stops broadcasting?"
"Then we replace him with a new spaceman. Happens all the time and then you can control the script. Start talkin' more about boobies and less about math."
"If this goes national, he's going to want a piece. He could sue."
"He ain't gonna sue me. I'll eat his ass alive in a court of law. You think any judge is gonna allow someone to break every FCC regulation on the books, plus cost me a generous amount of revenue? I'm just a poor, defenseless, small-town businessman, Graham." Mike smiled. "And if the sonofabitch wants paid, we'll pay his butt. We'll have more than enough."
Mike handed Graham the agreement and pointed to the offer with his pen. It was more money than Graham had ever made. Double what he was making in Dallas; five times what he was making now. Mike's share was just as much plus they each got a split on the ad revenue.
"This feels weird, Mike."
Mike got up, walked slowly over to Graham and sat on his desk. "Graham, you know I'm on your side, right?"
"Yes, Mike. I do. I've always appreciated...”
"I know. I know. I think highly of you too. It's a mutual respect. And I mean no disrespect when I tell you what I'm about to tell you, son. You ain't gonna get another chance like this, Graham. You and I both know that this is your last stop. You're gonna grow old here, and I'm happy to have you. But don't kid yourself. Assholes like this boy Steve don't come around Tuscumbia, Alabama sniffin' for syndicated talent. It just don't happen. Hell, I ain't gotta tell you that. You know it. So, don't be a fool. Take the money. And, as for me...” Mike flashed that winning grin. "Well, Graham, I do think you owe me a payday right about now. I'm losin' my ass, son. Throw me a bone."
The Graham Barry Program went into syndication within a week. As Steve had promised, the show launched with thirty five affiliates nationwide. However, Graham was terribly concerned. For three days prior to the launch, he had not heard a word from the voice. He expressed his anxiety to Mike; their worst-case scenario of having to replace the voice with a paid actor might come to fruition. Mike assured him that this wouldn't be a problem and even advised him to begin the process of searching out potential talent for the role. In the days leading up to the maiden broadcast, Graham made a regular point of reminding listeners, hopefully including the pirate, that the show would soon be broadcast nationwide. They ran promos throughout the day letting listeners know and even went so far as to cross promote the show on the other stations in the cluster.
Everyone at the station was excited. Mike bought a keg and some fried chicken and held an after-hours party to celebrate the news with the rest of the small staff. The station's engineer seemed to enjoy rigging up the satellite dishes and new equipment necessary to facilitate the show. In all, it was a happy whirlwind.
However, a number of residents of the town didn't see this as good news, for obvious reasons. In the week leading up to the nationwide debut, they picketed the radio station with signs reading “Broadcasting Blasphemy!" and "Missing the Point - God". The newspaper ran an article on the launch but focused more on the controversy surrounding the show and Graham's checkered past. The Church of Christ continued their boycott of the station.
Quietly though, a string of sponsors began to get on board and the syndication guys loved the bad press. They used it to their advantage got as much mileage out of it as possible. They called Graham's show "shocking" and "in-your-face" and even "groundbreaking". It was titillating. The radio industry press was kind. They referred to Graham as the "comeback kid" and told his story with reverence and lively humor. Former bosses came out of the woodwork to sing his praises and tell funny stories about Graham's drunken tenure at their respective stations. To hear them recount it now, Graham was always more of a lovable,
"Then we replace him with a new spaceman. Happens all the time and then you can control the script. Start talkin' more about boobies and less about math."
"If this goes national, he's going to want a piece. He could sue."
"He ain't gonna sue me. I'll eat his ass alive in a court of law. You think any judge is gonna allow someone to break every FCC regulation on the books, plus cost me a generous amount of revenue? I'm just a poor, defenseless, small-town businessman, Graham." Mike smiled. "And if the sonofabitch wants paid, we'll pay his butt. We'll have more than enough."
Mike handed Graham the agreement and pointed to the offer with his pen. It was more money than Graham had ever made. Double what he was making in Dallas; five times what he was making now. Mike's share was just as much plus they each got a split on the ad revenue.
"This feels weird, Mike."
Mike got up, walked slowly over to Graham and sat on his desk. "Graham, you know I'm on your side, right?"
"Yes, Mike. I do. I've always appreciated...”
"I know. I know. I think highly of you too. It's a mutual respect. And I mean no disrespect when I tell you what I'm about to tell you, son. You ain't gonna get another chance like this, Graham. You and I both know that this is your last stop. You're gonna grow old here, and I'm happy to have you. But don't kid yourself. Assholes like this boy Steve don't come around Tuscumbia, Alabama sniffin' for syndicated talent. It just don't happen. Hell, I ain't gotta tell you that. You know it. So, don't be a fool. Take the money. And, as for me...” Mike flashed that winning grin. "Well, Graham, I do think you owe me a payday right about now. I'm losin' my ass, son. Throw me a bone."
The Graham Barry Program went into syndication within a week. As Steve had promised, the show launched with thirty five affiliates nationwide. However, Graham was terribly concerned. For three days prior to the launch, he had not heard a word from the voice. He expressed his anxiety to Mike; their worst-case scenario of having to replace the voice with a paid actor might come to fruition. Mike assured him that this wouldn't be a problem and even advised him to begin the process of searching out potential talent for the role. In the days leading up to the maiden broadcast, Graham made a regular point of reminding listeners, hopefully including the pirate, that the show would soon be broadcast nationwide. They ran promos throughout the day letting listeners know and even went so far as to cross promote the show on the other stations in the cluster.
Everyone at the station was excited. Mike bought a keg and some fried chicken and held an after-hours party to celebrate the news with the rest of the small staff. The station's engineer seemed to enjoy rigging up the satellite dishes and new equipment necessary to facilitate the show. In all, it was a happy whirlwind.
However, a number of residents of the town didn't see this as good news, for obvious reasons. In the week leading up to the nationwide debut, they picketed the radio station with signs reading “Broadcasting Blasphemy!" and "Missing the Point - God". The newspaper ran an article on the launch but focused more on the controversy surrounding the show and Graham's checkered past. The Church of Christ continued their boycott of the station.
Quietly though, a string of sponsors began to get on board and the syndication guys loved the bad press. They used it to their advantage got as much mileage out of it as possible. They called Graham's show "shocking" and "in-your-face" and even "groundbreaking". It was titillating. The radio industry press was kind. They referred to Graham as the "comeback kid" and told his story with reverence and lively humor. Former bosses came out of the woodwork to sing his praises and tell funny stories about Graham's drunken tenure at their respective stations. To hear them recount it now, Graham was always more of a lovable,
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