Joseph Price filed it.
Ken, I remember you told a hilarious story on your podcast about a radio DJ who attempted to prevent his firing by playing a specific song... (trying not to spoil it for your blog audience). Is it possible for you to share it on this blog? I couldn't find the story again.
Okay, some backstory: Radio in the ‘60s and ‘70s was a great time. All local stations, all local DJ’s.
But it was also very unstable. Top 40 radio was a constant revolving door. New program directors, bad rating books, new owners, new format, new directions — they all contributed to maybe the most insecure job on the planet. DJ’s were nomads. My disc jockey career, for example: I was a jock in Bakersfield, San Bernardino, Detroit, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, and Los Angeles.
I’d be hard-pressed to name a jock from that era who didn’t get fired at least three times. It was four for me. And that’s over a period of a few years. I was a TV writer for 40 years and was never fired once (show cancellations don’t count — that’s not personal).
When you’re fired in radio, rarely do you have any warning. I think my final sign-off on several stations was “See you tomorrow night.”
If we got advance warning it was usually because we saw the trade papers advertising for our jobs, or the PD was constantly on your case. All of a sudden you could do nothing right.
Now, getting to Joseph's request. I believe this happened in Kansas City in the late ‘60s. The morning DJ got wind that he was about to be fired. Then ten minutes before his shift ended the program director stuck his head in to say “Please come to my office when you’re done with your show.” He didn’t need tea leaves to know he was about to be canned.
So he had ten minutes to think of something.
Some DJ’s in that situation bad mouth the station on the air. That usually comes back to bite them when they try for other jobs. This gentleman was far more shrewd.
Just before his sign-off he went on the air and said this (I’m paraphrasing): “I want to end my show today by playing a record. The management does not want me to play this record. In all likelihood I’m going to get fired for playing this record, and this is the last time you hear my voice. But I feel so strongly about it, that I don’t care. Even if I do lose my job, there are certain beliefs that are more important. So here’s the record this station does not want you to hear.”
And he played the National Anthem.
The station phone lines blew up. There was outrage in the community. He was still fired of course, but not before causing the station a world of grief.
God, I miss radio.
from By Ken Levine
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