Michael Krasny (talk show host)
Michael Jay Krasny (born September 22, 1944) is an American radio host and professor who is currently the host of Forum, a news and public affairs program on San Francisco public radio station KQED-FM covering current events, politics, and culture. Krasny has served as the host of Forum since 1993.[1] Additionally, Krasny is currently a professor of English literature at San Francisco State University.
Michael Krasny | |
---|---|
Krasny in 2008 | |
Born | Michael Jay Krasny September 22, 1944 Cleveland, Ohio, United States |
Children | 2 |
Career | |
Show | Forum |
Station(s) | KQED-FM, Sirius |
Time slot | Monday–Thursday, 9:00-11:00 a.m. (Pacific) |
Style | Presenter |
Country | United States |
Previous show(s) | KTIM (FM) - Beyond the Hot Tub - KGO (AM) - Nightfocus KRON-TV - Take Issue NPR - Talk of the Nation |
Early life
Born in Cleveland and raised in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Krasny is a second-generation American whose grandparents immigrated from Russia and Lithuania and grew up in a Jewish household.[2][3]
Michael is among the outstanding graduates of Cleveland Heights High School (class of 1962) featured in the book Every Tiger Has a Tale.[4] Despite his intellectual reputation today, Krasny admits to having had a "bad boy" reputation while growing up in Cleveland Heights.[5]
Career
In the late 1970s, Krasny hosted a weekly Marin County talk show called "Beyond the Hot Tub" on low-power rock radio station KTIM-FM.[6][7] He went on to host a popular radio program on KGO (AM) from 1984 to December 1992.[8] He became the host of Forum in 1993, expanding the focus of the program to more national themes.[9] On November 9, 2020, Krasny announced that he will retire from Forum on February 15, 2021.[10]
Krasny is a professor of English at San Francisco State University where he has taught primarily American literature since 1970.[1] He received his B.A. cum laude in 1966 and M.A. in 1967 from Ohio University, where he attended the Honors College and became a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He holds a Ph.D. in 20th century American literature from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.[1]
Krasny is a widely published scholar, critic and fiction writer. He has also worked widely as a facilitator and host in the corporate sector and as a moderator for nonprofit events.[1]
Personal life
Krasny is a long-time resident of Greenbrae, California.[6] SFSU Online Magazine reports that Krasny's wife is an attorney and an alumna of San Francisco State University, and that Krasny has two daughters.[11]
In his 2010 book, Spiritual Envy, Krasny revealed that he became agnostic later in life.[2]
Bibliography
- Krasny, Michael (2007). Off Mike: A Memoir of Talk Radio and Literary Life. Stanford General Books. ISBN 978-0-8047-5671-6.
- Krasny, Michael (2010). Spiritual Envy: An Agnostic's Quest. New World Library. ISBN 978-1-57731-912-2.
- Krasny, Michael (2016). Let There Be Laughter: A Treasury of Great Jewish Humor and What It All Means. HarperColins. ISBN 9780062422057.
References
- "KQED Radio Staff: Michael Krasny". KQED. Archived from the original on 2007-10-20. Retrieved 2007-11-25.
- "The quest for faith: Michael Krasnys new book details life as an agnostic". JWeekly: The Jewish News of Northern California. November 19, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- Aschenbrand, Periel (February 24, 2017). "The Chosen Ones: An Interview With Michael Krasny". Tablet. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
- Stromberg, Gary (2009-03-11). Every Tiger has a Tale: Generations of grads from a Cleveland area high school share their amazing life stories. Bloomington, Indiana: iUniverse. pp. 89–97. ISBN 978-1-4401-2748-9.
- Fresh Dialogues interview with Alison van Diggelen, April 2009/
- Liberatore, Paul (2007-10-22). "Krasny: The thinking person's talk host". Marin Independent Journal. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
- Selvin, Joel (2003-02-11). "A Voice of Calm Amid the Chatter: Ever erudite, Michael Krasny marks his 10 years as a KQED talk-show host". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2007-11-25.
- Woodward, Keith (25 September 2006). "KGO History - Some Events of the Past Decade". Archived from the original on 22 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-25.
- Krasny, Michael (21 November 2007). "Michael Krasny Talks 'Off Mike'". Forum (Interview: Audio). Interviewed by Cynthia Gorney. KQED-FM. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
- Zimmerman, Douglas (November 9, 2020). "Broadcaster Michael Krasny announces retirement from KQED". SF Gate. San Francisco. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
- Griffin, Ellen (Fall–Winter 2003). "Michael Krasny: Reading, Writing and Radio". SFSU Magazine. Archived from the original on 2004-09-04. Retrieved 2014-07-01.