10 Questions with ... Jerry Gordon

NAME:Jerry Gordon POSITION:News Anchor/fill in Talk Host STATION:KNUU (K-NEWS) (for 10 years) MARKET:Las Vegas, NV COMPANY:Nevada Media Group BORN:Norwich, CT RAISED:New York City

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

KGO & KGO-TV SF, KSFO SF, WDAE Tampa, WKIS Orlando, WMEX Boston, WCOL Columbus, WPOP Hartford, and, right before Perry Michael Simon, WBUD Trenton. News, Talk, Jock, TV Entertainment Reporter, Airborne Traffic Reporter, national V.O. work including Disney and the Time Magazine TV specials and much more.

1. How did you get your start in radio? Why radio?

I didn't choose radio, radio chose me. When I was 8 I made a facsimile of a microphone from an Erector set. I started talking into it and never stopped, only the mikes became real. Obviously I was fascinated by radio & TV. My first on the air gig was at the age of 15 at WICH in Norwich, Conn, a summer relief gig. I spent my teens hanging out at various NY radio stations. I even became a union engineer at WLIB at the age of 18, before beginning my on the air career, which I had to leave NY to do.

2. What are you passionate about?

My wife and family, my work, motorcycles and bodybuilding.

3. You were a jock for years in music radio, then did reporting and talk, and now you're an anchor- how did that evolution come about, and what, if anything, do you miss about the top 40 jock days?

I always went back and forth between News, Talk and jocking; there was no evolution as such. I wanted to do it all. Top 40 was fun. I did a lot of crazy stuff and had good numbers. I don't miss it now because I've moved on.

4. You've been in Vegas for awhile and you've seen the recent rapid growth- is the changing face of Vegas affecting Vegas radio? Do you see the market- the formats, the quality, the programming- changing to match the population boom and changing demographics?

Yeah, we're now bigger than Memphis and have the traffic to prove it. The News-Talk scene hasn't changed much, but there are more Hispanic stations now. A highly rated geezer-AC station, KJUL is now country- they are competing with long time country winner KWNR (no pun intended). They switched for demo reasons and are doing well. We have a Jack station from Infinity; they were the third AC station in the market, so they had nothing to lose. I don't know how well they do.

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

I once flirted with the idea of going to law school. I could have been a trial lawyer; I've never had a problem with public speaking, as long as someone else did the research. It never happened- I just stayed in broadcasting.

6. In your career, you've worked with a lot of major talents. Who would you consider the people from whom you learned the most about radio? About life?

I never really learned anything from the people I've worked with; we all did our own thing. I learned about life (as if we ever learn enough about it) from the mistakes I've made.

7. Of what are you most proud?

Being interviewed by you!

My four years as "The Five O'Clock Shadow" on ABC's Channel 7 in SF is a source of pride. I met and interviewed the biggest names in show biz. A couple of highlights: Glenn Close calling me an asshole as I met her in my on camera "Shadow" costume (fedora hat, trench coat and mask). She asked why I was such an asshole- I said, "lady, it's a living..do you want to hype your movie or not?" (she did).

I interviewed Steven Seagal after his first film, "Above The Law," about CIA corruption. My opening question was "have you heard from the CIA yet?" As soon as I asked the question, the screen went dark. Some tech accidentally pulled the tape. Seagal called and blamed the government. I assured him it was just human error and it would run the next night. It did. Years later, when Seagal was told the "Shadow" was no longer there, he said "I knew the government would get him."

8. What do you do for fun?

Ride motorcycles, watch movies, work out and travel when I can.

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

...a kiss from my wife (awww), a can of V-8, a salad, the morning paper, All Access, a workout and a Martini (but not at the same time).

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

Best advice: Talk to one listener, not a mass audience.
Worst: Buy Domestic Oil Stock!