 |
| Dr, Bill Wattenberg has died |
Wattenburg manned the KGO Radio airwaves from 1975 until 2011.
He also had a stint on KSCO in Santa Cruz.
He'd been battling several health issues in his final years.
Wattenburg was 82.
A tribute to "the smartest man in the world" will air on KSCO from 10-Noon tomorrow (Saturday) with guests and callers.
Funeral services are pending.
RIP, the smartest show on late night radio. Sorry UFO enthusiasts!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear that. Was a big fan of his show. His show had a great mixture of science and common sense. He was great at blowing up some of the junk science that passed for news reporting.
ReplyDeleteGod bless. Good man.
ReplyDeleteHe was great, he smashed Bernie and Ray in debates and made them look like mental midgets.
ReplyDeleteRIP Sir Bill!
ReplyDeleteSay it ain't so. My oldest son, who is 33, listened to Dr. Bill every Sunday evening when Dr.Bill had the kids calling in. Yes, it was late for my little guy, but my son learned so much from him. Very rarely, he asked me to turn off his bedside radio because he had school in the AM. RIP Dr.Bill. One of the best at KGO, next to Pete Wilson.
ReplyDeleteI learned a lot from listening to Bill Wattenburg over the years on the once great KGO. He will be missed.
ReplyDeletethe actual "smartest man in the world" probaby works to cure cancer.
ReplyDeletedang...When my house burned down, Bill Wattenburg offered to bring one of his live-in trailers to my house so my dad would be comfortable during the rebuild. I've never forgotten his kindnesses. He also had the best looking legs of any man, ever, and I know gams. As for the contention that he "smashed" anyone in debates, you may think that is true, but they all had fun. As for the god stuff? he was a scientist, remember?
ReplyDeleteChristine, Dr. Bill definitely did know 'how to find and fascinate a woman.' 😉😉
DeleteThat is devastating news. The world lost a very good man. RIP
ReplyDeleteRIP Bill. You will be missed, and condolences to the family.
ReplyDeleteChristine,
ReplyDeleteI listened to Dr. Bill for 25 years. No, he never mentioned any particular religion but he frequently talked about the awesomeness of the physical universe and how many scientists like himself believe there is a creator behind it all.
Must be real then
DeleteYes, you are right. He did say words to that effect on the radio.. I think he described staring into a night sky while "cuddling" a coed on the roof of her van. Can you imagine if he had said, on the radio, that he didn't believe in a imaginary big daddy in the sky with a big deep voice?
DeleteHe appeared in the last of the Dirty Harry movies "The Dead Pool", as a talk show host who is also a murder victim.
ReplyDeleteGood riddance. The entire world is better off with his ilk gone. A pompous ass if there ever was one. Just because you understand the physics of how things in the universe work does not mean you are the smartest man in the world. He was a one dimensional thinker who actually believed he was the smartest man in the world. That in and of itself doomed him to the dustbin of condescending A-holes. Bye bye!
ReplyDelete5:35 you are a douchebag.
DeleteIt's pretty funny that 5:35 doesn't realize he sounds just like the man he is criticizing.
DeleteYes 5:35, Bill could be impatient to the point of rudeness. He was aware of his issue and at times his efforts to constrol his impatience were obvious. I saw this as a likely emotional issue not as being egotistical or pompous. I believe your angry,cold hearted, critical nature did not allow you to acknowledge the Dr. Bill whose loving, caring humanitaruan nature motivated many of his social, political and scientific accomplishments.
Deleteand for the record, he didn't refer to himself as "the smartest man in the world" . It was a tag placed on him by someone in KGO management. He was not pompous nor egotistical. He was freaking brilliant, and a lot like Si Valley brilliant dudes, didn't always really do the interpersonal very well... except with kids. My guess is you must have called in once with a disagreeing point of view and got schooled. For the record, I called in and took him on once, we spared. At the end, he said "well I will give you this, you've done your homework". He did end up saying "unfortunately you seem to have done it from bad source material".
