Topic Idea: Who On The Show Is A Psychopath

Randy Lane • November 11, 2012

From Brad Majors, Afternoon Host, WPIG/Olean, NY via ‘Radio Pros’ Facebook Group

Psychopathy is a personality disorder that has been variously described as characterized by shallow emotions (in particular reduced fear), stress tolerance, lacking empathy, coldheartedness, lacking guilt, egocentricity, superficial char, manipulativeness, irresponsibility, impulsivity and antisocial behaviors such as parasitic lifestyle and criminality.


Why is this important? Because the top 10 list of jobs psychopaths gravitate toward has been released, and radio comes in at #3. Check it out here.

Setup Ideas:

  • Ask listeners to choose who on the show makes this statistic true. Take a poll on Facebook, too.

 

  • Have each member of the show put the name of the “show psychopath” anonymously into a hat. Add them up and reveal the “winner” on-air.

 

  • Ask an expert. Get a psychiatrist or psychologist on-air to break down psychopathy into attributes the public can understand.

Share this article

Recent Posts

By Randy Lane • September 29, 2026
When I start coaching a show, talents often say:“Nobody calls anymore.” Or: “Listeners in this market don’t call radio shows.” My response is, “That’s interesting, because several of our shows get more calls than they need.” The difference isn’t necessarily the market. It’s often how the show invites people into the conversation.  Airing callers and text […]
By Randy Lane • September 21, 2026
Jerry Seinfeld wrote every episode of Seinfeld longhand, on a yellow legal pad, with a blue Bic pen. He still writes that way. He’s said the flashing cursor on a screen makes him anxious, like it’s asking, “So, whaddaya got?” Why Start With Pen and Paper?Writing by hand slows you down just enough for ideas to […]
By Randy Lane • September 15, 2026
In the era of loud, fast-talking announcer DJs, my radio mentor, Todd Wallace, asked my fellow DJs and me, “Would you talk to your neighbor over the back fence like a pukey DJ or just in natural conversation?” Of course we all said we’d talk to them conversationally. Todd concluded, “Talk to listeners on air like […]
Show More