10 Questions with ... David Gold

NAME:David Gold TITLE:Talk Show Host STATION:KSFO MARKET:San Francisco COMPANY:ABC BORN:Philadelphia RAISED:Philadelphia

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

37 years in radio. 31 years doing Talk. Currently doing weekends at KSFO after exiting an evening position at WBAP/Dallas in November.

I have been fortunate enough to have lived and worked the past 21 years in Dallas-Ft. Worth. 12 years at KLIF, national syndication for Salem and then my stint at WBAP. I do my San Francisco show via ISDN.

Began my talk career in Denver in 1975. Then to Boston, Tampa and Miami before moving to DFW.

"Conservative Before Conservative Was Cool" is a cliche. However, it happens to be true in my case. Rush was "playing the hits" when I was doing Conservative leaning issue oriented Talk.

Have always been unpredictable. My show is often made up of sports, pop psychology and what I call "such is life" segments.

I never have forgotten the words of the late Alan Berg, who was my mentor in Denver: never stop being entertaining. He was certainly one of the best, and I hope some of that rubbed off.

1. How did you get into radio?

I was in college at The University Of Colorado in Boulder. I always knew I wanted to get into the radio business, and an opportunity arose at a small FM station that played Classical Music and decided it was time to play Rock. I was hired there to do weekends and overnight fill-ins.

KRNW was owned by a man by the name of Robert Wilkinson. It was a legendary "free form" FM radio station. It was located over a Chinese restaurant in Boulder. It had one turntable. It was great fun. I worked for free. Learned to run a board, turn the transmitter off and on etc. Got my First Class license in Denver. It was great while it lasted. It was great experience.

2. What are you passionate about?

Where to begin.... When you have done a show like mine over the years you develop so many passions. I have been a news junkie as long as I can remember. Since reading "My Weekly Reader" in elementary school. I have a passion for news of the day and the background to those stories. I have a keen interest in Government, all things political, US and World History, economics and International Affairs. But that sounds too academic. Too dry. I love the theatre of it all. I love bringing it alive to the audience. With a great deal of humor and showmanship.

I love sports of all sorts except NASCAR. Sorry just can't get into it. I am passionate about sports and could probably do a regular sports talk show. However, sports is "the toy department" of life. I love the freedom I have in addressing just about everything on my show.

The state of our culture is a passion. We deal with pop culture from all angles on the David Gold Show. I remember being on the air in Denver the afternoon Elvis died. It was a profound experience for anyone just cutting their teeth in our business. I was on the air when John Wayne died. Jimmy Stewart. John Belushi. All are examples of what lead to passionate discussion.

Psychology and relationships make up much of the "Such Is Life" hours I do. When I was at KLIF we used to do a regular show called "Single In The Metroplex." Not a dating show, but sharing experiences about what it's like being single and available. Today I am married with two teenage boys. Much discussion goes into the questions of marriage and family. One of my passionate discussions lately has been why otherwise "good" girls dress like Lolitas? Ever been in a mall lately? I am very passionate about the "coarsening of the culture."

I am a passionate Conservative. My listeners understand I have put a great deal of effort into the movement over the years. I am particularly passionate in pointing out how Liberals have harmed our way of life, I call it "Life In a Liberal Zoo."

More than anything. I am passionate about freedom. Yes, the freedom that comes from living in a Nation that allows you to succeed or fail on your own devices. But, I am passionate about having the freedom to do what I do behind a microphone. To say things which may reinforce some listener's beliefs while angering others. I never, after all this time, take it for granted.

Food and wine. I used to teach wine tasting classes.

And, of course, I am passionate about my relationship with my God and Family.

3. You've been a talk host for 30 years, but while you could be classified as conservative, or maybe libertarian, you're more unpredictable than that- do you think that's a problem in this age of all-conservative or all-liberal stations? Should talk radio reflect how most people aren't really either liberal or conservative but fall somewhere in between or change issue-by-issue?

We are all different. No two are alike. I am often unpredictable. Sometimes my Conservative listeners become upset with some libertarian positions I've taken. Labels are shorthand. They often don't fit the situation. However, I am proud I was swimming upstream at a time when Conservative hosts were rare and common wisdom was they couldn't make it commercially.

