Saturday, August 1, 2015

The Lap (A.K.A. Mike Broomhead)

As I walked into the I♥Radio Broadcast Headquarters in Phoenix, AZ, the massive array of logos provided a smattering of shock and awe.  I was there that day to interview Arizona's premier morning radio show host, Mike Broomhead.  He occupies the 6am-10am time slot on 550 KFYI (small factoid: KFYI means that the the station is on the west side of the country and the rest is For Your Information).
I got to sit in Broomhead's seat.

Believe it or not, Broomhead did not start out in the radio business.  He does not have a journalism or a communications degree.  He started out as a blue collar construction worker. Furthermore, he wasn't even a conservative growing up! Now please hold your cries of "sacrilege" to a minimum.

He was raised in a liberal household by a single mother, who faced the daunting task of rearing three young men into gentlemen. His uncles were your typical Mid-western, blue collar Democrats.  They worked as dock loaders and were card carrying Teamsters. However, a change occurred he was a teenager.  His family collectively realized that the only way to get ahead was to work hard and earn it.  No one was gonna give it to them.  This statement evolved into his personal work ethic.  "I always try to be the best at what I'm doing," he said. "I am completely average. Average height, average build, average looks, average intellect, there is nothing about me that isn't average.  The only thing I have going for me is work ethic."

His interest in radio started back in his construction days, and ultimately lead to him being a frequent caller. After his brother, an Army Sergeant, died in Iraq, he became more outspoken for veterans' issues. This led him to multiple speaking engagements.  After a while doing small work for, at the time, Clear Channel Radio, he was made a host.  Shortly thereafter, because of his hard work, a representative of Glenn Beck, a nationally syndicated radio host, approached him and asked if he would like to audition to be an occasional fill-in for Glenn Beck on his show.  At first he thought that this was a prank... that someone was yanking his chain!  But he made a few calls and was thoroughly blown away to hear that the offer was legit.  So Broomhead became a backup host for the Glenn Beck Show.


Because of his exposure to the public, he has often been asked if he will run for political office. Unfortunately, "Absolutely no" is his answer.  "I would rather talk to the voters than the politicians right now," he said.  Arizona, it is safe to say that we will have him around on the air for a while.

Finally, my last topic in the interview was his legacy. So I posed the question to him, "What legacy do you want to leave behind for your children and grandchildren?"

He uttered a soft groan as he leaned back in his chair.  "Ahh...You know, my grandfather was the biggest influence on me growing up.  My dad was an absent father even when my parents were married," Broomhead reflected. "So I remember there was a moment when I was watching TV with my grandson and he was sitting on my lap.  It was a very real moment when I realized that 'oh my god - I'm the lap!'  I used to sit on my grandfather's lap (and) now I'm the lap!"

Being the lap is a huge responsibility because it is the lap who inspires and provides wisdom to the kid... "In 20 years my three year old grandson will be either in college, looking for a job, or in the military.  What evil is he going to have to fight because we didn't?" he wondered.

One of the things that he most impressed upon me was that he was deeply religious. Everything he is, has, and is able to do, he attributes to God.  His story shows how, even with the odds stacked against you, with God on your six anything is possible.

Mike Broomhead was very generous and gracious during our interview
As we walked out of the building my mom started asking some pointed questions about the interview. Overall my impression of him is that he is a honorable, god fearing man.  He obviously cares deeply for his family and nation.  If you haven't heard his show, I highly recommend you do.  Tune in to 550 KFYI and judge for yourself.