Have I Been Blacklisted ?

I've blogged many times before about winning on the radio.  I love it.  My favorite has been to beat a deejay named Woody at his morning pop culture trivia game "Are You Smarter Than A Woody?"  I have enjoyed so many different concerts, food, and other prizes by winning that daily contest at least a dozen times in the past two years.

But in the last six months something has definitely changed.

Typically, the deejays (Goose and Woody himself) announce a certain caller they will accept for the chance to beat Woody.  My wife, and sometimes my son, will dial their phones while I dial mine (3 times the chances to be the right caller).  It is a frantic few minutes and Goose usually answers the phone with "caller number 4 try again" or a short message along those lines.

But when you're the "right" caller you get a different response: "Hi, who's this?" or "Hi, what's your name?"  That is usually the cue that you're about to be on the radio and have a chance to win some great prizes.  And this is also why I feel like I've been blacklisted.

TWICE in the past month, I have received the "Hi, who's this?" greeting ... only to be told that I am caller number whatever-is-the-number-right-before-the-one-they-need.  This information is never shared until after I announce my name, which generates an "Oh no" response from Woody or Goose.  The first time I just chalked it up to bad luck, but the second time in less than a month makes me question the validity of being turned down from playing.  This is compounded by the fact that only one time EVER has that happened before and they played that person's comments on the radio right after telling them they were the wrong caller.  Neither of my interactions received any airplay.

To be fair, I would totally understand if the deejays didn't want me to play and possibly win again ... but don't lie to me!  Just straight up tell me that you don't want me to play or win again.  I'm a big boy.  I won't complain or say you're being unfair.  I've won literally thousands of dollars worth of prizes from you.  We're cool.  But be honest with me!

I plan to test this theory in the near future by announcing my name as "JC" instead, in the hopes that they won't automatically decline my chance to play.  Then if I win I'll bust out my full name and let them figure out how to handle that!  I'll only make a big scene if they try to deny me without telling me why.


Song Of The Day:
I never really liked the Jackson 5 version of this song but Colbie Caillat's rendition of "I Want You Back" is appropriate for this post.  I want my chance back.  I want to have a fair shot to win some prizes again.  It's been too long.  I miss my free stuff.  :)

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