I was listening to a Weird Al song about prank calls and realized you can’t really do them anymore now. Also it was funny that he mentioned dialing 7 digit numbers instead of 10
Back then “if it’s important they would call”. Recently, “they will call back if it’s important”. Now, “they will leave a message if it’s important.”
“They will text me why I should pick up”
Now is just, “They will text if they are not trying to sell you a warranty extension for your car”
People still try. When I worked retail we’d get them often enough as you can’t just not answer an unknown number when someone is calling the store.
That said, if it’s an unknown number we’re already expecting a prank call and are just waiting for the first excuse to hang up.
my phone has been on silent mode since 2012
Because of my job I have to answer unknown numbers. My God is it ever irritating
Same here internet comrade. Gotta answer every call because my number gets passed around. At least my work pays my phone bill.
People get really upset that I don’t check my phone often and keep it on do not disturb…
They can just keep on being upset. Their reaction kind of reinforces why I have the damn thing mostly disabled from its primary function anyway.
When I was a kid, we would spell out “dirty words” in people’s phone numbers and call saying we were from the “Telephone Number Decency League”. We’d say the naughty word thier number could spell and encourage them to call the phone company to ask for a new phone number.
Love it. We used soundboards. The Schwarzenegger one was a blast. You get them paying attention with the lines from kindergarten cop then start going wild on them with lines from predator, etc. My personal favorite was “I hope you left enough room for my fist, because I’m gonna ram it into your stomach!” One memorable woman tried to save Arnold’s soul with gospel music. I think she enjoyed the whole thing.
Who is your daddy, and what does he do.
I used soundboards with my friends. My favorite was Betty Grovenstein, she was a sex hotline worker with a nasally New Englander accent.
Hahaha, I would have loved to listen in on those. Arnold quotes are a favorite language a la ‘Darmok and Jalad at Tenagra’ in this house.
Al mentions 7 digits and not 10 because back in our day you had to pay long distance charges if you dialed a number outside of your area code. Therefore only the 7 digits were required because no one was dialing 1-xxx to get to another area code and have charges show up on their parents bill and then have to explain who you were calling and why.
I prank call people all the time. You just gotta call tech support scammers instead nowadays.
My younger brother and me used to call prostitutes and pretend to be clients. Not very proud, but to 13 year old me it was hilarious.
I see someone has never worked in telecom
Or a food delivery place
Don’t go making fony calls. Please stick to the 7 digit numbers you’re used to!
I remember the shift to using area codes and how everyone was so upset at how difficult that would be. Then the smart phones came, and I wonder how many people now know many of the numbers they might regularly call with one tap,
Moe from the Simpsons would be happy.
I miss The Jerky Boys…
Wit that silly little sauce ya got there I got it all up on my nuts.
