I'll be the first to admit that I have always had a problem with putting my foot in my mouth. Over the years, when things or people have gotten to me to where I just can't take it, I'll say something or do something that I'll soon regret.
There have been times when I haven't had regret over speaking up or throwing a tantrum. But, in retrospect, I know now that diplomacy in any of these events would have been so much more beneficial.
So the irony here is the fact I'm about to say something that is just eating at me. I'm sure it will cause a rift but I just don't care because it really isn't that big of a deal. I also know I won't regret it because it was bullshit from the start.
I'd like to acknowledge and call out the program director of 94.9 The Blaze. His name is Kayvon. I've mentioned him in a couple of previous blogs regarding how he and I spoke about me joining the staff of 94.9 The Blaze part time.
Well, it would seem this guy lied to me. He either A:) never had any intention of hiring me and was just going through the motions to get me to stop calling him, B:) had an intention of hiring me but then was too lazy to follow through or C:) had an intention of hiring me but the plan to do so fell through for whatever reason.
My point here is I DON'T KNOW. Therefore, this guy is a serious asshole in my book. A raging, goddamn asshole. How fucking hard is it to keep someone abreast of your intentions regarding their future employment? WHAT THE FUCK?
First, let me take you back to a time when I first met Kayvon. Ironically, he and I worked for 94.9 back when it was known as "Hot 94.9". This was around 1993.
Some of this story may have been already relayed in a previous blog or two. So forgive me if I wind up repeating myself here.
I had been working for Hot 94.9 for about eight months before Kayvon came on board to Hot 94.9. If memory serves, Kayvon was working part time on HOt 94.9 as well as doing some time on our sister station, 106.5 The Score. The Score was an FM sports station at the time.
Hot 94.9 had been bought by this guy named Chris Devine. Chris had made A LOT of money with some radio stations he owned in Chicago. He also owned KBER 101 here in Salt Lake that was the heritage rock station.
Soon, Hot 94.9 would be the sister station of KBER 101 on the top floor of the Walker Center annex in downtown Salt Lake City. All of the staff helped moved the studios from 300 West and 200 South a few blocks East to 19 East and 200 South.
I remember moving the station in the middle of the night and in the middle of a snowstorm. Several of us had to assist the engineer in hoisting a large antenna array to the top of the elevator shaft on top of the Walker Center Annex. It was about 11 stories up.
Once on top of the elevator shaft with the antenna, we used 2x4's to lift the large, round antenna up a 10' pole to the engineer (who was standing on a ladder) so he could bolt it to the top of the pole. It was cold, snowing and slightly scary. Not too mention hard because the antenna weighed so much.
Anyway, Kayvon came to join the airstaff of Hot 94.9 after meeting Chris Devine on a airline flight out of Chicago. It turns out that Kayvon was working as a waiter in a restaurant in Chicago and just happened to serve Chris's table.
Kayvon recognized Chris on this flight and struck up a conversation with him. Then one thing lead to another and soon Kayvon would be working on the radio in Salt LAke City. If I remember correctly, Kayvon had family in Salt Lake so it all worked out quite well for him.
I just recently learned of this story from Kayvon himself when he had me to The Blaze studios (Millcreek Broadcasting/Marathon Media) to talk to me about doing part time on The Blaze.
One of the big reasons Kayvon and I go back is because he became my replacement on the morning show I had become a part of back in 1993 on Hot 94.9.
During that time, we had hired Kerry Jackson from the original KJQ as our morning show host. The original KJQ finally went under and Kerry Jackson became our morning show host for a few months.
I have a WHOLE story about Kerry Jackson and KJQ since I was a part of the second coming of KJQ that fell flat on it's face. Luckily, I had been offered a gig at Hot 94.9 before the fallout happened.
I'm all over with my storytelling here. Let me get back on track.
Kerry had been in secret dealings with X96 to rejoin his old morning show partner, Bill Allred, and bring back the morning show known as "Radio From Hell". When X96 gave final approval, Kerry gave his notice at Hot 94.9.
Now Hot 94.9 was going to need a new morning show. They turned to our afternoon guy, Mike Stalker. Mike was a mentor of mine in the radio industry. He had helped me get my start early on in my radio career.
When Mike was selected to create a new morning show, I went to him and asked if I could help out on the show from time to time. He did one better and said I could help host the show. I had only been in radio for about two years and here I was being given the opportunity of a lifetime.
The show would be called "Mike's In The Morning". And it was great fun in the beginning. Unfortunately, it would come to a screaming halt when Mike and I would get into an argument so big, it would cost us both.
It was two days before Thanksgiving in 1993. Mike had become irritated because I hadn't been really focusing much on the morning show and showing up late to work. To his credit he had a right to be pissed.
