OH SNAP I'M DUMPING YOU ON THE RADIO March 1, 2010 11:54 AM Subscribe
Looking for a comment and can't seem to find it... it was about how a lot of telephone pranks by morning radio shows are faked, i.e. the callers are actors.
I think it was in the context of relationship drama, like the whole "person calls out their SO over the phone, surprises them by telling them they're on the radio" kind of deal. I think the comment was either by someone who used to be the host of those of the radio programs, or else an actor that was part of one of these schemes. Anyone know what I'm talking about?
I think it was in the context of relationship drama, like the whole "person calls out their SO over the phone, surprises them by telling them they're on the radio" kind of deal. I think the comment was either by someone who used to be the host of those of the radio programs, or else an actor that was part of one of these schemes. Anyone know what I'm talking about?
Hmmm. I definitely made a comment about that at one time, not sure if it's the one you're talking about. But I did talk about a friend of mine who used to do this. I think it was on AskMe. Let me look through my stuff and see if I can't find it for you.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:24 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:24 PM on March 1, 2010
Found it, or the thread that it was in.
Lutoslawski calls them fake, then there's some debate.
posted by graventy at 12:24 PM on March 1, 2010
Lutoslawski calls them fake, then there's some debate.
posted by graventy at 12:24 PM on March 1, 2010
Oh and there he is to steal my thunder.
posted by graventy at 12:25 PM on March 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by graventy at 12:25 PM on March 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Ha. Sorry graventy. You still found the thread ftw. Your thunder is unmatched.
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:27 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by Lutoslawski at 12:27 PM on March 1, 2010
*bows low to graventy* :D
posted by zarq at 12:33 PM on March 1, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by zarq at 12:33 PM on March 1, 2010 [2 favorites]
I hadn't really considered the fact that those segments might be faked until I read that thread, so it stuck with me. I hadn't favorited it at the time, but Miko's comment before it led me back to the thread.
posted by graventy at 12:37 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by graventy at 12:37 PM on March 1, 2010
Metafilter: Your thunder is unmatched.
posted by ODiV at 1:14 PM on March 1, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by ODiV at 1:14 PM on March 1, 2010 [3 favorites]
Also, I don't understand why the (fake) cheating guy would give his (fake) girlfriend or wife flowers on the radio. If a flower shop calls to tell you that you won free flowers and you're unfaithful then you give the flowers to your mother.
This is Cheating 101 here.
posted by ODiV at 1:21 PM on March 1, 2010
This is Cheating 101 here.
posted by ODiV at 1:21 PM on March 1, 2010
I didn't see the Lutoslawski thread. But I can confirm his experience -- I, too, have had friends both play as the caller, and act in a production role on the show, setting up fake calls, faked "live" events and such.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:42 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:42 PM on March 1, 2010
Now you're going to tell me that reality shows and pro wrestling are fake too?!
posted by Melismata at 1:47 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by Melismata at 1:47 PM on March 1, 2010
What made that thread worthwhile for me was the one call where the girlfriend didn't understand the prank and just started shouting at the guy before the "florist" could finish his lines. Knowing that that might have been scripted gives me a new respect for the writers of those shows.
posted by roll truck roll at 1:50 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by roll truck roll at 1:50 PM on March 1, 2010
zarq is back! Woohoo!
posted by katemonster at 1:53 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by katemonster at 1:53 PM on March 1, 2010
It sounded real to me. I felt so bad for that one girl who found out her fiance had a baby and a wife.
posted by anniecat at 1:58 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by anniecat at 1:58 PM on March 1, 2010
as it came up in that thread, and the thread is now closed, i'll say it here.
cheaters, the tv show, might have some real content, but i know for a fact that at least some of it is faked.
posted by nadawi at 2:18 PM on March 1, 2010 [2 favorites]
cheaters, the tv show, might have some real content, but i know for a fact that at least some of it is faked.
posted by nadawi at 2:18 PM on March 1, 2010 [2 favorites]
WHO ARE WE TO SAY WHAT IS REAL
(spoiler: nothing is real)
posted by Nattie at 2:25 PM on March 1, 2010
(spoiler: nothing is real)
posted by Nattie at 2:25 PM on March 1, 2010
HOW DARE YOU BESMIRCH THE GOOD NAME OF CHEATERS
Please go into more detail!
posted by graventy at 2:42 PM on March 1, 2010
Please go into more detail!
posted by graventy at 2:42 PM on March 1, 2010
Nattie: "WHO ARE WE TO SAY WHAT IS REAL
(spoiler: nothing is real)"
WHERE IS A GOOD PLACE TO PICK YOUR OWN?
(strawberry fields)
posted by idiopath at 2:55 PM on March 1, 2010
(spoiler: nothing is real)"
WHERE IS A GOOD PLACE TO PICK YOUR OWN?
