How to Piss Off Tom Leykis - UPDATED

[Bumped up May 21, 2015 because Tom is throwing a tantrum because of a tweet made by some average Joe, who expressed regret that Tom had ever been a role model for him. Because this tweeter was religion, Tom starting ranting on religion again. It's an awful lot of time and energy on something Tom claims not to care about.]


[Bumped up YET AGAIN on May 14, 2015 because Tom was again berating his listeners, calling them stupid, and mocking them for not filling all ten of his phone lines. When they actually did call, he often knocked down strawmen, seeming to miss the real points some of the callers were raising about why more listeners weren't calling in. You can't make this stuff up.]

[Bumped up AGAIN on June 17. 2014 because Tom is again scolding his listeners, noting that summertime brings a drop in calls, and he even cut one of his Monday shows off a half hour early.]

[Bumped up because Tom is "warning" (berating) his listeners a lot these days for not calling in. I don't think I've ever heard another show host lecturing his audience in this manner and tone. I'm sure plenty of hosts have contempt or disdain for their audience, but they don't come right out and say it on the show. How many hours of the show can be about the show? I like some "inside" stuff, as long as it isn't too much, and as long as the host isn't wagging his finger at me for not calling in.]

Tom Leykis has been doing a great job with his new venture, at least as far as his signature show goes. It is even better than when it was on corporate-shareholder FCC-constrained radio. He plans for most of the shows to run live 3pm-6pm Pacific Time, but if there is a high level of interest from the audience, especially if that includes a high volume of calls (perhaps because of breaking news, or a really hot topic), he may extend the show an hour or more. He can see in real time how many people are listening via various ways of getting his show, which is Internet-based rather than on AM or FM radio.

Listening closely to his tone and some of his comments, he does, from time to time, get irritated with a lack of calls, and even warns that he'll stop any given episode of the show when the calls stop and go off and enjoy his wealth, even if that means stopping that day's show early.

That's where the fun comes in.

One of his advertisers is an attorney. That attorney is regularly scheduled for the "bonus hour" of 6pm Pacific Time on Tuesdays. One Tuesday the attorney will talk about divorce/family law. The next Tuesday he'll talk about criminal defense law (especially relating to DUIs), and it alternates like so. Tom and the lawyer take calls after discussing what are usually relevant current events and the callers will get free legal advice to a certain extent.

Here's where Tom's audience has the opportunity to prank or punk him.

It seems to me that Tom has to do all three hours of Tuesday's show because he has to do the fourth hour with his advertiser, who obviously has asked to be on the "bonus" fourth hour because of needing to work before then. That means there is no way Tom is going to end the show early on a Tuesday. That means that if the audience refrains from calling in, Tom will have to vamp (as he likes to put it), most likely by chatting with the crew. Or less-than-stellar callers will be kept on the show for a long as possible.  Especially if Tom figures out that the audience is doing it on purpose, he may get irritated enough to go on a rant about his own audience.

If it happens regularly, I wouldn't be surprised if he starts doing the Tuesday show at 5pm or even 6pm.

Just something to think about if you want to get under his skin a little bit.

And Tom, if you're reading this - you're welcome.


UPDATE: He went on a rant today (July 8. 2013) about the lack of calls in July 1 & 2, and saying that's why they took July 3rd off, and he expressed his contempt for people who were criticizing him for taking the 3rd off. He even threatened to take the summer off. Today was his first live show since last Tuesday. Oh yeah, he's ticked. I think he expected that, by this date, he'd have a higher volume of quality calls and more people paying for the premium access rather than listening for free to the live stream or the repeating show (which repeats until the next live show).