CAL PERFORMANCES PRESENTS ABOUT THE ARTIST
Friday, April , , pm the eight years he spent teaching, Michael recalls Zellerbach Hall only that “it was an English class, and we spoke it.” But he did use the classroom to perfect a free- fl ow, off -the-cuff style of communication that would later inspire Th e Wall Street Journal to dub him “Th e King of Small-Talk Radio.” Michael Feldman’s Tired of correcting student papers, he aban- doned teaching. He drove a cab and became a Whad’Ya Know? volunteer DJ on Madison’s WORT-FM, hosting Th anks for Calling, a program which he describes as “a call-in for the bedridden, the elderly and the CAST undatable.” Feldman’s ability to put his audience Michael Feldman Host/Executive Producer in a feel-good, relaxed mood led WORT-FM to give him his own show, Th e Breakfast Special, Jim Packard Announcer which was broadcast live from a greasy spoon John Th ulin Piano called Dolly’s Fine Foods fi ve mornings a week. Jeff Hamann Bass Feldman moved to Wisconsin Public Radio in and began Whad’Ya Know?. Th e show Clyde Stubblefi eld Drums immediately attracted both critical acclaim and a loyal coast-to-coast audience. Subsequently, he Michael Feldman, the star of the topical radio wrote “highly praised and widely ignored” books: CREW call-in quiz show, Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya the autobiographical Whad’Ya Know?, published Lyle Anderson Production Assistant Know?, is an American original. A -year over- in ; Whad’Ya Knowledge? published in ; Sarah Carroll Show Manager night sensation, his program is carried by and in Th anks for the Memos, a compila- Public Radio International affi liates and has a tion of actual memos sent in by his listeners. Stephen Colón Technical Director measured weekly audience of . million loyal Feldman’s book Wisconsin Curiosities was released Diana Cook Researcher fans. in Fall . Th e book, written with Whad’Ya Judith Heise Kovalic Marketing Director Most of what Michael Feldman has to say he Know? Researcher Diana Cook and released by expresses in a laconic monologue or short comic Globe Pequot Press, covers all the quirky char- Emily Horne Production Assistant asides and dizzingly fast repartée with guests and acters, roadside oddities and other off beat stuff Rick Kirkpatrick Broadcast Mix Engineer show colleagues. Th e youngest of four brothers you’ll fi nd in Wisconsin. In the early s, Feld- Kelley Osborne Researcher (two are physicians and one is an attorney), Mi- man released a CD series with Nimbus Records chael credits his family with fi ne-tuning his sense entitled Whad’Ya Know? About the Classics. In Curt Sorensen PA Engineer of the world and his ability to express it briefl y. , Feldman released a best-of compilation, Todd Witter Producer He says his dad “always gave me the kind of in- Why Not: Th e Best of Whad’Ya Know?; in , sightful fatherly advice that took him years of ex- he released a best-of compilation titled Road Kill, perience and wisdom to learn, but often only a featuring selected material from the more than Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know? is produced by Wisconsin Public Radio few seconds to tell me.” shows Whad’Ya Know? has produced “on the and broadcast each week by more than Public Radio International affi liates Feldman made his radio debut in , when road.” In , Feldman released a music CD with a weekly audience of . million listeners. his winning entry in an essay contest earned him with long-time collaborator John Sieger. Her Find more information on the web at www.notmuch.com. an appearance on a radio program in Milwaukee. Country: Th e Songs of Michael Feldman comprise Whad’Ya Know? National Program Sponsor: Boca Foods During the show he dedicated the song, “What Feldman’s lyrics and Sieger’s music as performed Kind of Fool Am I?” to the owners of the Mil- by Sieger and Th e Skeletons. Feldman’s latest Support for Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know is provided by the Boca Foods Company, waukee Braves, who were in the process of for- project, a book titled Something I Said? Innuendo makers of meatless products with soy protein. Boca Burgers, along with Boca Meatless Chik’n saking Milwaukee for Atlanta. Th e only thing he and Out the Other, was released in on Uni- patties & nuggets, Chili and ground burger are available in the frozen section of your grocery store. remembers from the experience is that “the host versity of Wisconsin Press. Recipes and more are on the web at Bocafoods dot com. Boca—Chow Proudly! told me that I talked too much.” Other major Michael Feldman productions, With a bachelor’s degree in English from in partnership with his wife Sandy, include what Th is performance is made possible, in part, by the generous support of the members of the Cal Performances Producers Circle and Friends of Cal Performances. the University of Wisconsin and “realizing that he believes to be his fi nest work: two daughters: I was not qualifi ed for anything,” he went back Ellie, born in , and Nora, born in . Cal Performances thanks our Centennial Season Sponsor, Wells Fargo. to school in for teacher’s certifi cation. Of
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