We always suspected... that actors might be being hired as callers for talk radio shows, but then we said "nahhh..."
Now that callers are becoming a thing of the past for talk radio, it can be revealed talk syndicators of Rush and Sean have hired ringers (so to speak).
Via Tablet Magazine:
If [the actor] passed the audition, he would be invited periodically to call in to various talk shows and recite various scenarios that made for interesting radio. He would never be identified as an actor, and his scenarios would never be identified as fabricated—which they always were.
“I was surprised that it seemed so open,” the actor told me in an interview. “There was really no pretense of covering it up.”
Curious, the actor did some snooping and learned that Premiere On Call was a service offered by Premiere Radio Networks, the largest syndication company in the United States and a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications, the entertainment and advertising giant. Premiere syndicates some of the more sterling names in radio, including Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Sean Hannity. But a great radio show depends as much on great callers as it does on great hosts: Enter Premiere On Call.
“Premiere On Call is our new custom caller service,” read the service’s website, which disappeared as this story was being reported (for a cached version of the site click here). “We supply voice talent to take/make your on-air calls, improvise your scenes or deliver your scripts. Using our simple online booking tool, specify the kind of voice you need, and we’ll get your the right person fast. Unless you request it, you won’t hear that same voice again for at least two months, ensuring the authenticity of your programming for avid listeners.”
What's stopping media companies from using paid plants to play talk hosts to talk to the actors playing the callers? Might be a hell of a lot cheaper than paying Rush...
Well, yeah. Just like all those commercials of endorsement...by paid actors...why wouldn't they gin up their shows with (Union, btw) talent?
It's all smoke and mirrors.
Posted by: The Glenn Beck Comedy Tour | March 07, 2011 at 09:00 AM
You mean kiro actually paid Kay from montlake terrace to call in once an hour!!!
Posted by: dave (not dave ross) | March 07, 2011 at 11:25 AM
No surprise here. Bob Larson has been doing this for decades!
Posted by: TalkTalk | March 07, 2011 at 12:13 PM
Whoever plays Dick from Lake City deserves a bonus.
Posted by: Pete | March 07, 2011 at 02:58 PM
speaking of actors i just checked Celebrity Networth. Charlie Sheen- 80 million net worth ...Chuck Lorre, the co-creator and producer of the show who Sheen has been insulting on a daily basis now for a few weeks- 600 million net worth. Warner Brothers' firing of Sheen from 2 and 1/2 men a few hours ago just proves the old adage that money talks....bullshit walks.
Posted by: Tommy008. | March 07, 2011 at 03:14 PM
I miss Dick from Lake City and the other half of talk radio. KIRO is now monologue radio.
Posted by: Dark & Stormy | March 07, 2011 at 03:17 PM
Whose idea was it to stop taking calls on the kirofm shows? The thug, Hatch? very stupid idea. People like Burbank and Monson cannot carry whole hours , or in Burbank's case even his half of the whole hour.
Posted by: Tommy008. | March 07, 2011 at 04:05 PM
My boy Tommy 008, I went over to your hooch and took a very deep drink of water out of your hose.
All I can say is that when you sat in that beat up jag that warm feeling was not satisfaction on the bottom of your pants.
Posted by: Star Monson | March 07, 2011 at 04:32 PM
Dick from Lake City cleaned my chimney! He has - had- a chimney cleaning business and when he showed up, we got to talking about politics and talk radio and he asked if I'd him on the radio. At that time, I hadn't. But since then, frequently up until recently. Sounds just the same. Compulsive political guy. He's for real.
I did hear him in the last year and I think it was KUOW.
Isn't the corruption on the right simply astounding? At least Ensign has the good sense to decline to run again.
Posted by: joanie | March 07, 2011 at 07:37 PM
Anybody else think it's past time to put Star out of her misery? In human years, that mutt must be really, really old.
Posted by: joanie | March 07, 2011 at 07:38 PM
Suspicions Confirmed Dept. You have to pay someone stupid enough to be a foil for Beck, Windbag,Hannity , O,really et all. Now we know how you can suppliment your income whenyou cant sell motor homes.
Posted by: saintrudy | March 07, 2011 at 07:57 PM
All I want to know is, how much do these fake callers get paid? Per call? Per performance? Hell, sign me up! I can do this job!!!
Posted by: JimF | March 07, 2011 at 09:33 PM
Anybody else think it's past time to put Star out of her misery? In human years, that mutt must be really, really old.
Posted by: joanie | March 07, 2011 at 07:38 PM
Grrrrrrrrrrrr
(Lucky for you I got my DisTemper Shot last week)
Hey, where the hell is TAmmy 008?
I gotta take a leak!
Posted by: Star Monson--for Joanie | March 08, 2011 at 05:15 AM
( Star Monson-a very likely suspect for the assclown who posts here under "T008 Is A Fraud") anyway, hey Star- I just made a nice total 75% profit on two oil stocks over the course of twelve days...... what's your best stock trade to date?,Star......yeah.....didn't think so.......
