Al Rantel
Encyclopedia
Al Rantel is a conservative
talk show
host. Rantel's most recent contract was with KABC radio, Los Angeles
, California
(he retired for medical reasons in June, 2009). Rantel is unusual in being an outspoken conservative who is openly
gay
. He worked in Florida
for many years prior to moving to KABC, and has appeared as a pundit on television news and discussion programs. Rantel received the opportunity to work in Los Angeles at radio station KABC due to the encouragement of another East Coast transplanted talk host, Tom Leykis
. Rantel previously worked for Los Angeles station KNX
and Florida stations WINZ, WNWS, and WFTL.
and adages, many of which are his own. Soundbites are rarely used, and bumper music
is marginalized; segments sometimes begin with the word "all right", the time, or a linkage to the words of the continuity announcer. On the two Friday programs, different bumper music is used; Rantel calls the music clip "the Friday announcement." As a non-syndicated local radio personality, Rantel has a unique manner of announcing his broadcast station, KABC (he formerly elongated the letter "K" and currently inserts the phrase "real radio, live and local").
Rantel has also been known to do vocal imitations of various people. He frequently does so when criticizing statements of George W. Bush
on illegal immigration
. In return, Brian Whitman
does a dead-on impression of Rantel whenever he is a guest on Rantel's program.
On December 11, 2008, it was announced that Larry Elder would be leaving KABC and Rantel would move to Elder's 3 to 7 pm time slot. On February 2, 2009, his show would move to the 6 to 11 pm time slot so that Mark Levin
could be heard live from 3 to 6 pm.
After ten years behind the microphone at KABC, Al Rantel broadcast his final show on Thursday evening, June 25, 2009. He bid the station and his listeners a very fond and heartfelt farewell after sharing about the months following a serious slip and fall accident and what is to come for him in the future.
KABC's Programming Director David G. Hall shared in a statement that "It feels like Al's been at KABC forever, when actually it’s been ten years. In that time, Al has done or been a part of virtually every shift on KABC. He has developed a huge and extremely loyal following... To say Al will be very missed... is a big understatement."
KABC's General Manager Ben Hoberman said, "Al Rantel, simply put, is a Rock Star. He has single handedly kept KABC in the L.A. spotlight for the past 10+ years... We all hope Al has a quick and healthy recovery. Al Rantel is a Hall of Fame Broadcaster and should always be recognized as that. All of our collective hats are off to Al Rantel."
Since 2010 Rantel has hosted KABC's "Real Estate Radio," a 1 hour infomercial broadcast on Saturdays.
with British talkSport
host Mike Mendoza
(despite the fact that Mendoza has compared homosexuality to pedophilia
) and often conversing with conservative author Ann Coulter
. When Coulter appears, she usually does so in the first segment of the evening program. Democratic strategist Bob Mulholland
, Republican strategist Michael Wissot, public-relations guru Michael Levine, and columnists John Leboutillier
and Gustavo Arellano often appear on the program; former California governors Jerry Brown
, Gray Davis
, and Pete Wilson
have made occasional appearances. Despite the numerous appearances of conservatives such as Ann Coulter, the program often features guests with very different opinions than the host. In addition, many guests are authors or leaders of a particular organization.
On the morning program, Newsmax Media
writers often appear to discuss various issues with Rantel. Prior to February 27, 2006, his evening show usually ended with a brief conversation with Mr. KABC
; this tradition ended with the expanded syndication of Mark Levin
on KABC
and WABC
.
During the California recall election, Rantel referred to then-Governor Gray Davis as "Governor Lowbeam." He has since not described Davis by that name; Rantel has also remarked that he respects Davis as a former statesman and values his commentary.
When Rantel is absent, Carol Platt Liebau
, Rob Nelson or a KABC colleague hosts the program. Rantel, for his part, occasionally hosted The Larry Elder Show
when Elder was absent.
. He is distinctively critical of what he perceives to be political correctness
, very supportive of Israel
, and irritated by antisemitism, outsourcing
of tech support, excessive body weight, and certain statements of Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante
and Madeleine Albright
. Primarily in regard to differences with the Bush administration over illegal immigration issues, Rantel was noticeably at odds with specific policies of George W. Bush
and Republican members of Congress
.
. Among political talk radio
personalities, KABC colleague Tammy Bruce
(who is also openly gay) has a somewhat comparable perspective.
and undergoing chemotherapy
for it. Al's fill-in host Tammy Bruce
also made the same announcement in her segment of the show.
On May 27, 2008, Al Rantel returned to the air on KABC.
