talk radio

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Biker dannyI turned 50 this week…only child…Dad died at 57…Mom still kicking it at 74 here with me in West Palm.  I had a dream job in sports talk radio yanked from me this past week and I have just about blown through my life time savings.  I haven’t worked in three years and four months because I believe in entertaining people on the radio, creating reaction, letting people vent, I want to hear their opinion, I want to learn but those opportunities are few and far between.  If you are one of those people who believe music belongs on the radio I respectfully say to you “Hey dumb ass…you have a phone…you have all your favorite songs…get the kid with acne at AT & T to show ya how to put your ear buds in.”

I’m not bitter or angry…I’m confused.  I am not a dummy.  I’m not saying that because I’m full of myself I say that because I know that I am smart.  I’m not trying to be a dick…I just happen to be smart.  I say what people think.  I’m honest.   I tell the truth.   I don’t hide from my past because it has taught me great lessons in life.  I’m far from perfect but if anyone ever tells you “There are no bad ideas in brainstorming,”   tell them this:   “You’re full of shit.”  There ARE bad ideas…that’s okay..not every hit has to be a home run….but don’t sit there and worry that someone’s “feelings” might be hurt.  We are all in this together no matter what the cause.  Will someone have the stones to stand up and say “Hey Ted..shitty idea.”  I say stupid things and come up with dumb ass ideas all the time.  We MUST fail in order to succeed.

Having my dream job slip away could have been the knock out punch….probably should have been…but I look at it this way…they didn’t deserve me.  People SAY they wanna hear the truth right up until you give them the truth.  They want you to kiss the ring…go with the plan…and be supportive when we have a team building seminar.  What does squeezing a fucking balloon filled with sand have to do with making money?  Here’s my seminar:  “Work your ass off, offer ANY idea and/or suggestion or grab your iPad and get out of the office…..and post a selfie on the way out”

So here I sit..50 and 3 days…searching for my purpose.  Last week, for the first time in 27 years I went to a church and asked to speak to a priest.  I asked him not to quote scripture or try to recruit me back into the pews and he was very respectful of my wishes.  I asked him the same question I still ponder “What is my purpose (BTW..not married…no kids either) and his response still chills me;  “Look for your beginning….look for your roots.  They are there…but you must notice them.”  For some reason I made a connection with this man and just started to cry.  Me…who rode the Harley there and covered my tattoo of a skull giving the finger with the lettering “Judge This” out of respect…was weeping in front of someone  I had known for 20 minutes.

I want to make a difference in this world.  Even though I truly am “lost” I feel that I am closer to finding my “roots” and “beginning” than ever before.  I think we all at least should make the effort but if it involves squeezing a balloon filled with sand….I’d rather sell AMC Pacers in a used car lot.

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ImageWhat I predicted almost two years ago is happening.  Notice how your favorite personality or morning show has just about disappeared from the air?  Why?  If you have a smart phone there is no reason for you to listen to music radio  Radio will continue to change and become one of two stations:  one that plays music with zero personality or one that is strictly content.  The owners and managers of these stations are figuring out what to do right now and my guess is 70% will stay with music.  To advertise on  music station is throwing out your money.

 

REAL radio is content radio.  This is where you are actually involved in the medium.  You laugh, agree, disagree, text, tweet, facebook, call in and become [art of the discussion, or maybe even cry in your car.THAT’S radio.  That’s a connection with you, the listener.  That’s what I want to be a part of.  That’s where I fit in.  That’s what I’m holding out for.

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bad bossI have been told that I am “headstrong.”  The same person  also told me that potential employers don’t like that in an employee and I should “tone it down.”  What am I twelve and standing up on a moving school bus during a freaking field trip?  I am headstrong and I like headstrong people.

I respect people in authority but I’m not gonna nod my head in agreement about something I don’t agree with or think there may be a better option.  I believe a truly great boss surrounds him or herself with headstrong people.  You wanna be king of the jungle not just a herdsman of some dumb sheep.

I have actually been required to attend team building seminars where we threw around bean bags and balloons and were told “there are no bad ideas in brainstorming.”   Uh….yes there ARE bad ideas in brainstorming Mr. Einstein.  Doesn’t anyone remember “New Coke” or “Crystal Pepsi?”  If it’s a bad idea you are going to get bad results.   It seems that people SAY  they want honesty right up until it’s something that they don’t agree with.  How about this for honesty:  If you need to force your employees to play with balloons and bean bags to increase office morale….you are running a daycare and not a business.

I have always learned the most from people I disagreed with.  It forces you to think in a different direction.  I’m not saying that everyone I have disagreed with has taught me something because I’ll be honest again:  There are a LOT of stupid people in this world.  I don’t think that’s an opinion because I live in Florida and that pretty much is a statement of fact.

I will never say “what you wanna hear” but I will say “how I feel.”  If more people did this on a daily basis then we would be a much more productive society.  Again…this is just my opinion.  Maybe I’m just being headstrong.

 

Danny Czekalinski hosts a weekly LIVE internet radio show called DANNYLAND on mysourceradio.com    Listen to it Thursday mornings at 9AM EST or check out the show archives HERE

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amanda-bynesIs Amanda Bynes crazy is or is she just freaking brilliant?  I’m starting to think she is crazy like a fox.  There is no such thing as bad publicity—unless ya end up pulling an Aaron Hernandez.  In the past year Amanda has pulled all kinds of stunts that may lead you to think she should reside in a rubber room but she has yet to be in trouble with the law.

It’s no secret that I am looking for a talk radio job—whether that be in topical talk or sports talk.  I’m honestly thinking of getting a blonde wig, wandering around the streets of Buffalo mumbling incoherently and throwing a flower vase outside of my window.  Sadly we live in a society where good news and talent doesn’t necessarily lead to us to rewards.  If I dress up like Sideshow Bob, get on a pogo stick, weave a few baskets out of cooked spaghetti and juggle a few bowling balls on a street corner I’m gonna be able to get my name out there because I know the local TV stations will send out the satellite trucks for a live shot at five.

They say ya gotta be crazy to want to be in radio today—maybe I need to put a stop at the wig store on my “to-do” list for today.

 

Danny Czekalinski does a weekly radio show every Thursday at 10AM EST on MySourceRadio.com.  Click on the DANNYLAND link to access show archives.