Editing Bill Handel

{{Short description|American attorney and radio personality (born 1951)}}
{{Infobox person
| image       = Bill Handel.jpg
| alt         = 
| name        = Bill Handel
| caption     = Bill Handel, June 2009
| birth_name  = William Wolf Handel
| birth_date  = {{Birth date and age|1951|08|25}}
| birth_place = [[Brazil]]
| nationality = American
| known_for   = 
| occupation  = Attorney, radio host, commentator
| alma mater  = [[California State University, Northridge]] (B.A.)<br />[[Whittier Law School|Whittier College]] (J.D.)
| website     = {{url|handelonthelaw.com}}
| spouse      = Lyndsay Soprano Handel (Divorced from Marjorie Handel)
| children    = 2
}}

'''William Wolf Handel''' (born August 25, 1951) is a Brazilian-born American radio host and attorney. 

Handel currently hosts two radio programs on [[KFI]] in [[Los Angeles, California]]. First is KFI's local morning [[drive time]] show, in which he comments on current events. The program is one of the top rated morning programs in the Los Angeles [[media market|radio market]], with more than 1 million listeners.<ref>[http://www.billhandel.com/AboutUs.aspx HandelontheLaw.com – About Us] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070309130123/http://www.billhandel.com/AboutUs.aspx |date=2007-03-09 }},  Billhandel.com; retrieved 2012-05-28.</ref> Additionally, he hosts a legal advice show on weekends called ''Handel on the Law'', which launched in 1985 and is [[radio syndication|syndicated]] by [[Premiere Radio Networks]], co-owned with KFI by [[iHeartMedia, Inc.]]  Handel on the Law is heard on more than 150 stations in the U.S.<ref>[http://www.premiereradio.com/shows/view/handel_on_the_law.html Handel on the Law at Premiere Radio Networks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141008041341/http://www.premiereradio.com/shows/view/handel_on_the_law.html |date=2014-10-08 }}, Premiereradio.com; retrieved 2012-05-28.</ref> He was also the director and founder of the Center for Surrogate Parenting.

His legal show is currently his longest running radio program to date.  Both of Handel's shows played across the U.S. on the [[America's Talk]] channel 158 on [[XM Satellite Radio]].  In 2008, Handel's shows were discontinued by XM Radio when it merged with [[Sirius Satellite Radio]].

==Early life and career==
Handel was born in Brazil. His father Leo was from Yugoslavia, and his mother Nechama was a [[History of the Jews in Poland|Polish Jew]] who grew up in Brazil. Handel's paternal grandparents were killed in the [[Holocaust]].<ref name="big"/> The Handel family emigrated to the U.S. when Bill was five years old.<ref name="big">{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19981201092313/http://www.calendarlive.com/HOME/CALENDARLIVE/TVENT/t000054216.html|archive-date=December 1, 1998|title=Big in the morning|last=Michaelson|first=Judith|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/HOME/CALENDARLIVE/TVENT/t000054216.html|date=June 11, 1998|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=April 29, 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref>

He spent the remainder of his formative years growing up in the [[San Fernando Valley]]. He attended [[California State University, Northridge]] where he obtained his bachelor's degree in political science in 1976.<ref name="big"/> He then started a construction company and attended the [[Whittier Law School|Whittier College School of Law]] at night, graduating with his [[Juris Doctor|J.D.]] in 1979.<ref name="big"/> Around his graduation from law school, Handel became addicted to cocaine. In 1983, Handel underwent rehabilitation at [[Saint John's Health Center|St. John's Hospital]] in Santa Monica.<ref name="big"/>

Later in the 1980s, Handel provided counsel for legal cases around surrogate parenting and founded the Center for Surrogate Parenting & Egg Donation.<ref name="big"/><ref name="Jewish Journal">{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=12521|title=Can't 'Handel' the Heat?|last=Pfefferman|first=Naomi|work=The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles|date=July 9, 2004|accessdate=April 29, 2021|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040712163901/http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=12521|archivedate=July 12, 2004|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 1994, he hosted a weekly syndicated television show, ''Judge For Yourself'', which was canceled due to low ratings and the lack of time in Handel's schedule. ''Judge For Yourself'' was unique in that it solicited comments from a [[900 number]], whose results would be broadcast on the next day's show.<ref>[http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1994/vp940912/09120237.htm On Tv: Gabfests Taking Over The Airwaves] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080228142959/http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1994/vp940912/09120237.htm |date=February 28, 2008 }}, lib.vt.edu; accessed November 13, 2015.</ref> 

