Jonny Reno’s first musical guest got a lukewarm response. Jonny had a few choice words backstage. In the booth, he thought he could see a tech covering his mouth.

In the second guest’s interview, his prepared bon mots fell flat. At this point, he knew something was up. There was no familiar PLINK of the APPLAUSE light flicking on overhead.

So it wasn’t just his fault that this was the least responsive audience The Jonny Reno Show had ever fielded. He looked to the booth again. The tech was laughing heartily now.

The final segment was the animal trainer. By freak accident, his “painstakingly trained” falcon turned on its owner. The audience gasped. They fell silent. The tech looked ready to explode.

And then the APPLAUSE light flicked on.

Finally the show was almost over. Jonny was thanking the guests and the sponsors, and just about to storm up to the booth. The APPLAUSE light started blinking wildly.

If Jonny had never been a Boy Scout, he’d never have recognized it.

The Morse code for I QUIT.