(October 23, 2003) Only 116 broadcasters have been inducted into radio's Hall of Fame. On November 6, LA Radio veteran talk show host Michael Jackson joins the distinguished group. “I got a note today that you've got two minutes to speak at the induction,” Michael told KABC's Brian Whitman in a multi-subject hour last Sunday night. “They do a nationwide broadcast of an hour with Larry King as the host and then you get much more time to say many more things and have fun. I don't know if you speak of the past, how the industry has changed, or what America has done for me.” 

Michael said he won't have anything written out for his speech. “I think it will depend on the tenor of the speeches before me. I've always been lucky. A microphone galvanizes me. I can be nervous, but put the microphone in front of me and it does the same as a camera on television, except I'm better looking on radio.” Highlights from the Whitman-Jackson interview:  

“All I know is that every radio station I've been on, I've been top rated at that station and completely sold out commercially.”

“A very large percentage of sponsors will not touch Rush Limbaugh because he's so one-sided.”

“A man walked up to me a recent LARadio.com event and said, ‘I'd hire you in a minute if you were conservative.' I said, ‘But you'd hire me? I said why are you in radio.' He responded, ‘To get ratings and earn money.' I said, ‘I do.' He said, ‘Now you're being logical' and the conversation ended.”

“I feel pity for Rush. He has an ailment. He's an addict.”

“I voted against the recall because I think it is a perversion of our democracy – representative government. I didn't vote for anyone.”

“I miss hearing the great brains from law schools on Talk radio. I don't hear that anymore.”

“Talk radio is more a medium for the host than for the listener.”

“Ten years ago you couldn't talk about a competitor. In those days we were so very protective.”

“Rush won't lose any audience and he'll overcome his problem, but he certainly won't in 30 days unless you're a miracle man. I'm ready to take him on.”

“I'd like to see the combo of Gebhardt and Clark, but that could change.”

“I love Costco. Four hundred and eighteen rolls of toilet paper. Sort of grotesque. Love the logic. I don't need so many pounds of grapes, but that many pounds of grapes cost what one pound of grapes cost someplace else.”
“I've had a great run. South Pacific ran for five years. I've run for half a century.”
“I'm ready to return now and I might have a few surprises coming up very soon.”