1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,880 Speaker 1: Live Wire is a production of iHeart Podcasts and Modulator Media. 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: Previously on live Wire, The Loud Life and Shocking Murder 3 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: of Alan Burg. 4 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 2: He worked in a shoe store. He had a great 5 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,439 Speaker 2: fascination of clothing, and first in a shoe store, he 6 00:00:17,480 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 2: got fired from there for some remarks he made, and 7 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:24,480 Speaker 2: then he decided to open a shirt store in downtown Denver. 8 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 2: One of his customers was a man named Lawrence Gross. 9 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:30,320 Speaker 3: And they want to know if he would come and 10 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 3: talk about something on the radio. 11 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 4: What is this man? He's an addictive personality. Okay, I 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,320 Speaker 4: consider myself an addictive personality who used alcohol as a 13 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 4: way of self indulgence. Would you consider coming back next Sunday? 14 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 4: All right, you'll come back and we'll continue this discussion. 15 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:48,200 Speaker 4: It's really very interesting. 16 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,120 Speaker 5: We're talking with someone that is more than intimately involved 17 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 5: with it. 18 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 6: I think he just knew it. I think was intrinsive. 19 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 6: I'm just tell you what I observed. But he was 20 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 6: what we call flamethrower. 21 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 4: We don't want you on the air anymore. Out there 22 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:03,600 Speaker 4: was a big hassle in town. A sorry written about 23 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:07,040 Speaker 4: me in the paper. Do you know how cantankerous one 24 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,720 Speaker 4: has to be to get banned off of ebs. It's 25 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 4: not easy to get fired for doing charitable work. 26 00:01:16,400 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 1: After years of struggling through one career or another, one 27 00:01:19,760 --> 00:01:24,119 Speaker 1: relationship or another, one addiction or another, alan Berg had 28 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,479 Speaker 1: finally found his calling on talk radio, and just as 29 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,040 Speaker 1: he was finding his footing as an on air personality 30 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:34,360 Speaker 1: in Denver, he needed a job badly, and his search 31 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:38,320 Speaker 1: took him as far as Detroit and Oklahoma present leave Denver. 32 00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:40,679 Speaker 4: Well in the city, I don't think I can hear you. 33 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:43,400 Speaker 4: It looks pretty certain right now. I told my husband 34 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:45,560 Speaker 4: last night, we're gonna have to find an awfully powerful radio. 35 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:50,200 Speaker 4: You can't make the work. Well, that's a compliment I 36 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 4: rarely received. You should have heard me. In Oklahoma. They 37 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 4: wanted an interpreter for me. I was in Detroit last week, 38 00:01:54,960 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 4: in fact, that I almost went to work with x 39 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:59,920 Speaker 4: y Z. Really. Oh yeah, you don't know how close 40 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 4: for w x y Z. But that's a long story 41 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 4: I can't explore in the air because of possible legal ramifications. 42 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: Alan Berg had resigned himself to starting over in a 43 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: new market, but those fears were put to rest when 44 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:20,679 Speaker 1: an opportunity came up at Win of Denver's biggest radio stations, KOA. 45 00:02:19,280 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 5: Around the clock. KOA gives you live news so you 46 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,119 Speaker 5: know what's going on, coming the news, this live talk 47 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,560 Speaker 5: so you know who's thinking, what and why I get 48 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 5: on the bot, and live coverage of your favorite Denver 49 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 5: sports rebond a t r all the time. KOA gives 50 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,919 Speaker 5: you all the news you need, traffic and weather reports. 51 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:43,000 Speaker 5: KOA News Talk eighty five Live Radio. 52 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 4: Oh that's my new theme, A new show, a new day, 53 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 4: a new time, and particularly enjoying being with you here 54 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,000 Speaker 4: on KOA. So we're gonna be talking today and I 55 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:57,160 Speaker 4: kind of feel like I'm an intruder of sorts, but 56 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:59,360 Speaker 4: we're gonna get you going on my side hopefully if 57 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:01,519 Speaker 4: we can. But we'd like to talk to you today with 58 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:03,799 Speaker 4: all the commotion that's going on in this town. Much 59 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:05,840 Speaker 4: of this understanding about things that have happened, So we 60 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:07,079 Speaker 4: do want you to join us here. 61 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: Whereas his previous employers were five thousand watt directional daytime 62 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 1: stations with limited reach, KOA was a monster, a fifty 63 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: thousand watt station that served as the local affiliate for NBC. 64 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:22,840 Speaker 1: It was exactly the kind of platform alan Burg had 65 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: been searching for since first getting into radio. 66 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 4: And do you think it's amazing that a person with 67 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 4: Mike qualification is allowed to speak on I mean, you know, 68 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 4: a five hundred why station is where I started, Okay, 69 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 4: then I went to a five thousand, I went back 70 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 4: to one thousand, up to fifty. Does that mean anything? 