In a radio minute

Today I witnessed live what might have been the most excruciating 3 minutes and 20 seconds in radio history. It happened on Diane Rehm's radio show beginning around 39:40 when a 67 year old caller introduces herself with "I will try to be brief" but then proceeds to unveil the most heinous rambling set of nonsense that has ever been allowed on air.

It was a producer's nightmare come true. This was far worse than dead air. Once you get beyond half a minute or so of rambling, you have already invested so much that now you need to let her get to the point. But over a minute later she still wasn't there, nor did she seem to be getting closer. Something dramatic needed to happen: Diane Rehm, who is notorious for letting guests speak, had to interject. But what can she say? It would be uncomfortable for her to say hurry it up when she is handicapped by a condition causing her to speak at an unnaturally slow rate. But she handled it well; she said, "I am going to need you to, if you can, cut it short."

That if you can, while full of good intentions, might have allowed the caller just enough breathing room to continue at her treacherous pace, dragging on for another minute+. Finally, somehow, it ended. It's not clear whether a point was finally reached, or whether Diane finally caved to anticipatory exhaustion.

You could almost hear the show's staff biting their nails as a quiet avalanche of listeners tuned out. For me, who typically eats up awkward moments like this anticipating the host's attempted diplomacy, even I switched stations for a few seconds before deciding No, I've got to finish this. So I did. I can't say it was worth the wait, but I at least felt honor that today I withstood a challenge to my manhood.

I imagine Dorie Anisman got a stern talking-to after the show for failing to screen out this caller. You have to feel for everyone involved.

Which leaves me with a few questions:

--Why would any radio show take callers? What does it add, especially when the risks are so high?

--Why would any radio show that takes callers not edit their content?

--Most importantly, why are such incidents a producer's nightmare and not radio gold? Why do so many listeners find these perfect moments to abandon the show rather than devote their full attention to anticipating this sticky situation's resolution?