He underwent [[bariatric surgery]] at [[Centinela Hospital Medical Center|Centinela Freeman Hospital]] to lose weight. Handel's experiences with this surgical procedure have been documented in a series of segments on his morning radio show.<ref name="Jewish Journal"/>

==Radio work==
Handel joined 640 KFI Los Angeles in 1989 doing a weekend legal show called "Handel On The Law."   On July 16, 1993, Handel began broadcasting a talk and information wake up show, replacing the prior morning team. Prior to January 2014, ''The Bill Handel Show'' aired from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m., and was heavily news based. The first hour was primarily discussion of Handel's personal life, letters to the show, and banter with other staffers. The light banter in the 5 a.m. hour was cut when, in January 2014, the show moved to 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. time slot. It was later reduced to three hours, ending at 9:00 a.m. 

On April 15, 1994, Handel hosted a Holocaust themed show live from [[Auschwitz]], where his grandparents were killed. He planned on having two white nationalist guests including John Metzger, but the two guests were deported from Germany before they could appear on the show.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-04-15-ca-46463-story.html|title=Germany Deports 2 Neo-Nazi KFI-Radio Guests |last=Puig|first=Claudia|work=Los Angeles Times|date=April 15, 1994|accessdate=April 29, 2021}}</ref>

The show now begins with the ''Handel on the News'', a summary of the morning's top stories delivered with Handel's commentary, with appropriate music cues starting each story and playing "under" his delivery. In the second and third hour, Handel has guests to discuss topics in the news.  He often covers a single news story or item of interest for a half-hour, summarizing various other perspectives and offering his own opinion. ''Handel on the News: Late Edition'' airs at 8:30 am, is a condensed version of the 6 am hour, and includes stories not covered in the earlier version.<ref name="Steve Carney">Carney, Steve. "Humor, issues and a cause; Bill Handel's talk show is tops with morning listeners, but he is most proud of his support of surrogate parenting." ''Los Angeles Times'', August 15, 2003.</ref>

On his weekend show, ''Handel on the Law'', he gives terse "marginal legal advice" designed to point callers in the right direction. He often makes fun of callers for getting themselves into their legal predicament, stating bluntly, "you have absolutely no case." Still, the show is informative in that it deals with many common legal problems, such as [[landlord]]-[[leasehold estate|tenant]] and real estate issues, automobile accidents, [[child custody]], and divorce in an easy-to-understand way.<ref name="Steve Carney"/>  The show is heard Saturday mornings on KFI, but [[network affiliate|affiliate]] stations may air it at any time during the weekend.

From September 8, 2009 to February 12, 2010, Handel aired an additional show from noon to 2 p.m. on KFI after Dr. [[Laura Schlessinger]] moved from KFI to another Los Angeles talk station, 980 [[KFWB]]. Handel's afternoon show was syndicated to a handful of affiliates, though [[Premiere Radio Networks]] did not aggressively market the show. (It aired at the same time as the much more prominent ''[[The Sean Hannity Show]]''.)  Handel quit the show after five months.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

On [[September 11 attacks|September 11, 2001]], Handel was on air live when the terrorist attacks on the [[World Trade Center (1973–2001)|World Trade Center]] took place.  Most of the  Clear Channel FM music stations in Los Angeles switched over to a live feed of Handel's show as news reports and further attacks unfolded.  At that time, [[The Rush Limbaugh Show|Rush Limbaugh's show]] normally would follow ''The Bill Handel Show'' on KFI. Not only was [[Rush Limbaugh|Limbaugh]] on a plane heading to a golf tournament that day, but telecommunications systems were also devastated in New York, where his show was based at that time.  Handel continued to broadcast for another three hours, taking the place of ''The Rush Limbaugh Show'' on most stations in the country (as well as the taped broadcast for Armed Forces Radio overseas).<ref>[http://2005.kfi640.com/pages/SpecialReport.html?feed=132794&article=860051 Audio recording of Handel explaining his replacing Limbaugh on the air]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, ''The Bill Handel Show'', September 11, 2001.</ref> This led Handel to guest host on two more occasions on ''The Rush Limbaugh Show''.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

