![]() “To me, broadcasting was making money for people who needed help.” “I spent two-thirds of my work on charity stuff,” King said. “If you say ‘fresh grouper,’ he says, ‘Show me the fresh grouper.’ ”Įvents, some tragic, helped keep King grounded as he developed a large fan base - including “Late Show” host David Letterman, who listed King as one of his influences in “The David Letterman Story.” He cited King’s idea to rally excitement over a race between two slow-moving river ferry boats for a charity. “(King) came out and inspected the place,” Phelan said about his restaurant. Tony Phelan, owner of Pincher’s Crab Shack, started listening to King while driving to Pine Island every day, then he became an advertiser. Then I was compelled to call in for comments from the peanut gallery.” “I worked part time and home-schooled, so it started as a background thing I had on. “I’m kind of a talk radio junkie,” she said. Most people are very funny.”Ĭindy Kucharski of North Fort Myers has listened to King for six years and called nearly every day. “They can be an enormous pain in the neck or become part of the interaction. ![]() “There are people who call regularly and become characters on the show,” he said. But when he has to be in front of the microphone, he turns into a different person.” “He’s always said, ‘I hate broccoli, cocktail parties, chit-chat and waiting in line,’ ” she said. His wife, Joan, said he has always been down to earth. “Even people in the smaller markets would get that persona and thought they were major figures in the world.” “I wasn’t particularly fond of people in the industry because they took themselves so seriously,” he said. King said he purposely has kept few celebrity friends. He was obviously on something, but he was very nice.” He said Hope was the most delightful celebrity to interview. Kennedy, Richard Nixon and Jimmy Carter as well as Bob Hope, Elvis Presley and countless other entertainers. “I thought, ‘I’m not going to be King Richard when I’m 63.’ I thought there had to come a time when I got into adult radio.”ĪM was mainstream radio then and King interviewed nearly every personality who came to town: Presidents John F. While at WCKY-AM in Cincinnati, King Richard evolved into Rich King. In 1962, he moved to another rock station in San Diego, followed by a contemporary adult music station in Cincinnati. “I was out on three or four appearances in one night. While resting at his home in Naples, the Chicago native recounted his evolution from the job at an AM rock station he worked at while a student at Marquette University in Milwaukee.Īfter graduating from Marquette in 1956, King had to choose between Harvard and a radio career. Once upon a time, he was rock ‘n’ roll DJ “King Richard.” ![]() King was not always the talk radio host who politely provoked listeners to analyze local, national and world events. “To say he’s touched the minds and hearts of thousands of people in Southwest Florida would not be overstated,” Meridian Broadcasting program director Bob Grissinger said. His producer and fill-in host, Josh Knauer, 37, of Naples, has taken over the show. King joined WNOG in Naples 12 years ago and was simulcasting on WINK for the past six. This is his third battle with cancer in 10 years. King was diagnosed with abdominal cancer in March 2002 and took medical leave from “The Rich King Show” in mid-December. SCOTT, talk radio host Rich King - programmed into the telephone speed dial of faithful listeners throughout Southwest Florida - has retired from his morning slot on WINK-1200 AM/WNOG-1270 AM.
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