Another KCRW pledge drive, and no call from Matt Holzman. And I could've used a MacBook Pro.
Matt, of course, is the KCRW staffer who calls the winners of KCRW's various pledge drive sweepstakes -- and over the years has become rather famous (sparking, among other things, a 2004 Los Angeles mag profile) for being the bearer of good news to unsuspecting radio listeners.
As producer of KCRW's "The Business," he spends most of his days putting together the weekly entertainment business-focused half-hour hosted by my old Variety colleague Claude Brodesser-Akner. But for two weeks every year, Matt becomes known once again as The KCRW Staffer You'd Most Like Calling You.
With the drive over as of Monday night, Matt (who also runs the "Matt's Movies" screening series for KCRW members) had time to answer a few questions:
FRANKLIN AVENUE: How did you end up being Mr. Phone Call? When did it become a KCRW pledge drive tradition?
MATT HOLZMAN: I was the development guy who procured the prizes so I just naturally started making the calls. Plus I knew how to do the technical part and the engineers are always so harried during the drive so it kind of just fell to me. I think probably 10 years ago but I really don't know how long it's been! Time flies.
When do you do these calls? What's the general reaction? Do people get excited the second they hear your name?
I make the calls as my schedule permits, but as soon after each sweeps ends as possible. People tend to be very understated (for lack of a better word!) - it's a combination of disbelief, the awareness that they are being taped and the too-cool-for-school factor. It's great when someone goes all gaga, especially when you haven't even told them what they've won! FYI, we do not set up calls like commercial stations often do - what you hear is (an edited down version) of what you get.
And on the flip side, do you wind up disappointing people when you call them on other business during the drive... And you have to let 'em down gently that they did *not* just win a MacBook?
People are disappointed that they aren't winning something but they do give me hell about it. I'll call someone to book them for my show and they invariably say "did I win something?"
How did you continue to do the phone calls, even after you left the development gig to produce?
Why do I continue to do them? Tradition, history, inertia, who knows? I sometimes think someone else should take over for novelty's sake...but I wonder if anyone would believe they'd actually won!
Are the KCRW pledge drives now a lot less hectic for you?
Pledge drives are 100 times MORE hectic for me and everybody here than they used to be! Tens of 1,000's of calls, so many volunteers, it's nuts - but exciting and really gratifying. There are certain people at the station that have stamina that would make Jack La Lanne look like a girly man - on the air at 6AM, doing their regular jobs, dealing with drive-related crises..amazing.
What's next for "The Business"?
Next on The Business - more of the same, looking deep into the Hollywood Heart of Darkness and hoping to come out with our souls intact.
(Pic via Mediabistro.)
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