Some dialogue I once heard on the radio:
DJ 1: I'm kind of looking around here. You have some CDs in here in recent months that I'm not that familiar with. Where's that "Sleepless In Seattle" CD? Where's it at?
DJ 2: It looks like it's right there.
DJ 1: Right here?
DJ 2: Wait a minute. Wait a minute. No. The other carousel...
DJ 1: This one?
DJ 2: Yeah.
DJ 1 (reading CD label:) Jack Jones...
DJ 2: No. Keep turning. (Pause) No. Keep turning. There it is. There it is.
DJ 1: Right here?
DJ 2: Yeah.
DJ 1: That was a great movie. I loved it. Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan...I've heard all you folks (play tracks from this CD...) Alright, what should I play here? Ah, let's see, Gene Autry, "Back In The Saddle Again?'" I think I'll pass on that. Uh, Dr. John and Rickie Lee Jones...I know (another DJ at the station) likes to play that one. What's your favorite on here?
DJ 2: I like the Rickie Lee Jones and Dr. John (song), too. (Of) course, there's a good version of, uh, let's see, of "Make Someone Happy" with Jimmy Durante. That's (track) number 12, I think.
DJ 1: "Make Someone Happy?" Jimmy Durante?
DJ 2: Yeah.
DJ 1: For real?
DJ 2: (It's) pretty good.
DJ 1: I don't remember that. Was that...?
DJ 2: That's at the end of the film when...
DJ 1: It's cut (number) 12?
DJ 2: I think so. Isn't it?
DJ 1: No, that's "When I Fall In Love..."
DJ 2: Oh.
DJ 1: Oh, "Make Someone Happy"'s number 11.
DJ 2: Yeah.
DJ 1: Jimmy Durante, huh? "Sleepless In Seattle," the CD. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. That was a good movie. Good love story from 1993, on...(...the station's call letters.)
This on-air pondering about which song to play would make a consultant, concerned about listeners tuning out, apoplectic. A consultant, however, might not consider that this is how people often converse in real life. If the audience is OK with it and there's a place for humanity, especially from veteran DJs, on your station, why not let the dialogue unfold naturally like this?
