Radio DJ's

So for quite some time now I've had this thing were I talk to radio DJs and befriend them; and most of the time, they're kind enough to befriend me. Even though they're technically working.

I've been calling my local radio station DJs since I was about....maybe 11 or 12. And I always had a favorite two from the two stations that I called.

The first station I ever called was 96x, and I would talk to Nick PapaG. (sp?) Who sadly as come and gone from the air, which is unfortunate because he had an amazing voice and awesome happy personality. I mean no matter how shitty your day was going if you heard his voice and called in, he would always pick up the phone and he would always always ALWAYS play your song. Which I find seems to be a bit rare these days.

My second favorite DJ to call on 96x was the Mike and Bob Show. (yes I count them as one person because when you called, you spoke to the both of them, not just one[ unless one was working the weekends which sometimes happened])

But the best DJ's I've found have all been on FM99.
I mean I prefer the music on 96x just a tad bit more than I do on FM99, and I have found that some of the skits their (FM99) morning show (past and present) have been really offensive, but I swear they have quite possibly the most easygoing/personable/helpful and patient staff of DJ's EVER.

Shane G. (who has been gone for quite some time) was always very funny and patient with me when I called him on the weekends, and also very honest. I remember I once asked him if he could fit in a song for me, and he said maybe. He told me he thought he could, but he wasn't sure because his slots were filling up. And he also told me he might be able to play me...was it Drain STH? or Kittie, one or the other, he (I think, I'm pretty sure) told me that he wasn't sure if they even still had the band that I was requesting and that he would have to go and look for it. Swear to God y'all.

I mean really? How honest is that!? Most guys just sit there and say, "Oh yeah sure I'll get that right on for you" and then you wait and wait for hours only to never hear your song because they never played it. This, gave me a light into how the stations worked. Which was helpful to my sanity.

My All time favorite DJ though would have to be Scott N. He was quite possibly the nicest and most patient person. He worked the graveyard shift (12am-5:15am) on weekdays and sometimes he'd work the holidays and weekends. And literally every night/morning I guess, or every time I couldn't sleep I would just call him and talk to him. AND HE WOULD TALK WITH ME! For hours people, I'm mean hours, I think once I talked to him on and off for his ENTIRE Shift, or damn near close to. And he never once said a thing about it. He never complained, he never said "Look I'm sorry I can't stay and chat all the time, please stop calling" nope. He would just work and chit chat with me, and when he had to go on air, he'd put me on hold, do what he needed to do on air and off, and then he'd pick back up the phone and we'd continue our conversation.
And it would be about everything and nothing all at the same time. Politics, religion, music, you name it we most likely talked about it, joked about it, argued about it. I'd even call him on his birthday or email him on his birthday sometimes. And then he got a promotion to producing the morning show and that was it. I never talked to him again. That was quite possibly the saddest and happiest day ever. Happy because he got a promotion that I believed he deserved, (because anyone who put up with me as a kid deserves a fucking raise dude, [unless you requested it lmao, just to get away from me, which I could see, I was kind of annoying I'm sure])
and Sad because...I couldn't talk to him anymore.



BUT the main reason I made this post is for Shelley. (also an FM99 DJ)

I never talked to Shelley, ever. I never called her when she took over Twitch's spot after he quit, mainly because I just...didn't really care. Plus she kind of scared me, what with all of her Tats and love for metal (like..Real metal, not that pussy shit that's been being put out nowadays). The closest I ever got to talking to her was when she was hosting this local metal band live over the radio, and she would play their songs and shoot the shit with them, and they were all promoting the bands upcoming show. So I called, because the band fucking kicked ass, I wish I could remember their name, and I called, but I never got Shelley, in fact, I got the lead singer from the band. (who was also ridiculously nice, maybe it's something in the water that they all drink there) Anyhoo I ended up talking to the lead singer and all I could hear in the background was Shelley giggling, and I asked what she was laughing at, was it me? and he said no, she was saying what a great voice you have, and how your voice would be good for radio, I was flattered, because I was 16 at the time, but also slightly wary. Was she lying? Was she being Sarcastic? Or possibly she was being completely honest, I didn't know because I didn't know her. So with that harsh judgment, I never really took the initiative into doing so.

Until now. For a while Shelley has been part of the morning show, which I'm guilty of listening to on my way to class in the morning because of their news reports, their video game reports on Fridays (which is strange because I dont even play video games, unless you count the Sims2) and most importantly, their "Ask Shelley" section on monday mornings.
I'm in love with this portion of the show, mainly because the things that people ask are just so astounding sometimes I just...her poor computer history...I don't even want to know what sites she's had to go to. haha.

But recently because of this portion of the show I decided that I, yes me, was going to submit a question, actually two questions, that had been on my mind for a couple of years now.

The first question I asked was about the aforementioned DJ's, an the second was about why radio stations don't give their listeners a heads up when they change their formats and/or DJs. (the latter really really bothers me) Now usually these questions are answered over the air Monday morning, but I requested that they be answered via email because I was on break from class and would miss the answer if she chose to answer it at all.

Within a day people, A DAY, she wrote back to me a long and detailed email with every question I had answered. I was stunned. Mainly because 1) I figured some of the questions she might legally not be able to answer (I have no idea how radio and DJ relations work) And 2) because her response was quick! And not quick in the sense that she just skimmed the email and bullshit her way through it. But quick as in the professional "I have to do this quickly and thoroughly"
I felt bad for not responding with a "Thank you" email but I'm honestly bad at those things, and the holiday season was running me ragged.

But then I asked her another question, a question about TOOL (which is a whole other post HOMGSOEXCITEDDDDDDD) coming to town and whether the tickets would be general admissions or would they be reserved seating, with a pit.

I tried calling the DJ's, Christy M. and James S., on 96x but no one picked up so I quickly emailed Shelley hoping that she would have the answer and also would be able to respond to me before Saturday. I sent the email Wed. at around 6pm, when she wasn't in. By Thurs. (the next day) 47 minutes after her shift was over on the morning show and her other shift from 10-2 as just a DJ began, she emailed me and this is what she said in a nut-shell.

"Rebekah I called the Box Office at the Hampton Coliseum and they said it was reserved seating only, no pit whatsoever. The station is having a front row seat contest if you want to enter it (here's a link) and there's also other ways on our website to win tickets. Let me know what you get. -Shelley."

Everyone, I would like you to all re-read this email and tell me what stands out the most to you....Go ahead I'll wait.

Was it the part about her CALLING THE BOX OFFICE? Because that is what stuck out to me! I mean, I had no intention that she would do such a thing, I could have done that, but I figured she would probably know because she works for the station and is giving away tickets, plus she's been to more concerts than I'll ever dream of going to so I figured she would be the person to ask.

But to call? How awesome is that? I mean, she didn't have to, she could have just said, "Hey I have no idea, but usually if they say reserved seating it's reserved, with no pit" or she could have said "Oh I don't know you should call the box office" Or "Well we're giving away seat tickets so my guess would be reserved seating with no pit"

But she didn't! She took it a step further and the time out of her work day to CALL the box office to find this information out. and then she told me about the contest (that I had no idea was going on) on FM99's website. I'm just utterly baffled by her selflessness and her patients with my questions and with her quick responses and and and...

Words really just do not describe how utterly grateful I am. She's slowly pushing poor Scott N. from the top spot on my "Favorite DJ's EVER" list.

Seriously though, FM99 has the best DJ's.