(I am the operations manager of an overseas military TV and radio station. In place of regular commercials, we run locally-made information spots. We get feedback through an email system, mostly complaints about stuff out of our control, such as TV shows and music selections. A few months ago, we got an email from an irate listener complaining about a radio spot advertising the base library, where one of the producers did an imitation of former President George W. Bush. He was livid about the disrespect to our former Commander-In-Chief. I responded professionally, explaining we often use humor in our spots to make the information memorable, and the impression was fairly innocuous. He kept emailing back more irate, insulting military broadcasters, questioning our patriotism, accusing us of communism, etc. Finally, he came to our station to personally confront me. The following exchange occurred in our lobby.)

Irate Marine: “Your excuses are just that! The ‘humor’ of that imitation is offensive and disrespectful! How dare you demean the former president!”

Me: “Well, he didn’t seem to think so.”

Irate Marine: “… What?”

Me: *points to framed picture on the wall* “See that?”

(It’s George W. Bush in our production room laughing with a young Marine.)

Irate Marine: “He came here?”

Me: “Years ago, I’m told. See that Marine in the photo? He’s the one who voiced and produced that spot. That photo was taken while he was playing the commercial for The President. He apparently has a better sense of humor about himself than you do.”

Irate Marine: *walks out the door, mumbling* “Well, it’s STILL disrespectful!”

(I am calling around to some of the radio stations to buy advertising time for some events at our church. I call one station and get the manager, who I had been told was a real ‘heel.’)

Me: “I would like to see about getting some air time on your station.”

Receptionist: “One moment, I will let you talk to the manager.”

(There is a momentary pause.)

Manager: “Hello. I understand that you are looking for some air time?”

Me: “Yes, I am.”

Manager: “Okay, let me start with a question: are you also advertising in the newspaper?”

Me: “I don’t see how that is relevant.”

Manager: “Just go with me a second: are you also advertising in the newspaper?”

Me: “Yes…”

Manager: “Did you pay for the newspaper ads?”

Me: “Yes…”

Manager: “So why would you expect to get advertising from us for free when you paid the newspaper for it?”

Me: “Free?! Who said anything about getting it for free?!”

Manager: “Well, you said you wanted to get some air time?”

Me: “Yes, but that’s not the same thing as asking for it for free!”

Manager: *sputters a bit*

Me: “Now, look. I have about $1500 in a line item in my budget for advertising, and I was planning on sending some of it your way! But if this is the way I am going to be talked to, then maybe I need to rethink things!”

(The manager then proceeded to apologize, but at that point I was so offended that I almost hung up on him.)

(I work in the newsroom of a radio station. When budget time comes around, my station manager asks if there’s any new equipment we need. Just for the heck of it, I put in a request for a TV for the newsroom, so we can monitor the news channels. The next day, the station manager sends me an e-mail with the subject line, ‘here’s what the higher-ups think of your TV idea” and what follows is a long list of jokes my station manager and her boss have made, ridiculing my suggestion. I’m highly offended, and decide to confront the station manager about it.)

Me: “I can’t believe you and [Her Boss] took my idea and made fun of it like that. I find this behaviour very unprofessional.”

Station Manager: “I’m unprofessional? I’M UNPROFESSIONAL? YOU’RE the one who’s unprofessional because you didn’t do a news story about MY BIRTHDAY! Every reporter who’s worked here in the past has done a news story about MY BIRTHDAY and made a fuss about me on the air, and you’re the first one who didn’t! Do you know how humiliating it was for me when everyone in the company started asking what the news department did for my birthday, and I had to tell them that you did nothing? SO DON’T TALK TO ME ABOUT UNPROFESSIONALISM!”

(Since the TV wasn’t that important, I drop the issue completely. A few weeks later, my boss is making his monthly visit. We’re in a meeting, when my station manager barges in.)

Station Manager: “After doing further research, I have determined that NO OTHER RADIO STATION IN THE COUNTRY has a TV in their newsroom. So drop this TV foolishness once and for all!”

Me: “First, I have toured [Well-Known News Station], and they have a TV in their newsroom. I’ve also visited friends who work at [Other Radio Station], and they have a TV in their newsroom. And I did my internship at [Sister Station], and, not only do they have a TV in the newsroom, but a TV in the announcer’s booth, too.”

Boss: “Yeah, a TV in the newsroom is quite a common thing. I’ve been asking [Station Manager’s Boss] for one at our flagship station for years, but he keeps saying it’s not in the budget.”

(My station manager stands there for a bit, just beside herself, not knowing what to say.)

Station Manager: “Good meeting, everybody! Your feedback will be taken into consideration.”

(She sprints out of the room. My boss just turns to me and apologizes for me having to work with her.)