Rantel suffered another health emergency in August 2008 when he slipped and fell in the parking structure of his apartment building, necessitating hip and shoulder replacement. After yet another extended hiatus from the airways, on Wednesday, June 24, 2009, it was announced, Al would be retiring from KABC at his doctor's request. On Doug McIntyre
's morning show, Al shared that he would be moving temporarily to Vancouver, BC, Canada, to rest and recuperate.
groups by coordinating live broadcasts on college campuses in Southern California
. He was formerly an Advisory Board member of the Bruin Alumni Association
, resigning after expressing displeasure with the direction of the group.
On the night of the 2008 presidential election, Rantel announced that he had voted for Democrat Barack Obama
citing his anger with the Republican party and its nominee John McCain
as the reason for doing so. Shortly after the announcement, fellow KABC
talk show host Larry Elder
has referred to Rantel as one half of the Marx Brothers
stating that he believed Rantel didn't believe in the conservative principles he professed and that, by voting for Obama, he had more Marxist leanings.
, which reportedly planned some public protests.
American conservatism
Conservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
talk show
Talk show
A talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
host. Rantel's most recent contract was with KABC radio, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
(he retired for medical reasons in June, 2009). Rantel is unusual in being an outspoken conservative who is openly
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
. He worked in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
for many years prior to moving to KABC, and has appeared as a pundit on television news and discussion programs. Rantel received the opportunity to work in Los Angeles at radio station KABC due to the encouragement of another East Coast transplanted talk host, Tom Leykis
Tom Leykis
Thomas Joseph Leykis is an American radio personality. He currently hosts The Tasting Room with Tom Leykis, a weekly lifestyle program dealing with fine food and drink, airing weekends mainly in West Coast markets...
. Rantel previously worked for Los Angeles station KNX
KNX (AM)
KNX is an all-news radio station in Los Angeles, California, USA. The station operates on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio. KNX broadcasts from facilities shared with sister stations KFWB, KCBS-FM, KTWV, and KAMP on Los Angeles' Miracle Mile...
and Florida stations WINZ, WNWS, and WFTL.
Show characteristics
Rantel has characterized his program with several trademarks: live on-the-spot promotions of products and services (unusual in talk radio), frequent presentation of unusual and unknown news stories, and citation of analogiesAnalogy
Analogy is a cognitive process of transferring information or meaning from a particular subject to another particular subject , and a linguistic expression corresponding to such a process...
and adages, many of which are his own. Soundbites are rarely used, and bumper music
Bumper music
Bumper music, or a bump, is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to refer to short clips of signature or theme music used to buffer transitions between programming elements. Bumper music is commonly employed when a syndicated program takes a break for local station identification or...
is marginalized; segments sometimes begin with the word "all right", the time, or a linkage to the words of the continuity announcer. On the two Friday programs, different bumper music is used; Rantel calls the music clip "the Friday announcement." As a non-syndicated local radio personality, Rantel has a unique manner of announcing his broadcast station, KABC (he formerly elongated the letter "K" and currently inserts the phrase "real radio, live and local").
Rantel has also been known to do vocal imitations of various people. He frequently does so when criticizing statements of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
on illegal immigration
Illegal immigration to the United States
An illegal immigrant in the United States is an alien who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa....
. In return, Brian Whitman
Brian Whitman
Brian David Whitman is an American talk radio host and voice impressionist. Whitman was born on Staten Island, New York and graduated from Wagner College in May 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science....
does a dead-on impression of Rantel whenever he is a guest on Rantel's program.
On December 11, 2008, it was announced that Larry Elder would be leaving KABC and Rantel would move to Elder's 3 to 7 pm time slot. On February 2, 2009, his show would move to the 6 to 11 pm time slot so that Mark Levin
Mark Levin
Mark Reed Levin is a lawyer, author and the host of American syndicated radio show The Mark Levin Show. Levin served in the cabinet of President Ronald Reagan and was a chief of staff for Attorney General Edwin Meese...
could be heard live from 3 to 6 pm.
After ten years behind the microphone at KABC, Al Rantel broadcast his final show on Thursday evening, June 25, 2009. He bid the station and his listeners a very fond and heartfelt farewell after sharing about the months following a serious slip and fall accident and what is to come for him in the future.
KABC's Programming Director David G. Hall shared in a statement that "It feels like Al's been at KABC forever, when actually it’s been ten years. In that time, Al has done or been a part of virtually every shift on KABC. He has developed a huge and extremely loyal following... To say Al will be very missed... is a big understatement."
KABC's General Manager Ben Hoberman said, "Al Rantel, simply put, is a Rock Star. He has single handedly kept KABC in the L.A. spotlight for the past 10+ years... We all hope Al has a quick and healthy recovery. Al Rantel is a Hall of Fame Broadcaster and should always be recognized as that. All of our collective hats are off to Al Rantel."
Since 2010 Rantel has hosted KABC's "Real Estate Radio," a 1 hour infomercial broadcast on Saturdays.
