Yes, it's true.
You didn't read that title incorrectly.
If you're a fan of Satanism Today, odds are that I hate you. In fact, unless we are friends, or have had some sort of interaction outside of the spectrum of my radio show, you can be assured of it.
In fact, I hate you so much, that I stopped doing the show for almost 2 years.
The reason for this is simple. When you do a live radio show, you expect some sort of interaction with the live audience. Otherwise there's no point in doing a live show. I could pre-tape a show every week, and have be perfect. But there's no fun in that, no spontaneity, no thrill... no magic. Those of you that have been bitten by the radio bug no what I mean by this.
Good talk radio... REALLY good talk radio, is two-thirds host, one-third audience. Listen to the great broadcasters across the dial and on satellite: Howard Stern, Sean Hannity, Randi Rhodes, Opie & Anthony, Tom Leykis, Mike Gallagher, Bob Grant, Art Bell, etc. They have great audience participation. Most of them wouldn't sound half as good as they do without callers calling in, asking questions, making comments, and starting arguments.
I get none of this from any of you.
Maybe it's the laziness of the internet generation who can't be bothered to pick up a phone and push ten whole buttons in order to interact with a radio show. Perhaps it's the sense of entitlement of the current generation who just simply wants to be spoonfed your ideology, and not actually have to think for themselves. Maybe it's the pussification and feminization of the current generation whose too afraid to call in to a radio show for fear of sounding like a moron, and they don't want to get their feelings hurt by someone who is more adept at thinking on their feet.
Whatever the case may be, I can honestly say that after returning to the internet airwaves for a lousy three weeks, I'm already sick of doing the show. Most of you don't deserve to hear it.
Maybe it's me. Maybe I expect too much from people. I suppose that in this day of On-Demand programming, instant gratification, and the "give it to me now" attitudes of most people in search of entertainment, the idea of sharing your thoughts with a radio show, even an internet one, must seem a little hokey and old-fashioned. And if that's the case, then Satanism Today will probably return to the drawer from whence I brought it out, only this time, never to be heard again. I have no use for straight podcasting. It's fucking boring.
This machine does not run properly without the essential cog: an interactive audience. I pay for a studio phone line for a reason. The number to that phone line is 631-769-1618. Those of you that are interested in keeping Satanism Today going would be well served to learn that phone number, and to call it at some point on Thursday nights between the hours of 9pm and 10pm eastern time, provided that you have something to contribute, whether it be a question, a comment, or a point of contention. If you have nothing worthwhile to say on a particular day, that's fine. I just find it too hard to believe that my whole audience is so fucking inept and retarded that none of you have anything to say. I find it hard to believe that each and every one of you out there that listens live agrees with absolutely everything that I say, so much so that you nothing to add or argue. If that's the case, then the show is just redundant, and there's no point to it.
In his essay, "Let Me Entertain You," Anton LaVey wrote:
"The key is boredom. Most people welcome a challenge. Some will even thrive on insults. There are those who find it stimulating simply soaking up another's presence without a word being spoken. But no one likes boredom.
"...How many times have you been trapped into talking about Satanism to someone totally uninteresting to you, while the same gathering boasts someone not only receptive but stimulating. Clearly, it is you who is bored and your irresponsible listener who is entertained."
Satanism Today, in its weekly format, disapeared for two years because the lack of audience participation made it boring for me to do. After being back for three weeks, its at risk of disapearing again, because once again my audience takes, but bores me by not giving back. It just further solidifies for me the reasons that Anton LaVey, towards the end of his life, disapeared from the public view: because the public (or in my case, the audience) is boring.
If you're reading this, and you don't like what I've had to say about you here, then you either need to stop listening to the show, or you, my "irresponsible listener," need to make me want to do it. Satanism Today can be an entertaining radio show, a forum for your thoughts, a soapbox for your ideas, a promotional tool for your business, and much more. But I can only do so much to make it that way. The rest is up to you folks. If it's not fun for me, it can't be fun for you.
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13 comments:
Gosh darn-it. I saw your MySpace bulletin and read this and, even though I haven't even had a chance to listen to the new show yet (so, technically I can't even be properly offended), I was guilted into calling in. Unfortunately, though, it is 8:40PM PST and it looks like I *just* missed it.
If it makes you feel any better, I run a private message board with over 50 otherwise enthusiastic, hand picked users and most of the time I can barely get them to talk unless I start a conversation myself.
I feel your pain.
Part of the problem with an audience who basically agrees with you is that they have nothing to get pissed off about. People love to do call-ins and make posts to at least attempt to get up on a soapbox to tell you why you're dead wrong. When they agree...
