Be Nice to Everyone

I have this theory about successful radio personalities. It also goes for entertainers and Business leaders as well. As I look back on my life and think of all of the the radio personalities that have achieved great sustained success, for the most part, they all have one thing in common. That is, they are all involved with the community and they make time for their fans.

They might raise toys for kids around the holidays or do food drives, shoe drives, they are the spokesperson for a charity, or they champion a cause. What ever it is, they take their notoriety and influence and give back to the community. They are also the ones who recognize that if it were not for the fans they would not have a job. They go out of their way to meet them, greet them and talk with them and make them feel special.

Today in Fred Jacobs' Blog, he highlights a story written by ESPN.com writer Matthew Berry talking about his first job out of college. Berry was working at FOX TV with the late George Carlin on his sitcom. Berry remembers what a great guy Carlin was and how he would gratefully take the time to autograph pictures and memorabilia for fans. When asked why he did it, Carlin responded......

"I always do it. No matter what. Look, it's 30 seconds out of my life. And now those people had a good experience. And the next time my name comes up, for the rest of their lives, they'll say 'Yeah, I met Carlin once. He was nice.' I'd much rather that than a lifetime of 'Yeah, I bought all that guy's albums and then he wouldn't even sign my hat. That guy was a jerk.' Thirty seconds for a lifetime? I'll do that every time."

Fred went on to comment......

"George Carlin understood a lot about the human condition and what made people laugh - and think. But he also had a keen sense of what entertainers bring to the lives of fans, and the relationships that are created in the process. In our world of radio, these relationships still matter, and in fact, are very much a part of our "secret sauce."

George got it! So do Matthew and Fred!

Read Fred's Blog Here.
Read Matthew Berry's story about George Carlin Here.

For us broadcasters, we remember Carlin for something else, "The Seven Dirty Words You Can't Say On Radio or TV". To this day I still have them memorized!

Watch it here. Be careful if you are in the office or kids are around.