Larry Elder

Laurence Allen "Larry" Elder (born April 27, 1952) aka "the Sage from South Central" is an American libertarian-minded Republican radio and former TV talk show host and author whose The Larry Elder Show is nationally syndicated on ABC Radio Networks. The show broadcasts live from 6-9 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday. Elder has been on Talk Radio 790 KABC in Los Angeles, California since 1994. Although Elder describes himself as a libertarian, he became a Republican in May, 2003, citing concern on the Libertarian Party's view on foreign policy, and particularly its opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which Elder resolutely supported. Melding the two, he sometimes refers to himself as a "Republitarian".

Biography

Born and raised in what was then known as South Central Los Angeles, Elder graduated from Crenshaw High School and earned his B.A. in Political Science in 1974 from Brown University. He then earned his J.D. from University of Michigan Law School in 1977. After graduation, he worked with a large law firm in Cleveland, Ohio, where he practiced litigation. In 1980, he founded "Laurence A. Elder and Associates," a business specializing in recruiting experienced attorneys, while simultaneously hosting a television show in Cleveland, first on PBS, then on the local Fox Network affiliate.

Career

Between 2000-2001, Elder hosted the television show, Moral Court, distributed by Warner Brothers Television. In September 2003 he began the television version of The Larry Elder Show, which was dropped in April 12, 2005 due to low ratings. Elder was profiled by 60 Minutes and 20/20 and served as replacement for Geraldo Rivera on CNBC’s Rivera Live while Rivera was on vacation. He was a host of the PBS program National Desk, including the segment, "Redefining Racism: Fresh Voices From Black America," for which he won an AEGIS Award of Excellence, a Telly award, and a Emerald City Gold Award of Excellence. Elder also won a Los Angeles Area Emmy Award in 2000 for his KCAL-TV News Special, Making Waves - LAUSD. He has played himself on the sitcoms Spin City and The Hughleys. Elder's newspaper and online column is carried by Investor's Business Daily, World Net Daily, Townhall.com, Jewish World Review and David Horowitz's Front Page Magazine and The Atlasphere.

In the last hour of his show on Fridays, Elder has a contest called "The Eagle-Eared Elderado Exam", in which callers have to get all four soundbites from the recent week correctly. Winners have a choice of getting one of two books The Ten Things You Can't Say in America, Showdown: Confronting Bias, Lies, and the Special Interests that Divide America, or his DVD, Michael & Me. Elder jokes that he charges postage to the winners who are members of the Democratic Party.

After "The Eagle-Eared Elderado Exam," Elder's mother, Viola, used to be on the show. Elder described her as "The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court," and called her "toots." He also had her guess the soundbites from "The Eagle-Eared Elderado Exam." Viola Elder passed away on June 12, 2006 at the age of 81.

DVD

Elder recently created a self-financed DVD called Michael & Me, in which he repudiates filmmaker Michael Moore's anti-gun politics and his assertions in Moore's controversial documentary, Bowling for Columbine.

Controversies

Because of his opposition to affirmative action and other traditional approaches to problems regarding race, some African Americans have accused Elder of being "anti-Black." When a group called Talking Drum Community Forum tried to force Elder off the air, the ACLU and David Horowitz came to his defense. A piece of hate mail Elder showed to John Stossel in his on-air interview said, "You are not good enough to kiss the ass of a dead rat."

He has ridiculed African American elected officials such as Maxine Waters, whom he calls "Kerosene Maxine", blaming her for the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

Among Elder's political views are support for free trade and school choice. He opposes the income tax and supports replacing it with a national sales tax. He is also a firm opponent of the war on drugs.

Books

The Ten Things You Can't Say in America ISBN 0312284659
Showdown: Confronting Bias, Lies, and the Special Interests that Divide America ISBN 0312320175

Video

Redefining racism : fresh voices from black America which "Probes the deep chasm between black and white Americans and the increasing hostility towards whites felt by a vast number of African-Americans"
Title IX And Women In Sports What's Wrong With This Picture? Whidbey Island Films
Michael & Me (2005)

External links

Larry Elder's Official Web Site
Michael & Me DVD page
Larry Elder at Jewish World Review
Larry Elder at World Net Daily
Larry Elder at FrontPageMag.com
gun laws have made the state safer."
"Elder Statesman", interview in Reason with Nick Gillespie and Steve Kurtz