The Bitter Truth is that radio contest winners are not winners. Anyone who has all day to sit around calling the same phone number again and again and again in hopes of winning Bieber concert tickets is far from a winner. They may just be shut in who's next shot at fame is when "Hoarders" shows up at their house to film "A Very Special Episode." As someone who once worked in the music business I also know that radio call in contests aren't always on the up and up. (That's old guy speak for legit.) Many a time pals at radio stations put the names of friends and family members on the winners list.
In college I had what seemed like a very boring work study job. I was the college switchboard operator. Sitting in the basement of my dorm building 100 Beacon Street I would spend 2-4 hours a day answering the phones "Hello Emerson College" and directing the calls to various departments on campus. Pretty ho-hum until a buddy of mine hipped to the fact that I would program the huge switchboards 50 plus lines to speed call any number. Suddenly my desktop switchboard became the most powerful winning machine on campus. I programmed all the local radio stations contest line phone numbers into it. The guys in the mailroom next to my office would then tune their 3 radios to the main stations in Boston. Each guy assigned to a different station. When contest time came each guy would scream out: "CALL WBCN!!!" or "CALL KISS 108." With the press of a button all 50 lines would dial away making me the correct caller almost every time. Sorry to anyone trying to reach Emerson College at that moment. The lines were too busy to accept incoming calls. The winnings came rushing in LPS, t-shirts and eventually CDS, books, comedy club passes and piles of concert tickets flowed to me and my inner circle .
The ultimate was the time on WBCN when I became the "Grand Prize Winner!" Excited I said, "Great! Um, what did I win?" The DJ said, "You won two tickets to see Eddie Money at Club Casino in Hampton New Hampshire." "Oh. Um okay." I said. Eddie Money? New Hampshire? No thanks. Figured I'd just give them a fake name and never claim the prize. Then he added, "You also get a free limo ride, booze and backstage passes to meet Eddie Money!" "A limo ride? Did you say a limo ride? And free booze!?" I asked excited. "And you gte to meet Eddie Money." The DJ replied. "yeah. But you did say a limo ride right?" I was the grand prize winner!! Off to New Hampshire my buddy Chris Stearns and I went in a limo, drinking the whole way. And yes we got to meet Eddie Money backstage. I only remember we were so drunk we insulted Eddie minutes after the photo was taken. Soon after the people who had been so nice to use when we arrived turned hostile and escorted us out of the club. Don't recall seeing Eddie Money's show. But the limo ride back to Boston was well worth the trip.
A week later I missed out on being the correct caller for the same package including limo and backstage passes to meet The Cure. I think that contest was rigged. Nowadays I don't bother trying to call into radio stations and I think people who do should consider doing other things with their lives like volunteer work or getting a job. I was "The Grand Prize Winner" but you will never be and that's The Bitter Truth.
In college I had what seemed like a very boring work study job. I was the college switchboard operator. Sitting in the basement of my dorm building 100 Beacon Street I would spend 2-4 hours a day answering the phones "Hello Emerson College" and directing the calls to various departments on campus. Pretty ho-hum until a buddy of mine hipped to the fact that I would program the huge switchboards 50 plus lines to speed call any number. Suddenly my desktop switchboard became the most powerful winning machine on campus. I programmed all the local radio stations contest line phone numbers into it. The guys in the mailroom next to my office would then tune their 3 radios to the main stations in Boston. Each guy assigned to a different station. When contest time came each guy would scream out: "CALL WBCN!!!" or "CALL KISS 108." With the press of a button all 50 lines would dial away making me the correct caller almost every time. Sorry to anyone trying to reach Emerson College at that moment. The lines were too busy to accept incoming calls. The winnings came rushing in LPS, t-shirts and eventually CDS, books, comedy club passes and piles of concert tickets flowed to me and my inner circle .
The ultimate was the time on WBCN when I became the "Grand Prize Winner!" Excited I said, "Great! Um, what did I win?" The DJ said, "You won two tickets to see Eddie Money at Club Casino in Hampton New Hampshire." "Oh. Um okay." I said. Eddie Money? New Hampshire? No thanks. Figured I'd just give them a fake name and never claim the prize. Then he added, "You also get a free limo ride, booze and backstage passes to meet Eddie Money!" "A limo ride? Did you say a limo ride? And free booze!?" I asked excited. "And you gte to meet Eddie Money." The DJ replied. "yeah. But you did say a limo ride right?" I was the grand prize winner!! Off to New Hampshire my buddy Chris Stearns and I went in a limo, drinking the whole way. And yes we got to meet Eddie Money backstage. I only remember we were so drunk we insulted Eddie minutes after the photo was taken. Soon after the people who had been so nice to use when we arrived turned hostile and escorted us out of the club. Don't recall seeing Eddie Money's show. But the limo ride back to Boston was well worth the trip.
A week later I missed out on being the correct caller for the same package including limo and backstage passes to meet The Cure. I think that contest was rigged. Nowadays I don't bother trying to call into radio stations and I think people who do should consider doing other things with their lives like volunteer work or getting a job. I was "The Grand Prize Winner" but you will never be and that's The Bitter Truth.
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