Talk Radio, the Movie

OK, so I am home sick today and decide to watch a movie, which I never do. I figured I would watch something I have never seen, something older, then I looked at the On Demand under their "freebies" and see Talk Radio.
I mean, I am in radio, so I thought, maybe I can relate to the characters.

If you've never seen the movie, let me just say that it isn't something you watch with your kids. It's about a guy named Barry who went from selling suits to being on the radio in the late night Dallas radio market. He is about to go national. You get to know Barry through watching his interaction with the callers, most of whom are very dangerous people. He receives death threats almost daily. There is a twisted triangle between Barry, his girlfriend/Producer, and his ex-wife, who is Barry's emotional link to a better time in his life. He has a love/hate relationship with his board controller and the station owner. They have all know each other for a very long time and the tension is palpable. They are nothing apart from each other and it eats them up inside.

As I watched, I couldn't help but consider some of the things that were going through Barry's mind. He speaks to the world every night, has free reign on the content of his show, and the only people who call are Jew haters, KKK members, teenagers who call just to hear themselves on radio, and women who "love" Barry because, well, I'm not sure, maybe because he has the kind of voice you can't turn off. In his last show, he chides his listeners for not having anything good to say. I couldn't help wondering if Barry had started to understand himself and begin to like himself after the final show. He faced some of his worst demons in one night and came out having the last word. If you have seen the movie, you know what happens next.

Hopefully I haven't ruined it for you, but have enticed you to see the movie. I can assure you that Barry does not work for WTPL, but I wish I had a chance to interview him for my show.