Dramane Sinayoko's podcast · Dramane Sinayoko

Thank You, Geoff Rich: Dr. Laura Pays Tribute to Our Friend, Leader and Creative Force

·28 min·2 clips

Jeff Rich flew 3,000 miles to tell Dr. Laura no, but her enthusiasm changed his mind instantly.

Dr. Laura Schlesinger opens the episode by announcing the passing of her dear friend and business partner Jeff Rich. She describes his death as poetic, occurring after he attended a theater play with his wife, which shifted her initial anger to peace. Dr. Laura explains how their relationship began over 30 years ago when Jeff Rich, a music syndicator, was persuaded by colleagues to listen to her radio show on KFI AM 640 in Los Angeles. After ignoring tapes for months, his assistant listened and was captivated, prompting him to fly from New York to Los Angeles to politely decline syndicating her. However, upon meeting Dr. Laura in the hallway, her enthusiasm changed his mind, and he started with two stations. The episode includes a tape from about a dozen years ago where Jeff Rich appears on air with Dr. Laura. In the tape, they discuss stories from her early syndication days, including a 1994 incident in Detroit where a station manager complained after she used graphic language to describe sexual intercourse on air. Another story involves a Dallas station manager asking her not to say 'penis' during her debut week, which she deliberately ignored by reading a medical study about male enhancements. Dr. Laura reflects on Jeff Rich's character, noting his loyalty, intellect, and skills in chess, piano, and golf. She shares that they talked every day at 6 a.m. Pacific time for over 20 years, covering topics from business to his reading about historical weather patterns. She emphasizes his gentle yet firm personality and how he never made enemies. Dr. Laura concludes by expressing gratitude for their partnership, choosing to focus on her luck rather than grief, and invites listeners to call in with questions.

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