A bored teenager picked up a black Bell-issued rotary telephone receiver one late night in 1979. What happened next would make radio talk show hosts crazy and prank phone call fans laugh heartily.The calls evolved from the simple primal scream variety to an absurd question/comment approach that caused the chosen host to gradually become quite angry. The calls ceased in 1993 for the most part. The Screamer has retired - Long Live The Screamer!