The Curse (was: Boston Globe / Living / Arts / As GM, her job is to pump up sports talk and hard rock)

[Bill O'Neill]

Steve replies to Garrett:

> Agreed.  How many of us mentally tune out during the music,
> yet come alert
> when the dj talks or spots air, more interested in the execution of a
> format than the music..much to the amusement and annoyance of
> non-radio
> friends/acquaintances?  It's just one of those things like a barber
> noticing everybody's haircut.

As per the caption, I call it "the curse of radio."  In truth, it's a term or
endearment.  I can't usually "listen" to radio since I am too busy in "analysis"
mode when I'm bouncing around.  In those rare times that I find myself sucked in
and thoroughly engaged as a listener, I will likely note it here in this space.
It becomes "a story."

I think one of those rare moments, once noted here, was when I actually sat down
at the kitchen table with coffee and paper and "listened" to Ken Squier on WDEV
(96.1//550) with "Music to Go to the Dump By," a radio staple of Saturday
mornings throughout Vermont from 9-10 a.m.  Subsequent "listens" were not as
such.  It's temporal, those rare times; just because a show may suck me in once,
it may not do the same on subsequent encounters.  Glick on BZ was a master at
helping me to forget the radio curse.  Jerry, RIP,  had that skill, on
occasion - especially with a comedian in studio with him.

OTOH, there were some hosts that were so good that I couldn't help to listen as
a student and take as many notes as humanly possible - Jess Cain, comes to mind.
Having had the chance to actually observe his work made that even more powerful.
It was this heretofore unmatched sense of ease with which he worked, coupled
with clear evidence of show prep and professional presentation both on and off
the air.  And perhaps this one is to be filed under "distance (of time) makes
the heart grow fonder," but my recollection of the Sports Huddle with Eddie,
Mark & Jim back on the old HDH was significant for the fact that not being an
avid sports guy, my pre-talk days, I was thoroughly engaged.  And a room full of
talkers is ripe for aural trainwrecks, mixed egos, poor execution and errant
banter.  But it all worked.

Bill O'Neill