DeleteI never, ever recall Dr. Bill referring to himself as the smartest at anything. The radio station had PR clips referring to him as a rocket scientist.
DeleteHe didn't suffer fools or political hacks. Opinionated. Easy angered.
Mark from Walnut Creek
He has quite a list of accomplishments, and I've heard other stories of Dr. Bill's personal generosity.
dear 5:35.. I"ll tell you what, when there is a major disaster that requires out of the box thinking( anything but one dimensional) to save lives, I'll consult the big brains like Bill Wattenburg to save the day, not some nincompoop who thinks that being sublimely well-educated is evil.
ReplyDeleteOften disagreed with Dr. Wattenburg but really enjoyed his show on KGO radio. Learned lots from listening. Think of him often recently because back in the late 1990's he predicted all these wild fires currently burning up CA.
ReplyDeleteHe may have been smart about science but he pulled "facts" out of his @$$ when discussing subjects that were over his head so he could continue to perpetuate the mantle of know-it-all. I remember him discussing the War Powers Act and Constitutional issues and he was flat out, laughably, embarrassingly wrong. Also, he sounded like Lurch from The Addams Family.
ReplyDeleteWell, dang. That's sad news. I used to listen to Dr. Bill most every Sunday night, even after moving north to Oregon from the Bay Area. He had a lot of common sense talk and I loved the way he would talk to the kids when they would call in. Rest in Peace and prayers extended to his family...
ReplyDeleteRIP Dr. Bill. Really enjoyed those Sunday nights. Have been hoping he would turn up again somewhere.
ReplyDeleteRIP Dr. Bill Will miss you every day.
ReplyDeleteThoughts and prayers to Dr. Bill's family. Well respected by his KGO peers and listeners, had swagger without abusive language. Cool compliments by Lieberman and Craft about Wattenburg's generosity. I agree with 7:11, and 6:53 reminded all of us of someone many of us wish we didn't know.
ReplyDeleteVery sad news to hear. Listened to Dr. Bill's show since he first went on the air back in the 70's. Always tried to make time for his show on KGO late Saturday & Sunday nights, then on his brief nationally syndicated show on Sunday evenings after KGO kicked him (& all the good KGO talk-show hosts) to the curb. His shows were not only informative but also very entertaining. Will really miss him. Sincere condolences to his family. RIP Dr. Bill !!
ReplyDeleteHe was kind to kid callers but a jerk to adults he didn't agree with . Knew his science but not his politics. . The pompous ass won't be missed.
ReplyDeleteClassy comments 11:05 PM in the face of someone passing.
DeleteIf I knew 11:05pm, I'd piss on his/her grave when they pass!
DeleteLook at that liberal tolerance here and in the other 2 comments. If you disagree with me politically you're the devil!! Argh!! Where's my drug of choice I'm triggered!
Deletedear 11:54...As for your stereotyping, I'm a flaming liberal(not a socialist or "progressive"). We clashed from time to time on the air re: things political, but I was very fond of him and he was great to me. He taught us all many things, including how not to be a fool by paying more for high test gasoline...an important lesson, no matter what your political leanings.
DeleteRegarding politics, last time I heard him I believe he said President Trump was being rather effective while the drama was happening, with the "other hand" his team was accomplishing wonderful goals. Ergo, a rebirth in manufacturing and roaring economy.
