Les was hungry, and he was ready. He would have run down the street for more booze if Rock had asked. When the phone rang, Les pounced on it. It was the station manager, as he knew it would be.
“Les, this is Mr. Klein.”
“Yes,” said Les. “I know.”
“Les, I don’t think Rock can finish his program.”
“Yes sir, I know.”
“Would you call one of the other deejays to come in and take over?”
“Yes, sir. I sure will.”
But when Les hung up the telephone, he said to himself, “Now, he must think I’m crazy.”
Les did dial the telephone, but it wasn’t to call in another deejay. He called his mother first, and then his girlfriend. “You all go out on the front porch and turn up the radio because I’m about to come on the air!” he said.
He waited about 15 minutes before he called the general manager. “Mr. Klein, I can’t find nobody,” Les said.
Mr. Klein then asked, “Young man, do you know how to work the controls in the studio?”
“Yes sir,” replied Les.
Les darted into the booth, gently moved Rock aside and sat down at the turntable. He was ready. And he was hungry. He flipped on the microphone switch and said, “Look out! This is me LB, triple P — Les Brown, Your Platter Playing Poppa. There were none before me and there will be none after me. Therefore, that makes me the one and only. Young and single and love to mingle. Certified, bona fide, indubitably qualified to bring you satisfaction, a whole lot of action. Look out, baby, I’m your lo-o-ove man.”
Because of his preparation, Les was ready. He vowed the audience and his general manager. From that fateful beginning, Les went on to a successful career in broadcasting, politics, public speaking and television.
Look Out, Baby, I’m Your Love Man
萊斯-布朗和他的雙胞胎兄弟出生在邁阿密一個非常貧困的社區，出生後不久就被幫廚女工梅米-布朗收養了。
由於萊斯非常好動，又含含糊糊地說個不停，所以他國小就被安排進一個專門為學習有障礙的學生開設的特教班，直到高中畢業。畢業以後，他成了邁阿密灘的一名城市環衛工人。但他卻一直夢想成為一名電台音樂節目主持人。
每天晚上，他都要把他的電晶體收音機抱到床上，聽本地電台的音樂節目主持人談論搖擺樂。就在他那間狹小的、鋪著已經破損的地板革的房間裡，他創建了一個假想的電台——用一把梳子當麥克風，他念經一般喋喋不休地練習用行話向他的“影子”聽眾介紹唱片。
透過薄薄的牆壁，他母親和兄弟都能聽到他的聲音，於是，就會對他大吼大叫，讓他別再耍嘴皮子而去睡覺。但是，萊斯根本就不理睬他們，他已經完全沉醉在自己的世界裡，努力想要實現他的夢想。
一天，萊斯利用在市區割草的午休時間，勇敢地來到了本地電台。他走進經理辦公室，說他想成為一名流行音樂節目主持人。
經理打量著眼前這位頭戴草帽、衣衫不整的年輕人，然後問道：“你有廣播方面的背景嗎？”
萊斯答道：“我沒有，先生。”
“那么，孩子，恐怕我們這兒沒有適合你的工作。”
於是，萊斯非常有禮貌地向他道了謝，然後就離去了。經理以為再也不會見到這個年輕人了。然而，他低估了萊斯·布朗對自己理想的投入程度。要知道，萊斯還有比成為一名音樂節目主持人更高的目標——他要為他深愛的養母買一幢更好的房子。電台音樂節目主持人的工作只不過是他邁向這個目標的一步而已。
※本文作者：佚名※