| Yep, the old grizzled
broadcaster did it again! If you read one of our previous
Radio Tales, you know that I had a bit of trouble a few years ago
when an errant coffee cup bounced off the mike switch, spilling hot coffee
in my lap and treating the city to my reaction. Well, I did it again. During the five o'clock news one recent Saturday, I went down the elevator to the A&W in the mall to pick up some sustenance to get me and my engineer, Todd, through a semi-gruelling five-hour shift. While they were making up the burgers, fries and onion rings, I went to the bookstore down the mall to pick up a copy of ---what else?---- Men's Health magazine. I ordered a large Coke to go with mine, and humped it back up the elevator in time to introduce the sportscast that followed the news. Then I started gobbling and guzzling; wolfing down the burger and rings, swilling the Coke. The sportscast came to a close and it was time to do a live public service announcement. I started reading the thing, but about three-quarters of the way through, I noticed I was having a sudden gas buildup from the Coke that was in danger of being released. Many radio stations have a microphone switch setup that looks like this:
Obviously the "on" and "off" switches turn the microphone on and off. That "cough" switch is a button you push to cut off the mike temporarily while you cough. Or sneeze. Or belch. So I felt this cloud of gas heading upward, and I paused quickly, pushed the button and let 'er rip. GARPBLOOAGH! Then I looked down and noticed I hadn't pressed the cough switch at all. I'd pressed the "on" button, so the microphone had stayed on and the listeners were treated to a very loud gastric noise. I did the only decent thing. I blamed it on Todd.
|
