of the chair, just place your hand on the remote control, AMEN". Hit the Jingle and the next tune. Rich and I were both rolling, 5 minutes later I was cleaning out my desk. Come to find out, the GM's wife was a BIG supporter of Ol' RT.

Guess I should have talked religion and politics in the interview. Oh well, had a good run of 16yrs. behind the mic. Yes, I would do it again for the right situation.

Next,

Frank

I never said anything to get fired, but did get "counseled" by the PD after an incident. I was the "man in the van" and I would drive the radio station van around the area all throughout the day giving away prizes. The van was set up with a full microwave remote setup and air personalities would cut to me for breaks. During one break, the DJ (a close friend), the traffic girl and I got a bit goofy and were cracking each other up. It was in the spirit of that moment, as we tried to get back to the entire point of the break (where I was and what I was giving away), I threw out the term "Prize Pigs". I can't recall exactly how I used it, but for those who don't know, it's a term for the most-highly regarded of radio listeners - the ones who somehow manage to win EVERY prize given away by the station and then show up at every station event. It caused much nervous laughter as my friend jumped back into music. As soon as he'd hit the post with the call letters, the van's phone was ringing and it was the PD requesting some time with me. :sqmad:

A year or so later, at the same radio station, I was the station's "mixer" DJ and we had a "Party Mix" show that we did at a local nightclub. We were at the club and had a special phone line there that would connect the audio from the mixer board to the studio and my mixing would be on the radio. The night jock was there with me and his wireless mic ran through my board as did a cart machine [I was responsible for playing the legal ID, bumpers and sweepers during the three hour show]. There was one night where we were really enjoying ourselves more than normal - some of the the 49ers had come into the club and the energy in the place was pretty high. Some regulars had sent some beverages our way and we had consumed them when we ran a normal talk break. I had mixed into a breakbeat while the jock ran around talking to a couple of guests. He finished his break and I mixed out of the breakbeats and into the next song. As I was completing the mix, I noticed someone in my booth behind me and turned around to see who was in the booth with me. It was an unbelievably attractive gal who just so happened to think that I would watch her purse. Of course I agreed because I was stunned by her looks! And as I was speaking to her about my willingness to hold that purse, a voice goes out over the speakers (and the radio, mind you...) saying "Look at that hot b#%ch with Paul!". In my concentration to complete my mix and my sudden distraction, I never killed the mic and the jock was sitting at the bar with a promotions employee and obviously didn't know that the mic was still hot. We were summoned to the PD's office on Monday for this one, too... :sqcool:

Hey bro how you been. I haven't seen you in a while.

MMMM... yes... but I was 19 at the time.. lol.... and didn’t know that I was live.. I was in the production studio, and did not relies that the board was switched over to AIR.. lol... it was 3:00 in the morning.. and our one listener at this talk radio station in Hawaii.. KGU.. called into the program director.. hehe.....
didn’t get fired... but got a good talking to!

I said BULL**** once on the overnights...
guess it wasn't that offensive, or no one else was awake and listening.
fell asleep once or twice, too...
but never had the police show up to see if I was okay.

Had a friend (the owner's son)
who had a certain song (some obscure Pink Floyd or ELP song)
that started with the sound of an LP at the end of the last track
(click...shhh...click...shh...click...shhh)
and when HE was on the overnights, he had it put on cart
and kept it ready to play in just such an "emergency"
(yeah, we played the vinyl thingy's at that time

Small town country station in TX. I was still green and I was talking back to a spot that was produced by client as talent. It was for Mike's Motors. I was not really paying close attention to the copy, and out of the spot, I said "Thanks Mike, I'll Check those deals out" The GM came running in and balled me out right then. The spot was voiced by Mike's son Josh, who was carrying on the traditions of his late father.

Same station, two months later. Remember Robert Tilton? He was the TV Preacher that would have you put your hand on the TV for healing power. Well, when the good preacher got in all the trouble, my very large news guy was reading a story about him. Now mind you, I am no small guy either. Out of the story I said to Richard" You know Richard, Mr. Tilton has a new Tag Line for overweight people and it goes like this. Place your hand on the TV for my healing power, and if you're just too fat to get out of the chair, just place your hand on the remote control, AMEN". Hit the Jingle and the next tune. Rich and I were both rolling, 5 minutes later I was cleaning out my desk. Come to find out, the GM's wife was a BIG supporter of Ol' RT.

Guess I should have talked religion and politics in the interview. Oh well, had a good run of 16yrs. behind the mic. Yes, I would do it again for the right situation.

Next,

Frank Mike Young Motors in Winnie? What station was this, anywhere near beaumont? Bright Star Ent. Any relation to Bright Star Prod out of Houston?

We once left a Pastors mic on during a conference (not to the room but to the DVD burner), so we had a DVD with all his conversations with people on it. Needless to say we destroyed it. But still.

Mike