AMJOCK.COM Confessions of Brian Pierce, a morning radio disc jockey.

The State Fair teen Disco fun kit.  I actually gave this prize away many years ago.  Along the way, I’ve given away many great prizes to listeners.  I’ve also awarded listeners some real dogs.  The State Fair teen Disco fun kit was one of the dogs.  I knew at the time - this was going to go down as the dumbest thing I will ever give away.  It didn’t of course, but for one solid week - I was the guy with a chance to win the State Fair teen Disco fun kit.  I remember the callers.  "You’re the 5th caller - you’ve just won a State Fair teen Disco fun kit!"  The listener usually followed with, "Uhhh."  The SFTDFK was doomed from the onset.  It was ill conceived - not thought through - and of no real benefit to anyone.  It was beneath me, my station, and mankind - to ever perpitrate the myth that the SFTDFK was even a prize.  But, I trod on.  Night after night, hour after hour - "Another chance to win a SFTDFK is coming up!"  I was hoping that listeners upon hearing they won a SFTDFK would say, "Thanks!"  The most I got was, "OK."  Wanna know why the SFTDFK has stuck with me all these years, when I’ve completely forgotten 95% of all the other contest prizes?  The State Fair teen Disco fun kit was: Two tickets for one ride at the Illinois State Fair, a package of Kool Aid, and a Frisbee.

This was one of the unbreakable rules of being on air in the 70’s.  What ever you say, what ever you do - open and close every break with the call letters.  Here’s an example.  "WCVS.  It’s 9 o’clock, and I’m Bri playin’ the hits!  Here’s Grand Funk on WCVS!"  We were told time and time again to open and close with call letters.  We began to believe if by chance we didn’t follow this rule, someone might die.  I recall thinking, "Hell, there’s only 8 stations in this town - surely they’ll know which one they’re listening to, even if I tell them just one time per break."  Management zeroed in on this though - and break after break, I opened and closed with call letters.  When new hires took to the air, we drilled this rule into their heads.  I’ll never forget one night late, a new disc jockey (we’ll call him Rick) was to be on the air for the very first time. Every DJ has that first time, and in Ricks defense it can be nerveracking.  Ricks nerves must have been on maximum as he opened the microphone and said, "WCVS…uh….WCVS!"  How could we fault him?  He opened and closed with call letters.

As Politicians go, John Shimkus is a big dog. He’s an Illinois Congressman from the 19th district. John serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and is a member of three Energy and Commerce Subcommittees: Telecommunications and the Internet; Health; and Energy and Air Quality. Shimkus said SHIT on my air.  Shimkus was in my building for an interview on our news talk sister station.  Before he left, we asked him if he’d like to make an appearance on our show.  He said sure.  At the moment he came into the studio, we were playing a contest called "Password" with a caller contestant.  John agreed to act as the "celebrity contestant."  The caller was given the password - (fertilizer) - and Shimkus was to be given three one word clues to say - Fertilizer!  The caller says, "Manure."  Shimkus blurts, "SHIT!"  By his enthusiasm exclaiming SHIT, it was apparent he thought he’d won the game.  He of course didn’t, as we couldn’t stop laughing long enough to continue playing.  The callers in the subsequent days bragged they were listening to hear this Great Moment in broadcasting - and for most this sealed their support for Shimkus - as this was the first time most had heard a politician being "real."  FCC complaints?  Not one.  Everyone thought it was golden.