Guests
Rantel frequently features guests on his program, coordinating a weekly simulcastSimulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
with British talkSport
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
host Mike Mendoza
Mike Mendoza
Michael David Mendoza is a British radio presenter and politician best known for the overnight shows he presented on talkSPORT between 2004 and 2008, initially on weeknights before being moved to weekends in 2006...
(despite the fact that Mendoza has compared homosexuality to pedophilia
Pedophilia
As a medical diagnosis, pedophilia is defined as a psychiatric disorder in adults or late adolescents typically characterized by a primary or exclusive sexual interest in prepubescent children...
) and often conversing with conservative author Ann Coulter
Ann Coulter
Ann Hart Coulter is an American lawyer, conservative social and political commentator, author, and syndicated columnist. She frequently appears on television, radio, and as a speaker at public events and private events...
. When Coulter appears, she usually does so in the first segment of the evening program. Democratic strategist Bob Mulholland
Bob Mulholland
Bob Mulholland is a California based political activist. He was a senior advisor to the California Democratic Party from 1991 to 2010.He is married to Jane Dolan, who served from 1979 to 2011 as Butte County Supervisor of the second district in California....
, Republican strategist Michael Wissot, public-relations guru Michael Levine, and columnists John Leboutillier
John LeBoutillier
John LeBoutillier is an American political columnist, pundit, and former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from New York.-Education:...
and Gustavo Arellano often appear on the program; former California governors Jerry Brown
Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown, Jr. is an American politician. Brown served as the 34th Governor of California , and is currently serving as the 39th California Governor...
, Gray Davis
Gray Davis
Joseph Graham "Gray" Davis, Jr. is an American Democratic politician who served as California's 37th Governor from 1999 until being recalled in 2003...
, and Pete Wilson
Pete Wilson
Peter Barton "Pete" Wilson is an American politician from California. Wilson, a Republican, served as the 36th Governor of California , the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that included eight years as a United States Senator , eleven years as Mayor of San Diego and...
have made occasional appearances. Despite the numerous appearances of conservatives such as Ann Coulter, the program often features guests with very different opinions than the host. In addition, many guests are authors or leaders of a particular organization.
On the morning program, Newsmax Media
NewsMax Media
Newsmax Media is a conservative American news media organization founded by Christopher W. Ruddy and based in West Palm Beach, Florida. It operates the news website Newsmax.com and publishes Newsmax Magazine.Christopher W...
writers often appear to discuss various issues with Rantel. Prior to February 27, 2006, his evening show usually ended with a brief conversation with Mr. KABC
Mr. KABC
Marc Germain , previously known as Mr. KFI, Mr. KABC or simply Mr. K, is an American radio talk show host, formerly broadcasting from Los Angeles, California. Now a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, he can be heard nationwide on Doug McIntyre's Red Eye Radio on Saturday night/Sunday morning, in...
; this tradition ended with the expanded syndication of Mark Levin
Mark Levin
Mark Reed Levin is a lawyer, author and the host of American syndicated radio show The Mark Levin Show. Levin served in the cabinet of President Ronald Reagan and was a chief of staff for Attorney General Edwin Meese...
on KABC
KABC (AM)
KABC is a Los Angeles radio station, and a West Coast flagship station for the Cumulus Media company. A pioneer of the talk radio format, the station went "all-talk" in 1960 and was one of the first stations to do so...
and WABC
WABC (AM)
WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
.
During the California recall election, Rantel referred to then-Governor Gray Davis as "Governor Lowbeam." He has since not described Davis by that name; Rantel has also remarked that he respects Davis as a former statesman and values his commentary.
When Rantel is absent, Carol Platt Liebau
Carol Platt Liebau
Carol Platt Liebau is an attorney, political analyst and social conservative commentator based near Los Angeles. Her book Prude: How the Sex-Obsessed Culture Damages Girls was published by Hachette Book Group in 2007...
, Rob Nelson or a KABC colleague hosts the program. Rantel, for his part, occasionally hosted The Larry Elder Show
Larry Elder
Laurence Allen "Larry" Elder is an American radio and television personality. His radio program The Larry Elder Show airs weekdays 9 AM to noon on talk radio 790 KABC in Los Angeles, California...
when Elder was absent.
Political views
Rantel is clearly a political conservative on issues such as the role of the Judicial Branch and taxes. He is known to be a strong supporter of the policies and presidency of Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. He is distinctively critical of what he perceives to be political correctness
Politically Correct
Politically Correct may refer to:*Political correctness, language, ideas, policies, or behaviour seeking to minimize offence to groups of people-See also:*Politically Correct Bedtime Stories, book by James Finn Garner, published in 1994...
