Author Description

She's raw, she's real, she's Barbara Carlson, flying high as host of the #1 radio talk show in Minneapolis. "KSTP wanted a shock jock, a female Rush Limbaugh, a hormonal Howard Stern, someone who could rile the generally conservative 25-to-54-year-old males who would become my audience". Barbara Carlson more than rivals Oprah as she rides the rough road of her life through rape, emotional incest, domestic violence, alcoholism, the death of a child, Valium, obesity, marriage to the future governor of Minnesota - and now she's rocking the world of talk radio. A suburban rich kid from a proper Minneapolis family, Barbara Jane Duffy waged a lifelong battle with her own elegant Mommie Dearest, who once confronted her daughter from the barrel of a shotgun, and a father who made her a stand-in for his alcohol-and-drug-ravaged wife. "I saw my first shrink at the age of six". Barbara herself became an alcoholic at thirteen, and lost her virginity to rape. Marriage to Arne came later, but wedded bliss was short-lived; they were devastated by the tragic death of their first child from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. They then adopted a son, Tucker. After giving birth to their daughter, Anne, Barbara began to transform herself into the "hostess with the mostess" whose passion was reserved for politics and booze.