Author Topic: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors  (Read 60934 times)

CurtBlair

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First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« on: September 03, 2008, 01:49:11 PM »
After well more than a year of quiet Best Show fandom, I finally resolved to call in yesterday and take part in the mirth and mayhem. I realized that my endless wait for the perfect topic about which I'd have something perfect to say was bound to stay endless -- better to just dive in the water and learn to swim.

(Reviewing the tape with clipboard and pen in hand, I feel like I did pretty well ... I had the shakes and it made me try a little too hard to "hang" and be clever, but I avoided the dreaded heave-ho. Plenty of room for improvement, but an OK start; a gentleman's B minus, I think.)

Anyhow, I thought it'd be appropriate to start a thread in the new kids' section about the triumphs and the tragedies of rookie Best Show calls. Have you called in yet? Do you plan to call soon? Did you earn the honor of a "thanks" or the dubious distinction of GOMPage from El Goodo?

And it'd be great if Best Show vets could chime in with their own first-call reminiscences ... or campfire chillers about disastrous first-callers who never called back! 
Use your head, can't you, use your head! You're on earth, there's no cure for that!

Stupornaut

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2008, 02:02:57 PM »
This is how my first call went:

"FMU, you're on the air."
"Hi, this is Nate from St. Paul."
"Nick! From St. Paul."
"Nate."
"Nick from St. Paulnate."
"Uh... this is going downhill fast."

A couple weeks later I was GOMPed for getting too depressed over the existence of the Jerky Boys. I was also recently GOMPed for offering a terrible Rob Zombie-caliber lyric for what would eventually become "The World Is in the Turlet". And most of my calls I'm kind of a terse, uncharismatic dude prone to lots of "uh"s and "y'know"s, so I think I could use some improvement. Or some cold water in the face. Either way.
twitter.com/natepatrin //\\ natepatrin.tumblr.com

tenspeed

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2008, 02:04:32 PM »
I had the shakes and it made me try a little too hard to "hang" and be clever, but I avoided the dreaded heave-ho.

I know those shakes too well...much like public speaking, I don't know whether I'm going to vomit or start crying.

It took me three or four years to call in.  I finally did so because the topic of Tall Bikes and vandalizing Brooklyn Industries was just too tempting to let go.   My mindset before going in:  don't try to be too clever or else it's an automatic GOMP.

I did get a nickname out of it though, hence 10-Speed.  Alas, it would be another 2.5 years before I got the courage to call in again.  On the bright side, at this rate I'm due for another call in December of 2009.


tomkaters

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2008, 02:06:45 PM »
I actually called for the first time last night as well...I couldn't resist the discussion of jerks & Celebrity Chefs. Celebrity Chefs drive me insane. I think it went pretty well.

tenspeed

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2008, 02:22:53 PM »
Celebrity Chefs drive me insane.

Rightly so...David Chang's Momofuku used to send me running back to Brooklyn with, well, the runs.


erika

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2008, 02:23:57 PM »
You should also not refer (even in the vaguest sense) to David Bowie's penis. Auto-GOMP.
from the land of pleasant living

tomkaters

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2008, 02:31:23 PM »
You should also not refer (even in the vaguest sense) to David Bowie's penis. Auto-GOMP.

Well thank goodness I got out of there...that was next on my jerk list.

tenspeed

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2008, 02:34:06 PM »
You should also not refer (even in the vaguest sense) to David Bowie's penis. Auto-GOMP.

David Bowie-Labyrinth or David Bowie-Pre-Stardust?


erika

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2008, 02:45:31 PM »
Labyrinth, all the way. It dominates the screen.
from the land of pleasant living

daveB from Oakland

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2008, 02:46:22 PM »

Is that a Muppet in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?
"He didn't sound like a human when I was talking to him ... he sounded like a shape ... what's that shape of that building ... you know, where the Army lives?" -- Bryce, 11/24/2009

CurtBlair

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2008, 02:48:27 PM »
You should also not refer (even in the vaguest sense) to David Bowie's penis. Auto-GOMP.

I think it'll be easier for me to just remember not to refer to anyone's penis.
Use your head, can't you, use your head! You're on earth, there's no cure for that!

erika

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #11 on: September 03, 2008, 02:57:20 PM »
Hey. By all means, skip the details if it makes you feel better.
from the land of pleasant living

tomkaters

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #12 on: September 03, 2008, 02:59:40 PM »
You should also not refer (even in the vaguest sense) to David Bowie's penis. Auto-GOMP.

I think it'll be easier for me to just remember not to refer to anyone's penis.

Well at that point you are obviously avoiding David Bowies....hence drawing attention to it.

todd

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2008, 03:00:52 PM »
Two calls, one eleven-year ban. Can you beat Todd's Record?

masterofsparks

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Re: First Calls: The Thrills, The Spills, The Horrors
« Reply #14 on: September 03, 2008, 03:31:10 PM »
My first call was during the second movie quote show sometime in the back half of last year (the show that spawned "Get ready to meet my little friend"). I was very obviously nervous but I made it through OK, even when Tom accused me of fabricating the movie I was quoting (Rubin & Ed). I'm proud to say that my quote did make the list, though.
I'll probably go into the wee hours.