ChrisMaverick dotcom

Telemarketer Theater: The Radio Sting

2211351618_89d4258db0_oI know it’s cliche, but I write a lot of things in the shower. Somehow, it’s just a good place to get a lot of ideas sorted out. I don’t necessarily know what I am going to be writing in the shower, but I do have a lot of ideas there. Today, I was planning on thinking about a paper that I need to work on, but instead my mind drifted and I had an idea for another Telemarketer Theater. I hadn’t worked out all of the kinks, but I had a basic premise and I figured I’d work out the details later before I got the next call. But then when the phone rang as I was toweling off, I somehow knew before I even got to the caller ID that this was going to be one of those calls…

INT. PITTSBURGH HOME – DAY

Our hero, MAV is just stepping out of the shower and toweling off when the phone rings. Somehow he just knows that it’s going tot be a phishing scam call, so he excitedly rushes to the phone. He sees the callerID and takes the cordless phone into his office to answer. He drags his fingers across his computer trackpad and pulls up iTunes. CALLER 1 has a thick Indian accent and speaks in a very rushed tone.

MAV: Hello, WMAV… who am I speaking with?

CALLER 1: Hello, I am calling from the Windows Technical Service and…

MAV: Your name please?

CALLER 1: Hello, I am calling from the Windows Technical Service and we have detected…

MAV: I need your name!

CALLER 1: Hello, I am calling from…

MAV: Your name! Quick! The song is almost over, we’re running out of time!

CALLER 1: What?

MAV: Your name? What is your first name? Quickly!

CALLER 1: Harry.

MAV: Hello, Harry. What city are you calling from?

CALLER 1: I am calling from the Windows Technical Service and we have detected a virus on your…

MAV: No, Harry. Really quick. I need the city you are calling from. We’re almost out time. What city?

CALLER 1: Texas.

MAV: Thank you… Please hold.

Mav covers up the bottom of the headset to muffle the sounds and then hits play on the computer so that he can blast the very end of “Play that Funky Music White Boy.” He turns down the sound on the speakers to fade out the song as he begins speaking in an over-pronounced radio DJ voice.

MAV: And welcome back, that was Wild Cherry rocking it out like they always do. This is DJ J.D. Radio and you’re listening to WMAV, 108.9FM! The last station on your radio dial! Where the 70s never died! We have the 99th caller on the line. Harry, are you there?

CALLER 1: Uh… yes….

MAV: Harry, you are our 99th caller on WMAV where the the 70s never died. Are you ready to answer our 70s trivia question for 1,089 dollars?

CALLER 1: What?

MAV: You’re calling in to answer our 70s trivia question, right? Where if you have the right answer you can win $1089 from 108.9FM the station where it pays to play!

CALLER 1: $1089?

MAV: That’s right, Harry! Are you ready!

CALLER 1: Uhh…. one moment please.

The caller clearly covers up his phone and we hear mumbling between two people as they discuss something. This goes on for about twenty seconds. When the voice comes back, it is clearly someone else. CALLER 2 still has an accent, but is far easier to understand and more excited.

CALLER 2: Hello?

MAV: Harry, are you there? Is that you?

CALLER 2: Yeah, yeah… it’s me.

MAV: You sound different, Harry.

CALLER 2: No, it’s me. I’m Harry. How do I get the money?

MAV: Well, slow down Harry, first you have to answer our trivia question. Are you ready?

CALLER 2: Yeah, yeah…

MAV: Ok, I am reaching into our trivia vault. [Rustles papers on desk] Whoooo!!! Ok, Harry, this is a doozie! Your question is: Who is the main villain in the 1970s classic science fiction film, Star Wars? You have 15 seconds!

CALLER 2: Ummm…. let me think. Ummm…. Can you repeat the question?

MAV: I sure can! Who is the villain in the 1970s classic science fiction movie, Star Wars?

CALLER 2: Uhh…. Can you spell it?

MAV: Sure, why not? S-T-A [Mav can hear the callers typing at their computer on the other side so he goes slower] R – space – W – A – R – S. Star Wars. Who is the main villain in the classic 1970s film Star Wars?

CALLER 2: Uhh…. uh…. hold on…. uh…. umm…. [mumbling to other people in room]… Is there a multiple choice?

MAV: There sure is. Is it Luke Skywalker, Han Solo or Darth Vader?

CALLER 2: Uh… ummm…  uh… Is it A?

MAV: A?

CALLER 2: Yes definitely A.

