Otis Redding "Shake"

I DJ'ed a wedding this weekend.

I feel like a brain surgeon!

What I mean is, people find out that I am a radio DJ and they assume I do weddings.

Then, when I tell them that I don't do weddings, they are usually kind of incredulous. Like, "Why not?"

I get it. Both jobs are called "DJ."

But really, they are two completely different jobs.

The things you are called upon to do, and the skills you need, and the kind of personality you have, are very different.

I mean, it's not the difference between an astronaut and an accountant.

But it's at least the difference between a foot surgeon and a brain surgeon.

No matter how smart or talented your foot doctor is, you probably wouldn't ask him to operate on your frontal lobe.

Now, being a DJ (either kind) isn't exactly brain surgery, but I'm pretty good at one kind, and fairly inept (or at least under-experienced) at the other.

But my friends Craig and Srey got married this weekend, and they needed someone to DJ a short part of the reception, to do the introductions and hit the right musical cues.

I have to tell you, I was terrified.

You know, if I introduce The Allman Brothers and then accidentally play Crowded House on the radio, well, fuck it, it's gone.

But if I accidentally introduce the bride and groom and Sreg and Cray, well, that would suck forever.

But I didn't!

I got through all the names in the wedding party, hit all the music cues I was supposed to, and got the newlyweds off to their first dance, which culminated in "Shake" by Otis Redding.

All without a hitch.

So by virtue of a technicality, I am as smart as a brain surgeon!!!


See Otis Redding sing on TV, on Youtube.