Use the "8" button on the phone to generate a loud tone that the caller cannot hear or talk over.

If the caller is an "unknown name/number" and you pick up the phone and there is a long pause or you hear what sounds like busy people in the background, hit the "8" button and hold it until they hang up. Often, they think something is wrong with their equipment and think something went wrong. I don't get as many of those types of calls since I started doing that. For those telemarketers who use headsets, I'll bet it hurts their ears, too, which is a plus.

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Evans A Criswell
Huntsville-Decatur Movie Theatre Information Site

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Your response is great, but "The Weenie Man's" is a sure classic! But many times when I answer the telephone, I usually answer with something like "City Morgue-you stab em, we slab em" or something like this--sure throws people off, especially if it is a ligit business call

Dick

About Jehovash's Witnesses-you'll love this one. One day, a pack of them came to our front door and my Dad answered. To his astonishment, they had their kids with them, and yes, it was a school day. Naturally my Dad lectured them prior to slamming the door in their faces. But no, they did not relent and rang the doorbell again. So how did my Dad get the message across that he was not interested? Threatened to sic our puppy on them if they did not get off the property within 30 seconds ! Yes, this did work !

About Jehovah's Witnesses and the "inside Jewish joke" in "Monty Python's Life Of Brian"...

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Will Kutler -- I usually answer with something like "City Morgue-you stab em, we slab em" or something like this--sure throws people off, especially if it is a ligit business call

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"Bill's Donkeys... Which ass do you want to talk to?"

Paul: Laughing at everything they say works pretty well, too. When they ask what's so funny, just say, "Oh, nothing..." and keep right on going as if nothing's wrong.

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Now that one I like, Evans. One question though, why the number 8? Is there any significance to the specific tone produced by that number?

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That particular tone just seems to work well. Remember, all "phone tones" are actually two tones put together. There are four rows and four columns, so there are 8 different tones, one for each row and column, and each button produces the tone for its row and the tone for its column played together. Most if not all consumer phones only have three columns and are not capable of generating the fourth column of tones.

Evans

"Bill's Donkeys... Which ass do you want to talk to?"

Randy, I'll have to try that one.

"May I speak with a C. Everett?"

"I'm cooking dinner right now."

"Oh, I'll try again some other time."

"May I ask who is calling?"

"This is so-and-so and I'm calling on behalf of VoiceStream Wireless ..."

I immediately press the 8 button and hold it down. Two seconds later -- CLICK!

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I immediately press the 8 button and hold it down. Two seconds later -- CLICK!

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Maybe I should start charging royalties for use of that trick!

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All you have to do is pick up the phone and say, "Hello! Weenie Man!", in your best Andy Kaufman (Ladka) voice.

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