==Awards and honors==
On September 23, 2005, Handel was named "Major Market Personality of the Year" at the 2005 [[NAB Marconi Radio Awards]] for his KFI show. During his acceptance speech, Handel said, “I haven't been this affected since my circumcision. Seriously, I'm proud and honored to be singled out for this incredible award.”<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=5262 |title=2005 Marconi Radio Award Winners |access-date=2007-03-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080229004034/http://www.nab.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search&template=%2FCM%2FHTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=5262 |archive-date=2008-02-29 }}. nab.org</ref> On March 15, 2008 he was honored with "Local News/Talk/Sports Personality of the Year" by industry trade publication ''[[R&R (magazine)|Radio & Records]]'' for the third time, his second being in 2007, and the first in 2005.<ref>[http://www.radioandrecords.com/Conventions/TRS2007/highlights/highlights.asp R&R – Radio & Records, Inc] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070426112649/http://www.radioandrecords.com/Conventions/TRS2007/highlights/highlights.asp |date=April 26, 2007 }}. Radioandrecords.com; retrieved 2012-05-28.</ref>
[[File:Bill Handel Hollywood Walk of Fame Star.jpg|thumb|'''Bill Handel''' at the ceremony receiving his star on the [[Hollywood Walk Of Fame]]]]
Handel received the Distinguished Alumni Award from CSUN (Cal State University at Northridge) on April 26, 2008.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

The alumni association of his ''alma mater'', Whittier Law School, awarded him the "Humanitarian of the Year Award" on April 25, 2009. Handel says he has no idea why he was given this award. On June 19, 2008, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce's Walk of Fame Committee announced that Handel would be one of 25 people the following year to receive a Star on the "[[Hollywood Walk of Fame]]." His star was unveiled on June 12, 2009, and is located at 6640 Hollywood Boulevard.{{citation needed|date=November 2015}}

Handel was inducted into the "[[National Radio Hall of Fame]]" on November 2, 2017, in a ceremony at the [[Museum of Broadcast Communications]] in [[Chicago]].{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

==Controversies==
In 1996, [[Asian-American]] leaders called for Handel's resignation after making comments about [[Kristi Yamaguchi]] and [[Michelle Kwan]]. Handel was quoted as saying; "And when I look at a box of Wheaties, all right? I don't want to see eyes that are like all slanted and Oriental and almond shaped. I want American eyes looking at me."<ref>[http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ASIAN-AMERICANS+PROTEST+RADIO+SATIRE-a083945901 Asian-Americans Protest Radio Satire. – Free Online Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110520121851/http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ASIAN-AMERICANS+PROTEST+RADIO+SATIRE-a083945901 |date=2011-05-20 }}. Thefreelibrary.com; retrieved 2012-05-28.</ref> Handel apologized, claiming that he was mocking bigotry. In March 2004, Handel made jokes about Muslims not bathing, hating Jews, and practicing [[bestiality]].  KFI was forced to apologize.<ref>Pfefferman, Naomi. "[http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=12521 Can’t ‘Handel’ the Heat?]" ''The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles'', July 9, 2004.</ref>

On January 12, 2006, Handel joked that Muslim pilgrims to [[Mecca]] should hire traffic reporters to reduce the possibility of deadly [[incidents during the Hajj]]. The [[Council on American-Islamic Relations]] demanded an apology. Handel offered to apologize on the condition that CAIR would denounce terrorism, agree that Israel is a sovereign country, and claim it does not have ties with terrorists. CAIR did not take him up on his offer. Handel refused to apologize to CAIR, but did apologize to the actual victims of the Hajj stampede.<ref>{{Cite web|title=US radio host 'conditions' for apology|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2006/1/31/us-radio-host-conditions-for-apology|access-date=2020-12-21|website=aljazeera|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Talk show host sorry for Haj deaths insult|url=https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2006/02/08/Talk-show-host-sorry-for-Haj-deaths-insult/85021139419583/|access-date=2020-12-21|website=UPI|language=en}}</ref>

