Thursday, February 21, 2008

I was all prepared to tell you that thirty years ago on February 21, 1978, I did my first broadcast here in Chicago. Due to the magic of the Internet and a Google search of 1978, I have learned that President’s Day was on February 20th in 1978. I had my 30th Broadcast Anniversary on Wednesday unbeknownst to me and everybody else to whom I insisted it was February 21st 1978. The bad news is that I got it wrong. The good news is that I’ve already gotten it over with. I have been proclaiming with utter certainty to everyone at CBS radio that the date is unequivocally February 21st. My screw-up actually bolsters my argument that it’s not about the date, but more about being there. Ooops!

It was definitely on WDAI 94.7 and it began, just as my show does, now at 5:30 a.m. I remember being irritated that it was a holiday (President’s Day) and that I was wasting my immeasurable talent on an immeasurable audience. In fact, I had a lot to learn in the talent department, and the audience actually was immeasurable, leading to the rapid demise of Classic Rock WDAI and the emergence of the all-new Disco WDAI. I went to The Loop and the rest, as they say, is history. According to my calculations, 5 days a week for 48 weeks a year (vacations subtracted) for thirty years is 7,200 radio shows, or thereabouts.

The most important thing about doing a radio show is actually showing up. That might be why they call it a “show.” I’ll admit there have been some days during the last 30 years where showing up was the most challenging part of my day ("I’m only here as a courtesy to Garry"). I’ve had the support of a lot of talented coworkers over the years, a loving family, and the best fans in the world, all of whom have been willing to roll with the changes and cut me a lot of slack. I know how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to be beamed into your bedrooms, your cars, and your offices for lo these many years, and I promise you that I never take it for granted.

So on Thursday, I was just planning on getting up, taking a shower and coming downtown to do another show. That’s what I do. It shouldn’t really be a big deal to anyone other than myself, and I am genuinely proud of what I have accomplished. The most important thing about being on the radio is being there every day for people who have come to depend on you, or better yet, have come to think of you as a friend. I always say that I don’t have any friends; in fact, I have far too many to count (and could always use a few more). So I’ll do my part for Steve Dahl Show #7201, and you do your part. Get up and listen-- and remember, without you, I don’t have a job.