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10 Questions with ... Greg Knapp
November 11, 2008
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NAME:Greg KnappTITLE:HostMARKET:NationalCOMPANY:Radio AmericaBORN:Pontiac, MIRAISED:Orlando, FL
BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
My background is in counseling psychology. As I started to get burned out in the field, I began working nights as a producer on talk shows. Then I purchased time on a small station to get my first on-air experience. From that I was hired as a host on Jacksonville, Florida's WOKV. The next stop was a morning show in Gainesville, Florida, and then on to afternoon drive in Dallas, on KLIF. After a five-year rebuilding job in Dallas, I was nationally syndicated by Radio America.
1. What made you decide to go into radio? Why radio?
I was doing in-home mental health counseling for children and their families in a rural part of Northeast Florida. The job included a lot of driving. In order to stay alert, I was listening to a ton of talk radio.
A desire built inside me to become a talk radio host. I called up my local talk station and asked if there was anything I could do to get into radio. They said, "Can you be here by five o'clock?" That's how I got my first job as a producer, working nights on syndicated programs.
2. About what are you most passionate?
My family. If you're asking what I'm most passionate about in radio - it's providing an entertaining, informative, and relatable show about everything we care about in America.
3. What makes your show different from the typical conservative political talk radio show? What's the philosophy behind what you do?
My show is not 100% politics. No matter what topic I'm talking about, I strive to keep it entertaining. We can get into some very deep topics, but I'm going to approach them in a different, light-hearted way. My philosophy is that I'm talking to my friend at a bar over a beer. I want to give you a few chuckles. I want you to go home and say, "did you hear what Greg Knapp said?"
4. Your non-radio resume is, to put it mildly, eclectic, from manual labor to probation officer to mental health counselor. Of all the jobs (other than radio) that you've done, which was the hardest? The easiest? The best? The worst?
The hardest job was being a mental health counselor. One of the things that made me a conservative was working with indigent families whose parents would not help their children. The government programs burned me out and made me leave the field.
The easiest job was Ropes Course instructor. I taught corporate groups how to scale a climbing tower. Fun.
The best job is being a talk show host. I love spending four hours a day prepping my show and I love doing the show.
The worst job was being a waiter. I never want to do that again. Well, that and the time I dug ditches (literally) for five dollars an hour even though I had a Masters degree in counseling psychology. It was the only job I could get quickly until my background check cleared.
5. You made the transition from local to national host when you left KLIF for Radio America. How, if at all, is your show different today than when you were on KLIF?
The only difference really is that I can't focus on local issues anymore. I still do local stories from cities all across America. They just have to be stories that relate to everyone.
6. Who are your influences, inspirations, and/or mentors?
A lot of my entertaining influence comes from sports talk radio. I try to steal a lot of things they do formatically and apply it to what I do.
I'm a big fan of Glenn Beck, and I love the way Rush can keep you entertained when he's talking about even the driest topics. I rarely listen to any news-talk radio now because I'm afraid I will sound like I'm imitating someone else.
7. Of what are you most proud?
The fact that I started out 12 years ago buying time on a station that wasn't even in the Arbitron book and now I'm a nationally syndicated talk show host. Everyone I knew told me I couldn't do it, except my wife.
She's the best.
8. What would you tell the Republican Party to do to recover from the loss on November 4? Which way should the party go?
I'm a conservative, not necessarily a Republican. But if the Republican Party wants to have a shot again, it needs to get back to its conservative roots. Smaller government and more freedom.
It won the majority that way. But it did not govern that way. It needs a bold, positive agenda. It needs a new Contract with America. How about pushing for a flat tax or a national sales tax? How about laying out conservative ways to solve the problems of health care, Social Security and Medicare?
9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _____________.
...Diet Mountain Dew.
10. What's the best advice you've ever gotten? The worst?
Best: Do what you love and the money will follow.
Worst: Don't do that, it's too risky.
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