The scam of the century... or at least bicentennial

Yesterday I talked about about my days teaching radio at the KIIS Broadcasting Workshop. This was during that period where my writing partner, David Isaacs and I were churning out spec scripts and getting rejected by RHODA every other week.

The school was somewhat shady. I mean, what is there to teach really? This is how you announce the time? Seven ways to turn off your mic? But I did all that and more. I discussed programming philosophies, rating book strategies, and which records were long enough to go to the bathroom during.  ("Hey Jude," "Layla", and "El Paso".)  I also helped students make their audition tapes.

One of the big selling points of this school was that they offered a placement director who would (in a perfect world) get you that coveted first job (in Elephant’s Breath, Ga.). This was a tough assignment because (a) there weren’t that many entry level jobs, (b) the ones that were generally were weekend all-nights and paid minimum wage so it was hard to justify moving to Elephant’s Breath for that, and (c) a lot of the kids were God awful.

So the pressure was always on.

And then one day a gift from God. This was 1975. Our placement director was contacted by a gentleman from the Ford Foundation. As part of the upcoming Bicentennial celebration the Foundation was hiring several young women to be ambassadors of sorts. They would drive around the country, guest on various radio shows, and talk up the Bicentennial and history of America. It was a one-year job that paid $50,000 and all travel and expenses were paid for.

Now bear in mind the other employment opportunities paid $850 a year – maybe.

So the placement director notified the student body and posted a sign-up sheet for interviews. The Ford Foundation exec would be in town the following week. I think every woman in the school signed up.

The Foundation exec came to Los Angeles, the interviews were conducted in his hotel room at the Hyatt, then the exec left town. A couple of weeks went by. No word. Our placement director made some follow-up calls and couldn’t reach him.

Then the truth surfaced. He had slept with probably six of the women – promising them the job. It was all a giant scam. The women were irate. I believe there was even a lawsuit or two against the school. I liked the placement director very much, but honestly, he should have vetted this guy before sending starry-eyed gullible coeds his way.

When I found out about this I was incensed. As an esteemed member of the faculty I placed no greater value than that of our integrity. Plus, I was sleeping with one of the students who banged this guy for a job.

I left the school shortly thereafter. I didn’t want my good name associated with such a sullied institution. And we sold a JEFFERSONS script.

I broke up with that girl as well. Was she just using me to get an ‘A’ in Record Cueing?  Not that I care but I'm curious. 

I don’t know what happened to the sleazeball – whether he ever got caught. I tend to think he didn’t. I tend to think he’s still out there. Donald Trump is looking to hire young ladies to go around the country and speak on various radio stations about President Obama’s passport information. The job pays $250,000.