D Magazine: 'Kidd Kraddick's Big Secret'

Kidd Kraddick

D MAGAZINE has published inside details about the end of KIDD KRADDICK's life in an article by JAMIE THOMPSON, writing "Before his sudden death at age 53, he became one of the most popular DJs in the country. He made millions by talking about himself. But there was one thing he couldn't share."

The article describes an event in 2009, when KRADDICK and his best friend DAVE WILSON golfed together at DALLAS National Golf Club.

"That day, when WILSON and KRADDICK pulled up to the eighth tee, KRADDICK stayed in the cart, which was unusual. Always in motion, he’d rarely wait for it to come to a complete stop. 'I need to tell you something,' he began. 'I’ve been hit with the KRADDICK curse again.' Despite his happy-go-lucky demeanor, in his quieter moments KRADDICK tended toward pessimism. Whenever something bad happened to him, significant or trivial, he blamed it on the 'KRADDICK curse'."

“Oh, yeah?” WILSON said, chuckling. “What’s that?”

"KRADDICK looked at his friend. 'I’ve got cancer,' he said."

The article goes on to explain why KRADDICK kept the news quiet from the public, noting "there were business reasons to keep his diagnosis under wraps. Would radio stations across the country continue to buy and air his show if they found out KRADDICK had cancer? Would current affiliates let their contracts expire and sign other shows, preparing for the worst-case scenario? Telling business associates would add complications that he could avoid by keeping quiet. And if his co-hosts happened to find out, it was in their best interest to keep quiet, too. Their fates—and livelihoods—were tied to KRADDICK’s.

"But perhaps the biggest reason, WILSON believes, that KRADDICK wanted to keep his health issues quiet is that he didn’t want to be pitied. WILSON’s 20-year-old son, ALEX, was killed in a car crash that same year. KRADDICK had been close to the young man. He watched how others began to treat WILSON. When he walked into a room, pity radiated. It’s who WILSON became, someone who elicited sad eyes and uncertain words.

"KRADDICK wanted no part of it. He refused to become 'the sick guy'. His job was making people laugh. Cancer wasn’t really something to laugh about."

Read the full article here.

ALL ACCESS has requested a comment from YEA! NETWORK CEO GEORGE LAUGHLIN, which has gone unreturned.

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