From Where I Sit...

Hawaiian Boring.

On Friday I posted my opinion about Steve Dahl and how over the years I grew tired of his show. Well, I wanted to be fair, so I sent Steve Dahl an invitation to read my blog.

He accepted. He read it. He blogged about it. He devoted 13 minutes of his show to me.

I was honored, once I found out late Friday afternoon. Apparently, nobody I know listens to Mr. Dahl anymore either.

Here is what Mr. Dahl had to say about me in his blog;

I was checking my email at steve@dahl.com and I got an email from a guy named Mark Plocharczyk asking me to read his blog. So I did at http://markploch.blogspot.com. I wasn’t ready to get completely dismissed by a guy in a wheelchair. I suppose that handicapped people are just as mean and opinionated as anybody else, but usually they tend to be a little bit more tolerant and accepting of me. Ironically, we were on Channel 9 yesterday to promote a charity event. The whole thing makes me feel like I’m in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. At least it's not the road-hogging cyclist coming after me again; it’s just a guy taking all of the good parking spaces.

If you want to hear exactly what he said on his show you can listen here;

http://www.wckg.com/pages/393124.php. Hour 2 from 9/28/07.

I'm an honest guy. I was laughing at Steve while listening to the podcast. I'm glad I could provide him with some original material. I do, however, take issue with some points raised by Mr. Dahl and his listeners who commented on my blog.

First.
The funniest thing Mr. Dahl said was that I was mean. Nowhere in my blog from Friday did I say anything that could be construed as mean. I could have been mean. I could have asked why Garry always looks like a man with bifocals staring into the sun. But, I didn't. I could have quipped about why Mr. Dahl is always wearing shorts, OK we get it you're a cool Hawaiian wannabe. But, I didn't.

Second.
What does my disability have to do with me having an opinion? Mr. Dahl didn't seem so taken aback by someone criticizing him, but by the fact that someone in a wheelchair was criticizing him. Yes, Mr. Dahl, people with disabilities do have opinions and sometimes they're negative. We don't just spin around in circles and drool all day.

Third.
To all Mr. Dahl's fans. No, I'm not jealous of Mr. Dahl. I was just pointing out what it feels like when you realize a former idol of yours has fallen. I respect the fact that he has been doing his "act" for 30 years. I just feel the last 15 were the same as the first 15. Even WCKG's slogan for Mr. Dahl's show is, Been There. Done That. The I'm willing to bet he has had a lot of turnover of fans in those years. I'm sure your fans that have been there from the beginning are great people. I'm also fairly certain they like to watch reruns of What's Happening, Three's Company, and Knight Rider?

I understand how popular radio shows work. Your Dahl's, Stern's, and Mancow's must appeal to the most common denominators. The "comedy" can't be so high brow as to leave out the masses. They thrive in perpetuating stereotypes for laughs. And, I admit for awhile it's funny. But then you grow up. Then the "bits" get old and boring.

And in Mr. Dahl's case he becomes "Hawaiian Boring".