Rick Roberts (born 1954) [1] is an American conservative talk radio host who most recently hosted an afternoon show on WBAP (AM) in the Dallas/Fort Worth market. [2] [3] He was formerly on KOKC AM and later KTOK AM in Oklahoma City during morning drive, 5am to 8am. [4] According to Roberts, he has a law degree.
Born in Oklahoma City, Roberts grew up there and in Texas. [1] [5] Initially an oil and gas lease attorney, Roberts hosted seminars for other attorneys, leading to his first talk radio job around 1992 at KYGO, then at KOA in Denver. [6] [1]
From 1994 to 1995, Roberts was a host at KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri. From 1996 to 1997, Roberts hosted a talk show on KRLD in Dallas.
Roberts began the first of two stints in San Diego in 1997 on KOGO with a show dubbed the Court of Public Opinion. In 2000, Roberts joined rival KFMB, first as afternoon drive host. [1] Roberts provided extensive analysis and coverage of the murder of Danielle van Dam in 2002, [7] including "sharp questions about the activities of the slain girl's parents." [1] (Ultimately, a neighbor was convicted of van Dam's murder.) In August 2002, after proceedings from a secret court hearing relating to the case were played on the Roberts show, an assistant producer for the show was removed from court proceedings. [8]
Roberts moved to morning drive on KFMB in 2003, replacing Ted Leitner. [9] In 2009, Roberts's KFMB show was among six local conservative talk radio shows in California measured by Arbitron to have a weekly audience of more than 100,000. [10] In January 2011, Roberts returned to his former afternoon drive slot as KFMB debuted a new morning show. [11] Roberts left KFMB in December 2011 after 11 years, with Roger Hedgecock replacing his show after moving from KOGO. [12] [13] [14]
After leaving KFMB, Roberts joined Talk Radio Network as co-anchor for its America's Radio News Network program. [6] He later hosted talk shows on KKFT in Reno, Nevada and KTOK in Oklahoma City. In 2014, the Council on American-Islamic Relations highlighted comments Roberts made on his KKFT show calling on American Muslims and mosques to be placed on a "watch list." [15] [16] [17]
In January 2016, Roberts returned to Dallas to host an afternoon show on WBAP. [2] Roberts departed WBAP on or about August 2, 2023. A job posting seeking talent for the time slot appeared on the company website. [3]
Roberts has been a guest host on national shows including The Savage Nation and Red Eye Radio.
During his radio shows, he often makes a point to call out names of known sexual offenders living in the city from which he broadcast.
A monologue titled "I want my country back" has been a common theme throughout Roberts's radio career, described in 2016 by the Associated Press as "a 4½-minute rant that darts from fear of crime to outsourced jobs to political correctness." [18]
Rick Roberts (born 1954) [1] is an American conservative talk radio host who most recently hosted an afternoon show on WBAP (AM) in the Dallas/Fort Worth market. [2] [3] He was formerly on KOKC AM and later KTOK AM in Oklahoma City during morning drive, 5am to 8am. [4] According to Roberts, he has a law degree.
Born in Oklahoma City, Roberts grew up there and in Texas. [1] [5] Initially an oil and gas lease attorney, Roberts hosted seminars for other attorneys, leading to his first talk radio job around 1992 at KYGO, then at KOA in Denver. [6] [1]
From 1994 to 1995, Roberts was a host at KCMO in Kansas City, Missouri. From 1996 to 1997, Roberts hosted a talk show on KRLD in Dallas.
Roberts began the first of two stints in San Diego in 1997 on KOGO with a show dubbed the Court of Public Opinion. In 2000, Roberts joined rival KFMB, first as afternoon drive host. [1] Roberts provided extensive analysis and coverage of the murder of Danielle van Dam in 2002, [7] including "sharp questions about the activities of the slain girl's parents." [1] (Ultimately, a neighbor was convicted of van Dam's murder.) In August 2002, after proceedings from a secret court hearing relating to the case were played on the Roberts show, an assistant producer for the show was removed from court proceedings. [8]
Roberts moved to morning drive on KFMB in 2003, replacing Ted Leitner. [9] In 2009, Roberts's KFMB show was among six local conservative talk radio shows in California measured by Arbitron to have a weekly audience of more than 100,000. [10] In January 2011, Roberts returned to his former afternoon drive slot as KFMB debuted a new morning show. [11] Roberts left KFMB in December 2011 after 11 years, with Roger Hedgecock replacing his show after moving from KOGO. [12] [13] [14]
After leaving KFMB, Roberts joined Talk Radio Network as co-anchor for its America's Radio News Network program. [6] He later hosted talk shows on KKFT in Reno, Nevada and KTOK in Oklahoma City. In 2014, the Council on American-Islamic Relations highlighted comments Roberts made on his KKFT show calling on American Muslims and mosques to be placed on a "watch list." [15] [16] [17]
In January 2016, Roberts returned to Dallas to host an afternoon show on WBAP. [2] Roberts departed WBAP on or about August 2, 2023. A job posting seeking talent for the time slot appeared on the company website. [3]
Roberts has been a guest host on national shows including The Savage Nation and Red Eye Radio.
During his radio shows, he often makes a point to call out names of known sexual offenders living in the city from which he broadcast.
A monologue titled "I want my country back" has been a common theme throughout Roberts's radio career, described in 2016 by the Associated Press as "a 4½-minute rant that darts from fear of crime to outsourced jobs to political correctness." [18]