Radio Fun with Rick Steves

Twice today I had a chance to do something quite fun: Be interviewed by European travel expert, Rick Steves, for his public radio show. The neat thing: You don't have to be a travel writer to talk to Rick; you just have to be someone who has been to Europe or plans to go there.

Here's how you can "get on the air" during the next three days (Monday, January 18 through Wednesday, January 20^th) when Rick records these programs for future broadcast:

First, click here for a complete list of interview topics and the recording schedule. Find a topic that interests you, then fill out a simple form with your comments or questions and submit it to Rick. Include your phone number if you want to be interviewed, and plan to stand by a landline telephone for at least forty-five minutes to an hour-plus after time for recording for that segment is scheduled to begin.

On the appointed day (or maybe before), Rick's staff may send you advance notice by e-mail that you are invited to be on the show, but they also could call you just ten to twenty minutes ahead of time. (On Sunday morning I received an e-mail asking me to be on the afternoon show about tourist bargains in London. A few minutes later I got a phone call from the assistant producer requesting that I also participate in recording that morning's program on Brittany and Normandy which was already underway; fortunately I had been listening to the show and was ready for my "radio close-up" with Rick).

The recording sessions typically begin with Rick talking to with guest experts. Today he had two tour guides on before hearing from callers like you and me. During this time his staff will call and put you on hold until it is time for your "fifteen seconds of fame", and you will be able to listen to the program over the phone until you are "on." (The length of time that you will be interviewed will depend on how much taping time remains, and how many other callers are in the queue behind you). The interview process is quite informal. Rick may start out by asking you to offer a comment or pose a question to himself or his panel of experts, and then there will probably be some back-and-forth discussion between you, Rick, and his guests.

If you won't be available to speak to Rick (who doesn't guarantee that he will be able to call each person who volunteers to be interviewed), or are too shy to talk to him, you can just submit your comments and questions via his Web page; if time permits, Rick may read those on the air.  You can also listen to live "Webcasts" as the interviews are conducted, even if you do not participate in the recording of the show.

After these live sessions are complete Rick's crew will edit the raw recordings and produce shows ready for broadcast on the radio and downloaded as podcasts. (Click here for a schedule of upcoming shows).

Alas, when Rick interviewed me about four years ago, it had to be done over my cell phone and the sound quality was so poor that the interview never aired, and I never got even one second of fame! This time I was at home using a regular telephone and the recording sessions seemed to go smoothly. So unless I end up on the "cutting room floor", I'll be an Almost Famous Radio Personality. Hollywood may call, and I'll be ready for my screen debut in the next Indiana Jones "travel" flick.