Talk Radio is a business. Conservatives succeed because the market demands their presence. People have come to talk radio because there isn't a niche for them in the mainstream media. Contrary to some, that won't change any time soon. People look for reinforcement when they listen to talk radio. They find that entertaining. This won't change until the large mainstream media outlets treat these folks with respect.

From where I sit, talk shows that reside in the mushy middle will rarely develop much of an audience. Even people who consider themselves moderates want to hear passion and controversy. Hard to do a show and be a passionate Moderate.

4. You're a trivia expert. What's the most obscure, only-you-would-know-something-like-this trivia tidbit you have rattling around in your mind? How and why did you become such a trivia competitor?

My forte is old rock 'n' roll and sports. I don't know if only I could claim any particular trivia question or answer. However, questions such as what was Muddy Waters' real name may be an example. Or what Denver Broncos coach said "a half a loaf is better than none" after a tie with the Miami Dolphins in 1974? That type of question.

The University of Colorado used to hold the "Mother Of All Trivia Contests." It was called "The Trivia Bowl.".It was based on the old "GE College Bowl." I was on a team which won that competition in 1978. We (four members) went on to appear on the old "Tom Snyder Show" on a program they called "Stump The Champs."

I began to incorporate the trivia into the show. One of out team members, Dave Strauss from St.Louis, would do the show with me for years. He also did his own weekend trivia Show Sundays evenings on KMOX.

5. If you hadn't gone into radio, what would you be doing today?

Tough question. Maybe running for political office. Teaching social studies. Stomping grapes.

6. Who are your mentors, your inspirations, the people you've learned the most from?

Growing up in Philly I used to go to bed listening to two guys are believed were just awesome. Red Benson on WPEN and Jack McKinney on WCAU. They convinced me, at an early age, this is what I wanted to do. One of my regrets is I've never been fortunate enough to do talk in the area I grew up in.

As a host, I was mentored by the great (liberal) Alan Berg at KWBZ Radio in Denver. He sat beside me the day I did my first show. We had a consultant at KWBZ by the name of Ev Wrenn. Great man. He was key in telling me to be myself and just let it rip.

7. Of what are you most proud?

That I've been able to do what I always wanted to do for all this time- working for great radio stations in great markets. I think, after doing that, still having my reputation intact is an honor. I have been recognized by my peers: Talkers Magazine's "Heavy Hundred" for eight or nine years. When Newsweek magazine did an expose on talk radio in 1994, I was honored to be included in that piece as one of perhaps ten of the most influential hosts in the nation. Many appearances on mainstream news outlets: I appeared twice with Dan Rather for CBS News during the Iran-Contra Debate; "Nightline", "Crossfire" and all the TV network morning shows; I appeared Friday evenings on a local (DFW) NBC affiliate newscast for a Conservative-Liberal face off with a Liberal colleague and friend, Bob Ray Sanders.

I am very proud of the belief I come to the show as well prepared as anyone in our business. No one out-preps David Gold.

Most of all, I think you will find wherever I have been people will say David is a man of integrity. I take pride that in a difficult business I have my reputation tact.

8. What do you do for fun? (And, speaking of that, what's your handicap?)

You got that right. Actually, I have been playing very little golf. I have been doing weekends for KSFO going on five years now. Kind of limits the weekend golf. But, I had it down to a 12 at one point. I was fortunate to have great teachers in Hank Haney and an LPGA great, Marilynn Smith.

Love to workout. Just walk an hour a day these days. Used to run big time miles. I ran six marathons in the late 80's. Lead aerobics Classes too. Wife put an end to all of that.

Spectator sports is huge. I am a big hockey fan. Used to help with the broadcasts when I was in Boston and WITS Radio did Bruins hockey. Here in Dallas, and working for the flagship station WBAP and, earlier, KLIF, I've become a big Dallas Stars fan. I am a big fan of all sports and a Fantasy Sports junkie- baseball, football and hockey.

Love to cook.

Surfing the web occupies a great deal of time. Not always doing show prep, too.

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _____________.

...my news fix.

10. What's the best advice you've ever gotten? The worst?

Best: It's an entertainment medium. Be yourself and trust your instincts to be entertaining. You don't want to attempt to be anyone other than yourself.

Worst: Try to stick to a formula. Such as "one topic an hour only." Gotta let a host be themselves.