CONTROVERSIAL CONSERVATIVE COMMENTATOR
∗ Born February 10, 1964 in Everett, Washington; raised in locations around the state
∗ Landed first radio job at age 13 – by winning a local contest; worked part-time at three stations before graduating from Sehome High School in Bellingham; hired at age 18 at KAYK, an adult contemporary station in Provo, Utah; left after six months, moving in 1983 to Top 40 powerhouse WPGC in Washington, DC, where he met his first wife Claire
∗ Experienced the usual pattern of hirings and firings typical of Top 40 radio stations – including stints in Corpus Christi, Texas; Louisville, Kentucky; Phoenix; Houston; Baltimore; New Haven, Connecticut
∗ Hired in 1987 by KOY-FM Phoenix to host Y-95’s Morning Zoo program; teamed with Tim Hattrick (later of Tim & Willy fame); joined briefly in 1988 by radio novice Jessica Hahn, recently famous for her involvement in sex scandal with televangelist Jim Bakker; performed zany antics, publicity-seeking stunts and outrageous gags that characterized the Morning Zoo template (which is decidedly nonpolitical); acquired personal reputation for super competitiveness, arrogance, aggression, and playing dirty tricks – on and off the air; resigned from Y-95 after controversial on-air call to wife of rival and former friend Bruce Kelly of KZZP, mocking her recent miscarriage
∗ Divorced in 1994; admitted to drug and alcohol abuse; credits Alcoholics Anonymous for helping him become sober
∗ Began in 1996 to include political topics in his Top 40 program, despite management’s wishes; as a compromise, was given talk show on a sister station in New Haven; moved to WABC New York in 1998, leaving Top 40 behind to become a full-time talk radio host
∗ Began telling a life story about overcoming mother’s suicide, brother’s suicide, chronic drug use, mental illness and medical problems – though some accuse him of embellishing the truth or outright fabrication to make a more compelling “redemption” story; known for crying on the air, which some say is also contrived; developed bombastic right-wing persona; known for promoting conspiracy theories often with religious references; despite success, alienated many with what critics called mean-spirited antics, inflammatory statements, questionable facts, and shameless self-promotion
∗ Married second wife Tania in 1999, and joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
∗ Moved in 2000 to WFLA in Tampa, Florida where his talk show becomes top-rated; given syndication deal to broadcast program to other radio stations; moved home base to WPHT Philadelphia in 2002; by late 2005, program heard on more than 200 stations; injected Morning Zoo wackiness into talk radio format to enhance entertainment value of political discussion; delights in provocation, often offending conservatives and liberals alike
∗ Founded Mercury Radio Arts multimedia production company in 2002, which produced content for radio, TV, publishing, the stage and the Internet; organized “Glenn Beck’s Rally for America” in 2003 to support U.S. troops in Iraq; event draws 25,000 people
∗ Added television to his growing media empire with talk show on CNN Headline News channel from 2006 to 2008; hired away by Fox News Channel in 2009; by January 2010, program draws 3 million viewers a night – the most watched cable news program
∗ Won Marconi Radio Award in 2008 for network syndicated personality of the year; selected as one of the “Ten Most Fascinating People of 2009” on Barbara Walters TV special; chosen as one of Time magazine’s top 100 most influential people in 2010 and 2011; appeared in Forbes magazine’s “Celebrity 100” list of top earners and influencers for the first time in 2009 (#81) with estimated annual income of $10 million from radio, $5 million from books, $3 million from website, $2.5 million from personal appearances, $2 million from TV, $500,000 from speeches; by 2014 his estimated income is $90 million a year and is ranked #39, highest among political talk radio personalities
∗ Organized the 9-12 project in 2009, with the goal “to bring us all back to the place we were on September 12, 2001” when Americans stood together against terrorism; built around nine principles and 12 values; spawned local chapters around the country; organized “Restore Honor To America” rally in 2010 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC on 47th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I Have A Dream” speech; held “Restoring Courage” rally in Jerusalem a year later; founded non-profit organization Mercury One in 2011, which provides financial support for disaster relief, veterans, education and Israel by selling clothing apparel
∗ Left Fox News in 2011 and launched GBTV (Glenn Beck Television), a two-hour Internet TV show available by subscription only; generated $40 million in its first year with more than 300,000 subscribers; merged GBTV into his website, The Blaze, in 2012, creating a single branded platform for his projects and other original programming; from Dallas, it currently broadcasts his radio and TV programs and shows by other hosts; was available from more than 100 TV/cable providers as well as the Dish Network satellite service, but recently suffered distribution and financial problems; laid off 20 percent of his workforce in 2016
∗ Launched “Liberty Treehouse” TV series for children in 2012; launched History House TV series in 2014 “telling long-forgotten American stories” of love and courage, hope and faith
∗ Published The Real America: Messages from the Heart and Heartland in 2003, followed by 11 other non-fiction books and four audiobooks through 2018; published two children’s books: The Christmas Sweater: A Picture Book (2009) and The Snow Angel (2011); published five fiction books
∗ Tours American cities twice a year (since 2005) with a one-man stage show that mixes stand-up comedy and inspirational speaking
∗ Refused to support Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, resulting in lost fans and death threats; announced in 2018 he would vote for Trump in 2020
∗ Heard locally Sunday through Friday nights on KFYI radio
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