KSFO Talk Show host Lee Rodgers suffered heart attack (will return soon)

KSFO ^ | CounterCounterCulture/KSFO

[NormsRevenge]

I think he is living in the Smoky Mountains somewhere or near Asheville.

I swapped email with him as he pulled the plug some years back. He was a damn fine man and did this Bay Area a great service in his years on the radio. I miss him too.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Eason quit in June of 2000.

I'm trying to remember the details of why, but I think it had something to do with an attempt to cut his 2-4p timeslot in half. That may have been when KSFO brought over Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura.

Hopefully somebody else can confirm that for me.

[CounterCounterCulture]

In 1993 Jim convinced his boss to let him broadcast from his home in Western North Carolina, and did his remote show for three years. He moved across the hall and down the dial in 1996 and stayed at KSFO until he quit in June 2000.

Broadcast legends: Jim Eason

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks for the link.

Herb Caen, Jim Eason and Dr. Demento .. 3 icons of Bay Area lore :-)

[bootless]

I heard that. Apparently, it was to keep him from roaming around, singing Groucho Marx tunes!

I dunno. I don't think the lack of pants would deter him, especially with the right meds.

Seriously, I'm glad he's on the mend and will be back tomorrow.

[bootless]

Or: W.A.S.S.

[bootless]

On one of his "fact-finding missions" no doubt.

ROFL!

My mom was volunteering at Greenwich Hospital in CT when Don Imus was in there. I don't think anyone can touch him for being Mr. Cranky-Pants.

I love Lee. One of his wisest sayings is: "Never fall in love with a politician. They'll break your heart every time."

[bootless]

Wow - I had no idea he had moved! I sleep through hour one most of the time.

And I didn't get an invitation to his housewarming party. Shucks. :-)

[bootless]

Hannity. I've been done with Savage for a while ... only pop in for a minute every month, or listen to Lars or another fill in. They're usually good.

[EggsAckley]

Yeah, the "never fall in love with a politician" quote is one of Lee's best. Unka Ree kicks butt!!

[The KG9 Kid]

The man is highly intense. I've heard him about to blow a gasket several times in the morning.

Best wishes to Lee Rodgers, and here's to hoping he puts the antagonism below his speed limit.

[bootless]

:-) Unka Ree Kicks Butt! bump

[L.N. Smithee]

I'm trying to remember the details of why, but I think it had something to do with an attempt to cut his 2-4p timeslot in half. That may have been when KSFO brought over Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura. Hopefully somebody else can confirm that for me.

You are correct. During the last two weeks before Rush and Laura arrived and cut his show in half, he announced his pending retirement, said that he didn't need the job, viciously lashed out at lead-in Ken Hamblin over his pro-Reno stance on Elian Gonzalez, and said essentially that as a old school veteran in the talk radio business that he didn't want to be sandwiched in-between and Laura and Michael Savage.

Barbara Simpson "filled in" for Jim on his last three scheduled days on the air. I guess we'll never know if he was sick, or if either he or KSFO was sick and tired.

[mac_truck]

Last year as I was exiting the Transbay terminal in SF at First and Mission, I was startled to hear a Lee Rodgers rant being broadcast at full volume. Lee was tearing into the anti-american left with unusual venom, and it seemed passersby were visibly shocked at hearing him.

Looking around for the source of the broadcast, I spotted one of the regular denizens of the bus terminal. A zany looking homeless guy wearing a motercycle helmet, ski goggles, and a leather motercycle jacket, with a boom box in the basket of his shopping cart.

That made me laugh...