Participant input for an interactive show, such as input submitted by the show's viewers or listeners, is managed. The received participant input is stored in a server. Software or other techniques/tools processes the participant input stored in the server to sort, identify, classify, or select submissions that may be appropriate to address during the interactive show or during other times. While the participant input is being processed, the participant who sent the submission need not be kept on hold or otherwise have to keep the line of communication open, and instead, the participant can terminate the communication with the interactive show. An alert can be subsequently sent to the participant if or when the participant's submission is to be addressed in the interactive show.