Tom Barnard

Tom Barnard (born November 7, 1951) is a radio talk show host and former voice-over talent. He is currently the host of "The KQ92 Morning Show" broadcasted in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

Personal

Barnard was born in Long Prairie, Minnesota and raised in North Minneapolis. He and his wife Kathryn Brandt live with their two children in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Barnard also maintains a second home in Florida.

Barnard has been overweight for several years. Recently he began a regular exercise regimen to lose weight. Since starting it, he has lost nearly 100 pounds. Barnard occasionally discusses his long bike rides around various parts of the Twin Cities area.

Career

Before coming to KQRS, Barnard worked at numerous stations including WDGY and KSTP (as "The Catman"). For most of the 1980s, Barnard was the booth announcer for KSTP-TV.

Barnard, and then-partner Dan Culhane, started the "Tom and Dan" show in 1986 featuring sports reports from WCCO-TV sports anchor Mark Rosen. At one point, the team of Barnard and Culhane spearheaded a write-in campaign to elect Rosen For Governor of Minnesota.Fact|date=May 2008 Culhane and Rosen were eventually pushed out of the broadcast in a succession of personnel moves.Fact|date=May 2008

Barnard is very reclusive, refusing virtually all media interviews and rarely making public appearances. He himself sometimes broadcasts from his home in Florida, however this is not alluded to on the show. [cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/featuredColumns/15668827.html|title=Star Tribune columnist C.J.'s comments on Barnard's broadcasts from Florida|accessdate=2008-05-09] With the recent introduction of the podcasting technology, the show has reached national and international audiences. Regardless of the growth in his show's market, Barnard continuously assures listeners that "The Morning Show" will maintain its focus on the news, weather, sports and traffic of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.Fact|date=May 2008

Although he is semi-retired from voice-over work, he can currently be heard in radio ads for Home Depot. For many years Barnard's voice was heard in various markets, introducing shows and appearing on commercials.

Controversial statements

Over the years, Barnard has come under fire for his comments over race and politics. [cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/tv/11497536.html|title=Barnard's controversial statements over the years|accessdate=2008-05-09]

*In June 1998, members of the Somali community protested outside KQRS over Barnard and the morning show's mocking of Somali dialects after a Somali cabdriver was slain. [cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/local/11592181.html|title=Barnard and the Somali community|accessdate=2008-05-09]

*In November 1998, Minnesota's Hmong community were angered when Barnard and his co-hosts ridiculed a teenage Hmong girl who was charged with killing her newborn son. [cite web|url=http://www.mndaily.com/daily/1998/10/21/world_nation/wn1.ap/|title= KQRS morning show host addresses racial controversy]

*During the 2002 Minnesota Senate Race, Barnard stated he hates Paul Wellstone and wishes he would "drop dead" while interviewing Norm Coleman. [cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/tv/11497536.html|title=Barnard's controversial statements over the years|accessdate=2008-05-09] After Wellstone was killed in a plane crash, he later apologized.

Awards

Barnard won the 2006 Marconi award for Large Market Personality of the Year. [cite web|url=http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Press_Releases1&CONTENTID=5019&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm|title=Large Market Personality of the Year|accessdate=2008-05-09] The Marconi awards recognize excellence in radio broadcasting.

References

External links

* [http://www.92kqrs.com/morningshow.asp KQRS Morning Show] (official site)
* [http://www.radiotapes.com Radiotapes.com] Aircheck samples of Tom Barnard's radio career including WDGY-AM as "Catman," KQRS "Cat and Kincaid" and additional current airchecks from the KQRS Morning Show.