Tom Scharpling on the Mystery of Spike (via Buzzine.com)

• Ben Kharakh: During the election, people were calling you about politics and you’d act like you had no idea what was going on or as though you had no opinion. And then someone like Spike would try to explain things to you…
• Tom Scharpling: The great thing about Spike is, literally, that is its own section of the show now, where I can have one stand on things during a Spike call and then just shift it completely for the rest of the show, because I’m not sure how much he listens beyond his own call. With Spike, it’s fun for me to act clueless because it almost becomes some weird Abbot & Costello routine, like “Who’s on First?” He’s trying to tell me that Hillary Clinton is a Democrat, and then I’m not understanding what he’s saying. “Well, Hillary Clinton is a Democrat. What is Barack Obama then?” he says, “Well, he’s a Democrat too.” “Well, no they both can’t be.” Acting willfully stupid always makes me laugh. Or I’ll act just like every slob, right-wing person. I like assuming that persona on the radio. I don’t think anybody believes that I’m really an extreme right-wing Republican.
• Ben Kharakh: I wonder about Spike because he seems like he’s got a normal job, but he’s also a male dominatrix…?
• Tom Scharpling: I guess. Here’s what I think: that’s in his head a little bit. I would be shocked if this guy was really living out those fantasies. I think he has just created this persona, this idealized version of himself. I could be completely off base, of course, and I like him a lot, but he’s clearly being a character and he’s having a lot of fun. He wouldn’t call back if it was any other way.