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Photo by Krista Husa
How a West
Bloomfield
runner
stumbled into
becoming host
ofIVI)ON
radio's "Katz
"When you're in retail, you're dealing
with the public," said Katz, who's been
in the lumber business for 26 years. "I'm
loose. I'm easy. I'm adaptable."
Though he enjoyed doing informa-
tive radio spots more than a decade ago,
Katz had no plans for re-entering the
scene until he stumbled upon WPON.
His wife, Andi, and daughters Emily,
13, and Carly, 11, are still warming up
to his Cousin Brucie image. The family
is affiliated with Temple Kol Ami in
West Bloomfield.
An avid runner for a quarter of a cen-
tury, Katz begins his ritual at 4:30 a.m.
every day except Wednesdays, which he
reserves for conducting his radio show.
In more recent years he has focused his
running on charitable goals by joining
the team-in-training for Marathon
Strides Against Multiple Sclerosis.
It's been only weeks since Cousin
Brucie spun his first do-op tune at
WPON and already he's begun to act as
a fill-in for other time slots. But Katz
shrugs off any suggestions that hint at
DJ-ing full time.
"I'm out there to have fun, share the
music and enjoy myself," he said. ❑
/ -2
/—
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ust°.
Framing
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gum oldies and interjecting talk centered
on current events, weather, news, and of
course, good ol' nostalgia. "At that hour,
the expressways are packed with people,"
said Fotion. "We get 20 to .40 calls in
any given hour for requests, so we have a
good size audience out there."
Listeners range from aging baby
boomers reminiscing about a simpler era
to 20-somethings yearning to embrace a
less-complicated way of life.
"We have information, music, every-
thing," said Fotion. "You're never bored
here."
Katz may be a novice when it comes
to playing tunes across the airwaves, but
he certainly isn't a newcomer to radio.
Having grown up in the family-owned
lumber business that got its start on
John R Road in Madison Heights, Katz
proved to be a natural host for informa-
tive home improvement shows more
than a decade ago.
The third-generation entrepreneur
made his radio debut in the early '80s
on Garden City-based WCAR-1090
AM, hosting a weekly, one-hour show
for a year. He then spent a couple of
years making guest appearances on
Southfield-based WXYT-1270 AM,
occasionally filling in for Glenn Haege,
America's Master Handyman.
N ome Accessories
Bruce Katz is the newest Jewish per-
sonality to air his talents on radio sta-
tion WPON AM 1460, but he's not
the only one.
Rabbi Herschel Finman of Oak
Park is in his second year as host of
The Jewish Hour," which is broadcast
from 3 to 4 p.m. on Fridays.
Following Finrnan on Friday's 4 to
5 p.m. time slot is Rochelle Rosenthal
of Birmingham, who began hosting
her own "Spotlight on Musicals" six
months ago.
A veteran of the radio scene, Valerie
Hilsen of Bloornfidd Township has
been spinning tunes and interviewing
celebrities at the Bloomfield Hills stu-
dio on "Valerie's As You Like It" for an
entire decade. She recently celebrated
her 40th year in radio. You can catch
her show from 11 a.m.-noon on
Wednesdays.
In a show aimed at seniors,
Bloomfield Hills resident Ike
Engelbaum furnishes listeners with tips
for the golden years on "The Bright
Side of Aging,' airing 11:30 a.m.-noon
on Tuesdays. The former pharmacist is
enjoying his second year on the air.
Several radio personalities who got
their start at the talk 'n' oldies station
have since taken their shows to syndi-
cation.
— Rena Fulka
6635 Orchard Lake Road at Maple • Old Orchard Shopping Center • 626.6313
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8/28
1998
Detroit Jewish News
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