71 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:41,560 Speaker 4: It's kind of like the way the stock market is 72 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 4: running right now. 73 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 6: Back when traditional call letters were handed out, Koa's designation 74 00:03:47,480 --> 00:03:52,160 Speaker 6: was King of Agriculture KOA and that goes back to Roosevelt, 75 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 6: that goes back to the foundation. The FCC is fifty 76 00:03:55,240 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 6: thousand watts clear channel. And that's when Berg went on 77 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 6: to night. Well you're you can hear KOA in LA 78 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 6: I mean, which is beams and Idaho. It was like 79 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,120 Speaker 6: coming in from next door. And so it was a 80 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 6: fifty thousand, the voice of the Broncos, the voice of 81 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 6: the cu Buffs, the morning news back when it counted. 82 00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:20,960 Speaker 1: That's Peter Boyles, a long time on air colleague and 83 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:26,040 Speaker 1: arrival of Alan Berg's. Peter eventually followed Alan to Koa. 84 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:27,720 Speaker 6: And he got me there. I mean, he legitimately got 85 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,160 Speaker 6: me there. He had done everything that we had done. 86 00:04:31,200 --> 00:04:35,839 Speaker 6: I was working kaw doing nights, and this opening took place, 87 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 6: and he went to Joel and he said, go get Peter. 88 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 6: And they took me to breakfast, and it was yesterday 89 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 6: and they offered the doe, and Berg's giving me this 90 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 6: and take mornings. And I'm looking at him and I 91 00:04:49,960 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 6: know he's not going to take mornings because we had 92 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:55,279 Speaker 6: been together and I had nine to Noon which later 93 00:04:55,320 --> 00:04:58,640 Speaker 6: becomes Noon to one, the crossover show. And we were, 94 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 6: I mean, we were really really doing financially well, but 95 00:05:02,360 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 6: into ratings we were skying it. Who were killing him? 96 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 6: He was that good. 97 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: I'm filmmaker and journalist tal Pinschewski, And this is Live 98 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 1: Wire episode two, First day at KOA. In his first 99 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: appearance on a radio station that was by far the 100 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:32,160 Speaker 1: biggest broadcaster he'd ever worked for, Alan appeared timid at first. 101 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: He even admitted to being nervous. 102 00:05:34,480 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 4: Hey, I'm talking pretty bad, just like me. Of course, 103 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:39,120 Speaker 4: I'm nervous and I'm neurotic. It's the start of a 104 00:05:39,120 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 4: new thing in a new show. 105 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,680 Speaker 1: Fearless as he was on the air, Berg had reason 106 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 1: to be nervous. He had been controversial enough in his 107 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:48,839 Speaker 1: previous radio jobs. That is hiring at KOA was met 108 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 1: by protests from many listeners, but Alan was ready to 109 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 1: confront that backlash. 110 00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:55,479 Speaker 4: I do want to make a race wrong officis on 111 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 4: this today. And know a lot of people who have 112 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 4: been criticizing the continually KOA. They've written letters in mass 113 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:01,480 Speaker 4: I do want to talk to as many of those 114 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:03,600 Speaker 4: people today as I can, maybe to clear some groundwork 115 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:05,720 Speaker 4: here because today's the day. I do not want to 116 00:06:05,720 --> 00:06:07,840 Speaker 4: make a continued effort here on KAE. I want to 117 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,719 Speaker 4: get into some other kinds of talk, news talk, obviously, 118 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,600 Speaker 4: entertainment talk, many different things that I do, and today 119 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:14,960 Speaker 4: would be the day, and I'm going to try to 120 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:17,200 Speaker 4: give preference today if I can. In the calls to 121 00:06:17,279 --> 00:06:19,279 Speaker 4: the people who are angry with me being here, I'd 122 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:20,800 Speaker 4: like to discuss it with you if you want to 123 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 4: have a rational discussion with me. Obviously I don't know 124 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 4: why you're calling here to begin with. I'm not a 125 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 4: well person. 126 00:06:28,120 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: This wasn't just a response to those angered by his hiring. 127 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:33,720 Speaker 1: It was a mandate he brought with him to his 128 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,279 Speaker 1: new job that would guide him as he took full 129 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: advantage of his awesome opportunity. 130 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think that's exactly why I was hired here 131 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 4: to be alan Burg. But Elan Burke is growing up, 132 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:44,680 Speaker 4: and I really hope I have. I think I've done 133 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 4: some horribly childish things in the history of my talk 134 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 4: radio career. I think I've learned from them. And I 135 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,159 Speaker 4: said earlier, I think a lot of good things have 136 00:06:51,240 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 4: happened with me with Beaz. We've had a lot of fun, 137 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 4: We've had a lot of last we did some interesting 138 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 4: series over there, and we're going to do a lot 139 00:06:56,279 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 4: of them here. So I can only ask you to 140 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 4: do this for you folks who liked listen to me 141 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,160 Speaker 4: a little bit and see if you like it. If 142 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,280 Speaker 4: you don't hate, it's your choice not to listen. Obviously, 143 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:07,960 Speaker 4: that's everybody's choice in the world. But don't be hateful. 