KGO's Brian Copeland 'talks the talk; actor, comedian speaks his mind, (and then some) the Friday pulse

Brian Copeland is a Bay Area native and works at KGO radio, where his Sunday show, (from 9-11 AM) has become very popular and infinitely listenable. Copeland also had a gig at KTVU's "Mornings on 2", where his man-on-the-street comedy bits, combined with schmoozing with the likes of Dustin Hoffman and Garth Brooks earned him local industry chatter.

It was in 2004, Copeland premiered his smash-hit, one-man show, Not A Genuine Black Man, which detailed his life growing up in predominently white, San Leandro.

The San Francisco Chronicle called it, “a beautiful mix of wry humor and heartbreak, indignation and inspiration, a singular story of extreme isolation that speaks to anyone who’s ever felt out of place.”

I recently chatted with Copeland about everything from politics to radio.

Are you a comedian that occasionally does radio talk-shows, or are you now more interested in becoming a talk host that does comedy?

I am a writer, comic, actor and talk show host for tv and radio. In a word, I'm an entertainer

You know Brian, you had a lot of detractors, (including me/who cares) that have now grown on you/your show. How do you now feel about your body of work in radio, as opposed to when you first began?

I feel I've certainly grown in the medium. I started out in radio with the great Alex Bennett back on Live 105 in the 80's. I did it once a week for five years. My pal Sam Van Zandt gave me a chance to be creative with it when he was at KNEW and I wrote comedy pieces. Al Jazzbeaux Collins put me on KGO several times when I was a 12 and 13 year old kid. I cohosted the overnights with him a few times. Finally Ronn Owens, Gene Burns and Lee Rodgers taught me how to really be a broadcaster. It's been an evolutionary process. The great thing about KGO is that it was a place to learn and to experiment and to grow.

Is there something that people should know about you that they don't know?

I'm a student of Old Time Radio and I love it. Every aspect of it and I borrow things here and there. For example my sign on, "Hello again this is Brian Copeland talking..." is an homage to Jack Benny. That's how he began his radio show for Grapenuts flakes. You'll never hear me say, "Ladies and Gentlemen". Godfrey said 'There are no ladies and gentlemen. There's one guy going down the expressway in his studebaker.

My deep dark secret...I do final prep for the Sunday broadcast in the toilet. I pull my stories then go into one of the men's rooms stalls with pen and highlighter and decide which stories make the cut for air. Peaceful. Nobody bothers you there. If someone discovers me, I just flush and they leave me be.

You grew up in San Leandro, and you're Black; its the centerpiece of your theatre show, Do you still experience racial bigotry?

I drive a 68 Mustang and one morning headed to the Bay Bridge, I cut off a Prius. The 68 doesn't have a passenger side mirror. It wasn't made with one. So, I cut this Prius off. didn't see him. Totally my fault. The guy speeds up around next to me and yells 'nigger'. I thought, wow...he's a racist AND an environmentalist. What are the odds?

How do you think Pres. Obama has done thus far?

Since passing Health Care reform and getting college loans out of the hands of banks and their 60 billion dollar vig...a B+. Before those accomplishments, I was beginning to get a little disappointed.

There's a feeling out in the land that the country is deeply polarized.

It's polarized due to the outlandish behavior and downright lies that certain members of the media perpetuate for their own selfish goals. It's horrible.

Who would you like to interview?

President Obama, Jack Nicholson, Stephen King, Barbara Walters. That should work.










 













 











 







































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