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| Rob's Soapbox | ||
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Congratulations!
You have finally landed on the one page on this entire site (and on the entire internet for that matter) that is purely without bullshit... my soapbox page. There are a lot of times during our show that, whether it's because of time constraints and other obligations, I don't always get to address some issues that I feel don't get the attention they deserve. There are even more times when I just don't feel like waiting until the show the next day to get some things off my chest. Thus, I have started the "Rob's Soapbox" page. If you have clicked on this page looking for someone to coddle your fragile sense of self-esteem, or tell you what you want to hear or to reinforce your outdated world view, then exit this page right now and go somewhere else. If you are in search of the last forum for reason and common sense left in the world, then sit back, relax, and enjoy. I make only one promise with this soapbox page... if you read long enough and often enough, you will eventually be offended. So here's my latest soapbox. Listen up, 'cause you just might learn something... |
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May 28th, 2007 GOOD RIDDANCE, PRODUCER NICK It occurred to me that, as the leader of the show, it is incumbent upon to me to "say a few words," about Producer Nick leaving the show. Rather than waste my time and yours by writing a whole, separate essay on Nick's departure, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and make my farewell to Nick this week's Soapbox. It is this type of creative shortcutting that I hope I have passed on to Nick and all of my other protégés. Anytime you can find a legitimate way to do less, do so. What a motto. After 5 years, Producer Nick is leaving the show to move to Los Angeles with his girlfriend of the past couple of years (A girl, by the way, who is FAR too good for him in every sense). She has scored an awesome career opportunity and must leave, while Nick has decided that he loves her enough to ride her coattails to L.A. where he will assume his rightful place amongst the ranks of waiters hoping to be discovered by Hollywood. Specifically, Nick (as I understand it) hopes to pursue his love of the video/editing world. If this is inaccurate, I really don't care so let's just assume that I got it right. Either way, his girlfriend is clearly the superstar in this relationship and Nick is smart to hold on and not let go of her (though apparently not smart enough to marry her….whoops….I think I just channeled the spirit of Dawn…whatever, Nick you pig). Most of you have no idea what Producer Nick's job entailed. Some of you thought that he actually "produced" the show in the traditional "TV" sense, others thought he was nothing more than a glorified secretary who answered our phones and made my coffee. Neither and both are true. In the radio industry, regardless of how you define the job of Producer, how good the show is, how great you are and how great the Producer is, you are lucky if you find one who A) you like, B) shows up everyday, C) doesn't steal, D) doesn't hate life and you, E) doesn't view your show as a way to get a better "gig" and F) sticks around for more than a year. When Nick arrived on the scene in the Spring of 2002 the Producer job did, in fact, basically entail answering the phones and other menial, boring tasks that had to be tended to, including having the coffee ready when I arrived each morning at 3:45. I told Nick, as I had told countless others, to redefine his position, putting no boundaries or limits on his creativity, the show's abilities, or (my real mistake) the budget. I figured that Nick, like others before him and throughout the industry, would nod politely and happily collect his paycheck working the minimum amount of hours needed. It wasn't that I didn't see promise in Nick (quite the opposite), it was rather that I have learned to expect less and be pleasantly surprised when I receive more. Radio is full of lazy cretins and the real trick is to find the least-cretinized amongst us. Five years later, Nick is leaving and the son-of-a-bitch has left enormous shoes to fill. He not only became the Nick you all got to know and tolerate on the air, but he built our website and literally redefined what a producer does in the entire industry. Don't get me wrong, Nick is not without his faults. He is an absolute scatter brain, he can be surly and irritable when tired or hung-over, he has a mean sense of humor (which we've done our best to keep sequestered), and he has some sort of personality flaw that makes him believe that not showing weakness is akin to showing strength. Other than that, he's a great guy who possesses all of the skills needed to accurately recite the daily specials at Spago while waiting for his ship to come in as the Fourth Key Grip on Robert Downy's next art house film. Until then, when we see Nick in the background of a paparazzi photo taken of an actual star, we will do our best to keep you mildly abreast of his antics, hi-jinks and shenanigans in Los Angeles. Nick has graciously agreed to remain on the payroll and assist the show in a variety of capacities, an offer that I am sure will go by the wayside the minute Wolfgang offers him a 6th day of work dolling out Mimosa's at Sunday Brunch. In the interim, I offer the greatest compliment I can give as a manager; I would hire Nick again in a second. If there wasn't a job open, I'd make one up. He's a rare breed and deserving of all of the awesome knowledge I have bestowed upon him these past 5 years. He's lucky to have had me, and I am equally as fortunate to have had him to kick around as long as I have.
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