144 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 4: It doesn't have to be hateful. I'm not really a 145 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 4: hateful person. I think you'll find that out. Let's get 146 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:13,640 Speaker 4: back to the phone at one thirty eight in the afternoon, 147 00:07:13,880 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 4: Flying three, You're on KOA good afternoon. 148 00:07:15,920 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: Alan Berg didn't just tell angry callers to bring it on. 149 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: He also set an objective for himself to run towards confrontation, 150 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: engage head first in arguments, that's how he was going 151 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:27,680 Speaker 1: to make great radio. 152 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 6: There was no texting or no cell phones or he 153 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 6: wrote me a letter and he came in and you know, 154 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 6: cigarette going and that hair, and it was before he 155 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 6: had the dog, and I just sat down and I 156 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:44,960 Speaker 6: just I fell in love with him. He was like 157 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 6: he was like I had worked in professional wrestling, and 158 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:52,960 Speaker 6: I realized that he was just a professional wrestler and 159 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 6: he had charisma yet torch he had, and he was 160 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 6: memories on scold. He never went to radio school. He 161 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 6: didn't do what I did. I was a traffic reporter 162 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 6: and reading the news and playing records and never did 163 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 6: any of that. He literally sat down in the seat 164 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,000 Speaker 6: and did it. That's a gift. 165 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 7: He was the first and the original shock jock. 166 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 6: That's the way I describe it. 167 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 1: This is another one of Allan's KOA colleagues, Tom Martino, and. 168 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:30,680 Speaker 7: He was genuinely not genuine I don't even know how 169 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 7: to say that, but he was exactly what he was 170 00:08:33,920 --> 00:08:36,679 Speaker 7: that night. You could not define him by a show, 171 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 7: because the next night he could be completely on the 172 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 7: other side of an issue. Alan did not care what 173 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 7: you thought about anything. He really didn't care what he 174 00:08:48,920 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 7: thought about anything or not. For radio, he didn't or 175 00:08:51,880 --> 00:08:53,839 Speaker 7: he didn't try to push it on us. I mean, 176 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,760 Speaker 7: I don't even know what his deep seated beliefs are, 177 00:08:57,679 --> 00:09:02,079 Speaker 7: and I knew him pretty well long conversation. So he 178 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:05,120 Speaker 7: was the kind of guy that was on radio to 179 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 7: be on radio and to stir conversation, not to change minds. 180 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,559 Speaker 7: He didn't have a mission except to entertain. 181 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:17,960 Speaker 1: Allen's colleagues described him as an entertainer, as a flamethrower. 182 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:22,200 Speaker 1: But what really set Allenberg apart was his versatility. He 183 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 1: was great at reading ads live on the air and 184 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 1: holding court at station sponsored events. And most importantly, there 185 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: wasn't a single topic that didn't inspire some sort of 186 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:33,439 Speaker 1: fiery opinion from Berg. 187 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 4: What I the government? Abortion? Oh? I made a list. 188 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:38,760 Speaker 4: I don't have a wish they had it with him 189 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:41,360 Speaker 4: by twenty key talk show subjects that you can make 190 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 4: book if you're hurting, go to one of those. Capital 191 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,280 Speaker 4: upon eischment, they said abortion, almost sexuality. I mean there's 192 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:51,000 Speaker 4: a whole series of them. Drug problems. Currently child abuse 193 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,720 Speaker 4: seems to be the only subject that is occurring in America, 194 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 4: and certain Stobbi's gifts hot at certain times. 195 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:01,600 Speaker 3: I just that I had to meet with every single 196 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:05,240 Speaker 3: talk show host every single day with a stack of papers, 197 00:10:05,280 --> 00:10:07,000 Speaker 3: with a stack of ideas. What are we going to 198 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 3: talk about today? The trick was is to talk about 199 00:10:10,840 --> 00:10:14,120 Speaker 3: the topics people were going to discuss at lunch, to 200 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,240 Speaker 3: keep them engaged, to keep them tuned. So I'd walk 201 00:10:17,280 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 3: in with a stack of papers. 202 00:10:18,559 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 1: That's Kowa producer Susan Rightman. 203 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:22,679 Speaker 3: Well, I wasn't in the day where you could actually 204 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 3: go online and go digital and just see everything that's 205 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 3: going in the world. You so really was. I would 206 00:10:28,840 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 3: spend I would make sure that I would go out 207 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 3: for coffee every morning and kind of listen to what 208 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:36,120 Speaker 3: people were talking about beside me out to lunch. But 209 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 3: it really was the newspaper we were reading at that time, 210 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 3: the Rocky Mountain News, to see what's going on. I 211 00:10:42,760 --> 00:10:46,480 Speaker 3: read and read and read, and then would try to 212 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 3: match whatever topic was going on with whatever personality, because 213 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:54,720 Speaker 3: each one's unique to themselves. It was just crazy. Just 214 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:58,640 Speaker 3: I read once about this murderer that went on I 215 00:10:58,640 --> 00:11:01,839 Speaker 3: don't even remember where now, but one of the witnesses 216 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:05,720 Speaker 3: was a parrot that I witnessed the murder and we 217 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:08,160 Speaker 3: were laughing about that, and I said, well, why don't 218 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 3: we try and interview on one of the witnesses. And 219 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:18,480 Speaker 3: he said, let's interview the parrot. I can't interview a parrot. 