, very supportive of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, and irritated by antisemitism, outsourcing
Outsourcing
Outsourcing is the process of contracting a business function to someone else.-Overview:The term outsourcing is used inconsistently but usually involves the contracting out of a business function - commonly one previously performed in-house - to an external provider...
of tech support, excessive body weight, and certain statements of Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante
Cruz Bustamante
Cruz Miguel Bustamante is an American politician. He was the 45th Lieutenant Governor of California, a former Speaker of the State Assembly and a member of the Democratic Party...
and Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Korbelová Albright is the first woman to become a United States Secretary of State. She was appointed by U.S. President Bill Clinton on December 5, 1996, and was unanimously confirmed by a U.S. Senate vote of 99–0...
. Primarily in regard to differences with the Bush administration over illegal immigration issues, Rantel was noticeably at odds with specific policies of George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Republican members of Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
.
On same-sex marriage
Rantel has been critical of same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
. Among political talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
personalities, KABC colleague Tammy Bruce
Tammy Bruce
Tammy Bruce is an American radio host, author, and political commentator. Her nationally-syndicated talk show, The Tammy Bruce Show, airs live weekdays from 11am-1pm Pacific time online via ....
(who is also openly gay) has a somewhat comparable perspective.
Health issues
On Jan 23, 2008, Larry Elder read a statement from Al Rantel on the air at 6:30 PM announcing to his listeners that he has been diagnosed with lymphomaLymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
and undergoing chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
for it. Al's fill-in host Tammy Bruce
Tammy Bruce
Tammy Bruce is an American radio host, author, and political commentator. Her nationally-syndicated talk show, The Tammy Bruce Show, airs live weekdays from 11am-1pm Pacific time online via ....
also made the same announcement in her segment of the show.
On May 27, 2008, Al Rantel returned to the air on KABC.
Rantel suffered another health emergency in August 2008 when he slipped and fell in the parking structure of his apartment building, necessitating hip and shoulder replacement. After yet another extended hiatus from the airways, on Wednesday, June 24, 2009, it was announced, Al would be retiring from KABC at his doctor's request. On Doug McIntyre
Doug McIntyre
Doug McIntyre is the host of "Talking the News" on 77 WABC New York City , the lead-in morning drive show before "Imus in the Morning." He also hosts the four-hour radio talk show "Doug McIntyre's Red Eye Radio", syndicated across the United States on Cumulus Media Networks, and is the page one...
's morning show, Al shared that he would be moving temporarily to Vancouver, BC, Canada, to rest and recuperate.
Other information
Rantel had supported College RepublicanCollege Republicans
The College Republican National Committee is a national organization for college and university students who support the Republican Party of the United States...
groups by coordinating live broadcasts on college campuses in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
. He was formerly an Advisory Board member of the Bruin Alumni Association
Bruin Alumni Association
The Bruin Alumni Association is a conservative group for alumni of University of California, Los Angeles. It has no official affiliation with the University of California or the official UCLA Alumni Association...
, resigning after expressing displeasure with the direction of the group.
On the night of the 2008 presidential election, Rantel announced that he had voted for Democrat Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
citing his anger with the Republican party and its nominee John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
as the reason for doing so. Shortly after the announcement, fellow KABC
KABC (AM)
KABC is a Los Angeles radio station, and a West Coast flagship station for the Cumulus Media company. A pioneer of the talk radio format, the station went "all-talk" in 1960 and was one of the first stations to do so...
talk show host Larry Elder
Larry Elder
Laurence Allen "Larry" Elder is an American radio and television personality. His radio program The Larry Elder Show airs weekdays 9 AM to noon on talk radio 790 KABC in Los Angeles, California...
has referred to Rantel as one half of the Marx Brothers
Marx Brothers
The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act, originally from New York City, that enjoyed success in Vaudeville, Broadway, and motion pictures from the early 1900s to around 1950...
stating that he believed Rantel didn't believe in the conservative principles he professed and that, by voting for Obama, he had more Marxist leanings.
Controversy
During a discussion on US airport security on September 10, 2007, Rantel allegedly said that if his mother had to take her shoes off during a security screening, "... then why shouldn’t a Sikh be required to take off the hat that looks like a diaper ...?" The alleged remark angered the Sikh communitySikhism in the United States
Sikhism was the first religion from India to settle in America during 19th century. Since then, Sikhs have become a part of American history, with Bhagat Singh Thind being the first Sikh to be recruited in the American military, and Dalip Singh Saund being the first Asian American member of the...
, which reportedly planned some public protests.
Television appearance transcripts
- Politically Incorrect - November 28, 2000
- Talkback Live - June 14, 2002
- Showbiz Tonight - March 1, 2005
- Showbiz Tonight - July 20, 2005
- Life & Times - May 11, 2006
- Life & Times - September 14, 2006