Wisdom of Fools

Yesterday's post might have left the impression that Jim O'Neal didn't have any fun at radio home number two. Well, on-air we were made to be quite stiff. The format was strict. At the time the program director took herself way too seriously. In her spare time she came into the production room to record her voice reciting scripture and self affirmations for listening to later at home in "quiet time." Remember Stuart Smalley on Saturday Night Live, my program director, Kelley, was the female fundamentalist Christian counterpart of the beloved Al Franken character. She was only 8 years my senior, but acted as though she was a sage. 

It was in the very same production room that I was allowed to really let my hair down. I was 21 at the time and felt pressed to act much older in the control room. (I've learned that being serious is not necessarily the same as actual maturity.) Unlike what you heard in the previous post I enjoyed life. The real "Jim" is better expressed in the example below in a spot for a skating rink party my station presented back in 1987, surely considered too hot by Kelley's standards. Commercials like this one was my passive-aggressive punch at the establishment.

Stay tuned

©2010 Neal Rhoden aka Jim O'Neal,Gospel Aircheck blog. All rights reserved.

Let’s Roll, Again

In a previous post on Gospel Aircheck I wrote about one special summer when I hosted a roller skating party. That time was 25 years ago. Even then I questioned if skating was relevant to the 1980’s youth that rolled every Saturday night to Contemporary Christian music. Those kids now have children and—gasp—grand children of their own old enough to roller skate. Would this new generation find this pastime as appealing? Recently, I took a very informal poll and found that the consensus among teens of today is that the topic is completely alien to them. Roller skating to gospel music? “Could I text while doing this?” I imagine them saying.

That brings me to my idea: what if skating was re-introduced to this new generation? It would begin small with reserving a rink for a private party, say a church group. I’m developing the playlist of tunes, mixing current and skate-able CCM oldies on my laptop Ableton software. The selection process seems difficult due to the fact that the present crop of popular Christian music is impossible to skate to. The idea is incubating, but shows promise. I’m afraid these kids just wouldn’t be interested. Maybe this would appeal to those “40-somethings” of my generation. But, I’d hate to see any one of us break a hip.

Stay tuned

©2010 Neal Rhoden. Gospel Aircheck blog. All rights reserved.