Shortly after the Hajj incident, Michelle Kube began to close each show with an all-encompassing apology covering nearly every group mentioned during the course of the show. It is intended to be funny and draw attention to the numerous groups and individuals Handel makes reference to who might be offended. The apology closes with the statement "and any and all...groups that might possibly have been offended during the broadcast of this show."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110723012210/http://a1135.g.akamai.net/f/1135/18227/1h/cchannel.download.akamai.com/18227/podcast/LOSANGELES-CA/KFI-AM/HOTN_101807.mp3?CPROG=PCAST&MARKET=LOSANGELES-CA&NG_FORMAT=talk&SITE_ID=616&STATION_ID=KFI-AM&PCAST_AUTHOR=KFI_AM_640&PCAST_CAT=Arts_and_Entertainment&PCAST_TITLE=BILL_HANDEL Handel on the News], October 18, 2007; accessed November 13, 2015.</ref>

On December 15, 2006, KFI suspended Handel for one week after an on-air shouting match with [[Jamie White]] on FM [[sister station]] 98.7 [[KYSR]]. White allegedly told one of Handel's daughters to "get out" of his studio. Handel later apologized, claiming he lost his temper and had overreacted without having all the facts. Jamie White later said publicly as a guest on 97.1  KLSX (now [[KNX-FM]]) that she understood Handel's reaction as a parent and that she and Handel had seen each other months later at a radio event and "were fine."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlLA/radiodispatched/kfis_bill_handel_and_star_987_jamie_white_instudio_screaming_match_49405.asp|title=Audio recording of the heated exchange between Jamie White and Bill Handel|access-date=November 13, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100811075243/http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlla/radiodispatched/kfis_bill_handel_and_star_987_jamie_white_instudio_screaming_match_49405.asp|archive-date=August 11, 2010}}</ref>

On May 13, 2009, Handel commented on a show about health care that the U.S. government should "euthanize old people," "sell [[Glendale, California|Glendale]] to get rid of the [[Armenia]]ns" and "get rid of the Irish and the Italians too." These comments were followed up the next day when a listener sent a letter requesting an apology for the remarks he made. After reading his letter aloud, his board operator, Lara Hermanson, joked that "what the Turks started, Bill will finish" referencing the [[Armenian genocide]]. KFI AM 640 Program Director Robin Bertolucci apologized and maintained that Handel was "clearly engaging in parody and hyperbole to point out the absurdity of genocide as a solution to rising health care costs. No one was actually advocating hatred against Armenians. The comments were obviously said in jest, in the same breath with advocating euthanasia for the elderly and genocide for the Jews. The comments made were solely mocking the idea of genocide and weren't intended to be about Armenians any more than they were about euthanasia for the elderly."<ref>[https://archive.today/20130124100131/http://www.glendalenewspress.com/articles/2009/06/04/news/gnp-newsbrief04.txt Group criticizes radio DJ’s remarks], GlendaleNewsPress.coml, June 4, 2009; retrieved 2012-05-28.</ref> On June 11, 2009, a formal apology was issued by Handel and Hermanson for their comments.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110727061846/http://www.kfiam640.com/pages/Promotions.html KFI AM 640 More Stimulating Talk Radio]. Kfiam640.com; retrieved 2012-05-28.</ref>

==Personal life==
On March 20, 2025, Bill married his second wife Lyndsay Soprano-Handel in Italy.

Handel has a brother, Mark Handel, a real estate developer.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/real-estate-tycoon-exposed-boogeyman-094921736.html | title=Real Estate Tycoon Exposed as 'Boogeyman of Porn' }}</ref> Handel's brother was in 2022 accused of producing hardcore pornography, featuring slapping, choking and verbal abuse, under the name 'Khan Tusion'.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bredderman |first=William |date=2022-11-25 |title=Real Estate Tycoon Exposed as 'Boogeyman of Porn' |language=en |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/los-angeles-real-estate-tycoon-mark-handel-exposed-as-boogeyman-of-porn-khan-tusion |access-date=2023-12-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Bredderman |first=William |date=2023-02-24 |title=Politically Wired L.A. Porn King Cops to Fraud Charges |language=en |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/politically-wired-la-porn-king-mark-handel-aka-khan-tusion-cops-to-fraud-charges |access-date=2023-12-12}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|35em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140222192230/http://www.kfiam640.com/onair/bill-handel-30603/ Handel at KFI 640 AM]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Handel, Bill}}
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American people of Yugoslav descent]]
[[Category:American people of Polish-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:American talk radio hosts]]
[[Category:Brazilian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Brazilian people of Polish-Jewish descent]]
[[Category:California lawyers]]
[[Category:California State University, Northridge alumni]]
[[Category:Lawyers from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Whittier Law School alumni]]
[[Category:Radio personalities from Los Angeles]]