Posted by: Tommy008. | March 08, 2011 at 02:41 PM
What a loser, even Joanie gets it: Tommy 008 is just a disgruntled racist who spews out lies of supposed 'monster gains' in the market.
You wanna impress us there 'Professor'? Put your prediction out ahead of time and we'll see how it goes for you.
Until then, Joanie's label sticks.
Posted by: Mike Response | March 08, 2011 at 03:23 PM
Coiler
Interesting that you suddenly see Reagan as the gold standard.
You do realize that Paul Craig Roberts was not a 'cabinet level' secretary and has gone so far off the rails since then that he believes that 911 was an inside job.
In other words, Roberts is a bit of a whack job. But from your past postings that sounds like the kind of crap that you believe in, Dillrod.
Coiler, do you believe that 911 was an inside job? If so, please explain. We'll wait for you to expose yourself. But don't be pulling any of that Bernie Ward action. You still defending him?
Posted by: Mike Response--kicking Coiler's Tail | March 08, 2011 at 03:31 PM
assclown Mikey- i don't make stock predictions/tips here. This is not a stock message board. why in the world would i give someone of your nature stock tips. I don't even speak to people of your nature out on the streets of Seattle. I do get a big kick after i post my best trades on here from time to time , almost always only sfter an assclown like you has atacked me personally(calling me stupid or a fraud/loser, etc). knowing that i'm telling the absolute truth as to my entry/exit points, duration of the trades, and total profit%, only to have some moron like you jump on here within minutes saying it never happened. Sorry, no free stock tips for you , Johnson . Do your own homework.
Posted by: Tommy008. | March 08, 2011 at 03:49 PM
I've been trying to get the fraud T008 to give one simple stock pick for years to validate his competency. He is a fraud and a pussy.
Here's another try:
Cramer dowes it...Hell...tweat us for God's sake!
Give me a stock ticker pick...post details at the moment you make the BUY and the moment you make the SELL...let's see if you can make 5 bucks you ass!
Posted by: T008 is a Fraud | March 08, 2011 at 04:19 PM
T8IAM- sorry. you don't dictate to me to do anything, fool. if you weren't such an offensive , insulting aas i possible might have obliged you on a one time only basis. now there's no chance in Hell. you dont tell me to do anything,sucker. ill just sit back and laugh the next time i post an absolutely true, huge % gainer trade and you come out from under your rock, like clockwork, to say it didn't happen. i'll laugh my ass off. i have a hot pharma play i just got into at close of trading tonight . super hot. but you wil never be able to profit from it since you will never know what it is. bwahhahahaahahahahahahaahah
Posted by: Tommy008. | March 08, 2011 at 04:39 PM
Today is International Women's Day! The year 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of this special holiday. It's a day to celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of women everywhere. Who are the leading ladies in your life? How will you be honoring them today?
Posted by: Todd in Parkland | March 08, 2011 at 05:10 PM
Good point, Todd.
In honor of International Women's Day I will christen Tommy 008 as Tammy 008.
I am so tired of this blowhard.
Posted by: Mike Response | March 08, 2011 at 06:22 PM
"Mike Response"- sounds like the name of some super nerd living in a skid road hotel room in a big American city that's a wannabe cop/first responder. Mike rides around in his beat up 1973 Volvo station wagon listening to his old police radio. He gets out at fire scenes , police calls, drunken sidewalk fistfights, etc, wearing an orange jumpsuit and hardhat, walkie talkie, handcuffs, mace, pepper spray bullet machine gun (like the one Dog's crew has) and generaly makes a jackass out of himself until he is fnally told by the real responders to leave.
Posted by: Tommy008 | March 08, 2011 at 06:38 PM
Wasn't this the whole Phil Hendrie schtik?
Posted by: Mark | March 08, 2011 at 06:42 PM
hahahaha..... you're thinking of Jay Santos, of the Citizens' Auxillary Police.....one of Hendrie's funniest bits...... good call....
Posted by: Tommy008 | March 08, 2011 at 06:55 PM
Talk radio is entertainment/theater for the mind!
Posted by: Jason Andersen | March 09, 2011 at 01:39 AM
The actor shills are older than that shock morning zoo radio craze and the stunting that went along with it. The addendum to the story is the Robo-bloggers; complete with full computer generated FB, twitter, e-mail and blog space backgrounds. I don't think I see them here, but there are a number of websites (comics.com is an example)where it's all quiet and you sometimes think you are the only one who goes there, until you mention the word "Koch". Suddenly rabid nut-jobs start falling from the trees and out of the sewers.
Posted by: LucasFoxx | March 09, 2011 at 11:13 AM
Are the ones falling out of the trees for the Kochs or against?
Posted by: sparky | March 09, 2011 at 04:28 PM