*crickets chirping*
Don't me any favors sir!
You talk about the different greats in radio... Well how many times has Don Imus or Jim Rome done entire hours without taking phone calls? I listened to Imus everyday and the only time he took a phone call that wasn't an interview was when he was giving something away. Jim Rome will go an entire hour without taking phone calls, I know this because I listen to Jim Rome on a daily basis.
If you want to "take your ball and go home" by all means do it.
WAHHHH. Come on now. This entire post of yours sounds like something a two year old would do at best.
How can you expect people to continue listening when you just assaulted them with your snarky and hateful words when chances are, the majority of them have either linked to your show on their own personal websites or told a friend about it, spreading the word. I can bet that at least half of them, if not more, will have taken their loyalty to you and your show and flushed it down the toilet.
I can understand your desire to want to ask people to interact more. Fine but your way of going about it is quite childish, immature and silly. Don't expect loyalty after you trash those who have given it to you.
Go ahead and do us a favor and stop doing your show. I'm just sick of your whining.
Imagine what you did to the listeners of Hate Speech Radio, who most likely listen to both shows. You really have tarnished the network not to mention shown everyone that you have the ability to act like a stupid little kid.
To Ms. Webb:
"WAHHHH. Come on now. This entire post of yours sounds like something a two year old would do at best. "
Now, Ms. Webb, give me some credit. I think that my vocabulary, sentence structure, and ability to formulate an argument AT LEAST warrants me the intelligence level of an eight year old. ;-)
"How can you expect people to continue listening when you just assaulted them with your snarky and hateful words"
I don't. At least, I don't expect those whom I no longer want to listen to continue listening. Those who are uninspired, uninformed, and uneducated, will stop listening upon reading this. They are too apathetic to express themselves the way that you did. Quite frankly, I have no use for them.
You, on the other hand, are now a listener for life. You'll tune in every week looking for a chance to jump down my throat. That's what I wanted, and that's why I wrote this. It took me insulting you to get you to react. At least I finally got a reaction, and ANY reaction makes for good radio.
"I can understand your desire to want to ask people to interact more. Fine but your way of going about it is quite childish, immature and silly."
How so? Please explain.
"I'm just sick of your whining."
Please explain how an intelligent, well-written expression of one's feelings on a blog can be considered whining?
"Imagine what you did to the listeners of Hate Speech Radio, who most likely listen to both shows. You really have tarnished the network not to mention shown everyone that you have the ability to act like a stupid little kid."
Truth be told, I showed everyone that I had the ability to act like a stupid little kid BY DOING Hate Speech Radio. Hate Speech Radio is my attempt to mix politics, religion, and penis jokes. It's probably the most immature thing I've ever done... and it's the most fun I've had in a long time.
Keep listening, Ms. Webb. I know you will. Call HSR this Sunday. The phone number's the same as the Satanism Today number, but I'm sure you already know that. ;-)
David -
Seems your real complaint is a lack of interest.
You site references to Stern and other DJs - but comparing yourself to them is like comparing apples to wood chips.
They DO a daily show, and have done so for years. By doing that they have built an audience and have good reason for their arrogance. You seem to think that your name, rank or shows concept is an automatic draw.
You really have little to bitch about, you do very little promo for your show and when you do it's thru venues with perceived power - not actual power.
I do agree with the comment about Stern venting for hours without a call, I've heard him and other radio greats go on without calls - I happen to hate calls, their in general dolts with no life and too much time.
Do the pro thing and schedule guests outside of the cape clique? Maybe give the quality listener a reason to call... or get you a co-host.
Even if you take those suggestions, you'd still need to be dependable... that is what builds an audience.
I also think more honesty and less ass-kissing would serve you well.
Oh and Malebranche... how is it that you could be "guilted" by such nothingness?
Shame.
..and we hate you too, you obnoxious and arrogant quasi-radio host.
Hi, long time listener, first time commenter.
My first reaction to your post was one of sadness (such a post does not bode well for the show). After thinking about this for a while, it occurs to me that some proper application of a lesser magic would solve your problem completely. You mentioned something about finding it hard to believe that everyone agrees with whatever you have to say. I can’t help but notice that you actually come off as a very agreeable guy when you’re on the radio. This is something which I respect and enjoy.
I’ve noticed that, when discussing Satanism, you often use qualifiers such as “most Satanists”, or “many Satanists”. Now, although such statements are more technically accurate, when I use such language on my own site, it’s usually to soften the blow of whatever I’m about to say next. It serves as a loophole for people who wish assume that whatever I’m saying doesn’t apply to them. The sole purpose of this tactic is to keep from upsetting people. It’s a diplomacy tactic. This is just one example of what I’m talking about.
