Michael Savage Turns 80: Radio Legend Reflects on Career, Family, and Achieving the American Dream

Savage Premium Subscription

NEWSMAX:

Dr. Michael Savage has been a colossus astride the American political scene since 1994, when he rode from the ashes of an academic career curtailed by liberalism’s edict, “white males need not apply.” They did him a favor. They did America a favor, too. Today he is 80 years old. On the radio 26 years, most of that time nationally syndicated, he has for a little over a year now been doing a podcast. He is also a regular on Newsmax TV. He has navigated the treacherous path of partisan politics, but also the brave new world of social media, which has changed drastically in just over a decade. He is an innovator who has innovated — and succeeded. “Just this morning I read that some unknown podcasters that I’ve never heard of had Donald Trump on, and they had 5 million views in 24 hours, on a little podcast I never heard of,” says Dr. Savage. “So Trump was on my podcast and we got the normal 250 to 400,000 downloads, which is very significant for a serious podcast, but what I’m saying Steve, 5 million views in 24 hours from prank video manufacturers, and this is where the politicians are all going, from Donald Trump to Zelenskyy. “I started in radio in ‘94 when radio was a very hot medium, and I set the Bay Area on fire, with insights, my staccato delivery, and my ‘take no prisoners’ attitude,” he continues. “So everything has changed . . . There’s no such thing as an independent voice anymore in the media. So everyone’s walking around looking over their shoulder, myself included.” Dr. Savage really has only himself to look to when it comes to these changes. He says he does not wish to compare himself to the Peter Finch character in “Network,” then does just that. “I remember when I was on KSFO, I was on like from four to seven p.m., and in the winter it would get dark early, and I would say, ‘If you’re listening to this show flash your lights on and off to let others know you’re listening to Michael Savage.” The freeways lit up. Dr. Savage says he actually likes podcasting more than live radio, although he misses the feedback of a live audience. He got into the business because in New York he talked to people on the streets, but in the Bay Area “they’d stare at you in that dumb Bay Area stare.” So he started his own discussion on the air.

Read more at Newsmax

BREITBART:

In an exclusive interview with Breitbart News on his 80th birthday, conservative radio talk show legend and #1 New York Times best-selling author Michael Savage reflects on his over two-decade media career and opens up about what it’s like to have achieved the American dream—from being the son of a Russian immigrant to becoming one of America’s most influential political voices, to being the proud father of a top food and beverage business mogul.

JOSH CAPLAN: You began your career over two decades ago as a local radio host at San Francisco’s KGO and climbed the ranks to become not only one of the most powerful voices in the conservative media, but one of the most powerful in all of American politics. You channeled that power to even help elect Donald Trump to the White House in 2016. Reflecting on your incredible career, how do you feel about your accomplishments?

MICHAEL SAVAGE: I don’t think about it, and you may not believe it, but I don’t receive the amount of feedback that you’d think. In 1994, I started in radio and I held a compassionate conservative event at the Marin Center with thousands of people. I went on to create the Paul Revere Society, and I had to think about what we stand for. I said we stand for a stronger nation, which is defined by borders, language, and culture. That has become my legacy issue.

I also wrote a book called Liberalism Is a Mental Disorder and the thesis of the book is true. How do liberals not know what a woman is? Do they not know what a border is for America, but they’re willing to risk a world war for the borders, language, and culture for Ukraine? Everything they do is the mark of someone on medication who is crazy. And they declare us to be the enemy.

But my career is not all political. My work with plants is another side of me that is unknown to the general public. I wrote a book years ago entitled Secrets of Fijian Medicine. The book is based on tons of research about the Fijian islands. I spent time there picking medicinal plants and working with folk healers. It sounds dry and boring, but these could be the source of future medicines for mankind. I’m going to reissue this book for my birthday on Kindle.

READ THE FULL INTERVIEW AT BREITBART