220 00:11:19,360 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 3: But that's how his mind worked. Alan understood what made 221 00:11:24,040 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 3: people want to listen and stay tuned. I always remember 222 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 3: Alan say, you know, I agree with me, disagree with me, 223 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:35,199 Speaker 3: but just don't sit there. And I love that about 224 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 3: Alan is he just knew how to give people all 225 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 3: riled up. Went on the air one night and he 226 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:54,320 Speaker 3: decided he was going to tell everybody he was gay. 227 00:11:55,080 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 6: And he comes in and we're going to break and 228 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,000 Speaker 6: I remember the news guy was on their side of 229 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 6: the glass. He said, work with me. I said, what 230 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:03,199 Speaker 6: do you want to do? He said, I'm gonna tell 231 00:12:03,200 --> 00:12:09,320 Speaker 6: people I'm gay. I'm looking at you knowing him, okay, 232 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:11,880 Speaker 6: And so we did a it's called a crossover where 233 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:13,960 Speaker 6: the other guy comes in and sits in a studio 234 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 6: with you and then you leave it. He stays, he said, 235 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 6: I want you to know I'm gay, and he wants 236 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 6: me to play it. I'ment, man, my god, and I said, 237 00:12:20,280 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 6: I don't want to work with you. You know, we did 238 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:24,040 Speaker 6: this thing I'm not going to stay with you, you know, 239 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 6: Dad plus Ireland, and he's given me this, you know, more, 240 00:12:28,160 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 6: bring it more, bring more. And I'm saying, you know, 241 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:32,880 Speaker 6: what's wrong with you? It's disgusting, you know, which I 242 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:35,800 Speaker 6: never thought it was anyhow, but he's given me the 243 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 6: amp sign, you know. And he said, well, you know, 244 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 6: I don't know. So I storm out and he burns 245 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 6: up the phones. I'm gay, I'm gay. 246 00:12:45,440 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 3: And he went on the air and told everybody he 247 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 3: was gay for four hours and everyone was outraged. And 248 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 3: in that day it was not really as as acceptable 249 00:12:56,800 --> 00:13:00,200 Speaker 3: as it is now. It was it was foreign and 250 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:02,599 Speaker 3: it was that was a funny show. That was a 251 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:04,680 Speaker 3: funny show. But that's how his mind worked. 252 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 1: Again worth taking into context that this is in the 253 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:09,120 Speaker 1: early nineteen eighties. 254 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 6: So Channel nine KUSA sends a film crew down to 255 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:18,439 Speaker 6: KWBZ on West Princeton Avenue and about he was off 256 00:13:18,440 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 6: at four and the sports guy started at four, I 257 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:22,960 Speaker 6: don't know, five to four, ten to four. He said, 258 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:28,040 Speaker 6: it's a word, just a word. I'm happy, you know, 259 00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:30,960 Speaker 6: I'm not gay, I'm happy. But and you could feel 260 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 6: the air go out of the room. So he snakes 261 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 6: that when he pulls it off and gives me the elbow. 262 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:39,640 Speaker 6: He pulled stuff like that that was so cool. 263 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:42,760 Speaker 3: The crazier, the better, the more out of the box, 264 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 3: anything that you could think of. But he, you know, 265 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 3: he liked to get people riled up. He liked to 266 00:13:48,960 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 3: get them angry because he would get to another side 267 00:13:54,040 --> 00:13:57,960 Speaker 3: of these listeners that you know, a true, the true 268 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 3: side of all of us, where eventually angry, you're going 269 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 3: to tell the truth. And he would, he would grill 270 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:06,400 Speaker 3: them and he would just hang up on people. I'd 271 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 3: call him idiots, just we've just gone the people. He 272 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:16,240 Speaker 3: riled people up, He made people think, he made them 273 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 3: so angry, and you either loved him or hate him. 274 00:14:19,440 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 3: But there was very little middle ground. There wasn't there 275 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 3: was a lot of gray about Alan. 276 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 1: And what's most remarkable about the topics Alan most frequently 277 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: discussed on his program, they're almost all the exact same 278 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:35,480 Speaker 1: topics we are still debating forty years later in today's 279 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 1: vast and fragmented media landscape. But there was one topic 280 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 1: that seemed to elicit a particularly aggressive response out of Alan, 281 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:45,720 Speaker 1: yep Religion. 