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I couldn’t scroll through X for more than maybe three posts on Sunday without seeing a photo or video of Donald Trump working at a Pennsylvania McDonalds.
It was a truly genius stunt with so much earned media for his campaign in the closing stages of one of the wildest races for the White House we’ve ever seen.
And I think there are two important lessons that news/talk radio hosts — especially those who idolize Trump — can learn from his weekend shenanigans.
The first is that reliability matters. When you get to the core of why Donald Trump was wearing an apron and working a McDonalds drive-thru, besides the obvious troll job, it’s because it makes him look relatable. According to the fast food giant, one out of every eight Americans has worked at McDonalds. And when you see a politician doing the same job you did, or doing the job of someone you see on a somewhat regular basis, it sure makes them seem relatable.
I believe that there are some news/talk radio hosts who have lost that in their shows. The overwhelming majority of conservative hosts are trying to appeal to and get John Q. Bluecollar to listen to their show, but will talk about fancy restaurants in which they ate dinner, exquisite trips they took, the high-dollar cars they drive, and the celebrities and conservative influencers they rub elbows with.
And while that’s absolutely cool and giant perk of the job, it sure isn’t relatable to the average listener, especially if you spend big portions of your shows talking about how horrible the country and economy are right now.
There is certainly a portion of the audience that lives vicariously through your exploits. Which — don’t get me wrong — is a key aspect of the job. But there can be, at times, a giant disconnect between the average news/talk radio listener and the news/talk radio host.
Donald Trump is successful because he — somehow, as a billionaire — became relatable to millions of Americans, many in the middle and low classes. And that reliability has been key to his staying power at the forefront of American politics for going on a decade now.
Secondly, and even more important than reliability, is Trump’s ability to poke fun at himself. He doesn’t take himself too seriously and doesn’t take every topic seriously. That quality was on full display at the Pennsylvania McDonalds.
Do you know how many other politicians, let alone presidential candidates would have never subjected themselves to even being seen in a McDonalds, let along wearing an apron and slinging french fries for a couple of hours? But, knowing that the ultimate goal was to turn him into a human being and not the person you see on TV, Trump went and obviously had fun for a few moments in an otherwise incredibly tense campaigning environment.
It’s something I’ve written about in this space before and something I’ll continue to write about until it changes: not every news/talk radio topic needs to be ultra-serious, stuffy, “the nation’s future is at stake if you don’t feel the same way I do!” style. Some things are funny. And it’s ok to treat them as such. For instance, a Kansas City TV reporter might have gotten shot at a campaign event for a Democratic Senator Tuesday night. Once you know that the reporter is ok, it’s hilarious! There are so many different angles you can take that are both funny and entertaining. But to sit down behind a microphone and treat the situation as this insanely serious, “This is how you know Democrats shouldn’t be talking about gun control” topic would be malpractice.
For the most part, your audience wants entertainment more than anything. Do they seek out your opinion and analysis? Certainly. And do they rely on you for information? In some cases, yeah. But above all, they want to be entertained. And I don’t know how much entertaining radio I hear on news/talk or conservative talk stations these days. Even more rare are hosts who are able to poke fun at themselves for making a mistake, incorrect prognostication, or any other thing they may get wrong throughout their show.
I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face: whether you’re talking about friends, co-workers, news/talk radio hosts, politicians, or anyone else, be weary of those who not only don’t admit that they are/were wrong, but can’t handle being wrong.
Ultimately, yes, this is a very serious election, with consequences that come with either candidate getting elected. But if someone running for leader of the free world can find a way to remain relatable and also have a little fun at their own expense, everyone should be able to accomplish that, right?
Garrett Searight is Barrett Media’s News Editor, which includes writing bi-weekly industry features and a weekly column. He has previously served as Program Director and Afternoon Co-Host on 93.1 The Fan in Lima, OH, and is the radio play-by-play voice of Northern Michigan University hockey. Reach out to him at Garrett@BarrettMedia.com.
