Editing Neal Boortz (section)

== Careers ==
===Law school and radio===
[[File:Neal Boortz and Sean Hannity at Hannity - Boortz event.jpg|thumb|right|Boortz and [[Sean Hannity]] in 2008]]
[[File:NealBoortz.jpg|right|thumb|Neal Boortz at a [[FairTax]] [[Demonstration (people)|Rally]] in February 2008]]
Boortz began his radio career in [[College Station, Texas]] in the 1960s at [[WTAW (AM)|WTAW]], under the name of Randy Neal, while attending [[Texas A&M University]].<ref name="bio">{{cite web|title=More Boortz Bio|work=More Boortz|publisher=Cox Radio|last=Boortz|first=Neal|url=http://boortz.com/more/bio.html|access-date=2006-03-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060302002305/http://boortz.com/more/bio.html <!--Added by H3llBot-->|archive-date=2006-03-02}}</ref><ref name="bio2">{{cite web|title=Neal Boortz Bio|publisher=Soylent Communications/nndb.com|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/531/000121168/|access-date=2007-09-06}}</ref>  In 1967, after leaving Texas, Boortz moved to Atlanta and landed a sales job. For two years he worked at [[Rich's (department store)|Rich's Department Store]], where he sold jewelry and carpeting. He later recollected that one of his customers was [[Martin Luther King Jr.]]<ref>https://www.everand.com/book/250299984/Maybe-I-Should-Just-Shut-Up-and-Go-Away-The-last-no-holds-barred-literary-gasp-part-memoir-and-part-commentary-of-a-42-year-veteran-talk-radio-A. Retrieved Nov.5, 2024.</ref> During that time, Boortz was an avid listener of [[AM 680]] WRNG (now [[WCNN]]).  The station called itself "Ring Radio," as in the ring of a telephone.  It was Atlanta's first [[talk radio]] station.  Boortz listened to morning talk show host, Herb Elfman, and soon became a [[Fan (person)|devotee]]. "Boortz bombarded Elfman with calls, reading him little scripts he'd scribbled."<ref name="devotee">{{cite magazine |url=http://www.atlantamagazine.com/features/1998/07/01/neal-boortz-have-mouth-will-talk |title=Neal Boortz: Have Mouth Will Talk |magazine=[[Atlanta (magazine)|Atlanta]] |date=July 1, 1998 |access-date=October 9, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304093700/http://www.atlantamagazine.com/features/1998/07/01/neal-boortz-have-mouth-will-talk |archive-date=March 4, 2014}}</ref>

While watching the news one evening, he heard that Elfman had committed suicide. The next morning, Boortz showed up at the front door of WRNG and announced that he was ready to take Elfman's place. Even though the management told him that "they were going to search for a 'qualified' host to take his place," Boortz was offered the role of temporary two-week replacement. In the interim, the evening host was moved to mornings and Boortz hosted the evening time slot. Two weeks later, Boortz was moved to the morning show, embarking on an Atlanta talk radio career that spanned more than forty years.<ref name="PMSB" /> Boortz honed his skills at the [[List of North American broadcast station classes#AM|tiny 1,000-watt station]], and even wrote a few speeches for then [[Governor of Georgia|Georgia Governor]] [[Lester Maddox]]. He continued working at the station until 1974, when WRNG "[[Termination of employment|dumped him]]." He was offered a job at radio station [[WGY (AM)|WGY]] in [[Schenectady, New York]], but turned the offer down to return to Atlanta and enroll in law school.
In 1974, Boortz enrolled in then-unaccredited [[John Marshall Law School (Atlanta)]] going to class in his spare time, while he and his wife Donna worked full-time loading mail trucks. Boortz credits his wife with providing "the money to keep me in law school."<ref name="devotee" /> After graduating from law school in 1977, Boortz practiced law in a solo law firm from 1977 through 1993.<ref name="faq"/> During that period, he divided his time between his law practice and work in radio. One of Boortz's clients was boxer [[Evander Holyfield]]. Holyfield later sued Boortz and other members of his management team in the aftermath of a failed [[Subaru]] [[car dealership]] investment. Boortz told [[Atlanta (magazine)|Atlanta Magazine]] "It had nothing to do with representing him as a boxer. It was settled and disappeared."<ref name="devotee" /> Some time later, in a heated on-air exchange between [[Atlanta mayor]] [[Bill Campbell (mayor)|Bill Campbell]] and Boortz, Campbell remarked on the Holyfield relationship: ''Campbell (sarcastically): By the way, Neal, Evander Holyfield sends his regards ... We talked a little about how good he's doing now and the fact he's getting ready to open up his 57,000 square-foot, $20 million home. How he's fighting for $35 million a fight. I was sorta thinking about when you were representing him. He was living in an apartment over on Lenox Road. He was fighting for about $20,000 a fight. It's sort of interesting how your great legal skills have transferred into financial well-being for Evander . ... ''<ref name="devotee" /> Boortz responded by calling mayor Campbell an "unethical [[son of a bitch]]." Boortz later remarked "It's the only time I've ever been on the air that I lost control."<ref name="devotee" /> In 1993, Boortz closed his law practice and devoted his full-time to his radio career.