282 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:50,440 Speaker 4: Good morning, how are you today? I'm wonderful? 283 00:14:50,720 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 3: Oh are you. 284 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 4: How are you Jesus freak? Well, I'm hope I am 285 00:14:53,960 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 4: at Jesus freak in order, it said, but the hole 286 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 4: I come quickly, and my reward is with me. 287 00:14:59,480 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 8: Oh believe that. 288 00:15:02,120 --> 00:15:08,640 Speaker 4: God, Oh God, what's and his point up for my people? 289 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:09,680 Speaker 3: You believe that? 290 00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:13,840 Speaker 4: And the day every panter you believe that, I know 291 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 4: they got to do. They gotta take you away in 292 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 4: that little jacket. 293 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 1: As with a lot of the topics Berg discussed on 294 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:21,800 Speaker 1: the air, his approach to religion drew on his own 295 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 1: personal experiences. Alan Berg was raised Jewish, but at no 296 00:15:26,320 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: point in his radio career did he ever strongly align 297 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: with the religion he was raised in. 298 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:34,040 Speaker 6: He always told me his mother was Irish. Ruth and 299 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:35,720 Speaker 6: who I've talked to you many times on the phone 300 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:38,400 Speaker 6: and he said, I, so, well, you know my mother's Irish. 301 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:41,200 Speaker 1: Peter Boyles didn't learn the truth about alan Berg's mother 302 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 1: until his funeral. 303 00:15:42,840 --> 00:15:48,760 Speaker 6: And Alan's brother, Marty Sachs s a c HS and 304 00:15:48,840 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 6: we're in the rabbi's office and I said, well, given 305 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:55,880 Speaker 6: that Ruth is Irish, double take on me And I said, 306 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:57,240 Speaker 6: what are you talking about it? I said, well, you know, 307 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 6: Ruth being Irish. It's first not Irish. 308 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 1: Berg demonstrated contempt for organized religion and Christianity in particular, 309 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 1: but there's a historical context to keep in mind here too. 310 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 1: At this particular time in America, talk radio isn't the 311 00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: only emerging force in national media. Religious programming featuring charismatic 312 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:23,200 Speaker 1: preachers was also experiencing unprecedented reach and popularity, and Alan 313 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:25,320 Speaker 1: Berg was more than happy to single out these so 314 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 1: called televangelists. 315 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 4: Big Jim Baker, he's on what the seven hundred Club? Now? 316 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:34,880 Speaker 4: He's down the Praise of the Lord Club? Isn't he? 317 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 4: Seven hundred? 318 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:36,480 Speaker 3: Is the other guy? 319 00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 6: I care? 320 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 2: I love those shows, just love them. 321 00:16:38,240 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 4: Look I tell you, I played these records at night. 322 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 4: I'm trying to find the Lord. 323 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 5: I will hear recall. 324 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 4: But I had once Calledlaura Roberts on the air Beck 325 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:46,520 Speaker 4: at the old station I was with, and I asked 326 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 4: him to come and heal Denver. He didn't cooperate, he 327 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 4: didn't get here. I don't know why I didn't come. 328 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:55,840 Speaker 1: Berg occasionally referred to Christians as Jesus freaks, but when 329 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: it came to aggravating them on the air, there was 330 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 1: one exchange that reigns supreme. I mean, here's Berg's former 331 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: Choe colleague Tom Martine. 332 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:07,200 Speaker 7: Really, really really, I don't believe, you know, he would 333 00:17:07,200 --> 00:17:09,639 Speaker 7: say something like that. He would just just something to. 334 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:10,320 Speaker 6: Stir people up. 335 00:17:10,680 --> 00:17:13,280 Speaker 7: I don't believe in God. God doesn't exist, you know. 336 00:17:14,200 --> 00:17:18,160 Speaker 7: Or one night he'd say, I'm sure I believe in God, 337 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:21,600 Speaker 7: my God the way I believe it, I believe God 338 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 7: is a big fat black woman. Or he would say 339 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:26,880 Speaker 7: stuff like that and then change it the next day. 340 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:30,360 Speaker 4: Hey, I understand that. I'm like to know what your 341 00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 4: opinion is of christ Jannity. Well, Jenny, I'm on a 342 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:37,360 Speaker 4: subject right now. I've done so many shows on Christianity. 343 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 4: I don't believe in Christianity. I think it is a 344 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:44,640 Speaker 4: legend at best, okay, And I am an agnostic minimally 345 00:17:45,240 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 4: and therefore, as simply as I can put it, I 346 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 4: don't believe in the doctor of Christianity. 347 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:55,400 Speaker 8: Could I ask you another question, sure, what opinions God 348 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 8: do you believe in God? 349 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 4: I don't know. You don't have a real simple answer 350 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:03,280 Speaker 4: was not to say one. I find Christians absolutely certain 351 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:06,400 Speaker 4: that they know something that actually is unprovable. I only 352 00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 4: lay out one. I lay out the possibility that thing. 