THE USUAL SUSPECTS

CALLER: Greg in Arlington

REAL LIFE: Insurance salesman

LISTENS: 9 a.m.-6 p.m., five days a week

CALLS: at least two a day

PET TOPICS: politics

AVG. HOLD: 10 minutes-one hour

COMMENT: “Sometimes when I’m on hold, I’ll hear another caller say something that makes me so mad I forget what I called about.”



CALLER: M.T. in Garland

REAL LIFE: self-appointed “community watchdog”

LISTENS: 32 hours a week

CALLS: at least five times a day

PET TOPICS: race relations, media representation of minorities

AVG. HOLD: 30 minutes-one hour; has held up to 3 1/2 hours

COMMENT: “It’s a job for me. There’s no balance in our community for blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. I try to provide that balance.”



CALLER: J.R. in Allen

REAL LIFE: retired from large government contracting agency

LISTENS: at least 20 hours a week

CALLS: at least 2-3 times a week

PET TOPICS: education, politics, military security

AVG. HOLD: 15-45 minutes

COMMENT: “Forget those TV talk shows. Not every problem in the world was caused by someone’s mother or father when they were five years old. “



CALLER: Paxton in Garland

REAL LIFE: manufacturer’s sales rep

LISTENS: 35-40 hours a week

CALLS: 4-5 times a week

PET TOPICS: sports, especially business and personal side

AVG. HOLD: 8 12 minutes

COMMENT: “I use talk radio as my own personal Toastmasters. It brings me out of my shell. “