Pat McAfee’s fame is now at a peak level. He gets to be the subject of a column written by me. Lucky McAfee!
Pat smartly built his platform, and that is the problem. Unfortunately, his role has changed now that Pat is on ESPN. For most radio people, the template for being that social media leader is completely opposite to the brands we work for.
Fame comes with shackles. Tom Cruise, Sean Hannity, Taylor Swift, and others are so famous that living a normal life is impossible. Years ago, Stephen Baldwin hosted a radio show with Kevin McCullough that was syndicated on hundreds of stations. I was fortunate enough to be an informal consultant for that show. Baldwin is obviously known wherever he goes. I traveled with Stephen a couple of times, and he was frequently interrupted by people who recognized him. Stephen was amazing with the fans. He always posed for selfies and answered questions. But Stephen’s fame is not all-encompassing.
From time to time, usually at a coffee shop, I asked Stephen about random celebrities. I asked him about Tom Cruise. Stephen said that Tom is a great guy, but his level of fame was stifling. I asked why. Stephen said that Tom Cruise can’t go anywhere. He is a prisoner of his success. Most of us working in the radio biz know about local notoriety. People are watching us even if they don’t say hi. Pat McAfee’s fame is probably not at the Brad Pitt or Taylor Swift level yet, but he’s getting close.
How Pat McAfee Built His Platform
Pat McAfee has been building fame probably since his high school days. He played in college and the NFL, and he even wrestled for WWE. To be totally obvious, punters are not like quarterbacks. McAfee played his position in a totally different way. Pat built the punter position into a star vehicle.
While hosting a video podcast on YouTube, McAfee was paying lightning-rod QB Aaron Rodgers for a weekly appearance. If you follow the normal career flow, people start at ESPN and parlay that success into a podcast, Substack, or social media career afterward.
Pat McAfee built his career on hot takes, honest discussions, and his personality. This is how people build social media careers. Pat did everything backward. ESPN, to its credit, was smart enough to recognize McAfee’s star power. The House of Mouse took a risk on someone outside its ecosystem. There has been a lot written and discussed about McAfee’s dustup with Utah. Some of it is fair. GameDay was invited, and the hosts pooped all over their guests.
But there is another side to this — Pat McAfee asked for the attention. McAfee is a public figure, and he is now the target of trolls, cranks, and, yes, college students. Since McAfee started his media career as an online sensation, this is likely giving people even more permission to go after him.
Online Criticism Comes with the Territory
Pat McAfee taking online criticism is a natural thing. None of us like being a target. ESPN is a huge brand, and anyone associated with ‘The Worldwide Leader’ has upped the odds of being a meme.
Now, how does this apply to any radio host? Well, your company is highly encouraging you to engage online. The presence on social media of a host or show is considered ‘marketing.’ Is it? Now we can have a debate.
Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show are promoting that they are number one for online engagement. This is a big deal.
The Conundrum for Radio Hosts
To be fair, many of our wonderful hosts are not camera ready. It is not like a radio station has image consultants and a budget for hair, clothes, and makeup. Also, and I am starting with myself, a lot of radio people are prime targets for an Ozempic prescription. Hey, if radio people were amazing to look at, they would be on TV! In the same spirit, TV people are not as attractive as they used to be. There are so many options for exceptionally attractive people to make money on their accidental blessing at birth.
Okay, the social engagement thing. The return on investment of your time is negligible; it is now a part of your job. The days of radio people walking into the building looking like someone at a homeless shelter are over. You are expected to look good, dress well, and be camera friendly. Here is the conundrum, which is the opposite of Pat McAfee’s challenge. To get online attention with comments, likes, and shares, it is required to provide clickbait for the audience.
This often starts with teases portraying yourself as ‘the victim.’ This scenario is totally unappealing to many hosts, advertisers, and radio station managers. McAfee’s victim stunt with Utah is what sells on social media. Being a professional victim on ESPN or your radio station is not an appealing equation.
Finding the balance
I don’t know what the balance is here. I know a host who was bragging about his viral video. Okay, I bit. I looked it up, and from what I could assess online, there were very few likes, comments, and shares. Perhaps his post had a few thousand views. I don’t know. I think that social media goals should be well-defined.
And I also think that hosts should not be put in positions that can harm their credibility. Is there any assumption of credibility on social media at this point? My belief is that the balance is poorly defined and creates opportunities for hosts to get in trouble.
I will give you these tips: don’t drink and post, comb your hair, get some updated clothes, and find someone to be your camera operator. Perhaps see a dietitian and drop some pounds. I need to do that. Perhaps that is my 2027 resolution. Okay, good luck.
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