353 00:18:09,160 --> 00:18:11,280 Speaker 4: A lot of things could be that I don't know about, 354 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:13,960 Speaker 4: but I have no objective proof to determine them until 355 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:15,800 Speaker 4: the day I see the proof. Then I will have 356 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,680 Speaker 4: to presumptively say there's not enough evidence at this point 357 00:18:18,800 --> 00:18:19,960 Speaker 4: to say for sure there's anything. 358 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:22,920 Speaker 7: And he he would say things like, well, I have 359 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 7: a listener, she's on the line now, says god Fielder, 360 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 7: gas tank, and they would do a whole thing on 361 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:31,640 Speaker 7: how god Fielder guess ting can one more? 362 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 5: And I must go. 363 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:36,320 Speaker 4: Okay, I went to the gas station and I'm I'm 364 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:38,800 Speaker 4: all kidding in the car, rearing up on the fine 365 00:18:38,840 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 4: wheels and says, oh God, I'm here. And Jenny, baby, 366 00:18:44,600 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 4: I went into the gas station. I don't know these people, 367 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 4: of course not j okay, I don't know. Jenny will 368 00:18:49,560 --> 00:18:54,520 Speaker 4: get regularly and he's going to get off against every night. 369 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 2: Man take it in the gas station, I leave it. 370 00:18:58,240 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 6: I go on to take. 371 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:03,119 Speaker 4: I'll tell you a little girl. I thought possibly you 372 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 4: were in therapy. I had a bad idea, Jenny. I've 373 00:19:06,560 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 4: been there, Jenny, I'm not kidding anybody. I'm not there. 374 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:11,400 Speaker 4: Last night I sawt psychiatric help. 375 00:19:11,200 --> 00:19:15,199 Speaker 5: On the air, you. 376 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:17,280 Speaker 2: Up there. 377 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:23,040 Speaker 6: So I said, oh, God, you're gonna have to take 378 00:19:23,080 --> 00:19:23,640 Speaker 6: care of the fact. 379 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:27,880 Speaker 4: And then God got money from the sky. They said, 380 00:19:27,920 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 4: somebody came in pay for nobody knows me there it 381 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 4: would have been forty five dollars, but somebody came in. 382 00:19:35,119 --> 00:19:40,840 Speaker 4: Mysterious stranger walked in and paid your billy. Damn. Maybe 383 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 4: I'm wrong. 384 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:42,320 Speaker 5: Maybe I had a boy. 385 00:19:42,359 --> 00:19:45,120 Speaker 4: It shouldn't happen to me. I'll pay you something. I'll 386 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 4: tell you why, I'll do Jenny, I'll prove really, Joe, 387 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 4: I'm going to sell you a deloreate. See if you 388 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:49,840 Speaker 4: could drive it. 389 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 1: Alan Berg made scant references to his own Jewish upbringing, 390 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: both privately and on the air, but despite that, he 391 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 1: refused to stand for antisemitic comments from Colling. Such comments 392 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: typically came in the form of conspiracy theories involving either 393 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:09,480 Speaker 1: communism or some duplicitous world order. Stop us if this 394 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:13,520 Speaker 1: sounds familiar, yes, and I want to read you one. 395 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:17,760 Speaker 8: This makes the and drop off oriance definitely interesting, since 396 00:20:17,800 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 8: I drop off, according to several Soviet intelligence inspectors, as 397 00:20:22,880 --> 00:20:26,760 Speaker 8: Jewish on his mother's side, the family name with Ernstein 398 00:20:27,119 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 8: on his father's Andropian and Armenian name. It was recissided 399 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:33,439 Speaker 8: to become an drop off what was written by uh 400 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 8: I don't alt Rocky Mountain ames. 401 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 1: The caller is making reference to Yuri and drop Off, 402 00:20:39,640 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 1: who at the time was the General Secretary of the 403 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:46,560 Speaker 1: Communist Party of the Soviet Union. Allenberg loved America, particularly 404 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 1: the First Amendment rights the country afforded him, and the 405 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,879 Speaker 1: suggestion that Jews were somehow colluding to undermine the country 406 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: seemed to really piss him off. 407 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 4: It was back Andropoff had Jewish brought him, and what 408 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 4: would that prove about the wish? 409 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 8: I think that a still in control of the Soviet Union. 410 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:06,720 Speaker 4: I think the responsible Christians. 411 00:21:08,400 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: I think you're sick. 412 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:12,440 Speaker 4: I think I think your ability to reason and use 413 00:21:12,480 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 4: any lodge you gain, you are a Nazi by your 414 00:21:17,520 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 4: very own as much it's good, that's right. You heard. 415 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: Berg had no way to know it at the time, 416 00:21:23,200 --> 00:21:26,200 Speaker 1: but the way he so viciously shot down these conspiracy 417 00:21:26,240 --> 00:21:29,600 Speaker 1: theories would figure prominently in the investigation into his murder. 418 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:32,520 Speaker 1: But we'll get into that more in another episode. 419 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 4: Now I'm not getting I want to kick on religion, 420 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 4: but you go right ahead if you want we have 421 00:21:38,640 --> 00:21:43,359 Speaker 4: no no reservation. Of course I will, okay. I like 422 00:21:43,359 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 4: a little respect, though, and I want to say something. 