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

Ten years ago - almost to the day - Tickle me Elmo was all the rage.  Moms are calling asking where to buy it.  They were sold out everywhere.  I had a contact though. Linda, my next door neighbor, worked at Target.  She did some investigative work, and learned of one final shipment of 12 arriving the next day.  She pulled one out for me - I bought it - and had the hot toy to give away.  But how?  What was I gonna do?  We thought about burying it.  Maybe hide it somewhere and give clues.  Throw it out of an airplane.  HAHA.  That "crack’ - led us to what we decided to do.  We couldn’t of course, throw Elmo from a plane - but we could strap Elmo to a parachutist.  Simply announce that somewhere over the city was a small plane.  In seconds a parachutist will jump out.  be the first to "tag" the parachutist - and win the Elmo.  The day & time came and things went off without a hitch.  We landed Elmo on our cities busy west side on a weekday @ 8am.  The parachute was seen by thousands - who ALL knew what was going on - by the crowd gathered - and the ensuing rush.  The parachutist was literally TACKLED by a listener.  The TV stations were tipped off and the whole thing was broadcast on the news that night.  It was a cute promo for $35.  The Mid America Parachute Club in Taylorville came through for us that day and specifically Michael Ayers, who strapped on Elmo.  Tragically, Michael lost his life just a few years later in a parachuting accident.

I was the first person to do this bit.  Since, it’s been done all across the country - but, I was the first.  I gave away 50 thousand in cash.  This was just about 20 years ago.  I came on the air and announced that sometime during my show that day - I would award someone 50 thousand in cash.  The phones lit up immediately.  "What?"  "Yep, 50 thousand in cash!"  My audience was #1 in the market.  These people called everyone they knew.  That day. hundreds of thousands of people were tuned into Bri - with phone in hand - waiting for the cue to call and win 50 thousand in cash.  I strung it out for a couple of hours.  "Your chance to win 50 thousand in cash could come at any minute!"  People called and insisted I’m surely trying to pull a fast one. "Yes, I will really give a caller 50 thousand in cash!"  The time came!  "I’ll take the 97th caller (B97) - to win 50 thousand in cash right now!  It took about 5 minutes to answer all the calls.  I come to #97.  "Hi, Brian Pierce, B97 - you are the 97th caller and have just won 50 thousand in cash!!!!!"  "Woooooo Hooooooo - Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!!!!!!!!"  "Who’s this?"  "Brian, this is Larry!  I can’t believe it.  I’ve been listening for a couple of hours.  This is the greatest thing!!!!"  "Believe it Larry!!!"  At this point I’d brought in Scott Walker to be my game show announcer.  "Scott, Tell Larry what cash we’re using today!"  "Right Brian, Todays cash is Italian Lire!!!!"  I kill the music and applause to get Larrys reaction.  "Uhhhh - Uhhhhh, how much is that in American money?"  We shout in unison, "38 DOLLARS 25 CENTS!!!"

I’d seen a new currency conversion chart that morning, and decided to exploit it.  I never ever even once, said dollars.   I felt bad for Larry, he realized he’d been had - I gave the receptionist a check for $38.25 - and told Larry to come by and collect his windfall.  I’ve told this story more than once, and I bet Larry has told it a thousand times.

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.

New Orleans circa 1983.  Every hour, every Thursday it was "Thirsty Thursday" at B-97.  The correct caller won a case of soda and a case of DIXIE LONGNECKS.  The beer truck arrived at the station each week and loaded our prize closet with 24 cases of beer.  For three straight years this went on.  In the politically correct times we live in now, it’s hard to imagine we were on the air giving away beer to the correct caller.  Sure, the winner had to be "of age" to collect the prize, but this was on a station that had an Arbitron weekly cume rating among teens 12-17 of 78.  Looking back, it seemed so matter of fact when sometimes I added "a carton of menthol cigarettes" to the package.  Back then cigarettes were about $15 a carton.  I simply gave the receptionist cash from my own pocket to give to the winner.  One of our big advertisers at the time was DAIQUIRIS.  This was a "Baskin-Robbins esque" daiquiri joint that sold daiquiris in giant go cups from drive up windows.  Often I gave away these daiquiris too.  I was giving away beer, cigs & tasty rum drinks on air.  These were the days in the city that care forgot.