Public figures get a lot of mail, some of it really nice
Posted by John Reed on
Here’s another rewarding note from a reader. Most people who do a job at whatever get compliments once or twice a year. When you deal with hundreds of thousands of customers, as a writer, you get about the same rate of compliments as a % of customers, but the quantity is more like daily or weekly. A nice side benefit of being a public figure.
‘You were talking about how quality writers attract their readership. I'm not sure if it has occurred to you, but their are people who think you are the "best" writer/commentator out there, hands down. It would be great to see you in other people's media as a commentator or guest. That would be entertaining as hell. After all, you write about viewpoints that aren't out there. Anyway, I have been reading your stuff since before you branched out beyond real estate/coaching. You have been putting out a super quality product for a long time.’
So why ain’t I rich? Once, some top TV executive called me. A guy sitting next to him on a plane told him I was the greatest on a flight. The guy wanted to hire me for his TV network. I said I’m not a corporate guy. He said we don’t want a corporate guy for on camera. Okay, I said, let’s do this: Read some stuff at my website and give me another call if you’re still interested. I never heard from him again.
Maybe I’ve said too many disqualifying, politically-incorrect things. Although you would think I could work on satellite or Internet TV where they are less tight-assed. I think if Marshall McLuhan was right, I am more of a radio guy than TV. McLuhan said radio was a hot medium; TV cold. Think Rush, Levin, Savage compared to Tom Brokaw, Anderson Cooper, Charlie Rose. I think I am more in the former category.
I’ll just continue to write what I write from my “house in the woods” to use Ralph Waldo Emerson’s phrase and if anyone in control of mass media beats a path to me I’ll consider it. But I’m not holding my breath.
I’ve already been on 60 Minutes and Good Morning America—back in the 1980s. It was exciting but made me zero money. I used to be in Money Magazine and Jane Bryant Quinn’s column a lot. That made me some money.
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