423 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:49,399 Speaker 4: I'll get my way. I'm sorry, go ahead, okay. Not 424 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,880 Speaker 4: a skeptic. I'm a believer. I wanted to Oklahoma City. 425 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,399 Speaker 4: I became a reborn Christian. So I pick up it, 426 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:03,639 Speaker 4: the book the Believer. I cut your picture up. You 427 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:08,720 Speaker 4: are to brave. You have very bad that I could 428 00:22:08,800 --> 00:22:09,679 Speaker 4: stand to look at. 429 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:14,080 Speaker 1: As you could imagine, these kinds of spirited exchanges, some 430 00:22:14,240 --> 00:22:17,680 Speaker 1: of which escalated into anger, made Alan a pretty divisive 431 00:22:17,720 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: figure anywhere Kaway's broadcast signal landed. So how divisive was 432 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 1: Alan Berg in and around Denver? 433 00:22:24,119 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 2: There was a poll taken in Denver about who was 434 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:31,880 Speaker 2: the most liked and the most disliked Maybia personality in town. 435 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,080 Speaker 2: He won both awards. 436 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:39,000 Speaker 1: This is Alanberg biographer Steve Singular. Steve passed away in 437 00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four, and this series was produced in his honor. 438 00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:46,879 Speaker 2: That kind of sums up his personality in certain ways. 439 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 2: In that little nutshell, people liked him, people didn't like him, 440 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,240 Speaker 2: but people were listening and he was stirring up something 441 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 2: within them. As he told me, you know, I just 442 00:23:00,040 --> 00:23:02,520 Speaker 2: want to make people feel. I want to make people think. 443 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:05,080 Speaker 2: I want to provoke, I want to get a reaction. 444 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 1: Sure, Ellenberg wanted to stir the pot. He wanted to 445 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:12,520 Speaker 1: inspire heavy discussion. He wanted to make people think, even 446 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: while openly questioning the average human beings ability to do so. 447 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 1: But he was also human, a human whose entire on 448 00:23:19,640 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: air persona had been shaped by a lifetime of insecurities, 449 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:26,600 Speaker 1: insecurities that sometimes emerged live on the air. 450 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:37,919 Speaker 4: I don't like my body in the new it out 451 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:39,880 Speaker 4: there right now. I like to clothe myself a lot. 452 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 4: I don't particularly like you. I don't like to think 453 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:46,879 Speaker 4: I'm so crazy about myself. I get up in the morning, 454 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:50,040 Speaker 4: I get sick looking at myself in the mirror. Okay, 455 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 4: then why do they want because insecure people do this. 456 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:56,760 Speaker 4: See if I keep you off base, then you can't 457 00:23:56,760 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 4: make a fool of me. 458 00:23:58,720 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 1: Okay, Hey, Alan Burg wanted to be liked. 459 00:24:02,160 --> 00:24:05,200 Speaker 3: Alan was the kindest guy I have ever had the 460 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 3: pleasure to know, and it really broke his heart in 461 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 3: a lot of ways that people disliked him, like the 462 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:15,760 Speaker 3: time that he went to the Nuggets stadium and was 463 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 3: supposed to be their behalftime and the crowd beat him. 464 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:26,920 Speaker 3: It was heartbreaking. I wish I had a video of that. 465 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:30,120 Speaker 3: But he got what he wanted. He wanted to get 466 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 3: people riled up. He wanted to get a reaction, and 467 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:37,240 Speaker 3: he did, but unfortunately it wasn't always good. 468 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,480 Speaker 6: We're all driven, I mean, I think that's where we connected. 469 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:45,200 Speaker 6: Was there our own insecurities in a business that you're 470 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:47,680 Speaker 6: only as good as your last book, your last ratings. 471 00:24:48,359 --> 00:24:51,680 Speaker 6: And the great line of management and radio is so 472 00:24:51,800 --> 00:24:53,640 Speaker 6: what have you done for me lately? Or the other 473 00:24:54,320 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 6: slogan is when win or when you know, and he 474 00:24:58,960 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 6: was a winner. 475 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:03,120 Speaker 1: As ali Burg Star continued to grow, his public profile 476 00:25:03,240 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 1: expanded with it, especially around Denver, where he swiftly became 477 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:11,560 Speaker 1: one of the city's most recognizable media personalities. It certainly 478 00:25:11,600 --> 00:25:14,880 Speaker 1: didn't hurt that his physical appearance was just as distinct 479 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:18,120 Speaker 1: as his disposition on the air, With his gray bull 480 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,760 Speaker 1: hair style, an array of stylish suits and shoes, and 481 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:26,120 Speaker 1: an uncontrollable display of physical ticks and mannerisms, it didn't 482 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 1: take long for alan Berg to get noticed in public 483 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:32,200 Speaker 1: around Denver, and that's typically when things got interesting. 484 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 6: True story, we're in a place that was owned by 485 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,960 Speaker 6: a guy named Joel Barron, and it was called the 486 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:41,479 Speaker 6: tally Ho as a prime rib joint. And I can 487 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:45,360 Speaker 6: see into the bar and here comes this woman. She's 488 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:49,160 Speaker 6: bee lining oh man, here it goes. And I don't 489 00:25:49,200 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 6: think she's bee lining me. I think she's bee lining him. 490 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:55,280 Speaker 6: And right behind her comes her husband. This guy's used 491 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:57,080 Speaker 6: you guys, a gorilla. I don't know correct. He's not 492 00:25:57,160 --> 00:26:00,880 Speaker 6: a fighter, and he's gonna get and we had I'm 493 00:26:00,960 --> 00:26:03,240 Speaker 6: drinking and there's this true starres a wine bottle on 494 00:26:03,280 --> 00:26:05,000 Speaker 6: the floor and I grab it by the neck, said 495 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,480 Speaker 6: I if I have to hit this guy, I'm gonna 496 00:26:07,520 --> 00:26:08,960 Speaker 6: hit him. I'm not gonn let him beat alan up. 497 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 6: And she gets to the table and she starts up 498 00:26:11,760 --> 00:26:13,800 Speaker 6: on him with her finger, and the guy's right behind her. 499 00:26:13,920 --> 00:26:18,840 Speaker 6: Guy's big me and here we go, and so you 500 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:21,359 Speaker 6: have to understand. He goes, sir, sorry, he's talking over 501 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:24,400 Speaker 6: her shoulder, sir, and he's got a cigarette going. I'm 502 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 6: thinking he's got the balls of an elephant. And I'm 503 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,200 Speaker 6: thinking we're gonna get a fight with this guy. And 504 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:34,640 Speaker 6: he says, sir, what do you do for a living? 