If you’re like many Satanists (see what I did there?) then you are probably used to trying to get along with people and avoid upsetting them. From listening to your, show I gather that this is the case; you want to be nice. In neutral territory, a Satanist can be a really polite, decent individual and still managed to tick people off. Finding conflict is not difficult within the real world. But there is an excellent chance that most of your radio audience is other Satanists.
Personally, I hate unnecessary drama and tension. Then again, I’m not hosting my own radio show. If you want more audience participation, then say something on the air which will spur us into action. It’s like your Wrestler guest said: make us love you or hate you, depending on your own mood. Much of what you say about Satanism is pretty basic and fundamental to the philosophy. But individual Satanists disagree on many different topics. Give us some of your personal feelings on satanic subjects, something we can either love or hate you for (the more extreme, the better). Make me want to jump out of my seat and dial that phone, to give you a piece of my mind! Politics is an obvious start; I know we don’t all agree on that. Don’t ask for our opinion, forcefully push yours on to us and then we’ll push back with ours.
I realize this is not easy for someone who has been trying to get people to like them most of their lives (which is why I would never even attempt it myself), but this is clearly the way to accomplish what you want. Just say something that will be considered controversial among Satanists!
I realize that you must feel some responsibility toward Satanism, and wouldn’t want to do anything to hurt it. I don’t think that Satanism is so weak that it can’t withstand one of its Priests giving their own selfish views on a radio program which is obviously geared towards Satanists. And if you actually do have an audience of non-Satanists, then just say something that most real Satanists will understand at as is a joke, but will spur debate among your other listeners. After all, you’re the one who is actually doing the work here, surely that entitles you to take whatever measures are necessary in order to enjoy yourself. If you’re worried about misrepresenting satanic philosophy, then just keep it to a minimum and pull it out whatever you get too bored, and need some stimulation.
Just keep in mind that you are the priest in this little ritual and we are merely the other participants. We take all of our emotional cues from you. You’re the ringmaster here, and once a week we give you all of our attention and consciousness to do with as you please. There are many things I could be doing on the computer on a Thursday night (including working on my own site), and there’s many more things I could be doing off the computer. If I choose to spend an hour listening to Satanism Today, that means something. I’m choosing to put you in the driver seat. Giving you the stage. I’m briefly granting you some measure of control over my emotions and consciousness to do with as you see fit. Use that power! Enjoy it!
I think we all understand the frustrations of dealing with people who don’t do what we want them to. But isn’t that what lesser magic is all about? I’m sorry that your audience is not giving you what you want out of this little arrangement, but do you really want to curse the fish, when you have not done all that you can to properly bate the hook?
At any rate, I do like the show and am glad that there is some satanic media out there (when it comes to satanic media, the quality is there, just not enough quantity). And I really hope that you can find a way to make this more mutually beneficial for both yourself and your listeners. Try to have fun.
Stop blaming your listeners for your boredom. How can you expect us to show interest when you clearly view this show as a chore? If you aren't doing the show for your own edification, why are you doing it? How can you expect to have a strong, loyal following when you have only been back on the air for three weeks, and frankly your last two topics were not that interesting? And how can you expect people to be fired up and ready to call in when you still haven't managed to tell us what the topic for tomorrow night will be? Why would we even want to take the time out of our schedules to listen live when we don't have any idea if this week's topic will be any more interesting than in the past? Either take some of the suggestions your listeners have already given (like having a guest who ISN'T a high-ranking member of the CoS, or a topic that might be even slightly controversial to your audience) and then put some effort into executing those suggestions, or change the format to something that doesn't require listener feedback. We hope you keep doing the show, but you have to be willing to put in the work before you can hope to reap the rewards. If the next show is good, we will call in and keep listening. If its not, we will heed your advice and stop. And by the way, before you start patting yourself on the back for your great vocabulary and sentence structure, you might want to use your grammar check feature to prevent mistakes like "and have be perfect" and "no" when you meant "know".
And if you want to pull out quotes...
From The Eleven Satanic Rules of the Earth
2-"Do not tell your troubles to others unless you are sure they want to hear them."
8-"Do not complain about anything to which you need not subject yourself."
Did you stop to think that maybe the reason people dont call your show is because your listeners hates you just as much as you hate them? ;)
And on a sidenote, when is the Church of Satan gonna hire a webdesigner? Its 2010 for christs sake not 1996!
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Hey, im new to Satanism, so techinically you cant hate me,(yet). i never even knew that there was talk shows or radio things or whatever for Satanist's, but i guess ill look it up or sumthin.
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