I’m perplexed. If Tom and Ray are retired, and the shows are recorded past shows, or an edited version of several shows, why is the phone number still being given out? Shouldn’t each show have an opening message something like: “this show was originally broadcast on xx/xx/xx. Please do not call the phone number…”
What happens if someone calls, or sends in a weekly puzzler?
Thanks from a dedicated listener since the beginning,
Aaron
Tom and Ray always gave out the show’s phone number repeatedly, and since the segments are all now repeats, the numbers keep coming even though Car Talk isn’t taking any new callers. Even when Car Talk was “live”, it wasn’t really. It was pre-taped from earlier in the week. If you phoned, you’d get an answering machine, you’d leave a message with your problem, and if the staff thought it an interesting subject, they would call you back to make the appropriate arrangements. You could try calling in I guess. I expect you’ll hear the answering machine saying they are no longer taking new calls. Don’t know if the staff are reading new puzzler answers and awarding new prizes or not. They might be. Ray continues to provide new topical comments from time to time which are stitched in, so he could announce the name of a new puzzler winner too I suppose. The reason they don’t announce beforehand about not taking new calls is that the show is entertainment – a form of magic – and in a successful magic show, the magicians don’t give away how they do their tricks. It’s an illusion, which benefits the listener. Why spoil it?