How come the talking dog thing?
It was an angry email from an irate listener that changed the way the show is presented. I was thinking the presentation was sounding a bit tired and needed a bit of a spruce up, and I thought it sounded like I was taking it all too seriously, then I got this email. I honestly dont know what I'd done to provoke it, but he certainly went to a lot of trouble. After reading the email I became aware that some people thought I was portraying myself as an expert, which I'm certainly not. So I changed the whole presentation of the show. Here's what the listener wrote:
Email:
As one who is often vastly embarrassed for you by your ill-informed pontifical ruminations & bluegrass historical gaffes, on this accent topic you have finally hit your proper stride. Please continue to comment upon the Australian musicians and simultaneously abandon peddling your flawed perceptions of the niceties of mainstream bluegrass. However bully the pulpit you may have momentarily mounted with Bluegrass Country and the internet, your overall comprehension of Bluegrass culture is sadly circumscribed by your unavoidable isolation, yet achingly accentuated by your obsessive compulsion to comment upon topics concerning which you boast less background than you apparently realize. Perhaps you might be better served by a willingness to learn from those on the L who are living and creating BG culture on a day-to-day basis, rather than blindly preaching from a world away. While I don't condemn you your rightful share of this grand mutual obsession we all call bluegrass, a little more humility would go so far in rendering your posts marginally more palatable.One might honestly argue that an Australian bluegrass DJ is much like the rumour of a talking dog. One listens to see whether or not it is true, rather than to what the dog has to say.
When I read the email on the air, listeners joined in the fun, sending funny emails referring to it, and even some talented graphic artists creating images relating to talking dogs. You can see some of these contributions in the Listener area of the site.
After this email, I changed the presentation fo the show, so the announcer says: "Not a preacher, not an expert, just a fan, speaking from the heart. ... The talking dog himself ... Mike KEAR!" just for the fun of it.
(since then, the author of the irate email has written saying he likes what I've done with it, and he's a regular listener)
