Page 13 of Wrong Car, Wright Guy
In response, I turn to the window and mouth ‘sorry’, unable to voice my reason while the microphone is live. I can’t hear his exasperated sigh, but I can see it through the connecting window. Things aren’t moving according to plan, to a producer, that’s an absolute nightmare. They’re all about following the schedule and running a tight ship. What Tanner is doing by changing things up signals mutiny. And my being in here means that I’m no better. Normally, if the station comes under fire over today’s show, it would be both our heads on the chopping block. But with things as they are, I’m not sure what the consequence would be if the censor’s fine us over any breaches. Would that just mean the end of the station and we’realldone for? Anxiety claws uncomfortably at my insides.
For a while, I just sit quietly, feeling awkward and out of place while listening to Tanner talk to his callers as they share their views and opinions on the topic. He asks probing questions, getting them to open up and perhaps say more than they really want to. But it makes for great talk radio, and as Terry’s shoulders relax, so does my own tension. It seems as though we’re going to be OK.
Then Tanner introduces a woman called Julie from Staten Island…
“Welcome, Julie. Tell me your thoughts.”
“You keep talking about cancel culture and political correctness like they’re the same thing. That’s why I called.”
I sit a little straighter in my chair as my interest piques, wondering how this is going to go. Tanner seems excited by this call too, because his eyes light up and the corner of his mouth tilts up as he speaks.
“Then by all means, explain the difference to me,” he encourages. “I’m not above righting my wrongs. Pun intended.”
Julie chuckles. “The whole point of political correctness is to make folks stop and think before they open their mouths. No one likes being treated poorly for their lot in life, so why should anyone be free to make another person uncomfortable? It just feeds into a whole other host of problems.”
“I hear where you’re coming from, Julie,” Tanner says. “And I suppose the reason why we’re discussing it in conjunction with cancel culture, is that cancel culture seems to be an extension of political correctness. I think we can all agree that the goal was to make this world kind and inclusive. But what we’re seeing instead, is this hyper activism causing more divisiveness, less freedom and more hostility. What do you see as the solution to this simmering pot of outrage that continuously boils over? Is it more rules? Less rules? Should the government step in? Should they back off? Where do we go to find peace?”
Sitting directly across from Tanner during his show, it’s obvious how carefully he chooses his words. He’s validating the caller, challenging the caller, and asking them to do all the talking. He’s not offering his personal opinion at all. Something I didn’t catch when I was listening on my own.
“We find peace by being kind. That’s it,” Julie says. “If people could quit being so nasty to each other, the worldwouldbe a better place. Political correctness came about because the majority couldn’t stop minimizing minorities. And cancel culture came about because too many individuals use their uneducated, bigoted voices to undo decades of progress. Why y’allwantto be bigots?”
As soon as the word floats out into the airwaves, Tanner’s eyes twitch and meet mine. “You consider me a bigot, Julie?”
“If the shoe fits.”
“That’s interesting. You know, you’re the second person to call me that today?”
“I just call it like I see it.”
“I hear what you’re saying, Julie. I don’t agree with it, but I hear you. And I’m going to ask you the same question that I asked my last accuser—did you hear me say that I wish I could put people down and be offensive without thought or repercussion?”
“Isn’t that what this show is about? People are getting on here saying cancel culture is dumb and that political correctness is ruining everything. Seems to feed right into your rhetoric if you ask me.”
Tanner grins at that. “I think we need to explore this perspective of my show representing me as a human a little further. Ruby?” My heart practically leaps out of my throat and runs for the door at the sound of my name being called out on air.
I shake my head vehemently.No way,I mouth, glancing toward operations where Terry is also shaking his head. In fact, everyone in there is signaling ‘no’ at us.
Tanner ignores their protests, and mine, and reaches across the table to switch my mic on.Crap on a cracker.“Care to explain to the audience what prompted you to call me a bigot earlier today?”
“I…I…I…I.” It feels like I’ve swallowed glue and it’s closed my throat up.
“Ladies and Gents, I’d like to introduce you to Ruby Casey, my co-host for this segment. Say hi to the folks stuck in traffic on Grand Central, Ruby.”
“Hi,” I parrot dumbly.
Tanner grins. “Now, Ruby, we had a conversation earlier today, and you stated that you have a strong opinion about my shows and the topics we discuss. Am I right?”
“I, um, sometimes.”
“You called me a bigot.”
“Something I apologized for. However, I also called you a boor, which you’re currently proving as an apt assessment.” The words fall from my mouth without my say so, and to my surprise, he laughs.
“I can handle being called a boor.” He chuckles, the expectation in his eyes urging me to go on.
“I, um, I called you a bigot, because I feel that you incite anger unnecessarily. You pick topics that people are already fighting about and make it worse by sitting in the middle playing devil’s advocate. Each side thinks you agree with them, so nothing ever gets solved. You’re just perpetuating this evil that seems to be seeping into our bones. Hate”—I shake my head, my brow furrowed—“it’s everywhere. I felt that if you weren’t a bigot, you wouldn’t be helping it breathe.”
I meet his eyes as I take in a sharp breath, surprised that I said so much. There’s a small smile playing on his lips and a cloudiness in his gaze, staying there for barely a moment before he snaps out of it and leans closer to the microphone. “And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call freedom of speech. She has the right to her opinion. But do I have the right to cancel her for stating it? Especially when I feel slighted by it.” He hits the button to bring the next caller on air. “Robert from Connecticut, you’re on air withThe Wright and the Wrong. What do you have to say on the topic?”
