Favorite Movie -Shawshank Favorite Sports Moment -Heckling jim Mcilvaine from the fourm stands and having him try to hop the railing to beat the crap out of me. Favorite Food: -PB&J Favorite place to Travel: Hate traveling Favorite Quote: -Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat. -Teddy Roosevelt Favorite Sports Quote: -We Make a lot of Money, but spend a lot too-Pat Ewing Favorite Sport -To play-baseball, to watch-basketball Favorite Athlete, and why -walter payton....no explanation necessary Favorite Hobby -reading Favorite Actor -Morgan Freeman Favorite Music/Band -Punk/Hardcore-Naked Raygun, Decendents, Fugazi Best Childhood Memory -having sex for the first time Favorite Family Memory -playing mush ball at family reunions Favorite Holiday -Thanksgiving & 4th of July....tie Favorite Restaurant -The Salt Lick (Austin, TX), locally Mustard's (Los Alamitos) Favorite TV Show -Larry Sanders Show Favorite vacation destination - Somewhere close.....or hawaii Favorite Beer -Old Style What was your first car -79 Olds Cutlass Supreme......with a bench seat What was your first job --Paper Boy @ 11, Janitor @ 13
BIO: In 1994, after completing his junior year at Pepperdine University, Matt Smith decided it was time to start thinking about his career. As a Pre-law Student (Double Major: Political Science and Speech Communications) he did the logical thing; took a job answering phones on a morning show at a Modern Rock Station.
Waking up at 4 A.M. caused Matt to lose a year of his college social life, but those 18 months proved to be invaluable. He turned KROQ PD Kevin Weatherly on to some great new music, including a little band called Sublime. He not only worked with Kevin and Bean, but his love of sports brought him close to then “Sports Guy” Jimmy Kimmel. He was given the nickname “Money” and soon found himself on the air doing an assortment of comedy bits.
After graduation, realizing he needed to support himself (and pay back 38K in student loans) Matt left KROQ for a job at Polygram Records. He quickly moved through the ranks, and after 2 years, left Polygram as one of the first hires at newly created DreamWorks Records. One of the great things about both jobs was Matt’s insistence Lakers season tickets be included before signing a contract.
In 1998 while drinking a Bud Light in Kimmel’s backyard, Jimmy, Kevin Weatherly and Kevin and Bean’s Kevin were discussing what they should do about sports with Jimmy having left to start “The Man Show”. They decided even though Matt had a full time Job, he was the only person that had a shot to successfully follow Kimmel.
For the next 5 years, Smith worked 2 jobs, KROQ from 6 A.M. until 8:15, and DreamWorks from 9 until sometimes as late as 11 PM. To say he has a good work ethic is an understatement.
With Universal purchasing DreamWorks in early 2004, Matt was courted by Weatherly to work full time at KROQ. He acquiesced, became a much bigger part of the morning show, and also served as KROQ’s Music Director.
The constants through Matt’s life have always been his family, his sense of humor, and of course, sports. His playing career ended in High School, but he woke every morning to sports radio, read the Sports pages front to back, and survived for years on Top Ramen and PBR to spend what little extra money he had going to games.
After 7 years of 13 hour workdays, Smith finally realized his dream. For the 2005-2006 season, he will be part of the AM 570 Lakers broadcast team. Tackling Pre-Game and Half-time Host duties.
It’s a long way from Constitutional Law, but Matt will tell you it’s where he always knew he would end up.
© 2009
