A Face for Radio

I like to joke that I have a face for radio.

Really, it's not that bad a face. It doesn't scare the horses or small children

Usually.

But there is something about that radio part. I've been told a number of times that I have a good radio voice.

And I've even made use of it.

My first foray into radio was when I was in high school. The local radio station was putting together a panel discussion about the life of teens. They were looking for know-it-all teens who could speak in reasonably complete and coherent sentences. 

I fit the bill.

It was a one-time thing, and it went well. And I didn't get called into the guidance office afterwards for some counseling, so no harm done.

My next adventure came in college. I was visiting a friend at another college, and he was involved with the campus radio station. He was going to be taking part in an unscripted radio play and asked me to join him. I did. It was, well, what you expect from a group of college students. Some good moments. A lot of nonsense. 

I hope there are no recordings of the show still around.

The following year I decided to get involved with my own college's radio station, which was located in the basement of one of the dorms. I got an evening slot and started making it my own. We didn't have formal playlists, so I chose only music I liked or could stand. For example, although it was popular at the time, no disco. And at the time I hated The Rolling Stones, so if I played them at all - after the station manager said we had to play requests - I would play the songs at 45 rpm. (Older folks will understand what that means.)

By the way, I still don't like The Rolling Stones.

My college had recently gone coed, but had strict rules about visitation, and each floor had resident advisors who were required to enforce the rules. Men were only allowed in the lounges of the women's dorm until midnight, so that's where couple hung out. From 11-Midnight, I created the Lounge Lovers Special. I'd play all sorts of romantic music and love songs. But I'd mix in public service announcements about STDs. 

My sense of humor.

That sense of humor actually had an effect on student government elections.

I had started doing a fake newscast for each show - it was when Saturday Night Live had just become popular. I'd include topical items but add silly or satirical spins to the reports.

At one point, my college was holding elections for student government offices, including president of the student council. The current president was running for re-election against two other guys and a woman. As I mentioned, my college had only recently gone co-ed, so her running was a first. But this was a less enlightened time, and people started spreading rumors that she was a lesbian. She was a friend of mine, I knew that wasn't true, and I thought the claims were dirty politics. So, I included a report that the president of the student council had cancelled the elections because they had descended to the level of mudslinging, and besides, he "didn't want to run against two queers and a lesbian."

It just so happened that one of the candidates was near the station and heard the report. He ran into the broadcast booth and began yelling at me, using some colorful language. Then a friend of mine who happened to be in the booth at the time pointed out that the microphone was still on. I looked at the candidate, smiled, and said, "I know."

The candidate dropped out the next day.

By the way, woman friend did not win, but she did graduate with honors, married, had several children, and became a highly respect local lawyer.

The next year I switched to a morning shift. The station broadcast was piped into the school dining hall, and I got tired to trying to down my oatmeal while disco or The Rolling Stones were playing. For my shift I played lighter music, folk music, even some classical. Indeed, I would often put on one longer classical piece, and while it was playing run from the station to the dining hall, get some coffee and food, then race back to the station. And at 9 a.m. when the dining hall was about to end serving breakfast I would play "Barracuda" by Heart to end the gentler music and kick off a rock set.

After graduation, I was not involved with radio for seven years. In between, I'd graduated from grad school and started teaching at a Catholic high school where the pay was so poor I need to supplement my income. At first, I coached, but that made for a long day. Then a friend said I had a good voice for radio, and that the local public radio station was always looking for board operators and announcers. I went to the station, and though I had no tapes, they liked what they heard in the interview. I was hired to work on weekends. I was to remain with the station for 22 years.

But that's another story.

Pax et bonum