505 00:26:35,000 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 6: I think guy was like a block format or has 506 00:26:36,800 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 6: I'm gonna do with laying bricks? All right, here's what 507 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:40,760 Speaker 6: we're gonna know. You can order my house tomorrow and 508 00:26:40,800 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 6: lay brick and I'll talk to your wife. And any 509 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:46,960 Speaker 6: guy does this, watch again. I'm sure they're drinking. He 510 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:48,600 Speaker 6: takes the old lady and leads her back to the bar, 511 00:26:48,640 --> 00:26:51,159 Speaker 6: and I'm going I'm looking at him like people can 512 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:53,760 Speaker 6: whistle down dogs and stuff, And I'm going like, how 513 00:26:53,840 --> 00:26:56,440 Speaker 6: did you do that? And I think and he said no, no, 514 00:26:56,680 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 6: I'm fine, okay, but I thought for sure we're going 515 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:04,040 Speaker 6: upside down. I'm looked at him, going how'd you do that? 516 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 6: It was him, he could do it. 517 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 1: Alan Berg seemed to have attained a new kind of celebrity. 518 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:13,480 Speaker 1: He wasn't an actor or a musician, but he was 519 00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:18,199 Speaker 1: definitely an entertainer, a local figure with national exposure who 520 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:22,600 Speaker 1: is as prominent and influential as any politician. And bear 521 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 1: in mind, this is pre influencer, pre social media, pre internet. 522 00:27:27,240 --> 00:27:30,280 Speaker 1: How this is pre cable and alan Berg was starting 523 00:27:30,280 --> 00:27:33,360 Speaker 1: to get a whole lot of attention, much of it positive. 524 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: I think you're the most obnoxious, disgusting, infuriating commentator and 525 00:27:38,280 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: sometimes You're rude and inconsiderate, and I very seldom disagree 526 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:42,359 Speaker 1: with you. 527 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,840 Speaker 3: But I really agree that I love to hear you 528 00:27:45,920 --> 00:27:46,800 Speaker 3: disagree with people. 529 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:50,760 Speaker 4: And that's very very well said. I didn't like the 530 00:27:50,840 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 4: first part. The last part I that was therithmic. Alan. 531 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 5: Yeah, I just wanted to call and tell you that, Masami, 532 00:28:00,760 --> 00:28:01,119 Speaker 5: you are my. 533 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 4: Favorite person next to President of Reaguan. I'm your favorite person. 534 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 4: That's hard to put together in one head, that Reagan 535 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 4: would be your favorite and I would be your second favorite. Now, 536 00:28:10,280 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 4: how did you come to that conclusion? 537 00:28:12,680 --> 00:28:15,960 Speaker 3: Well, I've listened to your show every day. 538 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:18,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, but you don't get to listen to Reagan every day. 539 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:21,160 Speaker 4: I should have an edge you're spending that much time 540 00:28:21,240 --> 00:28:22,840 Speaker 4: with me. I think I should definitely be first and 541 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 4: he should be second. 542 00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:26,120 Speaker 1: But a lot of the attention being heaped on Alan 543 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 1: Berg as he elevated his on air profile could be 544 00:28:29,080 --> 00:28:33,119 Speaker 1: negative and very angry, which for a complex person like 545 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:35,240 Speaker 1: Alan could be difficult at times. 546 00:28:35,280 --> 00:28:37,400 Speaker 4: No, I agree with you. There are times I jump 547 00:28:37,520 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 4: calls and I very much abuse them at times, and 548 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 4: it's something I do recognize as one of my true families, 549 00:28:43,080 --> 00:28:43,680 Speaker 4: no question. 550 00:28:44,120 --> 00:28:47,240 Speaker 1: And often Alan Berg got himself into the most trouble 551 00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:48,800 Speaker 1: by talking about women. 552 00:28:53,960 --> 00:28:59,040 Speaker 3: I love talking about women, breastfeeding in public. That was 553 00:28:59,120 --> 00:29:02,240 Speaker 3: always a tough time of it. Women and Google Go 554 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 3: Go Boots. You love women in Go Go Boots. 555 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 8: I think you do. 556 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:07,400 Speaker 4: You like your sex life to be much more adventurous. 557 00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:09,120 Speaker 5: And here's this rather predictable. 558 00:29:12,160 --> 00:29:14,240 Speaker 4: He does pretty much the same way with the same 559 00:29:14,280 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 4: anous But I'll know it's time. How would you put 560 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 4: the paint bridge down? I'd like to get started now 561 00:29:21,040 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 4: because I have an early appointment. 562 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 3: I have a day. 563 00:29:24,960 --> 00:29:28,440 Speaker 1: H that's next time on live Wire, The Loud Life 564 00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 1: and Shocking Murder of Alan Berg. Live Wire is a 565 00:29:35,680 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 1: production of iHeart Podcasts and Modulator Media. For more podcasts 566 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:45,720 Speaker 1: from iHeart Podcasts, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or 567 00:29:45,760 --> 00:29:47,560 Speaker 1: wherever you get your podcasts.