MAV: Are you saying the answer to the question the villain in Star Wars is A, the hero Luke Skywalker or C, the villain Darth Vader?

CALLER 2: Yeah, uh… It’s Dark Vater. Yeah.

MAV: That is correct! You have just won! Congratulations!

CALLER 2: When do I get my money?

MAV: Hold on Harry, I have to play us out. [Mav queues up another song on iTunes]. You’re listening to WMAV radio, 108.9FM. The last station on your radio dial, where the 70s never died where Harry from Texas has just won $1089! Harry what’s your favorite radio station?

CALLER 2: Uh… W-mumble-mumble-mumble.

MAV: That’s right! Ok, I want everyone to keep on rocking as we take you to Funkytown with Lipps Inc! The is DJ JD Radio and I’m out!

Mav turns up speakers louder and then mutes it and returns to his regular voice.

MAV: Whew. That’s exhausting. Are you still with us Harry? You did great.

CALLER 2: Yeah, yeah. How do I get the money?

MAV: Well, as soon as it clears legal, we mail you a check. Will that be ok?

CALLER 2: uhhh… yeah, sure… I guess….

MAV: So I will need your name and address. Harry what?

CALLER 2: Actually make that. Henry. Henry [Redacted].

MAV: Oh, you want the check made out to Henry instead?

CALLER 2: Uh…. yeah.

MAV: And the address?

CALLER 2: 741 [Redacted] Tawas City, MI 48763

MAV: and phone number?

CALLER 2: 989 [redacted]

MAV: So that’s Michigan, not Texas?

CALLER 2: yes, that is correct? When do I get the check?

MAV: There is no, check, Henry, This is Special Agent John Derringer of the Internal Revenue Service. We have you on 47 counts of fraud, and conspiracy to commit identity theft over a wire.

CALLER 2: What?!?!? But I…

MAV: Henry, you do not work for Microsoft.

CALLER 2: Uhh, but I do. I don’t.

MAV: We’re the IRS, Henry, we’ve been watching you for a very long time. We just recorded your location and caught you using an assumed name while trying to illegally tamper with an interstate game of chance. That’s an additionally felony. Are you aware of that? Would you like to turn yourself in peacefully or should we dispatch our agents to your home?

CALLER 2: You don’t know where I live. I have done nothing wr—

MAV: Ok then, we’ll do it the hard way. That would be Henry [Redacted] at 741 [Readcted] Tawas City, MI 48763, phone number 989 [Redacted]. Diane can you dispatch Agent Jones to that address immediately. Tell him he is looking for a man of Indian descent named Henry [redacted]. He is to arrest Mr. [Redacted] and any associates that he finds in his company immediately to stand trial in a federal court on the charges of…

CALLER 2: Shit!!! [CLICK]

To great the great philosopher, Addams Family Pinball, “There… see what greed will get you?”

om

13 comments for “Telemarketer Theater: The Radio Sting

  1. November 11, 2014 at 4:44 pm

    Oh that one is beautiful.

  2. November 11, 2014 at 4:45 pm

    BRAVO! BRAVO! And here all I’ve been doing is adding them to the “blocked callers” list! No wonder I’m missing all of the fun!

  3. November 11, 2014 at 5:01 pm

    I LOVE Telemarketer Theater! You have GOT to start recording these. The audio would have me in stitches!!!

  4. November 11, 2014 at 5:26 pm

    Sadly PA requires both party consent, but if you can get the people on the other end to consent to being recorded…

  5. November 11, 2014 at 6:01 pm

    The people on the other end are engaging in fraud. They aren’t going to say squat. Because if they do complain, they acknowledge that they are on the other end of that line and then they get to enjoy prison time.

  6. November 11, 2014 at 6:18 pm

    Bravo. Now can you get rid of “This is an important message a bout your credit card”?

  7. November 11, 2014 at 7:15 pm

    These really are too fun.

  8. November 11, 2014 at 9:03 pm

    That was awesome. My favorite part was WMAV. Gotta love that.

  9. November 12, 2014 at 1:40 am

    Thanks for the chuckle!

  10. November 12, 2014 at 10:15 am

    Loved it. Man this is funny stuff

  11. November 12, 2014 at 1:09 pm

    Hahahha, gorgeously done!

  12. November 13, 2014 at 9:09 am

    New theory: The managers add your number to the queue every week to break the monotony when listening to the recordings afterwards.

  13. November 15, 2014 at 10:11 am

    I think this is your best work to date! Especially since it was improv.

    You should forward the contact info to the authorities.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.