A few radio talk show pointers for Blago

So I read in the paper that Rod Blagojevich is going to try his hand at hosting a talk radio show, doing a couple of hours on Sunday afternoons on WLS-AM for the next two weeks.

Having co-hosted a Saturday morning show myself -- "Hayner and McNamee" -- on WLS for five years back in the 1990s, I thought I might offer the former governor a few pointers.

I could be cynical about this and suggest that he do what most of the biggest fish in the business do:

1] Pander
2] Bully
3] Demonize
4] Distort the truth
5] Make stuff up
6] Forsake all intellectual honesty

Or I could offer Blagojevich the most practical kind of advice:

1] Push the cough button before you cough
2] Get back from the men's room before the news break ends
3] Never spout poetry

But I've decided to take this seriously. Because talk radio really matters. Just look at how those spineless clowns in Washington suck up to Rush Limbaugh.

Besides, it is entirely possible to get big in talk radio without selling your soul.

Case in point: Roe Conn.

When I first met Roe, he was doing the Saturday morning show on WLS just before Don Hayner and I came on. Now he's the station's hugely popular (and rich) afternoon drive host.

And how did Roe do it?

By being smart.

And funny.

And almost freakishly well-informed.

Roe Conn doesn't play the bluster game. He doesn't throw out red meat for the drool crowd. He doesn't rant or call people names or interrupt.

He just knows more than you do (or at least more than I do) about everything.

He brings to his game the logic of a lawyer and (when he's not forcing it) the timing of a standup comic.

And because he's a smart host, he gets smart callers.

Well, on average.

So that's my honest advice to Rod -- be like Roe.

Will Blago take it?

I'll believe it when I hear it.