Remembering The “Unofficial Mayor of Vallejo” Rich Freedman
The great city of Vallejo lost an amazing voice and advocate with the tragic passing of my friend and media co-conspirator Richard Sheldon Freedman the day before Easter, March 30th. Rich was taken from all of us too soon by an aggressive cancer that swept him away only a few short months after being diagnosed. For his friends and fans, this news hit us like a brick in the head and we are all grappling with the hole in our hearts. Rich was one of the first local media figures I met when I began hosting The Morning Show back in November of 1999; he had begun his tenure as a reporter at The Vallejo Times Herald a few years before and we immediately struck up a respect-based relationship. Rich wrote many positive articles about my show and KUIC in general; his niece Lori talked about their family listening to the station since it went on the air back in the early 1970’s. When Rich retired from his reporting career, he began following his passion for working with and promoting local comedy shows; if it weren’t for Rich, I never would have booked the likes of Paula Poundstone, Johnny Steele and Greg Proops (just to name a few). Rich was a stalwart advocate for the City of Vallejo; he and his amazing wife Megan purchased an awesome home there (where many comedian-filled after-parties took place!) and they never missed an opportunity to extol the virtues of the area. As recently as last December, when we had our last Starbucks coffee date, Rich went on a peaceful rant about Vallejo’s nearly perfect weather: “why doesn’t the tourist bureau talk about that??? Vallejo’s weather is always a little cooler than Vacaville in the Summer…gorgeous by any standard most of the year…why aren’t we talking about that more?” From all the people you’ve supported, mentored, loved and challenged: you will be missed, Rich. Rest in Peace, Power and Positivity.
