Michael Edward Reagan (born March 18, 1945 as John Flaugher),
adopted son of President Ronald Reagan and his first wife Jane
Wyman, is the host of a conservative talk radio show, the "Michael
Reagan Show", which is syndicated to over 200 radio stations
in the United States through Radio America. He was born to Irene
Flaugher, herself the tenth child in her family. According to
writings of Michael Reagan, his birth mother never informed his
grandmother of his birth.
Reagan grew up in Beverly Hills, California and later nearby Pacific
Palisades, California. One childhood story he has told that introduced
him to politics was how he at the age of 8 asked his famous father
for a raise in his allowance. At the time, around 1953, his allowance
was $1.00 a week. His father told him since 90 per cent of his
earnings were taxed by government, he wasn't able to increase
Mike's allowance. His father further said that when the President
of the United States would give him a tax cut, then he could give
his son an increase in his allowance. This did happen in the 1960s
during the John F. Kennedy administration, and Reagan then was
given $5.00 a week in allowance. This, according to Michael Reagan,
was how he was introduced to the subject of tax cuts and how that
affected people.
In his earlier adult years, Reagan raced boats and later also
sold them at a Newport Beach, California boat dealership. He set
world records in power boat racing. In time, after establishing
his marriage and sorting out his relationship with his parents,
he began his public career. His first gig was as a game show host,
in charge of the original syndicated version of Lingo, which was
taped in Canada but broadcast in the United States. The show lasted
only for the 1987-1988 season, and Reagan left the show before
its demise in the wake of financial problems with the show's producers.
His talk radio career started in the Southern California local
market as a guest host for Michael Jackson's 2 talk radio show
slot on KABC AM in Los Angeles. After this beginning, he landed
a talk show spot on KSDO radio in San Diego, California. Reagan's
rating success in the San Diego market gave him the opportunity
to take his talk show nationwide in 1992. Reagan continues to
host his four hour talk show, and also does public speaking to
groups. He also delivers conservative commentary from time to
time on cable television news programs such as the Fox News Channel
and on the Internet. He also wrote a book titled Twice Adopted
in 2004.
Reagan
resides with his wife Colleen and their two children, son Cameron
and daughter Ashley, in the Sherman Oaks area of Los Angeles.
Read
Michael Reagan's eulogy here.
