“Talkin’ Trash

The role of the moderator was multifold. In addition to introducing the topics for the talent and audience at home, he would play devil’s advocate to stir up more conversation. When the discussion ran amok, he would rein everyone in, and the moderator would also move things along when a topic had run its course usually switching to a new sport every ten minutes, so there’d be a little of each sport in each show.

What was never routine were the actions before the camera. Every week the scene would vary. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Yet these swings provided for some of the shows rough times including one or two students getting rowdy on air and not willing to constructively contribute to the format. Instead, they would go on tangents and make personal attacks on certain professional players. That wasn’t allowed to happen at the station. Going on air in a live format was a great position of responsibility, and they had to respect that. After repeated warnings and attempts to improve their behavior, these students were summarily banished from the show. However, at no time was the show ever threatened to be canceled as long as the problems were corrected.”Talkin’ Trash” began airing in the Spring of ’94, just prior to college basketball’s March Madness. Jon recruited Ed Coleman as the moderator and Scott MacDonald, Dan Symes, Steve Curry, and Steve Atwood as the “talent.” Jon controlled the show from the centrally-located floor director position where he could fine tune the machinations. There was also a regular crew of four cameramen and a director, all of whom would arrive an hour before air to go over the program. However, after several episodes everyone knew the routine.