About
Leslie Marshall
Leslie
Marshall is no newcomer
to the world of talk radio;
she has been a radio talk host
for over 20 years and a political
pundit on national television
for the past seven. Leslie was
the youngest person ever to
be nationally syndicated on
radio when she replaced Tom
Snyder on the ABC Satellite
Radio Network in 1992. She was
also the first woman to host
an issues oriented program nationwide.
Originally
from Boston, Leslie earned
her undergraduate degree from
Northeastern University and
attended Emerson College’s
Master’s Program.
She started
her broadcasting career as
a radio news reporter at WBSM
in New Bedford, Massachusetts;
an hour outside of Boston.
Hoping to move into television,
Leslie took her news skills
to Miami, Florida. While there,
she started working at various
stations; covering news, traffic,
weather and even some disc
jockey work.
One night,
when hosting an overnight
nostalgic music program on
WFTL, Leslie did a special
“Rememberance”
hour in which Veterans called
in with their experiences.
It was that night that Leslie
was discovered by a Program
Director at the talk station
across town. He phoned her,
and told she might have missed
her calling….
After anchoring,
reporting and hosting music
programs, she decided to give
talk radio a try… and
after one show, she was hooked!
Leslie started her talk radio
career at WNWS in Miami where
she remained for 3 years.
When WNWS
was sold and changed formats,
Leslie’s chose to host
mid-days at WGR Newsradio
in Buffalo, New York. Although
Leslie only spent one year
in Buffalo, the audience considered
her a native and she felt
a connection to the people
in that community rather quickly.
In just two ratings books,
Leslie beat the ratings of
the unbeatable Rush Limbaugh.
Time Magazine even mentioned
her success that year.
Having such
strong ratings, Leslie was
sought after in the top ten
radio markets. Leslie left
Buffalo for Houston, Texas
where she hosted middays again
and, beat Mr Limbaugh again;
but this time, it only took
one ratings book.
All this time the network
had been watching Leslie and
in 1992 she got her chance.
The ABC Satellite Radio Network/Daynet,
offered Leslie national syndication,
making her the youngest person
ever syndicated in talk radio
at the time. And she had some
big shoes to fill….Mr
Tom Snyder’s. Leslie’s
program was was heard on over
200 stations nationwide for
3 years.
After 3 years
the network disbanded and
Leslie went to work for WLS/FM
in Chicago, hosting an afternoon
drive talk show and keeping
in the ABC radio family. When
the OJ Simpson trial ended,
WLS-FM flipped to a music
format, so Leslie decided
to join her love of nearly
8 years, move to San Francisco
and get married. Leslie approached
the ABC talk station there,
KGO, and they were happy to
bring her on board. In addition
to having a weekend show at
KGO; she was also the regular
bench person for their full
time weekday lineup. She had
a full time program of her
own middays at KHTK in Sacramento
as well and started doing
television on such programs
as: Bay Talk on KRON, the
local NBC affiliate. Leslie
remained on these stations
for two years until Chicago
came calling again. It was
time for her to return to
the windy city. This time,
she was paired in a team,
worked in the evenings and
joined the staff of WLS AM
remaining there for nearly
3 years.
Long distance
love is tough, but even tougher
on a marriage; so when Leslie’s
husband was offered a position
in Los Angeles, she joined
him. Once in L.A., Leslie
hosted talk shows on KFI,
KLSX and KABC radio and was
signed to KLAC, KFI’s
sister station at it’s
inception. KLAC remained a
talk station for 2 years and
Leslie hosted an evening talk
show for that time. By this
time, she got tired of moving
and decided to stay in Los
Angeles.
While waiting
for a new radio gig to come
along, Leslie debated conservatives
throughout the country on
national television. She has
been seen on programs such
as: “The O’Reilly
Factor,” “Hannity
& Colmes” and “Your
World with Neil Cavuto”
on Fox News Channel; “Scarborough
Country” on MSNBC, “Showbiz
Tonight” on CNN, “Kudlow
& Company” on CNBC
and “Headliners and
Legends:Halle Berry.”
At the time, Leslie was a
regular on the Fox News Channel
debating her conservative
buddy, radio talk host Mark
Williams every Wednesday morning
on Fox News Channel for 2
years. She also was a regular
member of the varsity panel
on the former “Dennis
Miller Show” on CNBC.
Leslie also
lent her talents to the pen;
having been published in:
“The Buffalo News,”
“The Houston Chronicle,”
“The Metromedia News,”
“Talkers Magazine,”
and “The National Association
of Radio Talk Show Hosts Newsletters.”
Being in Los
Angeles and having done both
acting and stand up comedy
in the past on both coasts,
Leslie was a natural for television;
even if it meant playing a
character rather than debating
politics. Leslie’s talents
were used on shows such as:
“NYPD Blue,” “Seventh
Heaven,” “General
Hospital,” “Passions,”
“Port Charles,”
“Philly,” “What
Should You Do?” on Lifetime
and “Take Two: Living
the Movies on USA, which she
co-starred on with Heidi Fleiss
the former Hollywood Madam.
Leslie also can be seen in
the following films: “A
Mexican Werewolf,” “Life,
Death and Mini Golf,”
“Last Word,” “The
Route,” “Room
302,” and others.
Once again
radio came knocking and when
50,000 watt powerhouse WWKB
was flipping to a progressive
format, they wanted Leslie.
Leslie hosted middays on WWKB’s
new progressive station “The
New Voice, The New Choice”
for one year, helping to get
it’s progressive feet
off the ground.
Months
later in 2007, Leslie was
syndicated for a second time
by Talk USA. Her program is
heard nationwide Monday through
Friday, 7-10pm eastern/4-7pm
pacific. And, she is still
heard on that powerhouse WWKB
along with many other affiliates.
Leslie can
also be heard filling in for
such greats as Alan Colmes
on the Fox Radio Network and
Jim Bohannon on The Westwood
One Radio Network. And yes,
you can still see Leslie on
national television; whether
it be Fox News Channel, CNBC,
MSNBC or CNN. She is also
a much sought after public
speaker and does occasional
speaking engagements.
Leslie broadcasts
in Los Angeles, where she
lives with her husband, their
two children and their cat.
Her passions (in addition
to talk radio!) include travel,
spending time with friends
and shopping of course!!!
You can find
out where Leslie is appearing,
to invite her to your speaking
engagement, or to discuss
sponsorship of the program,
please go to her website:
www.lesliemarshallshow.com