10 Questions with ... Fred Rico

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

KOHT/Tucson, PD at KIKI/Honolulu, back to KOHT as PD and now in San Diego at XHTZ and XHRM.

1. Let's get this out of the way first...how much weight have you lost?

The weight of your average 4th grader.

2. What prompted the weight loss and whole getting' healthy thing?

We did a promotion in Tucson with this weight loss clinic. I did it for the talent fee but then when I lost weight I kept getting attention and well, I am an attention hound. Thing is people ask "you must feel so much better?" I'm like...I didn't have leprosy, I just lost some weight. WTF?

3. Several other PDs have taken a considerable amount of weight off recently. Is this a new trend to deal with increasing stress of programming jobs? Is it that a generation of programmers are getting older and trying to stave off becoming old men/women? Or just tightening up for Speedo season?

I can't speak for other PDs but stress and age don't have anything to do with it. I'd wear a Speedo whether I lost the weight or not.

4. How is San Diego treating you?

San Diego is cool. It's cold here but the dude in Wisconsin reading this probably thinks I'm a big pussy.

5. Growing up, were you cool, thought you were cool, or just geeky?

I was a monster, just eating and breaking everything. But the coolest monster you would come across.

6. Please complete this sentence...If it weren't for ________ I probably would never have gotten into radio?

If it weren't for Alan Michaels (long time Tucson air personality) I probably would never have gotten into radio?

7. Was Bea Arthur really the toughest Golden Girl?

No, once you get to know the real Bea Arthur then you can see her tender side. She wasn't just a tall awkward looking old lady.

8. If you were Lindsay Lohan's BFF, which of your acquaintances would you set her up with.

I'd set her up with my APD Tre. He likes white girls.

9. If you had the opportunity to slap somebody in the record industry, who would it be?

Everyone I would slap in the record industry I have slapped, bitten, tackled, pulled out their nipple ring, ruined their shirt, or head butted at one time or another.

10. What makes you think you know what your audience wants?

Understanding it's a process and it's something that constantly needs studying. I'm 36 years old. I would be a dumb ass if I thought it came natural unless my target was me then it would be NWA and Metallica all day. Since that's not the case, getting in front of the intended target and talking to them seeing what is important to them. If I don't know I promise I'm going to find out, it's my job.

You're in charge of forming an elite special forces fighting unit for a secret government agency. You have to select 6 women in the music business to comprise this group. Who would you select and why?

Jo Lopez from Upstairs - She does everything well

Paula Tuggey from Capitol - You need a mean person to whip everyone in shape

Applegate from Republic - You need somebody who can schmooze and socialize to get things accomplished

Skully from Capitol - The one people from the outside go to for issues that need to be addressed not just because she's pretty but because she doesn't bullshit.

Youngblood from RCA - Best person with artists.

Aggie Baghai at In2une - she is the reality checker and knows every genre of music.

Plus I know all of them. I don't kick it with those other industry types. I'm sure there is some brilliant CFO that I don't know about working for Sony.