I had started to become disenfranchised with the show because of Mike's overbearing ego. Of all the people I've worked with, Mike Stalker had one of the worst egos I've ever encountered. Second to Mike would be this fucker Chris Payne in Reno, Nevada.
Anyway, on the fateful November morning, Mike and I were on edge. He was angry with me for my laziness and I at him for his ego.
A couple of hours into the show, Mike started in on me about my laziness and attitude. He expressed his frustration while also telling me that he wanted to assist me to succeed because Mike's In The Morning was going to be big.
While he was going off, I heard him play a commercial TWICE. This was back in the day where we did everything by hand. Our commercials were on carts and so was our music. Carts are similar to 8-Tracks.
When I heard him do this, I started to laugh. When he asked what was so funny, I explained that he had already played that commercial. He said that was untrue and I kept laughing. I found it funny because his ego didn't allow him to make mistakes nor fess up to them.
My laughing, on top of his understandable frustrations towards my attitude, make him snap. He flat out told me that if I didn't stop laughing he was going to punch me in the face.
Well, I stopped laughing and my happiness over his minor screw up turned into rage. I yelled at him for threatening me and that he had no right. He yelled back. I yelled some more. We got closer to each other in the course of the argument.
Finally, I just told him I was leaving. I didn't like being a part of the show anymore and I walked off. I left right in the middle of our show.
I also fired myself in doing so. During our argument, people were starting to show up for work that morning. Sales staff, promotions people, administrative people and, more importantly, our general manager.
When our general manager heard the fight and saw me leave, she took that as a sign that I had quit. I was just upset. I think Mike knew that, too, and we would have worked through it. Alas, that didn't happen.
I was 19 or 20 at the time this all went down. I was still living at home (STILL? Ironic I've wound up in the same goddamn place 14 years later) and I went home and just broke down in front of my mom. I was really, really upset.
A couple of days later, Mike called to apologize for everything that had happened. He claimed he even went to bat for me with the general manager explaining I hadn't quit. But the GM wasn't having that and I was done for. I had to return my station keys and parking pass.
Enter Kayvon.
Kayvon was given the opportunity to replace me on the "Mike's In The Morning" show. He changed his named to Mike Slater so they could keep the show that had been established with Mike and myself.
I remember once Kayvon apologizing to me shortly after getting the show because he thought I would be mad at him. The thought had never popped into my mind to be mad at him. I was the one that fucked up. He had nothing to do with it.
In a way, if I may be so bold, he has me to thank (in a small way) for where he is now.
Yet here I sit angry with Kayvon for jerking my chain. I spoke with him on my birthday, February 21st, about doing part time on The Blaze. During that meeting, he told me that he'd call me in a couple of weeks and get the ball rolling.
Two weeks later, no call. So I called him to follow up... twice. Two weeks after that, he called me to return those calls. He also asked for my patience because things were just crazy around the station.
Two weeks after that, I call him again. During the short conversation, he explains he has to go because there are people in his office. But he makes sure to tell me he'll call me in half an hour and repeats my phone number for verification.
He never calls.
A few days after that, I call him and tell him on his voicemail what an asshole I feel he is for pulling such a stunt. I also make it clear that I not only don't deserve it but I'm too old and have too many years of experience to tolerate this over a part time job.
Therefore, FUCK YOU, Kayvon.
This is a bridge worth burning because I don't think the guy was really ever sure he wanted to or could hire me. Instead of keeping me in the loop, he decided to be a cocksucker and push me aside like some kind of afterthought.
Fuck you, Kayvon. Fuck you very much.
I'm not angry because I don't have the job. I'm angry because I feel lied to. What was the point to any of his actions? I don't only feel lied to but betrayed slightly. I never did anything to this guy to deserve such actions. What an asshole.
The other day I saw The Blaze promotional vehicle outside a car dealership not too far from where I live. I wanted to pull over and slash its goddamn tires. Instead, I just flipped it off. YEAH! HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT, BLAZE VAN?! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!
WHY OH WHY do I even care so much? This is too much energy to waste on something so trivial. I guess it isn't trivial when my professional and personal feelings were hurt by this fuckstick.
Oh well.
Now that I've written about this, I will also forgive Kayvon for his actions towards me. In this time of my life where I'm trying to be more positive and turn the negative into good, I will take what I've just stated and make amends with Kayvon for being so negligent.
There. I feel better already.
Uh-oh... looks like this bridge is kind of burning out of control. Better call the fire department to help calm things down.
I was really looking forward to working with Kayvon again and on the 94.9 frequency. That, above all else, is really the biggest let down out of this whole mess.
-Mike The Janitor
©2007
Millenoma Publishing
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment