As a loyal listener you are familiar with some rules of the show. If you listen to many talk radio shows you hear caller after caller repeat lines that can easily irritate the hosts and other listeners. Phrases like "Longtime listener, first time caller" irritate me to no end. But one of the main rules of the Derek & Romaine show is to not ask the host how they are doing.
Other rules of this fun radio show that listeners are aware of include...
"Don't Stalk Us!" as in don't stalk the hosts of the show. So if you happen to see Derek Hartley riding the commuter train to his suburban home somewhere in Stepfordville north of the city where he would then drive his old BMW or his Nissan Mini Mom mobile up the hill to his house, or if you happen to be driving along the highways of New Jersey where Mom Romaine Patterson may be driving her brand new mom mobile out to her farmhouse where bears and squirrels eat the peaches off of her trees, DON'T BOTHER THEM! Leave them alone and RESPECT their privacy. It might creep them out if you said hello.
Other rules include letting Derek and Romaine do the drinking while YOU do the driving.
These are fairly easy rules to follow. But one rule I wasn't aware of I discovered today as an occasional caller to the show. You are only allowed to call the show ONE time per day. I had called during the first hour when the hosts were discussing a current news topic, then I called three hours later during one of their popular segments "Despairately Fucking Angry" where callers can call in and rant about anything. And I had a rant ready for the show. But when I called in, Derek & Romaine's VERY POLITE AND WONDERFUL producer "Mistress Sam" informed me of the one call per day rule and said she was sorry that she couldn't allow me to go onto the air.
I was ok with that. Rules are rules and "Mistress Sam" was very nice and polite about it. So we both said thankyou and hung up. But then I thought about it for a minute. I am not in any way one of their best callers or even that frequently a caller. But Derek & Romaine have a few frequent and fabulous callers who occasionally do call in twice during the show. The "one call per day" rule had been broken a few times. But probably when others are screening calls. I don't know and that isn't my issue.
BTW: I don't really have an issue I just want to bitch about it like Derek Hartley would bitch about something...just for the hell of it.
But one rule of the show that is CONSTANTLY IGORNED and given way too much slack on is when callers, new and old as "how are you doing" at the beginning of the call. Some callers may be nervous and asking "how are you doing" is their automatic icebreaker. But if rules are rules, like the rule about calling only once per show are to be enforced, then why not enforce ALL of the rules?
Hey Derek & Romaine, even some callers have reminded you time and time again about the people get away with breaking the "don't ask us how we are doing" rule. You continue to let them slide. It is a simple rule that THIS listener found easy to follow and there is NO reason that others cannot follow this rule. Hang up on their ass a few times one millesecond after they ask "how are you are doing" might offend them but the point will get across and people will learn. So stop being WIMPS about it and ENFORCE THE RULES....ENFORCE ALL OF THE RULES!
Just in tonights broadcast where I had to obey the rule that I could only call one time per show, I recall that more than three times someone broke the "don't ask us how we are doing" rule and while a listener did detect a reaction of frustration from the hosts, the callers were allowed to continue. HANG UP ON THEIR ASSES!
Now speaking of rules, Derek Hartley has frequently ranted on the show about the rules of public ettiquette especially when it comes to parking lots. Longtime listeners of the Derek & Romaine show know that Derek absolutely hates when shoppers at a supermarket leave shopping carts in the parking lot instead of placing them in the designated area or returning them to the store itself.
The two images below are dedicated to Derek Hartley! Just because I followed the rules of the show by calling and not being placed on the air a second time but several people were not disconnected from the show for asking the hosts "how are you doing".
I went shopping late last night after listening to the show and left the cart right in the middle of the parking lot.
Even worse, I left it on the lines of the adjacent handicapped parking space. How rude was I in breaking these rules of Derek Hartley?
HAHA! Well it felt good for a minute.
Enjoy Derek and Romaine, and even with the minor faults they have a great radio show and I encourage anyone reading this to tune in to Sirius channel 109 and XM channel 98. Also call the show at 1-866-305-6887, ONE TIME PER SHOW and DON'T ASK THEM HOW THEY ARE DOING!
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