For
those of you who don't know, Neal
Boortz has been a Talk Show Host
(What Bill Clinton would refer to as
a "Preacher of Hate") in Atlanta,
Georgia since 1969. Since 1993, he
has been holding forth on News Talk
750 WSB, a radio station with a
50,000 watt afterburner. Since early
1999, Boortz has been syndicated on
radio stations from Maine to
California and from Alaska to
Florida. Right now he is closing in
on four million listeners
nationwide. Hey, that's not up to
Limbaugh standards, but then Boortz
is growing faster than he is.
Background? O.K., as if you weren't
bored enough.
Neal Boortz was born on April 6,
1945 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He
didn't particularly like the accent
of the people up there so he left
for Texas about 30 days later when
his Dad returned to the Pacific to
continue his participation in World
War II. (Marine pilot.) Texas was
always his "official" residence, but
Neal lived all over the place since
his Dad was in the Marine Corps.
Some addresses would include
Honolulu, Hawaii, Laguna Beach,
California, Morehead City, North
Carolina; Virginia Beach, Virginia,
Pensacola, Florida and others.
By the ever-loving skin of his
teeth, Neal graduated High School in
1963 from Pensacola High with
something like a C- average. A good
collection of Polaroid photos of a
member of the admissions staff
opened the doors to Texas A&M
University, and off he went. Neal
was a worse student at A&M than he
was in high school. He finished at
A&M in 1967 and came to Atlanta to
visit his parents. Boortz's dad was
working at Lockheed at the time.
Neal liked the place and stayed.
Neal wasn't through with higher
education after Texas A&M. He
entered law school in Atlanta in
1973 and graduated in 1977. Law
school finally presented a challenge
worthy of his attention, so he
worked at it and graduated near the
top of his class. Neal passed the
bar before graduation so he went
into practice immediately. Neal
continued practicing law until he
signed a contract with WSB in 1992.
During his years in talk radio, Neal
has managed to find other things to
do. From 1977 to 1992, he
practiced law in addition to doing
the talk show. Prior to 1977 you
could find Neal working as a jewelry
or carpet buyer, an insurance
salesman, selling life and casualty
insurance, loading trucks, slinging
mail at the post office, working in
an employment office, writing
speeches for the Governor of Georgia
and auditing the books overnight at
a sleazy motel. Since he didn't
retire from his law practice until
he signed with WSB in 1992, this
would mean that Neal was 47 years
old before he ever had less than two
jobs
Neal lives in the Northern 'burbs
during the week and in Southwest
Florida during most weekends. When
he's not on the air or giving a
speech somewhere, he likes to spend
whatever free time is left playing
golf or flying. When it's time to
slip the bonds of gravity he chooses
between a hot air balloon, a Mooney
Ovation2 or a Super Decathlon.
There's nothing like flying upside
down to clear your mind ... among
other things.
When Neal feels particularly frisky
he likes to sit down and write. His
first book, "The Terrible Truth
About Liberals," has been through
six different printings. He is
presently working on another book,
"Somebody Has To Say It." There will
be a brutal bidding war from several
publishers for that one.
Politics? Neal is a confirmed
Libertarian. He believes that the
principal difference between the
Democrats and the Republicans is
that the Democrats just want to grow
our Imperial Federal Government a
bit faster than the Republicans do.
Yes, Neal is married. His wife,
Donna, doesn't listen to the show.
Never has. This is good. Neal's
daughter, Laura, uses a fake last
name. Another good idea.
|
|
|