(strawberry fields)
posted by idiopath at 2:55 PM on March 1, 2010
Metafilter: Your thunder is unmatched.
Sorry. I had chili for lunch.
posted by quin at 3:28 PM on March 1, 2010
Sorry. I had chili for lunch.
posted by quin at 3:28 PM on March 1, 2010
Ha. Sorry graventy. You still found the thread ftw
You still found the thread for the.... wecord?
posted by kate blank at 3:30 PM on March 1, 2010
cheaters, the tv show, might have some real content, but i know for a fact that at least some of it is faked.
I misread that as Cheers. And it blew my fucking mind.
posted by roll truck roll at 3:35 PM on March 1, 2010 [2 favorites]
I misread that as Cheers. And it blew my fucking mind.
posted by roll truck roll at 3:35 PM on March 1, 2010 [2 favorites]
sam malone does not own a bar and carla isn't a waitress. i'm sorry i had to break it to you.
posted by nadawi at 3:57 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by nadawi at 3:57 PM on March 1, 2010
norm and cliff, however, are actually a couple of drunks, if that makes you feel any better.
posted by jonmc at 4:45 PM on March 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by jonmc at 4:45 PM on March 1, 2010 [1 favorite]
Man I hope the ones here are faked because the radio hosts are just so mean to the callers. I always wondered how they got away with it actually so this might be the answer.
posted by shelleycat at 7:49 PM on March 1, 2010
posted by shelleycat at 7:49 PM on March 1, 2010
Okay. So I'm unemployed right now and I'd love to make a few bucks doing these. I can be very convincing when money is involved. Or even when it's not. I'd gladly do it as a freebie.
PM me numbers to call.
Seriously.
posted by Splunge at 8:54 PM on March 1, 2010
PM me numbers to call.
Seriously.
posted by Splunge at 8:54 PM on March 1, 2010
I think it's adorable that anyone can still be so credulous. Since the time I made that comment, yet another of my friends has been hired to make these calls, bringing the total of people I know who do this up to three. Of course it sounds real -- that's the entire point.
posted by hermitosis at 7:36 AM on March 2, 2010
posted by hermitosis at 7:36 AM on March 2, 2010
Y'know, I would like to hear two of these segments with the same voice actor doing a different role in each one. I mean, there can't be too much demand for these gigs but hermitosis keeps citing people who do them repeatedly. Surely there must be examples of the same person appearing in multiple "pranks."
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 8:11 AM on March 2, 2010
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 8:11 AM on March 2, 2010
It's incidental work, a couple of calls a week at the most. I get the impression that there are enough radio stations in enough cities, and enough actors in rotation, that it would be pretty hard to hear the same actor twice.
posted by hermitosis at 8:33 AM on March 2, 2010
posted by hermitosis at 8:33 AM on March 2, 2010
that it would be pretty hard to hear the same actor twice.
I haven't worked in radio in ten years or so, but back in the mid/late nineties, our prank "calls" weren't even calls! Every month, we'd get a CD full of the "victim" side of the conversation, plus a script. Our jocks would then record themselves reading the script, and then edit it all together such that our jocks would be "pranking" the pre-recorded actor.
The CDs were provided by the same group that put together a lot of our show prep, bumpers, and other key pieces of a station's "image." Of course, it's not like this material was unique to our station, so while I never experienced it, I was always on the lookout (listenout?) when I would travel, hoping to hear a phone prank that I had recorded for myself being done by a different jock on a different station. (Typically, companies won't sell the same image package to two stations in the same market.) This was partnered with a desire to have it happen in a public place, such that I could start reciting either side of the dialogue (or both!) and mystify those around me. Tragically, it never came to pass.
posted by SpiffyRob at 9:24 AM on March 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
I haven't worked in radio in ten years or so, but back in the mid/late nineties, our prank "calls" weren't even calls! Every month, we'd get a CD full of the "victim" side of the conversation, plus a script. Our jocks would then record themselves reading the script, and then edit it all together such that our jocks would be "pranking" the pre-recorded actor.
The CDs were provided by the same group that put together a lot of our show prep, bumpers, and other key pieces of a station's "image." Of course, it's not like this material was unique to our station, so while I never experienced it, I was always on the lookout (listenout?) when I would travel, hoping to hear a phone prank that I had recorded for myself being done by a different jock on a different station. (Typically, companies won't sell the same image package to two stations in the same market.) This was partnered with a desire to have it happen in a public place, such that I could start reciting either side of the dialogue (or both!) and mystify those around me. Tragically, it never came to pass.
posted by SpiffyRob at 9:24 AM on March 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
Hey I used to do calls as the "cheating girlfriend" about 10 years ago! I had totally forgotten about that. Fun gig.
posted by Kloryne at 10:46 AM on March 2, 2010
posted by Kloryne at 10:46 AM on March 2, 2010
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posted by desjardins at 12:15 PM on March 1, 2010