Winter Pledge Drive 2006

Winter Pledge Drive 2006

This is Rob Long with Martini Shot on KCRW.

How much must regular radio suck, that you're listening to the pledge drive?

Think about it. I mean, you're listening to this, for some reason. You can't actually say that you enjoy it, right? I mean, no one enjoys the pledge drive, really.

But for some reason, people listen. And that's because radio, basically, bites.

Now, I work in Hollywood, and Hollywood is a highly-refined, highly polite place. The important people -- the talent, the writers, directors, actors -- they don't negotiate their own salary packages. They appoint other, unpleasant people -- agents, managers, business affairs lawyers -- to fight it out with threats and nasty phone calls and name calling. So that they can glide above it serenely, an arm's length or more from the frantic, desperate scrambling for money.

Once, I played golf with a guy who's agent was trying to get back-end points on a project from me, which my agent was fighting tooth and nail. His agent and my agent spent a hot-tempered spittle-flying afternoon screaming at each other. He and I enjoyed a hot dog and a Heineken at the turn. Smiling. Laughing. Having a good day.

See how that works?

The pledge drive is sort of KCRW's version of the two agents battling it out over money. And we listen, serenely, because we know that eventually, it will all be over, all get worked out.

Look, you know how important this station is to Los Angeles, to its listeners. That's why you listen to it. So do us all a favor: call your agent. Have him call our agent. Let's close this and finish up the back nine, still friends, okay?

The number to call is 800-600-KCRW. That's 800-600-5279. Or online, anytime, at KCRW.com.