Does anyone actually let interns do anything but clean?

[Kilroy]

I was allowed to stand between the guitarist and his amp, with one finger on the faceplate of the amp and another finger on a metal bit of the guitar, to kill the hum from the amp while the guy tracked a solo.

That's a good gag!

We used to send new kids off to ask someone for "the long stand" or "the big weight".

Hey, if we weren't hazed we wouldn't have reason to haze the new kids, right?

*decides not to want to be DWLB intern/assistant*

[Roc Mixwell]

This is my kind of thread. I went to school for audio production. I have an associates degree in science for it. I understand were you are coming from. I have been doing an internship at Mercenary Audio since last year. Before that, I was at Professional Audio Design. Dont ask. When I started at Mercenary, I was doing things like; cleaning the kitchen(dishes), recycling bottles and cans, taking lunch orders, making coffee, cleaning the bathrooms, stocking the fridge with beers, getting blow-up dolls for gag gifts, etc....etc..... The list goes on and on. These are some of the things us interns have to do in order to prove our worth.
Let me explain.. If you can not accomplise getting me a turkey sandwich on rye bread with spicy mustard and mayo, why the hell would I let you in the control room with my clients. I mean really, have you looked at the patch bay. Getting a lunch order right, is the first step to getting the patches right(umong other things) The basic point is that all of these janitorial tasks are stepping stones for you to prove that you can handle anything thrown your way.
Your work ethic will be tested. This is were we seperate the men for the boys.
You have to work like you are making fifteen bucks and hour. HUSTLE, but know when to chill, know where your place is. If you are a runner, your place is out of sight and out of mind. You will be told to shut the **** up if you talk. If you are the assistant of the session, you should have just about mastered every aspect of the studio. As the assisatnt you have to understand that EVERYTHING is YOUR FAULT!!! You are responsible for EVERYTHING. This is a hard thing to bear. Get USE TO IT!!!!
Interns will often complaln that they dont get paid or dont get paid much.
You have to realize that you are learning from experiance even if all you do is run to the store to get the studio tech powdered donuts and diet coke. If you do a good job at all these tasks, the guys at the studio will eveventualy call you by your real name and not "zippy the pinhead".
So you might not make any money, At least you dont have to lift anything really heavy and you can go home to mommy anytime you want. Its all good. If you do make any money, its min wage or less. At least the Studio owner or whatever saw enough in you to pay you. Do not fret, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
If you are putting in as much effort as they are giving you grief, your half way there.

I could expand for days on this topic
peace
mixwell