DeleteMark in Walnut Creek
didn't listen to him, but you would think kgo would do some kind of tribute, have they even mentioned it on their web site? too busy with the ethan bearman new age diet and ryan scotts dad panel
ReplyDeleteBill was a Bay Area talk show legend on KGO. May he Rest in Peace
ReplyDeleteI worked with Bill for many years on technical projects at Livermore Lab, he was truly a very sharp guy - understood theory but also knew practicalities of building real stuff. I once had a conversation with Art Rosenfeld, professor of physics at UC Berkeley and he told me a story about a brash young electrical engineering graduate student that came to him and said he wanted to take his quantum mechanics course but had a conflicting course in the time slot and asked if he could work independently reading the text and course notes and just show up take to take exams. Rosenfeld told me he chuckled to himself adn thought this kid had not shot, but told the kid sure take your best shot, with no expectation the young man would be able to stick with it. To Resenfeld's amazement the young engineering student aced all the exams and carried on a deep and robust conversation when he came to his office hours. That student was none other than the young Bill Wattenburg who had found his way out of a tiny town in the remote sierras to UC Berkeley. Art and Bill had deep mutual respect that continued throughout their careers. Many Bay Area residents, me included, spent many great weekend evenings listening to the open line to the west coast o KGO. Bill was a larger than live figure that roamed from the high sierras to Chico to the Bay Area and touched many people. RIP my good friend Bill, we will miss your insights and courage to take on establishment dogma at every turn
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed listening to his programs, particularly when he was encouraging his youngest listeners who called in. There are few stations now that play shows of that caliber. He already has been greatly missed on the air. Condolences to all who knew him personally.
ReplyDeleteI agreed with some of his opinions, but the way he went about expressing them made me wince. In any case, prayers for his family.
ReplyDeleteI am one of many that Bill taught to drive a bulldozer.
ReplyDeleteBill spent the first half hour making sure I could stop the thing, being the practical man he was!
You are missed Bill.
Dear sir, what were you doing? Fighting fires, logging?
DeleteOne of the last shows I heard, he said he had sold off his equipment or rigs... did he call it yellow iron?
When prompted, he admits he still has a dozer, and 2-3-4 other pieces!
Mark in Walnut Creek
Very sorry to hear this news. He was a huge contributor in so many areas. Brilliant, down to earth, funny, accessible. Able to make complex science understandable to people with no scientific background. Common sense solutions to all sorts of problems. Cowboy, mechanic, firefighter, logger, inventor, author, scientist, UC Professor, consultant on national security issues, husband, father, a man's man. Thanks for all you did, Dr. Bill.
ReplyDeleteBest radio show ever in the Bay Area... RIP
ReplyDeleteBerryessa Chillin'
No it wasn't! I'll take John, Pat, Bernie, Ray, Gene even Shawn Nixx....over this gasbag any day.
DeleteSo basically, unless the host is ultra left, they suck?
DeleteCant believe I just heard about this.RIP Dr Bill. Spent countless hrs listening to his show in the 80s,90s 2000s.And often corresponded with him.Learned so much....Sad--But may he have peace in Gods presence
DeleteI would always look forward to Sat and Sun nights listening to Dr. Bill on KGO. In So. Calif the signal sometimes was poor but I did everything I could to get a decent reception. Of course then the Internet came along and that was great. He was a great radio personality, and he really meant a lot to my listening pleasure. He will be missed.
ReplyDeleteRIP I got hooked on AM radio back in the mid 70's, thanks to my dad. Back when it mattered to the best .
ReplyDeleteHe used to do a lot of ads for CCrane. I got one of those circular dial antenna things from them to tune in AM radio from far away. What a great time for radio. I met him one on a wildfire up near Quincy (where he owned a bunch of contruction equipment). He worked dozer on a lot of fires back then.
ReplyDeleteI appreciated Christine Craft sharing Dr. Bill's personal generosity, even though they had opposing political viewpoints. I've heard a few other stories of his kindness.
ReplyDeleteA newsman from KGO told me Dr. Bill heard a young staffer was planning her honeymoon, and he let the young couple stay at his picturesque Hawaii home at no charge.
A Contra Costa resident told me Dr. Bill's mother in law was in poor health. So he approached the home owner behind her house, and bought their home. Dr. Bill and his family moved in, and he put a gate in the fence, between the homes, so she could stay in her home, and they could take care of her.
He was friendly and gracious in person. What a loss. A year or two ago I read his local critique of some convoluted street reorganization. Classic Dr. Bill.
Mark in Walnut Creek