Tom's extracurricular activities

[yesno]

Why is it that Tom is so reticant to even allow mention of his non-Best Show activities when on WFMU?  (Even when guest hosting 7SD?)  I thought it was some kind of station rule, but Ken, and to a lesser extent Andy, seem to have no such qualms.  Ken was even recently teasing Andy on the air about his ongoing negotiations with his work.

[Martin]

He's a humble man.

[Stan]

Why is it that Tom is so reticant to even allow mention of his non-Best Show activities when on WFMU?  (Even when guest hosting 7SD?)  I thought it was some kind of station rule, but Ken, and to a lesser extent Andy, seem to have no such qualms.  Ken was even recently teasing Andy on the air about his ongoing negotiations with his work.

 Actually, it's station policy that DJs can't talk about their own activities for profit on the air (probably having to do with them being a non profit organization). That being said, technically it's alright for Ken to discuss Monk but not so much for Andy.

 If Tom wishes to protect trade secrets at Consolidated Cardboard, cut him some slack. The world of corrugated paper is a jungle.

[yesno]

Why is it that Tom is so reticant to even allow mention of his non-Best Show activities when on WFMU?  (Even when guest hosting 7SD?)  I thought it was some kind of station rule, but Ken, and to a lesser extent Andy, seem to have no such qualms.  Ken was even recently teasing Andy on the air about his ongoing negotiations with his work.

Actually, it's station policy that DJs can't talk about their own activities for profit on the air (probably having to do with them being a non profit organization). That being said, technically it's alright for Ken to discuss Monk but not so much for Andy.

 If Tom wishes to protect trade secrets at Consolidated Cardboard, cut him some slack. The world of corrugated paper is a jungle.

It just seemed odd that Station Manager Ken would go so close to the line that Tom is so scrupulous in respecting. I'm sure that any cross-promotional arrangement between different DJs would also be verboten.

I quite like that Tom avoids talking about his day job.  Nothing is more tedious than talk shows that are just pure autobiography.  When Tom talks about something that happened to him, or that he did, it's because it's interesting.  He doesn't think that something is interesting just because it happened to him.

[Forrest]

I think it's probably to maintain certain conventions that allow fictional calls and real ones to sit side by side seamlessly. AIR OF MYSTERY. Let there be one.

[Jason]

Because Tom has class.

[Shaggy 2 Grote]

Yeah, ditto.  Andy's whole schtick is that he's a loose cannon, while Tom is a class act, and a team player.

[Dorvid Barnas]

He keeps his own counsel.

[Kibblesmith]

Besides, opening it up to the outside world will just give me the inch I need to demand a three hour program delving into the secret origins of that spider-onion from ATHF (my first encounter with his honeyed voice).

And no one wants that.

Do they?

I have some literature for you to look at.

[bobby.]

The answer to your question is in this article.
http://benkharakh.com/tom_scharpling2

"I don't talk about Monk on the air because I like to keep the two things separate. Monk is my day job, and the last thing I want to do is show up at the station and talk about Monk. It's not nearly as interesting as people might think - while it is the best job I've ever had, it's still a job."

[yesno]

Yeah, it came up in a 2004 archive, too.  When someone asked him why he never mentioned Monk, but others on the station do, he just said it's because he likes to follow the rules.

I'm all about keeping worlds separate.  My career type activities would bore you to tears.

[Steve in North Hollywood]

I like to imagine that when Tom is off the air, he's leading the armies of the night in the fight for right against might with a flaming sword that burns bright, so bright its blade shines white and robs enemies of their sight in a manner that is anything but slight.

[TremblingEagle]

I just got into 7SD and boy is it a world of difference in styles.

I've come to the conclusion Tom is WAY more protective of his personal life in general.

Its interesting to me how both things work.

But for the life of me its hard to connect the person that runs The Best Show with that TV show.

[todd]

I like to imagine that when Tom is off the air, he's leading the armies of the night in the fight for right against might with a flaming sword that burns bright, so bright its blade shines white and robs enemies of their sight in a manner that is anything but slight.

Damn son, if you can growl into a microphone and can play a guitar in drop-F tuning, you've got yourself a hit right here.

[dave from knoxville]

I almost hate to break it to you, but I think that the Best Show is probably Tom's extracurricular activity.