In the world of radio comedy, you hear lots of variations of the same characters, gags, and situations.
Unless, of course, you’re lucky enough to have been able to listen to Gary Burbank.
Meet Gilbert Gnarley (G-N-A-R-L-E-Y).
A radio story from radio legend Gary Owens, excerpted from my book, PERSONALITY RADIO.
I used to have a running battle at KMPC about the air conditioning.
We had three separate booths from which the disc jockeys broadcast. Invariably, during the hot summer months the air conditioning in mine was always on the fritz.
I’d walk down the hall and it would be 72 degrees; in my booth it would be about 87. I’d work in my t-shirt, and I’d be perspiring and I couldn’t think, and nothing would be done.
I’d ask each day, “Is the air conditioning fixed?”
“Oh, they tell us it’s going to be taken care of today.”
Three months it went on.
So one day I came in and was doing “bad air conditioning jokes” on the air: “Because our air conditioning doesn’t work, it’s so hot in here that…”
And they sent a man over from KTLA-TV. He said, “Mr. Owens, I’m here to fix the air conditioning.”
I said, “Thank God you’re here!”
He walked around to where my engineer, Bud Stalker, was. Stalker was playing the cartridges and stuff, and suddenly Stalker starts laughing. He said to me, “You won’t believe what just happened!”
I said, “I’ll believe anything.”
“The man walked over here,” he said, “and the record was playing. He reached over and turned down the on-air monitor knob…and then he said, ‘Is that any cooler?’”
And then the guy left! We never saw him again.
Download your copy of PERSONALITY RADIO here.
If you’re an advertising copywriter who’s learned my 5-Step System For Creating Radio Commercials That Get Results, you’re already familiar with the headline archetype that I’ve dubbed “The Andy Rooney Open.”
(Yeah, sounds like a golf tournament.)
If you travel as much as I, these headlines from a magazine ad probably speak to you directly and make you want to hear what’s coming next….
“DON’T YOU HATE…
“Getting stuck at a taxi line with no cars in sight?
“Being stranded in a foreign city with no directions?
“Paying $100 instead of 100 Lira for a taxi ride?
“Looking for a cab in NYC during rush hour?”
If you don’t travel much, those headlines probably had no effect on you.
But the advertiser — LimoReservations.com — wanted to grab the attention of frequent travellers.
And they succeeded…by speaking directly to their target audience.
That’s what your radio commercials do, right?
This is a photo I just took of one voice actor’s website.
If your website is created in Flash (as far too many voice over websites are), that’s what it looks like from an iPhone or any other Apple mobile device (iPad, iPod Touch).
If this voice over person had listened to my intensive audio seminar, WEBSITES FOR VOICE ACTORS, he would have known to tell his webmaster he didn’t want a flash website.
And he wouldn’t have ended up with a website that up to 20% of his visitors can’t access.
Here’s a piece of the legendary John Records Landecker’s very first air shift, as a teenager hosting the Saturday Midday Ride on WOIA/ WOIB in Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1966.
You’ll also hear the “live” commentary provided by John as the air check was played for attendees at one of my radio seminars.
Listen for the surprise appearance of “Radio’s Best Friend.”
Yep, John “faked” a call, having a buddy call in to make a request.
