Ron Cameron

[wtfdetroit]

Ron's first 3 callers were always: Cowboy, Mr Positive batted second, Kurt from Fraser third. He had a set lineup. My favorite part was Ron would always tell the caller to call again in the second hour.

[briangoleb]

I wonder if business has dropped at the Fenton Hotel?

[uncleb67]

Just heard a professionally-produced commercial spot for Amore d’Roma “Love From Rome” restaurant on 97.1. They were one of Ron’s more consistent “advertisers” in the last year or so, as things wound down for SportsTalk at The Patriot. I guess they’ve had a surplus in the ad budget since Ron stopped eating there a coupla times a week as payment for the weekly ads being read!

[Momo]

Any sightings of Ron? At a Wings game? Ram's Horn?

I can only imagine his head exploding at the news of the Drummond trade ("who's going to rebound?") and the fact that the Pistons just gave him away. Ron never could wrap his head around the fact that the NBA had changed since his heyday, when Wilt Chamberlane (h/t Matt) played.

[briangoleb]

Today's dialed in detroit episode is a replay. What's up with that station?

[wtfdetroit]

The website still has Ron listed, that's how inept that station is.

[313sports]

With the new signal on 1460 anyway Ron resurfaces there?

[Momo]

If he does, you just know that - even without any advance notice of his 1st show - Ron would still rely on his legion of insurance company callers, who, of course, are only allowed to call in with their questions before the show begins! This loyal core of listeners would, somehow, know that Ron's show on 1460 was resuming.

[313sports]

Yeah Saturday during the day he'll have insurance callers. Very realistic.

[wtfdetroit]

What were the insurance callers?

[Momo]

As I've noted in these pages, Ron would rely on the artifice of callers from "the insurance company" on his Friday, 1460 show. Without guests, (many) callers or access to Alex and Matt's email account, Ron would fill up the 2 hours from 9-11 by regularly turning to his insurance company callers. As he would repeatedly explain, these "callers" were not allowed to call during the show, but, somehow, were allowed to call before the show and they would then submit what were always the most softball, generic questions. Every week a rotating cast of insurance company callers - who were each given names and cities of residence - would be given airtime. Of course, on Ron's weekend shows, these "callers" never materialized - either on the phone or in email. One would think these ever-loyal fans would be chomping at the bit to engage Ron then when they were not under the thumb of their overbearing boss, but their continuing silence, week-in and week-out, was deafening. Even when Ron experienced phone problems, and regular listeners could not call in, the insurance company callers miraculously managed to get their questions in. Maybe they had a special hotline number!

Once, I called shortly before the show began to test whether there was even a means to make contact with Ron prior to airtime. The phone rang and rang. Finally, at 9, a screener took my call. I told him I was calling from the insurance company and presented my question. He said he'd quickly put me on the air. I immediately reminded him that I was calling from the insurance company, so he should know I could not go on the air. He was clueless.

On another occasion, Ron's show fell on Xmas day. I listened attentively to see if Ron, who was so oblivious to the outside world that he may well have had no idea what day it was, would deign even then to rely on his insurance company callers. Sure enough, he did. I then called and told him I finally knew the name of the insurance company. It was the Scrooge Insurance Company, I said. Not only did it make its employees work on Xmas, but even on this day they were not allowed to call during the show! An uncomfortable Ron quickly changed the subject.

I so want Ron to return to his 1460 digs so I can be sure that these insurance company callers are doing okay.

[wtfdetroit]

Thanks for the explanation. That is hilarious and ridiculous at the same time but it's Ron.

[Mr.Transistor]

Perhaps with all the time Ron has now he is finally getting around to writing the 50 years in Detroit Sports book that he had promised to pen with Ted Kulfan. Bring it to the bathroom book!

Or perhaps he finally has time to make a decision/scout locations for the next eatery.

[uncleb67]

BREAKING NEWS: Ron is/was back on WPON 1460 today (Friday) from 11-1.

[wtfdetroit]

Haha. He’s back. He was banned from the studio for diarrhea. Matt is back with him too