Friends, Fans Give Neil Boortz A Happy Ending

Rodney Ho photos

Talker Neil Boortz signs-off his regular syndicated show this Friday and over the weekend a sold-out audience paid tribute.

He will be replaced by former presidential candidate Herman Cain.

According to Rodney Ho at ajc.com,  Boortz didn’t delve into politics Saturday at his sold-out farewell party at the Fox Theatre, rather, he absorbed gentle ribbing and kind words from his friends, reminisced about his favorite pranks and jokes he played on his colleagues and thanked his staff and late sidekick Royal Marshall, who died unexpectedly two years ago.

“I loved that man more than anybody I’m not related to,” Boortz said. “I would sit in a room with him in the studio during a news break. He’d be carrying on and raising hell. I’d look at him and think, ‘Damn, I just love him.’ I never said it. You know how much I’d like to be able to say that to him now.”

He said as a Southerner, he faced difficulty getting stations outside of the region to take his show. Boortz’ program is now heard on more than 230 stations, though he continues to get more love from the South.

Foxworthy used to sub in for Boortz on his show but said he was “too nice.” Foxworthy did a 20-minute comedy set that with a few light zingers toward Boortz, who over the past three years has worked more from his home studio in Naples than Atlanta.

“I don’t know why Neal is retiring,” Foxworthy told the audience. “He sits in his house drinking coffee and talking on the phone for four hours every morning. You throw on a robe and a pack of Virginia Slims and he’s my mother-in-law!”

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