Palm Springs
Personalities
Part 2 of 3
Today we continue my
interview with Palm Springs celebrity and KNews Radio's Bulldog Bill Feingold: http://www.943knews.com/.

Palm
Springs Guru asks: Bill Feingold in college
Bill replies: I
started my college years by attending the University of Miami in Florida. I
earned good grades. I rode a motorbike and I had an afro style haircut.
Later, I transferred to
Hofstra. I graduated in 1972 with a degree in American History. I wanted to be
a teacher.
I did not necessarily want
to go to Hofstra. My mother said if you transfer it has to be close to home. I
did not know I had other options; I transferred to Hofstra.
The Viet Nam war was going
on during my college years. I was an active, not violent, protester. Every
male, at age 18, was required, by federal law, to register for the US military
draft.
Today, we have an
all-volunteer Army. During Viet Nam young men were being drafted into the Army
and a lot of them sent into combat. You waited to see what your draft number
required of you. My draft number was not called; I was not drafted into the
military.
In 1971, during college, I
was a student teacher I worked in the city in what we called “a bad
neighborhood”. The students did not like or respect teachers. Truancy was a big
problem. Students did attend my classes. They liked me; they respected my and
they did not damage my car.
I liked teaching.
Palm
Springs Guru asks: Bill Feingold the working years.
Bill replies: One day,
I woke up and said “I’m going to be a stockbroker.” I did not know anything
about the business. I did not let that fact stop me. I worked as a stock broker
for 17 years. I worked for three firms. There were major changes in buying and
selling stocks during those 17 years, I started in the days before the
Internet, eTrade and Scottrade. Every buy/sell was handled by a stockbroker.
During those years, I
traveled from New York to Los Angeles, on weekends and holidays. I had three
friends who were terminally ill. My friends needed full time care; I made the
commitment to be there, for them, on my weekends and holidays. I was there when they needed a care giver;
that’s what friends do.
Travel was expensive and
time consuming. I decided to move to LA.
I continued to work as a
stockbroker. My LA day started early because of the New York Stock Exchange
hours. However, my work day ended at 1 PM.
I lived at the Burton Plaza
in LA. It was owned by an Orthodox Jewish family. They came to know me, like me
and respect me. In fact, they hired me to manage the 135-unit apartment
complex. I accepted with the understanding that the job was supposed to last
six months; I was there seven years. During those seven years I made the
building one, big happy family.
There was a weekend guy; the
weekend manager but, the residents did not like him. I could not enjoy the
weekend sunshine or the Plaza swimming pool. The residents kept coming to me,
on the weekends to report their dripping faucets, plugged toilets, etc. The
reports went on and on; I never got a day off. I needed to get out of town.
Palm
Springs Guru asks: Bill Feingold arrives in Palm Springs, California.
Bill replies: Palm
Springs was my getaway destination. Driving from LA to Palm Springs was,
usually, an acceptable commute. I bought my condo 14 years ago; I used it as my
getaway place.
I found I was getting to the
point where I did not want to return to LA. I decided to move to Palm Springs.
I was never that fond of LA; I love Palm Springs.
I want to acknowledge two
people who have helped me with my success in Palm Springs. They are Gary Stone
and Marshall Gilbert. Both men are known to the K-News
listeners. Both are and widely regarded and respected in Palm Springs.
My radio career started,
with K-News, as a stand in for Gary or Marshall.
I was somewhat surprised to
learn that people liked my voice. I don’t like it but my listeners do and
that’s what is important in radio.
K-News offered me a
Saturday, one-hour show. There was not a salary connected with the show. I prepared
tons of material; I was ready! My material lasted maybe 15 minutes. I knew that
dead air is not a good thing. I had to do something; I started talking with the
guy in the control booth. His name is Kevin Holmes. We clicked; the listeners
enjoyed our conversations. Kevin and I have been friends ever since. Kevin is a
great asset to the show; we are a great team.
You can read Part
3 of 3;
tomorrow
Tune in to the Bill Feingold show,
featuring Kevin Holmes, weekdays on KNews Radio, 94.3 FM & 970 AM. The show
is on the air from 6 AM to 9AM. More KNews information at http://www.943knews.com/
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