=== Full-time radio career ===
While in law school, Boortz returned to work at WRNG. In 1983 he moved to the larger news-talk radio station [[WGKA|WGST]]. He later recounted how he would often go into work at his law office at 5 a.m., work there for several hours, then go to WGST, and finally back to the law office until 11:00&nbsp;p.m.<ref name="devotee" /> In 1992, Boortz asked [[WBIN (AM)|WGST]] for a raise; a salary equal to his combined income as an attorney and a radio host. When WGST refused, Boortz left. He got his raise when he signed an exclusive contract with [[AM 750]] [[WSB (AM)|WSB]] to host a weekday radio show. Shortly after that, he closed his law office. In 1995, [[Talkers Magazine]] named Boortz one of the "25 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts in America". That same year, ''Georgia Trend'' magazine added Boortz to its list of the "100 Most Powerful & Influential People in Georgia"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lp.org/lpn/9807-conv-1998-speakers.html|title=Elder, Boortz, and McWilliams round out Convention '98 line-up|access-date=2007-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070703074051/http://www.lp.org/lpn/9807-conv-1998-speakers.html|archive-date=July 3, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

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In 1999, his show became [[radio syndication|nationally syndicated]] through WSB's owner [[Cox Radio]]. The show continued to be based in Atlanta. ''The Neal Boortz Show'' featured Boortz, producers Belinda Skelton and Royal Marshall, interviews, and callers. On the air and on his website, Boortz admonished his listeners to take no heed nor place any credence in anything he said, presenting himself as merely an "entertainer."<ref name="PMSB" /> As an entertainer, Boortz was a 2002 [[NAB Marconi Radio Awards]] finalist and [[Radio & Records]] NewsTalk Personality of the Year for 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://coxradiosyndication.com/shows/boortz1.html|publisher=Cox Radio Interactive & Cox Radio|title=Neal Boortz|access-date=2006-08-16|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060810074513/http://coxradiosyndication.com/shows/boortz1.html|archive-date=2006-08-10}}</ref>

In 2007, Boortz and his radio show were awarded "Best Radio On-Air Personality" and "Best Radio Program, Any Type" by The [[Georgia Association of Broadcasters]]. He was also a recipient of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame 2007 Career Achievement Award.<ref>[http://www.grhof.com/07%20CAI%20NEAL%20BOORTZ.htm "Neal Boortz accepts his award from Pete Spriggs, WSB Program Director", www.grhof.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150610221253/http://www.grhof.com/07%20CAI%20NEAL%20BOORTZ.htm |date=June 10, 2015 }}. Retrieved 2008-12-28.</ref> The ''Neal Boortz Show'' originated from the nation's ninth largest radio market<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/$rol.exe/headline_id=b10238 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070802224028/http://news.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/$rol.exe/headline_id=b10238 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2007-08-02 |title=Atlanta Moves Ahead of DC in Fall 2007 Market Rankings|publisher=RADIO ONLINE and Arbitron|date=2007-09-20|access-date=2007-09-21}}</ref> and was ranked the sixth overall most listened to radio program in the country.<ref name="rank">{{cite web|url=http://www.talkers.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=34 |title=The Top Talk Radio Audiences |publisher=Talkers Magazine |date=2008-10-15 |access-date=2008-10-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324045418/http://www.talkers.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=34 |archive-date=2008-03-24 }}</ref> In 2008, Boortz was a finalist for the [[NAB Marconi Radio Awards|National Association of Broadcasters "Marconi Award"]] as the nation's best syndicated radio personality.  (The award went to [[Glenn Beck]]).<ref>[http://www.nab.org/xert/corpcomm/pressrel/RS2008/Marconis/08_Marconi_Network_Personality.htm "Glenn Beck Named Network/Syndicated Personality Of The Year", www.nab.org]. Retrieved 2008-12-28.  {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081107203612/http://www.nab.org/xert/corpcomm/pressrel/RS2008/Marconis/08_Marconi_Network_Personality.htm |date=November 7, 2008 }}</ref>

Boortz was inducted in the [[National Radio Hall of Fame]] in 2009.<ref>[http://www.radiohof.org/talkshowhost/nealboortz.html "Radio Hall of Fame inductees: Neal Boortz"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712011206/http://www.radiohof.org/talkshowhost/nealboortz.html |date=July 12, 2011 }}, www.radiohof.org/</ref>

Boortz retired from full-time radio work in 2013.
<ref name="Ho">{{cite web|url=https://www.ajc.com/life/radiotvtalk-blog/neal-boortz-to-provide-daily-commentaries-on-xtra-10631230/MJLJMI2GZ5CDDMLGANH43LW77U/|title=Neal Boortz to provide daily commentaries on Xtra 106.3/1230|last=Ho|first=Rodney|date=January 24, 2022|work=[[The Atlanta Journal-Constitution]]|access-date=September 18, 2022}}</ref>

