Who'd have believed that a quirky, educated, unconventional guy from the Bronx would end up in San Francisco as one of the most popular voices on American syndicated radio?
The King of Interesting, provocative, entertaining, talk radio with an eye for unpredictability did one better.
Michael Savage --heard live on KSFO here from 12-3 PM, has become the only talk-radio voice in the Bay Area to make it big in the syndicated radio fortress--against all odds and out of the blue. Savage began at KGO in 1994 and quickly established himself as a force in the business --how ironic that it was Savage that would emerge from the 415 area code into the heart of America and beyond --out from the same station where Ronn Owens, a once-dominant talker couldn't cut it in LA.
I bring this up not to embarrass Owens and others who, behind the scenes, are said to bemoan Savage's popularity and are still aghast at his ability to connect to a national audience--I'm merely pointing out that Savage's success both locally and nationally didn't figure in the equation early on.
He's still regarded as something of a professional outcast because he doesn't play the game practiced by others. To Savage's credit, he's built a professional pedigree that doesn't kowtow to the establishment; that doesn't cozy up to the nebeshes that act one way on the air and are precisely the opposite off. Savage had the other essentials: he earned his PhD from Cal after two Masters degrees -- he's one of the most educated talkers in the US which may explain his ability to walk with kings but never lose the common trust.
Savage's critics, (and I'm one occasionally even if many of you don't know or care) point out his drifts into extremism rants and borderline insanity--and that's what makes him so weirdly compelling, so thought-provoking genius --his own worst element is his best attribute. "Savage Nation" is more than borders, language and culture--which is important and unique discourse; don't get me wrong.
Savage Nation and its leading conductor, Savage himself, has built up this successful broadcast reservoir due to a basic human element--it's, as I've always said, different, funny, brilliant and yes, unconventional --bring on the Chinese food buffet and meatball recipes.
Get a table for one for Teddy. And THIS JUST IN.
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Savage's critics, (and I'm one occasionally even if many of you don't know or care) point out his drifts into extremism rants and borderline insanity--and that's what makes him so weirdly compelling, so thought-provoking genius --his own worst element is his best attribute. "Savage Nation" is more than borders, language and culture--which is important and unique discourse; don't get me wrong.
Savage Nation and its leading conductor, Savage himself, has built up this successful broadcast reservoir due to a basic human element--it's, as I've always said, different, funny, brilliant and yes, unconventional --bring on the Chinese food buffet and meatball recipes.
Get a table for one for Teddy. And THIS JUST IN.
*Follow me on Twitter
