TALK: MICHAEL SMERCONISH

This book, by Michael Smerconish, a talk show host,  is his first foray into fiction. It explores the world of conservative talk radio, particularly the popularity of their programs and the deification of the hosts like Rush Limbaugh. The narrator, a high school loser named Stanislaw Pawlowski, begins is ascent as a disc jockey in a Tampa bar.  He's good at what he does and becomes adept at playing the tunes the audience likes, his first foray into giving people what they want.  He takes a job as a disc jockey in a small radio market, starts to make a name for himself, then move to Pittsburgh, to a larger market.  His popularity grows until a large network radio station in Tampa decides to give him a chance as conservative radio host.  He is as confused as his friends at the offer (he's not necessarily conservative) but his agent feels that which made him a great disc jockey will play over to talk radio.

He is given a guru, Phil, a maker of Conservative radio hosts and follows his advice to a tee: be Conservative, Consistent and Compelling.  He changes his name to Stan Powers, plays to the conservative base, to their fears, feeds their hatred of liberals, un-Americans, and becomes a force in the Presidential elections.  He's wooed by a female Republican candidate from Texas, known as the hatchet for cutting programs.   He agrees to question her opponents sexual proclivities during a debate, destroying any hope the candidate had of winning the primary.  He does the same thing during the convention, suggesting that the the Democratic Presidential candidate is a follower of Scientology. This is all done witht some angst. Both his girlfriend, Debbie, and his buddies know he's a hypocrite, that he does not embrace these views. In fact,  Stan does not believe in any of the 'crap' he sells on the radio. He just knows it's good business and will get him and his show to the top of the ratings.  He knows his role: he's an entertainer, not a truth teller, and he gives his audience what they want: someone to hate.

Towards the end, his guilt, his Janus like qualities, get to him and the book ends with a Network movie like diatribe, a la Howard Beale: "I'm mad as hell.  And I am not going to take this anymore."  It works, a great end to the book.  Interesting read, decently written, and quite funny at times.