=== Author ===
[[Image:Neal Boortz.jpg|thumb|left|Boortz on a book tour for ''Somebody's Gotta Say It'']]
Boortz's first foray into authorship was in 1997 with ''The Commencement Speech You Need To Hear'', in which he delivers his opinions on various topics in the form of a commencement speech he would give to new college graduates, if ever invited to do so.<ref name="tcsynth"/> His second book, entitled ''The Terrible Truth About Liberals'', was published in 1998, and contains reprinted material from his first book, along with a significant amount of new material.<ref name="ttal"/>

His third book (co-authored by Georgia Congressman [[John Linder]]) entitled ''[[The FairTax Book]]'', explains the proposal to implement a national retail sales tax in lieu of the federal income taxes, payroll taxes, estate tax, etc.<ref name="ftb">{{cite book|first=Neal|last=Boortz|author2=Linder, John|year=2006|title=[[The FairTax Book|The FairTax Book: Saying Goodbye to the Income Tax and the IRS]]|edition=Paperback|publisher=[[Regan Books]]|isbn=0-06-087549-6 }}</ref> The hardcover version held the #1 non-fiction spot on the ''[[New York Times]]'' bestseller list for the last two weeks of August 2005 and remained in the top ten for seven weeks.<ref name="bookvol">Matt Kempner, "''The FairTax Book'' author from Atlanta is pumping up volume on sales of book." ''The Atlanta Journal-Constitution'', August 20, 2005.</ref> The paperback released in May 2006 contains additional information, an afterword and several revisions of misstatements made in the hardcover edition. It also spent several weeks on the ''[[New York Times]]'' bestseller list.<ref name="bookvol"/> Boortz claims to have donated 100% of his royalties from the FairTax book to charity and has commented on his radio show that he has not made one cent from the book.<ref name="boortzbook"/> As of July 2006, Boortz claims his charitable donations from book proceeds exceed one hundred thousand US dollars.<ref name="boortzbook">{{cite web|url=http://boortz.com/nuze/200509/09202005.html|last=Boortz|first=Neal|title=Nealz Nuze|publisher=Cox Radio|date=2005-09-07|access-date=2006-08-07|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060831050128/http://boortz.com/nuze/200509/09202005.html|archive-date=2006-08-31}}</ref> 

His fourth book entitled ''Somebody's Gotta Say It'' was released on February 20, 2007,<ref name="sgsi">{{cite book|first=Neal|last=Boortz|year=2007|title=Somebody's Gotta Say It|edition=Paperback|publisher=Regan Books|isbn=978-0-06-087820-7|url=https://archive.org/details/somebodysgottasa0000boor_a0x2}}</ref> and debuted at #2 spot on the ''[[New York Times]]'' bestseller list, second only to Barack Obama's ''[[Audacity of Hope]]''.<ref name="boortzbook2">{{cite web|url=http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/accessatlanta/radiotalk/entries/2007/02/28/31_boortz_debut.html|last=Ho|first=Rodney|title=3/1: Boortz debuts at No. 2 (UPDATED)|publisher=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution|date=2005-09-07|access-date=2007-02-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070302141311/http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/accessatlanta/radiotalk/entries/2007/02/28/31_boortz_debut.html |archive-date=March 2, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> He occasionally writes columns on the Internet news/commentary site ''[[Townhall.com]]'' and other online magazines.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

His 2008 book is titled ''[[FairTax: The Truth]]''.<ref name="tftt">{{cite book|first=Neal|last=Boortz|author2=Linder, John|year=2008|title=The FairTax: The Truth|edition=Paperback|publisher=[[Regan Books]]|isbn=978-0-06-154046-2|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780061540462}}</ref> This book attempts to answer the critics of the Fair Tax proposal and claims to correct some of its myths and misrepresentations. It achieved #4 on the ''New York Times'' Best Seller list for the week of March 2, 2008 for paperback nonfiction.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

After Boortz retired from talk radio in January 21, 2013, ''Maybe I Should Just Shut Up and Go Away!'' was published in hardcover by Carpenter's Son Publishing in Franklin Tennessee.{{cn|date=September 2024}}

===Retirement===
After Boortz retired from full-time radio work in 2013, he hosted commentaries for WSB for six more years, until they were discontinued by station.<ref name="Ho"/> 

In January 2022, Boortz returned to radio part-time on [[WFOM]] (1230 AM, "Xtra 106.3" FM) in Atlanta, Georgia. Boortz pre-records "The Boortz Report", a commentary that is aired several times each weekday, and appears on the station at least once a week for live segments with the local morning hosts.<ref name="Ho"/><ref name="Radio-Online">{{cite web|url=https://news.radio-online.com/articles/c41407/Neal-Boortz-Returns-to-Atlanta-Airwaves-on-XTRA-1063|title=Neal Boortz Returns to Atlanta Airwaves on XTRA 106.3|date=January 24, 2022|work=Radio-Online.com|access-date=September 18, 2022}}</ref>