The Best Talk Radio Callers Are in Idaho

There are some radio callers I’ll call hits.

Some of these people call me daily or almost daily. I’m told by an old radio trade columnist the callers are the equivalent of songs on music radio. Music radio plays the hits. I’ve got what I consider two stellar regulars. Both are guys who work hard for a living. They’ve graduated the school of hard knocks and are proud they didn’t accept charity.

When I replayed his call the next day he dialed me up on-air and threatened to beat me up. His boss was listening and the angry caller got fired.

Both telephoned the show today. They usually squeeze these calls in between chores. Below is one of the men and he dialed me up while he was milking cows. He also gave an endorsement of the program.

There are a variety of callers. The off topic people who believe we’re operating a community bulletin board. The statement caller isn’t even listening once he or she gets on-air (usually it’s a he and if the host asks a question the dude is no longer listening). The slow talker has a laconic approach. There is the wanderer. He gets way off topic and needs to be steered. The repeater is interesting. He makes his statement and then keeps repeating himself. Either he can’t end a conversation or must say it 3 times for emphasis (he’s heck on my show clock).

There is the hijacker. He sees a ready audience for his personal cause.

There are hit and run. These callers shout a few remarks and then you hear click. There are also people who telephone and use the opportunity to attack neighbors and some who believe once they’re call has been answered they should have as much time as they want.

Finally, the two best talk show callers I ever had were before I came to Idaho (people here are sane, after all!) One caller told me her father played for the Washington Redskins, and that Walter Cronkite and Tim Russert weren’t really dead and when I didn’t believe her, she explained I had until Monday before turning myself into the FBI. A second voice on the line told me over the air I was a “prick”. When I replayed his call the next day he dialed me up on-air and threatened to beat me up. His boss was listening and the angry caller got fired. He called me. I didn’t call him.

Anyhow, you can listen to one of my favorite callers by clicking here. I like sensible and hard-working people. He’s the archetype of both.