(All week long, we’ve been giving away tickets to a concert on Saturday night. As our offices close at noon, I’ve been telling all the concert winners to be at the station before noon on Friday to pick up their tickets. I duck down to the station on Saturday morning to do some paperwork I’d fallen behind on, when the phone rings…)

Caller: “Yeah, I just want to say you’re all a bunch of lying jerks! I won tickets to the concert tonight, and the stupid DJ said I had to come to the station AFTER noon on Friday to pick them up, and you were closed!”

Me: “Are you sure, ma’am? I was the one giving away the tickets all week, and I was certain I told all the winners BEFORE noon on Friday.”

Caller: “ARE YOU CALLING ME A LIAR? YOU SAID AFTER NOON ON FRIDAY! And I really wanted to go to this concert, too! You are the worst station ever for lying to your listeners like this!”

Me: “Well, I have no doubt that some kind of miscommunication took place, and for that, I do apologize. But, you’re in luck. Because I’m here today putting in some overtime, you can come down to the station right now and pick up your tickets!”

Caller: “Wait, what?”

Me: “Yeah. The concert isn’t until tonight, and I’ve got nothing else to do today. I can gladly wait down here at the station for you to come get your tickets today.”

Caller: “What? No… no… I live outside of town, and I didn’t want to come back into town today.”

Me: “Oh, um, okay. I feel really bad about you not getting your tickets, so how about this: I’m just about done here. How about then if I hop in the company truck, and deliver the tickets to you?”

Caller: “What? No! No. I live really far away, and I don’t want you to go through all that trouble.”

Me: “As I said, ma’am, I’ve got nothing else to do today, and I’ve got a full tank of gas. Where do you live?”

Caller: “No! Don’t go through all that trouble. I’m just disappointed because this was the first time I’d ever won anything.”

Me: “Okay, then, how about this: on Monday morning, I’ll talk to my boss and see if we can arrange some kind of alternative prize. It won’t be time sensitive, like tickets, so you’ll be able to come down and pick it up whenever you like.”

Caller: “No! Stop going through all this trouble for me!”

Me: “Well, ma’am, I’m at a loss. I’m very sorry for the miscommunication that’s caused you to miss out on your concert. I’ve offered everything within my power to make it up to you, and you said no to everything. What can the station do to make this up to you?”

Caller: “Well… I… um… bah! I wasn’t expecting anyone to actually be there working today! I just wanted to leave an angry voice mail complaining about the situation!”

Me: “Would you like my boss’s voice mail so you can still make your complaint?”

Caller: “Well, no! Not now. You’ve tried so hard to make it up to me, that it wouldn’t seem right.”

Me: *sighs* “I’m transferring you to my boss’s voice mail.”

(On Monday morning, after hearing the voice mail and listening to my tale, the boss actually reamed me out for being patient with her beyond human reason!)

(Canada Day is right around the corner, and our member of Parliament is coming to town to partake in the ceremonies and make a few funding announcements. It kicks off with a breakfast ceremony at the public golf course, where he’ll be presenting the golf course with a grant. Our station’s news reporter writes up a news story about the MP (Member of Parliament) coming to town, including the golf course, and reads it on the air. And then, he gets a call…)

Caller: “Yes, I was wondering how one would get tickets to that breakfast ceremony with the MP?”

Reporter: “Oh, I’m sorry. As I said in my news story, that event is by invitation only.”

Caller: “So you admit it, then.”

Reporter: “Admit what?”

Caller: “THAT YOU LIED IN YOUR NEWS STORY!”

Reporter: “Excuse me?”

Caller: “I’m the manager of the golf course, and I clearly heard you say that people can buy tickets to the breakfast with the MP!”

Reporter: “I said no such thing. The news story is posted to our website, and you can listen it to again to be sure what you heard.”

Caller: “ARE YOU CALLING ME A LIAR? I KNOW WHAT I HEARD! Because you LIED on the radio about MY golf course, you are hereby BANNED from the MP’s breakfast and BANNED from the golf course!”

(The reporter shares this story with me. He’s quite shaken by it. The big day arrives, and the reporter heads off to cover some of the non-golf-course-related events going on, when I get a call at the station. It’s our MP himself.)

MP: “Hey, [My Name]. Do you know where [Reporter] is? We’re about to do this presentation at the golf course, and he’s not here yet.”

Me: “Oh, he’s not coming. The manager banned him from this event today.”

MP: “What?!”

(I quickly relay the story to the MP.)

MP: “I don’t know what the golf course manager’s problem is, but [Reporter] is NOT banned from this event. He can come as my personal guest.”

(I quickly call up the reporter, give him the good news, and he speeds off to the golf course. And a few days later, I heard the golf course got a new manager!)