The Greatest Show In The History of Radio is simple in concept but extraordinarily complex in execution.
Basically Phil interviews one or more of a stable of 36 recurrent Guests. These are normal-sounding persons who are, in their own way, demented, possessed by demons, and one or two steps removed from Reality. The Guests call Phil to discuss the scrapes and imbroglios into which they have recently fallen. The interviews prompt even more calls from irate, infuriated, impassioned Listeners who excoriate the Guests for their inexcusable behavior. Phil moderates as the Guests masterfully insult the callers who become the unwitting subjects of a massive national network Crank.
Three voices. Two persons.
You see, Phil plays himself and his Guests. All 36 of them. Only the callers are real...dead meat.
Often imitated, never duplicated, Phil's ability to switch seamlessly between multiple personalities is unparalleled and immensely funny. He occasionally runs live web-cam broadcasts so Back Stage Pass holders can watch him bop back and forth between the studio mic and the Guest phone. It's a better show than Rush's ditto-cam.
"Let me give out our our number - 1 800 449 8686."
To get Cranked, you must survive a fairly rigorous vetting process. During commercial breaks Phil and his able assistants screen callers mercilessly. Only Innocent Lambs with something to say are put on hold - to await Slaughter. Most are occasional listeners to one of Phil's 100 affiliates on the Premier Radio Network. They rarely understand what's going on. Regular listeners and Back-Stage Pass holders who know the score are quickly identified and dismissed, politely of course.
As Phil often warns us, "You can't crank your way into this show."
1 800 449 8686
1 800 449 8686 east of the Rockies
1 800 449 8686 west of the Rockies
That's exactly why Hendrie was an acquired taste, and why some thought he was being dishonest with his listeners.